Sahara (A Night Fire Novel Book 3) (4 page)

Fraser: You've got arms, this is unnecessary.

Eden: No, it is necessary. While you are off being lord and master of your music world I will have to deal with her and still be the bands assistant. Life will be much easier with the baby safely stowed in that device, clinging to my body while I go about my duties. Stop being such a tight ass or I'll ring Jaxon and tell him about your delivery.

Amazingly there was no further messages from Fraser. Jaxon held a great purpose in this world. He was like a tabloid magazine, one whiff of anything that might be a little off and he'd be blaring it to the world.

Fraser was dumping the trash into the bin when I arrived, as I slowed and pulled into the driveway I watched as he lifted the garage door for me. God, it was not fair. Seriously not fair. Somewhere during the morning he'd lost his shirt again. Magically they always managed to fall off his body, I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. He waited until I drove into the garage beside his car, a mustang from somewhere in the seventies. I didn't know much about cars, all that I knew was from listening to everyone else talking about them. Fraser talked about his car like it was the only thing on this earth that mattered.

I withheld the smile as I looked at the two door beast, not ideal for the parent of a newborn child. It would be hard to get her in and out of the car seat. When she was old enough she would demand food and I wanted to chuckle with the thoughts of food and liquid being spilled on the back seat. And if she was anything like my sister Reese, then this pretty blue mustang would be covered in stickers of kittens.

“What took you so long?”

“And hello to you too. Thanks for actually coming back Eden. I could imagine that this is quite daunting and I appreciate that you actually did return.” I turned to him with a plain face. “Even if I don't deserve it because I speak to you like a total asshole.”

“You said you wouldn't be long and I have every right to speak however I want.”

“Keep pushing me Fraser.”

I lifted the boot and shoved a box of food into his arms.

“I actually said that I'd be a couple of hours at least. And whilst you might have every right to speak as you want it doesn't mean I have to listen to it. Either you speak to me properly or I walk away... permanently.”

His eyes flinched as I stared at him, waiting for him to do something. Nothing was offered as he turned and walked into the house. I sighed as I moved to the garage door, as I pulled it down I saw a familiar car slowing as it turned into the street.

“Fraser!” I yelled as I pushed the door to the ground and turned the lock.

“What?”

He almost skidded on the floor as he returned to the door.

“Company.”

Panic filled his face as he dumped the box onto the garage floor, rushing from the room. This was hell, Evan had turned up and no doubt he would want to go out on the town tonight, prowling the land for a friend. His cohorts were slowly dwindling, more than he realized. How this played out would be interesting. Would Fraser refuse a night of partying with his friend for his child or would he dump her on his conveniently placed assistant? Suddenly my moving in here wasn't such a good idea.

I could hear things moving, being dumped with a lot of noise and complaints because I wasn't helping.

“Eden! Come on.”

As I walked out of the garage I could see the pile of baby things in my room, the door being slammed shut by a panicked man.

“They have to find out sometime.” I muttered as he pushed me into his room.

“Yeah I know, just not today thanks. Keep her quiet if she wakes.”

“Sure.”

The door shut quietly and the baby didn't even stir. She was such a good girl and her father didn't deserve her. What he deserved was a child that was the offspring of Satan himself.

I sat on the edge of the bed with a huff, pulling out my phone and sending the freak a text.

Eden: Did you put the formula away?

There was a slam of a cupboard door and I chuckled.

Eden: Don't let him go in the laundry, the washing machine is full of baby clothes.

Door slammed, Eden chuckled, Fraser freaked out. Life was good.

Chapter Five

I pressed my ear to the door trying to hear what was going on out there. Oh to be a bug on the wall. I could watch and listen and never be detected. My phone was on the bed, lit up with a ping as I received a message.

“Shit.” I whispered, rushing to it.

I turned the volume down and read the message from Jerry. He was asking if I knew what day Curtis and Frankie were getting back from their honeymoon. That information was on my laptop which was still sitting in the lounge room.

“Aww total hell.” I whispered as I madly typed a text to Fraser.

