by M. O. Kenyan
Rich took a gulp of his iced tea, wishing he could take one of the ice cubes swirling in his glass and put it in his boxers. He snapped out of his desire-driven haze when Lisette’s laughter rang in the air. But the look on Catalella’s face told him that she didn’t find the same amusement in whatever she had told Lisette. He watched for a few minutes, then saw Lisette’s back go rigid. His curiosity grew even more as he watched the very pregnant woman stomp in his direction, a scowl on her face. He yelped when she grabbed him by the ear, pulling him down to her five foot four inches and dragging him along and into the house.
“What the hell was that for?” Rich moaned. He was about to say something else when Lisette’s angry gaze silenced him. Just then Reno walked in and he sighed in relief. Reno would decipher whatever was wrong with his pregnant other half.
“Why did you do that, Lisette?” Reno asked. But Lisette didn’t answer, her fingers were balled into fists on her hips and her foot tapped the floor impatiently as her head shook each time she opened her mouth to speak.
Rich lifted his gaze to see Catalella walk in and that was when it dawned on him. He didn’t know the exact cause of Lisette’s anger but he knew it had to be in relation to whatever Catalella had told her.
“Pregnant women are very sensitive,” Lisette finally bellowed out. “What is wrong with you? My sister is beautiful.”
“I know that,” Rich stated, growing nervous when AJ and Katherine entered the room.
“Then why won’t you make love to her?”
Rich was shocked and he was sure the expression on his face conveyed the same emotion. He looked up at Catalella and saw her eyes saucer-wide and pleading. A flash of anger coursed through him, but it was immediately doused when he realized how insensitive he’d been. Catalella must have thought that he didn’t find her sexually attractive anymore.
“It’s perfectly normal for a new father to be nervous,” Katherine explained. “But don’t worry. I’ve been checking Catalella every day for the past two months and she’s perfectly capable of sexual intercourse.”
“What did you say?” Rich asked.
“It’s safe to have sex.”
“Not that. What do you mean you’ve been checking her every day for the past two months?” When he didn’t get an answer he went on. “Is something wrong with Catalella and my baby?”
“No, they’re perfectly healthy. We’ve been listening to the baby’s heartbeat to put mom at ease.” Katherine put in.
“I wanted to make sure…” Rich could hear the fright in Catalella’s voice. She was making sure that the baby was still there, still alive, every single day as if she expected something to happen.
“So sex is safe?” Rich asked Katherine. Once the doctor nodded in agreement he marched toward his girlfriend or lover or baby momma…he wasn’t sure what she was just yet. He took her hand and led her upstairs, leaving behind an echo of cat calls. He was going to show her how desirable he thought she was.
* * * *
“Uhmmm…Rich?” Catalella watched as Rich locked the door behind him and started undressing before her.
“Yes?” His voice was low and husky. The desire in it sent chills through Catalella’s body. His eyes darkened and an eerie feeling of need, excitement and fear rushed through her. Heart pounding and her breathing coming in short spurts, Catalella watched as he pulled his belt off.
“Do you really want to do this?” Her voice quivered. She was afraid he would change his mind. She desperately wanted to feel his weight on her body, his hands caressing every inch of her and his throbbing desire moving inside her.
“I want you so bad I’m afraid that I could hurt you.” Rich’s hands dropped from his trouser button as he walked toward her. “Every night, lying next to you and not being able to make love to you, was torture.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“I know you’re uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be selfish. Already you’re giving me the greatest gift ever. I couldn’t ask any more from you.”
“You should, because I intend asking everything of you,” Catalella said as she slipped her hand under the band of his boxers, her fingers reaching and finding the velvety touch of his desire. She flushed and glanced at him when he hissed out her name.
“You…need… Oh God…you need to let go,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Lisette said we would have to be inventive, because of my huge belly.” She watched the emotions play out on his face as she squeezed his member tighter.
“We’ll figure that out later. Right now I just need to be inside you.” Rich groaned as he pulled her hand out of his boxers.
He moved her in front of the large mirror and stripped her down. Catalella wanted to turn away from the large girl staring back at her. Alone, she would bathe in the excitement and love of being pregnant. But in front of Rich, when he was about to make love to her, she wasn’t too sure about her massive body.
“Don’t look away.” Rich lifted her chin and turned her back to the mirror. “You are beautiful, the most beautiful woman in the world.”
A tear slid down her cheek as a sliver of relief shot through her spine. Ever since Michael left her because her body wasn’t up to par, she wasn’t confident about her looks. But having Rich’s eyes look at her full of adoration she felt like she was special.
“Kiss me,” she whispered as she turned around to face him.
“My pleasure.”
* * * *
“Where is my sister?” AJ asked Rich when he appeared in the backyard alone.
“She’s taking a nap.” Rich cleared his throat. Catalella had fallen asleep the second they were finished making love. He wanted to stay with her and lie next to her for the rest of the day, but he couldn’t. He still had to make an appearance in front of their whole family.
