Chapter 9

 

 

“Are we really doing this? You’re not the one that’s supposed to act like this. I’m the bastard in this relationship,” Drew tried teasing as we pulled into the drive at Alicia’s.

“You think this is funny? I’m glad all of this is such a funny joke to you,” I angrily spouted.

“Morgan, stop being like this. We’re supposed to be moving forward not backwards, remember?”

“And how do you suggest we do that when we keep going back there? What’s going to happen next week when it’s time to start talking about us? Are we going to tell her how you bought me, how you locked me in the gym, beat the hell out of me whenever you felt like it? Are we going to tell her how fucked up our sex life is? Huh, Drew? Are we going to let her in on all our little secrets, pull out the skeletons?”

“Yes, Morgan. We are. I’m not paying her twelve thousand dollars a month to lie to her. This was your idea, not mine.”

“Maybe you’re not paying her anything, maybe I am,” I quietly replied, getting out of the car to get Nicholas from Alicia. Drew didn’t move. He stayed in the car while I ran to get Nick.

“I thought you’d stay for a little while. I’m bored out of my mind here. Let’s go have lunch or coffee, something, anything,” Alicia begged.

“We will tomorrow,” I promised. “Drew and I are having our normal Thursday argument. I’m beginning to hate Thursdays with a passion.”

“Morgan, are you okay to go home alone with him?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Does he hit you often?”

“Where’s his blanket? We’re not discussing this,” I asked, looking around for Nicky’s favorite blanket.

“It’s in the diaper bag. I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be, Alicia. I’m fine, I promise. I learned to handle Drew a long time ago. I’ll call you later. We’ll do lunch tomorrow.”

Drew did get out of the car, took his son from my arms, and placed him in his seat, talking to him like he hadn’t seen him in months. I ignored him, getting in the passenger seat.

“I need to go to the store. Will you take me so you can sit in the car with Nicky,” I asked, still pouting.

“We need to hire someone, Morgan.”

“Forget it, Drew, just go home. I’ll go myself.”

“What is your problem? I will take you to the store. I never said I wouldn’t take you to the store. I’m hiring someone to take care of meals and Nicholas. If you want to act like a bitch and not be involved in the process then so be it. I’m hiring someone.

That was how the entire day went. Drew walked around the grocery store with me, carrying Nick, and then went to his office with Celeste when we got home. I made supper, ate, fed and bathed Nicholas before she ever left for the night.

Nicholas was down for the evening, and I was soaking in a tub of water when Drew came in. He stared at me and undressed without a word.

“Move up,” he ordered.

I didn’t want him in there with me. I was there trying to relax, not get stressed out again.

Okay, maybe it did feel good to be in his arms, leaning against his hard chest, but I was still mad. I just didn’t know what I was mad at, a lot of things, I guess.

“I should move in with Alicia and let Celeste live with you.” I sulked.

Drew snickered, kissing my head. “Let’s talk.”

“About what?”

“About Skyler.”

“Why would I want to talk about Skyler? And we’re not supposed to talk about anything away from Deidra.”

“That’s because she is afraid of me getting angry and hitting you. I’m not angry and I’m not going to hit you. We won’t tell her. It’s obvious Skyler is what has you so upset.”

“I just hated hearing you talk about how in love with her you were. I was here and you were spending time with her when you were away, weren’t you, Drew?”

“Turn around,” Drew requested.

I spun in the water and placed my legs over his.

“You’re so beautiful,” Drew quietly said, staring into my eyes.

“But not as beautiful as Skyler.”

“You’re way more beautiful than Skyler ever was. What do you want to know? Ask me anything.”

“Did you take her virginity too?”

“No, I was her second.”

“How long did you see her when we were together?

“A long time.”

“What does that mean?”

“I kept you hidden from her for almost six months. I thought Callaway would have been dead by then. He insisted that I bring you to, hmmm,” he paused, “I don’t even remember what it was.”

“It was a benefit banquet. I remember,” I reminded him.

“Okay, I had to tell her about you that night. She was pissed and couldn’t believe that I married you. Of course when I offered to walk away from the money, her tune changed. I offered to divorce you, walk away, get a real job, and maybe rent an apartment or something. She didn’t want me without the money.”

