Blood in the Water (Kairos) by Catherine Johnson Read Free Book Online Page B

ceiling, listening to the water running and simply letting his mind be blank for a few moments.  The draft cooling his cock forced him to stand and tuck himself back into his jeans.  He was sticky and it was uncomfortable, but he liked the feeling, liked the idea of walking around with his wife still on him.  His knees still felt a little shaky.
     
    There was a mirror hanging on the wall opposite the bed over flimsy desk.  Samuel examined his reflection, looking for traces of lipstick and seeing his black hair, threaded with some grey, more than he remembered, waving back over his ears.  It had been a while since he’d last had it cut in prison.  They only seemed to have two grades of tools, rusty and rustier.  A decent haircut was definitely high on his list of things to accomplish within the next few days.  Some quirk of genetics between his dark hair and brown eyes and Moira’s red hair and green eyes had produced two blonde, blue-eyed children.  Dean had inherited his father’s quick-to-tan skin while Ashleigh had inherited her mother’s porcelain perfection.  Samuel thought a lesser man might have been made insecure by the lack of physical resemblance in his progeny, but the shape if not the color of their features and their attitudes and mannerisms were equal mixes of him and his wife.  There was no doubt at all whose children they were.
     
    When Moira emerged from the bathroom, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest for a deep, lingering kiss.  They couldn’t abandon the kids out in the middle of the party all night.  The adults would fully understand if he and Moira weren’t seen for another twenty-four hours or so, but Ashleigh and Dean deserved his attention too.  He fully intended to pick up where he’d left off with his wife as soon as they were home.  But for now, they needed to return to the celebrations in his honor.
     
    Tomorrow he would ride and reconnect some more with his family, and then it would be back to business.  He’d been gone from his seat at the head of the table too long.  Terry wanted him back. His brothers wanted him back.  He wanted to be back.  He was ready.  He had returned to the bosom of his family, his whole family.  For now, life was about living.  He’d spent six years reflecting, examining, deconstructing; now it was time to immerse himself in the thick of it, to grab life with both hands and wrap it around him.  This was his life, it was good, it would be good, and it would get better.  There was action on the horizon.  The deal with the Rojas family needed life breathed into it now that he was on the outside and he was ready to start the CPR.
     

1999
     
    “Happy Birthday, baby bird.”  Her daddy slung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a one-armed hug as he carried on shucking the pancakes he was making in the griddle pan.  She kissed him on the cheek and let him get back to the cooking.
     
    “Happy Birthday, Tinky.”  Her brother sputtered around a mouthful of pancakes.  Her daddy must be on his second batch already.  That didn’t mean she was late, just that Dean had gotten there first.
     
    Using the nickname earned him a clip around the back of his head from her mama, who was putting a fresh carton of juice on the kitchen island.  Ashleigh crossed to the cupboard to retrieve a glass.
     
    “Happy Birthday, sweetheart...”  Her mama’s smile faded only a little as she cut herself off before she said anything else, sighed and carried on with her next breakfast task. 
     
    It was the boots.  Ashleigh knew it was about the boots.   Her mama hated her wearing these battered old engineer boots that she’d found at a tabletop sale to school, but they were comfy and she could go pretty much anywhere in them.  Considering her momma’s own outrageous shoe collection it was no surprise that the mottled and chapped brown leather affronted her.  Ashleigh was used to it; she didn’t take