Chapter 48
The Johnson Law Firm: 4 PM the following day
After careful consideration, Granger decided the best plan of action was to see Satin, tell her in person he had no desire to go through with the divorce, and hopefully find out what was going on with Cassandra. Knowing her frame of mind might making approaching her a bit easier. He knew he could have talked to Malcolm, but he didn't want to put him on the spot, make the man feel as if he was betraying Cassandra's confidence.
In the past five months Granger had developed a rare, unexpected friendship with Satin. She was definitely different, she was the kind of woman he could have just as a friend. She wasn't afraid to tell him what he needed to hear, not what he wanted to hear, and she didn't try to inflate his ego or use flattery to get anything from him. In the five months since he had left home, he had spoken with her often, and it didn't matter that she was on his payroll, she pulled no punches. He admired her honest and straight-forward approach to things, it was a refreshing change from the 'yes men' (Malcolm was not included among them) that he more times than not found himself surrounded by at work.
As he and Nicola made their way into the attorney's richly decorated reception area, he looked around and spotted several women, including Satin's aide, Lacey, huddled around an office door, in the transparent act of eavesdropping. Almost as one, the three women closest to the door leaned forward even further, almost pressing their ears against it while the others gathered around as close as possible in order to not miss a word.
Both he and Nicola stopped in their tracks as they heard a blood curdling scream. Actually, it sounded more like a cross between an angry bobcat and a wild woman, and the scream was followed by what sounded like glass shattering against a wall. Whatever was going on inside, it was loud enough for him and Nicola to plainly hear. With quick strides, Granger made his way to the group of women and started to shoulder them all to the side. Hold on a minute, if there was something REALLY serious going down here, one of them would have called the police. Besides, at least three of them are actually snickering....he thought.
Another loud crash, then a thud, followed by what sounded like two animals panting loudly in a struggle. “Quit throwing glass at me, I'm warning you, Peanut! Come here! Don't try to run away now...get your behind right here, right now! I've a good mind to ta......ahhhHHHHHHH, DON'T YOU DARE BITE ME AGAIN, YOU LITTLE SHE-DEVIL!” A male voice boomed from behind the door. “Owwwww! Damn it, lemmee' go, lemmee' go, you SPAWN OF SATAN!!!”
“ASSHOLE! DICKWAD!” the female voice screeched indignantly. “How DARE you lay your grubby paws on me! I'll rip your sack off and feed your tiny little nuts to you for LUNCH! Let me go, you limp-wristed FAGGOT! Get away from me!”
Her comments caused some of her employees to gasp, while others were doing their best to control the hysterical laughter bubbling right underneath the surface. Knowing their boss as well as they did, they knew she would indeed try to neuter the man, given half a chance.
Sounding as if he was really sucking wind now, the male voice threatened, “ Stop that wiggling! What did I tell you about that foul mouth of yours, HUH? Haven't I warned you a hundred times about speaking to me with the respect I deserve?”
“Big man, huh?” the female voice mocked, although it sounded as if she was winded as well. “What's your encore, gonna' go down to the daycare center and steal lollipops from two-year olds, you tiny-dicked sphincter slug?” she screeched.
“Alright, that's ENOUGH!” the male voice raged, sounding genuinely upset now. “I told you you were going to get that ass spanked if you kept disrespecting me! I'm tired of every third word coming out of your mouth being filth! If you can't act like a lady, by God, I won't treat you like one! Now take your medicine like a child!” he roared as the unmistakable sounds of a flat human hand connecting with fleshy but firm buttocks began resonating throughout the office.
“AAAAHHHHHHHH!” the woman began wailing in either outrage, or genuine pain. Or both.
“You had enough?! You gonna' speak to me like a friggin' human being now?” the man demanded breathlessly once the spanking sounds had ceased.
“I'd like to see you try that again, you...you...JERK!” the woman replied, sounding frustrated and close to tears. “I can say any fucking thing I want, shit-for-brains! You hear me? Fuck! There, I said it! Fuck! Fuck fuck FUCK!!!!!”
WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! Came the spanking noises again, accompanied by another inarticulate howl of rage and shame.
Silence for a moment, then another loud crash and a thud, sounding as if items were being shoved to the floor. The male's voice, now muffled, followed by a startled female yelp, then silence that seemed to last an eternity.
“Ahhhh, SHIT!” the male's voice suddenly cried hypocritically.
Granger had heard enough. He wasn't worried about the woman inside being in harm’s way, but he did fear she would do something she would regret later to whoever the man was inside. Shouldering his way through the throng of eavesdroppers, he muttered, “'Scuse me, ladies...”
Parting like the Red Sea, the women turned and focused their attention on the two handsome men in their presence.
Lacey's brown eyes flew wide, and she began twirling her curly hair nervously, “Oh! Mr. Mortensen.” she stammered as she looked from one brother to the other, clearly embarrassed that a valued client had caught them all eavesdropping on their boss.
Granger's mouth twitched in amusement. “Hi Lacey, I'm just here to see Satin. I know she's, uhhhhh, otherwise engaged right now, but could you tell her I'm here, please?” he said, unable to keep a trace of laughter from his voice.
Shooing the other women away silently, Lacey turned and rapped lightly on the door. Only then did the group outside notice things were now deathly quiet on the other side. “Oh Lord, she’s done killed the man.” Lacey muttered, suddenly worried she would be a possible witness to the murder of a police officer. She didn't put it past Satin, everyone knew Detective Lemont brought out the absolute worst in her, and that was saying a lot. Another knock, and still silence. Almost fearfully, she tested the door knob and discovered it was locked. Hurrying to her desk, she pushed the intercom buzzer, but still received no reply. Waiting several tense seconds, she tried again, and Satin finally answered.
“Yes Lacey, what is it?” she asked, sounding out of breath.
“Uhhhhh, Mr. Mortenson is here to see you, ma'am.”
Silence for a moment, then frantic rustling noises were heard before she finally replied in an awkward voice. “Please tell him I'll be with him in a moment.”
“Yes ma'am.” she replied, looking at Granger.
With a shrug of his shoulders, he smiled and nodded at her. He couldn't wait to see what the room looked like, especially after hearing how frazzled Satin sounded. Looking around the room idly, he spotted Nicola already flirting with a young secretary. Hearing the office door finally open, he turned back around and spotted detective Brian Lemont, tall and confident, and seemingly gloating, step out of Satin's office. The satisfied smirk the man was sporting told Granger that he had somehow managed to get the best of Satin, again.
Approaching Granger, he took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and began wiping both lipstick and blood off his lips. “Mr. Mortensen? I'm Detective Lemont, we've met? My condolences to you and your family again, sir.” he said in a warm voice as he extended his hand.
Reaching for the man's hand and giving it a firm shake, he couldn't help but notice the man was also sporting what looked like a deep, red bite on the side of his neck, and only inches from there, another set of bite marks, and several deep scratches on both his hands. Deciding it was best to mind his own business, he returned the man's smile and said, “Thank you, detective. It meant a lot to me how respectfully you and your department handled my mother's death.” Releasing his hand, he motioned for Nicola to join them, then introduced the two.
“You're back!” Satin beamed as she emerged from the office, then walked straight
up to Granger, where she was engulfed in an emotional embrace.
Unable to help it, Brian felt an unpleasant worm of jealousy move in his gut as he watched Satin give the handsome man a friendly peck on the cheek. Married or not, he didn't like any man touching her, or being touched by her. What the hell is this woman doing to me? I'm supposed to be a professional, she's a high priced lawyer, and we're both acting like immature, insecure teenagers...he thought grimly. He wondered for the umpteenth time how Satin Johnson had marched into his life, with her bullying and demands, and turned it upside down. No woman had ever made him act so impulsively, so reckless with both his words and emotions. He had tried to convince himself, over and over and over again, that they were completely wrong for each other, that nothing could or would ever come of it, but his heart refused to listen.
