Jonas is making tea at the moment and I feel uncomfortable, I don’t want to just sit down and make myself at home, it feels too presumptuous and I’m trying to remember my plan, what was it? Oh yeah, leave when you get the chance. He comes over with a cup of lemon tea for me and indicates that I should sit down; he has a bottle of Bud and decides to sit at one end of the huge couch. I’m still feeling awkward, so I figure concentrating on my tea is the best option. When the silence continues and he doesn’t talk or acknowledge that I’m here in his space I decide I may as well head to bed, I can sit in silence on my own and be less uncomfortable. After all I’m used to that.
“Are you hungry at all? When did you last eat?” Now he talks...
“No, I’m fine, I had a big lunch at the apartment with Mig.” I know I’ve said the wrong thing because I see his hands clench the bottle of beer harder and he takes a bigger gulp of it than he has been doing so far. It seems he has a problem with Mig, he shouldn’t do, but I’m not going to explain my friendships to him, because I don’t have to. So I ignore his reaction and carry on.
“Actually, I think I may turn in for the night, would you point me in the direction of the bathroom and my bed for the night please?”
“I’ll show you where the bathroom and your room are.” He rises from the couch to help, but he knows I’ve realized he didn’t use the word ‘night’ like I did. He leads me to a door off the side of the dining area and on the other side of it is a simple traditional corridor with doors leading off it, there are five of them in total. Two of them are the bathroom and bedroom I’m to use, with another being his I assume, but the other two remaining doors are closed and one has a mysterious technical looking lock on it.
“Your room is this one here, the main family bathroom is here next to it and my room is the one opposite. There should be enough stuff in there, but if you need anything just let me know.” He’s very Jekyll and Hyde, he lurches from sentences and being helpful to one word answers in a flash, which makes it hard to know exactly which Jonas you’re dealing with.
“Thanks,” I mutter and head into the bathroom which is clean, bright white and functional. I decide to take a quick shower and wash the day out of my hair; it feels invigorating and refreshing to have some time alone so I have a quick chat with the babies whilst helping myself to his toiletries, I use whatever my hand finds. I then realize that I’m going to have to put my dirty clothes back on, I didn’t ask him for his top and joggers before I got started. I get out and dry myself, cursing the fact that the towels won’t go round all of me and give me enough coverage for a dash to the bedroom when I notice the neatly folded clothes he mentioned placed on the side. They weren’t here before which means that Jonas came in whilst I was showering.
What the fuck! I’m not happy about that, I’ll remember to lock the door next time.
I leave my wet hair in a towel turban style and head back to my room. My room has a simple double bed with crisp clean bedding, a wardrobe and a dressing table. I make my way to the window to pull the shades and peer out, but I still can’t see anything. Turning towards the bed I stop and freeze on the spot with a bemused look on my face. On the wall behind me are a load of frames containing pictures I've taken for various projects over the years. Seeing them up displayed makes me feel proud and gives me goose bumps. It’s some of my best work and I’m left wondering why they’re up and being showcased in Jonas’s home. I get into bed and forget the confusion seeing them has caused and don’t ponder on it for too long, I’m tired. My peanuts and I have had a crazy day and we all need some rest. Shutting my eyes I drift off to sleep feeling safe under this roof, with my peanuts daddy.
My peanuts clearly don’t need as much sleep as me because some time in the middle of the night it’s clear they’ve had enough sleep and are playing touchdown football in my stomach. The little swines are stomping all over my bladder; I need the toilet and can’t settle. I tiptoe to the bathroom and make a quick stop and then make it into the kitchen using the natural light from the sky light windows before I need to find a light switch. I root around in the cupboards for a mug and some milk from the fridge and set about making some warm milk. I finally track down a pan and get started.
