Loyal Subjects

by Eva Charles

Mark was curled around me when the alarm went off at 5:15. It was early, but he liked to say a proper good-bye before he left my bed for the spare room. Teddy normally stayed asleep until seven, but when Mark was in the house, his waking time was more erratic.

  “I hate this.”

  “What?” I mumbled, half-asleep.

  “Sneaking out of your bedroom, like we’re doing something bad. I don’t like it.”

  “He’s a little boy.”

  “So what? What harm would it be if he knew I slept here? It’s not like we’re going to show him a video of what a dirty girl his mother is.” He pinched my backside.

  “Owww! It’s too early for me to think straight. I’ll tell you in a couple hours.”

  He flipped me on my back, rearing over me, his erection long and thick. “You’re not the flavor of the week. I love you, Emmie,” he murmured as he slid inside me.

  I enjoyed morning sex. It was different than other sex—unrushed, warm from sleep, and affectionate. But today, it was all that, and more, as if someone had injected it with a mega-dose of steroids.

  Our legs tangled as Mark rolled his hips in a steady rhythm. Controlled and unhurried. Letting our arousal bloom at its own pace.

  “Open your eyes, Sunshine.” He swept the ringlets off my face. “Let me see you.” He rocked slow and deep, consuming me completely, as my arousal grew. His eyes locked onto mine for long, white-hot minutes, demanding my complete surrender. The emotion enveloping us in a dense thick cloud.

  “I love you, Mark,” I whispered, before an almost painful, free-fall off the edge. My body trembled long after he finished, and I struggled to find my breath.

  “Don’t make me leave you,” he murmured into the very spot on my shoulder where it meets my neck. His breath tickled the sensitive skin, and I shivered.

  “You can’t stay,” I pleaded.

  His body tightened over me, into an unyielding, rigid mass. “I’ll go as soon as my legs can move again.”

  Mark

  First, she kicked me out of her bed, then she made applesauce pancakes, total posers, with some kind of low-sugar, fake maple syrup shit. It was not shaping up to be a good day.

  “Cardboard cereal or applesauce pancakes. Where does a guy get a real breakfast around here?” I muttered under my breath so Teddy couldn’t hear.

  “I want you to be healthy,” she said.

  “Really? Maybe we could start with you letting me stay in bed until a decent hour.”

  She didn’t say anything, so I took my coffee and bad attitude to the table and sat beside Teddy.

  “Did you sleep in Mom’s room?” he asked out of nowhere.

  Emmie gasped, and froze at the stove.

  But I’d turn my law degree in if I couldn’t stay one step ahead of a seven-year-old. “Why do you ask?”

  “When I went to the bathroom in the night, there was snoring in Mom’s room.”

  Emily still hadn’t budged.

  “Snoring, huh?” I paused for a minute to form a strategy. “I guess you’re probably old enough to be let in on a little secret.”

  “No!” She spun around and faced me. “No,” she pleaded.

  “Relax. Trust me.” I turned back to Teddy. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but your mom snores. Not every night, but once in a while. Big ole shake the entire house snores. The kind you can hear all the way over at the neighbor’s house. I’m surprised they haven’t been over to complain.” And then I proceeded to demonstrate until Teddy had milk coming out of his nose, and Emmie was doubled-over laughing.

  Crisis averted. Or was it?

  She came over and squeezed my shoulder. But I didn’t look at her. I was annoyed. Annoyed she put us in this position. Annoyed she had me sneaking around like a damn criminal. Annoyed she was making me eat applesauce pancakes. Just plain annoyed.

  After breakfast, while Teddy got dressed, she snaked her arms around me, her fingers massaging my stomach. “Thank you for covering. That was genius.”

  Normally, I would have told her she owed me. Slid her hands lower. Begged for it. But right now, even my dick was annoyed. I pulled out of her embrace. Something I’d never done before.

  “It’s the last time I come that close to telling him a lie. Either we sleep together all night—no explanations, no apologies, like adults who love and respect each other—or I stop spending the night. Your call.”

