Chapter 13
Misty
A harsh knock sounds on the door to my apartment, and I take a deep breath. The baby’s asleep in the back room, thank god, and I had ten minutes to clean-up as best I could.
Of course, there’s no hiding the fact that my fifth-floor walk-up is shabby.
The windowsills sag, the windows themselves are dirty, and there’s a water stain in one corner of the ceiling.
The kitchen isn’t really a separate room either; it’s just a fridge and a stove lined up against the wall, in front of which I’ve placed a sofa and a table.
But this is home for me and Sylvester, and Barrett and Chris can deal.
After all, I’m not going to be cowed by the two alpha males. I don’t care that they’re CEO’s with buckets of money, as well as power and influence. I’m a mama bear and I’m going to do everything to protect my baby, even from his own fathers.
With that, I straighten my shoulders and stride over to the door before opening it.
For a moment, words escape me because Cross and Barrett are gorgeous.
I’d forgotten how tall they are, with black heads almost brushing the door frame, and they’re broad too.
They seem to take up all the room in the tiny landing in front of my apartment.
Meanwhile, I look like a mess. My blonde tresses are scraped back into a messy ponytail, and there’s not a smidge of make-up on my face.
Not only that, but I’m dressed in loose sweats that hide my voluptuous figure. I’m basically the opposite of sexy.
But the men’s eyes roam up and my curves, as if they can see through the thick material, and Barrett’s eyes gleam.
Chris licks his lips ever so slightly, and immediately, my womanly senses go into high drive.
These men think I’m attractive, even at my worst. They think I’m built for them, with my big breasts, wide hips, and thick thighs, which is true because I’ve already had their son.
“Come in,” I manage in a steady tone while holding the door open. “Please be quiet because Sylvester’s sleeping.”
Barrett and Chris step into my tiny apartment, and it’s almost comical to see the two huge alpha male in such a small space. But their expressions don’t change at my shabby furnishings, although they do look around for Sylvester’s crib.
“Where is he?” Barrett whispers. I nod, holding a finger to my lips.
“I’ll take you in to see him. But just for a second.”
Then, I open the door to the bedroom, and we step inside the darkness to peer at the sleeping baby.
Little Silly is even more adorable than usual, snoozing peacefully with both of his little hands in loose fists by his head.
He breathes in and out, his dark curls askew as the nightlight glows from one corner.
Barrett inhales sharply, his gaze fixed on the child as emotion fills his eyes. He stares at Sylvester for a long moment, and then nods.
“That’s my son,” he rasps. “My other sons, Brandon and Brent, looked just like that as babies too.”
I nod before ushering the men back into the main room, and then shut the door to the bedroom quietly.
“So how can I help you?” I ask abruptly. “I don’t think there’s any need to beat around the bush because everything’s already been said and done. We’re parents to a child, and I won’t compromise Sylvester’s happiness. He’s mine.”
The two men share a look and then nod.
“Of course he’s yours,” Cross says in a low voice.
“You’ve done a wonderful job caring for the child,” Barrett adds, his tone soothing. “But we’d like to be a part of his life as well.
I nod sharply, crossing my arms over my chest in a defensive position.
“I think we can figure something out,” I say in a clipped tone. “What were you thinking?”
The two alpha males share another look.
“Before we get into the logistics, can you tell us how you got pregnant?” Cross asks in a smooth tone. “We’re not questioning that Sylvester’s ours, of course. We just thought that all women from Sweet Lies were required to be on protection. It’s a non-negotiable for the site.”
I nod, expecting this question.
“I did submit proof of contraception, and I was on the pill,” I say in a stiff voice.
“But I was also taking an herbal remedy at that time called St. John’s wort to help me sleep.
My guess is that the supplement didn’t mix well with the birth control, and I got pregnant.
That’s my best guess, but it might not be the St. John’s wort either, because there’s no contraception that’s one hundred percent fail-proof.
I’m a young, fertile woman, and I was with two men during what would have been my fertile time of the month. It could have been that alone.”
Barrett nods, his blue eyes gleaming.
“It is possible,” he acknowledges in a deep tone. “And we’re fine with the fact that the protection failed because we want this baby, Misty. You’ve made us very happy by having our child, and we’re grateful to you.”
“We’re very appreciative of your sacrifice, sweetheart,” Cross adds in a low tone, his blue eyes intense. “We know how hard it must be to be a single mother.”
I swallow hard as tears prick my eyes because I wasn’t expecting these sentiments. I knew that Barrett and Cross would want to be a part of Sylvester’s life because they’re alpha males who take fathering seriously. There’s no way they would ignore a son who looks just like them.
But I didn’t think that there would be words like “happy,” “grateful,” and “appreciative” thrown into the mix and suddenly I feel very emotional.
“Thanks,” I manage in a choked voice. “It hasn’t been easy.”
“No, it hasn’t,” Cross speaks. “And we want to make it better for you. We want you to move somewhere closer to us, where there’s more space.
A different place with two bedrooms, one for you and one for the baby.
Or maybe you’d like to move in with one of us because we live in big houses with bedrooms to spare.
There’s plenty of space, and we could easily convert something into a nursery. ”
“Fuck, I’m practically rattling around my mansion at the moment,” Barrett says ruefully. “My two sons are in college, so it’s just me at a huge fucking estate by myself.”
I shake my head furiously.
“No, that’s not necessary. Sylvester and I are happy here, and we don’t need to move. It’s fine.”
