Chapter Three
Delphi Mae
“M a, you don’t have to do this. I told you I would get a job and care for us.”
We’re standing next to my old junked-up car parked right outside my new boss’s house, and I sigh.
“I’m not having this conversation with you again, Elijah,” I say frustratingly. “This job is the best thing that’s happened to us in a long time. The pay is good, and we’re ten minutes from your school. You don’t have to ride the bus anymore. Doesn’t that make you happy?”
“What would make me happy is knowing that when I leave for school, you won’t be harmed by the man, the stranger, that we’re moving in with.”
“Honey, he’s not going to hurt me,” I soothe. “He hired me to help with his daughter. Harming me is the last thing on his mind.”
“You don’t know that, Ma,” he says, looking down at me with concern written all over his face.
Elijah is a big boy. He’ll be a beast of a man when his body is finished growing. But, even behind the bravery his size may give him, I see fear deep in his eyes.
My baby boy is no longer there. Not after he killed his father. His only concern is keeping me safe.
“You have no idea what kind of person this guy is,” he continues, pulling my travel bag from my hand. “He could be playing the long game. Pretending to be this nice single father in need of help when what he’s really after is a woman to use and abuse.”
“Elijah Lee,” I gasp. “You shouldn’t think so negatively of people you haven’t even met.”
“He’s not wrong, though.”
The sound of my new boss’s voice startles me, and I turn so fast that I nearly fall. Elijah grips my shoulder, pulling me behind his body, and I can do nothing but sigh.
“Sorry,” Jacob Reynolds smiles. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Jessica and I were out for a little stroll. But, as I was saying, your son isn’t wrong. You have no idea what kind of man I am.”
“You’re really not helping matters any,” I grumble.
“Elijah, right?” Mr. Reynolds asks my son, who nods.
“I like how you think, Elijah,” Mr. Reynolds continues. “Protecting your mom should be your most important job.”
“My son needs to focus more on school than protecting me,” I add.
“Here’s what I can do,” Mr. Reynolds says, completely ignoring me. “We’ll go inside, and I’ll answer your questions. I’ll always be honest with you as long as you respect me enough to do the same. Then I will give you my information so you can go and get a background check done on me.”
Since it appears I’m not invited to this conversation, I walk to the stroller beside Mr. Reynolds and kneel down to get a good look at the beautiful little girl sleeping peacefully.
He continues, “I will give you full access to my security system so that you can check in on your mom whenever you’d like. Now, doing so, I’m putting my trust in you that you also keep an eye on my daughter. I trust that you will make sure the system is always armed when you leave, especially if our girls are inside. Do we have an agreement?”
“I’ve already had your background checked,” Elijah says, much to my surprise. “Apart from your prison record, you’re a clean guy.”
“Wrongly imprisoned,” Mr. Reynolds corrects. “So, are we good?”
I unbuckle the baby and pull her into my arms just as her eyes slowly open.
“Deal,” Elijah says.
I look up from my kneeling position into two pairs of brown eyes. Even though Elijah is a big boy, Mr. Reynolds still towers over him. Was he that tall when I met with him yesterday?
I look from the worried and protective eyes of my son to the intense and confident eyes of my new boss.
“What have I gotten myself into?” I ask the sweet little girl sucking on her fingers.
“I’ll show you to your rooms, and then I’ll order dinner. Does pizza sound okay to everyone?”
“Oh, you don’t have to order for us, Mr. Reynolds,” I say, following behind him. “We’ve already eaten dinner.”
If you call crackers and peanut butter dinner, that is. But I choose not to say that part out loud.
Mr. Reynolds turns and looks into my eyes. I’m not sure what he’s searching for, but he doesn’t look away for a long while.
“Elijah,” he says, still looking into my very soul.
“We had peanut butter crackers,” the traitor says. “I ate lunch at school, and Ma said she ate at home, but I don’t believe her.”
“Elijah Lee,” I gasp.