The peanuts continue to rumba dance inside me so we have our usual night time chat while I wait for the milk to be ready, hoping it will calm them down and make me feel sleepy again. “Seriously kids, we’ve had a rough day and now you want to practice your dance moves, come on give Momma a break?” I say and lean back gently against the counter top and gently stroke my big belly. “Holy Moses A, if you’re kicking B half as much as you’re kicking me then we’ll be having words. Pack it in!” I hear the milk start to bubble and spit and make to turn it off. Jonas beats me to it though, he’s wearing pajama shorts and the smile on his face tells me he’s been watching me, I’m a little embarrassed so I carry on making my warm milk.
“Sorry, did I wake you? I needed the bathroom because the monkeys were banging on my bladder. I thought some milk would help me sleep and switch them off so I could get back to sleep.”
“You didn’t wake me. Sit down I’ll bring this over.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I reply.
“I know I don’t have to. Sit down,” he repeats. So I take a seat and watch him move around the kitchen. He’s gorgeous when he’s sleepy and relaxed, he moves with ease and fluidity that shows his spine twisting and moving under the skin of his back. It takes me back to our one night and I remember how comfortable he was with his body, all of it.
It then hits me that he has a job, a job at night. “Shouldn’t you be working tonight?”
“No. No work tonight,” so we’re back to short answers again with no option to engage in any sort of conversation, it’s exhausting and frustrating. He comes over to me and sets the mug down on a coaster on the table by me. I lean forward to pick it up and get kicked in the ribs sharply “OWWWW!” I shout and he’s at my side in an instant. “Jesus Christ A, we’ve spoke about your night time ninja shit before, cut it out!” Jonas is looking at me like I’m mental. “What?” I ask looking at him, “they’re testy, I wonder where they get that from?” I mumble. He’s still at my side and has sort of made a move with one of his hands to feel my stomach but then stops like he’s not sure, before he moves and I change my mind, I grab his hand and place it on a baby’s foot that is protruding from my ribs and sit back in the chair. The concentration on his face is immense and when he feels the peanuts move and wriggle he gasps and smiles. I have to look away, I have to because it’s upsetting to see your hopes and dreams being played out in front of you, but only to remember that once again it’s temporary.
The peanuts start to line dance and Jonas brings his other hand up to feel it, he slowly starts to smooth them over my bump in an attempt to calm them down, it’s heavenly. After a few minutes they calm down and I feel my eyes close and drift off, they’re finding peace and so am I. After a while I feel myself being moved gently, “Ssshhh Dalton,” he says and then I’m being lowered on my bed I feel my bedclothes being pulled up and smoothed around me. I sigh deeply and snuggle down, a few minutes later I feel the bed dip and a gentle kiss on my forehead whilst hearing “Sleep tight my girl,” and then he kisses me again before I hear the door being gently closed.
When I next open my eyes, sunlight is peaking through the slats in the shade at the window and I remember where I am. I stretch out my limbs and rub over my belly whilst saying good morning to my babies. I feel well rested and then remember why. Shit. Last night was not good. He seemed so relaxed with me in his space and the way he was with the peanuts was heart breaking, it was like a father should be.
I have to get out of here before my heart is ripped in two.
He’s fucking with my head and I can’t let him sweep me up and spit me out again. He doesn’t want this and when he realizes that, he’ll not only be undoing the strength I've managed to find but he’ll be leaving me with babies that need me and will be
depending on me. If my head is fucked I’ll never cope.
I have to get out of here now.
I go to the bathroom and take care of business and then dress in my clothes from yesterday. I grab my purse from the side and find that my cell phone is dead, it has no battery left and I need to call a cab. No problem, I can phone one from Chris’s. All is quiet in the house, but I still creep like a criminal in progress in case he’s asleep, I don't want to get sprung. When I enter the living room it’s still quiet, there is no sign of him. I stop when I see the view through the glass windows, it’s mesmerizing and awe inspiring. I knew it would be. Never mind, I can’t dwell on that, I sneak in a quick glass of water and take off. Jonas not being around is a reminder of the last time I awoke and found him gone; the resolve in my plan is restored.