“Did she know that you had sex with me?”

“No, she wouldn’t have understood that. I told you today, Skyler wasn’t really into sex.”

“When did you stop seeing her?”

“When I started to fall in love with you.”

“That wasn’t until I didn’t know who I was.”

“No. That’s where you’re wrong. I was falling in love with you almost immediately, I think.”

“You hated me,” I point blank reminded him.

“I did hate you. I hated that you were messing everything up for me. I was supposed to get all of this myself with Skyler. You weren’t supposed to be here. But, I didn’t hate you for long. Do you know I spent hours watching you?”

“What do you mean?”

“When I was away or even here in my office, I watched you all the time. I couldn’t get enough of you. You amazed me.”

I snorted and looked into his lying eyes.

“I’m serious. No matter what I did to you, I couldn’t break you. Your spirit returned as soon as I was out of the picture. I used to love watching you read those stupid scary books. It made me laugh when you’d sit up, panicked at what was going on in your books. I loved it even more when I made you read the books that I downloaded on the e-reader for you. I couldn’t wait to get home and take care of the twist in your hips for you.”

“You never did that. You wouldn’t let me come, remember?”

“I did sometimes.”

“Whatever, get back to Skyler. You sucked at letting me come. You used it as a form of punishment.”

“Even when I would sneak Skyler with me on trips, I watched you. One of my favorite things to do was watch you in the kitchen with Rebecca. Where you could be so silly. It made me smile. Knowing you were that strong, that no matter what I did to you, you could still do that and love life, made me appreciate you. I got to a point where I had to get alone to see you before I could touch Skyler. She didn’t do for me what you did.”

“Because you didn’t force her to do it.”

“Maybe, but the fact still remains, I was falling for you for a very long time. You can’t tell me you didn’t know that. We had moments, you know we did. What about Callaway’s birthday? Remember that night, Morgan?”

I smiled, remembering the night he was speaking of. “We both got drunk that night. We were dancing and making out on the floor in front of everyone. We made love in the driveway before we ever made it in the house, and then again in your bed. You held me in your arms that night and kissed me more than you ever had before.”

“We made love in the car because you boldly raised your dress and straddled me in the front seat. That was the first and only time I remember you ever taking the control.”

“You have a hard time handing over control.”

“I do. Please don’t ever think Skyler could come close to the way I feel about you. I have been over her for a very long time.”

“Was that the last time you were with her?”

“No, I was with her on and off for quite some time and then after you left me for a bit. Not long, it wasn’t the same as it was before. I didn’t love her at all. I wanted you.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been a bitch all day.”

“It’s okay. I’m sure I’ll be a bitch when you start talking about that low life Dawson.”

“I’m sure of that too, but in Dawson’s defense. He was never anything but good to me.”

“Yeah, he was fucking your best friend on the side. He was quite loyal to you.”

“Shut up. You don’t know anything about that. He spent months alone with her, looking for me. I’m sure he fought it as much as she did.”

“Yeah, come on let’s get out of the tub. I have to punish you for being a bitch all day.”

“That might make me be a bitch tomorrow too,” I warned with a teasing smile.

“Then I will have to punish you tomorrow too. You have to go meet that auctioneer at Callaway’s tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I know. Are you keeping little man?”

“Yes, but I’m serious about hiring someone.”

“Okay, but I just want Marta back. I don’t trust anyone else.”

“You know I can see everything that goes on in this house. If I don’t like the way she is with my son, she won’t be here for long.”

***

I didn’t like any of the nannies that came for an interview. They didn’t act like Marta at all. They were serious, there to do a job. Marta didn’t mind sitting on the floor, playing with my little guy. She loved him. These girls didn’t.

“You seriously don’t like any of them?” Drew asked after the last one had left.

I turned Nicholas to face me. “No, we didn’t, did we, Nicky? Nicky says no. Sorry,” I teased being a smart ass, bouncing Nicholas up and down on my lap.

“You’re impossible sometimes. You do know that, don’t you?”