The two men share a look before Cross takes one of my small hands in his.
“I know this isn’t easy to hear, Misty, but we’d like to resume relations with you. It was unexpected to see you again, but Barrett and I are men who make the most of the opportunities thrown our way, and we’d like to see you again. You are the mother of our child.”
I squint, not sure if I’m hearing right.
“You mean, romantically? Or for sex? Friendship? Co-parenting? I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Barrett takes my other hand then, his blue eyes intense.
“Any and all of the above. We’ve been thinking non-stop about you, Misty, since that weekend two years ago.
You’re the girl that got away, and we’ve kicked ourselves again and again for letting that happen.
But now that the universe has given us a second chance, you can bet that we’re not going to fuck it up.
We want you, Misty Earnshaw, in every way imaginable. ”
I stare at the two handsome CEO’s, unable to believe my ears.
“But why didn’t you look for me then? Why did you let me get away if you thought I was the one?”
The two men share another look before speaking.
“Because you deserve better than us,” Chris says in a quiet voice. “You’re young, beautiful, and sweet, Misty. We wanted you to meet a nice man who’d give you babies while living in a house with a white picket fence. We wanted your life to be filled with rainbows and dreams.”
“Okay, maybe rainbows and dreams are a little over the top,” Barrett acknowledges with a wry grin.
“But the sentiment is spot on. You deserve better than two assholes with baggage. I’m divorced with kids, and Chris has his own shit to deal with.
But even that aside, we’re forty five year old motherfuckers with a lot of experience.
We’ve had the shit kicked out of us, but we’ve also kicked the shit out of other people, and you deserve better, honey.
The world is your oyster, and we want you to see it with innocent eyes, instead of corrupting you with our influence. ”
I stare at them.
“You’re not corrupt.”
Both men shake their heads, harsh streaks on their cheekbones.
“You don’t get to where we are in life by taking it easy,” Cross drawls.
“We’ve definitely done our share of dirty deals,” Barrett growls. “It’s knives out, honey. That’s the only way we know.”
Still, I’m not convinced.
“But you could have looked for me.”
“We could have,” Cross acknowledges, “but it hurt to know you were out there, probably dating a nice young man and settling down into your dream home. So we forced ourselves not to look in order to keep our sanity. It would have driven us insane.”
“But all that’s water under the bridge,” Barrett says in a rough voice, his blue eyes piercing. “You’re ours now. You’ve had our son. We want you, Misty, in every sense of the word, and we’ll move Heaven and Earth to have you. We also want more children, if you’re amenable.”
More children ? I pause, my heart thrumming in my chest. On the one hand it’s tempting because the two alpha males are insanely handsome and powerful.
It would be so easy to give myself over to Barrett and Cross, and to let my lovers look after me as I revel in the lap of luxury.
Yet I’ve been taking care of myself for years now because of my history in foster care, and I can’t give up my independence just like that.
There’s been too much hardship in my life, and too many challenges to overcome.
As a result, I keep my expression neutral while folding my arms over my chest.
“I’ll think about it,” I say in a simple tone. “Thanks for your offer, and thanks for stopping by.”
The men stare, their expressions a bit disbelieving.
“Okay,” Barrett says in a low voice. “How long do you think you need to think things through? Can we at least help you move somewhere nicer? I’ll pay the fee for breaking the lease. Money is no object, sweetheart.”
I shake my head, my expression neutral.
“No, no need. I just want to be by myself for a while in order to get clarity. Things have moved so fast for all of us, and I need some breathing room just to mull things over. You do too, right?”
The two men stare at me.
“No, we don’t,” Cross rasps. “We know what we want.”
“What we want is you ,” Barrett emphasizes. “You and the child both.”
My cheeks warm as my heart goes pitter-patter, but I know I have to stand my ground.
“I appreciate the sentiment, but I’ll let you know when I have an answer for you.”
Cross stares at me, his blue eyes dumbfounded.
“Can we at least see Sylvester in the meantime?” he rasps. “He’s our son.”
I nod.
“Yes, because I want Sylvester to know his daddies. He’s a sweet boy who adores being the center of attention, and it’ll be good to have a male influence in his life.
So yes. But I’ll be in touch about my answer with respect to a relationship,” I manage in an even tone, even as my heart races at the word “relationship.” “I appreciate your patience.”
The two men look like they want to say more, but then they nod and rise to towering heights within the apartment.
“Can we kiss you goodbye?” Barrett asks in a low tone.
“Just for old time’s sake,” Cross adds.
I pause for a moment, tempted to say no. But why not? After all, a kiss is just a kiss, and it wouldn’t have any bearing on what ultimately happens. So I smile softly and nod.
“Yes.”
The two men move fast. Immediately, I’m sandwiched between those hard male chests, Barrett catching my lips with his own first. His mouth is gentle initially, probing and questing, but as soon as I part my pout, he seizes control.
His tongue delves into my mouth, claiming me as a big hand reaches up to toy with a stiff nipple.
“You’re so beautiful,” he rasps. “We’ve missed you so much.”
Then, Cross is next. The huge alpha male claims my mouth ruthlessly, as if he can’t hold out a second longer. He growls low in his chest, staking his claim as possession surges through his veins.
“You belong to us, Misty Earnshaw,” he rasps hungrily. “And don’t you forget it.”
Then, the two men disappear out my front door, and I’m left gasping and aroused, alone in the living room. What just happened? I thought I behaved in a rational and dignified manner, but the kiss we just shared has turned everything on its head.