“That’s not my name,” I retort back to him, pulling my jacket tighter around my body.
Blaze leans on his handlebars as he watches me. “Oh, I know. But it’s growing on me,” he teases.
I look to Fred. “You can go. Thanks for tonight.”
“Are you sure, Miss?”
I nod, then Fred walks past the bikes and to his car.
Walking over to Blaze, who sits up straighter when I get to him, I smile.
“What do you say, Miss?” He taps the seat he’s sitting on. “Care for a ride?”
I look down between his legs where his jeans hide his cock, which I know from grabbing it, it’s impressive, then back to him. “No,” I answer simply.
His mouth drops open, and I walk around him to where my car is parked and open the door as he yells, “Playing hard to get, so you can break my heart. Isn’t that right, Miss?”
I turn, smiling at him, then offer him a small wave as I slide into my car. Not looking back, I drive off and straight home.
The sitter is on the couch studying when I arrive. When she sees me, she closes her books and stands. “Annabelle was an angel. Hasn’t made a sound since she went to sleep.” She collects her belongings as I pull the cash out to pay her.
“Thanks so much.”
“It’s no issue. She’s easy.” She smiles, then turns and walks out to her car, leaving. When she does, I go straight for Annabelle’s room and see her curled up in a ball in her crib.
When she was first born, I was told not to co-sleep with her, but that was hard, and she ended up in my bed every night anyway. Now, well, now she has her own room and doesn’t need me as much as I need her.
Lifting her up, I carry her to my room and barricade the pillows around her as I take my work clothes off and climb in next to her.
When she’s in my arms, everything in this world is perfect, because she is perfect.Chapter SevenKat“Is today your day off?” Rochelle asks.
I’ve been working all week and today was my day off, until it wasn’t.
“Can you watch her, please?”
“You know if you just called Mom, she would, right?”
“Rochelle,” I warn her.
“Okay, okay. Marcus will have to bring me around. I don’t have my car. It’s getting fixed, and he needs his for work.”
“What, so he can cart dead bodies around in it,” I scoff at her. Because not only does he work at a crematorium, he owns it.
“Please, they won’t fit in his car.” She laughs at me. “Okay, I’ll be there soon. Bye.” She hangs up, leaving me to bathe Annabelle and feed her before she arrives. My phone bings, and when I look at it, I see a number I don’t recognize, so I leave it. Then it rings, and this number I do recognize.
“Hi, Mother.”
“I’m cooking dinner, would you like some?” she asks, not even bothering to say hello.
“No.”
“Okay. How is Annabelle?”
Annabelle says my name, and I smile down at her as I place her in the highchair.
“She’s great.”
“Do you need anything?”
“No, Mother.”
“Okay, good.” Then she hangs up.
Gosh.
I feed Annabelle and read to her, and just as I’m finishing, the front door opens, and Rochelle comes in with Marcus behind her.
“What time will you finish?” Rochelle asks, sitting down next to me.
Marcus stays where he’s standing.
“I should be back by four in the morning. Will that be an issue?”
“No. But one day you will have to let me come into this bar you work at and give me free drinks. Why you keep it a secret, I’ll never know.” I look up at Marcus to see him watching me. The look he gives me, which is silent and steady, tells me he knows. It’s not that I’m ashamed of what I do, I just don’t want the judgment that will come with it. And the biggest judgment will be from my parents. I should tell Rochelle, but I just never have been able to.
“It’s easier working knowing I don’t have to worry about people who know me.”
“Sure, sure,” she says with an eye roll. “Marcus has to get back to work and won’t be finishing until late anyway. So, take your time.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Marcus says as Rochelle takes Annabelle. He leans over, kisses Rochelle, and tells her he will be back as soon as he can.
I grab my bag, and he does as he says, walking me out.
“You know, don’t you?” I ask Marcus after the door is shut and we reach my car. He simply nods his head but says nothing. “I will tell her. I just haven’t been able to.”
“She has your back, you know.” It’s all he says before he turns and walks to his own car.
I slide in mine and head straight for work.