by Claire Adams
“You don’t work for the government, do you?” I asked as I pretended to come to the realization.
“We don’t work for the government, bro,” Antonio said as he cracked his fingers. “But we are really good at getting what we want.”
“This document here is binding and once the money is transferred to Rose, she’s going to make sure I’m taken care of before I leave town. It’s a simple transaction and no one is going to get hurt.”
“Rose, come over here,” I said firmly as I saw the look in Antonio’s eyes.
I reached for Rose, but Carlos was closer and pushed her toward Antonio before I could grab her. We were screwed.
“I’m going to keep her so I have my insurance that I’ll get the money. It should only take a week or so, and I’ll treat her real nice,” Antonio said as his hand caressed Rose’s cheek.
“Brandon,” she cried out as his arm held on tight around her.
Delilah grabbed my hand and held me back from attacking the two men. I was definitely out muscled and didn’t know what I would have done, but I couldn’t let them threaten Rose like that.
“The police are outside,” Delilah whispered in my ear. “Don’t turn around. We need to get her free, though.”
“Shut up!” I screamed at Delilah. “Why don’t you two take this one, too? She’s a little mouthy and I’m tired of dealing with her.”
The shock on Delilah’s face only lasted a moment before I saw a flash of understanding in her eyes.
“I’m tired of all of this. I don’t want anything to do with any of you. I’m leaving,” she announced as she headed toward the door.
“Oh no, you’re not, little lady,” Carlos said and pulled her back. “I’d like to keep you around. Remember that little party the two of us were going to have?”
I had no idea what he was talking about, but Delilah seemed to have a plan. She got herself situated next to Rose, but Carlos and Antonio were on either side of them. I didn’t have a gun – I didn’t have any way of actually rescuing them and it felt totally helpless.
“Look at this mess you got me into,” Rose yelled and slapped Delilah.
“Me? You’re the one who has all these loser guys around. How about having a little self-confidence?”
Before I knew what was going on, the two women were at it again and rolling around on the ground arguing. Now the three of us men were watching as the girls argued and grabbed at each other.
They had done an excellent job of distracting Carlos and Antonio because before I knew what was happening, the front door had been kicked in and the living room was filled with police. The officers were yelling at everyone.
I looked over and saw Del and Rose hiding together on the floor. Carlos and Antonio seemed reluctant to follow the officers’ orders, but finally obliged because the officers had their guns drawn.
If Delilah and Rose hadn’t been on the floor, they certainly would have been used as human shields by Carlos and Antonio. But they were out of reach and the men had no choice except to put their hands up. Well, they had a choice: they could have drawn their guns and gotten their butts shot by the police officers, but that seemed like a bad idea, even for a couple of meatheads.
The whole scene was rather anti-climactic as the police put cuffs on the two men and hauled them out to their cruisers. Outside, we saw Billy, Dick, and Josh all waiting as the girls and I walked out to great them.
“Sorry for punching you,” Rose said to Delilah.
“No, it was great. Definitely believable.”
“You know, you two had me scared to death,” I told them as we walked toward the guys.
“You should have seen your face when we were rolling around on the ground. Man, that was funny. Did you see them?” Delilah asked.
“Oh, so predictable. They were all standing around with their tongues out like we were going to strip naked or something like that.”
“Can’t leave men to do a woman’s job,” Delilah laughed as the two of them hugged. “It was nice meeting you. Maybe we could hang out sometime when we aren’t punching each other in the face.”
“I don’t know how Brandon would feel about that.”
“Hey, I’m all for you two being friends. And, you can fight naked anytime you want,” I joked.
“What? Wait, was there naked girl fighting and I missed it?” Josh joined in the conversation.
“No, Josh, but I think you could convince Mattie to have a naked fight with you if you’re nice to her,” Delilah teased.
“Mr. Baker, Billy here says you have some evidence about this case? I’m Officer Michaels.”
“Yes, Sir. I’ve got this all recorded right here,” I said as I unbuttoned my shirt and exposed the wire that was taped to my chest. “It might take me a minute to get it off….”
“Oh, I’ve got it,” Rose said as she leaned over and ripped the wire right off my chest.
“Hell! Shit! Damn it!” I screamed.
The pain shot through my body as about half of the hair from my chest was pulled off with the tape from the wire. I saw the smile of contentment on Rose’s face, though, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She had probably been waiting a really long time to cause me to scream like that.
“Just trying to make things go a little more quickly,” she smiled. “You know you deserved that, right?”
“Yep,” I said through the pain.
“Thank you, though,” she said as she hugged me. “I’m very grateful we found out who that guy was before I married him. I know things didn’t go all that great between us, but we will always be friends.”
“Rose, I’m sorry for how things ended. I truly am, and I wish it could have been different.”
“I think things turned out all right. Thanks again.”
“So are we friends now?” I asked.
“Always.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Delilah
“That looked like it hurt really bad,” I said to Brandon as we stood outside and wrapped up everything the police needed from us.
