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A frown etched in my brows. No address? No name?

My heart rate increased. I didn’t know why, but I felt I needed to be on my guard for whatever was in the envelope. I tore one end and walked to the dining as I poured out the contents.

I cupped my mouth and took a step back.

Flashes of skin. Three naked bodies. Lips apart in quiet moans of pleasure.

There were pictures. Several of them. I swallowed. My hands shaking as I took a step closer and took a few in my hand. Shaky exhale escaped my lips, staring at the pictures of me, Caleb and Kyle. All of them near my house with a few posing Alice in the background drawing, eating or napping. Me talking to Caleb on the porch near his bike, his gloved hands on my hips as he leaned down to kiss me. Pictures of Kyle kissing me in the car outside the church. Photos of us naked in my living room on our couch, kissing, fucking… sleeping.

My eyes were burning. I blinked and took the paper, folding it open as my ears rang.

Stop this debauchery now, Anna. You’re a mom of two. You don’t need two young boys to fuck you. Stop acting like a whore. If you don’t…

I’m warning you.

Consider this as my good grace.

I’m watching you.

Always.

I eyed the last word, re-reading it again. The small note was not hand-written but had times new roman font with the word ‘always’ underlined and bold.

The sound of Alice’s cheerful laughter and Caleb’s shuffling in the nearby room made me pull out of my reverie. I shoved the note and photos back in the envelope just as Caleb walked out of the room, running a hand through his normal-shoulder length hair without any pastel-colored clips.

“You okay, pretty?” He asked, walking towards me, his hand wrapping around my hip—just like the picture.

“Of course.” I forced a smile and kept a tight grip on the envelope. “I’m okay.”

He stared at me for a moment before looking down at my hands and asked, “Is that a bill? Let me pay that?—”

I held the envelope behind my back, widening my grin. “Caleb. It’s not a bill.”

His look was piercing, my knees wobbling as I stayed my ground before he leaned back and sighed. “Okay, I’ll trust you, pretty.”

I nodded, watching him talk to Alice as I went to the guest room and hid the envelope in a hurry. I didn’t want Valeria or Caleb or anyone finding it. I’ll hide it in my room upstairs when I’m back home.

Smoothing my dress, I took a few deep breaths and readied myself to meet Caleb’s family.

This… can wait.

I hope.

31

HI DADDY

KYLE

I checked the surrounding houses with modern architecture as I drove into Caleb’s driveway. He lived in a comfortable area with a serene atmosphere. His house was enormous for just one person, but he had told me that his dad bought it when he had gotten married.

Stepping out of the car, I breathed in the crisp night air and buttoned my suit jacket. I looked at the porch and wondered if Caleb felt lonely living there since Cillian, his dad, lived with his wife in her mansion.

I had felt lonely in my house when Marissa passed away. Little corners triggered happy and sad memories of us. My grandma saw me withering away in the lonely halls and moved in with me, complaining about how she didn’t have anyone to gossip about and needed me to take care of her.

I hoped Anna and I could make it not so lonely for Caleb whenever he needed us. He didn’t openly talk about his past, and there were a few times where the corner of his lips were upturned, and I caught him thinking about something.

Fixing my tie and cuffs of the white shirt I was wearing underneath my dark suit, I stepped towards the front door, noting Caleb’s bike and two cars.