Chapter 3
Ispent the next ten days being spoiled in the same way as the first one. Tavi ordered me food, and Caesar brought it every meal. Tavi didn’t leave. Caesar brought him clothes and took care of the bar. He came in with that same half smile but never said a word to me. When Tavi talked to me while he was there, he listened thoroughly but never added to the discussion.
Tavi had to leave to handle something important but said he’d be back by my discharge time. When the door opened, it surprised me who entered.
“Caesar?” I asked to verify that I wasn’t completely losing my mind.
“The deliveries held Tavi up. Since I hate doing them because I always screw up inputting it, I opted to come to get you instead.”
“Thanks, I guess,” I mumbled the last part.
He held up a duffle bag. “These are for you.”
“Thank you.” I buzzed the nurse, and she came in. “I need a shower,” I informed her.
“Because you wear that cast, I don’t think you should. I can bring you a basin to get cleaned up in.”
I sighed. I just wanted a shower. Maybe I could hold out until I was home. They’d done this wipe-down thing with these wet clothes the entire time I’d been in here. I needed an actual shower.
“Bring the basin. Three washcloths, two towels.” Caesar said to her.
“Will do.” She disappeared without waiting for my response. When she returned, she had it filled with towels, washcloths, body wash, shampoo, toothbrush, and toothpaste. “Anything else?” She asked.
“No, thank you.” I gritted out, throwing a silent fit.
“Did you need help up?”
“She won’t be getting up.” Caesar chimed in.
What in the fuck? I was beyond tired of being in this bed.
“Then buzz me if you need anything.” She said before disappearing.
“How do you expect me to get clean without getting up?” I snapped at him.
He didn’t respond, instead; he emptied everything and arranged them on the bed table. Then, he went into the bathroom and ran the water. He was so… so… infuriating! He’d been here and quiet the whole time, and when he speaks, the jerk tries to boss me around. I wasn’t having it!
When he came back, hot water steamed from the basin. He sat it on the table and walked to the door, which he closed. He fooled with the thermostat in the room and then pulled closed the privacy curtain. Taking off his jacket, he rolled up his sleeves and then came over to me. He lifted the sheets to expose my feet and legs. He took one cloth and put it into the water. Then he put body wash on it.
“What are you doing?” I tried hard not to roll my eyes at him.
“Washing you.” He shrugged before he began washing my legs.
He applied pressure as he moved, making it feel like more of a massage than being cleaned.
“You don’t have to do this. I can wash myself.”
“I know.” And he never slowed as he worked. Sure, hands washed my entire body. He used a separate cloth for my face and another for my girly bits.
I was fine at first, but when he spread my legs and labia and swiped carefully, I whimpered at the pressure he used. Not one time while washing me had this felt sexual until now. That had to be the reason there was no discomfort at him seeing me completely naked and available for him. His hands had worked efficiently and carefully this entire time. Now, I was laying here wondering if I’d just been na?ve to it all.
“Would you like to do this yourself?” He asked hoarsely.
I probably should have. Especially when I was sure that it was arousal I heard in his voice.
He waited for a beat before he returned to the job. He made quick work of finishing and moving on to clean my butt, which he spread and cleansed the area like he had many times before. Unsure of why everything buzzed in awareness of him, I took a minute to myself when he dumped the water and got some fresh. Soaked washcloths rinsed me clean, and the towel followed to dry me. He helped me into my clothes, and I brushed my teeth while he brushed my hair into a puffball.
He cleaned up the small mess we made, stripped the bed down, and put all the linen in the hamper. I sat in the recliner quiet and studied Caesar. Something about the bathing experience had lingered with me. He could have taken advantage but hadn’t. He could have let me struggle through it alone, but he didn’t. And he’d been a gentleman even now. The way he’d taken control without demeaning me made me look at him differently. He hadn’t asked permission, doing exactly what he wanted. He gave me choices, and when I stalled, he provided the solution. He was trouble and I’d been blind until now. I’d underestimated what he was about. Gentle, yet intense. That was a lethal combination.
“I’ll get the nurse and see where we are with the discharge process.” Not waiting for me to respond, he left the room.
