Baby Bitch (Bitches and Queens)

by Rachael James

  “Don’t say that,” McKenna pleaded. “You may have to do bad things, but you’re not a bad man. If you were, we both know that you would have done a whole lot more than kiss me on the cheek just now.”

  “McKenna,” Trevor slowly growled and then started to grin warily. “What in the hell am I supposed to do with you, woman? You won’t listen to a damn thing I say.”

  “I would if you said you were going to stay,” McKenna promised.

  “I can’t see you again until next Wednesday because I’m going out of town.”

  “Where are you going?” McKenna pouted.

  “That isn’t your concern,” Trevor retorted harshly and then his expression softened. “I’m not saying that to be mean. It’s just best that there are some things you don’t know about.”

  Chapter 11

  Abby knew her parents were lying to her. For the past two Sundays, McKenna hadn’t come down for brunch. They kept saying she was sick, but if she was really that ill, she would be in the hospital by now. Plus, all the adults were being freakishly cheerful. Although normally a lively bunch, it was over the top even for them. She decided to ask Nana Hannah what was really going on when they were alone in the kitchen because Abby knew she would tell her the truth even if her parents refused.

  Nana Hannah was loading the dirty dishes in the dishwasher when Abby questioned, “Is McKenna really sick?”

  Hannah looked up and blinked with surprise. She reached out and stroked Abby’s cheek. “You have always been such a smart girl.” And intuitive too—why did they believe they would get anything past her? Being a grandmother was truly one of Hannah’s greatest joys in life. It was not at all like being a parent. The constant stress and worry caused by one’s children was taxing sometimes. Of course, she adored all her babies, but her relationship with Abby was different and very special. Mostly because Hannah could spoil her rotten, get her higher than a kite on soda and candy, and then send her home for her parents to deal with, as she was known to do on more than one occasion. But Abby was getting older, regardless of whether Sam was ready to deal with it, and growing into a beautiful young lady. The days were swiftly coming when she no longer called her Nana every weekend and asked to spend the night. Her friends would become her lifeblood. It had happened with Kenyon. For a moment or two, Hannah believed that she had avoided that same fate with McKenna until her hormones started to kick in. Then there were nights Hannah silently prayed McKenna would ask to go out with her friends, just to get out of the house for a few hours.

  Unfortunately, the latest incident had nothing to do with hormones. Hannah was coming to terms with the fact that it was quite possible she had made a bad decision, but she had been following her gut and her instincts were rarely wrong. Just like she knew McKenna was doing something she wasn’t supposed to. Hannah had no idea what it was as McKenna had been meticulous about covering her tracks.

  She had been on the verge of phoning the school and demanding to speak with the staff member in charge of prom-planning committee when Willow surprised her by coming home early from work one morning last week. They had had a terrible fight about it. Willow kept coming back to the same argument, ‘You need to trust our daughter. Blah… blah… blah.’ In the end, Hannah had promised she wouldn’t call the school until she had something more than instinct to go on. She hated when Willow made her promise. It wasn’t as if she could take it back. But she never promised anything about not involving a third party…

  “I know your parents told you a few years ago about your father being the twins’ biological donor,” Hannah started to explain. “McKenna just learned the truth and she hasn’t taken the news well.”

  “Oh,” Abby gasped with shock. She always figured the twins were told a long time ago and that was why her dad and McKenna were so close.

  “Well, as you can imagine, it has been a rough on her, but maybe you could cheer her up,” Hannah suggested.

  “I don’t know,” Abby said with uncertainty. “She may not want to see me right now.”

  “Why ever not?”

  “Well because,” Abby shrugged, “he is my dad and not hers.”

  “Oh Abby,” Hannah moaned softly. “McKenna would never blame you for something which you had no control. She adores you. She always has. When you were a baby, you were her tiny, real-life baby doll.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course, I am sure,” Hannah declared confidently and then added slyly, “While you are up there, why don’t you ask her how the prom planning is coming along?” She paused and then frowned. “No, that is too obvious. Just ask her what she has been up to lately.”

  Abby’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Are you scheming again?”

  “What are you talking about? I have never schemed a day in my life.”

  “Dad says you used to scheme all the time.”

  Hannah blinked innocently. “Honestly, I don’t know why your father likes to tell stories about me. Now remember, come across casual. It is probably best not to mention our conversation. Oh, and don’t tell Nana Willow about it either. This could get me in a little bit of trouble.”

  “Why? Are you cheating or something?”

  “It’s not cheating per se—more like working around the rules. If you promise not to rat me out, I’ll teach you everything I know. And, considering your father, you’ll need it.”

  “All right, it’s a deal,” Abby agreed.

  Abby may have been slightly more disturbed that her beloved Nana Hannah had just totally played her, but she did promise to teach her everything she knew, which according to her father was a great deal. He once said that no one could play a game like her. Nana Hannah had been right about needing it with her dad. On top of all his other weirdness, he was really strange about her growing up. That was one of the reasons why two summers ago, when she started her period, she and her mom decided to keep it their little secret. Another reason was that Abby had no idea how he might react. When McKenna started her period a few years ago, they made a big deal out of it—complete with a private family celebration, balloons, and cake. Oh my God, how mortifying would that be?

