The Call

by B. A. Cubbage

  Reagan nods. “Yes, she. She was in a silver Kia Optima.”

  “I passed right by her when I came into the neighborhood. She nearly mowed me down.” My grip tightens on Reagan and I get pissed at myself for not chasing the damn thing down.

  Officer Asher waves the boys in the backyard off and hollers an ‘all clear’ to all of the others. “I don’t suppose you got the plate number?” Reagan shakes her head. “That’s okay. I’ve already got guys on traffic cameras trying to find the damn thing.

  “As soon as they described your Jeep, I told them to track the other car and to get units on it. When they told me that Mr. Stone here was violating every traffic law in the book, I grabbed a team. Figured this is where you’d end up.”

  “Yeah, about that. We’re moving tomorrow out to the lake. So I’ll need to email you the address information.”

  “Oh. Well yes, please, email me the info. I’ll need to know where to go the next time we get a call involving one of you two. Maybe this will lure them out.”

  Reagan cocks her head to the side. “Them.”

  The officer clenches his jaw and lets his eyes close. We weren’t supposed to know, apparently. “Yes, we now know for a fact that Chris isn’t in this alone. And since you say that whoever was in that Optima is a girl, we are going to need to look harder into the three of your pasts. You two and Chris, that is.”

  “Start with Sasha Lafayette. I am not ready to say that she has no involvement in this. She’s fraternized with him before.”

  “We are, Ms. Winters. Do the two of you need us to have a look around or are you good? I’ve got a call downtown about a couple of teenagers with spray paint.”

  “No, you’re good to go, Asher. Thanks for responding so quickly.”

  “For you two? No problem. Hopefully I won’t see you soon.”

  He leaves with all ten of the cop cars and two K-9 units. Reagan picks Duchess up. “Well, since both of our vehicles are here, let’s load up some more stuff and take it back to our house.”

  “Uh, my car is kinda full of Kate and Mickey’s shit. You caught me as soon as I got out of my car to drop stuff off. Shit! My phone!” I take off outside toward my car where I left my phone.

  As I lay my fingers on it, both Devon’s and Damon’s trucks rip and squeal around the corner gunning for my house. Perfect. The trucks are parked in the middle of the street in front of the driveway. I shut the ignition to my Camaro off and pull my phone out.

  “What the fuck dude? Where’s Reagan?”

  I put my hands on Dev’s chest so he doesn’t launch himself into the house and scare her. “It’s okay. It’s fine, bro. She’s okay. She’s in the house.”

  “Then why the fuck did you book it out of Mickey’s so fucking fast?”

  Reagan comes out and explains what happened to her eldest brother and her twin.

  “Was she trying to run you off of the road or anything?” Damon waits for her to answer.

  “She tried to clip me and make me spin out but I’m a better driver than her.”

  Damon thrusts his hands into his hair. “Fuck. This shit is going to give me a goddamn heart attack. Tell me that you guys aren’t staying here tonight?”

  “Trust me, we’re not. We’re grabbing a few more things and then heading back to help out at Mickey’s. If your truck is empty, Damon, can we throw some stuff into it?”

  “Yeah, Shit. Let’s get on it. Then the three of us guys will come back and get the last load from Mickey’s. Tomorrow we will start on your guy’s house.”

  Reagan nods and we all follow her into the house.

  I’m terrified I’m going to lose this woman. God help the being that takes her from me. I will kill them. Literally.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Reagan

  Kate is helping me pack up my house while the boys are all at work. ‘Shake it’ by Metro Station is blaring throughout the house. We need to install a stereo system in the new house ASAP.

  We’re both in skimpy black yoga shorts, button-up shirts with beaters underneath, and Converse shoes. The only difference between the two of us is our hair… and her ever-growing baby belly. Her hair is in a ponytail with a blue bandana and mine is in a bun with a pink bandana.

  I can’t tell you if we’ve been packing more or dancing around like teenagers more. Whichever the case, we’re almost done packing up the game room and kitchen. They’re the last rooms that we have left out of the house. It’s a damn good thing too because the boys should be showing up any minute now.

