by C. A. Harms
I pushed past him and he swatted my ass, hard. “I’ll give ya Diva.” He chuckled as he came up from behind me and wrapped his arm over my shoulder.
We were seated at a corner table and quickly placed our order.
“How are things going with Mr. Hot ‘n Steamy?” Ryan asked, as he took a huge bite of his club sandwich.
I laughed at his name for Max. He was always coming up with new ones, and most of the time they were R-rated. At least he kept this one clean.
“Things are good, really good, actually. We talked this past week about the change in his demeanor.” I sighed, thinking about how that talk had brought back my old Max. I felt the heat in my cheeks. “Let me just say that Max and his special talents have now resurfaced.”
Ryan smiled, “So Wild and Crazy in the Sack has been bringing his A game? No more sappy, love-sick fool? Is he back to the hot piece of ass that makes your girlie bits tremble?”
I could only nod my head as I thought about his surprise attack on me just this morning. There was something great about waking up to your man’s head between your thighs. That could never get old.
“Aubree, girl, your cheeks are red.” Ryan tossed a Baked Olay across the table, hitting me in the arm. “Just the look on your face is making me hard, thinking about your man.”
“Oh gross, Ry. Please shut up,” I groaned.
He could only grin and look at me like he had said nothing wrong. He didn’t hide the fact that Max made his blood flow almost as quickly as he did mine. Yes, my man had some heavy effects on my libido and pretty much every other woman’s and gay man’s that he came across.
Ryan and I finished up our late lunch and said a quick goodbye. I made sure to invite him to come watch me make a fool of myself at the charity event coming up in a couple of weeks. The whole idea of it still made me extremely nervous. I think I was more worried about making a fool of myself in front of Max than anything else.
***
I arrived at the center with only three minutes to spare. I opened the door to a million little girls running around acting silly.
“Well hello, pretty ladies. Are we ready to shake our tootsies and have some fun?” I asked, causing everyone to turn and look in my direction. Seeing the smiling faces looking back at me was without a doubt the sweetest part of my day.
They began bouncing up and down, hollering in response.
I went around the room, quickly naming off the individuals and noting who was in attendance. I read the last name on the list and my heart began to beat rapidly, as my breath hitched in my throat.
“Paisley Grayson.” I tried to maintain my composure as I looked up from my clipboard. I found my gaze locked on a sweet, tiny girl. She had dark wavy hair and big, beautiful green eyes-- green eyes that were so familiar, yet terrifying. “Are you Paisley?”
The woman standing next to her smiled as the little girl hid behind her leg. “Yes, this little sweetheart is Paisley. She’s a little shy.”
I could only nod my head. I was in shock, my hands shaking. Grayson was my name before I changed it to Masters when I was old enough. Taking Ryan’s last name had been a new start for me. I wanted to leave the past long gone and never again let the name of Grayson tarnish me. I knew the chances were slim; I mean, there was a million Graysons, right?
I was shocked by the fact that her first name was the same as my mother’s middle name--not a common name. It didn’t help at all that Paisley looked so much like I did when I was her age; her eyes held the same look as my father’s, He was the man who did indescribable things to me when I was younger.
I felt the tears filling my eyes, as I thought of the same parents bearing another child who could have suffered like I did. This sweet little angel couldn’t possibly be tainted by the same parents. She couldn’t be.
“I’ll be right back, class; feel free to go ahead and test out the mats.” I needed some air. I had to get out of this room, which felt as if it would close around me at any moment and suffocate me.
Donna was still in her office when I barged in, closing the door behind me. She looked up from her desk with a look that I could only describe as annoyance.
“I need to know if Paisley Grayson is a foster child,” I said in a rush. “She’s a little girl in tonight’s class. Please just look at her paperwork and tell me if she is a foster child.”
Donna stared at me for a few silent moments. She turned in her chair and opened the file cabinet behind her. I watched with my heart still racing in my chest. I felt as if I were fighting for the right amount of oxygen. Her silence was killing me. I was about to lose my shit.
After what felt like forever, she looked up and her eyes met mine. “Yes, Paisley was just placed in the home of Wynona and Ronald Pritchard. It’s a temporary placement.”
My knees immediately weakened, and I shrunk to the floor on the very spot where I stood. “Oh, my god.” The tears burned as they fell hotly down my cheeks. I hung my head as I sobbed.
Donna hurried from her desk and knelt next to me, placing her hand on my shoulder. “Aubree, what happened? Why did you ask me that?”
When I could control my sobs, I looked up and found Donna staring at me in confusion.
“I need someone to teach my class. I can’t do it right now.” I stood up from the floor and moved across the room, taking a seat on the small couch. “Will you go ask Ally to take over? Then come back and I’ll explain.”
She nodded and disappeared from the room. I waited in silence, hearing only the pounding in my head. Rampant thoughts raced through my mind. What were the chances?
Donna came back into the room and closed the door behind her. She walked over to me, taking a seat on the couch next to me. “Ally and Rachael are taking over. I told them you felt sick.”
“You weren’t lying,” I whispered.
“Can you please tell me what’s going on?” she asked.