“It does no good to be prideful, Ma,” he tells me. “You’re hungry, and I know it.”
I expected pity to shine on my new boss’s face, but all I see is determination. I don’t know what he’s so determined about.
With a nod in Elijah’s direction, he leads us into the house.
“If you don’t mind, Mr. Reynolds, could you show me where you keep Jessica’s formula?” I ask.
“Just Jacob,” he smiles at me. “And sure. Everything is in the cabinet above the bottle warmer. Elijah, your room is down in the basement. I had my brothers come and help set it up last night. It has everything but a kitchen and a shower. I’ll show you where the bathroom is while your mom feeds little Jessica.”
Jacob walks to a door at the back of the kitchen and opens it for Eli.
“How far away from Ma is the basement?” I hear him ask while I measure the powder into the bottle.
“Her room is right next to Jessica’s,” Jacob says. “Which is also right across from mine.”
“I’ll just sleep on the floor in her room,” he says.
“Elijah,” I warn. “I’ll be fine. You need your privacy, and Mr. Reynolds was kind enough to make that happen.”
“I won’t be able to hear you if you need me,” he says, coming into the kitchen and reaching out for the baby.
Elijah has always been with me when I babysat in the past and knows how to hold a newborn, so I hand her over without hesitation.
Elijah’s jaw clenches as he holds Jessica, his eyes darting between me and Jacob, lingering a little too long on Jacob with that familiar wariness. It’s the same look he’s had ever since that night. Haunted, distrustful, and far too old for his age.
Jacob keeps his distance, sensing the tension. “Elijah, I know you’re worried about your mom, and you’ve got every right to be. But I promise you, she’s safe here. You both are.”
Elijah’s grip tightens around Jessica, and I can see the flicker of guilt and fear in his eyes. He’s been carrying the weight of that night ever since he made the split-second decision that saved my life but cost him his innocence. He hasn’t been able to let go of the feeling that it’s still his job to protect me, no matter the cost.
“I’m not worried about her being safe,” Elijah says, his voice low but firm, staring straight at Jacob. “I’m worried about what happens when I’m not there. I’m always there.”
I feel the sting of his words, the unspoken blame he places on himself for every moment he’s not watching over me. “Eli,” I say softly, reaching out to brush a hand through his hair. “You don’t have to be on guard all the time. Jacob’s not your dad. He’s not going to hurt me.”
Elijah flinches at the mention of his father, the memory still raw and unforgiving. “You don’t know that. And maybe someone breaks in while neither one of us is here to protect you. I can’t…” he cuts himself off, his voice breaking as he looks away, the pain of that night flashing across his face.
Jacob steps forward, his expression severe but gentle. “Elijah, I can’t change what happened, and I won’t pretend to understand what you went through. But I’m not here to take your place. I just want to stand guard next to you while we keep both our girls safe.”
Elijah glares at Jacob, his eyes burning with the weight of everything he’s too young to carry. “You can’t help. Nobody can.” He looks at me, and there’s a flicker of something, fear, anger, maybe even hope, buried deep beneath it all. “I’ll try the basement. But if I hear anything, anything at all, I’m coming back up.”
I nod, knowing this is the best I can hope for right now. “That’s fine, Eli. You’re always welcome in my room. But give it a chance, okay?”
He hesitates, then finally nods, reluctantly handing Jessica back to me. “Love you, Ma,” he mutters, glancing once more at Jacob before turning toward the basement stairs. “But don’t expect me not to check on you throughout the night.”
As he disappears into the shadows of the stairwell, I look at Jacob, who watches Elijah go with a heavy sigh. “He’s got a lot to work through,” Jacob says quietly.
I nod, holding Jessica close, my heart aching for my son, who’s been through too much too soon. “Yeah,” I say, more to myself than anyone else. “One step at a time.”
“Why don’t we go in the living room and talk for a bit,” Jacob says.
