Given

by Ashlynn Monroe

  “Sorry, I just—if you get knocked up, I hope it’s mine,” Mal said, grinning.

  Oddly, she found his declaration reassuring. If she had his son, maybe he’d let her keep him. Another prang of hope filled her, but she quickly snuffed it out, afraid to give into the idea she could honestly be happy with them. She gave him a small, tight smile. When she looked back at Brax, his darkly furrowed brow turned her smile into a frown.

  “I’m sure we’d all like to father your first child, but only one of us can,” said Brax.

  Krista agreed, but said nothing. She’d really have no choice one way or the other; all of those decisions belonged to the men.

  “I’ll know if it’s mine.” DeAnthony laughed, slapping his hands together. They all looked at him, and Krista couldn’t help the little bark of hysterical laughter.

  “Okay, can we talk about something that doesn’t make me feel crazy?” Krista pleaded.

  They all grumbled and Brax held out his hand. She took it, conceding not to run and hide. Everyone except Damon went into the game room to surf the web for women’s clothing. Krista was surprised to see Max joining the group, but said nothing. Jared turned on the computer and they all piled onto the large “L” shaped sofa in the center of the room.

  At first, the guys sat quietly as she picked out a few conservative dresses and couple of pairs of jeans. She ordered four plain, brightly colored t-shirts. Then they paged to a screen with leopard print items and Mal insisted she order a low-cut dress in the print. After that, it was a free for all. Most of her men had a different type of clothing they wanted to see her wear. She had to keep biting her tongue. Their picks were totally not on her wish list, but she wasn’t paying and she’d chosen the items she wanted. If they wanted to buy her more clothing than she’d owned since she was a child, she wasn’t going to complain.

  Brax hadn’t picked anything out yet. Then the screen changed to an assortment of evening gowns. She was going to click the mouse to the next page when Brax leaned over, his hand taking hers, and pushed the mouse to a royal purple dress in the middle of the page. The long, A-line dress was simple and had spaghetti straps to hold it up. The bodice of the dress was dotted with sequins, but the rest of it was simple silk. He clicked buy.

  “What are you picking that for?” Max asked.

  “I like it,” replied Braxton.

  “It’s not like we’re going to be taking her to dinner or the prom,” Max scoffed.

  “Don’t care, I like it.”

  When Brax turned to look her in her face, she held her breath. She liked him far more than she should allow herself to. In six months, she could find herself with another group of men, or deemed mysteriously infertile and returned back to the protection facility.

  “I like it too,” she said quietly, replying to his unspoken question. He smiled.

  Mal grabbed the mouse from under their hands, breaking the connection she and Brax were privately sharing.

  “Now this is what I’m talkin’ about.” He chuckled and Krista gasped when she looked at the screen. The model on the screen wore a black latex bodysuit and held a whip. There were several outfits on the screen, all of them made of shiny latex.

  “Oh, no, no, not a chance,” Krista shouted, shaking her head.

  “I’m just playing with you…maybe,” Mal said. He was leaning between her and Brax. Mal winked and leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss on her mouth. She was shocked by the abrupt display of affection and didn’t know how to respond. Brax pushed him back; his grumpy expression told her exactly what he thought of his exuberant friend’s actions.

  “Do they make a boy’s version of that in your size, Mal? You’d look awesome. You could put it on and run around the house. We’d hear all that plastic squeaking everywhere you went and know you were coming. I vote we order one for you,” said Krista.

  Jared laughed so hard he had to catch himself before he fell off the chair. “We need to show her one of your comedy DVDs, I think you might have met your match!”

  Mal glared at his younger friend. Brax joined in the laughter. He put his arm around Krista, and she stiffened a moment before relaxing into his possessive hold.

  “How come you get to have your arm around her, man?” DeAnthony questioned. Krista was alarmed to hear real annoyance in his voice. More strife, she didn’t want another second of tension, but she doubted it was avoidable given their situation.

