C.A.K.E

Chapter 11: Too Close for Comfort

Though Eli asked her to stay put, he's so glad she ignored him.

Arden glides past Melinda and Armando, and into Eli's eager embrace. She's let her hair down, and her Nikes have been swapped for a pair of black flats.

With her back to the enemy, she surveys her husband. She puts her arms around his torso and whispers to him.

"Are you okay?"

Elliott cradles her chin in one hand and slips his other into her hair. Her wrinkled brow and the tears clouding her almond eyes, remind him of the reason he loves her.

He smiles at Arden. "I am perfect."

Then he bends his head and kisses his wife. He closes his eyes and slips his tongue between her lips. She follows his lead and folds her arms around his neck. They both relax into the space that belongs to them alone, a home that exists in their every kiss. Somewhere safe.

Elliott rests his forehead against hers, and she notices the singed spot on his shirt. Arden's jaw tightens, and she asks again if he's all right. He nods and pulls her against his chest.

Melinda clears her throat behind them.

Elliott watches Arden roll her eyes, before turning to face Mel and Armando. A pageant grin worthy of the crown replaces the disgust that turned down her lips just seconds earlier.

"Melinda." Arden gives her the same stale greeting as Elliott did.

"Arden, so nice to see you," Melinda says, eyeballing her.

"Mm-hmm. Is this the boyfriend?" Ardi asks, glancing at Armando.

"Fiancé."

"Semantics, Melinda." Arden shrugs.

"Armando." He offers his hand to her.

Arden stares at his outstretched palm. She gives him a quick wave of her hand, before folding her arms across her middle.

He grins. "Another fiery one, I see."

Arden shifts her focus back to Melinda. "Why are you here?"

"You kidnapped my kids."

"I did no such thing. They left of their own volition."

"I find that very hard to believe."

"Believe what you will, Melinda. Neither Elliott nor I knew they were coming back to Birmingham."

"Fine. We can all pretend you didn't lure them back here." She pauses to glare at Arden. "I'm taking them home."

"They are home," Elliott says.

"Their home is with me."

"Not tonight, it isn't. It's late. They're staying here," Arden asserts.

"Don't you think that's a decision they have to make for themselves?"

Ardi nods. "You're absolutely right. Let's go upstairs and you can ask them yourself."

Arden and Elliott apologize to Edward for Melinda's outlandish behavior and ask him to have management send them a bill for the damages.

They also ask him to make sure that after tonight she is not allowed inside the building under any circumstances ever again.

"Shall we?" Eli leads the way to the elevator and they all step inside the small space.

None of them are too thrilled about sharing the close quarters, even for this short duration. All except one, that is. Armando leers at Arden. Elliott notices the other man's eyes on her. He switches places with her, eyeballing the model.

Melinda nudges Armando's arm. "Like what you see?"

"You know I appreciate beauty in any form." He smiles at Arden, who groans.

"Yes, she's very pretty. But you might want to check under the hood first. Sometimes that new Ferrari turns out to be a lemon ... Right, Fin?" She raises her eyebrow at Elliott.

"Don't start, Melinda," he warns.

She sets her sights on her real prey. "Still barren, Arden?"

"For the last time ..." Elliott's response is cut short by Arden's hand on his arm.

"Yeah, not much has changed with me." Ardi tilts her head and smiles at Melinda. "But I see you've managed to become even more of a bitch."

"You still think that's an insult. That's cute."

"I didn't think it would be fair to point out that dime store dye job, and those crow's feet." Arden sighs at Melinda's bottle-blonde locks. "I was raised to respect my elders."

"At least the sound of my broken biological clock doesn't keep me awake at night."

Arden laughs. "Oh, I'm sure yours stopped ticking twenty years ago."

"Maybe. But I'm not the one still sporting scars from twenty years ago." She gestures to Arden's cheek. "You know there are procedures for that now. There's no need to walk around looking like a patchwork quilt."

"I don't see why not." Ardi shrugs. "You're allowed to look like the crypt keeper in front of millions of people every week."

Melinda is silent a moment, pretending to be too engrossed in her freshly manicured nails.

"Speaking of my show, you would be perfect for a segment we're doing next month. It's called When Genetics Goes Wrong." She looks Arden over from head to toe and sighs. "Guess, some people just never get past that ugly duckling phase."

Arden bites the inside of her cheek. Then she kind of chuckles and glances down at her feet, before making eye contact with Melinda again.

