Chapter 14

14

Faust

While I wait for Shelby to show up, I get Lou and Audrey on the phone at the same time. They're both scared as hell. My agent and my lawyer. Probably wondering if I'm going to demand more money from the team or request a trade or something else insane.

Like finding out I have a son?

I tell them what's happened and they're both in shock and silence.

"Uh… what do you need from me, Faust?" Lou asks in a gruff voice.

"Not sure how this will play out," I say. "I don't want my son all over social media. I don't want this to become a thing."

"Can we talk reasonable now?" Audrey asks. "Forget about the pretend family vibe."

Ah, there's Audrey. Pure evil, but I need that in my life.

"You need to request a paternity test," she says.

"The kid is mine," I say. "Believe me. I can send you pictures that-"

"I don't care about pictures," Audrey says. "This is about legal protection. Sorry if I insult someone you care about, but you're telling me some woman shows up with a six year old kid…? Smells like shit to me."

Lou chuckles.

I stare out the window.

"It's a complicated thing to talk about," I say. "Me and her."

"Oh, fuck, Faust," Audrey says. "This isn't some fucking TV show. Smarten up. If you don't act first, she just might. Let's say the kid is yours, fine. What's the plan? You need to have something to attack with."

"Attack," I whisper.

"I'm being logical. At any second she can run to the courts and stick her hand in your wallet and you won't be able to stop her."

Little do you know, Audrey, I'm making her move in next door to me.

I will eventually have to tell Audrey about that.

She is my lawyer. I'll need to keep everything on the legal side when it comes to renting out the apartment.

"Can I just take a minute and work through this?" I ask. "You know I'm not an emotional guy at all, but this is different. I have a son. I keep repeating that. It doesn't feel real. But then I see the kid and I talk to him and it's just-"

"Okay, Faust, I'm going to hang up now," Audrey says. "No offense, but I'm not your therapist. I think legally you should be smarter than this. Call me when your head clears up."

She jumps off the call.

Lou chuckles again. "She has a way with words, huh?"

"She's looking out for me, that's all. I need you to do the same. You hear anything, you tell me. I mean it, Lou, I want this quiet. I need to figure some stuff out."

"Whatever you need, Faust."

I end the call and exit my apartment just in time for the front desk to call and verify that I have guests.

My son and my… my Shelby are here…

Shelby looks around. Oakley at her side.

"Hey, kiddo, you can go explore," I say. "Bedrooms are right over there… yours is on the right…"

My son looks up at his mother.

She nods.

He takes off running.

I wait for a few seconds for the scream of joy.

"Mommy! You have to see this!"

Shelby looks at me.

"Told you I was going to spoil him," I say.

I take her hand and lead the way to the bedroom.

I sort of had it done up for Oakley already.

A mix of dinosaurs and race cars.

It's a really decent sized bedroom for a kid. A big bed, nice and comfortable. New toys on shelves. Pictures and posters all over the walls. It's cozy yet it looks like a six-year-old kid lives here.

Which is what I wanted. What my son deserves.

"Look at this room!" Oakley cries out.

"Now don't forget, kiddo, you have to make it your own," I say to him. "Bring Bongo and the others and get everything the way you want it. Okay?"

"Okay," Oakley says. "This is really cool."

Shelby smiles at our son and tickles the top of his head. "You hang out here for a little bit while I talk to Faust."

Oakley gets up on the bed and starts to jump.

I can tell Shelby wants to tell him not to but she's got bigger issues to deal with.

Me.

We exit the bedroom and I think about the last time something like this happened… when I ended up with my tongue between her legs.

"What the hell are you trying to prove?" she growls at me.

"Come here, sweetie, let's get a drink," I say.

I turn and walk away. She has no choice but to follow me.

There's a bathroom next to Oakley's room. Then there's Shelby's bedroom. Twice as big as Oakley's, with its own private bathroom.

The apartment is like a house. A living room. A dining room. A kitchen. A nice entrance way. It's not a massive, open space that makes you feel like it's an apartment.

Much different than my place.

When we get to the kitchen, Shelby grabs at my left hand.

"Faust, what is this? And why? What is happening?"

"I see this as a solution to a problem I did not create."

"Fine. Blame me. Hate me. But this place is too much right now. I'm not ready yet. Okay? I'm finishing a book. And once-"

"So you chased your dream finally," I say.

I reach out and tuck some hair behind Shelby's ear.

I hate myself for it.

I can't help it.

"Yeah," she says. "I'm a writer. I have an agent. A book deal. Everything."

"That's good."

"No. It's not good. I have to finish this book and hand it in to get the other part of my advance. Then I'm going to move Oakley into a house where he deserves to be."

"Perfect," I say. "So in the meantime you live here."

"Faust, I can't afford this place," she says through gritted teeth.

"I own the place and I'm not charging you a dime."

She shuts her eyes and swallows hard.

"I know what you're thinking, Shelby," I say. "You're thinking I'll have you live here and throw it in your face about having my son and not telling me. Those are two separate situations."

"Faust, how and why do you own two apartments?"

My jaw tightens. "I don't like neighbors."

She opens her eyes. "What?"

"I live at the end of the hallway. The guy that lived here was annoying. Almost as bad as your situation. So I handled it."

"Are you being serious right now?"

"Of course I am," I say. "The guy drove me crazy. So I waited for a chance to swoop in and buy the place. There was an offer and he accepted it. I didn't kick him out. I didn't leave him homeless. But I did get him the fuck out of my way. I design my life the way I want it, Shelby. What I want in it and what I don't want in it."

"Oh, so you want me in your life?"

"I want my son in my life," I say. "You're… baggage…"

"Fuck you," she growls in an almost whisper.

"That's what got us here, sweetie," I say.

I grab for her hips and pull at her.

She claws at my wrists but does not push my hands away.

"You're moving into this apartment, sweetie. You're going to be my neighbor. We're going to figure out what works when it comes to raising our son. Together. And you're going to tell me why you did what you did."

"That's a long list of demands from you. What about me?"

"What do you want, Shelby?"

I put her on the spot.

Her cheeks brighten with a red color.

I have a feeling in my gut her answer would be me.

That she wants me.

Oh, fucking hell, do I want her. Of course I want her. I've never not wanted her.

I swear I can still taste her cunt on my lips.

My cock thickens and rages, wanting…

"Can I have a snack?"

The voice from behind Shelby kills the mood and moment instantly.

I look at Oakley as he stands there, nervous as anything.

Just like that I shift my brain from wanting to ruthlessly fuck Shelby to being a father to my son.

I walk toward Oakley and crouch down.

I smile at my son.

"I could go for a snack myself… what are you thinking, kiddo?"