Rebel & Her Beast

by Queen Pen

  He nodded, “Just call Noella if you need anything. I won’t lie, you being so tiny and timid makes me nervous for you, but you seem to have a handle on things.”

  “I do,” I said with confidence. “On that note, how is Noella really doing with this pregnancy?”

  We both laughed and I was happy to lighten up the mood. Maddey snatched the balcony door open and glared at me and then looked at Amir. “The fuck is so damn funny?”

  Amir stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. “Relax, man.” He chuckled, knowing that it would piss Maddey off, and then ducked inside the door leaving Maddey and I alone.

  He glared at me and repeated his question, “The fuck is so funny, Rebel.”

  I walked over to him and removed his hand from his eye where the ice pack had been resting. It was slightly puffy and discolored. “What did you do to deserve this?”

  “You aren’t going to answer my question?” He peered down at me.

  “Maddey, nothing was funny. Why does it matter?”

  “I want to know what you and my brother were out here getting cozy about and laughing at,” he grumbled as he continued to glare at me.

  It dawned on me that he was jealous and thinking extremely irrationally right now. “Okay, first, Amir is my best friends’ man and I am not that kind of girl. Second, nothing was funny. I asked him how Noella was handling her pregnancy and we laughed because in case you haven’t noticed,” I waved my hand towards his eye, “she’s gone a little insane. Can you chill out now?”

  “She gets on my fucking nerves.” He grumbled.

  It took me a moment to realize that he was now talking about Noella. “She’s your little sister, though, and you love her.”

  He looked at me like I was crazy, “of course I love her. I love all my siblings, but that doesn’t mean that their lil asses don’t annoy the fuck out of me.”

  I didn’t respond and he just stared at me. I took his hand and led him to the chair that Amir was just occupying. Once he was settled, I stood between his legs and tilted his head up towards me. “It doesn’t look that bad. Just keep ice on it and the swelling should go down. You might have a black eye for a couple of days, though.”

  I moved to step away from him, but his hands grasped my hips and heat immediately spread through my body. His hands were so large that they almost touched each other around my small waist. He stared up at me intently. “I told her I liked you.”

  I looked at him confused, “huh?”

  “I told Noella that I liked you and then she punched me. I told her how I imprisoned your dad, then you, and how I even sent her a text from your phone, but she chose to punch me, when I told her that I was starting to have feelings for you and shit.” Maddey said.

  I was completely speechless as I stared down at him. I literally did not know what to say. Luckily, he spared me. “Let’s go out to dinner tonight. Somewhere else. Somewhere nice.”

  I nodded my head, happy for the change in subject. “Okay, but first we need to introduce Ms. Keddle to Jazzy.”

  He nodded his head, “we can do that shit, but I want you to dress up tonight.”

  I laughed and shook my head at him. I was really trying to deal with some heavy stuff. Ms. Keddle was a force to be reckoned with and Noella was in the other room acting a fool, but here Maddey was, worrying about what I was wearing for dinner. “Fine. Can we handle this other stuff first, though?”

  He stood up, causing me to take a few steps back. “Fine.”

  He grabbed my hand and led me back inside. Noella was sitting on the couch pouting, while Amir rubbed her back. The moment we walked into the room she zoomed in on our hands. I tried to let my hand drop from Maddey’s but he gripped it tighter. Noella glared at us. I rolled my eyes and took a tentative step towards her. Maddey finally let my hand go as I sat down next to her on the couch.

  Amir stood up, “come on, bro. Let’s give them some space.”

  “Fuck that.” Maddey grumbled.

  “No, fuck you, Madden!” Noella yelled.

  Amir put his hand on Maddey’s shoulder, but he shook it off, “Nah, brah. I’m not leaving Noella here by herself so she can get in Rebel’s mind. I’m staying right fuckin here.”

  “She has a right to know who the fuck you really are,” Noella spat.

  “Okay, how about Rebel decides what’s best for Rebel?” I spoke up. Everyone stared at me and I looked at Maddey. “Can you please give us a minute?”