  She was a little worried about McKenna’s reaction. When they were little, they had been very close, almost like best friends, but as they grew older, their differences became more apparent. It was kind of strange really. Her mom always said she was just like her father. Everyone else, including her, thought McKenna acted just like him. Yet, the two girls couldn’t possibly be more different. Abby was shy and introverted. She didn’t like to talk to people she didn’t know because she would get nervous and her words would come out jumbled. McKenna was just the opposite—bold, gregarious, the life of the party. Maybe her mom was just trying to make her feel better?

  Speaking of feeling better, what in the heck was she supposed to say to McKenna? Abby always thought McKenna would be thrilled at the thought of having him as a biological father—unlike her. It wasn’t as if either of them had a choice in the matter, but, at least, McKenna could pretend it wasn’t true. All Abby could do was pray he didn’t do anything too embarrassing.

  Abby knocked and waited until McKenna said she could come inside. From her surprised expression, she clearly wasn’t expecting her.

  “Hey,” Abby said shyly. “I was just wondering how you were feeling?”

  “Come here,” McKenna answered with a warm smile and patted the mattress beside her. “I’m glad you came. It’s getting really boring stuck up here by myself.”

  “You could always come downstairs,” Abby offered.

  “Hmm,” McKenna murmured noncommittally. “They told you why I haven’t been downstairs, didn’t they?”

  Abby shrugged and then said, “Yeah, they did.”

  “Then you can understand why I can’t come downstairs.”

  “Actually, I don’t,” Abby answered honestly. “I mean, it’s not like you can avoid it forever. I know they hurt you, but we’re a family. At some point, you will have to forgive them.” />
  “You don’t understand. You have no idea how it feels to be raised without both of your biological parents. It feels like there is always something missing. And he was right there in front of me all this time and never said a word.”

  “I don’t know,” Abby groaned. “He was always there for me, and it never made me feel any better.”

  “You don’t mean that,” McKenna chided gently.

  “Yes, I do. You have no idea how it feels to have a parent that dresses up like a woman.”

  “Yes, I do,” McKenna giggled. “Both of my mothers dress like women.”

  Abby started to laugh too. “We have such a weird family. Do you ever wonder what it would like if they were normal?”

  McKenna bit her lip as she pretended to carefully consider the question. “No, not really. I can’t imagine having anything else but two moms. I’m not looking for a father. I was just curious, I suppose.”

  “I can understand that. Well, at least you know now. It’s not like it is going to change anything,” Abby offered.

  “No, I guess not.”

  Sam had made himself abundantly clear on that subject. He never wanted her for a daughter—not then, not now, now ever. It was fine, really, fine. McKenna wasn’t the type of person who hung around in places where she was not wanted. Nor would she settle for the few scrapes of affection he tossed her way as brotherly advice. She didn’t need to settle—not when she had someone who did truly want her. Trevor might be a lot of things, he might have done a lot of bad things, but at least she would never be his five-minute mistake.

  The thought of him was like a ray of sunshine in the midst of gloom. It brought a smile to her lips. “So, how is school going? Are you ready for high school next year?”

  “Yeah, I guess so,” Abby smiled, relieved that the awkward part of the conversation was done. “I’m a little worried about all the AP classes we have to take.”

  “Oh, they are nothing,” McKenna dismissed with a wave of her hand. “Besides, you’re so smart that you have nothing to fret over.”

  “So what have you up to lately?” Abby asked casually.

  “Nothing much. I’ve been helping with the prom-planning committee…”

  Before they left, Nana Hannah cornered her. “Did she tell you anything new?”

  “Nope. She stuck to her story like glue.”

  “Damn,” Hannah muttered silently. “All right, here is your first lesson—before you play the game…”

  “What game?” Abby questioned.

  “Any game, it doesn’t matter, but before you begin to play, know your opponent so well that you can discern their every move,” Hannah divulged confidently.

  “Who is my opponent?

  Hannah leaned down, kissed Abby’s cheek, and then whispered, “Everyone, darling.”

  Chapter 12

  “I want to know more about you,” Trevor said quietly as he reached out and toyed with a loose strand of McKenna’s hair.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Tell me about your family.”

  “Hmm,” McKenna murmured. What to say? Although none of them were her favorite people at the moment, compared to Trevor’s father, who had sold out his son to save his own sorry ass, they looked like a dream… if not complicated. “Both of my parents are successful. One of them is an author and the other is a fashion designer. My mommy…”

  “Mommy,” Trevor jeered. “I thought you said you were eighteen?”

  McKenna’s face burned bright red with embarrassment. “It’s just what I have always called her,” she flustered as she looked at the ground. “Well—she is the author, but she used to be a famous supermodel. You might remember her. Back then her name was Hannah Fairbanks.”

  “Maybe if I saw her face,” Trevor shrugged. “I never kept up with the fashion magazines. So, your dad is the fashion designer?”

  “I don’t have a father,” McKenna declared.

  “But you said your parents?”

