Aubrey
"AG they just pulled up!" I heard Chubbs call to me as I chilled outside by the pool with yet another blunt in rotation.
I jumped up with a quickness and hustled back through the house to the front door. I had received a text from Battares about an hour ago saying that the girls were safe and Harold was in police custody. There was some worry when he told me that they had to be checked out at the hospital, but he assured me that it was just protocol for these types of situations.
Gelo was right behind me as I stepped outside to the driveway. Battares' unmarked BMW 3 series pulled up a few seconds later. Once parked, he stepped out adjusting his suit jacket. Lena emerged from the passengers side, quickly closing the door and running to her man.
I got a weird feeling watching Battares walk around to the passengers rear door. Everything stopped around me. My heart started to beat rapidly.
"What's wrong?" I hurried to the door.
That's when I saw her stretched out across the backseat with an ace bandage and ice wrapped around her left ankle. He helped her out, grabbing a set of crutches as well.
"What the hell happened?" I looked her over noticing not only the ankle, but the scraping of her palms, elbow and forearms.
"I fell," she said, "but I'm fine."
"You told me she was okay?" I looked at Battares.
"Yes sir I-"
She interjected, "I told him to tell you that so you wouldn't worry. I didn't want you panicking over this. It's minor."
"She's fine, Mr. Graham. The doctor said her ankle will be good as new in a few days. Just a mild sprain."
"Did he do this to you?" I looked straight into her eyes that returned a look of exhaustion.
"Aubrey," her eyes closed and reopened, "I just wanna go inside and lie down."
"Hey, you need some help Em?" Chubbs approached us.
"Can you take her upstairs for me?" I asked and looked back to her, "I'll be right up."
"Okay," she tucked a crutch under each arm as I kissed her forehead, "c'mon Chubby."
He waited until she was in the house to speak.
"Give her some time. The hospital gave her some medicine from the pain which is causing the drowsiness," he nodded, "being that all of this is now under investigation, I am not at liberty to speak details, but they went through a lot today. Those are some brave girls."
"What do you mean you can't-"
"Come on, Aubrey. Let's go back inside," I heard Spoons voice and felt his hand on my shoulder, "the girls are back safely. Let's make sure they're good."
"Mr. Graham, I promised Emilia that I'd let you two have that conversation," he walked back around to get in his car, "I'm heading to the office to get the information obtained over to prosecution. The extradition hearing is Friday so I want to have it all on the table to make sure both Mr. Nassif and Mr. Dusquene get what they deserve."
"We appreciate it. Thank you for everything man," Spoons shook the hand of his friend, "c'mon AG."
He nodded is head at me. I did the same before walking back into the house. Gelo and Lena were walking back to his room in the guest suites. Chubbs was jogging downstairs, while the rest of the guys sat along the couches in the living room.
"She okay?" I asked him.
"Yeah, she was talking about feeling sweaty and sticky and wanting to shower. I told her that I'm not quite the guy for that job," he laughed, "it made her smile though."
"Alright, thanks. I'm about to go up there with her for the rest of the night."
"Let us know if you need anything."
"For sure."
I found myself back with those same feelings I had when Jay attacked her. Wanting to know every little detail and if he put his hands on her. It something about anybody touching her the wrong way that upsets me instantly. I hope that we were in a point in our relationship where she felt more comfortable talking to me unlike before.
She was sitting on my bed, undressing herself with a towel and washcloth sitting beside her. Getting her pants off seemed to be the struggle.
"Here baby, I got it," I went to help her, first by taking off the ace bandage and ice packs.
It was red, and very swollen like a tennis ball. A mild ankle sprain now seemed to be a bit of a sugar coat. I touched it gently, or so I thought. She flinched a little.
"Be careful, Aubrey," she said softly as I cautiously guided her skinny jeans off.
"You can't get in the shower, my love."
"Why not?"
"You can't stand on this. Especially on a slippery surface," I said, "stay right here. I'm going to run a bath."
"Okay," she slid back and laid her head down on the pillow.
I ran the water hot the way she liked it; adding epsom salt and all the oils she liked to use when she made herself bubble baths.
