Chapter Ten
Code-Fucking-Red
Juliet
“ I NEED A snack.”
Ash tapped the paper. “You need to solve for X.”
I didn’t feel great. I was exhausted, meh, and seriously hungry despite the bagel and fruit I’d had for breakfast.
“My ex can solve his own problems. I need a snack,” I repeated.
Shaking his head, he stood. “Let’s go see what Freddy has stashed.”
Eagerly following him down the hall and through a doorway, I was stupidly excited to check out the kitchen.
My excitement was warranted.
It looked right out of a restaurant. There were oversized appliances, shiny surfaces, and stacks of different sized pots, pans, and other utensils. The setup was overkill for the handful of people who were usually around.
We turned a corner to see a man stirring something in a pot.
“Ay, Freddy,” Ash said. “We’ve come for snacks.”
The man turned and did a double take when he saw me, and I probably did one, too.
I’d expected Mr. Freddy to look like Chef Boyardee or the French chef from The Little Mermaid —with the thin mustache and everything.
But Freddy was in his mid-twenties—maybe a little older—and heavily tattooed. He looked like the hotshot chefs from Food Network shows.
He recovered quickly, stirring with one hand while he gestured to a door behind him. His accent was tinged with a hint of French and something else when he said, “She can raid away.”
Well, I had the French part right.
Having tasted the amazing food that’d come out of that kitchen, I was anticipating snacks of every salty, sweet, tangy, sour, and spicy variety. But when Ash turned on the light to the pantry, it was barren, like an apocalypse had hit and the shelves had been wiped out.
“Maximo isn’t a snacker,” Ash explained.
Based on his cut, muscular physique, that’s not surprising.
“Is there any chocolate?” I asked.
“In the box of bran cereal,” Freddy shouted from the stove.
Ash pulled out a wide candy bar that was wrapped in shiny purple foil and tossed it to me. I tried to read the brand, but it was in a different language.
“You sneaky bastard.” Ash stuck his head out. “What else have you been hiding?”
“Cheetos in the protein powder jug. Starburst in the whole wheat pasta box. And beef jerky in the Cornflakes.”
“What’s in this big box of anchovies?” Ash grabbed it down and opened the flap. “It’s actually anchovies. Who the fuck needs so many anchovies?”
“Caesar dressing,” Freddy called.
Ash put them back and asked me, “Anything else?”
“Just the chocolate.”
He grabbed the jerky for himself before heading out. I followed, my nose going wild at the scent of garlic.
I hope that’s dinner.
Freddy was still stirring away.
Ash waited until we were across the kitchen before saying, “Thanks for the jerky.”
“Hey, I said she could raid away.” His accent was thicker in his anger. “You put my jerky back.”
“Come get it,” Ash taunted.
Freddy looked disgruntled, his eyes darting between the pot on the stove and the jerky. “I can’t leave the risotto. It has to be stirred constantly.”
“Is that dinner?” I asked, my tone hopeful.
Other than seeing chefs fail on Chopped when they attempted it, I had no clue what risotto was. But it smelled so good, I was sure I’d love it.
“No, this is a test batch of a new recipe.”
“Freddy develops recipes for the upscale restaurants in the boss’ properties,” Ash shared.
From the very limited amount Ms. Vera and Ash had shared, Maximo owned four hotel and casino resorts. I had no clue which ones and a Google search on my MacBook had been as unsuccessful as the one on my iPad.
“I thought he was the…” Not knowing the correct phrasing, I went with, “House chef?”
“I am,” Freddy said. “I develop. I cook. I train. I slice, I dice, I even julienne.”
“That is a lot.”
“I like to feed people.” He tapped his spoon on the pot. “If this is good, I’ll serve it for lunch.”
I grinned, my stomach growling before twisting.
I’m hungrier than I thought.
Freddy looked pleased with my reaction. “You like my food?”
I almost gave him shit about the rosemary nightmares, but that would’ve been unfair. He was likely following orders.