  25

  Emmie

  Mark called before I left for work to tell me Sophie delivered a healthy baby boy during the night. They named him Griffin, after Max’s mother. “I stopped by the hospital this morning and they’re both doing great. He’s a handsome kid. We make good-looking kids in our family. Smart too.”

  I laughed. “When is she going home?”

  “She’s trying to convince the doctor to let her go home today. But the doctor wants her to stay another day. They were discussing it when I left. But I don’t put it past Sophie to leave against medical advice, if the doctor doesn’t come around to see things her way. She’s like that.”

  “I’m sure she’ll do whatever she thinks is best for the baby. How’s Max?”

  “Max was with Lily when I got there, but apparently, he’s pretty stoked.”

  “I’ll stop by to see them as soon as she’s up to visitors.”

  “I’m going over the day after tomorrow. I can swing by and pick up you and Teddy on my way.”

  “It’s not exactly on your way. But I’d love to go with you, if you think she wouldn’t mind. Although, I’m not sure about Teddy.”

  “Why not? Does he have a hot date or something?”

  “He’s a germy little kid. They’re not usually welcome around newborns.”

  “He’s with me. That makes him part of the family. Besides, Max and Sophie already have a little germball.”

  “Please check with Sophie and make sure it’s okay.”

  “Fine. But it’s definitely okay. More than okay.”

  I picked up some nice hand lotion for Sophie and an adorable outfit for the baby. It was hard to believe my big boy ever fit into anything that size. Teddy was ecstatic about visiting the baby, and insisted we go to the toy store and buy him a real present.

  “What if Griffin doesn’t like outfits?” Teddy asked. “I think he would like a toy better. Maybe he’ll cry when he sees the outfit.” He said the word outfit in the way I would say dead skunk.

  We went to the toy store and Teddy picked out a stuffed bear for Griffin. “I think he’ll love this, Mom. He’s just a baby. I think the Turtles would be too scary for him.”

  The bear reminded me a lot of the one that slept at the foot of Teddy’s bed. At least that’s where the little bear was when I kissed my son good-night. But it often migrated up to the pillow by the time I checked on him before I went to bed.

  “Maybe we should get Lily a present, too,” Teddy said. “So she’s not sad.”

  “That’s a great idea. I love how kind and thoughtful you are.”

  “Don’t need to hurt anyone’s feelings,” he said.

  Mark picked us up and we went over to Sophie and Max’s. Or Lily and Griff’s, as Teddy called it.

  “You brought the baby some beer?” I asked Mark.

  “It’s a present for Max. Sophie’s been pregnant, so he hasn’t been allowed to drink. I doubt she lets him keep beer in the fridge anyway. The only booze in that apartment is probably chardonnay, and those nasty coolers she drinks.”

  “I think you might be exaggerating, just a little.”

  “Maybe a little. But Max will appreciate the beer.”

  “What’s in the bag?” Teddy peered into a shopping bag on the backseat beside him. “It looks like presents.”

  “I got the baby a little something.”

  “An outfit?” he asked, skeptically.

  “Uh. No.” Mark looked almost as horrified as Teddy had when I showed him the onesie.

  “It looks like a lot of presents.”

  “One for Griff, one for Lil
y, and one for…hmmm. I can’t remember who the last one is for. Oh yeah, it’s for Teddy.”

  “For me?” I heard the surprise in Teddy’s voice, and swiveled to look in the backseat, at the little face filed with excitement.

  “For you. You can open it when we get there.”

  “Gifts for all the kids, huh?” I reached over, and squeezed his thigh.

  “Don’t need to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

  My heart clenched tightly. In the months he’d been a part of our lives, Mark had left an indelible stamp on my child. And on me. He was exactly the kind of man I wanted my son to grow up to be.

  “Everything okay, Sunshine?” He squeezed my hand.

  “Perfect.”

  When we got to Sophie and Max’s, we oohed and ahhed over Griffin. He was sweet and precious, with a strong grip and a healthy cry. Sophie let Mark and I take turns holding him, while Teddy taught Lily how to do the princess puzzle he picked out for her.

