Stern Desire Love Redeemed (23 page)

I remembered the envelope in my bag, and the picture that I
took a glance at. I had never gotten the courage to look at that email that Ella sent me. I was too terrified before. Now that I had the evidence, I didn't have the nerve.

Ella's statement, that one woman was not enough for him,
resounded in my head. What did she mean? I would not share him with anyone else. All I had to do was open the envelope and look at the contents and all my questions would be answered. The answers were right there, but I could not.
Maybe he was a sex addict or a womanizer. Maybe I'd be added to his list of conquests. This relationship had spun completely out of control. Everything I believed in had flown out the window. Nothing mattered: my beliefs, morals, or
ethics disappeared. I was helpless, I was bewitched. I was pregnant with his baby, trapped by his devious plan. More often it was the woman who trapped the man. I did not expect I would be the rare exception.

My phone chimed; it was a text from Jared.

Jared's text: Please call me when you have settled in. - Jay

I called Jared when I was in bed. One ring and he picked up.

"I miss you," he said.

"I miss you, too."

"Kyra, we need to seriously discuss this bodyguard issue."

"Are we talking about this again?"

"Yes, Kyra, you'll like her."

"Jared, if I'm not with you, I really don't go anywhere - work, home, school, that's it - and I promise you, I will not go anywhere."

"That's not good enough, Kyra."

"Why? Jared, that has been my routine for a long time. Most of the time, Jenn has to drag me out of the house for some fun."

"I know you."

"Jared, I promise...I don't even have to go to school.
My class is online and I'm almost through with that. All this craziness that's going on scares me. I'm not used to this. I won't do anything or go anywhere..."

"Kyra, listen and please don't fight me please."
He was serious and trying to suppress his frustration. "I hate having this conversation with you over the phone. I'll be there."

"Jay...no. It's twelve forty-five in the morning. You
don't have to."

"Kyra, television crews have been camping out at the hospital."

My heart stopped. I knew how persistent they could be. "It does not have to be for me. They are out there very often."

"You are the news, Kyra. You are to go to work and back. That's it. Tomorrow when you get to work, park in the doctors' parking lot next to the security office."

"I don't have access to that lot."

"You will, and security will escort you up."

"Jay..."

"Hospital security or your private bodyguard. Pick one."

"None," I insisted. I knew that he was worried and
I should be taking him seriously, but I got a thrill from irritating him, especially over the phone. If this had been a face-to-face discussion, I'm sure it would have gone differently.

My doorbell rang.

"Kyra, it's me. Open the door," Jared said over the phone.

Fuck! He's here.

"What are you doing here, Jay?"

"Open the door, Kyra."

"Don't they call me from the gate anymore to let me know you're here?"

"I'm waiting, Kyra."

I hung up and jumped out of bed. I was scantily dressed in
some boy shorts and a matching tank top. I'd pissed him off and now he was here. It was different when I thought he was miles away. I ran down the stairs, swearing under my breath. I stood on tip toe to look through the peep hole. He
had the same clothes on. He had not made it home. He was facing the door, leaning on one of the concrete columns on the porch. I disarmed the alarm, unlocked and opened the door, and stood aside.

He walked past me. "Put a robe on," he snapped.

I locked the door behind me, flipped the switch that turned the lamp on in the living room, and went upstairs. Instead of putting on a robe, I pulled some shorts on. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that my
breasts were very perky. I could see my nipples pointing through my tank top. I pulled off the shorts and opted for the robe instead. He watched me as I came down the stairs and sat on the sofa across from him. I needed this space between us. I folded my legs under me and waited. I felt like a child who had
done something wrong and was about to get punished. Jared leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, eyes cast down. I didn't want to see those eyes. They were either really mad or bewitching.

"Kyra, why do you do this to me?" Jared asked, still not looking at me.

I did not have an answer that he would like to hear.

"Do you get pleasure out of infuriating me, Kyra?"