I glance shyly in his direction. Why does he want to talk to me? I mean, I’m not the prettiest woman in the world, but I’m not bad to look at, either. I may be a bit chubby or, rather, more than a bit, but I have a pretty face.
Listen to me, thinking he wants to talk about his attraction to me when he most likely wants to tell me more about the job he’s hired me to do.
I’m so freaking insane sometimes.
“I’d like to get to know more about you and Elijah, and in turn, I’ll tell you more about Jessica and me.”
“You want to know more about me?” I ask.
“Of course,” he smiles. “I mean, I do plan to leave you alone with my daughter and I didn’t use a nanny agency to hire you. So, I’d feel safer if I knew more about you.”
Oh, right. He wants to make sure I don’t hurt or steal his baby, not get to know me because he finds me interesting as a woman.
Job. I’m here for a job so that my son doesn’t have to beg for food while living in a freaking box.
“Why didn’t you use an agency?” I ask.
“I did try,” he admits. “Well, I looked at the website, anyway. Most of the nannies for hire seemed too stiff for me. I didn’t want someone around who made Jessica feel uncomfortable. I wanted someone who was relaxed and had a heart full of love.”
“How do you know I meet that bill?” I ask as I sit on the floor. I grab the small blanket on the couch behind me and spread it out before laying Jessica on her tummy.
“Is that safe?” Jacob asks nervously. “She can’t move her head. What if she suffocates?”
I smile warmly and my heart swells knowing that this little girl is so loved by her daddy.
“Tummy time is super important right now,” I say, adjusting her tiny blanket. “It doesn’t have to be long, just a few minutes here and there. It helps her build up those little neck and shoulder muscles and can even stop those flat spots on the back of her head from forming since she’ll be moving around more. I promise she can breathe just fine.”
“Because you’re a mom, and Elijah is a good kid.”
“I’m sorry?” I ask, confused by the change in conversation.
“You asked how I know that you meet the bill,” he says. “It’s because you’re a great mom.”
“You didn’t even meet Eli before you hired me,” I remind him. “For all you know, I could have been a horrible mom. Shoot, I might be a secret spy sent here to gather intel on you.”
“I don’t think you’d make a very good spy,” he laughs.
“Why not?” I ask in mock outrage.
“Because you’re too sweet,” he responds. “They don’t send sweet and pretty women out to gather intel.”
He thinks I’m sweet? And pretty?
Just a job, Delphi Mae. He’s only being kind. Don’t look at it like it’s anything else. He’s way too freaking hot to be interested in someone like me, anyway.
Oh, and he’s my boss.
“You obviously don’t understand how being a spy works,” I sigh. “They’re not going to send in the most obvious person. They need someone who blends in. And I, Mr. Reynolds, am the definition of blending in. ”
“Whatever you say, Freckles ,” he smiles. “Your face alone was born to stand out.”
“She usually wears that face paint crap to hide her freckles.”
I shake my head as Elijah cuts tummy time short and lifts Jessica off the floor.
“I’m sorry my mean old ma made you lay on your tummy,” he says in a high-pitched voice. “All you could see was a wall of pink blanket. Don’t worry, little butterfly, I got you. Want to check out the digs your old man set up for me?”
Without another word, he takes the baby and leaves.
“Uhm,” I chuckle uncomfortably. “I’m sorry. I’ll go get her.”
“She’s perfectly fine where she’s at,” he says softly. “I know in my heart that your boy will keep her safe. How about I show you around? As much as I hate to leave you alone on your first night, I have to work later.”
“That’s okay,” I reassure. “As long as I know where everything is at to take care of your daughter, we will be perfectly fine here.”
I follow my new boss as he takes me through his home. Eventually, we head up the stairs and walk to the very last room at the end of the hall.
“This is my room,” he says, pointing to the door on the right. “On down the hall, right across the staircase, is the bathroom. This one has a claw tub, whereas the one downstairs is only a shower.”
“Nice,” I whisper, more than a little excited to soak myself in some hot water.