I sipped on the juice I’d gotten earlier while thinking about how different the twins were. Caesar was quiet and often didn’t explain himself, leaving me to question everything he did. Tavi had no issues telling me how it was. He was direct in what he wanted and knew the whys too. Two distinct personalities and both were complex in ways. I could see exactly what I was up against. A world where opposite things applied at the same time.
When he came back with transportation wheeling in a chair and the nurse in tow with paperwork, I knew it was time to go. He put everything together and into my bag. We went to the car, and he helped me inside. Once he buckled me in, he got in and took me to the hotel where I was staying. I grabbed a few days’ worth of clothes and then he ushered me back into the car.
I would stay with them until the pain eased up for me and I could do more on my own. They had given me the option of them being here or me going there. And since I didn’t see how the three of us would fit comfortably in my room, I opted for their house. Crissy knew where I was going to be, and I’d given her the address just in case. When we pulled up to their house, I felt betrayed by how Caesar had downplayed it.
“This isn’t a damn house. A house is something that a family can fit in. This is…” I stepped out of the car and a man greeted me who manned the front door.
Inside, the halls seemed to go on forever. The first room was a living room that was more like a museum. Photos lined the walls of relatives and people of importance. There were even pictures of them and Ward. Some had other men in them as well. They displayed their entire lives in this room instead of photo albums. They were all black and white with gold frames. The room was big enough to have sections. A fireplace was on the center wall with high pillared vases, glass beads, black and gold leaves, and cream candles. Everything was crisp lines and precise placement. Afraid to touch anything, I didn’t get too close. In awe, I remained quiet.
“This is our family room,” Caesar spoke after clearing his throat. “We rarely come in here, but when we have people over, we usually entertain here. “
“This isn’t a house, Caesar. You and Tavi… you don’t have to work.” I felt like I was in over my head, unsure what to say. They were millionaires, at least. This house was extensive. Not as large as Nana’s house, but it stood in its own right.
“It’s our home. We like it here. If you don’t–”
“How can someone not like it here? It’s over the top and way too much for just two men. Who else lives here?” I turned in his direction.
“Our sister does when she’s home from college. And mother lives in the suite out back. We lost our father a few years ago and brought her here. She’s alive and well, but it makes no sense for her to live alone in a house she struggled to manage. My father took care of everything, and it left her helpless.”
“I hope you don’t think I’ll be the same, Caesar.” Walking close to him to look him in the eye so that he understood exactly what I was saying. “You won’t make me a kept woman.”
“Sam, if you’re mine, you’ll be whatever I want you to be.” It came out in a raspy growl as if the man couldn’t just use regular words. “I don’t think you’re ready to find out what that means. If you were, there’s no way you’d be standing in front of me.”
I flinched, not understanding. “What is that supposed to mean, Caesar?”
“You’d be on your knees, instead.”
“My knees! Listen–”
His mouth took mine, sufficiently shutting me up. Fuck… me. All the sassy things I wanted to say died on my tongue. One that he was caressing roughly with his. He’d forced his way into my mouth, marking it with the tip of his tongue. I leaned in closer to him, completely under his spell. This stolen moment had me forgetting exactly what I couldn’t stand about Caesar. Instead, I could only focus on how good he tasted and how he controlled me with his mouth. His hands weren’t touching me, but my uninjured hand was fisting his shirt and trying to climb him like a tree. He slowed the kiss, and I was missing him already, though he hadn’t pulled away yet.
“Sam, you’d crawl for me, kneel, and do many other things you never would for any other man only because I asked. Those things aren’t to degrade you. Instead, they’d free you and allow me to take care of you in ways you’ve never understood. Baby girl, you’ll do it because you need to.” He kissed me once more and nodded to the stairwell. “Let’s get you settled into your room.”
Well, shit.
Not waiting for my response, he picked up my bag and began climbing the steps in the far corner. I followed, not having a single thing to say. What he’d said had me lost in thought. Was that his way of telling me exactly what he wanted from me? Or had I misunderstood that kiss? It could mean more than I needed it to be.
Caesar left me to organize my things how I wanted them to be. There were dressers and a walk-in closet to put my clothes in. There was no way that I’d fill any of this up from my one bag. Besides, I didn’t plan to be here that long. I wanted to explore, but my arm was sore, and I was tired. I sat on the bed and tried to breathe through the pain so I wouldn’t get sick.
