Sahara (A Night Fire Novel Book 3)

by Watkins, TM

  With the clothes tossed haphazardly to the floor and the bed sheets pulled back I was dumped onto the bed. Fraser laid on the bed beside me after turning the hall light off, tugging the sheet over us and settled behind me. As he draped one arm over my waist and lazily danced his fingers across my stomach, I smiled to myself. Yep, I had completely misjudged the situation between us.

  Chapter Eight

  I woke with grand expectations of morning sex but upon hearing the crying child I realized that all plans for morning sex was on hold until she was asleep. When I rolled over I realized that Fraser wasn't in the room and the sounds of the baby's cries were coming from the kitchen. I dressed quickly and found him trying to warm the bottle but it wasn't going fast enough in the baby's opinion. We'd had the sense to put a couple of bottles in the fridge, that way she would only have to wait for it to heat up.

  Fraser gave me a hesitant smile as I slowly wriggled my way onto the stool. Things hurt. The man was a brute. Yet I couldn't wait until the next time.

  As I waited for the laptop to load I watched Fraser. He was becoming accustomed to routine, each task was done quickly and efficiently. He gripped the teat and gave the bottle a good shake, tested the milk and then satisfied the annoyed little girl.

  “Thought of a name yet?” I asked.

  Fraser shook his head with a sigh.

  “Can't get past the thought that they might take her away from me.”

  I nodded quietly and set about going through the emails, many needed deleting instantly. A message came through from Jerry, one that made my heart thud a fraction harder.

  “Band meeting today, all required to attend.”

  Fraser looked at me with slight panic.

  “Are you still determined to keep her a secret?”

  “Until I know for sure.”

  I sighed and climbed off the stool, rounding the bench to make coffee.

  “I'll stay with her, I'll send Jerry a message saying I'm sick or something.” I shrugged as I turned on the rattler.

  He said nothing and for a brief moment I wished that he had at least said thanks. I was only ditching an important meeting so that he could hide the truth about his life from his friends. It's not as if we're having the meeting about the country wide tour that will span an entire year that we're about to go on. A meeting that it might be rather important that I attend considering I'm the assistant to the band.

  I pursed my lips as I made my coffee, refusing to get strung out by his lack of gratitude.

  “You should check your phone Fraser, Jerry will have sent a message to you as well.”

  When I looked up he was gone, leaving me with my favorite task. Deleting more offensive emails.

  Fraser left about half an hour after that rather lacking conversation. There was no talk of what happened, no discussion for the future and it left me wondering if I was just a mere convenience. It's okay, Eden's here. She's good for a free fuck and don't worry about tomorrow, it will all be normal again.

  Treacherous thoughts were cast aside in favor of housework. Sheets stripped and washed, bottles prepared, floors swept and breakfast dishes packed into the dishwasher. By lunch time I had tidied the house to a reasonable level, not that it was dirty beforehand. Fraser seemed to be a rather clean person.

  Not satisfied with sitting around doing nothing I made a lasagna for dinner, leaving it to rest in the oven. At least if little miss decides to fuss again the meal will be in there and reasonably warm. I laid her into the cot after her lunch bottle, looking at the sweet features and tiny limbs. It was annoying how he hadn't picked a name for her but in a way I could understand. He didn't want to become attached to her and then have her ripped away by her real father. Though there was something about it that made me believe that she really was his. Maybe her mother hadn't been with anyone in her cycle before having sex with Fraser, maybe she hadn't been with anyone after either.

  I replied to the email from Reese. I'd prefer to call my family but sometimes our lives didn't allow for it. She was somewhere in the UK and the time differences were a pain in the ass so we had decided that emailing each other was ideal. She started off by saying that she'd seen the latest round of pictures that I'd been in that were splashed all over the internet. Reese always offered a positive view on things. She'd say that I was looking bootilicious when really she was trying to say my ass looked fat in the photo. It was sweet of her but my ass wasn't that big, it was the cameras fault. And even if it wasn't, I didn't care. I wasn't going to starve myself to be model thin, I didn't see the point in it. My life didn't allow for fad diets or rigid regimes. Love me the way I am or piss off, that's my motto.

