My Ward My Woman(18)

Alexandra had once made the comment that I didn’t know Jessica, but I knew enough. Nothing I couldn’t handle. As long as she kept her shit away from Alexandra we were all good.

Her latest call was just a few short hours ago when she called to invite me to dinner to talk. I guess her many trips to my office where she was repeatedly turned away had finally gotten to her. I declined of course. Because I like my balls just where they are, and the hellion had threatened them with grave harm if I even looked in Jessica’s direction without her there.

She was afraid a lot and trying to hide it from me, but I knew her too well. She was trying to be brave and mature, but she couldn’t hide the fact that each time the child was mentioned it broke her heart.

There was nothing in the world I could do about that, so I tried even harder to give her all of me. It seemed to be working for now and I mean to keep it that way. I just need to keep that she witch at arm’s length until after the baby was born, and then we’ll see what needed to be done.





18





Alexandra





I should’ve known that something like this would happen. It’s always been this way in my life. First my mom, then my dad and stepmom. Everyone I love is always taken from me. Now I’m going to lose Solomon just when we found each other as lovers. It’s just not fair.

I don’t know how much longer I can keep up this front, of bravery, but I’ll do it for him, even though I feel like I’ve already lost. Those few weeks we had in the beginning will always be my most cherished memories. That was the only time I had him all to myself. No matter what happens now, I’ll always be sharing him with her and her child.

It’s mean and I’ll probably burn in hell for thinking it, but I hate them both. I don’t want to share him with anyone, he’s mine-he’s always been mine, since I was eleven years old and he held me that first time while I wept for my dad.

He didn’t know it, but my young impressionable heart had fallen at his feet way back then. Of course I loved him with an innocent love. It was enough just to be close, to do everything together. Back then he kept his women away from the house and it was a while before I knew he even dated.

I remember the fit I had that first time after picking up the phone and the female on the other end was cooing some not so innocent things into his ear. I’d ran down to the garden and beat my hands against the dirt until they bled. It was the only way I knew how to release the pain.

Solomon took one look at me as I came in and whatever plans he’d had with that loose woman were forgotten as he took me up the stairs and took care of me himself. I’m ashamed to say that after that incident I tried the same stunt in different variations from time to time.

I’m not sure he ever caught on, but I started to feel guilty the older I got and the shame was more than I could stand so I stopped. It was the fact that he gave so much without question, and here I was sabotaging his life. I was smart enough to know there could never be anything between us. From all the talk I heard around the school yard, I knew that men and women did things that little girls had no business even knowing about.

So instead I held my dreams in my heart, looking forward to the day when I would be old enough for him to notice me. It wasn’t easy having to pretend that I liked his girlfriends, and I lived in constant fear of him marrying one of them. But one innocent question to grandma had put my fears to rest. I’d simply asked had she met the latest girlfriend, I think I was fourteen or fifteen at the time.

Her answer that he’d only introduce the girl he was going to marry to his family and that no she’d never officially met any of the women he’d dated since he became a man, had lightened my heart considerably.

Of course after that I kept a close eye on his affairs and until Jessica I never felt that fear in the pit of my gut again. I could tell that he was fond of her, if not that he was ready to start a family of his own. The old me reared her ugly head and I was willing to do anything to take him away from her.

I didn’t know the first thing about winning a man’s affections, and so one day I broke down and told grandma what had been in my heart forever. Of course she shot down the idea, but she didn’t dash all hope. She was right, I was too young, but I was afraid that if I waited much longer Jessica would get her hooks into him and I’d be left all alone again.

Had Jessica been a better person I maybe would’ve felt an ounce of remorse for going after her man, but I’d seen her true face once too often. Like the way she’d sneer and bully me when Solomon wasn’t in the room, but once he returned she’d be all smiles again and showing an interest in how I was doing in school.

She was forever treating me like a child in front of him, like any seventeen year old wanted to be patted on the head and spoken down to like she was an imbecile. I hid my hate of her well, but I’d followed grandma’s rules, I’d done as she asked and my year was almost up.

That’s when we came up with the plan to seduce him, starting with the night of my birthday party. Everything I’d done since then had led to this. We were happy, he loved me as more than just the orphan he’d taken in. He loved me as a woman, his woman. Being with him was ten times better than I’d ever imagined, and I had no doubt we would’ve gone on to have a happy life if not for her.

Now I was trapped in the house alone with her. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she’d been watching to see when Solomon left to make her move. He’d barely cleared the driveway when she showed up. The staff had already gone since we were having dinner with his mom, and he’d left on a last minute errand while I was supposed to be getting dressed for the night.

“I told you he’s not here, maybe you should call him.” Like you do every damn hour. You’d think she was the first woman to carry a child the way she carries on. She’s not even showing yet and already her demands are mounting.

“Actually, I’m here to see you.” She moved around the room running her hands over the expensive antiques like she was pricing them for auction.

“Me, why?” She hadn’t said anything as yet but I was pretty sure she had to know that we were now a couple. The whole town knew for crying out loud. Was she here to tell me to back off? I’d thought of that once, for all of two seconds.

I didn’t want to deprive his child of his love having experienced it myself first hand. But I had no doubt he could love the child well enough if he weren’t married to the mother which I’m sure is what she was after.

“You are taking up too much of Solomon’s time. With the baby coming I need him at my side. You’re a big girl you can take care of yourself. Surely you can see how your clinging to him like a lovesick puppy is making it hard for him to be there for his child.”

Each word was like a dagger in my heart but I didn’t let it show. I had no answer for her so kept my mouth shut. I know what Solomon told me, knew what he wanted. But it was obvious that she wanted something far different. She was speaking as though they were going to have a life together, and I was too unsure of myself, of our new relationship to say otherwise.

I wanted desperately to believe all those things he whispers to me as we make love. The reassurances that he’s made only last as long as we were wrapped together keeping the rest of the world at bay. But once I was away from him again, the fears and doubts returned and I was back to where I started until the next time we made love.

She was watching me now and I was beyond uncomfortable alone in the room with her. I was about to make up an excuse to leave when he walked in. I hadn’t even heard the front door open.

“Excuse me.” I started to leave but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to his side. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here Jessica, is everything okay with the baby?” Her eyes followed our hands where they were joined and I saw a look of anger come over her face.

“We’re fine, I just wanted to see the father of my child is there a problem?” He squeezed my hand and I looked up at his face but the anger wasn’t showing there either.

“I’d just prefer you called ahead next time. Is that all? Alexandra and I have plans this evening.” Oh she didn’t like that at all. I held my breath and waited for her next move.

“Ask her to leave the room I have something to say to you that’s not for her ears.” He looked from her to me before kissing my forehead and placing a comforting hand on my side as he leaned into me to whisper in my ear.

“Go wait for me babydoll, I won’t be a minute.” I let go of his hand and left the room without a backward glance, but of course I stood just out of sight so I could eavesdrop.

“I don’t like that the two of you seem to be getting even closer than before. What’s with the hand holding and cute kisses? Anyone would think you two were an item.” Like you didn’t know that. What a snake.

“My relationship with Alexandra is none of your concern.”

“I beg to differ. I am carrying your child after all. The heir to the Magna dynasty.” I could almost hear the glee in her voice and wanted to throw up.

“You’re carrying my child yes, but you and I are never going to be the happy couple you have running around in your head. I was waiting for the right time to say this, but since you want to force the issue now’s as good a time as any.”