An Offer She Can't Refuse

Sweets

I took a walk.

The estate was big enough to allow me some alone time. If they wanted to follow me like little lost puppies, they were going to have to make an effort.

I suddenly realized why I might have thought I was being watched. The amount of employees they had took me by surprise—and boy were they friendly.

"Are you Miss Sabrina?" An older woman called out to me. She was walking with a man about her age when we chanced upon each other at a big fountain in the middle of yet another garden, "I am Cheryl Dixon and this is my husband, Clive."

"Oh, hi!" We shook hands as I met the two people who were also living on my wing of the mansion, "It's so nice to meet you."

"And you," Cheryl beamed, "We've heard so many nice things about you."

"Y-you have?" I furrowed my brows, "I can't say I understand that given my history with the Calhoun's."

"Oh, nonsense!" Cheryl said as Clive beamed from ear to ear, "They've taken quite a liking to you, Miss Sabrina."

"Please...call me Sabrina. If you'd prefer me to call you,-"

"No no! Cheryl and Clive are perfect for you to call us, but if you wouldn't mind, we'll still call you Miss until we are permitted not to."

Again? Just like with Maggie.

"I haven't been given those rules..maybe that will happen later," I joked.

As if they'd said too much, Clive ushered the two along.

"We'll be seeing you back at the house, Miss." He tipped his hat as they continued on.

The grounds were sprawling and quite lovely. I thought about my night with Xander. I thought too much about Xander, actually.

Shaking my head, I rounded yet another fountain filled with koi fish. I was in awe at this. My aunt and uncle never really kept their home up like this. It felt dreary and sad most of the time, but I tried so hard not to let on how lonely I was.

"Hey, fish... I bet you're well taken care of here at the Calhoun crazy house, huh?" I had to remember that I needed to simmer down on talking to myself, but I was all I had.

There were more gardens and fountains, statues of people I didn't know, the guest houses and the employee homes—if they chose to live on the estate.

I waved to the workers and they waved back, some stopping to stare at me as if I'd trampled into uncharted waters. I know I probably looked like a hot mess, but the stares almost felt like the ones I'd been sensing in my room.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I was happy to see it was Tina calling.

"Hi! What's up, girl?"

She laughed, "No no no! You need to tell me what's up! How's the job?"

"I start Monday, but Xander and I swam in their pool together—about three or so this morning?"

"What?! Just the two of you?"

"Yes, but stop because nothing happened."

"You need to get laid. They're gonna know you, ya know..haven't..."

I paused. Did that matter?

"Why is that important?"

"Xander's a freak about that. He likes to be the first."

"Oh..." I didn't know why that irritated me so much.

"Don't worry, he wasn't mine."

"Oh.." I breathed a sigh of relief, "How's Virginia?"

"It's OK. I think I found a guy."

"You've been there for a week!"

"You're living with the Quads!"

I blushed. I WAS doing that....

"Are you doing OK for real? You know I can always come and get you and bring you here," She kept telling me, "You're my best friend and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I am going to be fine, I think.." I told her, "You're amazing, though."

"I'll call you soon and tell you about my man..." She giggled.

"OK, slut queen...bye.."

"Hi.." A little voice said. I looked around but saw no one.

"Hello?"

"Hi..." A little girl slipped through the freshly cut hedges and smiled at me, "I'm Jolene."

"I'm Sabrina."

"Are you Xander's girlfriend?"

"Oh, honey!" A woman blushed coming through the same hedges, "I'm sorry, she's very blunt. Jolene, we don't ask those questions, especially about the boys.."

"It's OK," I waved, "No, I am not Xander's girlfriend. Why would you think that?"

The woman wrapped an arm around Jolene, "She just hears things and then her imagination runs wild. I'm Samantha Myers, Jolene's mother. It's very nice to meet you, Miss Sabrina."

Jesus, Mary and Joseph..Miss Sabrina...

"It's nice to meet you, too," I smiled, "Are you employed by the Calhoun's?"

"My husband is. He's around here somewhere," She motioned around us, her blonde curls bouncing, just like Jolene's, "He's been employed here for about ten years."

"Do you like it here?"

"Oh, yes! When the elder Calhoun's get back, I am sure things will settle down. The boys like to run amuck when they're gone."

"Is that right?" I asked, knowing much of the boys' antics already.

"Yes, but they're good men once you really get to know them," Samantha assured me, "They were just little boys when we arrived and not yet,--"

She abruptly stopped and stared over my shoulder, her smile fading.

"Xander!" Jolene ran passed me and jump into Xander's arms. He twirled her around and pinched her nose, "I missed you."

"Are you being a good girl?" He asked as the other boys came up behind them, "Not giving your mommy any trouble, right?"

"Right!"

"OK...Well, I guess you get one of these!" He pulled a lollipop out of his pocket and gave it to the little girl who thanked him and ran back to her mother.

I'd never expected Xander to be so fatherly.

"Well, let me go find my husband so we can get lunch," Samantha seemed quite eager to leave us, "Again, I am happy to have finally met you, Miss Sabrina."

Jolene nodded, "Me too! You're pretty and nice and not like the other girls they bring home," She scoffed, licking her lollipop.

"Other girls, eh?" I turned and glared at the Quads. Turning back to Samantha, the woman and her daughter were gone, "What the hell? They were just..." I looked at the hedges and back at the Quads who were more god-like in stature in the bright sunlight, their good looks making me melt right there in the shadow of the hedge.

"Why did you run off?" Xander asked, approaching me cautiously.

"I didn't run off," I shook my head, continuing on the path, "I needed a breather and I've met some nice people. Did you come out here to show me around?"

"That was the plan for today," Seb smiled, "Let's continue this way. We're headed to the greenhouses."

It wasn't long before I spotted something in the path.

"What the heck?" I picked up the fabric and gazed at it before my eyes widened, "Xander! Are these your swim trunks?"

I whirled around, holding a very shredded pair of shorts.

You could hear a pin drop.

Seb, Q and Hudson glared at their brother who shrugged.

"I-uh.."

"Well? How did this happen?" I demanded, "I thought you fell asleep in the cabana!" There was something inside of me that felt so much pain at being lied to by him. Like, my soul was just as torn as those shorts.

"So I gotta booty call and things got wild..."

"What the f**k?" My voice shook, "You left me in the pool for,-who? What? And how did you manage to destroy these?"

"You don't need to know my business, Cupcake."

"I'm not your cupcake!" I seethed, throwing the fabric at his face. He caught the shorts and lowered his gaze, almost like he was upset about making me mad or getting caught, "And don't lie for him. He's a big boy, right?" I said to the others.

"Sabrina..." Q was saying as I stomped away like a child throwing a fit.

"Let's just get this over with," I said to Sebastian who looked equally mortified.

"I'm sorry about that, Sabrina," He said, "Xander is..."

"A feral f*****g dog. That's what he is."