“What was that about before, with Lisette?”
“Nothing really.” The suspicious look on AJ’s face told him he wanted more. “I was a little worried about having sex with your sister when she was pregnant. After seeing how weak she could get, I didn’t want to risk it. But Katherine says it’s all right.”
“Uh-huh.” AJ cleared his throat. “I’m not advocating for you to sleep with my sister but I guess it’s all right. Michael did a number on her self-esteem. He kicked her when she was down. I guess you not…doing it with her makes her feel unwanted.”
“I assure you that I just cleared that up in the past hour.” Rich grinned.
“I didn’t really want to hear that, but what I really do want to hear about is Ava.”
“I think I can help with that.”
Rich turned around to find DJ, Catalella’s childhood friend, standing behind him. He was as close to Catalella as AJ was and equally as pissed when he found out Rich was still married. “Please do.”
“I found her,” DJ said. “And, in case you have not noticed the absence of our fathers, they’re serving her with the annulment papers.”
“Here…she’s here?” Rich asked in a panic. If Catalella saw the exotic Frenchwoman walk out of her father’s study there would be questions. And when Lisette found out there would be hell to pay. “I need to go see her. I need to make sure she doesn’t cross paths with Catalella.”
Rich half-ran, half-walked into the home office and there he found the three men standing off against a pair of beautiful legs that led to a body stacked together by the gods. Ava got any man’s libido running and, when he cast a glance at AJ and DJ, he was glad he wasn’t the only lustful idiot in the room.
“Why couldn’t we do this in the office?” Rich barked out, trying to ignore Ava.
“She kind of followed me here,” DJ said.
“She’s here now, so the sooner she signs this the better.” Adrian shoved the annulment papers at Ava.
“Do you really want me to do this?” Ava’s thickly accented voice floated through the room.
“Yes!” Rich’s stern voice boomed.
“You abandoned me.” Ava sauntered
to where Rich was standing.
“Funny, I remember that a little differently,” Rich hissed through clenched teeth.
“I want compensation.”
“For what?”
“We have been married for five years.”
“You abandoned me,” Rich snarled.
“My lawyer says that I can still get compensation. I have to prove you weren’t a fit husband.” Ava shrugged and then sat down, crossing her legs and leaving enough skin peeking out from under her skirt to run lust-filled thoughts through a man’s mind.
“Who is your lawyer?” Adrian asked.
“I am.” Michael Mathews stepped into the room, a smirk on his lips.
“You have got to be kidding.” Rich groaned as his fingers dug into his hair. He hoped that Catalella was too worn out from their love making to manage the stairs.
“I am representing Mrs. McCrery.”
“Don’t call her that,” Rich barked, losing the tight hold on his patience.
* * * *
Catalella felt rejuvenated and refreshed. Sure, they hadn’t set any specific guidelines to what their relationship was, but she needed to have a companion who looked at her the same way Rich did. As she walked down the stairs she could hear voices from her father’s study. Wondering what was going on, she walked towards the office and found the door ajar. Her body went rigid when she heard Michael Mathews' voice, and then she heard him say 'Mrs. McCrery'.
“She is not my wife. She abandoned me for five years. Why didn’t we file abandonment papers and have the judge divorce us?” she heard Rich say.
“It might be because you didn’t want a record of your ever being married. You wanted a fresh start with Catalella,” she heard DJ say.
“My feelings are hurt, Ethan.” It was the French accent that had her mobile again.
“My client wants what is hers—half of everything that you own.” The sound of Michael Mathews' goading made her skin crawl.
Catalella decided that this was her moment to make an entrance. “Funny thing, Michael Mathews and whoever you are,” Catalella spat at Ava as she ignored the stunned eyes staring at her. “Mr. McCrery doesn’t have much to his name. Everything he will own is in Harold Henry’s care. Ethan is not entitled to any proceeds from the companies. All he has is his salary.”
“I’m not an idiot, Catalella.” Michael cursed, his eyes fixed on her belly.
“Neither am I. I will be advising my client to file for abandonment. There are enough people to testify that…who are you? …whatever…has not been performing her wifely duties.” Catalella regained her composure. “My office will send the papers to yours…where is that again?”
Michael swore under his breath as he took a step toward Catalella. “You’ve taken everything from me, and I’m going to do the same thing to you and your lover.”
Catalella walked past Rich’s agitated arm that shot out to protect her. With a smile and a steel tongue she said, “Oh, sweetheart, I have just begun. If you continue with this wild goose chase I will ruin you. Not even the public defender’s office will want you.”
“Sorry, are you Ethan’s lover?” Ava’s voice piped in.
“I’m guessing you are his leftovers,” Catalella hissed.
“I left him and not the other way around. I wasn’t going to stay with him after his father took all the money. But now that the money is back I want to take my piece of the cake.” All Catalella could see was her red lips moving.
