Read Online Leather and Sand (Riding the Line Series) by Jayna Vixen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jayna Vixen
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her eyes, like she recognized him. She gave him a slight nod, and then a wink. He nodded back at her, unsure what to make of the unexpected gestures, before making his exit.
Dax had taken just one step out the door when his entire world suddenly turned upside down. In an instant, everything he had ever known and everything he had ever felt changed forever. His heart fell into the pit of his stomach like a heavy stone and his brain dissolved into a numb blob of shock and disbelief. He stood there in the doorway for a long moment before this new world, this new life, rushed up to slap him in the face.
And in the heart.
***
“Mama?”
A sleepy little voice floated to Dax’s ears from somewhere behind him. It was as if life went on pause and then re-started in slow motion as he gingerly turned back around, towards the sound. His heart caught in his chest as he spied the owner of the voice. If his jaw had dropped any further, he was sure he would be picking it up from the floor.
A little girl with tousled blond hair stood in the bedroom doorway, clutching a worn, pink blanket. She stared at him with wide, blue eyes—familiar eyes—for a good, long minute before climbing into Rhee’s lap and burying her face in her neck. Dax looked from Rhee to the child, trying to process what he was seeing. The look on Rhee’s face told him plain enough that they had much more to discuss than he had previously thought. She had gone as white as a sheet.
What-what the fuck?
A shockwave of emotion ran through Dax as he observed Rhiannon with the child in her arms. The vision looked incredibly right and horribly wrong at the same time. It was utterly confusing. Rhee refused to look at him but he could sense the anxiety and fear radiating from her even as she clutched her child to her protectively. Suddenly he felt so…out of place.
Tearing himself away from the scene before him, Dax pushed his hand through his hair almost violently before walking right back out the door. He hesitated for a second, taking one last glance at Rhee as she cradled the little girl possessively to her chest. She refused to look at him. The child’s face was obscured, but her white-blond hair stood out as it fanned over the dark material of Rhee’s dress. A tide of emotions ran though him so fast he could hardly take a breath, including a healthy dose of nausea, fear, and startling anger.
Shaking his head slowly, Dax willed away the tidal wave of emotions that roiled in his gut, and the outrage and questions that swirled along with them. The child looked to be around two or three years old. Blond hair. Was it possible? No, it couldn’t be. Could it?
No way. No fucking way!
Disbelief overcame the shock and anger that was growing quickly out of control like a brush fire during Darling’s dry summers. Forcing himself to move slowly and calmly, as he had trained himself to do in touchy situations, Dax pulled the door shut with an audible click. He didn’t much recall how he got back to the hotel. Sleep came easier than he might have expected. It turned out that sweet oblivion was a welcome escape.
Chapter Eight
Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!
Rhee struggled to control her emotions as Sirena cuddled against her. This was the worst thing that she ever could have imagined happening. How could this have happened? She couldn’t allow herself to fall apart. Sirena was very perceptive and she picked up on emotions easily. Rhee didn’t want to cause her any stress or confusion. Realizing how tight her arms were around the little girl, Rhee forced herself to take a deep breath and relax. Manali appeared with some tea, and Rhee smiled weakly. The woman had been up all night and she looked no worse for wear.
“Well, keiki ? Care to explain?” Manali asked.
Rhee sighed heavily. “Not really.”
“Was that who I think it was?” Manali looked meaningfully at Sirena.
After a pause, Rhee nodded. It was pretty obvious who Dax was. Sirena shared his
Dax had taken just one step out the door when his entire world suddenly turned upside down. In an instant, everything he had ever known and everything he had ever felt changed forever. His heart fell into the pit of his stomach like a heavy stone and his brain dissolved into a numb blob of shock and disbelief. He stood there in the doorway for a long moment before this new world, this new life, rushed up to slap him in the face.
And in the heart.
***
“Mama?”
A sleepy little voice floated to Dax’s ears from somewhere behind him. It was as if life went on pause and then re-started in slow motion as he gingerly turned back around, towards the sound. His heart caught in his chest as he spied the owner of the voice. If his jaw had dropped any further, he was sure he would be picking it up from the floor.
A little girl with tousled blond hair stood in the bedroom doorway, clutching a worn, pink blanket. She stared at him with wide, blue eyes—familiar eyes—for a good, long minute before climbing into Rhee’s lap and burying her face in her neck. Dax looked from Rhee to the child, trying to process what he was seeing. The look on Rhee’s face told him plain enough that they had much more to discuss than he had previously thought. She had gone as white as a sheet.
What-what the fuck?
A shockwave of emotion ran through Dax as he observed Rhiannon with the child in her arms. The vision looked incredibly right and horribly wrong at the same time. It was utterly confusing. Rhee refused to look at him but he could sense the anxiety and fear radiating from her even as she clutched her child to her protectively. Suddenly he felt so…out of place.
Tearing himself away from the scene before him, Dax pushed his hand through his hair almost violently before walking right back out the door. He hesitated for a second, taking one last glance at Rhee as she cradled the little girl possessively to her chest. She refused to look at him. The child’s face was obscured, but her white-blond hair stood out as it fanned over the dark material of Rhee’s dress. A tide of emotions ran though him so fast he could hardly take a breath, including a healthy dose of nausea, fear, and startling anger.
Shaking his head slowly, Dax willed away the tidal wave of emotions that roiled in his gut, and the outrage and questions that swirled along with them. The child looked to be around two or three years old. Blond hair. Was it possible? No, it couldn’t be. Could it?
No way. No fucking way!
Disbelief overcame the shock and anger that was growing quickly out of control like a brush fire during Darling’s dry summers. Forcing himself to move slowly and calmly, as he had trained himself to do in touchy situations, Dax pulled the door shut with an audible click. He didn’t much recall how he got back to the hotel. Sleep came easier than he might have expected. It turned out that sweet oblivion was a welcome escape.
Chapter Eight
Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!
Rhee struggled to control her emotions as Sirena cuddled against her. This was the worst thing that she ever could have imagined happening. How could this have happened? She couldn’t allow herself to fall apart. Sirena was very perceptive and she picked up on emotions easily. Rhee didn’t want to cause her any stress or confusion. Realizing how tight her arms were around the little girl, Rhee forced herself to take a deep breath and relax. Manali appeared with some tea, and Rhee smiled weakly. The woman had been up all night and she looked no worse for wear.
“Well, keiki ? Care to explain?” Manali asked.
Rhee sighed heavily. “Not really.”
“Was that who I think it was?” Manali looked meaningfully at Sirena.
After a pause, Rhee nodded. It was pretty obvious who Dax was. Sirena shared his
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