Eden: Laptop

As I pressed my ear to the door I heard his phone ping and as I heard the overly cheery voice of Evan, I knew it was too late. I would have to sneak through the house and hope that I didn't get caught. Why Fraser had to be secretive was beyond me. Instead of just saying,
hey I fucked up big time and now I've got a kid,
he has to hide and pretend it's not real.

My hand was on the handle, I closed my eyes as I prepared myself to become a ninja with stealth. Quiet as a mouse, slipping through the shadows and avoiding detection. The handle slipped in my hand and the door opened, slamming into my head.

“Ow.” I hissed.

Fraser stared at me, eyes wide as I gripped my forehead.

“What are you doing behind the door?” he whispered.

“About to go and get...”

“Fras, where's your beer?” Evan called out.

“Here.”

Fraser pushed my laptop into my arms, his eyes darting to my forehead.

“Sorry about the...” his finger twitched at my head, no doubt there was a mighty bruise forming.

“Fraser?”

He huffed and closed the door, leaving me with the laptop in one hand and my aching head in the other. I dumped the laptop onto the bed and turned to the mirror that was on the back of his door. Wary of getting hit on the head again I pushed the button lock to stop the freak from trying to knock me unconscious.

A minute had barely passed and I was already getting a bruise, a long egg like shape that was central on my forehead.

“Well done idiot.”

I returned to my laptop, opening the band schedule. Curtis and Frankie would be back on Friday, their location was unknown. For all we knew, they could still be in their house but I doubted it. Frankie's mother was still in Las Vegas, in particular their house. Her parents and brother were moving to Nevada now that it was officially out there that she was pregnant.

With a glance to the baby asleep in her temporary cot I wondered why Fraser was getting so bent out of shape trying to keep her a secret. It's not as if he was the only one in the band that was a father. Maybe it was the way that she was conceived and then dumped on him. At least with Curtis and Frankie they loved each other and they got married.

As I sent the response to Jerry the baby started to stir. I lifted her from the cot and checked her nappy, clean. Dummy wasn't working and I knew what she wanted. I put her onto the bed and madly typed a text to her darling father.

Eden: Need a bottle now or your little secret will start screaming.

I picked her up and tried to comfort her as best I could, letting her suckle on my pinkie knuckle. Not sure if it helped any but it was all that I could do. A minute later there was a thud at the door and a complaining Fraser. I'd forgotten to unlock the door. Slowly I clicked it open so that there was no noise, Fraser was on the other side rubbing his head. Ahh, life is sweet.

He passed the bottle to me, scowling as he continued to rub his head. I pointed to the bruise on my head with little sympathy for him. It earned me a shake of the head as he turned back to the corridor but half way down he turned back with a smile.

I closed the door before someone stuck their head around the corner and ended this farce once and for all, before little babe started screeching so loudly that the entire neighborhood knew of her and before I combusted from that smile.

An hour had passed and in that time I had fed, changed and settled the baby back to sleep. She had made noise, her cries were soft and subdued which I think was probably because I had dealt with her needs before they became an issue. As time slowly ticked on I gnawed at my fingers in an attempt to fight the hunger pains, debated searching through his draws for a morsel of food and did the
I really don't need to use the bathroom
dance. That was until it became too much for me.

Eden: Hungry. Worse yet I need the bathroom. You've got one minute before I come out.

Fraser: In lounge room. Use it but be quiet, don't flush.

Eden: Omg, you cannot be serious. I am not leaving it there.

Fraser: Deal with it when he's gone.

Eden: And if he wants to use it?

Fraser: God you are a pain in the ass. Use it and text me when you want to flush. I'll fake using it.

Eden: I might be a pain in the ass but you're a freak. Tell him that you've got a kid.

Carefully I opened the door and closed it again, tiptoeing to the bathroom. I sat there feeling the sweet relief and the bliss of different surroundings. Shame it was the toilet. An island paradise would have been nicer. When I was done I sent the freak a text.

Eden: Need my ass wiped, come do it bitch.

I didn't really need him for that nor did I want him to but I was in the mood to create a little fun for me. Warily I opened the door, hearing his heavy footsteps moving across the wood floors.

“Hurry up.” he whispered.

With a press of the button I walked out and washed my hands, feeling him close in on me. I looked up to the mirror as I turned off the tap, my hands sliding onto the edge of the vanity as I watched him lean to my ear from behind.