“It did. I’m going to need a massage to feel better.”
“Oh, you think so?”
“Yep.”
The police took longer than we thought they was going to take and I ended up having to call Mary and Steve to tell them I wouldn’t be able to pick up Connor on time. Of course, I wasn’t about to go into all the details of what had happened that day. But they were understanding and promised to take him to school the next day for me.
“Man, I’m really lucky to have them,” I said to Brandon as we waited.
“So, does this mean you have the evening free?” His eyes lit up.
“Don’t go getting any ideas, mister. I’m exhausted, and you look like you are, too. I think I’ll just head home when they are done with me.”
“You’re right, I should head home, too. I mean, I am so tired and if you’re not going to be giving me an awesome massage, what else could I possibly do with my evening?”
His boyish grin was all it took for me to change my plans. I didn’t really want to go home to an empty house. I wanted to stay right there with Brandon. I wanted to feel his arms on my body again and his lips on my lips.
I didn’t feel the same fear I had had before about being in a real relationship. Instead, I had an urge to have that with Brandon. I’d seen what he was capable of. I’d seen the love and caring that he could show and it was obviously that I needed to keep him in my life.
“I think you should use those hands on me instead of heading home. I mean I did just risk my life. Plus, did you see that girl fight between me and your ex-wife. That will be in your spank bank for years.”
“Yeah, isn’t that the truth? Should we head back to my place and relax a bit? I still need to call the bank and figure out how to get the accounts unfrozen.”
“Sure.”
We made our way back to Brandon’s house, but when we arrived, the front door was opened and the alarm was going off. Neither of us could belie
ve our eyes. If Antonio and Carlos had just been arrested, then who was trying to break into the house?
“Stay here,” Brandon said forcefully as he got out of the car to head inside. “I’m serious. None of your hero stuff, young lady. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. Stay here.”
“Should I call the police?”
“No, the security company will be here shortly. But don’t come in after me. Carlos could have had someone else working with him. There could be someone with a gun or any number of other things. You promise me that you’re not going to come in there?”
“I promise. I’ll stay right here.”
I stood outside the car as Brandon went inside. I waited to hear some sort of commotion when he confronted whomever had broken into the house. The tension was killing me as I paced back and forth and watched through the windows to see what the heck was going on.
“Are you okay in there?” I hollered out.
There was no reply. My heart pounded louder, and I could hardly think straight as I walked closer and closer to the front door. I didn’t have my phone with me. There was no way the police would get to us in time if someone was in there.
Fear was a hard emotion for me and I struggled with it more than I wanted to admit in my life. I wasn’t going to let it control me though, and this situation was no different. I took in a deep breath and prepared myself for whatever was going on inside of Brandon’s house.
I had promised that I wouldn’t go inside, but that was before I knew what the unknown felt like. I needed to know he was all right. I was willing to risk everything if I had to.
“Brandon, are you okay in there?” I yelled again from the doorway.
“Ahhhhhhh!” I heard a woman scream.
It was a blood-curdling scream, and I rushed into the house, not thinking about anything except making sure Brandon was all right.
“Maria!” Brandon yelled.
“What’s going on in there?”
“It’s fine. Come in and punch five-two-eight-one into the keypad by the door, please,” he shouted.
I quickly punched the numbers into the alarm so the loud sound would silence and I could go find Brandon. My ears continued to ring as I went down the hall and found the room where he was standing with a slightly older woman who was holding a mop. She looked terrified, but so did Brandon.
“Mr. Baker, I’ve not been able to get into clean the house all week. I lied about being here legally and did not want to be arrested by the police. The alarm goes off and I was scared always. But today I stayed because I do not want to be fired, so today I stayed to clean.”
“Maria, I’m so sorry. I was going to tell you I had the alarm set again and I got wrapped up with a big disaster. Please, accept my apologies. I’m sorry for scaring you.”
“I’m sorry for the noise. I left the last couple times I set the alarm off, but I have not been able to catch you at home. I was very afraid that you would not let me clean if you knew I was not supposed to be working here. I was also afraid the security men would think I was breaking in, and I did not want to have trouble.”
“Oh, it’s my fault. I am so sorry,” Brandon said as I stood in the doorway. “Maria, this is my girlfriend Delilah. Delilah, this is the most amazing house keeper you’ll ever meet, Maria. Who I’m going to have to give a big bonus to since she’s had to put up with this alarm all week.”
“Really?”
“Yes, now don’t worry about all this. Take the day off and again, I’m very sorry. This was all my fault. I’ll pay you for the week and make sure there is a nice bonus in your check.”
Maria seemed to calm down very quickly as Brandon talked to her. I felt so bad for her.
“It was nice meeting you, Miss Delilah,” she said as she shook my hand. “I look forward to seeing you again soon. You are the first friend of Mr. Baker I’ve met.”