"I used to think you were just an insecure, fame whore." Ardi smirks. "But now I see that was a compliment."

Mel glares back at Arden. "I'd rather be a fame whore than a motherless one any day."

The air in the elevator is set ablaze, sucking all of the oxygen out of the cramped space.

"All right, that's enough. Give it a rest, Melinda." Eli takes Arden's trembling hand.

Melinda raises her palms. "Wasn't me."

Elliott gives Arden's hand a gentle squeeze, and she does the same. She's okay.

Finally, they reach their floor and walk down the long hallway that leads into the penthouse.

Melinda takes a moment to study the artwork on the walls. A portrait of Arden, Elliott, and the twins is of particular interest to her all of a sudden.

"I let you two live in relative peace with my children." She's all but snarling at the photo. "Bet everyone around here thinks ya'll are a regular Brady Bunch."

"Who gives a fuck what people think. We're a family." Elliott takes a breath, keeping himself from saying more.

"I do care about my kids." Melinda's expression softens. It almost seems genuine. Almost.

"There aren't any cameras or press here, Melinda," Elliott smirks. “Do me a favor, and drop the bullshit."

"What are you talking about?" Mel asks.

"Give your other face a rest. I'm sure it gets enough airtime on your show."

"Well, which is it, Fin?" She turns to him. "Do you want me to behave, or not?"

"I want you to be a slightly better version of yourself. One who doesn't exact pleasure from crawling underneath other people's skin and defecating on their internal organs. One who isn't such a spiteful bitch."

"You're out of line, asshole. You can't talk to her like that." Armando makes a half-hearted attempt at defending his woman.

"Do you really wanna go there with me again?" Elliott charges up to him. "I can't even understand why you're doing so much talking."

"Why not, Finley?" Melinda asks. "Your little mouthpiece has had plenty to say tonight."

She narrows her eyes at Arden.

"Everybody just take it down a notch. Fighting with each other all night isn't going to solve anything." Arden steps into the middle of the fray and urges Eli away from Mel's glorified escort.

In less than three hours, she needs to be at the bakery. So it's time for everyone to put the bullshit to bed.

"Pardon me little Miss Muffet. But I'm not in the mood to hold hands and sing an old negro spiritual."

"Let's get one thing straight, father time." Arden addresses her. "None of your passive-aggressive shit in front of the kids. Whatever animosity there is between us, stays between us. Got it?"

Melinda gasps and places a hand over her chest.

"Really, Arden. You're so confrontational. Try to keep that ghetto girl attitude in check. This isn't the hood."

Melinda struts past Arden toward the door of the apartment.

his wife's hand again. She squeezes it, much harder this time. They share a quick look, before following the

inside the apartment, Elliott deposits Armando on the sofa and Arden heads up to the twins' bedrooms. Melinda calls after her before she can make it up the first step.

to talk to my kids alone if you

left foot on the stairs, resting her weight on her right. She hangs her head and sighs. Then she throws up

"It's your world, Melinda."

see that." She glares at Arden like she's the hired help, making sure to bump

over-processed locks, as she starts up after

it," he

she whines, like a bratty kid

up the stairs. "And I wouldn't blame you. But you are

adapt," she says, still staring

share a laugh. She faces him and drapes her arms

that you need more than a few minutes

put into words." He settles his hands at her waist and shrugs.

When can I see the master

nearby side

pulls him closer

"Nope, try again."

undoes a couple of buttons on

finger at her. "You

idea." She laughs, and a mischievous smile lights up her

meets her lips halfway. They're lost in each other again when Elliott gets the

kiss and turns to find Armando has joined them in the hallway. His lithe build is leaned against the wall, staring at Arden like she's the

in front of his wife, blocking

the slender silver case hidden in his breast pocket.

United Nations makeout session. But

shit in the street like any dog."

against Elliott's shoulder. She can't help

She nudges him.

glances back at her, and she shakes

the hall, last door on the

past them in the direction of the bathroom.

and turns on his heels. "You can't smoke

beautiful. Won't happen again." He smiles and

"Bastard," Elliott mutters.

can't kill Melinda,

He turns to her.

few of his ads." Eli smirks at her, and she shrugs. "I

Casper. Now Armando. I'm

her cheeks. She takes

to worry about.

