The Alpha King's Obsession

Chapter Eight

Esme's POV

I was rudly awoken by loud banging on the door. I placed the pillow over my head and tried to ignore the sound.

I sighed a breath of relief when it stopped, but groaned loudly when it started up again. I removed the pillow and the blankets, then got up. I stomped my way to the door, flung it open and shot daggers at the person that woke me from my slumber.

"Easy there firecracker. I brought food!" My gaze instantly softened when I saw that it was Athena. She had a small crock pot in her hands.

"Can I come in?" I nodded my head and moved aside, letting her pass.

My face instantly heated at the state of the room. I look like I lived trashy with how scattered and thrown around my things were.

Athena went over to the small table in the corner near the kitchenette and sat down. It was then I noticed that she had brought plates and silverware with her. That was smart because I hadn't been in the one cupboard the kitchen s***h half bath area had in it. Probably nothing but dust was in it.

"Come and sit, I don't get many people out here that aren't here for just a few hours, or just sitting in the parking lot doing business. You're doing me a favor, I insist." She motioned to the other chair, so I smiled at her.

I went to the bed and grabbed my dexcom before going over to the table. I turned it on to see what my levels were and if they were better than earlier. I certainly felt better, so that said something.

I smiled at seeing the perfect blood sugar levels and set my device aside and got out of the way. I got up and went to the refrigerator and grabbed two water bottles, then went back over to the table just as Athena had finished making our dishes.

"What's that there on your leg?" She asked me and pointed to the spot where my new sensor was going to be at for the next ten days.

"Oh that's for this." I picked up the receiver to it and showed her. "I'm a type one diabetic it tells me what my blood glucose is!" She nodded but I could tell she had questions. "I don't mind answering your questions, I'm asked alot about it by people who aren't familar with diabetics."

"No that's not it, I'm just trying to remember which is the type you have that my grandpappy had. But he took a pill so I'm unfamiliar." She took a bite of her food as she continued to think.

"Well, was he an older gentleman when he was diagnosed or child? Because type one is juvenile diabetes and the one that you can't get rid of by watching your diet or cutting back on sugar. It's there for life, there is no cure for it." I told her, then took a bite of the food she made too.

The flavor of the creamy chicken and pasta. It was explosive in my mouth. "Oh my damn," I covered my mouth as I finished my bite, she gave me an amused look and chuckled. "You have to show my mother how to cook, she don't use flavors like this." I said, unashamed that I was blasting my mother for never using seasonings on her food the way this woman did.

"Girl, I'll show you how to make it, and you can teach yo own mama." I giggled at her.

After a few comfortable minutes passed by, Athena spoke up again. "So what is a pretty thick young woman like yourself doing mixed up with a man like Zeke Rowan?" She asked me.

"You know, Zeke?" I asked her. This place was pretty far from where Zeke was originally from when we first met when I was fourteen. He was eighteen then and such a hottie when I first saw him. Weirdly enough, I thought Jimmy was just as hot too, until I started dating Zeke.

Zeke and I didn't really like one another for a while after he found out that me and Jimmy had got drunk and slept with each other the night of my sweet sixteen. In my defense, I thought it was Zeke, and not Jimmy. They favor one another, so excuse a girl for being wasted and horny.

The three of us are the only ones that know about it and I'm so glad that Zeke loved his best friend enough not to ruin his little step-sister's reputation back then.

Because back then he was the type to do such a thing.

Athena nodded her head. "Downright prick if you ask me. Him and that friend of his, Jimmy!" She scowled lowly, I could only imagine the look she had when she saw Zeke earlier today.

I pursed my lips, it wasn't my place to change others' opinions on how they felt about my brother. I knew a lot of people hated him and I still don't know why. Same with Zeke and my step-father, but it didn't mean it still didn't bother me when I heard it.

"You aren't from here. But I can see the Italian in you. Where are you from?" She changed the subject and I was happy about that.

"No ma'am. Mom and I moved from the good old Sunshine State when I was thirteen. She met my step-father shortly afterwards. They weren't married a year later." I told her the short version. If I gave her the long one, we would be here for a little while. And it was all still a bit fuzzy to me, so mom would need to be there to help tell it.

"I've been to Florida. Too humid for me..." She made a face then wiped the corner of her mouth with her napkin. Athena quickly came back from her thoughts and looked back at me.

"You said you had a step-daddy? What about your daddy? Is he the one who gave you that beautiful tan skin tone and caramel eyes? Because you said mama can't cook so she has to be a light-skinned lady.." This woman had no filter, I loved her. She was my spirit person.

"My father was half Italian, so he was pretty tan yes. He had brown eyes, my mother green, so mine could be diluted from both, who knows." I giggled at how I described myself when it came to how I looked with the small features I shared with my parents. Though they weren't as heavy as I was, so I hope it was somewhere in my bloodline and not just me.

After we finished dinner, she insisted on helping me as I cleaned up the mess in the room the night before. As she was making room, I was in the small kitchen looking at the small bit of food and snacks that I got. I was in the living area, s***h bedroom putting my clothes in the dresser.

