by Katie Dowe
Michelle was a lot shrewder than Matt gave her credit for. Arlie had barely come near Matt and when she did she refused to look at him, blushing to the roots of her hair. Matt had wanted to talk to her a hundred times but couldn't bring up the courage. He had decided to let Arlie come to him on her own terms instead of forcing the issue.
He couldn't lie to Michelle. As his friend and Arlie's sister, she deserved to know.
"We had a bit of an argument." He admitted. "She didn't like that I was taking over her life and making choices for her."
"After what happened earlier that day, I don't blame you."
At least Michelle agreed with him on that. Matt wasn't sure she would agree with what he did. He gulped.
"I...I may have kissed her."
Michelle raised her eyebrows.
"You kissed her." She said slowly.
"Yes." Matt felt nervous. "Why do I feel like I'm in front of teacher?"
"Because you're talking to Arlie's family." Michelle's look was unreadable as she watched him. "What are your intentions towards Arlie?"
Matt hadn't really thought about it. He knew there was something growing between him and Arlie but he wasn't sure what. It was strong, whatever it was, and he was sure Arlie was feeling the same way. But with regards to his intentions...he hadn't got a clue.
"She's a great person." He hedged, seeing Michelle roll her eyes. "I don't know what's going on between us but I do know that I care about her. I really do care."
"Sounds like more than caring if you're kissing." Michelle pointed out.
"She pushed me away." Matt tried not to think about how aroused he had got kissing Arlie, how much he had wanted to pulled her clothes off and throw her onto the couch. He winced as his cock pressed against his fly. "I just hope I haven't ruined things between us. We were getting close."
Michelle sighed.
"You've shaken her up, that's all I can say."
"That wasn't my intention, honestly."
Michelle looked like she believed him. She sat back and sighed.
"Arlie's track record with men isn't good. The ones she wanted to date wanted nothing to do with her and those she did go out with were bastards and used her as a punching bag."
Matt listened to this with growing anger. Arlie was a special woman. No man in their right mind would harm someone that precious.
"So this Jason wasn't the only one."
"He was the only one with money." Michelle said grimly. "And that made a lot of difference. Because he knew people who could make his 'problems' go away." She said 'problems' using her fingers as apostrophes in the air. "Arlie has always been unlucky with men and that's made her distrustful. It took her a long time to trust Bates and he's a lovely man."
Matt raised an eyebrow. Mentioning Bates seemed to be a strange thing. But from the softening of Michelle's expression, there was a reason.
"Is there anything going on between you and Bates?"
Michelle was his surrogate, not his girlfriend. He had no objections to Bates having an interest; any man in his right mind would look at Michelle and want her by their side.
"Come off it." Michelle scoffed, her cheeks going dark red. "Look at me and look at him. He's out of my league and I'm not his type."
"How do you know?"
Matt had seen the way Bates had acted around her and knew that he considered her with more than platonic feelings.
"I'm not here to talk about me." Michelle glared at him to make her point. "I'm here to talk about my sister. She's been hurt a lot and I don't want to see that happen again."
Matt understood that. If it was his little sisters he would think exactly the same.
"I won't hurt her, Michelle." He said fervently. "I promise."
"You'd better not." Michelle tilted her chin at him. "Because if you do then I'm out of here. You can still have your daughter when she's born but I won't stay here under your roof. I can't be near a man I can't trust if you hurt my sister."
The thought of losing Michelle scared Matt. But the thought of hurting Arlie scared him more. He would never hurt the woman he...
Was growing to love. The knowledge hit him hard. He was starting to fall for Arlie Slade and he hadn't realized it.
He reached out and took Michelle's hand.
"I understand." He said solemnly.
Michelle smiled and squeezed his hand.
"Good."
Chapter 6
"I wouldn't get that. Doesn't flatter your figure."
