Maedayarchive - Charmae

This Way (Ain't Shit Series)

SUMMARY: Amalia gets to the real reason behind Ransom's sudden visit.

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x Black!OC; Ransom Drysdale x Amalia Wright

Warnings: Cursing, Dysfunctional Family Dynamics, Depictions of Fainting, Single Mom OC, Slightly!OC Ransom, Emotionally Stunted Individuals, Romantic Tension, Extremely Slow Burn, Angst; WC: 2134

A/N: Hey y'all. It has been over a month since the last update, so I really hope y'all are still interested! I started college so I have been trying to get situated here. Chapter two didn't do super well, but I chalked that up to a lack of Ransom (lol). Still, the responses I got were great! So please keep reading and sharing your thoughts. As always, enjoy!

Song Inspo: This Way - Khalid x H.E.R.

Masterlist / PREVIOUS CHAPTER

“Amalia!”

My eyes flutter open and it takes a moment for me to focus. My vision is blurred and my head swirls lazily. The slow pulsing of my forehead has me momentarily dazed. When my eyes finally lock on Ransom’s striking blues, I find his eyes filled with worry. Little strands of hair escape his slick, upkept style. The throbbing in my head intensifies as I struggle to sit up.

“Hey, hey. Take it easy. You passed out for a minute there.”

Ransom stops me from moving too quickly, gently helping me up. I slowly swing my legs off the couch, holding my head in my hands. He places a hand on my back hesitantly, rubbing in small circles. I press the heels of my hands into my eyes, hoping to stop the pulsating of my skull. I barely notice as he rises from the couch, returning with an opened bottle of water. He hands it to me wordlessly. When I’ve drained half the bottle, I hold it out to him. He takes it, setting it on the coffee table in front of us.

I notice pillows and papers scattered on the floor along with Shiloh’s toys.

“What happened here,” I ask, gesturing toward the mess on the floor.

“They were in the way,” He replies simply.

I sigh, leaning back against the sofa.

For a while, I trace nonexistent patterns into the ceiling before sliding my eyes back to Ransom. He observes me pensively. I bite my lower lip, pulling at the dried skin. He looks away, resting his head in his hands. There’s a slight tremor in his knee as he bounces it. His breath is quicker than usual.

I exhale heavily through my nose. He looks back at me, hands clasped in front of him. Ransom arches an eyebrow, waiting for me to speak. I purse my lips.

“I really passed out?”

He nods.

“How long was I out?”

“A couple minutes or so. Felt like fucking forever though.”

I nod at his words, training my eyes back on the ceiling. I trace a few more patterns.

“How dramatic of me.”

I look back to Ransom just as an unreadable expression crosses his features. I worry, for a moment, that I’ve upset him. But suddenly he bursts out laughing. Loud, hysterical laughter that has him throwing his head back. One hand slaps his chest and the other claps my shoulder. The hand on my shoulder, however, retreats as quickly as it comes and rests atop the other on his chest. He doubles over, his voice becoming hoarse from his manic laughter.

I can’t help the way my lips curve slightly, enjoying his amusement. I’ve always loved Ransom’s laugh. The way he puts his entire being into it to express his joy reminds me of how infrequently he feels this way. Laughter like this is rare from him, but far more frequent when we’re alone. Longing fills my bones as I observe his full-body laughter. The moment feels familiar. As if I told one of our inside jokes and he’s now losing it over how hilarious and chaotic we are. But this is different. The circumstances have changed.

Discomfort rises in me as I avert my eyes. Ransom’s elbows rest on his knees. He covers his face with his hands, chuckling occasionally, before sniffing and running a hand over his face. A fist to his mouth hides the smile that still lingers. Then he looks at me, resting his cheek against his fist.

“Leave it to you to make a joke at a time like this,” He says, laughing again.

His laugh is softer this time, a gentle rumble at the back of his throat. I don’t respond but that doesn’t phase him. He presses on.

“That’s always been my favorite thing about you, Mala.”

My cheeks burn. Mala. A rush of desire burns through me as it rolls off his tongue. He says it so fondly, with such ease. As if he’d only been gone for one night and things were still the same between us. But they aren’t the same. They will never be the same. I look away and cross my arms tightly across my chest, heated desire fizzling into irritation.

“You don’t get to call me that anymore. Don’t make this personal.”

“We’ve passed personal, babe,” He scoffs. “Literally. Need I remind you how you fell into my arms?”

I roll my eyes. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means you still trust me. At least a little.”

Our eyes clash as his words hang between us. I feel bare, naked under his scrutiny. Warmth filters into his gaze, softening as he observes me. His eyes drop to my lips almost imperceptibly. The caress of his gaze blazes through me, a heated path left in the wake of his roaming stare. I find myself leaning in, watching him with baited breath as his eyes finally return to mine.

It’s when he leans forward that I snap back into myself.

Shaking my head, I stand abruptly. My head swirls as I try to balance myself. I feel off-kilter but I can’t tell if it’s my headache or him. Maybe both. I press my fingers into my temple, massaging them in slow circles. Ransom’s hand comes to rest on my back.

“Careful,” He says. “No need to rush.”

With my millionth eye roll of the evening, I remove myself from his touch and reach for my water. Quickly, Ransom grabs it before I can and holds it out to me. My eyes flit between him and the bottle. Turning on my heel, I head to the kitchen for a new one and ignore the exasperated sigh he lets out.

“You’re so damned stubborn, Amalia.”

“Deal with it,” I shoot back.

“Yeah, I’ve been dealing with it,” He mutters.

I pause, turning to glare at him.