  Lunch came and went, an afternoon sitting at the computer drinking coffee left just as fast. Tending to the baby seemed to be the most interesting thing for me to do. Night fell and I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Fraser. I didn't want to be controlling or restrictive of him considering that we hadn't actually established what we were, if we were anything at all. But the fact that it was night and I hadn't heard from him was annoying.

  There was a subtle sinking feeling in my gut that I was being used, a convenient fuck coupled with a live in babysitter. The man was clearly off leading the high life with his mates while poor old Eden was stuck in a house that really wasn't hers looking after a kid that wasn't hers either.

  Eight o'clock passed without a peep. I ate the lasagna by myself. It was great, shame I had to enjoy it on my own. Nine o'clock arrived and I packed the remaining lasagna into the refrigerator. Ten o'clock crept up on me as I cleaned the kitchen and moved the cot into my room. Eleven o'clock clicked over and I packed the bottle carrier with two bottles, took them and the warmer into my room. The contents of the change table were transferred to the bedside table and tallboy.

  Midnight was marked with a selfie picture message from Jaxon declaring that sickness had made me miss out on a fun night out. The picture was of him and an unknown woman. In the background was what was clearly a strip club and there in the sea of flesh was Fraser with a woman draped over him. Her legs were over his as they sat on a seat together, her arm wrapped around his shoulders as she was doing something in his ear. Her hand was on his chest in the v opening of the shirt.

  I didn't want to cry. I was stronger than that. But that really hurt. So without tears I forwarded the message to him. There was no message. I could have thought of a thousand things to say to him. The worst of it was along the lines of eat shit and die and the best of them could have been I hate you.

  I turned down the ring tone and barricaded the door, praying I didn't need the urgent call of nature when he eventually returned. Right on cue the phone rang, Fraser's name lighting up the darkened room. I sat on the bed with my arms wrapped around my legs, watching the phone vibrate over the mattress. Once it stopped I wiped the moisture from my eyes. I was not crying. Not for him at least. The fact that I had been so stupid to allow myself to be used like this was acceptable to cry over.

  Why I had allowed myself to be treated this way I couldn't figure out. I was a sucker for a smile and Fraser had a good one. All that I wanted for my love life was a man that had the decency to be honest with me, faithful in all that he did, respected me and other women and loved me the way that I loved him. Which with such little requirements I couldn't help but wonder why I always struck out with men. It wasn't as if I wanted them to be rich or successful, reasonable looks would be sufficient and I had lived with boring sex for a while now. Fraser had ticked so many of the unnecessary boxes but the ones that mattered to me, he didn't fulfill which was heartbreaking.

  So where did this leave me? In a really bad place. I'd just screwed my boss. Not a great idea. It wasn't even a good idea. If things turned ugly, which I think that it just had, then I am royally screwed.

  This was all my fault. I'd spent my days too engrossed in every little thing that was great about him and forgetting about the parts that were terrible. He's a womanizer, he likes to party and he's often drunk which mea
ns that he is unaccountable for his actions.

  The internal alarm bell was sounding rather loudly. I've just ruined what could have been a good job. Sure I bitched about them being unable to operate without me and all of the crazy things that they did but deep down I liked this job.

  “You're an idiot Eden Hurley.” I whispered.

  The phone vibrated as a message came through. My hand shook as I reached out to it. I felt sick in the stomach as I opened the message.

  Fraser: It's not what it looks like. It's just for show.

  Eden: Dinner is in the fridge. If it's not poisoned then you should consider yourself lucky.

  Fraser: Come on Eden I said it's not what it looks like.

