Inferno

~171~ Naked

Taylor's POV

We're all in the living room playing The Nintendo Switch. I'm completely stoked that even though we got Mason one for Christmas, he still comes down here a lot to play with us. Honestly, I think he likes living here. He comes down when he wants and goes back to the attic when he wants. He's actually down here more often than he's up there. I think we're the family he has wanted his whole life.

I told Ellie when we were hiring someone to remodel the upstairs that we needed to pay extra for them to make the space as soundproof as they could. I didn't want them ever hearing us and I didn't want to EVER hear them. Our room is right below where their bedroom is. That is the best money I've ever spent. You would never even know that there's anyone living up there. We can't even hear them walking around up there. Once in a while we hear water in the pipes, but that's it.

Luke and I are battling each other in Smash Brothers when the door slams open. I immediately stand up, thinking that someone is breaking in or something...It's Alex and Lilah, and they're pissed.

"YOU KNEW KATIE SAW HIM NAKED?!?" She screams, pointing at Ellie.

Crap. Ellie's face changes immediately. She is always such a sweet little thing, until people come at her like this. Then she becomes postal. Lilah has never seen this side of Ellie, but she's about to. Alex is bracing too. Lilah is feisty, but Alex and I both know that she's got nothing on Ellie. Ellie will kill her.

"Back down, Lilah. I'll talk to you once you chill out" Ellie says darkly.

"I'm so far past chill. You knew she saw my husband naked and you didn't tell me?" She asks, screaming.

Ellie stands up and limps over to Lilah. Her therapy is going great, but she still has a long way to go.

"Nope. I didn't tell you. Just like I haven't told Alex several things about you. You know me. I stay out of people's business. If he cheated on you, I would have told you. You know as well as I do that this was innocent on his part. I'm not telling you again to back down" Ellie says, starting to turn into "Ellie Freeman"

Lilah can see it too and she wisely changes her tune.

"I'm sorry" she whispers as she squeezes Ellie's hand. Ellie nods and gives her a small smile. Just like that, Ellie is fine again. I can't get enough of this woman of mine.

"Why the hell were you walking around naked in the middle of the day?!!" She screams, turning her wrath on Alex.

Alex is furious. "I was the only one home. I can't do what I want in my own home? How the hell was I supposed to know some crazy lady would come in? Ellie's the only crazy lady who would do that, and I'm sorry, Lilah, I wouldn't have been embarrassed if she would have. She's seen it all before...Many times" he spits.

"Real nice. Throw that in my face right now" she hisses.

"What? It's true. I still remember what she looks like too" he spits.

"I'd change argument tactics if I were you, man. You're not helping yourself right now" I say, trying not to laugh.

I wouldn't say it bothers me, but it kinda does. I'm lucky. She's only ever been with me and Alex. I, on the other hand, have slept with so many woman that I can't even count them. I tried to count them one time, and I was so disgusted with myself that I stopped counting at 64.

It still bothers me that he knows her on that level. I want her all to myself with that. I have to let that go
or it makes me crazy. I get to have that part now. Now and forever.

"Sorry. Listen, I haven't done anything wrong. I was in my own home. I had just gotten out of the shower and I came down to grab some lunch. How the hell was I supposed to know that a neighbor was going to walk in?" he asks, getting frustrated.