  “We drew lots. It’s my day. Tomorrow is Max’s, and the day after is yours. On our day, if Krista accepts, I say she’s ours to hold. That means keep your lips to yourself, Mal.”

  The funny man scowled. “Fine, but I might spend all of Thursday just kissing her if I have to bottle it up.”

  Krista didn’t have any idea how to respond to that. Brax turned to look at her again. “What do you say, Kristannie?”

  “If you promise to quit bickering, I say yes.”

  “You heard the lady—can it, boys. Jared, lighten the mood and put in Mal’s new comedy special. I haven’t seen it yet.”

  “I don’t think…” Mal started saying.

  “Oh, she needs to know how you plan to pay for all these clothes. I used your credit card number.”

  “Let’s watch the show from last spring. I think she’d enjoy that one more,” Mal said quickly.

  “What’s up?” Jared asked, raising his eyebrow as he looked at his nervous friend.

  “Damn it. Okay, don’t get mad. I made a couple of jokes about winning the lottery. Remember, my audience is full of guys. Most of them can’t even participate in the lottery,” Mal replied quietly.

  “That bad, huh?” Jared questioned, unhelpfully.

  “Just remember, I don’t have a trust fund, just a sense of humor and the smarts to know my audience. Are you going to be cool with this, Krista?” Mal looked worried as he asked the question.

  “I don’t know. How bad is it, really?”

  “Bad.”

  “Oh, now I’m too curious not to watch. Roll the show, boys,” Krista demanded. Jared pressed play.

  Thunderous applause resounded as Mal confidently walked onto a stage. Many of the men in the audience stood; the clapping didn’t even end when Mal motioned for the audience to have a seat. He took a drink of water, paused, motioned again for the men to sit, drank more water, and grabbed the microphone. The men finally calmed down and began to sit.

  “Wow, you guys are fantastic. I see my agent went around handing out twenties again. Thanks, Morrie—you rock. Hey guys, tonight I’ve mixed it up, everything coming out of my mouth is fresh.” He put his hand up and huffed out a breath, sniffing as if he were checking his breath. “Yep, the mints are working too. Okay, fresh breath Mal coming at you.”

  Mal danced around ridiculously on the stage. Krista was already smiling.

  “I’ve been in the lotto a while now and I’m starting to think I’m never going to get laid. Our least favorite uncle, Uncle Sam, likes to keep all the goodies locked up. Most of you haven’t even seen the form. Damn that order form surprised me. I didn’t see a box that let me chose ‘mute’, but hell if I’m lucky enough to win, she won’t be able to talk with all the cock in her mouth anyway.” The audience chortled. “Seriously, I can’t believe they keep all those tasty snacks locked up, when all we want is one bite. Am I right?” A couple of the men in the audience hooted loudly. “Oh yeah, brother, shout it out. I don’t even care if she’s pretty. If they send me an ug-o I’ve come prepared.”

  He picked something up he’d left hidden behind the stool where his water sat. Krista realized it was a paper bag.

  He opened it and put it over his head. On the front was the face of a beautiful blond woman with her eyes cut out. Mal reached up and she realized a slit in the mask’s mouth was open. “Insert cock here,” he said in a high, squeaky voice.

  The men in the audience roared with laughter. One man in the audience whistled loudly.

  Mal quickly took off the bag. “I’d better take that off before any of yo
u get ideas. These days, even I’d look sexy in a dress.”

  More loud waves of laughter rolled from the spectators.

  “Seriously guys, they don’t have to make them pretty, just naked. Am I right?”

  The audience clapped and hooted.

  “My pal writes that popular Chained and Naked series. Give it up for my man, Braxton Bray.” The audience clapped. “If you haven’t read these books, they’re fantastic. I’d love to have a woman chain me up and rape me any day of the week. I never understood how they called that punishment in the books. If there was an alternate reality machine and I took a ride into one of those novels, it’d be called ‘Mal Does Dallas, and Monique, and Jasmine, and Beth, and…’ you get the picture.”

  More hooting floated up from the fixated audience.