  He stared at me and I grew frustrated. “Maddey, please, go. I will come find you when we are done. She’s my best friend. You can’t keep us separated forever.”

  He glared at me, but got up as he grumbled. Amir led him out of the room, and I faced Noella, who was staring at me in shock.

  “What?” I asked.

  “He actually listened to you?” She asked with her brows knitted in confusion.

  “Uhh…yeah?” I said more as a question than anything. I didn’t understand why that was so shocking to her.

  “You don’t understand, Bel. That crazy ass nigga doesn’t listen to nobody. As much as he loved our foster mom, he didn’t even listen to her. She used to make me convince him to do things, when she couldn’t.” Noella said.

  I shrugged, “I didn’t know it was that big of a deal.”

  She leaned back into the couch and crossed her arms over her belly. “I guess.”

  “What’s got you so upset?” I asked as I pulled her towards me. She relented and laid her head in my lap, like she used to do, when I first met her. I rubber her hair and she sighed loudly.

  “I don’t like you with him.” She finally said.

  “I’m not with him, Noe.” I argued.

  “Oh right. You just hold hands with every man you come across. I forgot.” She huffed.

  I playfully mushed her in the head. “You didn’t have to punch him, you know?”

  “Yeah, I did. My brother is a hoe.” She said bluntly. “And he has the nerve to have feelings for my best friend? My sweet, innocent best friend? Fuck that. I won’t allow it.”

  I laughed, “I wasn’t aware that I was asking permission.” I paused, “and what do you mean he’s a hoe?”

  “I’ve never seen him with the same woman, Bel. He doesn’t keep them around for long. I don’t want him to hurt you. Can’t you see that I’m not mad at you, I’m mad at him. He is the first guy that you have allowed yourself to give the time of day to and I know he’s going to fuck things up. I just know it.”

  “Amir said that he is different with me,” I whispered.

  “Oh, he did, did he? Wait until I talk to him,” she grumbled.

  “You said it yourself. He listens to me.” I pointed out.

  “Well, yeah, but—”

  I interrupted her, “and he has me staying in his house.”

  “That’s only because—”

  “And we have dinner every night together,” I interrupted her again. “It’s more than what you’re thinking. I don’t know exactly what is happening between us, Noe, but you have to trust that I am using my best judgement.”

  She poked her head up and turned to look me in the eye, “are you sure you’re okay?”

  I smiled, “yes, baby. I am fine. Now stop worrying. I’m the older one. I should be worried about you!”

  She rolled her eyes, “that isn’t how worrying works.

  “Seriously, though. How are you? How is therapy going?” I asked, determined to get the spotlight off me.

  She laid her head back in my lap and I resumed stroking her hair. “It’s good. This baby has my emotions all over the fucking place. I have really bad flashbacks from being tortured in that cellar when I’m doing random shit. Homework, cooking, watching TV. There’s no rhyme or reason. I’m working through it, though. Amir is amazing, too. He is so excited to meet his little one. You’re going to be there for the birth, right?”

  “If you want me there, I will be there.” I smiled.

  “I do. Amir, you, Gus and Bri. I need all th
e support.” She said.

  “I will fly out there whenever you need me, babe. How long are you staying here?”

  “Girl, I am not staying. We are about to leave soon. I need some food before we get back on this plane again. I skipped class today, but I have to be there tomorrow.”

  I stared at her wide-eyed, “you really flew here for a couple of hours just to fly back?”

  She waved me off, “it’s like an hour flight from LA.”

  I shook my head and laughed. I convinced Noella to stay here so that Ms. Keddle could make breakfast for everyone before they left. She was hesitant at first because she was still upset with Maddey but she finally relented.

  Ms. Keddle had a huge breakfast spread set out in the dining room in no time. I was sandwiched between Maddey and Noella, while Amir was on the other side of her. Luken, Cornelius, Ms, Keddle and Chip joined us and were seated on the other side. Maddey and Noella didn’t speak at all through breakfast, but when it was time to say goodbye to them, I was happy to see the two embrace.