Like his behavior today, after finding out she had taken a particular case and would be defending Jared Walsh. The man had been stalking a twenty year old local girl named Cindy Bowen, and when his affections had not been reciprocated, he had followed her one morning as she left her home. He had not only raped her, but had stabbed her thirty-nine times afterwards, leaving her to die on a lonely mountain trail. Hearing that Satin planned to defend the man and plead 'not guilty' on his behalf, he had somehow managed to choke down his fury and indignation, and set off to her office set her straight. He couldn't understand how she could defend a man who was clearly guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, couldn't understand how she could even stand to be in the same room with such a raving lunatic. She refused to see that he was simply concerned about her well being, that he cared for her. Instead of discussing things with him reasonably and logically, she had simply laughed, insulted him, then accused him of having an ulterior motive.
Fed up with the constant stream of foul language that had never ceased to flow from her mouth since the first time he had met her, and finally this, the accusations, he had finally lost it. He had decided to do what he had promised to do several times before since meeting the little firecracker, he had snatched her up and spanked her cute, round ass but good. She had fought him, the Gods knew, biting, scratching, and throwing anything she could get her hands on. But instead of running for his life like a normal, sane man, he had got so turned on he thought he would explode, as something deep within him longed to tame her, make her his, completely.
After the spanking she had been so furious she had wept silently. But it hadn't been a subdued weeping, it was something more elemental, an unspeakable fire in her that made him wonder if she could ever indeed be tamed. At that point, there was only one thing he could think of to do: He had snatched her up in his embrace, attacking her luscious lips with his own, and kissing her made him feel like nothing else in the world existed or mattered. She struggled a bit at first, but when his warm, calloused hands had cupped her face as he ran his tongue over her lips, the wonderful effect was too much as she slowly returned his kiss, getting just as lost in the burning passion between them as he was.
The heated embrace had been interrupted by the loud buzzing of the intercom, causing them to quickly break apart. He had struggled to keep his cheesy grin as she glared up at him. Wanting to get a reaction out of her, he had wrapped his arms around her waist again, pulling her roughly, almost violently, to him. He had leaned down, running the tip of his tongue on the top of her ear, making her shiver. Blowing his warm breath in her ear, he had whispered, “You're lucky we got interrupted, because you were this close...” his voice trailed off as he held his thumb and index finger one inch apart, “...this close to me stripping you, cuffing you, and taking that sweet ass of yours right there on the desk.”
Then she had bit him. But he was mollified by the fact he knew it had turned her on, the turgid nipples of her lovely breasts straining to find their way out of her white silk blouse had betrayed her true feelings and desires.
“You bastard!” she had hissed. “If you touch me again, I'll....” her voice had trailed off as her brown eyes darted around the room, as if searching for something to throw at him. “Just don't you touch me again..ever. Asshole.” she had finished as she stomped off to her private bathroom and slammed the door shut. Hearing her speak in a sweet voice to Nicola, Granger's brother, he snapped out of his daydream.
“How long do you plan on staying in our humble town, Mr. De Luca?” she asked.
Only then did Brian notice the Italian man had Satin's hand in between his big ones, a gesture that was way too familiar to suit him.
Nicola's ocean blue eyes never left hers as he turned on the charm. “If all women are as passionate and beautiful as you, I may never leave.” he murmured as he lifted both her hands and brushed his lips against the back of them.
Giggling like a young school girl, Satin willed herself to not look in Brian's direction, but she could feel his burning gaze on her, and she hated to admit that she was enjoying how uncomfortable it was obviously making the lout.
Watching his brother flirting with Satin, then seeing the frown on Brian's face, Granger decided to step in before things got nasty. Clearing his throat tactfully, he said, “Uhhh, Satin, can I have a word, in private?”
