Read Online Destiny's Whisper by Elizabeth Moynihan - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Moynihan
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fell,”
Chloe gave a little shrug, her eyes leaving his to suddenly study the ceiling, “I don’t know. I don’t remember,” she finally answered weakly.
“Don’t remember or won’t say? Chloe, did Manning do this to you?” Sergei asked darkly, his patience wearing thin as his desire to confront Chloe’s partner grew.
Chloe’s gaze returned to his abruptly, her eyes wide with fear, her pupils dilated and blown wide, “No, of course not. Why would you even think such a thing? You’ve seen how Andrew treats me,” she said, her voice quivering with emotion; fear the most prevalent.
“Yeah, I’ve seen how Manning treats you, and that’s why I’m asking.
Chloe shook her head vigorously back and forth, trying to ignore the explosions of pain in her head at the movement. “No, Sergei, you’re wrong. You’ve misinterpreted things. Andrew’s a perfectionist and he has a right to expect the same from me. When I screw up, he has a right to get upset with me; it’s understandable, expected even. If I was a better skater, he wouldn’t behave this way,” she explained, her voice rising in pitch as panic began to set in, her hands releasing their hold on the blanket and pushing herself up to a sitting position.
The sudden motion made her sway toward Sergei and he quickly rose, grabbing her by her upper arms to steady her. Chloe’s sudden cry of pain made Sergei release her and she fell back against the pillows, turning on her side to face away from him, wrapping her arms around her knees and curling into as small a ball as her body could make. The hospital gown she wore separated down the back and all Sergei could do was stare at the myriad of colors that scattered over her the pale skin of her narrow back; old and new bruises blending to make an ugly abstract design on the palette of her body.
“Sweet Jesus!” Sergei managed on a strangled gasp, wanting to take Chloe in his arms and tell her everything would be okay, yet afraid to touch her for fear of hurting her more. All the rumors he’d heard about Manning’s abusive behavior were obviously true, and yet everyone had turned a deaf ear to them. Apparently Andrew Manning’s father, the most prominent attorney in the state, carried enough weight and power to keep his son’s dirty little secret safe.
Briefly the thought crossed his mind as to how Chloe’s mother couldn’t know of the injuries her daughter had suffered at the hands of her partner and then everything clicked together; Chloe’s mother worked for the partnership that was owned by Andrew’s father. A nice, neat little package to say the least. Sergei wondered how much money the elder Manning had paid Chloe’s mother to keep from pressing charges against his son.
Chloe’s heart wrenching sobbing brought Sergei’s attention back to her and he circled the bed, kneeling on the floor in front of her, resting his forearms on the bed, his chin on his hands. His position put him eye level with Chloe and he called her name softly until she finally returned her watery gaze to his steady one. “Chloe, none of this is your fault,” he began only to stop her with an abrupt shake of his head when she started to object, “Listen to me–this is not your fault! Manning has a problem–more severe than anyone realizes–and he’s obviously not been held responsible for his actions. I somehow have the feeling his father’s known about this and kept it quiet. Am I right?”
Chloe remained motionless, staring into Sergei’s dark eyes, wanting to disappear into their mysterious depths to float and fly and feel no fear or pain; she just knew it would be like soaring through midnight on velvet wings. Sergei asked her the question again, his eyebrows raising slightly in the same silent question.
Chloe’s affirmative nod was barely perceptible but spoke volumes, as if she’d screamed it from the top of a mountain. Yes!
Sergei dropped his head against his folded hands and fought to control the
Chloe gave a little shrug, her eyes leaving his to suddenly study the ceiling, “I don’t know. I don’t remember,” she finally answered weakly.
“Don’t remember or won’t say? Chloe, did Manning do this to you?” Sergei asked darkly, his patience wearing thin as his desire to confront Chloe’s partner grew.
Chloe’s gaze returned to his abruptly, her eyes wide with fear, her pupils dilated and blown wide, “No, of course not. Why would you even think such a thing? You’ve seen how Andrew treats me,” she said, her voice quivering with emotion; fear the most prevalent.
“Yeah, I’ve seen how Manning treats you, and that’s why I’m asking.
Chloe shook her head vigorously back and forth, trying to ignore the explosions of pain in her head at the movement. “No, Sergei, you’re wrong. You’ve misinterpreted things. Andrew’s a perfectionist and he has a right to expect the same from me. When I screw up, he has a right to get upset with me; it’s understandable, expected even. If I was a better skater, he wouldn’t behave this way,” she explained, her voice rising in pitch as panic began to set in, her hands releasing their hold on the blanket and pushing herself up to a sitting position.
The sudden motion made her sway toward Sergei and he quickly rose, grabbing her by her upper arms to steady her. Chloe’s sudden cry of pain made Sergei release her and she fell back against the pillows, turning on her side to face away from him, wrapping her arms around her knees and curling into as small a ball as her body could make. The hospital gown she wore separated down the back and all Sergei could do was stare at the myriad of colors that scattered over her the pale skin of her narrow back; old and new bruises blending to make an ugly abstract design on the palette of her body.
“Sweet Jesus!” Sergei managed on a strangled gasp, wanting to take Chloe in his arms and tell her everything would be okay, yet afraid to touch her for fear of hurting her more. All the rumors he’d heard about Manning’s abusive behavior were obviously true, and yet everyone had turned a deaf ear to them. Apparently Andrew Manning’s father, the most prominent attorney in the state, carried enough weight and power to keep his son’s dirty little secret safe.
Briefly the thought crossed his mind as to how Chloe’s mother couldn’t know of the injuries her daughter had suffered at the hands of her partner and then everything clicked together; Chloe’s mother worked for the partnership that was owned by Andrew’s father. A nice, neat little package to say the least. Sergei wondered how much money the elder Manning had paid Chloe’s mother to keep from pressing charges against his son.
Chloe’s heart wrenching sobbing brought Sergei’s attention back to her and he circled the bed, kneeling on the floor in front of her, resting his forearms on the bed, his chin on his hands. His position put him eye level with Chloe and he called her name softly until she finally returned her watery gaze to his steady one. “Chloe, none of this is your fault,” he began only to stop her with an abrupt shake of his head when she started to object, “Listen to me–this is not your fault! Manning has a problem–more severe than anyone realizes–and he’s obviously not been held responsible for his actions. I somehow have the feeling his father’s known about this and kept it quiet. Am I right?”
Chloe remained motionless, staring into Sergei’s dark eyes, wanting to disappear into their mysterious depths to float and fly and feel no fear or pain; she just knew it would be like soaring through midnight on velvet wings. Sergei asked her the question again, his eyebrows raising slightly in the same silent question.
Chloe’s affirmative nod was barely perceptible but spoke volumes, as if she’d screamed it from the top of a mountain. Yes!
Sergei dropped his head against his folded hands and fought to control the
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