  The four of us were in the foyer, while everyone else helped clean up the table. I walked over to Noella and hugged her tightly, “I love you. Text me when you land.”

  “I will. Call me if you need anything, okay?” she asked.

  I nodded and smiled at her. I hugged Amir and thanked him for talking to me earlier and then they were gone. Maddey looked at me and I could tell he was upset. “What?” I asked, alarmed.

  “You could have just shook his hand,” he frowned at me.

  “You really need to pull yourself together.” I responded.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” He growled.

  “You can’t be upset with me for speaking to your brother or for hugging him goodbye. You sound crazy.”

  “I am fucking crazy in case you forgot. I don’t like that shit.”

  I shrugged. “I didn’t do anything wrong. You aren’t even my man.” I didn’t mean to say that, but as soon as it slipped out, I wished I could take them back.

  He grabbed me by my hand and pulled me to him, “it doesn’t fucking matter if I’m your man or not. I said I don’t like that shit.”

  The warmth of his body caused me to tremble. I wasn’t afraid. I was more turned on than anything. I gently pushed away from him and looked up into his eyes, “I don’t have the energy to talk about this right now. Can we please go talk to Ms. Keddle like you promised?”

  He glared at me but spun on his heels and walked back towards the kitchen. I trailed behind him and tried to calm the heat that was spreading through my body. This morning had been a wild rollercoaster of emotions and I wasn’t sure I was ready for the rest of the day.

  “I can’t believe you had this baby holed up in here for this long!” Ms. Keddle shouted as we all huddled in Jazzy’s room. “What the hell is wrong with you, boy?”

  I had never seen Ms. Keddle so upset before. She smacked Maddey on the arm and I was surprised to see him flinch. He quickly replaced his expression with a scowl and clenched his muscles. “Ms. Keddle, we already told you the situation.”

  “But to keep her from me? What were you thinking? Oh this poor baby,” she crept towards Jazzy who was huddled on her bed clutching her blanket.

  We watched as Ms. Keddle talked to Jazzy and I was surprised that she took to her so quickly. Within minutes Ms. Keddle was hugging Jazzy to her bosom and then helping her off the bed.

  She marched towards the door with Jazzy’s small hand clasped in her own. Maddey noticed they were going towards the door and tried to stop them, “Ms. Keddle I told you I didn’t want her out and about. I don’t want any of the staff asking questions.”

  She cut her eyes at Maddey, “this little girl needs to get out of this room. She needs a hot meal and not this junk you been feeding her, and she needs a proper bath. I’ll tell everyone she is my niece. Does that satisfy you, Mr. Adams?”

  Maddey simply nodded his head and let them pass. I stifled a giggle. This situation was far from funny, but this was the second time today that I had witnessed Maddey get handled by women ten times smaller than him.

  “That shit ain’t funny, Rebel.” He growled.

  “It kind of is, though.” He glared at me and I walked past him, “listen, I’m going to take a nap before I have to get up and get ready for tonight. I’ll see you later?”

  “Sure.” He grumbled as he followed me out of the room. Exhaustion was taking over and I wanted nothing more than my bed.

  Fourteen

  “H

  ow did you manage this?” I asked looking around at the magnificent view. We were sitting at the top of the Eiffel tower. Not the real one, of course, but it was probably the closest I would get for years to come.

  “I got connections,” Maddey responded.

  I quirked my eyebrow up at him, “connections, huh?”

  “When you own a casino in Vegas, you make many enemies, but there are a few people that become good friends. I happened to make a decent connection with the mob that owns this hotel.”

  I was taken aback, “mob?”

  Maddey let out one of his rare chuckles. “Yeah, shorty. Mob. Those old movies about Vegas aren’t just fiction. There’s truth to that shit.”

  I shrugged, “I’ve never seen any of those movies.”

  “You ain’t even seen Casino before?” He asked surprised.

  “Nope.” I shrugged.