I went with honesty, bordering on enthusiastic food fangirling. “I love it.”
His chest puffed out. “Good. Is there anything you’d like me to make this week?”
“I thought you didn’t take requests,” Ash grumbled sullenly.
“I don’t for bastards who steal my jerky.” He tilted his head toward me. “But if she appreciates the food I make with my own skilled hands, she can choose whatever she likes.”
Ash crossed his arms. “I appreciate your food.”
“You dipped an exquisitely marbled, dry-aged porterhouse in A.1.”
“I had a taste for it.” Ash stormed back into the pantry and reemerged with the Cheetos, giving Freddy a wide berth so he couldn’t reach him without abandoning his risotto. “You won’t take my requests, I’m taking your Cheetos.”
“Asshole.” Freddy’s tight expression smoothed out as he looked back to me. “What would you like?”
Since it seemed like this was a one-time, rare-as-a-blue-moon thing, I considered my options carefully before deciding. “I’d love some mac and cheese.”
“Done,” Freddy said with a firm nod.
My stomach did another grumble and flip in anticipation.
“Ready to get back to the exciting world of variables?” Ash asked me.
“You and I have very different ideas of exciting,” I mumbled. I started to follow him before turning back to Freddy. “Thanks for the chocolate.”
“It’s straight from Belgium. If you like it, I’ll get more.”
My mouth watered as I returned to the table with Ash. I sat and was about to rip into the package when my stomach twisted. Only that time, it was followed by a clench that stole my breath.
Oh shit.
No, not right now.
Staying in the house, all the days had begun blurring together. I’d lost track.
“What’s wrong?” Ash asked, his snacks forgotten as he went alert.
I jolted up before things got real embarrassing, real fast. The quick movement caused another cramp to squeeze my stomach like a vise. Wrapping my arms around myself, I blinked away tears.
“Juliet.” Ash stood and held my shoulders, panicked. “Are you sick? Does something hurt?”
Yes, my uterus is rioting and tearing apart the baby nursery it spent a month making.
I shook my head. “I need Ms. Vera.”
“I can help, just tell me what’s wrong.”
Yeah, not happening.
The situation was quickly deteriorating, and my panic went into overdrive. I probably looked like my head was going to start spinning around like the girl from The Exorcist . “Send Ms. Vera to my room.”
Realization must’ve dawned because his eyes widened. “Ohhh, got it. She’ll be right up.” Moving fast, he headed through one of the mystery doors.
I hauled ass as quickly as I could while keeping my thighs pressed tight together, waddling like a penguin.
We’re at critical levels of oh-shit. Code red.
Code-fucking-red.
No longer waddling, I took off at a run and didn’t stop until I was in the bathroom.
Stripping down, my stupid hormonal tears irrationally increased when I saw my cute polka dot undies were ruined. My leggings hadn’t fared much better.
I turned the shower on as hot as I could stand before stepping under the scalding jets.
It felt glorious.
My muscles loosened as I turned my back toward the hard spray. I leaned my forehead against the wall, taking slow, deep breaths.
I’d just relaxed when someone knocked. Tension tightened my body again as I braced. “Who is it?”
“Ms. Vera. Can I come in?”
“Yes,” I called since the glass was frosted and she couldn’t see anything.
The bathroom door opened and closed. “Mr. Ash said you needed me. Is it that time?”
“Yes.”
“There are supplies in the second drawer under the sink.”
“There’s already supplies?”
“Of course. We’re women. Women bleed. Men would die from their first cramp.”
I laughed through an emotionally charge sob.
“Stay in the shower as long as you need. Where are your clothes?”
“I’ll take care of them,” I insisted. “I’ve been doing laundry since before I was tall enough to reach the buttons.”
“Where are they?”
“I can handle it.”
“Where?”
“In the hamper. But I can wash them,” I repeated.
“You relax, sweet girl.”
The door opened and closed again as Ms. Vera left me to my shower.
Aiming the showerhead lower, I sat and wrapped my arms around my bent legs, letting the water hit my back until the last of the tension eased away.