“Wanna say that a little louder, asshole?”

He clicks his teeth, running a hand over his face.

“I’m just saying that a little help wouldn’t kill you.”

“Ha! And how can you help me?”

“There’s no harm in letting me be there for you. This has gone on long enough.”

I know what he means. I know what he wants but I won’t have it. I won’t give him what he wants. A vile, nasty urge wells up inside of me. It rears its ugly head and rises like a lion ready to feast. I narrow my eyes at him, my lip curling slightly. My fists ball at my sides as I take a deep breath to calm myself. Still, the rage demands my attention.

“My sister will be here soon,” I say, my tone biting. “I don’t need you.”

“Mala--”

“Don’t fucking call me that again.”

Ransom sighs heavily and rests a hand on his hip, the other pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t want to argue with you.”

“Oh, but I sure as hell want to argue with you! Don’t play the bigger person and stop this now!”

“Someone fucking has to! I haven't held my son in two years,” he yells. “Two years!”

“It didn’t seem to bother you before now!”

Then, I pause. Ransom continues, his words falling on deaf ears.

“Of course it did--”

His words jumble together in my mind, forming a mishmash of meaningless sentiments. He hasn’t seen his son. His relationship with his grandfather was ruined. He hasn’t spoken to me properly for two years. He can’t go on like this. He wants us back in his life. The words spiral around me.

His son. Can’t go on. Two years. His grandfather.

His grandfather.

Then, it all clicks into place.

“Hey, are you even listening to me?”

“I get it now. That’s what you’re here for.”

Ransom scowls in confusion. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Archie left half of his estate to me. Who got the other half?”

His jaw clenches as he looks away from me.

It feels as though a rug has been pulled out from under me. I should have expected this. I should have fuckin’ known better. But like an idiot I wanted to believe that this time could be different. But all Ransom has ever cared about is Ransom so why would this sudden occurrence be any different?

Still, it pisses me the fuck off.

“Your granddaddy cut you out of the will and now you want to run back to the baby mama, right?”

I throw my words like daggers, cutting deeper with each syllable. I aim to draw blood with my words. Ransom drops his placating stance, throwing his arms in frustration.

“He cut me off a long time ago, dammit! This isn’t about that.”

“I don’t care what it’s about. I don’t want shit to do with whatever the hell you and your crazy ass family got going on.”

“Yeah, well, you didn’t mind messing with my crazy ass family as long as Archie was helping you out.”

The words sting like a slap in the face. They fall between us, heavy and full of malice. My ears ring as though I have truly been struck. A flicker of shock crosses Ransom’s face but it's immediately hidden behind an indifferent facade. My laugh is quiet and jaded as I wrap my arms around myself, nodding slightly.

“There he is,” I say quietly. “There’s the Ransom I know.”

Ransom’s body is stone-like as his eyes roam around in an effort to avoid mine. His jaw clenches so tightly that his teeth are in danger of cracking. The way he shifts his weight awkwardly tells me all I need to know as he stews in his poorly hidden guilt. Ransom was deadass wrong for that and he knows it. I give Ransom another moment. Another chance to somehow save his ass. Ransom glances at me momentarily, taking in my piercing stare, before crossing his arms petulantly and turning away from me.

Nodding again, I cross to the front door. My shoulder brushes his as I pass by and I ignore the ripples that surge through my nerves at the sensation. Different emotions rise inside of me but I stomp them down as quickly as they emerge. Still, despite myself, I feel my eyes welling with tears. I pull the door open--

--And stop short as I find Stephania standing there prepared to knock.

Shiloh sleeps soundly in her arms. I glance over my shoulder quickly, hoping Ransom hasn’t noticed. But, of course, he has. He approaches the door swiftly, only freezing in his tracks when I step between him and the front door. A myriad of emotions cross his features, astonishment being the most prominent.

Steph looks between the two of us, a similar look of bewilderment in her eyes. Wordlessly, she turns around and retreats to her car.

I step aside, avoiding Ransom’s eyes, and gesture to the open door.

“Go.”

“You can’t possibly want me to leave now,” He says incredulously. At my silence, he presses further. “Amalia, don’t be fucking ridiculous!”

“I won’t let you drag him into this. We’re done here.”

Stealing a glance at him, I look up just in time to watch his eyes grow cold. His face is hard as he glares down at me. I stand my ground against him, refusing to falter. The corner of his lips lifts into a cruel smirk. He scoffs quietly.

“Yeah? Well, I’m not done with you. This is far from over.”

He snatches his shoes from by the door, not bothering to put them on as he shoves past me. In a blink, he’s gone. I vaguely register the sound of his car rumbling down the road as Steph comes back with Shiloh. Her eyes are wide as she stands in the threshold, looking in the direction Ransom drove off in. She looks back at me.

“So…what the hell did he want?”

She peeks into the living room with wide eyes.

“Better yet, what the hell happened here?”

I take Shiloh from her, inhaling his sweet baby scent. I look at the living room behind me, taking in the mess of pillows and scattered paperwork. The mess taunts me, serving as a glaring reminder of his presence here. But when my eyes land on the stuffed bear he carelessly tossed aside earlier, I can’t help the pride that swells up in my chest. My baby shifts in my arms, babbling sleepily, and my joy expands infinitely.

Shiloh is still here. Shiloh is still mine.

I give my sister a tired smile and slight shrug.

“Nothing.”

Quietly, I turn around and head down the hallway leaving her there slack jawed. Moments later, I hear the front door slam and I know Steph is hot on my heels.

“Uhm, bitch! I know you fuckin’ lyin’!”

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