Stripped

by Harms, C. A.

Evan lifted my chin and kissed me softly. “I’m sorry baby. I’m just a little thrown off here. This is definitely unexpected. I didn’t mean to get angry with you.” He kissed me once again, “Forgive me?” I nodded at him. “I’ve missed you. Is Emma in bed?” I nodded my head once more. He turned to his mother. “I’ll be back in a minute mother. I need to go in and say goodnight to my little angel.” He never waited for her to answer he walked towards Emma’s room with me. After he placed a kiss on her forehead he tucked her in snuggly.

  When we were back in the hallway he gripped my hips holding me closely. “I’m going to go figure out what she wants and then I’ll come to bed. I can’t wait to get you naked.” He nipped my lip and smiled in that sexy way that melts me.

  “Hurry up, because I want to tell you about my doctor appointment earlier today.”

  I smiled up at him and he looked a little concerned, “Is everything okay?”

  I rose up on the tips of my toes and kissed the side of his mouth. “Everything is wonderful. Now hurry up.”

  I watched as he walked toward the kitchen. After I could no longer see him I went into our room and crawled into bed. I tried to stay awake but after fighting it the best I could, I drifted off to sleep soundly.

  ~Forty Seven~

  (Evan)

  “So what is it, mother? What scheme are you pulling now?” I asked her as I approached her still sitting at the counter. She looked up at me and the tears filled her eyes. I refused to give it. She was a master of appearances. The lady should’ve been an actress. “Please mother just stop with the waterworks. You show up in my home and somehow you’ve sucked Kylie into this head game you’re playing. I refuse to play along, though. You’ve forgotten something, I know how you work.”

  “Evan, your father’s having an affair.” She said it with such certainty. I watched her closely waiting for the explanation I knew would follow. After she took a deep shuddering breath she began. “I’ve suspected it for some time now. When I found the proof I went straight to the hotel…I found them.” She paused and I watched her eyes closely. “I walked in to find them in bed together. They were definitely not expecting me; let’s just say I got an eyeful.”

  I walked around the bar and took her into my arms. I couldn’t believe what she was saying. My anger flared at what my father had done to my mother. She supported him with her family’s money and stood by my dad. It’s because of her he is who he is today. “Do you know the other woman mother? Was she familiar?”

  She nodded, “You know her too, Evan. You know her well actually.”

  I scrunched up my eyes and my eyebrows creased in confusion, “Who?”

  She swallowed hard and grabbed my face tightly. “Alexis, it was Alex honey.”

  I felt like it suddenly got so hot I couldn’t breathe. I stepped back from her and loosened my tie. “What? No mother, you couldn’t have seen her well enough. You have to be mistaken. Alex wouldn’t sleep with my father. I mean…no way. You have to be wrong. Alex wouldn’t do that.”

  I felt someone touch my arm from behind and I spun around facing Kylie. She looked sleepy and a little frightened. “Evan, are you okay? I heard you yelling loudly from the bedroom.” I stared at her for a moment. I backed away from her and her hand fell to her side. She watched me in confusion.

  It all rushed through me once more. The visions of Alexis and my father together came on full force. I felt light headed and I needed air. I turned toward the door and grabbed my keys from the table.

  “Evan, where are you going? Please don’t leave.” Kylie pleaded as she followed me to the door. I turned to face her without thinking clearly. “Kylie, I just need to get out of here. Just for a little bit, I need to breathe. I need to clear my fucking head. Can you let me do that…huh?” She flinched and stepped backwards wrapping her arms around her midsection. I hadn’t realized I was yelling so loudly, until I saw Emma emerge from the bedroom. She was crying for Kylie, I’d woken her up and now she was scared. I stepped in the direction of Emma and Kylie rushed toward her picking her up quickly.

  She turned to look at me over her shoulder and I knew she was angry. “Just leave Evan…after all you needed a break right? We’ll stay out of your way.”

  I watched her walk to Emma’s room holding her close. They closed the door behind them and I griped my hair in my fisted hands. “Fuck!” The anger I felt toward myself hit me like a tidal wave. I spun around and punched the door that went out toward the garage. It slightly splintered and I hunched over grabbing my knees.