is

eyes

intellect, actually. Devilishly handsome with a

know

him call me sometime." She sighs. "Until then, guess I'll

Since I'm just a placeholder, that means I don't have to be

He slips a hand into her shirt, manhandling her delicate curves. Arden

yourselves away from each other for

at the bottom of the stairs, staring daggers at

Melinda to continue with their

the banister, clasping and unclasping her hands. Then she looks Arden dead in the

leave," Melinda utters each word through gritted teeth. Like every syllable is another

I'm sorry you came all the way down here. I should

my fault. I should have said something the second they showed up

The teamwork thing is just ... nauseating." She plays with a thread on the sleeve of her dress. "They can stay here until Thursday, and

to object, but Eli touches her

than fair, Melinda." He nods at her, glancing over at Arden. She shakes her head

Arden, and makes her way to the living room. She stands in the middle of the expansive room, looking around with her hands on her hips.

yet," Eli

Melinda." Arden nods

wanders off in search of her convenient fiance, leaving Ardi and

reaches for Arden's hand. But she wraps her arms around herself and glares at him. A bit uneasy, he laughs and reaches for her again. She backs away

more relaxed Armando at her side before Elliott can ask what's going

before stepping onto the elevator with Mel. She flips him the bird. He pouts his

tries once again to hug

couple of quick steps to her left, and sails past him back into the apartment. Elliott follows, with the confusion of

Elliott knows it might be best not to follow her upstairs. She's already expressed a desire to throw someone down

the staircase. A few minutes later, she jogs down the stairs again and

her

floor lamp and asks Elliott to face her. She asks him to follow her finger, and

she asks,

to a bookshelf, picks up a vase, and

are you doing?" he exclaims, barely

being shoved up your ass has affected any of your other faculties.”

groans like he wants to

Elliott." She plucks another fragile knick-knack from the shelf. "Every single time that woman shows up,

it at Eli. The miniature clay elephant hurtles through the air on a collision course with

set the items on the end table, she fires another even larger porcelain dish at him. This one comes within inches of making contact with the hardwood floor. He snatches the plate from

"Arden ..."

I thought you were going to put our relationship before your

up a couple of hardbound books and hurls one at Elliott. The volume is moving so fast, his best option is to duck. As he

at me." He rubs

and storms off to their bedroom. If she can't throw shit at him, then she's done talking. She flings

"Ardi, wait a minute."

before slipping out of her underwear. She

going to charge around the house

she secures her hair into a loose bun on the top of her

You're actually

stomping into the bathroom and closing the door

decides against it. If she's upset, he has to find some way to resolve the issue. But he has to get

door handle and realizes she didn't lock it. She

with another blunt object. He peeks his head around the door. No baseball

her pores. Elliott opens the glass door. A

"Arden."

me alone, Elliott." She pulls the

tiled shower with her without stopping to undress. The downpour from

"I can't do that."

"Get out," she demands.

"No."

"Elliott."

He stands firm and stares

trying to convince him to do so. Arden groans, and turns her back on him. She has to be showered and

her skin. He works his way from her ear down to her shoulder, softly biting and sucking as he goes. She dips her shoulder and moves away from him. But she's not getting away that

his arms underneath hers, letting his hands cup her breasts. He massages them in his gentle hands, while he continues to

to his. Their same desperate exchange from earlier returns. She helps him peel the wet clothes

her sit. He gets down on his knees in front of her. Then he starts to

works his magic until she's shuddering and tugging at his dirty blonde curls. Just when she's ready

Ardi wraps her legs around his back. With one swift movement, he slips into her warmth. She melts like sugar in his arms, uttering his name over

the rage and frustration that's polluting her

feverish rhythm. Elliott feels Arden tense around him and moves

on knowing what she needs, without her having to ask. Sometimes he

her head back and digs her nails into Elliott's arms. He grips her tighter, as they

weak now, he settles onto the shower

breath again, he kisses her.

says between

"Round two, then."

on

this time. "Stay home

you have an

classes for the day." He looks

look at

spend the day looking at you." He leans back to better admire all of

that sounds,

takes

her fingers

attention to her other breast. Eli alternates sucking and caressing, relentless in his

diligence begins to wear her down. "Okay ... maybe

plunges his

They could be in here

can actually take a

I promise I'll

already know how good

"Yes, you do."

to use the shower for its designated purpose. Though he

for any excuse to touch Arden before she leaves, he insists upon making himself apart of her usual beauty routine. She's swathed in a terry cloth robe, sitting on the edge of a white leather ottoman. He's kneeling in front of her, rubbing a body butter into her toasted skin. He has such careful hands. Eli has to put real effort into being

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