by B. Betzold
“Honey, I didn’t think it could get any better,” he finally panted out.
“Mmmm” was all I was able to get out.
I felt him pull out and roll over to take care of the condom. He then wrap his arms around me and pulled me against his chest.
“How you feeling, baby?”
“Sore.”
“I’m sorry, Mags.”
“It’s a good kind of sore.” I kissed his chest and melted into his warm embrace.
“Drake, this really doesn’t change anything.”
“Mags, we had sex.”
“Yep, great sex, lots of sex,” I said, “but it still doesn’t change anything.”
“I told you I love you.”
“You don’t mean it.”
He sighed. “How would you know?”
“Cause I do, I know you, Drake Matthew Porter, you don’t do love.”
“With you I do.”
“Let’s drop this for now; we have other things to take care of.”
“Like Quinn who will be waking up any time now.”
“Fine, but we will talk about this.”
I gave a non-committal noise, and got up to take a shower before Quinn wanted breakfast.
Drake
I watched Mags’ naked ass as she walked across the room and into the bathroom and let out a sigh, she was not going to make this easy—damn woman. I rolled out of bed, found my boxers lying on the floor and pulled them on. Might as well get coffee before we start this fight.
I walked past Quinn’s room and heard whimpering so went in and checked on her, she was wiggling around, starting to fuss so I went and picked her out of her crib.
“Mornin’ Princess,” I said as I cuddled her into my chest kissing her soft hair. After a diaper change, we finally made it into the kitchen for some much needed caffeine. I pulled out two cups and started filling them up with the already brewed coffee, and fixed Mags' coffee the way she liked while bouncing Quinn who was starting to get antsy for her breakfast.
“Look at you Mr. Domestic,” said Mags, walking into the kitchen.
I shrugged. “Here’s your coffee; she’s been changed but getting hungry.” She reached for her cup and took a deep drink then put it down and took the baby.
“Come on sweetie, let’s get you fed.”
I grabbed both our cups and followed her into the living room.
After we got situated on the couch, I looked at Mags over my coffee cup. “So we going to talk about this?”
“What’s to talk about? We fucked, it was great but that’s all it was, Drake.”
I sighed and put my cup down. “That’s all we did baby, fuck?”
“What would you call it, Drake?”
“Sure, we fucked the first and third time, but pretty sure we did something else the second and fourth.”
“What did we do, make love?” she scoffed.
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Drake,” she sighed, “I’m not the girl for you.”
“Well that’s where I beg to differ, honey,” I drawled. “I am pretty sure we fit pretty damn perfectly.”
“Yeah, we have terrific sex, but in everyday life, come on, all we do is fight.”
I shook my head, she really didn’t see it.
“No, Mags, I mean—” I was interrupted when my cell started ringing. “Damn it, I got to get that.”
I tracked my jeans in her bedroom and pulled out my cell to look at the caller id. “Whatcha need, Devi?”
“Did you fix it?”
“How the hell did you know I went over to Mags'?”
“Uhm, because I know you.”
“Yeah, well I showed up, and found out Mags is sexy as hell when she orgasms.”
She groaned. “I don’t want to hear about your nocturnal emissions, Drake.”
“Well you asked?”
“No, I asked if you fixed it not if you fucked her.”
“Man, I never realized she could be so submissive.”
“I swear to god, Drake, I will start telling you about me and Seth.”
“I mean when I bent her over—”
“So last night, Seth handcuffed me to the D rings we have in our bedframe then forced me on my knees and ate me like—”
“Okay, shut up, Devi.”
She started laughing. “Turnabout and all that.”
“I am trying to fix it, okay?”
“Bring her over for Christmas breakfast. We are having a little pow wow over how to handle this crap as well as opening presents since we didn’t get to last night.”
“Fine,” I said guess we could talk later—again. “We’ll be over in a little while.”
“K, see you soon, bro.”
Chapter 18
Mags
“That was Devi; she wants us to come over for breakfast and to open Christmas presents since we didn’t get to last night,” Drake said walking back into the kitchen.
“Fine, I will get us ready and meet you over there.” I told him not looking at him but instead paying attention to Quinn.
“Fine,” he said then walked out of the kitchen. A few minutes later, I heard my front door slam and his truck rev.
“Well, jellybean, it looks like it’s just us now, huh?” I asked kissing her fuzzy head.
I walked into the living room where I had set up a small Christmas tree and pulled out the gifts I had bought for Quinn; everyone else’s were at Devi’s house. I sat down with Quinn and had a quiet first Christmas with my daughter opening her gifts for her. I hadn’t gotten her much, some clothes and toys. I knew it was more for me than her this year but I couldn’t pass up the chance to spoil her a little. After the presents were opened, I got us ready to head over to Devi’s where I am sure the chaos of Christmas had already started with everyone running around. So very different from the life Quinn and I led, I thought looking around my empty house.
