Free Tempted by Alana Sapphire Page A

start on the first day of my period.”
    “Oh. Okay.”
    “Are we all done here? I’d like to get back
to celebrating my best friend’s birthday.”
    I hop off the desk and pull my dress down
back to where it sat, just above mid-thigh.
    “Fine. But I’m watching you.”
    “Great. I’ll make sure to twerk a little
harder just for you.”
    “Don’t make me come down there,” he
warns.
    I turn to him with a smirk when I get to the
door. “Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, papi .”
    I grab my clutch and close the door behind
me, deciding to make this as painful for him as possible. No
more whimpering female. It’s time to turn the tables on the
prez.
     

CHAPTER 8
***Gage***
     
    I take a drink of my beer and impatiently tap
my fingers on the bar. I’ve been so antsy these past few days, and
I can only attribute it to the fact that I haven’t seen Raven all
week. She’s been avoiding me, making all kinds of excuses why we
can’t meet up. I know it’s all a part of her plan to make me beg.
Fuck if it ain’t working. A ruckus from the boys draws my
attention, and I look to the door to see Ellen walking in.
    “What are you doing here?” I ask.
    “Excuse me, big brother, but I grew up here,
too.”
    “I didn’t mean it like that. You know you’re
always welcome. Where’s Mikey?”
    “With a sitter.”
    “What sitter?”
    “Jeez…I swear you’re worse than Daddy. He’s
with Raven. Stop worrying.”
    At least I know where she is now. Jesus.
I’m like a crack fiend. I need to see her. I slip away quietly
and ride out. The closer I get to Ellen’s, the better I feel. This
isn’t me. Maybe I do need some time away from her. She’s sucking me
in deeper and deeper, and I haven’t even fucked her yet. I should
turn around, go back to the club. I should. So why am I pulling
into Ellen’s driveway?
    I let myself in and find her curled up on the
couch with Mikey, watching cartoons. They haven’t noticed me yet,
so I take advantage of the opportunity and watch them. She seems so
comfortable with him. He’s asking a million questions, and she
answers each one with patience and enthusiasm. She’d be a great
mother. I make my presence known and she stares at me,
surprised.
    “Unca!”
    Mikey runs to me and I pick him up as I walk
to the couch. “Hey, buddy. What you doing?”
    “Cartoon.”
    The word comes out sounding like
“cawtoon”.
    “Yeah? Can I watch with you?”
    “Yes! Watch cartoon.”
    I sit next to Raven and she folds her hands
in her lap, keeping her eyes on the TV.
    “Hello, Raven.”
    “Hello.”
    “Unca, I like Waben,” Mikey whispers.
    “Yeah? I don’t blame you, little guy.”
    He sticks his thumb in his mouth and gives
the TV his attention.
    “Why have you been avoiding me?” I confront
her.
    “I haven’t. I’ve just been busy.”
    “Is that why you can’t look at me?”
    “Of course not. I’m watching TV.”
    “If you say so.”
    We sit quietly for a while. I watch the
images on the screen, not really paying attention. My entire being
is attuned to her; I can’t focus on anything else. She finally
turns her head but not to look at me.
    “He’s asleep. You should go put him down,”
she says.
    I take him upstairs and gently place him in
his crib then turn on the baby monitor. He looks so much like
Eddie. It’s all my fault that he’ll grow up without his father. His
is the only death I’ve ever felt guilty about. Mikey may not have
his father, but I’ll be damned if I won’t be the strong, male role
model he’ll need. I kiss his forehead and head downstairs. I find
Raven in the kitchen with a bottle of Advil.
    “Are you sick?”
    “¡ Dios ! Why do you keep sneaking up on
me?”
    “Answer me.”
    “No, I’m not.”
    “Then why are you taking pain pills?”
    “Honestly, Gage…there are things that a woman
just doesn’t need to explain.”
    “Is it your period?”
    “ That is one of them.”
    She walks past me, and I follow her back to
the