  Eden: No you're right. To you it looks like a man pretending to be a player. To me it looks like a man that has neglected his duties as a parent. Left his newborn daughter in the care of his convenient fuck so that he can go and pretend to his friends that he isn't the biggest liar on the planet. I hope you had fun tonight Fraser because I didn't. Telling me what was going on would have been nice so that I didn't have to sit here all fucking day and night wondering when you were going to come back. In the morning you can find yourself someone else to look after your child. I'm moving back to my apartment.

  I turned off the phone and laid onto the bed, not crying myself to sleep.

  Thumping on the door roused me, I had fallen into a light sleep. My eyes were sore from the not crying and the idiot that was thumping on the door woke the baby. She cried until I picked her up and soothed her, settling her with an unscheduled bottle.

  “Eden, unlock the door please.”

  I ignored him.

  “I'm sorry, okay? I've not lived a life where I've had to answer to anyone.”

  Well that was clearly bullshit, he would have had to answer to his parents before he became an adult.

  “If you're not going to talk to me or open the door can you at least turn your phone back on?”

  Not bloody likely.

  “Please open the door.”

  No, you'll smile at me and I'll crumble. A thunderous thump shook the door, making the baby jump with fright and start crying again.

  “Open the fucking door Eden.”

  Wow, definitely not opening the door now. Jeez, who would have thought that playful Fraser had a dark streak.

  “Fine.” he spat angrily.

  And then there was silence. He left us in peace for the rest of the night or rather, the rest of the morning. If he was in the house I wouldn't know. Once the baby was asleep and in her cot I packed my bags and set them by the door. I might have said I was going home but I think in this situation a hotel will be more ideal.

  Chapter Nine

  I woke with a fright, bolting up from the mattress long before my mind had time to realize what was going on. Bleary eyed I looked around the room. It was morning but as usual the external shades were down. I had left the curtain open so that I knew when the sun was up yet I had slept right through. My eyes scanned the room, gasping at the door.

  “Shit.” I whispered.

  The door was open, my barricade pushed aside and the baby was not in the cot. My bags were also missing. This, I was not expecting. I had expected for a war of words in the morning as I walked out and left him holding the baby. But I'd been outplayed. He had waited until I had fallen asleep and then set about changing things to suit his own needs.

  I stood from the bed and quietly opened the draws, empty. All of the baby's things were gone except for the cot which wouldn't have fit through the crack that he'd slipped through. Bastard.

  As I got up from the bed I realized that all I had to wear was my bed clothes, so not appropriate when I had to face him but I had no choice. The bastard had my bags which meant that he had all of my clothes. The house was quiet as I slipped through the door, no wonderful scent of breakfast, no indication of life aside from myself.

  That was until I heard a splash. It was light but it was enough in a quiet house. I wandered down to the bathroom, finding Fraser kneeling in front of the bathtub. He scooped a little tub of water and trickled it over the baby as she laid on her little bath mat.

  “Where are my bags?”

  Fraser turned and looked at me from over his shoulder, turning back without a word. I narrowed my eyes and turned out of the room. Two can play this game. First thing I needed to find was my car keys and my wallet. Both of which were miraculously gone from where I had left them last night. What a surprise my mind groaned out as I leaned on a wall.

  I heard the gurgle of water going down the drain, Fraser walked out with the baby wrapped in a towel. Like he knew how to play this game better than me, he was shirtless and in jeans that clung to his backside and barely hanging onto his hips. He ignored me and continued straight past me and into the kitchen. I padded across the floor to peek into the kitchen, seeing the change table set back up at the table.

  He dried the baby and dressed her, putting her onto the play mat that was on the floor to one side. Then he stood upright, leaning against the table with his arms crossed. Staring at me. Wordlessly waiting for me to say something. Well it wasn't going to happen. I'd rather search the entire house and yard before I started this particular conversation.

  I turned out of the room and walked into his, looking under the bed, in the built in cupboard. With a lot of annoyance I found nothing. As I stepped into the corridor I looked at the third bedroom. A shiver crept up my spine, knowing that it was likely that it was Tyler's bedroom. Did I dare open that door? The answer was no or maybe as a last resort. No, second thought I definitely did not dare to open that door. I doubted that Fraser opened that door. I walked straight past it to the internal door to the garage, nothing obvious.