I pulled into Devi and Seth’s very full driveway and couldn’t believe the amount of people who appeared to be here. I noticed Drake’s truck and couldn’t help feeling a little sad with the way things went this morning between us. I didn’t know why I was self-sabotaging the first real relationship in my life, other than I really didn’t think it would turn out well, and I couldn’t lose the closest thing to a real family I had over it. I glanced back at Quinn, no I couldn’t risk it. It wasn’t just about me anymore.
After getting Quinn out of my car, I headed towards the door and I could already hear the yelling, laughing; this is what a family sounded like, and it was the closest thing Quinn and I had to one. I walked in and found people everywhere, some in the kitchen cooking, others chasing a laughing Jaks while he rode his new bike around the house, others still laughing and music playing from the family room. So, general chaos one expected on a Christmas morning. I headed towards the kitchen to see if they needed any help there.
“Well, there you are,” said Devi when I made it to the kitchen.
“Yeah, we just got here,” I said, taking my coat off.
“So how has your morning been?”
“Good, Quinn and I opened her gifts and then came over here.”
Devi nodded. “Uh huh, and was that before or after you fought with Drake?”
“How did you know Drake and I fought?”
“Other than him acting like a jackass since he got here?”
“Oh, sorry.”
She shrugged. “Whatever, go hand Quinn off to someone and come help us cook.”
“Okay, be back in a few,”
I passed people murmuring hellos and Merry Christmas back to them, but never really feeling like I belonged amongst them. I hated feeling like this, but it’s how I always felt during the holidays, with my mom, we never really celebrated them. She was always more concerned with her latest boyfriend than making sure I had a good Christmas, and I had vowed my kids never felt like that. That they would know what having a family felt like, and I was failing my child because this wasn’t our real family, we didn’t have
one.
I walked into the family room and found Sam, Seth, Drake, and Eli all sitting around playing guitars while watching Jaks and Cait play on the living room floor with their new toys and wrapping paper. It looked like they were enjoying the paper more than the toys with the way they were both giggling. I couldn’t help but smile at the scene they made together, the doting big brother and the enamored baby sister. I could imagine Drake and Devi looking like that when they were little, hell, at times, they still looked at each other like that.
“Hey Mags, Merry Christmas,” said Seth.
I glanced up at him and noticed that Drake was looking at me. “Hey Seth, Merry Christmas to you too,” I murmured quietly.
“You okay?”
“Yeah I’m fine; do you guys mind keeping an eye on Quinn so I can help Devi in the kitchen?”
“Nope, just plop her down with the other two heathens.”
“Thanks,” I said and put her car seat down and quickly scurried out of the room and away from Drake's stare. This was going to be a long morning.
Drake
After breakfast, we all congregated around the Christmas tree and began the long process of passing out gifts. I had never seen a mountain of gifts like this one before, but then again we had amassed a large amount of friends and family throughout the years. I glanced around and saw Seth’s band, most of the guys from the shop Devi worked at and a few other friends. This was my family, they had been there for Devi and I went no one else had been. Most would disperse after this to go spend time with their families and I wasn’t sure what I would end up doing with the rest of my day.
I would have spent the day with Devi, Jaks, and Mags before Seth came back and Mags had Quinn but now I was a little a drift with everyone having a family of their own. I would have loved to be able to go home with Mags and Quinn but I didn’t see that happening now with the way things had gone earlier this morning. What had started out as a terrific Christmas morning had quickly deteriorated and I didn’t know how to fix it. I glanced over at Mags and saw her cuddling a sleepy Quinn, she was smiling and acting like everything was fine but I could see through the act. She was just as lost as I was but she wouldn’t let me in.
Everyone dove into unwrapping their gifts, while watching Jaks and his exuberant reactions to everything he had gotten. We all seemed to go a little crazy when buying for the kids, but we couldn’t help ourselves, they were all so cute. I kept an eye on Mags, wanting to see her reaction when she got to the gift that Quinn and I had got for her in Seattle. It wasn’t anything big; I had found a charm that had said #1 Mom on it and I couldn’t help myself. While on the road with the band, I found a few other charms that made me think of Mags and added to the bracelet. I just hoped that she like it.
Jaks was up dancing around while waving some kind of toy when I heard Mags gasp. I looked over at her and found her staring at me with tears trailing down her cheeks. I wanted to go over and hug her but I knew she wouldn’t let me so instead I just offered her a smile, which she didn’t return. Instead she stood up and left the room, I looked over at my sister and she offered me a smile, but it didn’t help. Shortly after that everyone started heading off to their other engagements, I took that as my own exit and slipped out and headed home for the rest of the day, alone.
Chapter 19
Mags
I pulled into the driveway of Devi’s house and saw Drake getting out of his truck. I didn’t know why he was here; I hadn’t seen him since yesterday morning. When I had come back to the family room almost everyone had left, including Drake so I never got to thank him for the amazing gift he had given me. I had needed some time away from everyone after I had opened it. He had given me the perfect present, and I didn’t know what to think about that.
