Reeves

by Serena Valentine

  “Just relax and take deep breaths.” Thank goodness the nightmare of the day was almost over. Reeves moved over to the right toward his kitchen and grabbed a couple of tomatoes and a cucumber. He chopped them up and offered them to her on a plate. “Slow down or you’ll choke.”

  “Slow down or you’ll choke,” Seraphina mocked him as she finished her meal. “I’d call you an asshole, but you probably don’t eat them."

  What the heck was she getting at? “I am not a vegetarian, but I don’t eat a ton of meat,” Reeves said, guessing she was cruelly teasing him. “You should eat more fruits and vegetables now, too much protein is still dangerous right- “

  “Knock it off or I will throw you out your own window,” Seraphina threatened him. “I am not one of the mindless brains around this sector. I don’t need an afterschool special person like you. Go jump into an ocean and save a whale somewhere, Paladin.”

  “Fine!" Reeves couldn’t take anymore. "Just eat and then we are going straight to Timothy’s.” Forget this! Only woman or not, whatever magic made her care about saving Simps was long gone. I was wrong, she was made for Varmint. The goal had been casted though, and he never gave up on a goal. He would help her get through the pills, no matter what. Otherwise, it would have all been for nothing.

  As promised as soon as she ate, Reeves got her to Timothy’s front door. Let him take care of her all night long if he wanted. He didn’t care what things boyfriends and girlfriends did, or how enjoyable it must have felt, it could not be worth putting up with her attitude! Forget love or being with someone or dating or children or any of it. How could Timothy stand her? “I will get you when the lights come on tomorrow. First, before you can go to sleep, I must examine the bed you are going to sleep on.” He knocked on Timothy's front door.

  “You came?” Timothy smiled at Seraphina as he answered, but he changed direction and glared at Reeves. “What do you want?”

  “To examine her bed. It should have a fair amount of support but not be too comfortable,” Reeves explained in his usual manner. He tried to hide his giddiness at his soon to be break away from her.

  “Yes, Timothy, he has come all this way for the only purpose of checking where I sleep.” Seraphina put her hands on the back of Reeves’ shoulders and pushed him into Timothy’s arms. “What do you think, Paladin? Too comfy or too hard?” Reeves and Timothy quickly backed up from each other.

  “You could have told me that you slept in his arms,” Reeves complained as he wiped his shirt. Timmer stains. Was that chocolate that got rubbed off on his shirt? Nice, now he had poison on his favorite shirt. “What do you sleep in, Timothy.” It was a demand, not a request, he wasn't in a good mood.

  “I sleep in my bed, my recliner, or sometimes my pull-out couch,” Timothy admitted. “Wherever I want to. So?”

  Reeves’ lip curled up at an odd angle, and he cocked an eyebrow at Seraphina. “You've had no sleep for forty-eight hours, and you choose to sleep in Timothy’s arms?” He sighed as if trying to explain mathematics to a two-year-old. “Isn’t there a bed somewhere?” Reeves looked over at Seraphina. Great buddies or not, he couldn’t stand to see the poor girl get inadequate sleep after everything she’d been through. “A bed is really for the best.” Maybe he could look around for an extra cot somewhere.

  “I’d rather sleep on a rock, in the middle of a busy sector street than even take a nap in your tower,” Seraphina said as she poked him in the chest again. “Paladin.”

  Okay, that was it. “Fine, sleep on a couch. It’s your sleep time, Girl, do what you will.” He had planned on telling her to take a shower too but forget it. He’d see to it that she got washed tomorrow. “I will be back at first light, Seraphina Medina.” Reeves stuck his finger in Timothy’s face. “She better be up and ready to go when lights come on, right here, or I will come inside and drag both of you out!”

  Chapter 8

  “Wow. I’ve never seen Reeves like that before,” Timothy had to say as Reeves walked off. “Usually he’s more laid back. In fact, I don’t think I’ve even made him that mad.” He looked back toward her. “You’re staying the night with me?”

  “No, I just wanted to piss him off. Oh, Timothy.” Seraphina pulled him closer into an embrace. After two days of nonstop exercise and listening to both of those drilling assholes, she needed some comfort. Maybe she should give him another chance after everything had been over.

  “Guest bedroom?” He offered. “Nothing more of it, I get we are only friends. One date in a distant past doesn’t equal boyfriend. Yet.”