  ‘I kissed a girl’ comes on and we both look at each other and smile. She’s got a ladle/microphone in hand and I’m singing into a Wii controller/microphone. We start to dance/walk to each other, putting on our best Katy Perry façade.

  When the first round of ‘I kissed a girl’ rings through, we meet in the middle of the rooms by the back door. We’re really into it, putting our backs together, lowering to the floor, then coming back up, turning around, and singing to each other’s faces.

  When the song ends and we start to laugh, multiple sets of clapping echo off of the bare walls. We turn, startled that anyone else was in the house. By the garage door stands a grinning Abraham and Mickey. I don’t think I’ve ever turned a brighter shade of red before.

  “I’d pay good money to see that again.” Abraham stalks toward me and lifts me into the air by my waist until my mouth connects with his. “You two are pretty cute together. I don’t have to worry about you leaving me to run away with her, do I?”

  Kate answers for me, “Hey. She was mine first, Abraham. I’m merely letting you claim her as your own for now. Don’t push your luck.”

  I shrug my shoulders. “What can I say? She’s my wife, and first love. You’re just gonna have to get over it, stud.”

  “She may have been your first love, but I have every intention on being your last.”

  “Mm, you really know how to play the romance game, don’t ya?” Bringing my lips to his, we kiss. He takes my bottom lip with him when he pulls away, making me moan a little.

  “Hey, knock that shit off.” Devon comes in and swats Abraham on the back of the head.

  Abraham shoves him, without taking his eyes off of me. “My house, dude.”

  “You can only claim that, when we aren’t here to help you out.” Laughing, I push away from Abraham and go to turn the radio down a little.

  “You guys can go ahead and load up the bedrooms first. We got everything in boxes that’s small enough to go into boxes. Everything else, except for the beds and dressers, goes into mine and Kate’s Jeeps.”

  Abraham kisses my cheek. “All right boys, you heard the woman. Let’s move shit. Let me change real quick first though. I’m not ripping this suit. You guys get started in the first guest room.” The four of them head up the stairs and Kate and I continue to pack up the last of the stuff.

  »»•««

  Kate and I have moved to the new house to put everything away that we just spent all morning packing up. Sara and Sam were already there when we got here. The boys have one more load left. We made good time since we didn’t start until three and it’s ten o’clock now.

  Duchess is all set up in the bigger of the two guest room’s closet. Sam and Sara are working on those rooms, Kate is working on the bathrooms, and I’m working on the kitchen. I should be done with it before the guys make it back with all the living and game room stuff. We’re totally going to have to get some more furniture for a few of the rooms and outside.

  “Okay, both of the guest rooms are finished. What else is there to do?”

  With Sara and Sam standing next to each other in almost the same outfit, I notice they could be twins. Looking at them both, you would think that they were related. Huh. “Um, if you want to, you can help me in here. I’ve got those two boxes left. One is plates and bowls, the other I think is pots and pans.”

  “Fine by us.” They both dig in and we get it finished in no time.

  Kate comes waddling in from ups
tairs. “I’m going to lay my fat ass down in your bed.”

  I laugh and nod. “Go get some rest. I’ll have Mickey wake you and take you home when the boys get back.”

  “Okay. Good night girls. Oh, and wife? Nice toys.” My eyes grow and my whole body starts to turn red. All three of them laugh. “Calm down, it’s not like it was one of your brothers that packed and unpacked them. Now that would be just cause to turn red all over.” She waddles her way back up the stairs.

  Once my bedroom door closes, Sara says, “Man, poor thing looks so uncomfortable. When is she due?”

  “The first of October.”

  “Damn, she’s only got three and a half months to go. I bet she’s pretty excited to get to the next step.” Sam is smiling fondly.

  “Yup. She was cussing herself the other day at the shop.” I laugh and continue. “And Mickey. For making it so that her biggest months are in the middle of a Louisiana summer. With the Fourth of July just under two weeks away, she’s a sweating Ms. Daisy. You girls are coming to our party right?”

