Free Shayla's Story (The Mathews/Clemmins Family Series) by Beverly Preston Page B

ticked by, her reflection of their
relationship became clearer. Dread of the next few weeks quickly crawled into
her mind, wiping out the serene view in front of her.
    Quiet footsteps
resonated through the corridor from behind. There was no need to turn, she knew
it’d be John.
    “Wow,” he whispered.
    Resting his forearms
on the black pumice stone, he stared in awe. Intense energy passed between
them. His gaze turned to her ring, yet he remained wordless.
    The tiniest pebble
of a stone adorning her finger suddenly became as big as moon hovering above
the caldron in the distance.
    She felt the need to
explain, but the details caught in her throat, leaving her unable to speak. She
cleared her throat and turned to him. “I…I never thought I’d find this place so
magical. You know what I mean? You see pictures, but they don’t do it justice.”
    “The view
is…mysterious.” His keen stare bore into the depths of her soul.
“Breathtaking.”
    A sexy smile
threatened to expose itself at the corner of his mouth until her tongue slipped
across her bottom lip, nervously tugging it between her teeth. His breath
caught and his stare turned hungry. “Why, umm, has it taken you so long to
visit Greece?” he stammered, breaking the hum of sensual energy between them.
    “I’ve always wanted
to travel here. I just never made the time. Tommy’s only had this place a few
years.” She didn’t want to admit or explain that Mat wouldn’t come with her. He
was afraid he’d be bored.
    “How long have you
worked for Tom?”
    “I started working
for him right out of high school, part-time until I finished college.”
    “Did you grow up in
California?” he asked, his tone permeated with intrigue as if it would be the
first of dozens of questions he needed to ask.
    “No, I grew up in
Kentucky.” She smiled, but a bit of sadness forged its way into her voice.
“Tommy took me in when I showed up on his doorstep.”
    “You just showed
up?” John’s eyes flickered warily. “His brother is your father, right?”
    A chill skittered up
her spine from the tenderness in his tone, tugging at her insides. She never
spoke of her father. Emotions she put to rest years ago flooded over her
unexpectedly. She sniffed back the burning sting pricking her nose, threatening
to turn to tears. Shayla bowed her head with a slight nod. “My father isn’t
anything like Tommy. The two of them haven’t gotten along in years. He’s not a
nice man.”
    She sensed concern
rising in his silence.
    “Define not nice.”
The uneasiness collecting in the vibrations of his voice closed like a fist
around her heart, pulling her to him.
    “He’s an alcoholic,”
she admitted, raising her gaze to meet his. She couldn’t explain the comfort
and security she felt merely standing next to him. There was just something
about John that made her trust him. She continued without a second thought.
“And abusive.”
    His face stiffened.
A sea of anger brewed in his eyes. They held a thousand questions in just one
look. “Was he abusive to you?”
    “My mother took the
brunt of it.” Shayla found herself unable to stop the train wreck of a story
spilling from her lips. “I guess I’ve never really forgiven her for staying
with him. Or for not sticking up for me.”
    “Parents are
supposed to protect their children.” The muscles in his neck tensed. A
murderous grumble resonated deep in his chest, rising above the crashing surf
in the dark distance. “Your family should be the people you can trust the most.
Not the ones who give you nightmares.”
    John protected his
family. He defended his mother against one of the most famous men in the world
without giving her uncle’s notoriety a second thought.
    “Not everyone is as
protective as you.” She managed a smile while brushing the dampness from her
face.
    “Your uncle is. He
talks about you like you’re his own daughter.” A curious frown puckered between
his brows. “Did you run away?”
    Shayla