"Esme?" Athena said as she placed a loaf of bread next to the microwave on top of the refrigerator. "How long did you plan on staying in your car when you left here?"

I was a little taken aback by what she asked. How did she know I planned to stay in my car when my stay here was over?

I sighed. "Athena-"

"Mrs A or Ma! No ifs, ands or buts about it." She stated.

I smiled kindly and corrected. "Sorry Mrs A. But it is kind of you to ask but, I'm a big girl. I'm sure I'll be alright."

She nodded her head. She placed her hand on the refrigerator, then glanced around the room and then looked at me. "I want to offer you a bigger room. I can offer you a room to live in if you want. But there are dangers lurking in these woods nearby if you choose to stay with me." I blinked at her, I was utterly dumbfounded. Where did that come from?

Athena looked at me. "You are a insulin-dependent person. Insulin has to be refrigerated, and it can't be if you are living in your car. So I'm asking, no I'm telling you that I'm moving you to the room by mine because it's bigger."

I pondered on her offer. I thought of the pros and the cons of it, though she was right. My medication would go bad really fast without being properly stored. "Can I see the other room?" I asked. She smirked at me and went for the door.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and slipped them on. I was slipping shoes on and trying to button my shorts at the same time as I followed her out the room. She made sure she gave me a master key earlier because Zeke never gave me the key to my room back.

"My room is room one-o-two, the owners quarters if you will. She walked down a little further. "And this is room one-o-four, the second to largest room apart from mine and this one." She pointed to the one that had the name 'Honeymoon Suite' written on it. "It's sound proof don't worry we won't hear a thing if we ever get someone to rent the room!" She whispered to me.

She went right to the room next to it. Room one hundred and four I'm presuming is the one she's putting me in. She unlocked it with a key instead of a card, then turned around and offered me the key. I took it from her and put it in my pocket. "If you loose it, my key will also open, it so will the master key I already gave you." I nodded my head.

"Now this room was intended for a co-owner but it has always been just me. So all this room needs is a new carpet, a paint job, some appliances and a new bed, then I think you would be all set." I stepped in, and she turned the lights on. It was vastly bigger than the room I was currently in. It was about the size of my bedroom that I shared with Zeke.

"Now I can do away with some of the faucets and probably change the light shades and fixtures to fit your style-"

Her rant was cut off by my arms wrapping around her from the side. "Thank you Athena! It's perfect!" I murmured. She patted my arm and let me hug her.

She has no idea what this means to me.

Not even my mother was this genuine to strangers, and she was surrounded by them daily. She was a very arrogant and cruel woman now that she had married James and had money in her pocket at all times.

My mother would have blamed me if I told her what happened between Zeke and I. Would have said if I wasn't so big then maybe he wouldn't have been unfaithful, and I would have believed her.

"Oh child don't cry, it's just a room!" I quickly let her go and wiped my eyes. I hardly cried in front of others, only my mother, Jimmy and Zeke has seen me cry.

"Sorry," I muttered, embarrassed that I let my emotions slip like that.

"Big girls cry too, honey. I cry all the time!" She puffed out her chest and I chuckled, if she was trying to make me laugh it worked. She winked at me then went and sat on the bed. It made a horrid noise, like one of the springs was about to go in it, and she shook her head.

"How about I stay in the room I'm in now, and for the next few days we will look for the things this room needs when I'm not at work?" I offered her. She happily agreed. Then we both went back to my room so I could grab a few things, then we went up to the front desk just in case she got a late night visitor before she retired to bed.

I asked her questions, like when she got to this place and how often she got a customer. She told me she had had it for nearly twenty-six years and, as for customers. She used to get them all the time, but now? Not so much. She'll get the occasional traveler or hiker. But mostly the place stayed open due to the drug dealers, hookers and drunk people who were kicked out of the bars or their houses for the night.

"Hey, hookers have to make that money too, Mrs A! I mean if I had the body type I'd be in that corner right now!" I told her and she gasped, hitting my shoulder.

"Be careful what you say around here!" She laughed, she thought what I said was funny but she instantly became wary too. "The pimps of those women have ears everywhere. Even here sometimes." She warned, lowly but kept a smile on her face to not make anyone, if they were around, notice anything.

Me however, dropped the humor I had instantly and looked out the double glass doors like I could actually see if there was somebody out there listening to us.

I dropped an octave as I asked her. "Are we actually safe here?" I asked her nervously.

She nodded her head with a sweet smile. "If I tell those boys that you are off the table, then they'll listen to me. But if they hear you say you'll freely be a hooker, even in jest, they'll ignore my words of safe passage around them. So be careful what you say around here."

I let out a slow and relaxed breath. "And the other girls?" I asked.

"Some do it because they owe money to the pimps, some just for s*x and some because of drugs and need the money." She shrugs.

Well, is what it is I suppose. I'll stay in my room if they come around so I won't be a bother to them and they won't be a bother to me.