  “I doubt I’d be faithful if the world was populated with hot, horny women. I’d drop draws and get me a big glowing arrow and point it south with the words ‘free sample’ written in neon.”

  Krista stood up. “I think I’ve seen enough. I can see why they didn’t stock your routines in the movie library.” She started to leave the room and then paused. “Ah, screw it.” She marched over to him and slugged him hard in the arm. He flinched. “Now you can tell them all you’ve been hit by a girl when they see your face. Ha!” She stomped out of the room.

  “I warned you guys,” she heard him say sadly, just before she slammed the door shut.

  “Krista, wait up,” Max called. She was surprised, but stopped and turned to look at him.

  “So guys sit around making jokes about women all day? Super. I’m not trying to be a Grumpy Gus here, but that really irritates me. Does Mal really think all the women left want to live locked away in a high security prison? We don’t get a say in how ‘good-looking’ our six are either. I—”

  He put his fingers gently on Krista’s lips. The contact surprised her so much she stopped ranting.

  “I know what it feels like to have things out of your control and have the assholes mock you at the same time. Fuckin’ sucks. Just don’t be mad at Mal. He made that recording six months ago. He had no idea he’d win the lotto. He also didn’t know you. The woman he was joking about wasn’t you, Krista. Mal was just as pissed as the guys in the audience that the world has become what it is. This is his way, and his audience’s way, to feel like they have some kind of choice or power. I didn’t know what was on the DVD. He tried to warn us.”

  “Why do you care if I’m pissed off?” She really had no clue. Since the moment she’d met the man, he’d been nothing but a beast with her.

  “I just wanted to return the favor from last night. No one likes to have someone rain on their pissed parade, but I’m raining on yours. You can’t let this make you bitter and angry. I know you feel like you’re up shit creek without a paddle right now, but give us some time. We have a lot to adjust to. Most of our lives, we’ve existed without the softness of a woman in the house. It’s not the same being around a woman. Don’t walk away. Go back in there and keep watching. See if there’s something redeeming in Mal’s comedy.” He blew out a deep huffing breath. “God knows I’m the first one wanting to hit the little fuck, but he’s a good guy. Let’s get back in there.”

  “Women are people too, even if we’re treated more like pets these days. What do you mean about it not being ‘the same’ around a woman?”

  “The things we think are funny or interesting might not be the same for you. Obsolete feminism aside, admit it, men and women think differently.” He spoke quietly.

  Her lips compressed into a tight line and she crossed her arms over her chest. She hated to admit that he was partially right. Feminism wasn’t obsolete, only put on hold until there were enough women in the world to reclaim it, but men and women did think differently. She glared at him and he glared back. Challenging him on his newfound facing-of-tough-situations, she held out her hand. He looked at it and then back in her eyes. Max took her hand, squeezing it firmly, but not painfully. She let go of the breath she’d been holding, shrugged, and followed him back into the game room.

  The routine was still playing. None of the men laughed. They all sat tensely, especially Mal, as she sat back down. She reluctantly released Max’s hand, but not before giving it a little squeeze and smiling up at him. He nodded. Even if she was pissed off at Mal, she was happy Max had taken the opportunity to open up a little. Sighing, she watched the DVD with her men. A few moments later, she chuckled as he cracked a joke about the government that had nothing to do with women. A few more jokes had her laughing, snorting even. The men seemed to relax and they began to chuckle or laugh at the appropriate times. By the time Mal was waving goodbye to his audience’s standing ovation, Krista felt better. He was funny.

  Mal glanced over at her nervously and rubbed his arm.

  “Sorry that I hit you, but only a little sorry,” she stated, grinning at him.

  “Apology accepted. I’ve learned my lesson about disparaging your people.”

  She nodded. “I just don’t personally want to wind up as part of your comedy routine.”

  “Don’t worry, for security and my own protection, I’m not about to say a word. There are a lot of guys out there who’d kill for one night with you in their bed, literally.”

  Krista shivered, remembering she’d never be free.

  “I’ll be steering clear of women jokes, unless I have your permission of course.”