  They both look at me like I’m stupid. Sara is the one who speaks. “Duh, you guys live on a lake. In three huge houses. We will totally be here. Is there anything you want us to bring?”

  “Devon already called dibs on the potato salad, his is delicious. And Damon volunteered you and him to bring Jell-O and all the fixings for po’boys. And Kate and Mickey are bringing chips, a pickle tray, and fruit salad. Abraham and I are getting the meat for dinner, booze, fireworks, etc.”

  Abraham walks backward through the open door, carrying one end of one of the living room couches with Damon on the other. After they are through the door, Devon and Mickey come through with the other living room couch.

  “One of you girls want to help me go get the love seat?”

  “Yeah, let’s go. Before they stop us.” Sara leads the way out.

  “Let’s grab the game room couch instead. Help me pull it to the tailgate so I can get a better grip on it.” Sara helps me unload it and I walk in the house backward with it. Sam is walking behind us with the box of gaming systems.

  “Put that down.”

  “Shut up Devon or I’ll put it down on your toe.” I start to back up the stairs when Abraham jumps in.

  “Babe, I know that you are fully capable of hauling this up the stairs, but please, for the sake of my sanity and heart, can I do it?”

  “Cute, and nice try, but no.”

  “What if I said that you were killing my masculinity?”

  I laugh. We’re already more than halfway up the stairs. “I’d say, I’ll revive it later tonight.”

  “You’re impossible.” He and Devon are right behind Sara, watching our every move.

  I go to step up another stair, not realizing I was already on the last step, and I lose my footing. “Shit!”

  Don’t ask me how, because I couldn’t tell you how it is even physically possible. I must have overcompensated so much, so that the couch wouldn’t land on my feet. I leap into the air, the couch having already slipped through my fingers, and end up tumbling head over heels down the couch.

  Devon was quick to jump to Sara’s aid in holding the couch, and now my body weight, up. They both duck down in time for me to roll off the couch headed face first for the floor another ten steps down. Fuck. My life.

  Abraham’s hands circle my middle, and he flings our bodies so his will hit the ground and not mine. Mickey and Damon save the day. They get to the stairs in time for both of them to stop the both of us from crashing to the wood floor.

  “Fuck! Is everybody okay?”

  They all sound off as Mickey and Damon get us set upright on our feet. “Are you okay, angel?” He’s looking me over. I can feel his heartbeat under the palm of my hand. It’s drumming like a hummingbird’s would.

  I smack his chest. “The hell were you thinking, Abraham? What if they hadn’t of been here to catch us? You could have split your head open!”

  He smiles, closes his eyes, and shakes his head. “I saved your ass from breaking something on that pretty little body of yours, and I’m getting scolded for it. Better me than you, angel. I will always jump in front of the bullet for you. Every. Single. Time.”

  I love him. “Fine, just remember your promise. It’s not trying to stay alive and well when you’re taking the beating for me.”

  His mouth opens and then closes twice before he just glares at me. “That’s not fair.”

  “Um excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt your little moment or anything, but could we get some help over here?” Devon’s voice is seriously strained.

  “Shit. Sorry, man.” Abraham squeezes by them and the couch, and lifts up the other side, helping them move it to the center room that Abraham and I were sleeping in last night.

  My twin does a very shitty impression of my voice. “‘I can do it‘. You suck at moving furniture. I’m surprised you made it as far as you did.”

  “Hey.”

  Damon raises his brows at me. “You deny it? Do you remember what happened when you moved into your apartment after college?” I close my eyes defeated knowing he’s going to tell the story anyways. “You and Kate got the couch halfway up the stairs when you both broke out into a fit of girlie giggles.

  “If I remember right, you laughed so hard that you both peed your pants. Devon and I had to take off from the bar, leaving these two to handle rush by themselves, and help you move the rest of your crap in.”

  Abraham tries to stifle his amusement. “You can laugh, Abraham. It was years ago.”

  He busts out laughing. “Oh, man. That’s good.”