I took a deep breath and just went for it. “I think Paisley might be my sister.” Donna’s eyes grew wide. “Grayson was my last name before I changed it. I used to live in Chandler, Arizona, before I was taken away from my parents. After being shifted around from house to house, I settled in Scottsdale with Ryan. The last I heard, my parents were still near Chandler.” I took a deep, calming breath. “Paisley was my mother’s middle name.” The tears once again spilled from my eyes, leaving a hot trail down my cheeks. “Her eyes are my father’s. She looks just like I did at her age. I don’t think I’m wrong, Donna. I can feel it. I felt it almost immediately.”
Her arms wrapped around my shoulders as she attempted to comfort me.
“You have to check into this for me. Please, I’m begging you. Will you find out if I’m right?” I could hear the pleading tone as I begged her to help me.
She nodded her head. “I’ll look into it. But I think you need to take the night off. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
I agreed and went to gather my things. I stood on the side of the room as I watched the dark- haired angel attempt to do a somersault. She looked so tiny in her cute little pink leotard.
She was beautiful.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Max
With Bree working, I had decided to go to the gym for a workout. I forced Zander and Carson to go along with me. They really had no choice, as I had threatened them both by telling them I would tell the girls about their weekend trip to the lake.
Last time I checked, the lake wasn’t called Heels and Lace. Yeah, they had made a stop at a strip club along the way and never actually made it to the lake. The two fuckwads didn’t like that I had found out, but I have friends who call that place their second home, so they were screwed.
“Come on pussies, get in the ring.” I taunted them both as they stared back at me, scowling. “You wouldn’t want me to make a phone call, would ya? You both would have a long dry spell if I did.”
“That’s fucked up Max. I thought you were better than this shit,” Zander whined.
“Yeah, like you
two fuckers wouldn’t jump if you had the chance to hold something over my head.” I crawled through the ropes and started bouncing around to loosen up.
“Since when did you grow a vagina?” Carson grumbled, while swinging at a bag hanging to the left of the ring.
I could only chuckle. I didn’t give a shit anymore if they called me whipped. I knew that Bree now held my balls in her hand. That thought no longer terrified me; they were hers to hold.
“Hey asshole, your phone’s ringing,” Carson called out as he continued to whale on the bag.
“Grab it.”
He flipped me off and I shook my head. “Hey Z, can you grab it out of the front pocket of my bag and answer it?”
I didn’t pay him any attention as I sparred with Raymond in the ring.
“Max, hey you need to take this. It’s Bree, and she sound like she’s crying.” I spun around and found Zander holding my phone out at the side of the ring. Bree was supposed to be at work, so the thought of her crying was alarming. I had thoughts running through my mind of someone hurting her.
The police were finally able to find the asshole that was following Lily, but it still freaked me out. There was a restraining order against him for Lily, but nothing to stop him from going after Bree.
I charged for Zander and quickly grabbed my phone, bringing it to my ear. “Are you okay, Angel? What happened?”
I could hear her sniffling. “Can you come and get me?”
“Where are you? Did someone hurt you? Tell me you’re okay?” I was firing off questions faster than she could answer them. I was already scrambling for my things and walking toward the door, with Zander and Carson following closely behind.
“I’m at work. No one hurt me. I just need you.” A sniffle and a hiccup escaped her. “I’ll tell you when you get here; please hurry.”
“I’m on my way, babe. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Zander and Carson jumped up into my truck as I slammed my door. I threw it into drive, squealing the tires on takeoff.
“What happened?” Carson leaned forward, bracing himself on the dashboard.
“I have no fucking idea. If someone hurt her, you better put me in a cell by myself, man. That is my only request.” My temper was enraged, and I was ready to pulverize the asshole that made my girl cry.
Pulling into the parking lot, I slammed my truck into park. I didn’t even remove the keys. I jumped out and ran toward the entrance, just as Bree stepped out. She took one look at me and the tears began to fall heavily.
I scooped her up and held her tightly against me. “Baby, you’re scaring the shit out of me. Are you okay?” I asked.
I could feel her shaking her head, and I leaned back to look down at her. “No one hurt me,” she whispered, and I suddenly became confused about what the hell might have been going on.
I led her to the bench and we both took a seat. “I think I have a sister. She’s about four, maybe five. I’m not sure, she’s so tiny.”
I stared at her. What the fuck was she talking about? Just then Zander and Carson came up beside us and Carson knelt before her. “Hey B, do I need to arrest anyone? Meathead here is ready to beat the piss out of whoever made you cry. I figure I could save us all some bail money.”
Bree attempted to smile. “I’m okay. I just didn’t think I should drive.”
“Why don’t you two take my truck? I’ll come pick it up later. I’ll drive Bree’s car home.” I needed to let her explain, and I knew she would feel more comfortable doing that if Zander and Carson weren’t standing here with us.
They agreed, and both said goodbye to my girl before walking back to my truck.
I reached out, taking her hands in mine, and her eyes met mine. “Okay, now it’s just us. Tell me what’s going on.”
