11. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Ali
Little fingers pull at my eyelids, making me sit up too fast, and the room spins around me. “Shit,” I say. I’m a little confused, but only for a second. Caleb is standing next to the couch, looking at me, then looking behind me with a smile. I turn to see what he is looking at. My eyes land on a sleeping Reed. He stayed the night with me on this old, tiny couch. Why does that make my heart skip a beat?
“Reed,” Caleb says, pointing at Reed.
“Yeah, buddy.” I bend down and scoop him up in my arms. My eyes land on a Plan B box on the table next to a water bottle. Shifting Caleb, I pick up the box, open it, and swallow the pill. “Where is your brother?” I ask after putting the box back down.
“Kitchen,” Caleb says, pointing that way.
The clock on the wall says that it's ten past eight in the morning. I know they haven’t been up long because Caleb always wakes me up as soon as he is awake. I hear Jacob getting into something, and I’m hoping he hasn’t destroyed the kitchen while looking for food. I sit Caleb down and find Jacob in front of the open fridge. He has pulled the loaf of bread out. His little cheeks are puffed out, and his fists each have half a piece of bread in them. Leaning down, I grab the bread bag, put it back in the fridge, and then grab Jacob.
I notice his diaper is dry and rush into potty training mode. “Do you need to go potty?” I ask Jacob but also look at Caleb, who is starting to walk back toward Reed. “Caleb, no,” I say, snapping my fingers at him to get his attention. He stops suddenly, drops his head, and starts walking back toward me.
“My Reed,” he says, pointing toward the couch.
“Let Reed sleep. Come on, let's go potty.”
I hold out my hand and wait until he takes it. I stand them both in front of the toilet on little step stools I bought and wait for them to go. I read all the articles, and they all said to sit them on the toilet, but I decided to teach them how to stand up and pee. I do have to help them hold themselves, so they don’t piss all over the walls and floors. Caleb has been getting better at holding himself, but I still don’t want to risk it. Caleb pees instantly and then claps for himself.
“Jacob, if you pee in the potty, I will make donuts this morning,” I say hoping it helps motivate him. I have a can of biscuits that need to be used, and he loves it when I use a bottle cap to cut out the middle and fry them up.
“Okay,” he says. Jacob scrunches up his little face in deep concentration and finally starts to use the bathroom. “I pee, Mommy.” He starts clapping, and Caleb joins in.
“Good job, buddy.” I flush the toilet and pick them both up so they can wash their hands. I sit them down and give them another warning. “Don’t wake Reed up. Go in the bedroom and play while I cook,” I say sternly. They nod their heads and run off down the hall. I wash my hands and start to make breakfast. I’ve only got the middle of the biscuits cut out when arms encircle me from behind.
“Morning, Little One,” Reed says, pulling me into him. “What the fuck are you doing to those biscuits?” He picks one up and starts to twirl it around his finger. I grab it from him and put it into the hot oil.
“I’m making donuts,” I say as embarrassment tinges my cheeks pink. After seeing his house, I have no doubt that he has a shit ton of money.
“Ali, I can go get donuts. You don’t have to make this,” he says, waving his hand over the stack of biscuits turned donuts.
“You can go get whatever you want, but I’m making my boys their favorite breakfast,” I say, turning sideways to get out of his arms. I flip the donuts in the pan and move to the cabinet to the left of the stove. I only open it wide enough to pull the small bag of powdered sugar out of it.
“I’m sorry if this isn’t good enough for you, but in case you haven’t fucking noticed,” I slam the cabinet harder than I should, “it’s the best I can fucking do right now, and I refuse to be ashamed because of it,” I say, hating how my voice breaks a little.
I fish out the finished, brown donuts and place them on a paper towel. Then, I repeat the process. After the oil has dripped off the finished ones, I shake them in a small container with powdered sugar. “Ali… I didn’t–”
“Boys,” I yell, ignoring Reed. “Come eat.” They run down the hall and come to a stop in the doorway.
“Reed,” Caleb yells.
“Donuts,” Jacob yells.
I put them both in their highchairs. For the first time, Caleb fights me and keeps trying to get to Reed. I turn around to see Reed standing at the stove, tending to the food. I ignore him and plate up the boys’ plates with two donuts each. “I can do this,” I say, pushing Reed out of the way.
He growls but goes to talk to the boys. I continue what I’m doing, ignoring everything else. I give the boys more when they are done eating the ones they have. I also plate up some for Reed and place it in his hands. I watch him pick one up and take a bite of it. His eyes close, and a smile forms on his lips. I smile because I know what he’s tasting. They are fucking good.
“Shit Ali. These are amazing.” He pops a donut hole in his mouth.
“I know.” The boys are finally full, so I let them down. They take off into the living room to play. Reed has made himself another plate and is digging in. I put the rest in a bag and stick them in the fridge.
When I turn around, Reed looks at me with his eyes narrowed. “What the fuck was that?”
“What was what?” I ask, grabbing all the dirty dishes and carrying them to the sink. I fill the sink with water and add a little dish soap, noticing I’m going to have to pick up another bottle.
“You put the food away without eating anything,” he says on what basically is a growl. I keep myself from tensing up. I hoped he wouldn't notice.
“I ate before I started making the boys’ food,” I say hoping he can’t tell I’m lying.
“Right. Turn around and say that to my face,” Reed demands. I don’t want to listen to him, but it’s like he has some fucking control over my body. I turn around, place my hands on my hips, and hope he can’t read me.