Arlie looked behind her and groaned. Joanna was standing at the opening of her cubicle, having flung open the curtain. She stood there with a sneer on her face, hands on her hips. Her lithe body was clad in an elegant black PVC cat-suit with a bright red chunky belt. Black boots with a five-inch stiletto finished the outfit. Her hair was pulled back from her face into a high ponytail.
She looked like a dominatrix. Arlie had never found that a turn-on. She kept her back to the woman and she stripped off the dress she had been trying on. It didn't really suit her but she wasn't going to say that out loud for Joanna's satisfaction.
"I'm not interested, Joanna. Go away."
She snatched up her jeans and pulled them on. Normally she didn't care about her body but she was wearing panties and a bra that were of simple white cotton that was a little on the faded side and her figure wasn't as slim as Joanna's. Having the model standing over her as she dressed was making her uncomfortable and she was sure Joanna was doing it for that reason.
Joanna snorted.
"I can't believe you're still at his house. You and your whore sister. Aren't you finished milking him for all he's worth yet?"
"I thought there was meant to be one person at a time in these cubicles." Arlie quipped, pulling on her t-shirt. She was going to have a word with the sales assistant when she managed to get out.
"Not today." Joanna shook her head. "Why don't you and that bitch pack up and go? You've taken enough of Matt's money and spent enough of it. Let someone else have his babies. He won't want a black monkey."
Arlie could feel the fury building but kept it down. She knew if she let loose and attacked Joanna she would be the one getting arrested and Joanna would be smirking her way through the entire process. Picking up the dress and putting it on the hanger, she tried to keep her cool as she spoke.
"This is actually my money I'm using. Anything I've bought for myself in the last six months is my money, not Matt's." She turned to Joanna and stepped up close, not touching but enough to make Joanna back up. "And that 'black monkey' is a little baby in Michelle's belly. She isn't even born yet and even when she is born, doesn't deserve to be called something as disgusting as that. If you were a decent human being you wouldn't insult a child that can't fight back." She saw Joanna's eyes flare but kept going. "Matt is over the moon that he'll soon be a dad. He doesn't care what the baby looks like. Just leave him be and let him have something he wants."
Joanna looked a little surprised that Arlie had told her off and hadn't launched herself at her. Arlie could see that she had been planning on that but she wasn't playing her game. Then Joanna's face twisted into a sneer.
"He wants a mixed race baby?" She scoffed. "Carried by someone from the ghetto?"
Arlie rolled her eyes.
"We haven't lived in the ghetto since we were fourteen."
"My point exactly."
"That was no point at all."
Joanna ignored her, leaning against the walls with her arms folded.
"How far along is Michelle now? Six months, isn't it?" Her eyes glinted. "Anything could happen between now and the due date. Anything."
Arlie knew a threat when she heard one. Her heart clenched and a shiver went up her spine. She squared her shoulders and glared at the woman.
"Are you threatening my sister?" She growled.
"No threats. Just a reminder that things aren't as they seem."
Arlie didn't believe that for a minute. She started to turn away when she noticed that Joanna'
s left arm was bulkier than her right. There was also the sight of the edge of a white bandage poking out from under the sleeve. It had been two weeks since the attack and the wound she had given her attack had been deep enough to require a lot of stitches.
She didn't know if the bandage was from her attack or from something else. But she decided to play the bluff card.
"How's the arm, Joanna?"
She flicked Joanna's forearm and watched as Joanna flinched and jerked her arm away like it was on fire. Arlie smirked.
"I bet it still stings. It would when someone sticks a knife through it."
Joanna glared at her, cradling her arm against her chest.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Threaten Michelle again and I'll have you arrested for assault. See if you can get Matt to give you a baby while you're in prison." Picking up her purchases, including the dress, she pushed past Joanna into the corridor. "Now, if you'll excuse me?"
She could feel Joanna glaring daggers into her back but she kept walking.
*****
Jay took a heavy swig of his beer and settled back in his chair.
"How's the surrogate getting on?" He asked.