I should’ve grabbed that chocolate bar.
Maximo
As I walked into my house, I caught a brief glimpse of Juliet’s back as she raced up the stairs.
What the hell?
Passing by the dining room, I saw Juliet’s MacBook still open with papers and a calculator next to it. Along with her school stuff, there were snacks and chocolate.
Freddy.
I went into the kitchen to find Freddy dumping ingredients into the stand mixer. Ash leaned against the counter next to him, his arms and ankles crossed.
“What the hell happened?” I asked.
“You saw Juliet,” Ash surmised. “She’s good, boss, it’s just that time.”
I glanced at my watch. “What time?”
“She’s a woman.” Freddy raised his brows. “ That time.”
Shit.
I was an idiot. In my defense, I’d never lived with a woman before—not counting my ma. But not in my defense, I was a fucking idiot to not take into consideration something that happened to almost half the population on a monthly basis.
“My sisters called it shark week,” Ash said. “Four older sisters, all synced. Made it easy to work out why Juliet was upset and needed Ms. Vera.” He gave Freddy a pointed look. “No wonder she was holding that chocolate bar like it was her one true love.”
“I’ll run to the store. What does she need?” I asked, feeling out of my element.
“Ms. Vera was prepared.”
“And I’m making her mac and cheese and,” he gestured to the mixer, “chocolate cake with chocolate chunks and cream cheese frosting. If carbs and chocolate don’t help, nothing will.”
Since there was nothing I could do, I was out of my element and useless—two feelings I wasn’t familiar with.
“Let me know if something changes.” I backtracked through the house, snagging the unopened chocolate on my way up to my office. I’d barely sat when someone knocked. “Come in.”
Vera opened the door. “Juliet is not feeling well.”
“Ash told me. Does she need anything?”
“She’s in the shower now. I’m going to bring her some medicine and a hot pad when she’s done.”
“I’ll do it.”
She tilted her head, and I thought she was preparing her argument.
“It seems to be heavy. Painful. She should be on the pill. It helps. It would be smart to start sooner rather than when it’s needed later.
Call your doctor friend to prescribe it.
” Then, not giving me the chance to process what she’d said—or the heavy implication in her words—she turned, still speaking as she left.
“I’ll leave the supplies in front of her door. ”
I sat back in stunned silence.
That was unexpected.
After a few minutes, I got up and headed to my room to grab a pair of my sweats and a tee.
At the memory of what she’d done—what I’d watched her do—the last time she’d worn my clothes, my body reacted.
I tucked my dick into the waistband of my slacks, the hard length stretching up my stomach.
The fabric cutting in nor the uncomfortable angle did anything to lessen my hard-on, but at least it was hidden.
I carried the clothes to her room and picked up the waiting items before unlocking the door.
The little dove didn’t even lift her head when I entered. Her eyes tracked me as I approached where she was curled on the couch, but she stayed in her ball.
“I brought you water, pain meds, a hot pad, and a change of clothes.”
Her eyes dropped to the bunched fabric. “I can’t wear those.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
I looked at her fitted PJ pants and top. “It’ll be less constricting.”
She opened her mouth then closed it. Her lids closed, too, her cheeks flushing.
“I don’t give a damn if you leak on them. It happens.” Her eyes shot open but I kept going. “And Vera can get anything clean.”
And she’s got experience with blood stains.
A small tear dripped from her eye. She swiped at it as she sat up and grabbed the clothes. “Thanks.”
The loose comfort must’ve been needed because she didn’t wait until I left before closing herself in her bedroom. She returned a minute later, wearing my clothes. They were huge on her, but that was the point.
I waited until she took the pain pills before passing her the heating pad and plugging it in.
She pressed it to her stomach and curled around it. “Thanks.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out Freddy’s Belgium chocolate.
Her pretty green eyes went huge and she licked her lips.
Jesus.
Before my tenuous control snapped, I handed her the chocolate and got the fuck out of there.
I need to stay the hell away from her.