  When I stood up, I found Kylie looking at me through an opened door, Emma at her ankle holding her doll tightly. She looked terrified and I felt even worse knowing that she feared me at that moment. She closed the door once more and I stood watching, unsure of what to do.

  “Evan, you need to cool off. Maybe you should take that drive. Let her sleep and get the baby back to bed. You two can talk in the morning when things are calmer.” I turned to find my mother holding her purse and keys in her hand. I nodded my head at her and she followed me out. We ended up at a bar on the other side of town; we sat for hours and drank. By the time I looked at my watch it was almost one in the morning. I knew I was in no condition to drive so I called the only person I could think of.

  “What do you want?” I could tell by her voice that I pissed her off calling so late.

  “Sarah, I’m loaded and could really use a ride. Can you and your friend pick me up and drive my car home?” I heard her laugh and couldn’t understand her reaction.

  “Guess what Evan? I already talked to Kylie and you’re a fucking asshole. That’s right, you heard me. How dare you treat her like that? She was trying to comfort you and you scared the hell out of her. Not to mention scaring Emma. Your fucking ass can walk for all I care. Better yet call the nasty bitch that you’re so heartbroken over. Poor Evan, the ex-girlfriend is fucking his dad. Do you have any idea how this looks in Kylie’s eyes? Wake up prick.” She hung up on me and I looked across the table at my mother. “I guess I’ll call us a cab.”

  When I finally got home it was after two o’clock in the morning. I didn’t go through the garage because I had no reason to. I would have to go get my car in the morning. I opened the front door slowly. The last thing I wanted to do was wake them up a second time. I had a lot of apologizing ahead of me.

  I glanced toward the garage door and the memory of punching it earlier flashed in my mind, followed directly by the look on Kylie’s face when she saw what I’d done. My chest ached terribly knowing that I’d hurt her again.

  Things had been perfect. We’ve been so close lately and I knew the time to ask her to marry me was nearing. Thinking of tonight’s events I knew I would have to reconsider my timing.

  I planned to go into our room and crawl in bed with her. I wanted to hold her close and whisper how sorry I was for hurting her. I wanted her to know how much I loved her.

  When I opened the bedroom door and found the empty bed I felt the air rush from the lungs. After looking around I saw a few of the drawers opened and clothes hanging out. I panicked and ran to Emma’s room. Flipping on the light, I found the same thing as I scanned the room for the missing items. Finding that not only was her blanket and pillow gone, but her pink bunny too. I brought my eyes to rest on the shelf above her bed. Once I found her favorite book was also missing I knew it was true; Kylie had left me.

  I sunk to the floor in the doorway of Emma’s room and for the first time in a very long time, I cried heavily. I slowly made my way back to the living room. Finding my phone, I dialed Kylie’s number. After three rings she picked up sounding as if she had been crying. “What do you want, Evan?”

  I took in a deep breath, “You.” I could hear her shuddering breath. “I’m sorry baby. Please Kylie don’t leave me…I’m so sorry.” I felt the tears stinging my eyes.

  “Evan you wanted a break…here’s your break.” When she hung up I felt like my heart split in half.

  ~Forty Eight~

 
(Kylie)

  I couldn’t sleep and when Sarah walked out of the bedroom she found me staring at the ceiling. “Hey Mama, how’d you sleep?” I rolled my eyes at her and looked back at the ceiling in a daze. “That good, huh?”

  After a few minutes I sat up straight. “Do you think he knows I’m here? I don’t want him to cause you any problems.”

  Sarah scooted a little closer and threw her arm over my shoulder. “We covered up everything. Your car is in the garage. He doesn’t know that I moved to a two bedroom, so he’ll be knocking on the old apartment door. The old apartment is still empty so he’ll have no luck there. I told you to let him worry. He was a jerk, Kylie. He freaked out and yeah, okay…I can see being pissed. Yelling at you and punching the door, well, that isn’t okay.”

  I let my head rest on her shoulder as she pulled me closer. I let my eyes close and I relaxed against Sarah.