“Get out of my father’s house,” Catalella said.
She stood back and watched as Ava and Michael walked out of the house and drove off the property. She could feel Rich hovering behind her, but she didn’t want to look at him. She was afraid of what she would say to him. He had kept something very important from her while she had bared her all to him.
“My little orchid—”
“Don’t.” Catalella’s fingers fisted in her dress. “I think you should leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“I’m also moving out.”
“No, you are not,” Rich said urgently as he grabbed Catalella’s hand. “I can’t lose you.”
“There isn’t an ‘us’. I won’t keep you away from your baby but you and I cannot have any form of relationship. You lied to me and kept something vital from me. But, as your lawyer, I will make sure this doesn’t hurt you.” Catalella tried to pull her hand away but he wouldn’t let go.
“So what now—you just move out and then what?”
“Life goes on as it was supposed to. You living yours and me living mine,” Catalella stated, her tone devoid of emotion and, once Rich dropped her hand, she walked away.
Chapter Ten
Catalella stared at her screeching phone. Rich had called more than a dozen times already but she didn’t pick up. She was terrified about walking through that door again, about being emotionally vulnerable only to have it thrown back in her face. She held onto her pillow as tight as she could as her tears were absorbed by the cotton. She didn’t want to lose her will to whatever demands her heart was making. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to sleep, hoping that the next morning would bring something better.
* * * *
Rich knew he had made a mess of things, and that he had to let her go. He got into the apartment he had bought for Catalella and their baby and every corner of the room reminded him of her. Her laughter echoed in his heart but her rejection rang clear in his ears. Rich ran out of the apartment and headed for his sports car—he needed to get out of there, find someplace that wouldn’t remind him of Catalella. He was barely on the road when he felt a great push followed by the sound of metal crunching. The force compelled him forward and he banged his head on the steering wheel. He could smell the potent copper scent of blood before he slipped easily out of consciousness.
* * * *
“Don’t even ask me to call him.” Catalella shot at AJ before he could say a word.
A whole week had flown by and Catalella was back at her apartment. At first she had the loneliness to contend with, and then the emptiness of her bed was next. There was no one to make her breakfast or to rub her aching feet or back, no one to kiss her goodnight and hold her close. It was then that Catalella figured out what else she was up against: her own heart. Rich hadn’t called but he would talk to AJ, and ask about her condition. AJ had used this concern to ask Catalella to call Rich. Each time he asked she refused.
With his eyes on her and a grin at the corner of his mouth, AJ shrugged then said, “The both of you are ridiculous. I think you are either perfect for each other or the worst thing for each other.”
“What do you mean?” Catalella played with her toast, losing interest in it completely.
“You have trust issues and he has abandonment issues.” AJ sat on the dining table next to her. “You won’t trust any man because of Michael Mathews and Rich…his mother abandoned him when he was six, and Ava married and ditched him. Rich doesn’t have that much confidence in women.” AJ took a labored breath as he sorted through his next words. “I knew about Ava. I was the best man at his wedding. Even though we had just met and had been fighting he picked me, a complete stranger, to be his best man. That was my first clue at how lonely he was. Then, when you passed out, he told me he was still married. He wanted to get an annulment but he couldn’t find Ava.” AJ paused. “Peanut, are you listening to me? Rich wanted a life with you and the baby. But you didn’t give him a chance.”
“Well he lied to me,” Catalella said and tried to push the guilt of being one of the women who abandoned him away. “Plus, he’s the one who stopped calling.”
“Why would he keep calling a woman who clearly doesn’t want him?” AJ put in. “Anyway, he’s in Hong Kong on business and won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“How do you know that?” Catalella swallowed the lump of disappointment that had formed in her throat.
“He told me the night he came into the ER.”
“He came to
see you at work?”
“He didn’t have much of a choice. He had bruised ribs and a concussion,” AJ added as he stood up and began to walk away.
‘What do you mean?” Catalella chased after him into the living room.
“Rich had an accident the night he left here. Someone rear-ended him and he was forced into a wall. No big deal.”
Catalella was surprised at how her brother shrugged off Rich’s accident like it was nothing.
“Why didn’t he tell me?” Her heart jumped into her throat. She could have lost him that night. He would have died thinking that she didn’t want him, not knowing if he had a boy or a girl or if they could actually make their bizarre situation work.
“You weren’t answering his calls, remember?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she squealed.
“I didn’t think you would care.”
Catalella stretched her arm so that she could reach out and punch AJ in the gut. But her center of gravity had changed. She realized it when her body fell forward and she toppled over the couch. Her muscles were coiled and her shoulders stiff when a tiny pain shot through her abdomen.
“Catalella!” She heard the panic in AJ’s voice.
“I’m fine,” she managed to say through clenched teeth as AJ helped her into a sitting position. But AJ had switched to doctor mode and was checking her body for any bruises before his hand begun to feel about her belly.