"Great." Matt sipped his own beer and put his bottle on the coffee table before sitting back and putting his ankle on his knee. "She's a lovely woman and the pregnancy has been going really well."
It was good to see Jay. He had been on business for three months and the minute he landed his private jet he had come straight over to Matt's to drink beer and shoot the breeze. Life was interesting with Jay around.
Not that Matt was complaining now. He had two fantastic women currently in his home and life was beginning to look up now he was about to become a father. Things were good for him right now and he felt like he was flying.
Jay grinned. He looked triumphant.
"See?" He declared. "Told you it would be better for you. And I bet the surrogate is hot."
Matt laughed nervously. He knew what Jay was going for; if Matt wasn't sleeping with the surrogate he would be moving in on her. And he wasn't sure if Michelle could handle Jay; he was like a bulldozer at times and when a woman turned him down he became more insistent to win her over.
"She's pretty." He admitted. Then the image of Arlie floated across his mind. "But I'm not interested."
"Oh, come on! You haven't thought about banging her just once?"
"Not her." Matt shifted, hoping Jay didn't notice how uncomfortable he was right now. "Someone else, maybe."
Jay chuckled and put his beer down.
"This sounds really juicy." He sat forward and beckoned to him. "Come on, spill."
"You sound like a gossiping old woman."
"It's you, Matt. I don't get to hear any juicy details from you at all. Not since Joanna got kicked to the curb."
"And keeps bouncing back like an old tennis ball." Matt muttered.
He hadn't heard from Joanna for over a month after she kept calling him every week, begging for him to get rid of Michelle and have her instead. The quietness from her was beginning to unnerve him.
"I know the feeling." Jay grunted. He beckoned with both hands impatiently. "So, who is it?"
Matt considered not telling him, letting him guess. But for once he wanted to tell Jay how he felt. He wanted his friend to know about the woman he had fallen in love with. And he didn't care that Jay thought he was soppy.
"It's Michelle's older sister. She's a fantastic woman. Absolutely fantastic."
"Is she hot?"
Matt laughed and rolled his eyes.
"She sure is."
Matt had thought about his feelings since Michelle had spoken to him. He had realized that he'd fallen in love with Arlie and things began to lighten up for him. It wasn't just the birth of his daughter that was making Matt look forward to the future; it was also Arlie.
Now he had to find a way to tell her that he loved her and get her to stay with him.
"Just be careful, Matt." Jay warned. "Women like her always go after our money."
Matt shook his head and laughed. He wasn't going to let Jay's fears of all women were after their money get to him. Not with this woman.
"Don't worry, Jay. Arlie isn't interested in my money. I know that for a fact."
Then he saw Jay's expression change in a way he had never seen before. Jay's face dropped and his face paled. He looked like he had had the color sucked out of him. Suddenly concerned, Matt sat forward.
"Jay? Jay, what's the matter?"
"This Arlie. Her name isn't Slade, by any chance?"
"Yes, it is." Matt felt the suspicions growing. "Why?"
Then the door opened and Arlie came in, carrying a little new-born outfit that she must have just bought.
"Matt? Have you seen Michelle anywhere? I wanted to show her what I got for the baby..."
Then she looked up and stopped short. Her face was completely white as she stared at Jay, who had stood up. Matt saw her whole demeanor change and Arlie began to shake.
"Jason."
"Hello, Arlie." Jay's voice was low, dangerous. "It's been a long time."
Matt looked between them, wondering what was going on. He had had no idea they had known each other before but from their expressions it hadn't been a good acquaintance. Arlie stared at him, her face still white.
"What's he doing here?" She asked, her jaw tight.
Matt stood and came to join her.
"Arlie, what's wrong?"
He reached out to her but Arlie jumped away with an evident flinch. That hurt and Matt didn't bother to hide it. But Arlie didn't seem to care, looking at him like she had ripped her heart out.
"I need to get out of here."
She turned and ran out the door. Matt stared after her in amazement. What had just happened? What was going on?