  I caught Mark gazing at me while I held the baby, his eyes soft and warm. The intimacy left me reeling. But it was nothing like the emotion that swept over me when he held the baby. The contrast between the tiny human being and the hulking man who exuded strength and power was staggering. But he was so gentle, as I knew he could be, cooing softly, murmuring sweet nothings to Griff. I was so overcome with emotion I had to look away.

  The next few months flew by in an excitement-filled blur. The holidays came and went, and the Hawks made it to the big game. Jake was named MVP. I felt as if it were a small consolation for him, especially with Sal reminding us to stay alert. There wasn’t enough tangible evidence to accuse Sonny Smith, the owner who was believed to be responsible for setting up Jake. Sonny essentially escaped unscathed, and Sal expected him to take another shot at the Hawks during the off-season. He drilled it into our heads at every executive’s meeting.

  26

  Emmie

  “I have to be in New York on Friday for the draft. Come with me,” Mark said.

  “You’ll be working.”

  “Very little. And I think you can find something to do. It is New York.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “It’ll be like work for you, too. You’ll get to see how the players come into the league.”

  “That’s weak, Mark. What about Teddy? Ruth’s going to balk. She’s been so unhappy lately, even he’s noticed it. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to leave him with her for an entire weekend.”

  “I don’t think so either. I made a different plan.”

  “You made a plan for the weekend? For Teddy?”

  “Don’t get your panties in a twist. It’s not set in stone. If you don’t like my plan, we can scrap it. But it is brilliant.”

  “Fine. Let’s hear it.” Did I have a choice?

  “Don’t sound so enthusiastic.”

  “I’m still waiting.”

  “Owen will be on spring break, and he’s visiting the week of the draft. Alexa wanted him to come before the baby’s born. So they could do some big kid things.”

  I knew exactly where this was headed.

  “How about if Teddy spends a couple nights with them? Owen’s a great kid. Teddy loves him. And he’s slept there plenty of times.”

  “Not without me.”

  “Cole is a trauma surgeon, and Alexa is a social worker and a lawyer. There’s nothing he could need that they couldn’t give him. Splinter removal, counseling, representation during an arraignment—you name it, they’ve got it covered.”

  “I don’t know. A whole weekend. What if he’s unhappy at night?”

  “It’s three and a half-hours away. We’ll drive. That way, we can jump in the car and come home if we need to. But we won’t need to. You know as well as I do that he’s not going to be unhappy, or miss you.”

  “I guess I’m just a superfluous part of his life. Thanks.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Mark.”

  “I want you to be by my side during the weekend. And we need this.”

  Another challenge.

  “We’ll leave here after school on Friday, and we’ll leave New York after brunch on Sunday. There won’t be traffic and you’ll be back mid-afternoon. No school Monday, and he’ll be all rested before Tuesday.”

  My head was in a fog. “This isn’t fair. I feel like you’re always throwing down these gauntlets, and if I don’t pick them up, the relationship is over. They’re like tests to assess the extent of my loyalty and commitment.”

  “Is that what you think? That the relationship will be over if you don’t come to New York with me?”

  I shrugged, but of course, he couldn’t see it through the phone.

  “If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. Will I be disappointed? Yeah, I’ll be a little bitch for an hour or three, and then I’ll get over it. Relationships are about compromise. I’m not going to bail because of a small hiccup. You need to readjust your thinking.”

  He sounded almost insulted, or maybe aghast. Fear gripped me, and I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t say anything.

  “Regardless of what you decide, I’m not going anywhere, Sunshine. But I’d like you to think about it, before you dismiss the idea. Maybe talk to Alexa.”

  One of the things I loved most about Alexa was that she was a rock. Steady and reliable. Her feet were always planted firmly on the ground. She had become my closest friend, and a sounding board about my overprotective tendencies with Teddy. I trusted her.

  When I called her about Mark’s plan, she patiently combed through every contingency with me, until I was all talked out. Have I mentioned she had the patience of a saint?

