Chapter 4
1415 Words
I arrived at the bookstore much earlier than anyone. No one is here at this time, but I felt it was the perfect time to get my head clear in the quiet depths. But as well as get some work done.
With Reid back in my life, it felt as if this is the only place I can really think.
Elias still seemed suspicious of Reid around and liked to stick by my side most of the time, and honestly, I was happy with that.
He shouldn't trust him. At least not so soon.
This man was the reason for all my misery. I have never trusted him, and it will take me a really, really long time to get to trust him as well.
"Hey, Anna! You're here early," Alex said, startling me.
"Hey! You scared me. I didn't think anyone was here,"
"Ya, sorry! I came in earlier to get started on the shelves," he said. I nodded my head.
"I'm just going to be in my office," I told him and headed into my office.
I took a seat at my desk and sighed.
I took in a deep and hard breath and placed my head in my hand, and wept.
I didn't plan on crying, but I think it was what I needed right now.
I felt so overwhelmed by all of this, and I couldn't stop thinking about Elias.
I didn't want Reid in our lives. It was why I had left in the first place.
But I didn't know what to do.
I spend days just trying to understand and process all of this, but now that I was here, it was all too much.
I heard a soft knock on my door and wiped away my tears away quickly, and fixed myself before plastering a fake smile on my face.
"Come in,"
It was Alex that came in.
"Hey, sorry to disturb you, but someone is here to see you?"
I looked at the clock on my desk, which read 7:09 am. It was super early for anyone to even be in the store. Who would be here to see me?
"Let them in, Alex. Thanks,"
He nodded his head and left.
I sighed and massaged my temples.
Someone barged into the room, and I jumped at how loudly they had walked in.
"You the only one that has this much energy this early in the morning," I said.
He rolled his eyes. "7 in the morning is only early to you," Reid said.
"What do you want? You can't leave me alone at my work either," I said, annoyed.
He opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes shifted, and he stared at me, coming closer to me.
"Have you been crying?' he asked. I looked at him, a little taken back.
How had he known?
I moved my face to the side. "No," I tell him.
He gave me a stern look muttering something underneath his breath.
"What do you want, Reid?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I want to take Eli home," he said.
"Absolutely not!" I raised my voice. "I already told you. You can only visit him when I am there,"
"Then you come home with me," he suggested.
A scowl formed on my lips. "First of all, it's not home for me, so don't talk as if it is. And second of all, I am not bringing my son to that house," I said.
"Our Son, Anna," he emphasized our.
"No, my son," I reminded him again."He's my son, and until you prove that you can be good enough of a father, he will remain as my son," I told him firmly.
I can tell by how his eye shifted in guilt, knowing what I said was the truth. But he masked it away in matters of seconds.
"I am giving you an option you either come or you don't, but I want my son-"
"he's not your son," I interrupted him again.
"Then whose son is he because the last time I check, I was the one that f****d you that night," he spat.
Anger boiled inside of me. "Get out or else" I raise my voice.
He came closer to me. "Or else what?" He challenged. I took a step back from how close he was standing near me.
But he only got closer.
Despite all these years and how much I hated to admit he still had this effect on me.
The way my heart rate would speed up and the way my stomach turns in excitement each time he got this close.
When we were married, I couldn't remember the times we spent together, but I remembered this. And I hate it so much. I hate him.
He leaned down to my height, and my toes curled.
"Does it bother you that I'm this close to you," he whispered.
I turned away from him and closed my eyes. I could hear my breath getting louder as he moved his face closer to my own.
For a second, just a split second, he brushed his nose against my neck breathing in.
And that was enough for me to push him away.
"What are you doing?" I questioned.
"Whatever it takes," he smirked.
The nerve of this man.
"I'm not your little slut you take home every night. So you better keep your hands to yourself," I told him.
He shrugged his shoulder. "Are you going to let Eli come home with me or not?" He asked.
"Not," I said.
He sighed, anger fuming. "Fine! Have it your way. If you don't come home with me, then I'll move in,"
My eyes went wide. "Absolutely not!"
"Oh yes! I'll see you at home, wifey," he said with his cocky smile and walked out of the office.
I wanted to grab him by the collar and yell at him, but I knew that would only create a scene, so I stayed still in my office.
What was I going to do now? I did not even want him near my child but to have him living with us.
I could barely imagine it.
-
"How was school, my little prince?" I asked Elias as we entered the elevator of our building.
"It was a good, mommy. I learned some math today," he said, looking so proud of himself.
"Math? I'm so excited. You have to show me after dinner," I told him as we entered our apartment.
He giggled and nodded his head, and rushed inside.
I looked around to see if Reid would be anywhere inside, but thankfully he hadn't been here.
I immediately locked all the door locks making sure there would be no way of him coming inside.
I dropped off my bag and sat down on the couch next to Elias, who had turned on the tv and watched some cartoon.
I kissed the top of his head, and he snuggled closer to me.
"I'm going to call aunty Aria, okay. I'll be right back," I said; he nodded his head.
I got up from the couch, made my way to my room, and dialled Aria's phone number.
"Hello, my dear sister-in-law," she joked.
"Urg, don't call me that," I told her.
"I mean, technically you are," she giggled. "Anyways, what's up?"
I filled in on everything that had happened.
"Why don't you just go to Reid's house?" She asked.
"Because you already know how my life was there, I don't want Eli in that same place," I told her.
I knew Aria loved her brother but no matter what, she had always taken my side on everything. She has defended me when no one else would in that home.
And I knew she understood everything.
"Then let him live with you for a bit," she said.
"Are you crazy! No way!"
"No, Anna, think about it. My brother has never lived in a tiny space, and I hate to admit, but he is spoiled. But if you came to live with you for a while, you can maybe teach him a lesson," she suggested.
I considered her idea. Maybe what she was saying wasn't a bad idea.
This would be all it takes.
But I thought about how Elias will take this. He was always used to him and me. He was so young I didn't know how he would react to a man living with us.
But I guess I will find out.
- Writer