I’m a little disorientated and I take a minute to search for the way back through the hedge and fields to reach Chris’s ranch. My directional compass sorts itself out and we get moving. After about five minutes I’m beat, my back is aching and the space hopper attached to my front feels stupidly heavy for this expedition. I curse myself for being so hasty that I didn’t even check to see if he had a landline, my need to get out of there has caused me to think irrationally. By the time I get to the edge of the field that is Chris’s back yard I’m seriously regretting this idea. I am literally waddling along, stooped with my arms under my bump, trying to lift it up because doing this gives my back a little relief.
“Fucking hell Dolly!” I look up and see Chris running across the field after throwing his coffee cup on the grass, “What the hell are you doing?” He doesn’t seem happy and then he grabs me and picks me up.
“Just trying to get home,” I pant and gasp for air, “need a cab, these little fuckers are heavy!” I finish on an out breath and start to try and bend to ease my back ache.
“Unbelievable Dolly, you could have tripped and fallen again, you do remember yesterday and the day trip to the hospital?” He snaps at me as he dumps me on his couch and gets me a cold glass of water which I gulp back in an unladylike manner. I lie down and raise my feet and feel the pressure on my back ease immediately. “She’s here,” I turn and see Chris snap his cell phone shut.
“Chris! Really!” is all I can muster and ten minutes later Jonas hits the room from the back yard decking, he’s wearing running gear and he does not look happy, he does however, look sinfully hot in little shorts and a vest top.
“Are you for fucking real? What is going on in your head?” he shakes his head as he finishes.
“What? I needed to go home,” I’m trying the casual approach.
“And you couldn’t wait for me? You figured it would be better to take my babies on an early morning fucking hike. Not clever Dalton. I can see I’m going to have to keep a closer eye on you.” His calm demeanor is making me feel unhinged; I was expecting a raging monster to rock up and bollock me and he hasn’t. What’s going on? I was braced and ready for it. “I’ll go and get my truck, do you think you could wait here or should I have a chopper on standby for your next crazy adventure? Chris, you’re up man, discourage any potential plans she has for an escape route and keep my energetic baby momma on lockdown until I return.”
“Who are you and what have you done with Jonas Drakeson?” He ignores me and heads back out but does it with an annoying smile on his face. Chris is also grinning and he’s wearing the smile I saw at the hospital when Jonas went all cave man.
It irks me.
“I don't know what you’re smiling about, this is just an epic disaster in the making and you will be the first person I hunt down and beat when this goes south and I need to release my anger,” he now ignores me and carries on grinning.
Time for new tactics then. The best I can devise in such short time is to let him take me home and then refuse to leave.
Chapter Twenty One
We venture into his truck after I’ve been with Chris for a while; he was longer than I expected but this is because he took a shower and changed. He’s got a dumb ass smile on his face and it’s really bugging me. “Why are you so cheerful and smug looking?” I ask.
“Because you’re predictable.”
“Yeah well, you’re irritating, ” I return back like a school kid and he just laughs and continues to drive to my place. The irritation continues in the form of him tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, whistling and smiling. It’s pissing me off. When we pull up I wrangle myself out of the truck and storm off in a huff desperate to get inside. Once I am in my territory, this will proceed much better I tell myself. Jonas is still following me at a casual pace. When I get in I see all of Mig’s work stuff is gone and he spots the confusion.
“I asked Neely to let him in so he could gather his stuff,” he states, like he has the right to dismiss my friend. Oh you did, now the fucker is taking over here as well.
“Right, well, thanks for the lift back, I’ll be fine now,” I deliver this clearly and precisely, trying to get him to understand I’m heading nowhere.
“I’m sure you are fine, but just to be on the safe side you’re still coming home with me.”
Smiling! The fucker is smiling. I’m not having this, he needs to know that.