"Alright baby come on," I walked back in the bedroom. She tried to get herself up and hobble on one foot. I caught her in my arms just as she started to stumble.
"You don't have to do that, Aubrey. I can walk," she said as I picked her up.
"Okay, Bambi."
"Shut up," she finally cracked a smile.
Once she was in, I turned on the jets and set the lights to dim, "let me know if you need anything. Your phone and the walkie are right there."
She nodded and closed her eyes. As much as I wanted to be right up under her, I figured she didn't want to be smothered. I walked downstairs and poured myself yet another glass of Hennesey; clueless as to how many I had today. I lost count.
"Aye man, everything good," Mark came in a couple minutes later, "how's Mil?"
"Good. Tired with a swollen ankle."
"Damn, she broke it?"
"Nah, just a sprain," I continued to sip my favorite brown liquor chilled with ice, "doctor said she should be okay in a few days."
"Well, I got some of that good shit on me if y'all want it," he reached in his pocket and handed me a dimebag of weed, "I know she likes the blow trees witcha every now and then."
"I'm sure she'll preciate it. Thanks," I chuckled at his gesture.
The rest of the guys slowly started to trickle in, either to raid the fridge, drink or both. Gelo hadn't appeared. I didn't expect him too. I'm not sure what all the girls went through today, but I know Elena needed him.
They talked about going back to Austin next weekend, how they anxious they were for me to drop Views and hit the road again for another sellout tour. Just hearing them got me excited all over again.
I reminded myself that Mila was upstairs and excused myself to check on her.
She had fallen asleep. As much as I didn't want to wake her, I chose to do so because the water had gotten cold. I had rinsed her off and put a towel around her before she had fully woken up.
"Did I fall asleep?" she mumbled rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah, but I'm just getting you out the tub and putting you in bed. You can go back to sleep," I said as I dried her off and carried her back into the bedroom, "what do you want to put on?"
"Just give me a sports bra and a pair of your boxers."
"You just aren't going to stay out of my clothes are you?" I smiled at her, "here put your hands on my shoulder and step into to them."
"Aubrey, you're treating me like a-"
"Girl, hush and do what I said."
She huffed, careful not to put too much weight on her ankle as I slid them up over butt. I heard her wince a little. Once she put her bra on, I tried to carry her over to the bed but was a little too quick with her hobble.
"Can you stop being stubborn and let me do my job?" I laughed lying on top of her.
"Oh my gosh, you're so heavy!" she giggled trying to wiggle away as I kissed her face all over, "you're squishing me!"
"I'm just happy that you're home."
"I am too," she cupped my face, "I love you scruff muffin."
"Scruff muffin?"
"Yeah. That's my name for you."
"When did you come up with that?" I laughed.
She shrugged, "I like to play with your beard and muffin is cute. You're my scruff muffin."
"If I let you call me that. I get a nickname for you too."
"Okay, like what?"
"Stink."
"Eww, Aubrey!" she hit me on the arm, "that not cute!"
"What? I think it's very fitting seeing as how you love to fart in the middle of the night."
She gasped, "oh my gosh. You hear that?"
"And smell it. Your little sexy ass is funky, but it's all mine so I accept the good and the bad," I gave it a good squeeze and slap.
"Like you don't smell up the whole room whenever you take a dump," she said, "you smell like rotten eggs."
"That's cool. We can both stink as long as we're doing it together," I kissed her.
"You're gross," she reached to the other side of the bed to grab her phone to check, "I need to FaceTime my brother. He's called me six times."
"Go ahead. I'm gonna go downstairs and get something to eat," I sat up, "you want something? It's some wings leftover that the guys ordered earlier."
"Please and some sliced avocado with Sriracha sauce?"
"That's why yo ass be fartin and shit."
She flipped me off, "Bye Aubrey."
"I still love you though," I called to her as I walked out, "I'll smell your stinky ass all day if I have to."
Emilia
The jokes and laughs almost made me forget the days events. That's what I wanted to come back to. I didn't want to talk about Harold and the fact that he had orders to kill me. I didn't want to talk about how running for dear life caused my ankle to look like a tennis ball. Aubrey understood that. I was grateful. I was just happy to be here with him, knowing that he was in police custody.
