Chapter 25
Sol
I knock twice on Leo’s door. I hadn’t heard from him since then. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I need to know what is going on.
He opens the door with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Hey.” He gestures for me to come in.
“You haven’t come around, and you missed Beth. She left already,” I say, looking around his place. It’s a typical young guy’s bachelor pad. Unwashed dishes, a variety of sugary sweets sitting on the counter.
“I’ve had a cold,” he claims.
“Bullshit.” I jab a finger at his chest. “What the hell is going on, Leo? Why am I getting the impression that you and Carlos are up to something, or you know something?”
He sighs, sitting on the sofa, elbows on his knees. “I’m not up to anything with him. He tried to get me to convince you to leave Max…”
“And well, you kinda did. You encouraged it.”
“I’m sorry, and I didn’t encourage it because I wanted you two apart. I said it because I felt you needed to find yourself on your own. I had nothing to do with Carlos. I didn’t listen to Carlos.”
I rub my head. It’s been throbbing. I’m not sure if I can take something for it.
I’ll have to call Lana and ask if she knows.
Moving toward Leo’s La-Z-Boy recliner, I settle myself and exhale the stress that keeps coming.
“What is it about me that Carlos hates so much that he wants me away from Max?”
“Honestly, at first, all he had told me was that you’re holding Max back, and he said that if I care about Max enough as a brother, I should convince you to let him go… How much did you hear?”
“Enough to scare the shit out of me. Why… I don’t understand what makes it his business.
” Pulling the handle on the recliner, I lean back.
“Why does he care if I’m pregnant? I’m trying to piece it all together and find a reason why the man would prefer to match him up with Annette.
” He called her to drive him home when he was drinking.
“I left when he said for you not to tell Max. What else did he tell you? Did he threaten you?”
Leo’s lips press into a thin line. His eyes fix on the coffee table, where his cup sits abandoned, a ring of cold dregs at the bottom. “He didn’t say anything else.” He averts his gaze. “I think he’s jealous, and Max has only been a tool for him.”
“Leo, I can tell something is bothering you. If it has anything to do with Carlos, you need to tell Max. He’s not talking to me. He wants nothing to do with me,” I whisper, my heart sinking farther into the abyss. “Carlos has what he wanted.” I sit with that for a moment.
All those months of believing I was making a noble choice, letting Max go so he could shine.
And the whole time, someone had been pulling the strings, using my worst beliefs about myself to do it.
I handed him exactly what he needed. I’m sure Max will find another woman, or maybe Max went and fucked that bitch like he said he would.
Every word sliced my insides and knocked the air out of me.
Max has never spoken to me so crudely. I understand he dislikes Mills, but I was only seeking his expertise.
Leo frowns. “I just have a lot on my mind. I return to work with Max tomorrow, even though I want to tell him. I can’t.”
I stand to my feet and sit next to him. “What did he threaten you with?”
“He said he would hurt you. You, Max, and Xander are all I have. I can’t let anyone hurt you.”
The words landed somewhere cold. Leo watches my face. “How long have you been sitting on that?” I ask quietly.
He looks at the floor. “Too long,” he says.
I reach for his hands and place them in mine. “Don’t worry, Leo. I’ll take care of this. I’ll find a way to talk to Max about it, and if he doesn’t believe me…” I lift a shoulder. “Then I tried.”
Leo is young, and it’s a lot of weight on him. He’s had a rough childhood; he doesn’t need to deal with this on his conscience.
“Everything will work out,” I assure him.
“Thank you.” He exhales. “All this has been bothering me. I was worried you’d be upset with me.”
At first, I thought Leo betrayed me, but after carefully piecing everything together, I see Carlos is a manipulative fucker. He attacked me at my weakest.
“Never, Leo.”
Something in his shoulders finally releases. Like he’d been holding them up for days and just remembered he didn’t have to.
“I’m heading to Mrs. Debbie’s, delivering some baked goods. Would you like to come?”
He’s already reaching for his phone and keys.
Twenty minutes later, I’m pulling up in the driveway.
The hot July breeze licks at my skin as if I walked into the gates of hell.
Opening the door, Mrs. Debbie twists to glance up while mixing something in a big pot.
“Hello, dears.” She leaves her task and opens her arms wide for us. “My sweet girl, how have you been?”