“I’m not. And this is bullshit. You can’t sex me, impregnate me, dump me, fucking ignore me and then expect me to actually want to be with you? You’re delusional, fucking delusional.” His eyes flash for a brief second and then he smiles and doesn’t answer. I march over to the house phone and dial the numbers from memory.
“Neely, can we move in together? Apparently I need a babysitter.” Her reply is “Nope and by the sounds of it, it’s going swell. Have fun girlfriend,” and she hangs up. I direct my glare back at him and say “OK.” He’s still fucking smiling at me, so I dial a second well known number.
“Barbara, can I come and stay with you and Harrison for a few days?” “No dear,” she starts, “you’re not allowed.”
“Not allowed? What do you mean I’m not allowed?” It hits me then, he’s done this. I spin around at a wicked pace and see his beautiful face lit with a smug smile, I get even madder and shout “You did this! You got to them all didn’t you? You bastard.” I’m only offered a big grin in return.
Barbara, who is still on the phone, says “Dolly, I can tell you’re with Jonas, so I’ll leave you to it, oh and watch your language, you can’t be cussing like that with kids around, bye.” And she hangs up.
The game is on.
“OK dickhead, bring it on,” I say piercing him with eyes that fail to shoot the laser beams I need right now.
“Like I said Dolly, predictable.”
“Oh really,” I return a smug smile of my own and start dialing another number.
“Mig, Hi,” the smile of his face disappears quickly, as I knew it would.
“Not funny Dalton, put the phone down,” he says warning me, but I ignore this and continue.
“Any chance you can house a fat lodger for a few days?” The only way to describe his reaction is like lightening and within a moment he is in my space, because I’m currently shaped like an egg I do a rubbish job of fighting him off and he snatches the phone off me.
“Mig,” Jonas barks down the phone, “my woman doesn’t need a place a stay. She’s with me and I’ll warn you now, you come at Dalton with anything other than professional thoughts and intentions this problem we have is going to escalate.”
“JONAS!”
“OK. Do we understand each other?...good,” and then he hangs up. “Oh dear Dalton, I was playing nice, but if you’re gonna go all guerrilla tactical on me then I guess I can too. Just remember you started this.” His attention returns to the phone which he starts dialing. “Neely, it’s Jonas. Yeah, she’s being predictably difficult, I’m gonna take her back to mine, when you get five later can you pack her some things?”
“Jonas, Fuck no, you can’t do this!” He looks at me and raises his eyebrows before he continues “Change of plan Neely,” I breathe a sigh of r
elief, “pack all of her shit, she’s moving in with me.”
“I AM NOT.”
“All of it Neely,” he continues, “I’ll get Chris to give you a hand carrying it all to mine. Yeah. Later.”
“DO NOT TREAT ME LIKE A CHILD,” I’m now screaming at him, “I make my own decisions and the first one is that I am not moving in with you.”
“Easy way or hard way baby, it’s your call, but just so you know the more you fight the fuckin’ harder it makes me.” I still in response, I don’t want to hear this. “I thought that’d make you think again about being a dick tease with your difficult ways. OK. Get changed and grab what you need for today only and let’s head home. You’ve already gone against the doc’s orders by having too much exercise and stressing yourself out by this pointless argument. Your blood pressure is probably cooking my babies as we speak so it’s time to go.”
“Your babies,” I mumble, “if these kids turnout like you I’ll be fucking suicidal. And it’s your home, not my fucking home.” I storm off trying my best to convey the temper I’m feeling at having to do what I’m told.
We reach his place and I have to make an effort to relax. I brought my laptop with me today so I go through my emails in attempt to do something normal and mundane, made more pleasurable by gazing out of the windows; the view is perfect. Worry still creeps over me that I could get used to this and I’m shitting myself that I have no resilience where this guy is concerned, he’s dangerous for me. I have to remind myself that I’m here because he wants the babies, not me. I’m just his offspring’s incubator. That’s it.
Fostering Love (The Soul Sisters Series Book 1) Page 20
