Page 57 of Bratty Badboys

I was about to hang up the phone when I heard a child’s laughter. My ears perked up and terror ran through my spine when I realized it was Alice laughing.

“Who’s this?” I said, my heart beating faster, sweat clinging to my neck. “Hello? Alice? Honey, is that you?”

I needed to see her. Needed to call Taylor’s mom and make sure she’s safe. No, I needed to drive to their house and get Alice?—

Her laughter cut off as I strained to hear her voice again. Instead, a manly robotic voice rasped through the call, making me go cold. “Stay away from those men, Anna. Or else…” I heard Alice’s laughter again before being stopped, as if they had recorded the sound and were playing and pausing it, toying with me.

“I’m watching you and your sweet kid.” I heard a maniacal laughter, the sound buzzing in the end, ringing in my ears.

“Why—who are you? What does this mean?” I asked, my voice devoid of any emotions as worst-case scenarios ran through my head. I didn’t hear any reply when the person ended the call, making my heartbeat stutter.

I didn’t think twice before calling Taylor’s mom and sighed in relief when she confirmed that the kids were watching a Disney movie in their living room. I heard Alice talking with her friend animatedly in the background and sighed in relief. I thanked her before ending the call and sat on the bed, my hand going to my chest. I took deep breaths, exhaling from my parted lips, and tried to calm myself. Having kids was hard. It was like a part of your heart always stayed out of your body, and you didn’t know if that part was always safe, and yet you loved them, no matter what.

Just for my sanity, I sent a text to Aaron asking him about the honeymoon and how he’s been doing since they came back a few days ago. His reply was quick, sending me beautiful pictures of scenery and him with his husband, enjoying the married life.

I jumped when someone knocked on the door, and I turned around to see Kyle’s head popping in. “Caleb has opened the ice-cream tub and—” He paused, seeing my face and came in the guest room as I stood up, feeling shaky on my feet. “Is everything okay?”

I nodded, pursing my lips. Maybe that was just a prank call. Someone with a lot of free time on their hands, messing with me. Even though I repeated those words to myself, deep down, I knew it was something else.

“Anna, look at me.” Kyle stepped closer, his warm hands cupping my face as he leaned lower and stared into my eyes. “What happened?”

Alice’s laughter, the raspy robotic voice, muted jazz music.

I cupped his hand that was on my cheek and said, “It was nothing.” I averted his piercing gaze and continued staring at the fabric of his shirt. “I called Taylor’s mom to make sure Alice was okay.”

I didn’t lie to Kyle. I just evaded the complete truth. I didn’t want him to worry, because I was sure that he’d tell Caleb about the call and Caleb was stubborn. He would demand to look into it, and knowing him, he’d probably call cops or hire a bodyguard or stay here. And Kyle would support him, never leaving me or Alice out of his sight until whatever this was resolved.

I didn’t want them to worry.

“Alright,” Kyle said in a quiet voice before adding, “We are here if you want to share anything, okay?”

I nodded with a small smile, hoping it looked real as we both walked out of the room and made our way to the living room. The sight before me stopped me in my tracks, a warm glow spreading across my chest as I covered my mouth, when a small giggle threatened to release.

“We leave him alone for a few minutes and he falls asleep,” Kyle whispered, his lips curling at the corner.

Some sort of animated movie was playing on the television and across it, on the couch, was Caleb. With a spoon in the ice-cream tub placed on his lap, his lips smudged with the melted ice-cream and a small pout perfected on his relaxed face. He looked like an angel. An angel with face piercings and cute pout.

“He looks adorable,” I gushed, quietly making my way to his sleeping frame. He wasn’t huge, but he was tall and muscular enough that he made my couch look small. I grinned, seeing him hold Alice’s soft-toy dinosaur in his hand with his head at a weird angle.

Kyle and I worked in silence as we took the tub from his lap and moved his body on the couch with the dinosaur in his arms. Caleb let out a soft sigh when Kyle placed the throw blanket on him. I stared at his face, the long lashes making shadows on his cheeks. How tired he must have been to fall asleep within minutes at a stranger’s house… or he felt so safe here that he relaxed and passed out.

I ran my hand through his hair and kissed his cheek. “Sleep well,” I whispered to him when Kyle turned off the television.

I was about to ask him if he’d like some ice-cream when he held my hand and tilted his head to the kitchen. I followed him, eyeing the hand entwined with my fingers and wondering why I felt so relaxed with two men in my house when I had never felt this sort of calmness before in my life. Despite the strange call.

“I wanted to talk about us,” Kyle started when I sat on the chair and he kneeled in front of me, taking my hands in his and peering at me through his glasses. “I want to date you… with Caleb. We want you. I know he’s stubborn, but if you don’t want us, then we will respect?—”

“Kyle,” I squeezed his hand, not knowing how to put in words how I felt about them. I had never received such an attraction from my exes before, and it was something new that I had thought only happened in books or movies… and not for a forty-year-old single mom with two kids.

“I am not sure about whatever we are doing. I agreed to the date because I enjoy spending time with you both, and I’ll be honest; I don’t know how it will work out with your busy schedule, my kids and work. But…” I stared into his deep golden-brown eyes and the dilated pupils that made them look like the summer night sky. “I like you both. I don’t want to stop… this. I liked grocery shopping with you and Caleb, cooking dinner and talking about our life, tucking in Caleb when he was so excited to eat the ice-cream.”

We both chuckled, eyeing the couch where Caleb was asleep.

“And you like the sex.” Kyle squeezed my hand and said, “How we dote on you and want you.”

“Of course, I do.” I licked my lips, remembering the afternoon and being sandwiched between two men. “And it’s strange, but I want you both to… to do whatever you want together. Kiss, sex, or whatever it is. I like that you two like each other.”

Kyle considered my words for a moment before nodding. “We had a one-night stand a few months back.” Seeing the look on my face, he added, “We didn’t have sex. It was just… other things, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want him as much as I want you.”

---