  Seraphina closed her eyes, grateful for his touch. There had been no human touch and no real compassion for two days straight. She was tired though, so tired. “Okay.” Timothy helped her down toward his guest bedroom where she slept in a silk mattress with silk cotton covers.

  “Seraphina?” he called out to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

  “It was hell, Timothy,” Seraphina spoke from her bed. “If I had a choice, I would never see that bastard again. I swear, with all my might, he is going to lose this bet. Hidden Secret will be ours, and we’ll turn it back into the sector it should rightfully be. We’ll get all these kids proper homes, and it’s just the beginning. We’ll get people together, start organizations against the forming of colony sectors like this where the rich drop children off like luggage and forget them.” She covered up tighter. “That piece of shit. We’ll get him hooked on extra fatty foods, so he gets chunky and depressed. I hate him so much.” Her eyes drifted closed. “I hate him so much."

  “Well,” Timothy answered, “look on the bright side. At least you’re not carrying your cane.”

  “My cane,” Seraphina slurred, her body succumbing to the bed quite rapidly. Her body had been weaker on the pills, and sometimes her legs gave out. She was dead tired, but she did have the strength in her legs. Besides, falling wasn't the worst thing that could happen anymore. "Guess it's nice not needing it."

  “Seraphina?” Timothy asked as Seraphina stopped talking, her eyelids falling again. “Do you want to quit? I want Hidden Secret back to its early roots more than anyone else, but there are other ways.”

  “No,” Seraphina slurred as she barely opened her eye. “I made the choice, and I’ll follow through. Otherwise, this whole experience was for nothing.”

  Seraphina didn’t know how long she had been asleep when she felt Timothy pulling on her. “How can you sleep through your phone’s annoying rings?” He shoved the phone in her hand. “You should take it; it’s your sister’s number.”

  “Tracy?” No matter how tired she was, Seraphina didn’t have much choice in the matter. She looked at the time on the phone. Ten O' Clock. It must be important. She dialed three, her programmed number for her sister's cell and held it up to her ear as Timothy left. She tried to keep her eyes open as she heard the phone pick up. “Tracy?”

  “Oh, Seraphina, I have been trying to get a hold of you,” Tracy insisted through the phone, “I know more about the hit now.”

  “What?” Seraphina sat up in her bed, “what can you tell me?” Finally, an answer to her question.

  “Revenge, plain and simple. I swear, I can’t believe your ex could be such a bastard.” Tracy’s voice was bitter, and Seraphina’s would join her.

  “Are you kidding? It’s my ex? But I broke up with him that day.” Seraphina covered her eyes. “I know he’s got money, Tracy, but he wouldn’t put a hit on me. That’s ludicrous; whoever told you that is-”

  “Seraphina. Look, he told me himself,” Tracy’s voice broke into her conversation. “Seraphina, he doesn’t like to lose. You know that much.”

  “It can’t be.” Seraphina pulled the phone away from her ear and licked her bottom lip, trying to imagine it. She put the phone back up to her ear. “I can’t believe . . . a hit?”

  “Yeah, I'm sorry.” Tracy stalled. “He’s paying people ten thousand dollars to get you.”

  “Oh, are you kidding?” Seraphina mouthed the word fuck in disbeli
ef. “He’s so obsessed that he’s actually doing this? Oh of course he is,” she rolled her eyes, “he’s never cared about anything else but himself. What an asshole. So, this really is a hit, I have bounty hunters after me to bring me in.”

  “Seraphina, shut up a second, okay? I’m trying to tell you, it’s not that simple.” Tracy groaned. “He’s paying people to get you. Get you. As in sex, Seraphina. You know, 'hit' you up? He doesn’t believe in an unclassified allergy, and since he never got you, and he never had the opportunity to say he could get you, he feels left out. If he lies to his friends now and says yes, it'll make his family look embarrassed if anyone finds out he lied. I shit you not, those were his moronic words. If someone can prove they got you, then you become a liar, and he looks right in Calibri again.”

  “This...this, no-” Seraphina shook her head. “Are you telling me that people are coming to seduce me, to try and...and 'hit' me up? For reputation, for family?” Her mouth dropped, eyes glaring at her pillow. Tracy only gave her the barest details when they met through her. With the words 'family reputation', there was only one family he was a part of. If Tracy had been there right then, things could have been brutal between them. "Family. You're a bitch, Tracy, he's a Delorean?"