“This room,” he says, pointing at the door right across the hall from his, “is Jessica’s room. I haven’t had her that long, so it’s not fully set up yet. There are still diapers and clothes in boxes and bags. Feel free to organize it however you see fit. I have a baby monitor set up and already have the receiving end in your room. There’s also one in mine. So, don’t be telling her secrets that you don’t want me to hear.”
I smile at his teasing tone and follow him to the room beside the baby’s.
“And this one is yours,” he says. “I wasn’t sure what all you needed, so I had one of my friends set it up in some neutral colors last night. There’s a television, dresser, and closet, and the bed is new and as soft as can be. Again, feel free to change anything you’d like.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I blush. “I just need a pillow and a blanket. I slept on the couch at my old apartment. I don’t need much to be happy.”
Jacob watches me for a few seconds before he seems to snap out of whatever was going on in his head.
“Let’s go get Elijah so I can show you both something important.”
Keeping my head down, I follow Jacob’s boots as we walk back down the stairs, through the kitchen, and then down into the basement.
“I told Knox that this room was going to be for a teenager, and he went wild,” Jacob laughs, knocking on the closed door at the bottom of the basement stairs.
“Yeah,” Eli calls out and Jacob opens the door.
“Would you mind coming with us for a few minutes?” Jacob asks. “I want to show you something.”
I take the time to look around my son’s new room and can’t help the tears that form in my eyes. It looks like every teenage boy’s dream room. The colors are bold, and LED lights light up the back of his bed, his huge TV, and what appears to be a desktop computer.
“Wow,” I whisper.
“I know,” Elijah says equally as softly. “I’ve never even dreamed of having a room like this. I appreciate you letting me borrow it, Mr. Reynolds.”
“Just Jacob,” he answers. “Yesterday morning, this was a regular basement with boxes of junk. I had my best friend’s husband fix it up for you. I know he went a bit mad, but I hope you will be able to relax here.”
“It looks like Jessica likes it in here, too,” I smile sadly.
“She likes the lights,” Eli smiles fondly at the tiny girl resting on his pillow. “Come on Butterfly, your old man wants to show us something.”
“I think we may need to get a bassinet to put down here, too,” Jacob laughs. “After you,” he says, turning around. He must notice the tears in my eyes because he freezes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I laugh it off and turn around.
I don’t want my son to see the guilt in my eyes that I have never been able to give him something like this. I know Eli has never once complained about our living conditions, but he deserves a room like this more than anyone I know.
I don’t know how long I’ll have this job, but I plan to save up as much money as possible so that when the time comes to move on, I’ll be able to give my son more than I have been able to in the past.
“We’re going out to the driveway,” Jacob says softly behind me.
“Grab that blanket for the baby, Elijah,” I say.
“Already on it, Ma.”
“That’s some boy you got.”
I don’t say anything, but the comment alone washes away some of the guilt I was feeling.
“How long would it take to walk to the high school from here?” Elijah asks as we step outside.
“I’d say about fifteen minutes,” Jacob answers. “But I have a bike you can use if you want. It would get you there and home quicker.”
“Nah, don’t want someone to steal it.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Jacob chuckles as he turns towards the woods to the left of his house. “It has my club's logo on it. No one would dare touch it. Besides, you can lock it on the bike rack.”
“Your biker club, right?” Elijah asks, tucking Jessica against his chest and double-checking to make sure she’s fully covered under the blanket.
He’s always been so good with children. I don’t know if it’s because he’s always been around them while I babysat or if it’s because he’s had to grow up too fast.
“Yep. The Obsidians. I would take you to meet them but I’m sure most of them will stop by to meet you both in the next few days. Nosy lot, my family.”
“Sounds nice,” I smile.
“It is,” he says, his own smile filled with love. “Speaking of family, my best friend and his husband live just through these woods. It’s what I wanted to show you. If there ever comes a time that you need to get to safety, you run down this trail until you reach the other side. It will take you five minutes. The path is clear and completely straight. So, remember that if it’s too dark to see. Then you go straight for the only house on the other side. That’s Taylor and Knox’s place.”