  “Are you done?” He sighs and nods. “Good. Mickey, when you get the rest of your truck unloaded, preggers would like to go home. She’s asleep in my bed at the moment.”

  “All right then. Let’s unload my truck first.” The boys head back down to the trucks and Sam, Sara, and myself get back to unpacking.

  »»•««

  Abraham

  It took us all of Wednesday and all of Thursday night to move Devon. Go figure, the one house we move that just has one person living in it, is the house that takes the longest. Thank fuck Sara doesn’t live with him. We’d still be at it if she did.

  It’s Friday night and we all decided to go to Mickey’s house and cook out. His house came with a built-in grill. I won’t put ours in until Sunday. I’m also building a fire pit on Sunday.

  I’m pulling down Reagan’s and my driveway on my bike. Work ran a little late today, but we both knew there was a chance for that. Reagan is standing on the balcony, leaning on the railing, smiling at me. I pull my visor up so she can see my face and smile back until I’m out of view in the garage.

  Dozer and Thor both come in through the dog door we installed yesterday. We had to install two, one on the garage door to the house, and the other on the garage door to the back yard. There’s no fence, but so far they don’t seem to stray too far.

  “Hey guys, let’s go get mom.” They follow me into the house. “Honey, I’m home!” She comes running at me through the kitchen. I drop everything in my hands and catch her when she leaps into my arms. After kissing her lips I pull back. “Miss me bad, huh?”

  “Always. I spent a grueling day by the pool all by myself with no Adonis to play with.” She mock pouts. Cute. As. Shit.

  “That sounds awful. Who would leave you at home by yourself all day with nothing to do?”

  That Cheshire smile graces her lips. “Oh, I had something to do. And I did. Several times. I’ll admit it’s not as satisfying to do by myself. But it’s still something to do to pass the time.”

  Hard. I’m fucking hard as stone, no pun intended, and I’ve only been home two minutes. “I fucking love my roommate.”

  “You should show her how much you love her. On the stairs. I’ve been fantasizing about it all day.” Her eyes flutter closed at the sound of my growl. “Mm, and that noise right there, is not only the source of all of my wet dreams, but also a huge help in getting m
e where I need to go.”

  My lips find her throat and I walk us to the stairs with her wrapped around me. I speak around her skin, “I missed you so much.”

  “Mm then you should have stayed home.”

  “I’ll quite tomorrow.” I set her butt on one of the middle stairs and start to undress her. My impatience grows. I grab each side of her button-up shirt and tear it in opposite directions, sending buttons flying every which way. “Clasp in the front? Naughty.” Don’t ask me why it’s so hot to us guys when you wear front-clasp bras.

  When I unhook it, her breasts fall out. Her nipples are peaked to perfection, so much so that I can’t fight the urge to pull one of them into my mouth. Her back arches pushing her chest farther into me. When I pull her nipple a little with my teeth, she moans.

  My shirt is torn open as well, causing my buttons to join hers on the floor. Her nails roughly graze down my chest until her fingers find my belt. Our mouths are fused together and my pants are pushed until they fall to my ankles, and I kick them and my shoes off.

  Her pants quickly follow. “God, I love it when you go commando. Roll over.” She gets on her hands and knees, gripping the edge of a step higher up from us. My hand collides with her ass cheek and her head falls back on a moan. “Again?”

  “Yes.” I smack her ass again and she begins to white-knuckle the step. “I need you, Abraham. I need you inside of me right now.”

  “As you wish.” Spreading her cheeks, I grip my cock in my hand and run it up and down her moist folds a few times. She moans again and I thrust into her, making her cry out.

  She starts to push back into me as I push forward. When I can feel her walls start to shudder, I pull out. She immediately turns around, places a foot on either side of the step that her ass is on, and pulls me back down to her. I waste no time getting back inside of her.

  “Shit!”

  “Let it go, Reagan. Fucking hell! Let it go now.” It always feels so damn good when we free fall together. It’s otherworldly. I rest my forehead on hers and close my eyes to soak up the moment.

  Having caught my breath, I lean down on her and say, “Have I told you how amazing it is to have you here when I come home?”