Max and I talked for almost an hour. He needed his rest to be up for school in the morning. I hate that I had him worried. I didn't even want him knowing about this. My sister and I were inadvertently putting him through enough. I hung up once he lost the fight with his heavy eyes. Owen called seconds after. I called Elena, since walking across this big ass house wasn't exactly the most pleasurable thing. Gelo answered, letting me know she had just went to bed. I let her sleep. I needed to do the same.
My dream was vivid. I was at my brothers basketball game. Aubrey had sent me a text saying he couldn't come because he had duties at the Raptors game in Toronto. Elena was running late. My parents sat two rows behind me. He had an awesome outing on the court. Scoring left and right. Making plays. His team won. I headed back to Aubrey's house afterwards. The house was dark and empty. I went upstairs to his bedroom, changing into his clothes that I loved to wear. I heard the door open and close. When I turned around, I only saw a dark figure lunge at me. The next thing I new I was on the floor struggling with whoever it was.
"Did you miss me?"
The voice was familiar. My body froze. Gun cocked. The cool metal pressed underneath my chin. He pulled the mask from his face. Harold smiled.
"I told you, Emilia. We go down, you go down...6 feet."
It seemed so real. Too real. So real that I woke up screaming at the top of my lungs. When I opened my eyes Aubrey was no where to be found. The room was dark. I was in his clothes. This is the same setting I thought I woke up from. Thought.
"Aubrey!" I jumped out of his bed and ran as fast as I could.
I stumbled over a pair of his shoes, but maintained my balance to run out into the hallway. It was dark a quiet as well.
"Aubrey! Aubrey!"
I heard heavy footsteps hurrying up the stair case. My mind wasn't in a logical state. Still somewhat in my dream. They could be Harold's or Aubrey's. I turned and ran into one of the guest bathrooms. Shutting and locking the door behind me.
"Emilia! Em! Where are you?"
Aubrey's voice.
I opened the door. He was opening every other m door looking for me. I ran to him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he held on to me as I cried and squeezed him tight, "what happened?"
"I-I- I had a dream and he-he was here and he tried to kill me. You left me here by myself and-I thought it was real because I couldn't find you. Why would you leave me by myself?!"
"I didn't leave you baby. I'm right here. I was just downstairs, okay. It was a nightmare, okay? It wasn't real."
He dropped down to the floor with me, still keeping our bodies close.
"Mila, calm down please. You're shaking. I'm right here."
"He tried to kill me today when we were there he put a gun to my head and told Lena that if she didn't drop the charges that he would kill me because Paul said so- I thought you were him coming up the stairs so I hid."
"Mila, slow down. I can barley understand-"
"I was so scared. Im not ready to die."
"You aren't going to die, baby. I'll never leave you alone so that'll never happen. Neither one of those assholes are ever going to bother you again."
My cries were louder. I could feel myself shaking like a leaf. All of this I kept suppressed until now. In front of my sister, I had to be strong. For her. Being weak and vulnerable in that moment would have gotten me killed for sure. Battares said I was brave. Elena said I was tough. I was nothing more than a scared little girl, unsure if I was going to live to see another day.
He took me back to bed and held me close; encouraging me to go back to sleep and promising me he'd be there when I woke. And he was. After my scare at 3:00 am, I was back up and awake five hours later. Hungry and not wanting to wake him up, I managed get out of bed unnoticed. It took me almost ten minutes to get downstairs.
All I could seem to find in the fridge were eggs, milk and cheese. Omelettes it is. I chopped up some tomatoes, onions and green pepper for flavor. I started on Aubrey's green smoothies Johnny had him on. Kale, spinach, avocado, green apple, green tea and a little almond milk. He just doesn't know how much I appreciate him for keeping my man so damn fine.
"Emilia!"
Aubrey's voiced echoed from upstairs. I could hear the hint of worry in his voice.
"In the kitchen!" I called back.
Moments later he appeared, breathing as if he ran the whole way.
"How did you get down here?" he looked me over, "are you okay?"
"I'm fine...and I walked down here, silly."
"You're not supposed to be up walking around on that ankle-"
"It's sprained baby. Not broken."
"And it's still red, and swollen so sit."