“I already ate,” I state working very hard to keep my voice even and calm.
Before I can think, Reed places his plate on the counter, reaches out, turns me around, and then pushes my back until I’m flat against the sink. My boobs are touching the water because I’m not wearing a bra. My shirt rises up, and I feel the cool air kiss the bottom of my ass cheeks and bare pussy. I’m about to tell him to let me go before the boys come in when his hand comes down on my ass, and I gasp at the sting.
“Don’t.” Smack. “You.” Smack. “Lie.” Smack. “Again.” Smack. My ass stings by the time he is done, and the front of my shirt is soaking wet, but so is my pussy. His hand starts to rub the sting away, and I bite my lips to keep from moaning. Reed lets me up and spins me around. His lips come down on mine, and I waste no time pulling him closer. A knock on the door interrupts us, and we break apart. Reed looks down at my shirt and smiles. “Go get changed, Little One.”
I step around him, but he stops me by grabbing my hand. I look over my shoulder to see that he is holding his plate out. I take it and head to my room. I hurriedly stuff a whole donut in my mouth and moan as the powdered sugar melts on my tongue. I quickly pull on a bra, shirt, underwear, and pants. Then, I realize that my scars have been on display all morning. Fuck that means that Reed saw them.
“Little One, are you dressed?” Reed calls from the living room. I breathe through my nose and out my mouth to help myself calm down. I have a cover story about how I got the scars, but if he can tell that I was lying about eating, there is no way that he will believe me.
“Coming,” I say, putting another donut in my mouth. The first thing I notice when I step into the hallway is Grandmama standing in my living room, looking around the space with her eyes narrowed. “Oh shit.”
“Oh shit is right. You lied to me. You told me that this place was good and that you had everything you needed,” Grandmama says, putting her hands on her hips.
“I know,” I say, looking down.
“Hey, you will not speak to—” Reed starts, but Grandmama walks straight up to him and points her finger at his face.
“Reed Black, I will bend you over my knee and spank your ass like I did when you were younger. Now you be a good little boy and take my grandbabies to get changed. I have plans with them today. I need to talk to my granddaughter. Alone,” she says, seemingly not scared of him. I’m shocked and speechless when he drops his head, walks over to the boys, picks them up, and walks away.
I turn back to her after they disappear into the bedroom. “Okay. What was that?”
“That was nothing,” Grandmama says, waving her hand at me to follow her into the dining room. “I’ve known that man since he was in diapers. He ran around with my grandson Gabe. He might have grown up into a burly, grumpy man, but I will still take a switch to his behind, and he knows it. Now explain why he is here and why you lied to me.”
I focus on the table instead of looking at her. “He’s my professor. Wait, how old is Reed?” How the fuck have I not thought to find this out.
Grandmama laughs. “Thirty-two. Although that is something you should know if you allow a man in your home.”
My face heats because she’s right. “I know. After the incident with my Jeep, Reed took us to his house,” I say, picking at my nails.
“I know. Why did you lie?”
Of course she would know since she has known him her whole life. “I don’t know. This is all so new, and he is my teacher.” I shrug.
“It’s not like you are in high school. I’m sure that whole stigmatization only counts there. You are both adults and as long as you both want whatever is going on. Who fucking cares,” Grandmama says nonchalant.
“I guess,” I say as the boys come running back into the room. I’m shocked that they actually look good. Caleb is in his favorite blue SpongeBob shirt with a pair of jeans. Jacob is wearing a red button-down shirt, normally reserved for special occasions, with black jeans. When Reed walks in behind him, I can’t help but smile in awe. Jacob is dressed just like Reed. “Are you boys ready to spend the day with Grandmama?” I ask them.
“Yes,” they both shout. I stand up and lower myself to their level for hugs, along with some sloppy kisses.
Grandmama comes up behind me. “Ali, we will talk about this apartment later when I drop the boys off.” She pulls me into a hug and does the same with Reed. Once they leave, I turn to Reed.
“So, while this has been great. I have an early shift at the diner, then a late shift at the bar,” I say, grabbing my purse and putting the strap on my shoulder.
“Actually, you don’t. I’ve taken care of all that. You are off for the next couple of days,” Reed says, pulling his keys out of his pocket.
My jaw drops. “I can’t. I need the money.” Why would he do something like that?
“Look, Ali. We don’t have time to argue about this. I need you to come to my house to discuss everything. I’m not trying to tell you that you can’t work anymore. Even though that is exactly what I want to do. But right now, we have to stop whoever is stalking you,” he says in that tone that tells me I can’t fight him on this.
Fuck, he’s right. I know he is, but I can’t help but panic at the loss of income from the two shifts. I do what I always do. I push my worry to the back and decide to deal with it later. Right now, I have to focus on the boys' safety, and then I will deal with money. “Okay, let’s go,” I say, agreeing, and allow him to walk me out of my apartment.
After a quiet ride back to his house, we sit around Reed’s table with Gabe, Jessie, Nick, and to my surprise Leon, whom I never thought I would see again. If he is here, then most likely, the guys already know about my past, at least the part that Leon knows about.
“So the time for bullshitting and lying is over,” Reed looks at me and me alone. “We know that Ali isn’t your real name or even the name that Leon gave you. So fill us in.”
I take a deep breath and then tell the story I have never told anyone.