“Knock knock.”
I looked up to see Tavi in the doorway. He was carrying a tray with food, soda, and water.
“Hey, you.” I smiled his way.
“Yeah, you don’t look so good. When’s the last time you had medication?” He sat down the tray on the dresser and sat beside me.
“Before I left the hospital. We’re waiting on the pharmacy to text me to get it filled.”
“Do you have the information? I’ll see if I can get an ETA on it. I know in the hospital they also gave you Motrin. Maybe we have some of that around until we can get what you need.”
I nodded. “That’ll take the edge off until then.” I gave him the location information, and he made a few calls. He found the Motrin and gave me that with the soda.
Next, he gave me the tray to eat from. Deli sandwich with lots of fixings. Tomato, onions, lettuce, pickles, mayo, cheese, and a pickle spear on the side. There were chips and mandarin orange slices, too. I ate happily, more than a little content that he’d gotten it right, adding my favorite fruit. Less than an hour later, someone delivered the medication. Relieved, I took it and a nap. Tavi left me alone to sleep, and I buried myself under the blanket to rest.
The badly smelling man was back, ready to finish the job. We struggled in the alleyway, and I hoped that somebody would come by and save me. His oxygen-deprived lips kept trying to kiss me while he rubbed his boney body against mine. My arms were weak, tired of fighting, and I screamed for help.
“Let me go!” I shouted.
“No, bitch. You’re going to give me some of that ass you’re packing. I don’t care if you scream. I like my women with some fight. After I fuck it out of you, you’ll beg for more. You want it. I see it in your eyes.”
No! No! No. But he was winning. I was naked in the alley, and he was going to take whatever he wanted.
“Sam!”
How’d he know my name? I continued to fight him, and he held my arms down.
“Sam, wake up!”
Wake up?
I opened my eyes to see Tavi above me. What was he doing here? I pushed at him, and when he moved back, I scrambled to sit up and into a ball against the headboard.
“Breathe.” He said calmly.
“What were you doing in here?” My eyes darted around the room nervously. I was here alone with these two men. What kind of message was I sending to them?
“You were screaming and had a nightmare. I tried to wake you from your sleep. You fought me. None of that is important right now. I just need you to worry about breathing.”
Fully dressed, Tavi wasn’t even aroused. I nodded, trusting him. I followed his breathing until I calmed down completely. Unfolding myself, I stretched out my legs and arm. Overwhelmed, I began crying so hard that my body shook. Tavi came over and pulled me into his arms. I leaned on him and let it all out.
Tavi rubbed my back, relaxing me in his hold. The dream, tussle in the alleyway, and losing control that I felt then and now weighed heavily on me. The twins were the only thing good or constant in the past few days. Suddenly, I felt ungrateful for everything that they’ve done for me. They didn’t have to do it, but they had. And even though they could have done inappropriate things to me, they hadn’t. Instead, they’d asked me to date them. A response I still hadn’t given them.
“Thank you. Tavi, I’m sorry I’m being such a pain.” I sniffed. “I’m not usually this needy and can take care of myself, but it’s–”
“Nice that somebody else is doing it for once?” He asked, cutting me off.
“Yeah, that, too.”
“I wanted to apologize for how I bum-rushed you the other day. You had just woken up, and I immediately only worried about myself. It was selfish. I want you to get better. I need you to. But you need to take all the time you need to improve, too. It wasn’t just something that physically happened to you. It’s left an impact on your mind and fears, as well. You’ll need time to process it all.” His hand never stopped massaging my back.
“I’ve just had nothing like this happen before. I’m glad they caught him and took him away, so he’s one less problem in the world.”
“Copy that. I couldn’t agree with you more. I’m sorry this happened to you. It would have been nice if we’d gotten there before, so none of this would have occurred at all.”
“Your timing was perfect. I can’t worry about what didn’t happen, just what did. I’m forever grateful for you and Caesar.”
Tavi kissed my forehead and pulled me closer into his arms. He smelled of spliff and bourbon. Underneath that, I could scent his natural smell. Something one hundred percent Tavi. He released me and lay down beside where I once laid. He pulled me back into his arms.
“I’m hungry,” I mumbled. Tired, I closed my eyes and don’t remember his response.