  “I think a grown-up weekend away would be so good for you,” Alexa urged. “We’ll take care of Teddy, and if he seems upset, I’ll call you. I promise. Besides, Cole and I will need some time away in the future, and I plan on dumping this little love bug on you when we do.”

  After I agreed to go to New York with Mark, Ella and Cassie took me shopping for an evening gown. They were two very different creatures, but they each oozed a sense of high style that I didn’t know much about. Cassie preferred understated and well-cut dresses in rich fabrics, and Ella…well, Ella was Ella.

  Without too much trouble, we found the perfect dress that didn’t break the bank, and I was almost giddy. I had owned exactly two gowns in my life: the one I wore for my wedding, and the one Ruth bought me for Tim’s senior prom. The minute I tried it on, we all agreed it was it. The dress was elegant and sexy, without screaming sex. I knew Mark would love it on me.

  But much to their disappointment, I refused to buy the shoes Cassie and Ella swooned over. I loved them, too. They were stunning, but when I saw the price tag, I slipped them off my feet and put them back in the box. There was absolutely no way I was spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of shoes. I didn’t care that they were twenty percent off. The price was still staggering.

  “Oh, come on, Emmie, live a little,” Ella urged. “Take the trip, eat the cake, and for God’s sake, buy the shoes. Always buy the shoes.”

  But I didn’t.

  Nevertheless, the shoes showed up two days later at my house with a note: We couldn’t resist. They’re perfect with the dress, just like you and Teddy are perfect for Mark. Love, Cassie and Ella. P.S. Take lots of pictures.

  I shook my head. Cassie and Ella both worked full-time, but they didn’t work for the money. They worked because a work ethic had been ingrained in them. Same as Mark, really.

  I told Alexa about the gift. Asked her whether she had any thoughts.

  “I completely get where you’re coming from,” Alexa said. “But keep the shoes. And take pictures wearing them. It will make Cassie and Ella squeal with happiness. Try not to think of it from your perspective. For them, sending you designer shoes is the equivalent of you buying Kiehl’s hand lotion for Sophie. A small splurge that you know she’ll enjoy. It’s all about perspective, Emmie.”

  “It blows my mind.”

&nb
sp; “Cassie is a sweetheart, and so is Ella, but she’s tough, and not all that trusting of outsiders. Especially when it comes to her family. Take it as a sign she adores you.”

  It still blew my mind.

  We arrived in New York on Friday evening, checked into the over-the-top room Mark booked, and went out for a quiet, romantic dinner at a neighborhood restaurant on the Upper West Side. When we got back to the hotel, someone had lit a fire in our room, which helped chase the nip from the early spring air. A chilled bottle of pink champagne was also waiting for us.

  We spent hours talking and making love in front of the fire. It was well after three by the time we made it to the bed, where we loved each other some more.

  It was that night, I knew, beyond any lingering doubt, I didn’t just love Mark for my son. I loved him for myself.

  27

  Mark

  My phone went off at nine twenty Saturday morning. The shades were drawn, and the room was pitch-black. We’d slept so little it felt like the middle of the night.

  It was Cole, and he didn’t bother with pleasantries. “The Department of Children and Families came to the house bright and early this morning. They had a lot of questions. They tried to reach Emmie last night, and again this morning, but she didn’t answer her phone. The social workers insisted on taking Teddy to their office. Alexa went with them. I have Owen, and we’re on our way, as soon as I get off the phone. I called Luke and Will.”

  I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Say it again. One more time.”

  “DCF came to the house this morning. Someone filed a complaint, alleging neglect and abandonment against Emmie. They haven’t been able to reach her.”

  I couldn’t think straight. It was as if my brain were covered in thick muck. “And where’s Teddy?”

  “What? What’s going on?” Emmie shrieked.

  “Put me on speaker,” Cole demanded. “Emmie, it’s Cole. Teddy’s fine. Someone filed a complaint against you, alleging abandonment and neglect. The Department of Children and Families has been trying to reach you. Alexa and Teddy went with the social workers. They need to talk to him. Luke and Will are on their way over there. As is Sophie.”

  “We’re on our way. Keep us posted. Call my phone.” I ended the call.