  “Damn babe…you aren’t into that shit, are you?” I felt Sarah shift under me. She grabbed a pillow off the couch and threw it at Shaun as he ducked out of the way. She’s been dating him for almost three months now and they’re good together. He was as mouthy as Sarah. Oh, and the fact that her treats her like a queen helps too.

  He flopped down on the couch next to her and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Just teasing, how you feeling, Kylie?”

  I shrugged and pulled myself from the couch. “I need to go check on Emma.” I walked into the spare bedroom where Em and I slept and closed the door behind me. I placed my back against the door and sunk to the floor, holding my knees tightly to my chest. I felt like my world fell apart in a matter of an hour. Evan scared the hell out of me last night. He flipped out and when he started screaming at me I felt like he kicked me in the chest; I couldn’t breathe. When I heard the loud boom I ran to find out what happened. Evan had put his fist through the door and when I saw his face, it wasn’t the Evan I know. He became this crazy person that I wanted nothing to do with.

  My phone rang from the other side of the bed and I made my way towards it. I saw Evan flashing across the screen and I knew ignoring him was childish. I just couldn’t talk to him right now. I let the tears run down my cheeks as I thought about my news that I still hadn’t told him. The doctor’s words running through my head from my appointment yesterday only caused more tears.

  “Kylie…I’m hearing two heartbeats here.”

  I laughed, “Um, okay that’s good right? Mine and my baby’s?”

  The doctor laughed next, “Okay, well then in that case I hear three in total.”

  I swallowed hard; my eyes had to be the size of saucers. “What are you saying?”

  He pulled the instrument from my stomach and helped me to set up. I looked at him closely waiting for him to tell me what I’d already figured out. “Well Hun, looks like you got two little babies in there cooking.”

  I hadn’t told anyone yet. I wanted Evan to be the first to know. My chest burned and my throat tightened as I fought back the tears.

  ~Forty Nine~

  (Evan)

  “Have you heard anything yet?” I shook my head as my mother placed her purse on the table next to me. She sat down and placed her hand onto my back. “Do you know where they are?”

  I looked up into her eyes. “I’m pretty sure I know but Sarah is guarding them closely. It’s been eight days mom…eight god damn days. I thought she’d be back by now or at least return one of my calls.”

  My mom had spent the last eight days ruining my father and Alexis. I sat back and watched as they groveled and beg. Millicent Pearson was ruthless when necessary. I was smiling from ear to ear when my mother removed my father’s title as CEO. What made it even better, is when she told him he could continue to work for the new CEO…me. His face went white as a sheet and I fought the urge to laugh. She filed for divorce and got the best attorneys money could buy.

  Alexis, on the other hand, lost her job and credibility. My father at this point was shacked up with her in her two bedroom apartment downtown. My mother and I held a meeting earlier today offering to buy out Arthur Prescott. He was close to retirement and after a few hours of hashing out figures he accepted our offer.

  When my mother’s phone rang, it brought me out of the daydream. After a quick conversation she hung up. I watched her face become very serious. “Evan, I don’t want you to get angry.” I pressed my lips firmly together waiting for her to continue. “I had Bruce sitting outside of the complex you told me Sarah lived in. He just spotted Kylie leaving and well…he followed her to your Condo.” I stood from the chair and was halfway across the restaurant before she even finished. I raced across town and when I pulled in I purposely parked behind her Audi.

  I practically ran inside and down the hall. I found her placing items from the closet into a bag. I startled her and she spun around holding her chest. “Jesus Evan, you scared the hell out of me.”

  I rushed to her and pulled her into my chest tightly. I breathed her in and my heart raced. It hit me then what she was doing and I knelt before her, holding onto her midsection. I placed my cheek against her stomach and realized she felt a little fuller. Maybe it was just me and that I hadn’t seen her in over a week.

  She was packing more things; this meant she wasn’t planning on coming back. “Kylie, you can’t leave me. I won’t survive if you leave me. I need you, baby. I love you and I’m so sorry for everything. Please come back to me.” I felt her hand run through my hair and I looked up into her eyes. They were full of unshed tears. “Please don’t leave me…please.”