  It was frustrating, it wasn't as if they were little bags. There was two of them and they were huge. To hide them would be a feat in itself. I turned out of the garage and looked up at the man hole to the roof. Would he have put them up there and do I dare stick my head up there to check? Answer, definitely not. I was running out of options.

  I wanted to stomp my way through the house like a petulant child, I wanted to yell at him for being a jerk but I wasn't going to do either of them. Then something dawned on me and I grinned darkly as I walked into the kitchen. With a wolf whistle a chirp echoed through the house. Fraser's eyes widened and I whistled again, slowly moving closer to the laundry.

  Never did I think the gift from my mother to aide my forgetful nature when it came to my car keys would be so useful. I whistled again and heard the chirp as I passed Fraser with a smug attitude. My hand reached for the double cupboard doors, his pressed over the gap between the two of them.

  “Stop this madness.” he whispered. “I said I was sorry.”

  “Do you know what it feels like to believe you are being used Fraser?”

  “I'm not using you. I told you it was for show.”

  I stared at the cupboard door, refusing to let go of the handle, refusing to turn around.

  “And when it's revealed that she's yours and your friends ask how you've coped all this time?”

  “I'll tell them that I had a wonderful assistant helping me, one that I hope will always help me.”

  I closed my eyes as the tears pressed out, slowly sliding down my cheeks.

  “I'll tell them that I couldn't have done it without her.”

  His hand slid down the door, taking mine from the handle.

  “That she's made my life so much easier even if she is a pain in the ass.”

  He turned me around and wiped the tears away.

  “I named her, called Kevin, made it official.”

  I looked up at him as I leaned on the door, he offered a slight smile as his fingers laced into mine.

  “You named her Kevin?”

  “What?”

  With a ruthless chuckle, I flicked my hand telling him to continue and ignore me. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at me, probably wondering what planet I was on. Definitely not this
one.

  “Sahara.”

  “What?”

  I couldn't help but smile, wondering why he named her for a desert.

  “You said it was your paradise.” his voice lowered to a soft tone as he moved closer. “Well, paradise is right here. No need to run away to a hot desert, just to a little girl. She is going to look up to the woman who saved her from an unknown fate. To love her the way that she is loved by her. To need her the way that her father needs her.”

  For a brief moment I mulled over his words, not entirely convinced. I'd been conned by men before. I'd had the picture perfect smile and the 'I'm so adorable you have to forgive me' act before. There was a reason I jumped at the chance of this job and it wasn't because of the rock stars. It was to get away from the lying past. The cheating past. Getting out of LA was beneficial for my emotional well-being and I didn't need another god damn city to hide from. I liked Vegas, it was kind of fun it an odd way.

  “Mm, your reasoning for naming the child is acceptable. Your apology for yesterday was not.”

  He stared at me blankly, like he couldn't understand.

  “Okay, let's go through my day yesterday. You left without any word of what was going to happen, when you'd be back or even a conversation about the previous night. Because you do remember what happened on the kitchen bench, right?”

  Warily he nodded.

  “So I accepted it even though I wasn't impressed. Let's just say that it made me feel like one of those groupies that you constantly have hanging around you. Wonderful for the self-esteem.”

  His mouth opened to protest but one cold glare shut him up.

  “After deleting the pornographic emails from your account I cleaned up your house. Not that you noticed because surely you would have said thanks if you had. I looked after your child even though I'm not a babysitter, when I offered to stay here I assumed that you would return within a few hours and resume your duties as her primary caregiver. Did you offer any gratitude? No, you thumped on the door at one am and woke her up. I made dinner, expecting you to return but you didn't. In all those hours that you were gone, did I ever cross your mind? Did your daughter enter your thoughts? Did you wonder if she was okay, if I was coping or if I needed help? How many hours were you gone Fraser?”