  “Of course,” she agreed.

  “I’m glad that’s settled,” Jared said, slouching back on the couch. “Geesh, I didn’t know a little woman could kick big ol’ Mal’s ass so hard.” He grinned at the shorter man when he finished teasing.

  “Am I going to live, doctor?” Mal questioned, still rubbing his arm.

  “Unfortunately,” Jared replied, ducking as a pillow came sailing from Mal’s direction. “Violence is not the answer.”

  Mal rolled his eyes. Krista’s mood improved.

  They turned off the DVD player. The TV came onto a commercial for fishing equipment. “I haven’t watched television since I was little. I remember a few cartoons, oh and the puppet show with the monsters. I liked that one. We were allowed a weekly movie night, but the movies were bland. I’d love to see what kind of shows are popular now.”

  Mal groaned. “TV will just piss you off again.”

  “What do you mean?” Krista raised her eyebrow.

  “I mean you’ll be annoyed. Ninety-nine percent of the viewing audience is male.”

  He flipped to the guide and she realized what he meant. Everything seemed to be a sporting event or crime drama. Krista took the remote. She flipped it to a kid’s channel. A string of commercials for boy’s toys played. She turned off the television.

  “Don’t look so sad. There are lots of books you might like, and movies from before, we’ll go online and order those too,” DeAnthony suggested helpfully.

  “I’m not mad. It’s just so— I realize that there is no place in the world for women anymore.” Then she remembered the email addresses in the book her guardians had given her. “Can I have an email address? My teachers gave me their email addresses. I’d love to let them know I’m okay.”

  The men exchanged nervous looks.

  “I promise not to tell them anything that might get any of you in any kind of trouble. I’m used to being surrounded by women and womanly things. It’s really hard to realize I’m in a world without any of that now.”

  “I’ll set you up with one. Then we’ll give you some privacy,” Brax told her. She gave him a big happy smile.

  “I’ll be right back.” Krista jumped up and ran upstairs to grab her book. When she returned to the game room they’d already set her up with her own email.

  “You are now the proud owner of the email LadyKrista@cityweb.com. Will that work for you?”

  “Love it, thanks. Okay, show me what to do. They didn’t let us use the internet. I think they were afraid we might learn something about the world.”

  �
��What do you have there?” Mal queried.

  “This was a going away gift. My guardians were somewhat second mothers to me. I was there longer than many girls were, because my mother was alone and didn’t have any family to claim me. I was one of the first girls in our region placed under government protection. The foster care system basically automatically reverted to the protection facilities due to the fact most foster mothers had died and, in the chaos, they didn’t want to place girls with non-biological male caregivers.” She opened the cover and began showing them pictures.

  “This is Cina, she’s my best friend. I really miss her. Maybe I can get one of the guardians to give her my email address. If she has a kind six, I hope she’ll be able to message me.” Krista spoke quickly, excitedly. The idea to have Cina in her life hadn’t occurred to her until now.

  Brax showed her how to compose, edit, and send a message. He showed her how to read a message she received and how to delete old mail. She felt her first true freedom. Granted, they’d created her address and her password, but Brax showed her how to change the current password.

  “You have my promise that you can have some level of privacy here. We have a responsibility to protect you. If you don’t do anything foolish, this is at least one small way you can have to reach outside of this house. I don’t want you to feel imprisoned, this is your home.”

  “Thanks, thank you all, I just…this really means a lot to me.”

  “Let’s give Krista some space,” Brax suggested.

  They nodded and grumbled, leaving the room as a group, and she stared at the blank message, wondering where to begin. She had a feeling every message would be scrutinized by the people who could take her away, so she had to be very careful; there were no guarantees that only her guardians would see the mail.

  She sent three messages. They were all very similar. Each assured her friends that she was fine, told them she was doing her best to adjust to a man’s world, and pleaded for them to give Cina her email address. After hitting send each time, she waited anxiously for a response. Looking at the clock, she realized the recipients would be busy at this time of day. Frowning, she turned off the computer and left the game room.