Dangerous Desires

Two

My stomach was still in knots when I pulled up in front of the Mediterranean style house I had built for Elizabeth and Estella, since Stella had moved into her dorm on campus it has felt more like a tomb than a home. More silence filled the air between us as I led her inside and glanced toward her when we stopped at the open door. Her gaze was locked on the room as her fingers went to touch the charm of her necklace- a pale quartz disk backed by silver that I knew had an 'H' pressed into it. Liz and I had given it to her when she'd come to stay with us while her world was falling apart after the late term miscarriage of her son, Hunter. Her twin was the only support system she had because their parents shunned Anna when she told them she wasn't marrying the child's father- a one night stand she had while on assignment in Ireland. There had been nights when I would wake up and my wife wouldn't be in bed beside me, I'd come to check on Anna only to find my wife in bed beside her with our daughter between them. "If you would rather you can have my bed and I'll sleep in here," I commented causing her to look at me as she blinked.

"That's okay, I'll be fine," she replied giving me a small, sad smile.

I took a breath and rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, I'll leave you to settle in and we'll head out when you're ready."

"Thanks Tavin."

-Annabeth-

Tavin returned my small smile as he turned to go in the direction of his office. I huffed a breath going farther into the room with my bags as a hand came to rest on my stomach. I never thought I'd be here again, memories of what I'd been going through when I'd sought refuge with my sister are part of the reason I'd stayed away for so long. When I'd come for Elizabeth's funeral, I'd insisted on staying in a hotel because I didn't think I could handle being in this room. Luggage was forgotten, I sat on the edge of the king-sized bed smoothing my hands over the comforter. If it hadn't been for my sister I don't think I would have been able to fully recover from my miscarriage and the full hysterectomy I had to have because of the issues losing my son caused.

"I never got to thank you Liz," I whispered to the air as if speaking her name would some how bring her back, at least for a moment. I sat in silence for a few minutes then raked my hands through my short locks before I got up heading to the private bathroom to shower.

With my hair dried and fixed into my normal fauxhawk I walked back into the bedroom to get dressed. A matching set of pale blue underwear were donned beneath an off-white princess vest style top and pin stripped suspender pants before I pulled on socks and a set of ankle boots. My fingers found the charm of my necklace as I made my way from the room heading toward Tavin's office where I stood just inside the open door watching him scrunch his brow at something on his laptop screen- thick dark curls styled in an undercut face, deep syrah colored eyes, dark stubble covering his chiseled jaw, skin tanned from years working out in the California sun and a muscled form hidden beneath a white dress shirt and pressed slacks. My gaze slowly moved to his left hand and the black silicone band that he still wore there after all these years, I guess I shouldn't be surprised they were each other's first everything. I'm not sure he'll ever really be able to move on after all that. "Hey," I sighed causing his gaze to shift from whatever was on the screen to me.

"Hey," he breathed and shut the laptop before massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Everything okay?"

He nodded as he rose from his large office chair. "Yeah, just working on a bid proposal for a new construction down in San Fransisco."

"How many other companies are placing bids?"

"About a dozen I think."

"Oof."

"Anyway, are you ready?"

I nodded in confirmation and he walked around the table dragging a hand through his hair like he had on the ride from the airport. "We'll swing by the college and pick up Stella then head into downtown LA for dinner."

"Sounds like a plan."