"Can I finish this? Look, I made your smoothie and I'm making your favorite omelette.
"I appreciate that baby, but you have to sit."
He picked me up and sat me on the counter top, "if I'm up here then whose gonna finish this?" I asked.
"Chef Drizzy, baby," he rubbed his hands together, "I got you."
"Oh Lord."
"Don't under estimate me," he said, "you may wear the chef pants around here but you aren't the only one that can cook."
"Okay, okay. Do your thing," I laughed.
He picked up exactly where I left off with seasoning and stirring the egg mixture, "You okay though? How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. My ankle is a little sore and I'm still a little shaken up by everything but I'm okay. I don't want to reflect on any of that," I said, "I want to have a normal, fun day and get this ankle better."
"Well I have the perfect thing in mind for normal, fun and healing."
"What's that?"
He lifted me off the counter and kissed my neck, "Some good morning sex. We can work up a appetite before I throw down on these omelettes."
"Sounds enticing, but I can't make another trip upstairs right now."
"Who said when have to go upstairs? The laundry room is right around the corner."
Elena
"Yeah man. I can meet up with you around noon. Alright. Yeah, and bring that paperwork with you. Okay cool."
The sound of Angelo's phone conversation had woken me up first thing that morning. The alarm clock on the nightstand read 8:30 am.
He hung up and put his arm back around my waist; exactly how I remembered us falling asleep. He kissed the back of my head and traced small circles around my belly button.
"Who was that?" I yawned and stretched my legs.
"Owen. We have to meet with some people about the club," he said, "Good Morning though."
I rolled over so I could see his handsome face, "Good morning love."
"I assume you slept great. You didn't move at all throughout the night."
"Yesterday took a lot out if me," I sighed, "there was nothing I wanted more than to get back in this bed and lay with you."
"Like I told you last night, we don't have to talk about any of that shit unless you want to," he said, "all that matters to me is that you're here unharmed and safe."
I suddenly got the urge to kiss him; and I did just that by grabbing his face. He returned the gesture. His arms wrapped around my body as he positioned himself on top of me. My hands went down his back. His hand went underneath my shirt and on my hips.
I moaned softly as he massaged my breast, leaving my bra on. His length was growing between my thighs. He removed my shirt and kissed the top of each one.
One of his hands moved between my legs. I tensed up, squeezing them tight enough to get his hand stuck.
He chuckled, "it's okay. I won't do anything that you don't want me to."
"Its not that I don't want you to...its-"
"It's what?"
"Nothing," I shook it off, "don't stop. K-keep going."
"You sure?"
I nodded and started kissing him again. This time my bra came off. He gently used his tounge to play with my nipples. His fingers had moved my panties to the side. Cotton was no longer a barrier to his touch.
I haven't been touched like this since I was married. I wasn't exactly sure how I feel about it. We haven't made that commitment yet. He was only my boyfriend and only for a short time at that.
Just as I opened my mouth to say stop, his phone started ringing.
"You aren't going to get that?" I asked once I noticed that he was totally ignoring it.
"Whoever it is can wait. I'm doing something more important right now."
"Oh- um it's okay. You can answer it."
"Nah. I'm good."
"Angelo, I really think you should answer it."
He stopped. I guess I messed up the mood. When he picked it up, I read Owens name on the caller ID. He answered on the last ring.
It was very brief, but by the time he hung up I was back in my clothes and stuffing dirty ones in a laundry basket.
"Now what are you doing?" he asked.
"I um- I was going to get a head start on laundry. It's been almost a week and I totally need to wash my scrubs. My first appointment is a noon, I gotta be at the office by eleven so...yeah. Be right back."
I walked as quickly as possible to the main house. That was so embarrassing. Why am I acting like a little girl? Like I've never been with a man before? I wanted him to touch me and make me feel ways I've never felt before, but my mind was always getting in the way.
I took the route through the kitchen, noticing that someone was in the middle of cooking eggs and mixing up some green stuff in the blender. I didn't expect it to be anyone other than my sister. I heard her giggling. Following it brought me to the laundry door that was slightly crack. I went to open it but stopped when I heard the sound of a male voice grunting.
"Aubrey, oh my God," she moaned, "ohhhh, ohhh please don't stop. I love you."