He turned to Jay, who was looking furious.
"Jay? What's going on? How do you now Arlie?"
"I dated Arlie last year, Matt." Jay's jaw tightened. "She was the one who stole the money from my account."
*****
Matt ran up the stairs and hurried to Arlie's room. The revelation that Jay was Arlie's ex-boyfriend, the man who had attacked her and who claimed she had stolen from him, was still sinking in.
He was torn. Jay was a close friend and while he wasn't the best person in the world when it came to women, Matt couldn't believe that he could hurt a woman the way Arlie had been hurt. And Arlie, the woman he loved, he stolen Jay's money.
Matt didn't know what to think.
There was a lot of activity going on when he arrived at Arlie's room. Her two suitcases were open on the floor and Arlie and Michelle were putting her clothes and shoes into them haphazardly.
"What's going on?"
"I'm getting out of this place." Arlie didn't look up as she shut one suitcase and forced the zip to close. "Not with that man here and he knows where I am."
Fear clutched at Matt's heart. Suddenly he couldn't breathe. Arlie couldn't leave; if she walked out of here he would never be able to get her back. He needed to do something.
He grabbed Michelle's arm as she hurried past.
"Can I have a word with you?"
Michelle looked like she wanted to argue but thought better of it. She nodded and followed Matt into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
"What's going on, Michelle?"
Michelle pushed her hair away from her face and glared at him. Matt had never seen her so angry.
"Isn't it obvious? Jay is Jason, her ex-boyfriend. The man who made her have a miscarriage."
Knowing it in his head was one thing. Hearing it out loud was another. Matt leaned against the wall as the world spun.
"He said she stole money from him." He tried to grasp at reality but it was still a little wobbly. "I don't know what's going on so you'd better tell me."
"Why not ask Arlie?"
Matt wanted to. He really did but he didn't think Arlie would
stop long enough to tell him. It would be quicker to ask someone who wasn't in a panic.
"You've got a more level head right now. And I need to deal with this right now."
Michelle pursed her mouth. She didn't look happy. She glanced at the closed door and Matt could see her making up her mind.
"She knew his account number and she had hospital bills to pay, something she couldn't afford. She figured that as he was the one who had made her lose the baby by attacking her, he should pay for all the bills." Michelle jerked her chin defiantly at him. "She only took out the amount she needed, nothing more. And it wasn't even half the amount that Jay has been claiming it was."
Matt could believe that. Jay liked to exaggerate. And he knew Arlie would never take out more than she needed. After four months of using his credit card and keeping under the budget they agreed to each time by a big margin, he knew she wouldn't steal the money.
"I believe you." He said quietly.
Michelle nodded. She sniffed and wiped at a tear that escaped down her cheek.
"This baby was going to be Arlie's pride and joy. She had cysts on her ovaries when she was a teenager. They were removed but the doctors told her she had a very unlikely chance of ever conceiving. So to get pregnant was like a miracle for her." She swallowed and fury flashed in her eyes. "Jay knew that and he killed that baby."
Matt hadn't known. He knew about the attack and that Arlie wanted children but he hadn't realized the extent of Arlie's predicament. Now he understood the pain he saw in her eyes whenever the pregnancy was mentioned, the tears when she saw the scan pictures and the longing when she bought baby items. It was part of something she wanted but could never have.
"How can you be friends with a man like that?" Michelle demanded.
"I'm not anymore." Matt knew he wasn't going to stand up for a man like Jay Richard. He took Michelle's arm. "I need your help. I have a few calls to make. Do you know the hospital Arlie was taken to when she had the miscarriage?"
Michelle nodded and hurriedly led the way towards the stairs.
*****
It took about half an hour to get the information Matt needed. A call to the hospital to a friend in administration and another to Perkins at the police station and Matt had the documents he needed to confront Jay with. Michelle had given him the details and then hurried back upstairs to stall Arlie to prevent her from leaving.