  “Where the fuck you been? Doc and I used to pay this older guy we knew to get us movies and shit that we weren’t supposed to watch. Mrs. Burdett would have flipped her shit if she knew what we used to watch when she went to bed, but Casino was our favorite. Watching that movie when we were younger was what made us want to open a casino in Vegas in the first place. That movie is like a rite of passage as a kid. I even made Noella watch that shit when she hit thirteen.”

  I smiled sadly as I listened to him talk. Even though he had a terrible beginning, at least he had some of his childhood to salvage and make good memories. I didn’t have that chance. I was fifteen when Madame got her hands on me and I was in my early twenties when I was plunged back into the real world. I barely remembered my childhood before Madame. I know that it’s because I learned to block it out that first year I was in the brothel. I just wish I could get those back to have something to hold onto. Instead, I was forced to move forward and make new memories, leaving the old me completely behind.

  “Why you looking like that?” Maddey asked with his signature scowl.

  “No reason,” I said trying to perk up, but he saw right through me.

  “I been telling you shit about myself that nobody aside from my family knows. I never do that shit. How about you tell me something about yourself?” He leaned back in his chair.

  We had yet to be served our food, so the only thing I could do to stall was grasp my glass of wine and drain it. He was still staring at me intently when I finished, so I fidgeted with the napkin that was sitting in my lap. “Not much to tell. I am an only child. My mom died when I was born. I already told you that. You know that I am in school to become a lawyer, but that’s about it.”

  “Tell me some shit about your childhood. Your pops and you seem to be close. I know he spoiled you.” Maddey eyed me.

  “I didn’t really have much a childhood. There isn’t much to tell.” I avoided making eye contact. It was kind of lie since I technically did have a childhood, but I only remembered certain things. When I think about myself as a child, it’s as if I’m remembering someone else’s life.

  He started to respond, but his words were cut off by the waiter coming out and setting steak and lobster down in front of us. Once he left, I grinned over at Maddey. “Keep feeding me like this and I’ll be fat by the end of the summer.”

  He looked me up and down, even going as far as to look under the table at my legs. Who knew he could be silly? I blushed when he looked me back in the eyes, “I fuckin doubt that you will ever get fat. You’re perfect just the way you are.”

  I
was relieved that he let our previous topic drop. I smiled at him and said, “thank you. You aren’t too bad yourself.”

  Somewhere along the line, flirting had become more natural between us. I didn’t know where the switch happened from hating Maddey to really liking him, but it did, and I couldn’t say that I was upset about it. I was terrified, however. I had never been in a relationship, not for real, anyway. I had my first boyfriend when I was fourteen in high school and that hardly counted. I remembered that I had been dating some guy for about a year before I was kidnapped, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember who he was. Dating someone like Maddey was a whole new level.

  We ate the rest of the meal talking freely and gazing at the gorgeous orange and pink hues of the sunset. It was breathtaking and the cool night breeze felt good against my hot skin. The many glasses of wine and the constant blushing had my body temperature risen to the highest levels.

  “Let’s watch the rest of the sunset,” Maddey said as he stood up from the table and reached for my hand.

  I grasped his large hand and he pulled me to the railing. I leaned against it and marveled at the sight before me. The twinkling lights of the strip and the sky light with the last rays of sun just before it dipped below the horizon had me enamored. I felt Maddey’s large hand at my waist and my legs turned to jelly. I turned to face him, and he was looking down at me seriously. We stayed like that for a moment before he ran his hand down his face. I smiled.

  “Fuck you smiling for, man?” He quipped.

  “You always run your hand down your face when you’re stressed about something.”

  He shook his head, “I’m not stressed. I just don’t ever do shit like this. You got me out of my fuckin element.”

  “Do stuff like what?” I asked.

  He gestured around us, “like this, Rebel. Nice ass dinners, seeing you every day, having you in my house and around my people, telling you I’m falling for you and shit.” I giggled nervously at his wording, but he continued. “I’m a man that knows what he wants. No beating around the bush and no bullshit. Right now, I want you.”