Commanded (Club Sin 6)

“That’s good to know, and it actually makes sense. As far as I know, Travis wasn’t violent before with Sawyer’s sister, only recently.” Chloe nibbled the end of her pen. “Anything else?”

“That’s all I’ve got right now. I’ll keep an eye on his financial accounts and will be in touch if I find anything.”

“You’re the best.”

“You know it.” The phone line went dead.

Chloe laughed to herself and put her phone on the receiver, only to be cut off by the ringing through her computer speakers. Well aware of who was calling, she clicked the Skype icon. Her parents’ faces popped up on the screen. Behind them were the plain white walls from the kitchen of their boat. “Good morning,” Chloe said, and smiled.

“Morning.” Her mother, Jenna Nash, smiled back. Her blue eyes lit up in the way they always did when she first saw Chloe. Jenna wore little makeup, kept her shoulder-length hair dyed light brown, and never really worried about her weight. She was comfortable in her own skin. “Don’t you look happy this morning! Why the good mood? Has Josh done something fabulous for you?”

Chloe winced. With all that had happened, letting them know about Josh hadn’t been at the top of her list. “Actually, I have to tell you something about that.”

Chloe’s father, Derek Nash, lifted his eyebrows. “What’s happened?” He had a handsome face, and with his open-necked white shirt he looked like a beach bum. Silver threaded the sides of his dark hair, yet somehow it made her father look more distinguished. Chloe’s parents lived stress-free lives, and it showed not only in their lack of wrinkles but also in their bright smiles.

“We…well…” She didn’t even know why she paused. This news would thrill them. “Josh and I broke up.”

Her mother said, “I see from the happiness on your face this was a mutual decision?” Chloe nodded, and before she could say anything her mother added, “So you two finally realized that you’re only friends?”

Chloe snorted. “Let me guess—you knew this all along?”

“Well, we are your parents,” her father mused.

She laughed, shaking her head at him.

Then her mother asked, “Don’t leave us hanging. Who’s the new guy?”

Chloe folded her arms, leaning into her seat. “How do you know there is a new guy?”

Her father’s grin widened.

“Because you’re my parents?” Chloe quipped.

“Exactly,” her father replied.

She wondered about not telling them, but then figured, why avoid the inevitable? Her parents knew her inside and out, apparently even better than she thought they did. “His name is Sawyer Quinn. It’s really, really new. I’m not sure where it’s going, but you’d like him. He works on the SWAT team here in Vegas.”

Her mother gave her sweet smile that always held more mischief than Chloe’s did. “When did you meet this Sawyer?”

“A month or so ago,” Chloe replied.

Her father frowned. “When did you and Josh break up?”

“A few days ago.” Chloe cringed.

Her mother gave a mock gasp, yet her grin gave it away. “My God, Derek, our darling is doing something that is considered taboo. Dating another boy right after breaking up with a longtime boyfriend.” Her mother smiled at Chloe, an inner glow in her eyes. “I have never been prouder of you.”

She wasn’t kidding, either. That summed up Jenna and Derek. Chloe’s parents lived outside the box, yet they’d produced a daughter who lived perfectly inside it. “There is something so strange about the fact that you reward bad behavior. You know that, right?” Chloe teased them.

“What I know,” said her mother, “is that you’ve stopped pleasing everyone else and are going with your heart. Which is exactly what I’ve been telling you to do since you were two years old. What I would’ve given for you to throw a temper tantrum.”

“You’re weird,” Chloe told her with a chuckle. “Who would wish for a poorly behaved child?”

“We would,” her parents proudly said in unison.

“But I love you anyway.” Chloe smiled at them. She knew what they wanted was a child who followed her heart, and she was doing that now. But she had no intention of filling in the details. What would she say? Hey! So I totally had sex with someone and he’s into kinky sex. Are you proud? Some things were not for parents to know, no matter how close the relationship was.

“We love you, too,” her mother continued. “I’m sorry to hear about Josh, but I’m sure he’ll still come around to see us, right?”