by Unknown
“Sweetheart…”
Bailey and I both turned our heads to look at Rudd who was sitting at the head of the table. He was watching Bailey, so I turned to look at her. She was smiling with a mouth full of food. “Sorvy,” she said and started chewing again before any food fell out.
I was happy she was eating and I tried the meatloaf for myself. I didn’t care too much for the ketchup that was drizzled on top of it, but I didn’t want to be rude. I ate it anyway, and after a larger bite, I decided it wasn’t bad at all; thankfully, the ketchup didn’t overpower the hearty flavor.
“What did you put on the meatloaf?” I asked after my second bite.
“Barbeque sauce.”
“I like it….and thanks for inviting me.”
“You’re welcome!” she squealed before eating some potatoes.
We ate in silence for a few minutes then I noticed Rudd going back for more meatloaf. Bailey quit with most of her food still on her plate. She wasn’t able to each much and I guessed from her earlier statement that maybe her mom didn’t cook much. That certainly would explain her size.
She sat back in her chair and groaned, “My belly is full.” She was slowly rubbing her hand over her white t-shirt.
“You can have more later if you want,” Rudd told her and pushed his own plate forward.
He grinned at me and I smiled back.
He opened his mouth to say something and his phone rang. Pulling it out of his pocket, he glanced at the screen. “Shit.” He pushed back from the table and stood. “I need to take this.”
I looked at Bailey and she knew what I was thinking. “He can say bad words, but I can’t. It’s okay, Adalyn Anderson.”
It was cute that she always called people by their full name and I wondered if there was a story behind it.
“Do you like living with your dad?”
“Of course!” She sat up, forgetting about her fully tummy. “Shawna said I didn’t have a daddy, but I knew she was wrong. I knew he would find me.”
“Shawna?”
“My mother.”
“Oh.”
She didn’t call her mom.
“Don’t worry, she’s dead.”
My forehead wrinkled up and I tipped my head in thought. She had asked me the other day if I’d ever seen a dead body before and my mind tried to wander but she cut my thoughts off.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it.” She began to educate me. “My daddy says we shouldn’t talk about it, since it’s over and we’re starting a new life. He said he’d never leave me, so I get to live here forever.”
“I’m happy for you, Bailey.” I was, but I felt a pain in my chest as she reminded me of how much I missed my parents.
She looked over her right shoulder where Rudd disappeared to and then faced me. “I’m not supposed to keep secrets.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Okay?”
“But I want to tell you.”
“You can tell me anything.”
“Daddy already knows so I guess it’s not a secret.”
“Oh.”
“Shawna wasn’t a good mom. She never did mom stuff. She never did anything but drink beer and take pills. Oh, and she slept a lot. She was really good at sleeping. I had my own room and alarm clock so I woke myself up. I ate whatever food I could find and even walked to the bus stop, by myself. I went to school, by myself. I did my homework, by myself.”
“I’m so sorry, Bailey,” I said interrupting her because I was afraid she had a long list of things she had to do by herself. Maybe my sheltered life wasn’t so bad after all.
“I think it makes my daddy mad and that’s why he doesn’t want to talk about it.”
“I understand why it would. She was your mom, Bailey; she should have been that to you.”
She picked up her fork and pushed her leftover food around her plate. “I know, but she wasn’t.”
“Did she take you anywhere?”
“No.”
“Not even to the parade?”
“No, but Daddy said there’s one next month.”
“You’ll love it.”
Even my parents took me to a few parades. We didn’t stay too long and I had to hold their hands the entire time, but I still saw a parade. I had no idea why Shawna would drink and take pills all the time, and I was going to ask Rudd about it and see if he would tell me.
“Are you going to the parade?” she asked dropping her fork on her plate.
“Yes.” I assumed it was a parade for the Fourth of July celebration next month.
“Maybe we can all go together?”
“Go where?”
Rudd’s question made us both jump.
“The parade!” she slid off her chair and ran to Rudd. “Can Adalyn Anderson come to the parade with us?”
“I’d like that,” Rudd answered and they both looked at me.
How could I say no?
“Sounds like fun.”
Chapter 11
Archer’s phone sat on the edge of the table and he immediately saw the screen light up, flashing Ian’s name across the middle. He quickly pushed his chair back and he excused himself from the table; he couldn’t and wouldn’t miss this call. There was nothing exciting going on at the table. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he invited her to dinner.
Archer shut his bedroom door with a soft click. “Ian.”
“Arch.”
“Good to know you’re alive.”
“Did you miss me?” he teased.
Archer smiled at his friend’s words and then told him to hurry the fuck up.
“You’re not gonna like it.”
“I’m listening.”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing new?” Archer asked as he paced from one side of his room to the other, mindlessly picking up things and putting them down. “Or nothing, as in the same thing you told me last time?”
“Nothing new. The info you gave me about her father being shot didn’t help, but I’m not out of options.”
Archer wasn’t sure if Adalyn was having a bad dream or it if was true. Adalyn never brought it up, neither did Archer, but he sent the information to Ian in hopes that it would help his search.