  “Yes, I know. Sorry. Oh, and they have to videotape it also,” Tracy insisted, “he won’t pay for lying or force. He wants to make sure you’re doing some of the work.”

  “Oh, well isn’t he a fucking saint,” Seraphina yelled as she stood straight up out of bed. “That damn son of a bitch, Tracy, how could you set me up with someone like that? This is unstable, this is entirely mental. Who pays somebody to get with their ex-girlfriend?”

  “It’s me, do I have the best taste in guys?” Tracy said in her defense. “I don’t know. I don’t believe that shit for a second, there’s reasons for everything. For now though, it is what it is. The hits real.”

  "Are you sure that's it?" Seraphina asked again. Her sister was not always on the up and up. She could sense there was something beneath simple revenge. No matter how much money the Delorean family had, she wasn't worth that much. "Tracy, if I find out you did anything else-"

  “I’m warning you, that’s all," Tracy insisted. "If anyone ever seems to start liking you right away and they’re new in that sector, please stay away. Okay?”

  “Oh, this can’t be.” Seraphina closed her eyes. The sector was nothing but a giant safe playpen and she would be bringing in people looking to score for ten thousand dollars? “D-did you tell anyone at all where I’m at? Tracy, I can’t bring this into the sector. You’ve never lived here; it’s like getting caught in the land of childhood.”

  “No one knows about you, Seraphina,” Tracy said, bringing her some relief. “There's another bounty to bring you back to the family. It’s ten thousand dollars too.”

  Seraphina blinked. “He’s paying ten thousand for someone to have sex with me and his family just wants me back? He has no decision on theirs?”

  “Maybe he does, how should I know? Anyhow, don’t worry, I’ve got your back. I haven’t even told my best girlfriends about where you are, everything’s okay. I wanted to make sure you knew. I don’t want you to leave, you're safe there for the time being. I don't even think a secret identity in Calibri could have lasted. Just keep up your pills and don’t make any significant waves in the community. I believe there is actually a Paladin there. Stay far away from him if you can. If he finds out about what you might bring, you’re going to get kicked out. Once this disappears, you can return to our colony. Elon can’t hold a grudge forever. He’ll eventually find another girlfriend, and this’ll blow over. It’s another case of a chauvinistic pig who’s beyond angry who has too much money to burn.”

  The hit had better been it all, but Seraphina still doubted it. Her sister wasn't going to be easy to get the truth out of. “Thanks for the heads up,” Seraphina announced. “I’ll keep up on those pills.” Lie. “I won’t make any big waves.” Another lie. “I’ll do what I can to stay out of the Paladin’s way.” The biggest lie of all.

  “I know you will,” Tracy chuckled, “Night, Seraphina.”

  “Night.” Seraphina hung up the phone and looked behind her. Timothy must have been sleeping heavy which was a good thing. Telling him that guys would be after her for sex so they could collect ten thousand dollars probably wouldn’t sit well with him. She giggled. Wait, did he even know what sex was? Well, it didn’t matter. Once she could safely go back to the pills, it wouldn’t be an issue anymore. “This sector is so cute.” She bit her lip. “I bet Reeves would scream if I said the word fuck in front of him.” She jiggled her phone a few moments then set it back down. One of these days, she might do it. Just to see what he would do. Would he grab his medallion and wiggle it, trying to think about what she said? Would he stomp his foot? Would he yell? She chuckled, almost devil-like as she lay back in bed.

  Surely he’d heard the word. He had outsider kids there all the time, and they had to know typical language. In fact, that was interesting. Why didn’t the outside clash with the little sector? She knew that even she was restricted in her virtual access, so it kept the social community out. There must be more than that to it though. She’d have to be sure to ask Timothy that one. Not until tomorrow though. It was time to get some sleep before the devil came back to torment her again when the lights came on.

  Chapter 9

  “Sleeping?”

  Seraphina opened her eyes, feeling as if she had only gotten a bit of sleep. She had hit the bed so fast last night she hadn’t even bothered changing. Sticky sweat was felt all over her bedding and she felt grody. She should have taken a shower last night, but there was no way she could stop long enough to take a shower either, not until that night. She looked up and saw Reeves standing beside her. Oh yeah, that’s why she woke up. “It can’t be time.”