Only when you are miles away. It's no fun now,
I thought.

He looked at me; his eyes were dark, devoid of my favorite colors. "Akyra, I have never had a more compelling urge to put you across
my lap and spank the hell out of you."

"Is that a usual practice of yours?"

"Not as punishment, but you are seriously driving me to that point, Kyra."

I folded my hands and leaned back in the sofa and stared at
him.
Maybe all your other women were weak and obedient without a mind of their own, and did whatever you commanded, but not this one,
I thought. Our eyes locked. I wondered what he was thinking. Maybe, why me? Why her? Why did I
have to fall for such an irritating, defiant woman?

"Okay, Kyra, have you made your choice?" he asked.

"What were my options again?" I asked, faking
confusion.

He sighed and leaned forward. "Please, I'm asking you...no, I'm begging you to do this for me, since your safety is more important to me than it is to you."

"Fine." I gave up. This could go on all night. I
needed my rest and he had meetings in the morning. "It's work and home - nowhere else. I go to work, park in the doctors' parking lot next to the security office. Security will escort me into the building, not up to the
floor. I'll work for twelve and a half hours, then go home. Anything else you would like to add, Mr. Stern?"

He stood up. "If things start to get out of hand, Kyra, I'm taking our relationship public, and we will see how that works out."

"No, you will not," I said angrily. As I stood up, the tie on my robe came undone and opened up. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as if fighting some deep inner urge. I wrapped the robe back around
me and tied it securely. He walked toward the front door as I followed slowly behind him. He unlocked the door and stepped outside.

"Jared, please," I said from the doorway.

He turned to face me. He looked tired.

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "I don't make your life much easier, do I?"

"Kyra, you have no idea." He kissed me on the forehead. "Good night. I love you."

"I love you."

If he went public with our relationship, I would have no privacy or freedom, and neither would Nate. When Jared found out I was pregnant, I'd be on total lockdown. I'd better enjoy what little freedom I had
now, before he shackled me to the bedpost.

.

It was nine AM when I was awakened by my phone ringing. It was Nate.

"Mom, are you coming to get me from Grandma's
house?"

"I'll be there in an hour," I told him.

I took a quick shower and suddenly remembered my new mantra: from home to work. From the back of my closet, I removed my black and yellow
riding suit. I had not been on my bike in months. Rachel, my riding buddy, had been very busy lately, traveling with her husband, so I had not been on any of our Sunday evening rides for a long time. In the garage, I started to pull the cover off the Harley three-wheeler, but then changed my mind. I covered the
Harley back and opted for the sleeker, sexier, yellow and black Suzuki GSX. I sat on the bike and felt the thrill even before starting her up. I put my helmet on, started her up, revved her out, and then coasted down the driveway.
Aunt Maggie shook her head as she drove into the driveway and saw me pass by on the bike. I'd miss this feeling of a powerful bike beneath me, the freedom it brought me.

As I exited my housing complex, I was caught at the
stoplight. My phone rang. I pressed the Bluetooth button on my helmet.

It was Nate. "Mom, where are you?"

"I'm on my way. How do you feel about a motorcycle
ride?"

"Cool, Mom! Do you have my jacket and helmet?"

"I do. See you soon."

My phone rang again. Had to be Nate. He could never call once. He always remembered something afterwards and had to call back. I pressed
the button and answered.

"Kyra, where the hell are you going?" It was Jared and he was mad.

The light changed and I rode off, surprised that the bike
did not stall.

"Kyra, you stop that bike right now," he yelled.

"How do you know I'm riding?"

"Pull over!"

I pulled over on the grassy median and noticed a heavily
tinted, black Dodge car pulling up behind me.

"You're having me followed?"

"And why do I have to do that, Kyra?" He was furious now. "You are going to turn that bike around and go home."

"Jared, I'm going to pick Nate up from my mom's house, ten minutes away."