  I hooked the hem of her shirt and pulled it up just enough to expose her tummy. I kissed it softly letting my forehead rest against her for just a moment. I looked up into her eyes once more, “Please come home. Bring Emma and my baby home. You should be here Kylie…with me.”

  She watched me closely and I had no idea what was running through her mind. I was so scared of the silence. I didn’t take my eyes from hers. I was silently begging her with my eyes. “Babies…bring Emma and your babies home.”

  I watched her and the realization of what she was saying hit me. “Babies? Are you saying?”

  She nodded her head as a soft smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, “Twins? We’re having Twins.”

  An adrenaline rush ran through me and I stood up quickly. I picked her up and spun her around. When I sat her back down I gripped her face in my hands. I softly place my lips onto hers and kissed her sweetly. I let out a small laugh, kissing her again. Looking into her eyes I could still see the same scared girl from eight nights ago. It broke me all over again. “Baby, I’m so sorry I scared you. I was angry, but that’s no excuse to act the way I did. I don’t want you to be scared of me, Kylie. I would never hurt you and I would never hurt Emma. Baby, you are safe with me. I know right now your questioning that, but I promise you that you’re safe. Come home, Kylie…please. Come home.”

  When the tears ran down her cheeks and she placed her lips to mine I felt whole again. I lifted her and carried her to our bed. I slowly lowered her down and brought myself over her. For the next hour I did everything I could think of to show her she was, and would always be, a treasure to me.

  ~One Month Later~

  (Kylie)

  I came home to a dark Condo. As I pulled in I began wondering where Evan could be. He should have been home by now. I had spent the afternoon with Sarah; we had gone shopping and had a late lunch afterwards. I pulled into the garage and slowly crawled out of my car, grabbing Emma from the back seat.

  Things were so quiet. I didn’t hear a television or a radio, nothing. Emma had fallen asleep on the way home, so I made my way to her bedroom still looking around. After changing Emma into her pajamas I left the room leaving her door slightly cracked open.

  I was a little nervous about Evan not being home yet. I walked toward the kitchen with a million thoughts running through my head. Something flickering against the slider door caught my attention. I slowly walked toward the door and when I looked out my chest tigh
tened and my eyes filled with unshed tears.

  Evan was sitting on the back deck surrounded by flickering candles. He looked nervous, yet so adorable. He had his elbows rested on his knees and his head was hung low as he looked down at his fisted hands. He still wore his suit from work; his jacket was off though, lying across the back of chair. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. I stood watching him for a few moments before sliding the door open.

  The sound of the door caused Evan to look up. A smile stretched across his face melting my heart instantly. I blinked as the tears ran down my cheeks. “What’s all this?” I looked around at the deck slowly. He had the candles spread out around the pool leading to the built in lounge area near the hot tub on the end. I let my gaze fall back to him as he slowly stood and walked toward me without saying a word. He still held that beautiful smile that got me every time.

  “Evan…this is beautiful.” He placed his finger under my chin tipping my face up to meet his. He brought his lips to mine, leaving a soft kiss on them before pulling away.

  “You’re Beautiful.” His eyes watched mine closely. “I love you so much, Kylie. You have given me so much already and I see ahead us a lifetime of so much more. I want to give you the world, baby. I want to give Emma and our babies the world, because the four of you are everything that I need.”

  I watched as he slowly knelt down in front of me. I knew what was coming next and at that moment my heart began to race. I noticed one of his hands was fisted while his other hand reached forward taking mine into his. He laced our fingers together bringing them to his lips. He slowly brushed his lips across my knuckles sending chills down my back. I bit my lower lip between my teeth holding it tightly.

  Evan looked up at me still holding my hand with his. He smiled at me once again and the anticipation of the moment was intense. “Kylie from the moment I first saw you…I knew. I knew that you would change my life. I saw so much more in you than you saw in yourself. Once I saw you and Emma together…my world shifted. You are everything that I have ever wanted in a partner; you are kind and loving. You are an amazing mother and I adore you.”