I sat in silence as Bree played it all out. She told me about the name, the eyes, and the knowledge that Paisley was a foster child. All the facts were laid out before her. She told me over and over that she had no doubt that this little girl was her sister.
I was floored and struck temporarily speechless. This was crazy. The chances of this little girl being a student in one of Bree’s classes seemed kind of impossible.
The doors to the center opened, and voices filling the air caused us both to look up. Mothers were filing out one by one with their little girls, who were dressed in little spandex suits. The moment a dark-haired little girl exited the building holding the hand of a blonde lady, Bree squeezed my hand tightly.
“That’s her, Max. Look at her. Tell me you don’t see it. Please tell me I’m wrong and that this little girl couldn’t possibly have experienced some of the things I did.” I closed my eyes tightly. I wished I could tell her that, but she was right. The little girl had the same color hair. Hell, her nose was an exact replica of Bree’s, and she had the same little heart-shaped lips.
“I can’t tell ya that, Angel. I’m sorry, but I think you might be right.” She leaned against me and rested her head on my shoulder as we watched the little girl walk past us and out into the parking lot. The blonde woman loaded her into a blue Caravan, strapping her into a booster seat in the back.
“So what’s next?” I asked Bree as we both watched the blue van drive away.
“Donna is gonna check on things for me. She knows where to start. She’ll let me know what she finds out.” She took a deep breath. “If she’s my sister, I can’t let her grow up alone. I can’t let her live her life thinking that she isn’t good enough.”
Bree’s words broke my heart.
“If she is my sister, I want to fight for her. I will fight for her, because I refuse to let her live a life like I did.” I felt her body shake against mine. “If that changes things between us, I’ll understand.”
I released her and twisted her to face me. “It changes nothing. If that little girl is your sister, I’ll help you fight for her.” I rested my head against hers. “I’m not going anywhere. I love you, and I’m right here with you,” I reassured her.
The look on her face made my chest ache. She was saddened and shredded. I would help her get through this. Seeing that little girl had brought up a lot of hidden emotions in Bree. I think she had taken all the hurt and anger and tucked it away. Now that this possibility had been presented, she was unable to contain them.
I still didn’t know all the details of her childhood. I had a feeling that, if I did, I would have the need to seek revenge. Something told me I was better off not knowing every detail.
Right now I just needed to get Bree home. She was on an emotional rollercoaster, and I had a feeling it was going to be a long restless night for her.
I had no idea what I could do for her. I couldn’t fix this for her, I couldn’t make it right. No one could. She was being forced to relive her past, and nothing I said would take away that pain.
I swallowed my pride and accepted the fact that I needed to call the one person who could soothe her. When Bree was in the shower, I used her phone to dial Ryan’s number and waited for him to pick up.
“Oh baby girl, I thought your sexy hunk of meat would’ve had you pinned to the mattress by now. Are you calling me to let me listen?” The guy sounded entirely too excited.
“Ryan?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“You are seriously disturbed.”
He chuckled and sighed. “Oh, you have no idea, Max. Where is our girl, and why are you calling me from her phone?”
I took in a deep breath. “I think she’s gonna need you tonight. Something from her past has returned to slap her in the face. You’re the only one I know who might be able to help her right now.”
“Your place?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I answered
“Give me about thirty minutes,” he replied. “And Max, just hold her close, man. Hold her and don’t let go.”
“I’m never letting go, Ryan.”
I hung up the phone and hung my head. I had meant it; nothing would ever make me let go of her again. Bree had be
come the one person I needed to feel whole. All those times everyone had told me it would happen, I thought they were full of shit. Now, I knew exactly what they meant.
Bree was my light, my safe place at the end of a rough day. She was the girl I would do anything to protect, and I would destroy anyone who hurt her.
Chapter Thirty
Bree
It had been four days since I first saw Paisley, four very long days since Donna said she would check things out for me. Now here I sit in her office, waiting for her to join me. She called me this morning and told me to meet her here. She had information regarding Paisley and the events surrounding her life.
I was so nervous about hearing the details. I knew they were only going to bring back more of my past, a past I had tried so hard to forget. The memories of those years had been buried so deep; now I felt raw from the overflow of emotions they brought out in me.
I was startled by the office door opening and the clicking of Donna’s shoes. She smiled at me as she rounded the desk and took the seat across from me.
“I was able to find out the details about Paisley,” she began. “After a lot of phone calls to some very close friends, I found out that she is in fact your sister.”
Chills ran up my arms and down my back. My chest ached as I envisioned what she might have endured. I sat motionless as I continued to listen to Donna explain everything.
“She has been in foster care for a little over a year. Prior to that, she spent a lot of time with an elderly woman that lived in a neighborhood near your parents’. They would dump her off for days at a time. The woman finally called the police and reported the neglect.” Donna watched me closely.
I wasn’t sure what to feel. I had so many questions. “Was she abused? Did they tell you if there were any signs of sexual abuse?” I squeezed the edge of the chair so tightly my fingers ached. I felt nauseous as I remembered things from my younger years--those times my father had friends over and the way they looked at me. I slept in fear most nights, hoping they would just leave me alone.