"Kyra, I swear you are going to be the death of me. Turn the bike around. Do you want me to tell them to remove you from that
bike?" he threatened.

"Do you think they could catch me?" I pressed the clutch and put the bike in gear.

"Kyra, stop."

"You can see me, can't you?"

"From the car's dash cam."

"Jared, I'll be careful. They can follow to my mom's house and back."

"You'd better be, Kyra, and by the way, you do look hot
on that bike."

I turned in my seat toward the car and blew him a kiss, then rode off.

"Be careful, Kyra," he repeated.

I waited for him to hang up.

"Jay, can you please hang the phone up?"

"Do you realize how much attention you attract, riding that bike?"

"Are you jealous?"

"Right now all I want to do is peel that suit off you."

"Jared, do you value my safety?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"Then please hang up the phone."

"Text me when you get home." And he was gone. No doubt he was still watching me from the Dodge dash cam.

I picked up Nate and returned home, the black Dodge behind me like a shadow. Aunt Maggie was in the kitchen unpacking groceries when we
returned. I removed my jacket and sat at the counter.

"Do you want something to eat?" Aunt Maggie asked.

"Not really hungry."

"You don't usually refuse breakfast. You're pregnant," she stated.

"Yes," I answered. "How did you know?"

"I can tell these things. Does he know?"

"No, I haven't told him yet."

"What are you waiting on?"

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do, Aunt Magg," I answered, and I told her about how he switched my birth control pills.

"Kyra, I know you, and I know you don't want to abort this child."

"I don't know if it will make it to full term. You know my uterus rejects almost everything that gets implanted there."

"Nate made it."

"He's a miracle."

"And it can happen again. I see how he looks at you. He loves you," she said. "And you deserve to be happy. One other thing -
stop making him so mad." She placed a cup of chai tea in front of me. "The things you used to do to Rob. They're the same things you're doing to Jared. But you can't help, it. You've been spoilt from the day you were born.
Nobody could ever say no to you. Men are putty in your hands. Whatever Kyra wants, Kyra gets." She smiled and patted my hand.

"Aunt Magg, is Jared talking to you about us?" I asked.

"He doesn't have to." She gave me her "I know
everything" look. I remembered that I needed to text Jared.

My text: I'm home safely. - Love, Kyra.

Jared's text: Thanx. Busy. Talk later. - Love you more. Jay

I did not break any more rules. I listened. I did not want to make Jared angry. He had a great deal going on, and I was being selfish, stubborn, and spoilt.

.

I opened the garage door to go to work and noticed a brand
new black Mercedes-Benz S550 parked behind my BMW. Aunt Maggie appeared behind me and handed me the keys.

"Jared wants you to drive that car."

I took the key without a word and left for work, with the
black Dodge still shadowing me. At the hospital entrance, I noticed two news vans. I pulled up to the entrance of the doctors' lot and the security guard handed me a new badge. I swiped it and the gate opened. He directed me to a
parking spot next to the security office that was blocked by two orange cones. The guard removed the cones and I parked the car.

Kenny, the security supervisor whom I knew very well, came out of the office.

"Kyra, what's going on?" Kenny asked.

"You tell me," I replied.

"Just following orders," he said.

Kenny escorted me across the street and into the building.
He informed me that they'd be checking on me and left. Security usually made a routine, one-time round on the unit, but tonight they rounded several times. In the morning I was escorted down to my car. As I drove out of the doctors'
parking lot, the black Dodge appeared behind me. The TV news vans were gone.

My phone rang. It was Jared.

"How was your night?" he asked.

"Tiring."

"Maybe you should get a day job."

"Not interested," I sang.

"I have a job offer I would like you to consider. How would you feel about being on the Board of Directors?"

"What!" I exclaimed and gave a nervous laugh. "Are you crazy?"

"Only about you."

"Jay...babes, be serious."

"I'm serious. You can make a difference."

"I don't know, babes. I love taking care of patients. I love being hands on. Let me think about it."