“Nope.”
“So you think maybe it has to do with her childhood?”
“Maybe the parents fucked up. WITSEC would want the whole family, especially with her being that young.”
“It could have started with parents,” Archer said his thoughts out loud and continued to think. They could have witnessed a murder, which would land someone in WITSEC if the person they were after were some kind of high profile figure. It made sense.
“I’m not giving up, but I should make you pay for this shit.”
“Business has always been good for you, besides you wouldn’t let me pay anyway.”
“You’re right about that and yes, I’m a lucky son of a bitch.”
Ian wasn’t lying. He had been shot more times than Archer while working. His security jobs get ugly. Archer didn’t know the details, but knew he traveled a lot and Ian was tight lipped over what he did and didn’t do.
“Have you ever thought about asking her?”
“Adalyn?”
Ian raised his voice. “To Protect and Service!”
Archer laughed at him but then thought it might not be a bad idea. He didn’t want anything happen to her, and now that she lived in the same house as Bailey, he’d like to know if they needed any extra precautions in security.
Archer ended his call with Ian and went back out to the girls.
“Maybe we can all go together?” He heard Bailey say and he asked, “Go where?”
He scared them and watched them both jerk in their chair.
“The parade!”
Bailey slid off her chair and ran to him. “Can Adalyn Anderson come to the parade with us?”
“I’d like that,” Archer said, then looked back up to Adalyn when she said, “Sounds like fun.”
Archer insisted he walk Adalyn home aft
er dinner but she refused, so Archer refused to let her help clean up. He had a new plan, one he was sure would earn her trust and eventually, her love. He wanted her, all of her, and after that kiss, he knew. He knew she was the one but it wouldn’t come easy, and it shouldn’t. She was running from someone or something and he had a daughter to take care of. But just the thought of his girls had him smiling. He tucked Bailey into bed, walked around the house and up the stairs to Adalyn. He peered through her cracked open screen door and saw her sitting on top of her island, talking on the phone.
“I know,” she said smiling in to the phone. “It was.”
Archer felt bad about eavesdropping, so he said her name and slightly pushed on the door so she could see him.
Her beautiful smile turned into an awkward one and she said, “I need to go, Madi.” A few seconds later. “Uh. Ok.” She ended the call and put the phone down next to her.
“Is everything okay?” she asked dropping her ankles off the island so they could hang. Her purple shorts were short, riding up her thighs, and he could see her hard nipples through her white tank top.
“We need to talk.”
He walked to the island, pulled her forward by her hips so her ass was on the edge, and stood in between her legs them. “But first…” He cradled her head and breathed in her soft vanilla scent. She didn’t fight it. Her eyes fluttered closed as he gently kissed her lips. He had to be careful because her face still carried some bruises, but the swelling was practically gone. He heard her moan as he deepened the kiss ever so carefully. Her arms went around his waist, pulling him closer. He wanted more and hoped that someday she would give him that, but for now, this was it, after their talk she might revert. She might run from him. Just because she signed the lease doesn’t mean she can’t break it and leave town.
Archer had to stop himself before things went too far. He pulled back and ran his hands through his hair, trying to catch his breath. He heard her heavy breaths as she slid off the island.
“I like the way you kiss me.” Her soft words meant a lot to him.
“I like it when you let me kiss you.”
She pulled her shorts down but it didn’t make that much of a difference. Archer watched her cross both arms against her chest, hiding her nipples that were still hard.
“What’s Bailey doing?”
“Sleeping.”
“Oh.” She shifted nervously on one foot. “So what did you want to talk about?”
Archer noticed that her patio doors were open and the two white chairs were still out there. He reached for her hand, which she happily intertwined their fingers, and they went outside and sat on the cheap plastic chairs.
He loved the view of the lake and promised his mom that someday he would share it with someone. Because Archer was losing hope that he would find that kind of someone to share it with, he decided to turn the attic into an apartment. That way he was still fulfilling his promise to his mom, even though he’d much prefer to share with his wife.
“I have a dock on the lake.” Archer pointed towards the tree. “You’re more than welcome to use it if you like to fish. There’s also a little beach next to it. It’s not much, only a few feet, but it’s something. Bailey loves it.”
“Thank you, Rudd.”
Adalyn was the only person that called him by his first name. He really liked that and he didn’t want her to stop. Ever. He wanted to know what his name sounded like when he was inside of her, making her come.
“I’m sure that’s not what you wanted to talk about though.”
Archer leaned forward and got back on subject. He looked at her; she had pulled her legs up on the chair, holding them, and staring off at the lake.
“I did a background check on you when you applied for the apartment. It’s standard. I would have done that to anyone who applied to rent the place.”
He watched her reaction. She did good pretending it didn’t bother her, but she tensed up at his words.
“No credit. Not one thing. No hits. It was like looking at a blank piece of paper. I’m good at my job Adalyn, and it was an immediate red flag for me considering your age. It bothered me, so I ran your prints.”