I don’t ask why we would ever need to do that because my past alone is proof that this world is a cruel place.
“I think that’s everything for now,” Jacob continues. “I need to head to work or I’m going to be late. You already have my cell number, but I’ve also listed every number you’ll need to know on the fridge.”
Jacob reaches for Jessica and I can tell it takes some serious strength for Elijah to let her go. Such a sweet boy.
“I love you, princess,” Jacob tells his daughter. “I know that you’ve had to go through a lot of changes in your very short life, but I have a feeling that these two people will be solid in your life while I’m away. Be a good girl.”
Instead of handing me the baby, he hands her back to Elijah.
“There are security cameras,” Jacobs says, pointing at one next to the front door, in the kitchen, and the living room. “They are scattered around the entire house apart from the bathroom and all the bedrooms, as well as around the entirety of the property, including the wooded area. Knox is the only one, apart from myself, with access to the feed. He would never abuse that right. Just wanted you to know. I’ll activate the security system when I leave. The code to activate it is one, two, zero, eight. It’s on the fridge as well. If you plan to leave, be sure to reset it and do so again once you come back home. I’ll show you both how to access the cameras tomorrow.”
“Why so much security?” I ask.
“My job can be dangerous,” he admits. “Being a security guard can lead to some pretty shady people hating me when I get between them and what they want. Not to mention being part of a biker club isn’t always safe. I gain haters wherever I go. But I need you to know that you’re safe here. And, if there comes a time when danger calls, I’ll always let you know so you can be on guard.”
“Might have been something to mention before you hired me,” I mumble. “Not that it would have caused me to walk away. But still.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alright. I really do need to go. I won’t be home until around six in the morning. When I get back, I’ll get that bike out for you, Elijah. Or I can just take you to school before I go to bed.”
“The bike is fine, thank you,” my son responds. “Is it alright if I get something to eat?”
“I can just order you that pizza,” I rush to say.
“This is your home now. Both of you. I don’t expect you to use your check to buy food. I will supply everything you need. Just take care of my daughter. My work hours don’t work well with a newborn, and I’ve been on the verge of falling over this past week. Take care of my daughter, and I’ll take care of you. Got it?”
Elijah’s already started searching through cabinets and the fridge to find something to eat before Jacob stopped talking.
“If you’re still hungry after you finish eating, I can order you that pizza I promised,” Jacob laughs as Eli shoves a cold hotdog in his mouth.
“Can I cook?” Eli asks.
“As long as you don’t burn down the house,” Jacob shrugs.
“I guess I’ll go get the baby’s bath water started,” I mumble. “Thank you, Jacob, for this opportunity. I won’t let you down.”
“I don’t think you ever could,” he says. He takes a few more seconds to look into my eyes before shaking his head and walking away. “Be back in the morning.”
Then he’s gone.
“I’m going to make some spaghetti, Ma.”
My eyes stayed glued to the door as my soul seems to snap in place. I feel as if I’ve finally found the place I belong. The person I belong with. It feels as if everything in my life has led to this exact moment.
So why in the world do I want to run as far and as fast as possible?
“Ma, did you hear me?”
“Spaghetti,” I mumble, finally looking away from the door. “Yeah, I hear you. Let me have the baby. She needs a warm bath before going to bed.”
“You okay, Ma? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine, honey. Be sure to make a plate for Jacob.”
“I will, Ma. I’m not a jerk.”
Shaking my head, I accept my new little burden and head up the stairs.
“Bath time, little one,” I sing. “Let’s go see if we can find a baby tub or if we’re doing this the old-fashioned way.”
Jessica doesn’t make a noise but stares intently at my face like she knows the secrets deep in my soul that I’m not even aware of.
Sighing, I shake my head and proceed to search for a baby bath. I need to get this notion of fate out of my head. I read too many romance books. That’s my problem.