Fifty Shades Of Love [On Hold]

Chapter Seventeen

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS DARK AND DISTURBING. DON'T READ IF LIGHTHEARTED OR HAD A BAD SEXUAL EXPERIENCE WITH AN ABUSIVE BOYFRIEND. STRONG TRIGGER WARNING.

I wake to find that the room is dark and I am alone, though there's a sliver of warm light streaming into the room. Katie must have left the door a little bit open when she'd left.

I sit up and rub my eyes, my mind wandering a little. I stand and grab my clothes, getting dressed quickly. I turn on the light and notice that the other pillow from the bed is on the floor and there's a familiar jacket sitting on it.

I roll my eyes and smile, leaving the room. Of course Phoenix slept with me for a little while, or at least sat with me. I go downstairs and find Katie in the kitchen, starting to put dinner on the kids' plates.

"I have good timing" I laugh, going into the room a little more.

Phoenix and Katie stop talking and look up, noticing me, both of their faces breaking into beaming smiles.

"Feeling better?" Phoenix asks me.

"Much" I smile. "And I noticed that someone came in at some point, hence the jacket beside the bed."

Phoenix flushes and Katie snickers under her breath, carrying the kids' plates into the dining room and putting them on the table. The kids dig in straight away, eating eagerly. Katie smiles at them and grabs her own food. I go in and grab some food too, aware of the fact that Phoenix is watching me. I smile as he slips his arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him.

"I hope you feel better for what I have in mind" he whispers in my ear, making everything deep inside me clench deliciously.

"I'm almost always feeling up to that" I whisper, turning my face to kiss his warm, soft lips.

"No porn with the kids in the room" Katie says, playfully scolding us.

We laugh and move apart, grabbing our food and going to sit beside each other at the six-seat dining room table. We eat quietly, only hushed conversations between us adults and little minis between the two kids. When we finish, Kaitlyn and Andrew retreat to the TV and Katie takes the dishes into the kitchen with my help, Phoenix trailing along behind us.

I glance up when there's a knock at the front door. Andrew and Kaitlyn jump up, racing each other to the door. Katie and I freeze when we hear their call and Phoenix gasps in horror and shock.

"Daddy!" the kids yell.

"No, no, no" Katie chants desperately.

"Yes, yes, yes" Derek says, coming in with the two kids holding his hands. "And I catch Phoebe too. Isn't my luck just so good today?"

"Andrew, Kaitlyn, come over here" Phoenix says tightly. "Do you want some ice cream?"

"Yes!' the kids cry, running to him.

"Miss Grey, can I see my child?" Derek asks me innocently, his green eyes blazing.

"You know that you're not going to have anything to do with it and I'm tired of saying that to you" I say quietly, not sure what he's capable of anymore.

"Give me a chance" Derek says, faking a wounded expression.

"Never" I snap.

"And there goes my patience with you, Phoebe" Derek snaps back. "How about you let me or I take it from you like I did with Kellie and Andrew?"

I freeze, the blood draining from my face. I wrap my arms around my stomach protectively, trying to keep my baby from its birth father.

"I'm not a patient man" Derek says. "The clock's ticking."