“I’m doing well. How are you?”
She limps toward Leo. “I’ve had better days, love. My bones ache.” She pinches his plump cheeks. “How are you, little Leo?”
“I’m doing well, Mrs. Debbie. We brought you and the kids some baked goods.” He gestures to the five boxes he placed on the table.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to get them to you. I have an employee who delivers every day now. It’s all set up.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. The kids will love them.” She mixes what’s in the pot, then lowers the flame. “Tell me where my sweet boy is. I haven’t seen him in a hot minute. He said he was going to come fix a couple of things for me, but he hasn’t shown up. I’ve been worried.”
“Max is well. He’s just been busy. I’m sure he’ll show.”
“They are not together,” Leo blurts.
Mrs. Debbie’s hands go to her chest. “Oh, dear lord. How is that possible? That boy looks at you like the rarest jewel. When he speaks of you, he lights up like a beautiful city. Tell me what I can do to mend your souls back together.”
Before I can get a word out, Leo spills the tea as if it were his story to tell. It’s an understatement to say they see her as a motherly figure they feel comfortable with.
“Honey, you have a free pass to feel the way you have. If you needed space to breathe and think, then you should, and I’m glad you did.
As I once told Max, let your walls crumble with the one you love, and now I’m telling you the same.
You might feel you don’t deserve him, but you do, and at one point, he felt the same way.
Now that those secrets of the past have been revealed, look at things differently.
Life can be very mysterious. People are put in our path for a reason, and you two met when you both needed that strength.
Destiny has its way of aligning our paths at the right time. ”
I pull out a stool for her and pick up the spoon without thinking. The sauce is thick and smells like home. It reminds me of when I first cooked for Max. I stir.
Mrs. Debbie continues. “Those marks on his back are visible, and you have marks, right? Those are not visible.”
I set the spoon down. I never thought of it that way. In my head, his suffering had always been physical, something I could point to, something real on his skin. Mine was scattered and nameless and hard to explain, even to a therapist. But they were both there. “Yes, I do. It’s just that…”
She wags her finger. “Those scars, sweetheart, are from the monster who did it, not you. You didn’t hurt him. He did what a person with a big heart would do. Now you have done the same for him. You gave him hope, something to hang on to. Every time he’d come in, he would speak of you.”
I take the pot with noodles in it and strain it. There’s a saying, “The older, the wiser,” and Mrs. Debbie is living proof; no wonder everyone leans on this woman who’s full of wonderful advice.
“He wants nothing to do with me,” I admit, then tell her why.
She waves a hand at me, then removes the pins from her hair.
“That boy ain’t going anywhere. Men can be stubborn and act macho.
When the steam stops piping out of his ears, then you will be able to put him in his place and talk to him.
” She whistles. “Especially with a child on the way. He will be smitten.”
After I leave here, I’m dropping off his birthday gift early at his office.
It’s the baby onesie with the ultrasound picture.
If I can’t get a word in, then this is another way.
I just wanted to see his face when I told him.
“It seems every time I’m trying to head in the right direction and balance life out, someone or something comes to pull me away. ”
“Like Carlos,” Leo mumbles, rolling his eyes.
Mrs. Debbie’s brows rise, and Leo spills the tea once again. Then I add what Carlos told me.
“That son of a bitch.” She covers her mouth and looks around. It’s only us here. “If that man were a good person, he would have given you better advice for you to become stronger, rather than push you away.” She tsks, shaking her head.
A family comes in for meals, and we help her serve.
The line gets pretty long, and we run out of spaghetti.
I rush to make sandwiches. A couple of kids linger, read, or play games, and some use the laundry room to wash.
I observe how much Mrs. Debbie loves what she does and how dedicated she is to this place and the children. She’s also tired.
“If you ever need me to come in for you, let me know,” I say, rubbing her back.
“Oh, child, that would be wonderful. A part of me is ready to leave this place in better hands as I’m slowing down. I might have some time left in me for now.” She chuckles. She’s ready, but her heart is not ready to let it go.
“When you’re ready, let me know, and I can take over. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to treat each individual as you have—with love. I give you my word.” It came out before I’d fully made up my mind. But once they were spoken, I knew I meant them.