She flinched. “You did what?” she said placing her feet on the ground, squinting at him and tilting her head to get a better look.
“I ran your prints.”
“Why?” She seemed frightened, gripping on to her chair so tight that the veins in her hand were popping out.
“I was curious. I know everyone in town, what they do, where they come from. It’s my job to keep people safe.”
She tried to stand but Archer said, “I’m not done.”
She huffed, barely sitting on the edge of the chair still glaring at him. “You stole my prints!”
“I didn’t steal them. You live in my house.”
“I can’t believe you!”
“Look, I figured you were running from an ex. An abusive ex. A bad situation. If that’s the case, you’d need to start over. Fresh. I get that. But now I have Bailey.” She softened up a little more and she finally sat back in her chair. “You following me?”
She thought about it for a few seconds then finally said, “Yah, I’m following you.”
“I have a friend.”
“Friend?” Adalyn’s eyebrows shot up at this, he could see her mind working a million miles a minute to see what this has to do with my revelation.
“His name is Ian, he works in security.”
She finally turned her head to glare at Archer. “What does that have to me with me?”
“He has access to things I don’t.”
”What kind of things?”
”Wish I knew.” Archer laughed at his dry comment.
“I’m confused.”
“He found the article of the three people who died in a car crash. Linked it back to you. I know your real name is Adalyn Nielson, and twenty-four years old. What he couldn’t find was anything prior to you being five-years old. Those records are sealed.”
Immediately all of the color drained from Adalyn’s face and fear overtook her features, her eyes widening as she processed what exactly he was saying. She jumped out of her chair, which made it fall back and she kicked it trying to get off the patio. Archer grabbed her hand. “Adalyn.”
“Let me go,” she said shaking her arm but Rudd’s grip stayed firm.
“No.”
She turned and stared him down with her blue eyes, but if you looked close enough you could tell one was darker, the one that had the green eye under the blue contact. “You had no right!”
“It’s my job,” he said firmly and let go of her hand.
She stomped off into the apartment and Archer followed as she went to her room.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said pulling out a brown suitcase from under the bed. “I wasn’t prepared for anyone to find out. They never told me how to handle this kind of situation!” She flipped it opened and stared inside the empty suitcase and Archer stood at her door, watching. He was also blocking it so she couldn’t leave even if she tried. “I don’t want to leave Madi. Or the store. I like my job.” Her voiced turned brittle and Archer felt her pain.
“I’ll help you, Adalyn.”
She snapped her head up. “Help me what? Run away? Get me another identity. Make me go through all this shit again!” She wiped the few tears that had fallen on her cheeks.
“I’ll take care of you; protect you from whatever or whoever it is that you need protection from. However, in order for this to work, you have to be honest with me. I need to know what the fuck is going on.”
“Sounds like you already know it all.” She shoved the suitcase onto the floor and sat on her bed with her back to Archer.
Archer went and sat next to her and began to pour his heart out.
“I know what I want Adalyn, and that’s you. I’m impatient and stubborn. I act before I think, and this is probably the worst timing because of Bailey…but it will work.”
“I don’t know what to say, Rudd.”
“Don’t say anything, just listen…God gave me everything I wanted all at once, and there’s not a chance in hell I’m walking away from either of you.”
“You deserve to be happy, Rudd.”
“So do you,” he paused and she said nothing, just continued to stare at her hands, “I don’t play games. I want you. You’re staying.”
“What if I don’t want to stay?’ she said turning her head to meet his eyes.
“Trust me baby, the way you kiss me, you are definitely staying.”
She gasped and her eyebrows shot up.
“No point it fighting it.” He stood, and pushed the suitcase back under her bed with his foot. He leaned down, kissed her forehead, and said, “I’ll let you sleep on it.”
“I have to know by morning?”
Archer stopped at her door. “I told you I’m impatient.”
“Ahhh!” she cried out in frustration making Archer turn around.
“Do you feel safe?”
“Huh?”
“Safe. Do you feel safe here in my house? At work or hanging out with Madi? We all look out for each other in this town.”
“Yes,” she said clearly agitated. “But you were not part of the plan and I don’t have to stay.”
“Why would you want to leave and take that chance?”
“My parents told me not to tell anyone.”
“You didn’t,” he stressed.
She walked past him and went to the fridge. She pulled out a pink glass bottle, opened it, and took a hefty swig. “I’ll sleep on it,” she said setting the bottle on the island.
Archer went to her, lifted her ass up on the counter, and whispered in her ear, “Just remember this.” Archer kissed her hard and fierce. She gave it right back. This time though, he ran his hands up and over her tank top, cupping one of her breasts in his hand. She moaned, pressed into him harder, and even wrapped a leg around his waist. His cock throbbed in his jeans as he rubbed against her. That made them both moan and Archer wanted to desperately pull his cock out and slip it inside her. He wouldn’t though, as much as he wanted to, he would wait. She needed to get used to the idea.
She was definitely staying.
Adalyn broke the kiss, pushing at his chest. “You need to leave,” she said fighting for air.