We had left shortly after that and Devi had called me this morning to come over and talk about some of the legal stuff that was going on; I guess Drake was coming over for the same reason. I opened the door and got out of the car to find Drake already pulling Quinn’s car seat from the back seat.
“Morning, Drake.”
“Morning, Mags.”
I reached over and put a hand on his arm and looked up at him. “Thank you for the beautiful bracelet,” I murmured.
“You’re welcome, baby,” he whispered then turned around and walked towards the front door.
I followed behind wondering what I could do to fix the tension that was now between us.
He walked in and I followed behind heading towards the living area and looked around. Drake opened his mouth but I shushed him. “What the hell?” I muttered. “Devi, where are you?” I yelled.
“In the kitchen,” she yelled back.
We headed that direction, but I still couldn’t get over how quiet it was, her house was never this quiet.
“Hey, where is everyone?”
“Hmm, what do you mean?” she said while going straight for Quinn who was still strapped in her car seat.
“Uhm, your house is quiet.”
“Oh, Seth took the kids to run an errand.”
Okay, something was not right.
“Hey Sweetie, come see your Aunt Devi,” she said taking the car seat from Drake and setting it on the table. Next thing I know, she’s spun around, grabbed my wrist and I heard a snap then a startled “What are” from Drake and another snap.
I looked down and saw what had made the clicking noise. My best friend had just handcuffed me to her brother.
“Devlin, I swear to god if you don’t take these off I am going to…” but Drake stopped when he saw the look on Devi’s face.
“Sorry, can’t take them off.”
“Why not?” I asked quietly thinking of the best place to hide her body.
“Don’t have the key.”
“What do you mean you don’t have the key?” Drake seethed.
“I.Don’t.Have.The.Key,” she enunciated. “Geesh and to think the parental units said you were the smart one.”
“Where is the key?” I asked trying to remain calm.
She shrugged and tilted her head to the side. “Not really sure.”
“What the fuck Devi?” Drake yelled.
“I warned you, fix it or I would handcuff you together, you didn’t fix it so handcuffs it is. Now me and this sweet girl are going; talk to you later.” Then she ran out the door with my daughter and all I could do is watch in stunned belief.
“I swear I am going to strangle her this time,” Drake muttered.
I was still watching the door waiting for her to come back laughing and unlocking the cuffs, but she didn’t.
“Aw fuck,” I finally yelled.
“Glad you finally rejoined me, darling.”
Drake
“Unlock the fucking cuffs, Seth,” I bit out.
He was laughing. “I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?”
“Because,” he pointed at the chest in their bedroom he was currently digging through and pulled out four sets of handcuffs, “all of ours are here.”
“So see if their key will work.”
He shook his head. “Don’t think it will.”
“Why not?”
“Uhm these are custom made,” he snickered.
“Fucking try it anyway.”
“Okay, but they won’t work,” he muttered.
He attempted to unlock the handcuffs with the key he had. “Try the other keys.”
“What other keys?”
“You held up four sets of cuffs, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah, but the same key works on each of them.”
“Fuck, I am going to kill her.”
“Seth, why do you have custom made handcuffs?” Mags asked.
“Wedding present from X.”
She nodded like this made complete sense. After she finally realized that Devi wasn’t coming back, she started ranting about where to bury the body, but for a few minute she had been calm, eerily calm.
I sighed. “Fine, guess we will find some
bolt cutters or something and get out of these.” Seth started shaking his head.
“What?” I asked.
“Bolt cutters won’t work; these are made by the same place that made ours.”
“Okay and that means what?”
“Custom made, titanium handcuffs with only one key to unlock them is what they specialize in.”
I sighed. Okay then. “So how do we get out of this?”
Seth looked at me. “Work out your shit?”
“We are.”
“Apparently not or my wife wouldn’t of done this,” he stated.
“Your wife is a lunatic.”
“No, my wife is watching two people she loves hurting and she can’t stand it. So she’s doing what she can think of to keep them from hurting each other.”
“At least I know Quinn is okay,” Mags said.
“How can you be so calm?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Cause Devi will let us out when she’s ready and not a second before, not any real point in arguing about it.”
“Fine,” I bit out. “What do we do now?”
“Try not to kill each other,” she chirped then yanked my arm hard as she walked out of the bedroom dragging me with her.
Oh this was going to be a terrific fucking day.
Chapter 20
Mags
Getting into Drake's truck handcuffed together was an interesting event. He ended up wrapping an arm around my waist and picking me up, sliding us both into the driver seat with me sitting in his lap, and I couldn’t resist giving a little wiggle that caused him to growl. He slid me over the console and into the passenger seat where we attempted to fasten our seatbelts one handed—not an easy task.
“So where are we headed?” I asked.
“I have no idea, what did you have planned today?”
“Uhm, hang out with Quinn and get some work done, but I can’t exactly do that now.”
Drake nodded. “Okay then, I was going to hang out at my place maybe play some pool with Sam if he’s there.”
“Why would Sam be at your place?”