"I love you too baby," he panted, "I want to fuck you all day long like this."
"Mmmm, tell me what else you want Papi?"
"I wanna go to Vegas right now, marry you and take you to on vacation so I can bust in you and get you give you my kids-"
I dropped my laundry basket, bumping the door and causing it to open even more. Luckily, they were to wrapped up in each other to hear or see.
I didn't want to look, but my eyes had a hard time looking away. Aubrey's shorts were at his ankles, exposing his naked behind in its full glory. Em's legs were up in the air, around his shoulders as she sat on the washer. It almost looked something like a porno.
I couldn't believe I was watching this. Before I was noticed, I picked up my basket and went back into the kitchen.
Five minutes later, the two of them walked in like nothing had happened.
"Oh, look who's up?" Em smiled at me as Aubrey helped her up on the barstool.
"Good morning, Lena. Sleep well last night?" he walked around to the sink to wash his hands before continuing to cook.
At least he practiced sanitary behaviors.
"I slept well," I nodded, "how has your morning been so far?"
"Excellent," he snuck Em a smile that made her blush.
These two I tell you.
"How's your ankle, Em?" I asked.
"Still sore, but I'll be good to go in no time," she said, scrolling through her phone, "oh, that reminds me. I need to go call 40. He said he needed to talk to me about some music stuff. I guess I'll do that after I eat."
My mind kept going back to what Aubrey was saying to her about taking her to Vegas for a quickie wedding. I hope he wasn't serious. She deserved more than that. It would be pretty selfish of them to do that.
"I'm going to the bathroom," she carefully let herself down.
"Hold on baby, let me take you," he immediately dropped what he was doing.
"It's okay, Aubrey. The crutches are right here," she hopped over and grabbed them off the wall, "I'll be right back."
Well, I guess this was my time to make sure he wasn't getting any crazy ideas. Once I heard heard the door close off in the distance, I cleared my throat.
"So, um...let me ask you something, Aubrey," I let my nails tap on the marble counter top as he reheated the skillets.
"What's up?"
"You aren't serious about marrying my sister right now are you?"
He looked up and furrowed his eyebrows, "who told you that?"
"No one. I uh- I kind of overheard it."
His lips turned into a little mischievous grin, "Oh, you heard us in the-"
"Yeah, but that's besides the point. She doesn't deserve a Vegas wedding and she's totally not ready for children. Don't you think you're moving too fast?" I folded my arms across my chest.
He started laughing.
"This isn't funny. I'm serious."
"I know. That's the funny part," he continued.
"I'm not following."
"That's just how we talk when we're in the moment. Now do I want to marry her? Hell yeah. Do I want her to have my kids? Absolutely," he said, "hold on, wait...why were you eavesdropping anyway?"
"I wasn't eavesdropping. I was coming to wash my clothes and I walked into a live porn."
He busted out laughing, "oh, so you saw us?"
"Unfortunately."
"Oooh, I was in that thang huh?" he started mimicking what he was doing with her.
"You're gross."
"Nah, you just need to get some dick. I'm telling you, it'll knock that up tight act you do right up out of ya."
"Oh my gosh. I can't with you," I picked up the laundry basket and headed to my initial destination.
"Hold on," he called, "here, you might need these."
He tossed a pack of Clorox wipes that landed right in my basket. He was laughing so hard.
"Glad you find this amusing," I shot him a bird, "that is so disgusting."
Max
Later
"I call glass! Game!" Reagan taunted me when her three point shot banked off the backboard and swished through the net, "that's two games to one, Maxie. Wanna run again?"
"You got lucky," I rebounded the ball and threw it back to her.
"Not luck, Maxie but rather a mixture of talent and hard work."
After the practice had wrapped up at the gym, I found Reagan still hanging behind putting up extra shots. She let me join her for about thirty minutes. I gave her some pointers on her pump fake and drive with the left hand. She was a quick learner.
Since she only lived ten minutes away from me, I offered to give her a ride home. Overhearing the phone conversation with her mom telling her to order pizza cause both she and her father would be home late prompted me to invite her over for dinner. After a little persuasion she said yes. It was the first time mom and dad had seen her since she moved. They enjoyed her company.