Strands of his fringe fell into his eyes, marring the view of what had to be a pair of stunning eyes. He hadn't shaved this morning and it made me want to squirm. Thoughts plagued my mind of all the places he could rub those sharp little hairs. Of how sensitive the inner thigh was, especially when the anticipation for oral sex was at an all-time high. I really wanted him buried down there.

“You're a freak Eden Hurley.” he whispered in my ear, far too close.

His eyes looked up to the mirror, mischievous and full of his own mayhem. I gulped hard and felt the strain, wanting to do something but fearing the worst. The worst was that he'd laugh at me and tell me that he wasn't into women like me. Women that were seen as cold and domineering, bitches and man eaters. That was me, it was true. I had to be like this, I couldn't be a push over in this industry.

“And for the record, I don't wipe the asses of grown women.”

The words breathed warm into my ear, the scent of beer lingered around me. I wanted to crumble, to cave to the emotions and desire that was building in me. It didn't help that when he whispered the words his lips gently moved over my ear.

“I fuck them.” he growled low as he grinned at me in the mirror.

He then walked out and left me staring at my reflection. Never had I been so turned on by a few words. I gripped the vanity as I wished that Evan wasn't here. That whole few seconds of beer laden words would have ended so differently. Who was I kidding? I didn't have the guts to take that leap. Fear ruled my life. I didn't want him laughing at me. I didn't want him to say that he'd never fuck someone like me. It sucked but I was better off not saying anything and carrying on as if nothing was wrong.

But it was wrong. He said things like that and caused me all sorts of grief. I don't know if that's the way that he was or if he was teasing me but it really wasn't fair.

I returned to the bedroom, finding a packet of chips and a beer on the bedside table. It wasn't the ideal lunch but it wasn't as if I hadn't eaten this for lunch before. The life of a rock star's assistant, eat what you can find and do it while you can otherwise you might not get another opportunity for a while.

Time melted away, Fraser returned with another bottle of milk and an apology. It seemed that Evan was settling in for an afternoon of watching a football game and being friendly. Worse yet, Jaxon had turned up. Keeping the baby quiet was a real task, her father was lucky that she was a quiet baby. Though the television was turned up rather loud, I suspect he feared getting caught out and was doing his damnedest to ensure they were oblivious.

I sat on the bed and went through the emails, deleting offensive material and generally trying to keep myself occupied. Thoroughly frustrated at the situation and maybe even a little cabin fever, I vented to the freak.

Eden: Do you realize how annoying this is?

Fraser: Suck it up princess.

Eden: Maybe I could do an opinion poll of the other members. See what they think about how their hard earned money is being spent. Hmm, how is it being spent? Babysitting a secret, hiding in the bedroom of one of their members all fucking afternoon.

Fraser: What do you want me to do? I can't kick them out.

I hated how he could be right like that. It would be odd for him to kick them out without reason and he didn't really have one.

Fraser: They're discussing how it's odd they haven't heard from you today. Do you talk to them?

Eden: Crazily, yes I do. It's a bizarre situation I know but I get paid to be an assistant to five men and I try to do my job as best as I can and it means that I talk to all five of them on a regular basis. It seems that while they have the appearance of being functioning adults they really aren't and can't live without my assistance. Some of them even appreciate the effort I go to, how crazy is that?

Within seconds of sending the text my phone lit up with an incoming call from Jaxon. My heart dropped as I stared at my phone. I never not answer my phone, with the exception of being in the shower or in the bathroom. Taking a deep breath I answered the call.

“Hello Jaxon.” I said as quiet as I could without being obvious.

“Hey mommy two, where you been all day?”

“Oh, here and there. You know getting ready and whatnot.”

I could hear Evan cheer, both on the phone and through the door. Crap.

“You should come over to Fraser's, we're watching a game.”

“Sports bore the shit out of me.”

“Don't be ridiculous. I'll swing by and pick you up.”

My heart thumped hard, why it was doing it I don't know. This wasn't my lie, this wasn't my problem.

“I can't, got stuff to do. Gotta go now, bye Jaxon.”

I hung up the phone and felt like utter shit. I just lied to him for no valid reason. There was a special place in hell waiting for me.