She embraces Leo in a hug, and then Leo and I leave.
Once Leo walks inside his home, I sit in the driveway staring at the gift I’m about to deliver to Max’s work.
My heart thunders in my chest as I take the elevator. The box shakes under the palms of my hands. Although I didn’t see Max’s car or truck parked, there is a chance he’s here.
The doors open, and I walk in. The desk where Leo sits is, of course, empty, and to my right, Ellena is on the phone.
She waves. When she hangs up, she pushes up from her chair.
Her heels click on the tile floor as she comes toward me with open arms. “Rainey, honey, nice to see you. You missed Max, love. He had to run errands.”
“That’s too bad. I’m just going to drop this on his desk.”
The phone rings, and she jogs to answer it.
Although I know he’s not here, my heart is still about to roll out of my chest. I’m relieved he’s not here.
The way he looked at me. As if I were sleeping around.
And the cruel words. The second I walk in, my nose fills with the familiar mix of cedar aftershave mingled with the faint musk of his cologne lingering in the room.
His masculine aroma—earthy and warm like sunbaked soil after rain—feels like home.
My shoulders drop three inches, tension melting like ice cream on hot pavement, before I even realize I’m breathing deeper, drawing in a lungful of air as if I’ve been underwater too long.
I run my fingers over his expensive desk, memories of him screwing me in every position in this room.
“Spread your legs, tesoro.” I lean back on his desk while he sits on his chair, drinking me like I was a thirst he couldn’t quench.
My legs flop on his shoulders. My body shudders when his lips skim my inner thighs.
Every kiss is delicate and pleasurable. From under my skirt, he rolls down my underwear.
“Touch yourself. Let me see you,” he presses.
My index finger rubs up and down on my clit.
I moan when he sucks on my soaking wet fingers.
My body convulses when his thick tongue enters my sex.
His large hand goes to my breast, groping and pinching at my nipples.
Every time I come with him to drop off paperwork, it always leads to us getting naked.
He always says he loves my moans, but damn, do I love him groaning while he licks and sucks every part of me. “Take off your pants,” I demand.
He looks up from my parted legs, smirks, then spits into my center and proceeds to continue.
I grip his messy hair and arch my back. When I feel myself close, I move him and push him back in his chair.
He laughs, leaning in. The bulge in his pants looks painful.
Lucky for him, I know just what he needs.
His gaze always on me. I unzip his jeans.
Max lifts his bottom, then slides his boxers down.
His dick springs free, making my mouth water.
Settling in, I push slowly, inch by inch.
His teeth sink into his top lip. He grips my waist, allowing me to control the pace.
I’m a woman who loves being dominated in bed by Max only because he does it so well.
Other times, I want to take every inch of control.
I tighten around him, going all the way in.
“Fuck, you feel so good,” he moans.
I don’t ride him just yet. I stay put, his cock buried deep.
Frustration written on his pleading, handsome face.
“Not yet,” I tell him, unbuttoning his shirt.
His mouth and hands go busy all over my body.
Nipping at the neck. Once I’m done with the last button, I run my tongue along his hard chest, leaving bites all over.
I begin moving my hips up and down. He lifts, jackhammering with every thrust.
“Max,” I cry out.
“That’s it, baby, you ride it.” He takes my nipple, then the other. The chair just might combust with the rhythm we’re going at. His heated gaze just might set me aflame. “Come for me.” His husky voice sends shivers down my body. I let out my release, and he follows right behind.
A small smile tugs at my lips. I set it in the center of his desk where he couldn’t miss it. Such a small thing. A box the size of a shoebox, tissue paper folded over something that will change everything. I straightened it twice. Then left it. It reads:
To: Max
From: Rainey Sol
Happy early birthday.
It will take me some time to get used to calling myself Sol. I only pray he opens it.
I pick up the framed photo. His hands on my neck, his mouth on mine. I remember that day—who took it, what we’d been laughing about before. He still had it on his desk. I set it back exactly as I found it. At least he didn’t toss it.
Before walking out of his office, I inhale his scent one last time.
Saturday, I need to pick up Hector. And somehow, I have to get Max in a car for two hours. A man who told me not to look for him. I turn off the light and shut the door. I’m worried he will hate me even more for hiding this when he had been searching for him. At least he will have his dad.