"I can't let you beat me in my own driveway. We gotta go again."
She laughed, "Sorry but this girl has homework... and it's already 8:30."
"Aight, aight. I can't come between you and the books."
"Yeah, Mrs. Porter's A.P English class is no joke."
She playfully took my bottle and drank a good bit. I got it back and squirted some on the side of her face. That turned into us chasing each other around the driveway.
"Maximo Mikhail!" I heard my mom call along with the front door opening, "it's time for Reagan to go home. You have homework to do!"
"Alright mom."
"It was nice to see you again, Reagan. "
"You too Mrs. Carrick. Thanks for dinner."
"No problem. Tell your parents we asked about them. Oh, and Maximo please give her a ride home. Even though the street lights are on I don't want her walking."
"Yes ma'am."
I went inside to grab my keys. She was waiting by the passengers side door when I came back.
As soon as I pulled out of the driveway, I hooked up my phone to the aux chord and put my playlist on shuffle.
"Uh, you know I'm hardly home but always reppin," she rapped along with Drake on the first verse Uptown.
"What you know about that?" I chuckled at her hand motions that mimicked what Drake usually did.
"The 6 God! Pssh I love Drake," she continued to bob her head to the beat, "he's king. That's so cool that he's your sisters boyfriend. They're so cute on Instagram and stuff."
"Yeah, he's that guy right now," I nodded, "and he's great with Em. I look up to them."
"How so?"
"The way that they love each other. I don't know, it's something you feel when you're around them."
"Hashtag relationship goals or nah?"
"Exactly."
"Well, you should have no problem with that," she said as I turned onto the street her house was on, "all the popular girls at Fairfax love you. Some of the things they say are just so..."
"So what?"
"Thottish."
I laughed, "And their bold enough to say it to me. They don't get that I'm not into girls like that."
"You're a guy...I don't believe you. What kind of girls are you into then?"
I shrugged, "I'm more drawn to girls that don't have to have a clique to identify who they are. Goals and ambitions are important. Smart, funny and good morals. Kind of like you."
She blushed and smiled, "Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment."
I pulled up in her driveway and put the car in park, "No problem."
I reached in the backseat and grabbed her book bag and gym bag for her, "I'm happy you moved back, Reagan."
"Me too. I missed you."
"I missed you too."
I caught myself just staring. Everything about her made me smile. She was different. Brown eyes, brown skin, dark curly kinks pull up into a far from neat bun. The pieces falling against her forehead from her crown were cute. Smile perfect and white. The little scars on her face from playing with the guys all her life intrigued me for some reason. Okay...is this when I make the move to kiss her?
"Well, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow," she opened the door.
"I can come pick you up...if that's okay with you."
"Sure."
"Okay. I'll be here around 7:30?"
"See you then. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
She hopped out and swung her bags over her shoulder, closing the door shut. Maybe tonight wasn't the night to tell her. I wonder if she really picked up on the things I was saying.
Just as I put the car in reverse, she tapped on the drivers side window.
"You forgot something?" I rolled the window down.
"Yeah," she smiled, "this."
She caught me off guard completely by giving me a kiss on the cheek. Before I could respond, she was already at her front door going inside.
That made me feel good. Scratch that, I felt amazing right now. The most beautiful girl at school, in my eyes, looked like she was warming up to the idea of us being more than just childhood friends.
On the way back home, I had to hit up the one person whose advice I held in high regard about this situation.
Max: I took you're advice.
Drizzy: about???
Max: Reagan
Drizzy: oh word? What happened?
Max: she came over for dinner. We hooped in the driveway. When I took her home I kinda flirted with her a little bit. She gave me a kiss on the cheek before she went in the house 😌
Drizzy: I see you! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 that's a step in the right direction.
Drizzy: as your sister peaks over my shoulder 😑
Max: tell her to stay out grown men biznazzz *Ludacris voice*
Drizzy: 🖕🏽👊🏾💢😵🤕
Drizzy: that was her lol
She's so damn nosey when it comes to me and my personal life. I love her though, so it's cool. I parked next to dads car and hopped out, locking the door on the way in the house.
Reagan: I had fun. See you tomorrow. 🤗