  “It is.” Reeves didn’t seem so happy as he tugged at her bedding. “That’s not Timothy’s arms. You lied.”

  “Half lie, sometimes I do sleep there.” Seraphina pulled herself up, feeling more energetic than last night. She looked around for Timothy knowing the Paladin could have taken out frustrations on him. “Where’s Timothy?”

  “I got him first,” Reeves all but smiled. “He’s outside, doing jumping jacks.”

  “He's doing jumping jacks?” Seraphina quickly got up and burst outside to see her poor boyfriend being forced to exercise against his will. He was not much more athletic than her which is another reason they went so well together. She felt like smacking Reeves as she saw Timothy, barely managing some jumping jacks. He was sweaty and out of breath. “You can stop.” Timothy stopped and placed his hand on his chest. He was certainly not used to exercise, Seraphina knew that. Anyone looking at his physique knew that, but oh no, the devil had to strike a mighty blow against her innocent asthmatic man.

  “Remember next time,” Reeves said as he came up behind Seraphina. “When the lights first come on.”

  Timothy mumbled as he went back over to his door, he'd be reaching for his inhaler no doubt. “When will you be back?” He questioned Seraphina.

  “Seven.” Reeves answered for her before she could speak. “Now, hop to it, Seraphina Medina. Let’s start the day with a brisk run and breakfast in hand. It's the most important meal of the day, and you should never forget it.” He tossed a peeled avocado to her. “Let’s go.”

  Seraphina groaned lightly but knew the day was only beginning. She looked at the peeled avocado that was oozing green in her hand. Couldn't even take time to give it to her fresh and let her cut? And an avocado for breakfast, really? Ugh, this would be another grueling day.

  “Run, run, run.” Seraphina grumbled. At least today she knew how to pace herself better. She watched Rebecca meet her on the side. The child was much better at running than her which made her feel even worse. Maybe she'd leave soon, Seraphina wasn't in the mood for polite conversation after Reeves’ stunt with Timothy.

  “Hi Seraphina,” Rebecca waved at
her in a purple one-piece swimming suit. “I wanted to let you know ahead of time. We’re sorry, but it's got to be done, Reeves says so.”

  “What?” Seraphina asked, but Rebecca didn’t answer as she ran ahead of her. Seraphina wondered what she meant a moment longer then rounded the corner and tumbled into a pool. How she managed to keep her language under control from the surprise, was beyond her. Reeves shouted 'now' and Rebecca plus another permie she had met a few times added soap and jumped in with her. The words in her mind went blank as the girls washed her up, as if they were giving her a shower. Was it a weird game or something else?

  “You’ve been exercising for two days without a shower, so you smell ripe,” Reeves chuckled like a gleeful devil. “That adrenaline rushing through you will allow you to stop exercising. You’ve got two minutes to clean up with soap before you need to get out and run again.”

  “You’re a jerk,” Seraphina yelled at him as she quickly grabbed the soap. Oh, if there weren't kids around, she'd have a few more choice words for that smiling perverted bastard. A shower, a shower in a pool in the middle of the fucking sector. “You should have reminded me last night!”

  “You could have told me where you were really going to sleep,” Reeves countered her as he placed a hand on the corner fence to show off his dominance over her no doubt. “We both forgot, I guess. One more minute. Rebecca, keep scrubbing well. She doesn’t have long.” The satanic exerciser stared at his watch and began a countdown. “Three, two, one, everybody out. You too, Seraphina Medina.”

  Seraphina got out of the pool, one foot at a time.

  REEVES STOPPED SMILING and took his hand off the corner. Oops. Okay, so even a Champion Paladin made mistakes?

  Seraphina’s blue blouse clung to her skin like a wet suit, every move bringing more attention to the fact that she was a woman in cold water. She shook her head back and forth, trying to get the water out, and glared at Reeves with passionate anger. Some of the kids, including Simps the permie, all stared at the wet-haired waterlogged and angry Seraphina. They couldn’t look away. Reeves tried to divert his eyes too, but it was incredible what a little dip could do to a grown woman. There was no mistake how big her breasts had been, or where the tips were at.