“Well, it was nice meeting you, too, Maria. I think we will see each other again very soon. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
As she was leaving, the security company was pulling up. It only took a minute or so to explain to them what had happened and they were on their way. The security guy didn’t seem to think the whole incident was as funny as Brandon thought it was. By the look on his face, the guard looked pretty annoyed that they had come out to the house so many times throughout the week and it was all because Brandon hadn’t told his housekeeper the new alarm code.
“Now that was funny.”
“I know! I spent the whole week thinking that the big-necked thug was going to come in the house and murder me while I was sleeping. It turns out it was just Maria trying to do her job.”
We stood in the entryway of his house as his arms pressed me up against the wall and his lips devoured mine. I’d been waiting to have him near me like that again. Everything that had gone on throughout the week had made our lives so chaotic, it was a relief to be there with him and in the safety of his arms.
“I’m pretty sure you promised me a massage,” I teased him as his hands moved toward my shirt as if he was going to take it off.
“Oh, yes. That’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m going to give you a massage. Head over to the couch and I’ll work every muscle you have,” he winked.
I could barely walk as his arms stayed wrapped around me and his lips moved up and down my neck while we made our way into the living room. I walked down the two steps and toward the couch when I saw the beautiful painting hanging on the opposite wall.
“What’s that?” I said as I noticed the painting I had admired from the art show a few weeks ago.
Brandon pressed up behind me and wrapped me in his arms as we stood in front of the large painting. I looked at the details again, just as I had done when I first saw it at the art show. It was a beautiful painting, that was for sure. But it also had so much emotion to it. Each little detail told a story that I felt like I could stand and look at for a year and never get tired of it.
“I bought it at an art show the night I saw you.”
“What? You saw me there?” I said in total surprise. “I didn’t see you.”
“Oh, yes. Josh and I saw a man grab your arm, and you looked like you were going to slice his head right off of his body. I didn’t know it was you until after we met. But Josh thought it was, and so I messaged you on the dating app.”
“So, you didn’t just message me because of the bikini photo? I really thought that was my big selling point.”
“What? Me? Noooo,” he laughed. “I’m not that shallow. Okay, maybe that was why I first messaged you, but it certainly wasn’t why I kept talking to you. You’re an amazing woman, Delilah.”
“I can’t believe you’re the person who bought this. It was a really expensive painting; I remember that much. I remember standing in the gallery and how my heart raced as I looked at all the intricate details built into the red paint. Then when I moved closer and looked at the blue, it was as if a calming sensation took over. It’s really an amazing piece of art.”
“Noah painted something that looked a lot like this after our trip to Hawaii. It had the blue as the waves and red as the sky. I lost it, though. He painted it before he got sick, and we didn’t save it. If we had known he would get sick, I’m sure Rose and I would have saved every single thing he had ever done while at school.
“Anyways, when I saw it at the show, I just had to have it. I actually have never spent that much on anything, especially a piece of art. I was just moved to buy it.”
“I see how it could look like the ocean. I bet this is very meaningful to you. That’s what I think art is supposed to be. I know some people just collect paintings because they are popular or the artist is the latest thing. But to me, art should be about the emotion that the work evokes in you. Especially if you’re going to be spending this kind of money on it.”
“I could sit on the couch and stare at it forever. It really does remind me so much of Noah, but not in a sad way. It’s more like I feel his presence and he
’s watching over me. It makes me feel calm just standing here in front of it. Maybe I’ll even be able to go back to Hawaii someday and the beach that inspired Noah’s painting.”
“I’d love to take Connor to Hawaii someday; he’s always wanted to go there. Probably because I’ve always wanted to go,” I laughed.
“I would really like to meet your son someday. I don’t want to rush you, and I don’t mean that I should meet him right away. I don’t even know if I’m ready to meet a little boy after losing Noah, but I do know that I want to continue seeing you, and that means I want to know your son and love him as much as I can.”
“That sounds like a very reasonable plan. But…” I said as I pulled away from him. “I think it’s only going to happen if you can keep your promises. Don’t you agree that it’s very important for people to keep their promises?” I smiled as I lured him into what I was going to say next.
“I always keep my promises.”
“Then get to work on that massage,” I laughed as I turned around and pressed my back up against him.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said as he swept me off my feet and threw me onto the couch.
It was so much fun to be with Brandon. He made me feel like I was young and carefree again. Being around him had my heart fluttering and my face smiling like I’d thought I’d never have the chance of experiencing ever again.
His lips explored every inch of my body as we lay together in his living room. Each touch of his hands, each kiss of his lips made me fall more and more in love with him. As his hands explored me, I felt comfortable in my skin, more so than I had felt in a very long time.
It was weird to have the word love on my tongue after only knowing Brandon for such a short time. I knew it was odd and tried not to think about it, but as we moved together, I knew the truth. I did love him, and I’d love him for as long as he’d let me.
Brandon and I had bonded so much in our short time together that I couldn’t wait to explore what would be next for us. But in that moment, I just wanted to feel the pleasure he could give me. We made love on his couch for hours and hours as our bodies melted together into one.