  “I have two moms,” McKenna admitted softly.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Trevor laughed. “Your parents are a couple of carpet-munching dykes?”

  “I really don’t like that word.”

  “I don’t care if you don’t like. It’s the truth.”

  McKenna was hurt. Among her circle of friends, everyone was very open-minded, although she had encountered a bigot or two. Over the years, she had grown thick-skinned about other people’s opinions regarding her parent’s lifestyle, but had expected more from Trevor, considering his less than ideal upbringing—not to mention his not-so-legal career path. If anyone should be understanding and not so prejudiced, it was him.

  “All right, my parents are gay. It’s not a big deal. You don’t need to call them nasty names,” McKenna hissed angrily.

  “Sorry,” Trevor chuckled. “The sluts in my world aren’t all dying to get down each other’s pants.”

  “How would you know what they want?”

  “How do you think?” Trevor challenged cockily. He moved swiftly and gently pushed her to the ground. Leaning over her, he traced her perfectly arched eyebrow. “Enough about that,” he whispered. “What I really want to know is about all those boys you let kiss you.”

  “There weren’t that many,” McKenna responded breathlessly. Her heart began pounding a heavy rhythm against her chest. She stared up into his eyes and thought for certain—this is it! He is finally going to kiss me. The anticipation was driving her mad.

  Trevor kissed her temple and then whispered, “Did you ever let any of those boys do anything else?”

  “Huh, what?” McKenna stammered momentarily, confused by his question. Then she realized he wanted to know if she was still a virgin. “No, I’ve been waiting…” McKenna broke off, mortified by the conversation.

  He studied her for a long moment and then his eyes narrowed warily. “Have you ever messed around with other girls?”

  “Of course not,” McKenna declared emphatically. “I’m straight. Why are you asking me this? Does it matter?”

  Trevor stretched out beside her and propped himself on his elbow. “No, it doesn’t,” he answered with a lazy grin. “I was just thinking about it while I was working…” he paused as he looked away and then back at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, “… actually it was driving me fucking insane—thinking about you with some boy. I can’t stand the thought of another man touching you.”

  “They haven’t. They won’t.”

  “That’s good because you are very important to me.”

  “Do you really mean that?”

  “I’ve already told you all my dirty little secrets. Why would I start lying to you now?”

  “Then kiss me,” McKenna challenged.

  Trevor leaned over. He glanced at her eyes and then down at her mouth before grinning against her lips. “Like this?” he whispered.

  “Uh huh,” McKenna moaned as her eyes drifted shut. The kiss was everything she imagined it would be—sweet and gentle. He seemed in no particular hurry but instead took his time, savoring the sensation. After several long moments of his gentle coaxing, she opened her lips and he slipped inside. Unlike all her other kisses, Trevor didn’t try to shove his tongue halfway down her throat or twirl it in endless circles around hers. He was there to sample, to taste, as if her mouth was the finest wine, and encouraged McKenna to do the same. Shy at first, she grew increasingly bolder until she felt drunk on his flavor. The ever-present butterflies that danced in her stomach whenever he was near migrated south. She grew feverish with the desire to be closer to him. She wanted that feeling to never end, but it did when Trevor pulled away.

  “That’s enough for now,” Trevor explained ruggedly.

  “Why?”

  “Because that kind of kiss could get us both in a whole lot of trouble.”

  “Maybe I want to get in trouble with you,” McKenna declared.

  “Not like this,” Trevor chided. “Not out here in the open where any
one could see us.”

  “We could go somewhere else,” McKenna offered desperately.

  “You want me to take you to some pay-by-the-hour fuck shack that is crawling with bedbugs and every disease known to man?” Trevor shot back sarcastically.

  “It wouldn’t matter where as long as it was with you,” McKenna cried.

  “You don’t mean that,” Trevor said quietly as he reached for her hand. “Your first time should be special. Hell, it only happens once in a lifetime. When it happens, I want to make it a good memory for you. Right now, that isn’t going happen—not until all the shit in my life settles down. You’re the only good thing that has ever happened to me, and I don’t want to fuck it up.”

  “Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe you’re the only good thing that has ever happened to me too?”

  “You don’t mean that, doll face. We both know that ain’t true. Your world is so perfect it might as well have a cherry on top,” Trevor denied.

  “It’s not,” McKenna mumbled, precariously close to tears. A heavy lump clogged her throat as she tried to fight back the tidal wave of emotions. Although his reasons sounded noble, the whip of rejection stung just the same until all McKenna could reason was that he didn’t want her just like Sam hadn’t wanted her for a daughter.

  Trevor reached for her chin and tilted her face up towards him. He stroked her quivering lips and then gently questioned, “What’s this? Are you about to cry?”

  “No,” McKenna rushed furiously as the tears slipped past her eyelids. She tried to wipe them away but Trevor grabbed her hand. “It’s complicated.”

  “I’m sure I can keep up. Come on, McKenna, you know you can tell me anything,” Trevor insisted.

  “My life isn’t perfect,” McKenna cried. “I just learned that the person I believed was my adopted older brother was really my biological father. And the worst part is that he didn’t want me—not for his daughter.”