Before they excused themselves, Brian decided to stake his claim on the hellcat by stepping in front of her and saying, “We WILL talk later, right? Right...?” he repeated, and shot Nicola a satisfied smirk when she averted his gaze and simply nodded. Feeling like a million bucks, he wished both men a good day, then strolled out of the office as if he didn't have a care in the world.
******************
Satin led Granger to a smaller conference room that was also used as a library, while Lacey said she would be more than happy to keep Nicola company. Waving her hand to one of the large leather chairs, she mumbled, “Have a seat,” then strolled over to a small bar in the corner and retrieved two bottles of chilled spring water from the small refrigerator there.
Making her way back to where Granger had seated himself, she handed a cold bottle to him. Taking a seat across from him informally, she crossed her legs causally, picking lint off her tailored made blue skirt. “Since you're back home, and here at my office instead of with your family, I'm guessing you still want a divorce. Either that, or somehow, by the grace of the Gods, you finally figured out how to remove your head from your rectum and see what a damn fool you've been.”
Granger expected she would be blunt, but damn, the woman wouldn't know tact if someone hit her over the head with it. Opening the bottle, he took a long drink, then spoke. “I don't want a divorce. I'm hoping she'll take me back. I've missed her and Regan terribly. I love Cassandra, and thought I was doing the right thing for her and my son, at the time. " he mumbled, then hung his head in shame.
Rolling her brown eyes, she snorted and replied sarcastically, “How convenient you managed to remember your son and your love for your wife, Granger. Now I have a question for you. What makes you think she wants your fickle ass back?”
Did I say I liked the fact she's upfront? Granger thought miserably, unable to look the woman in the eye.
“Have you thought maybe she's moved on? Hell, five months alone could have been too much for her. No woman likes to be alone, spending long, lonely nights at home in a cold bed.” she said, goading him in her normal but blunt fashion.
Cassandra with another man? Hell no! That will happen over my dead body! He thought as an unreasonable wave of jealousy washed over him. Finally looking at her, he got the feeling she was gauging his reaction to her words. She's not telling me something! He thought. “Is Cassandra seeing someone? You said she hasn't signed the divorce papers.” Shaking his head stubbornly, he simply couldn't believe she could be with another man. “I know my wife. Even though I hurt her, she would never be with another man unless she was free. So why don't you tell me what's going on with her?” he demanded, her blunt questioning and frank appraisal beginning to get on his nerves.
Toying with him like a cat with a mouse, she replied, “What's going on with Cassandra, you
ask?” Tapping her index finger on the water bottle, she rolled her eyes up as if in deep thought. “Let's see...Well, for one, she's worked tirelessly to be a good parent to your son, seeing how his beloved Grandmother Grace offed herself, and then good old dad bailed. As I told you several times over the phone, she moved into the house you purchased before Grace's death. She also started a free daycare center for low income parents. I'm proud to say that my firm helped get them a good deal on an old building that was empty.”
Hearing that, his heart swelled with pride. It was just like her to put others ahead of herself, and help those less fortunate. “Satin, I was a fool, but, do you think she'll give me another chance?” he asked in a quiet, respectful voice.
Her attitude as flippant as ever, she replied, “She knows you're a fool alright, that much was never in question. But as far as her wanting to hear it from you...” her voice trailed off as she shrugged her shoulders matter-of-factly. “Speaking for myself, I sure wouldn't, your ass would be hanging in the wind from now till Gabriel blows his trumpet. But I'm not her. In my professional opinion you should get on your knees, pucker up those pretty lips, and be prepared to kiss ass for a very long time.” Glancing at her watch, she said, “I have to get to the courthouse, but let me give you a heads-up: You may be surprised that your wife isn't the delicate flower you thought she was. These last few months, she's become a friend, like you, and I don't say this lightly. I have grown to respect her strength, after hearing and seeing the hell she has been through. All through it, she's kept her head held high, and never wallowed in self pity. She's taken her lumps, and dealt with it. She deserves better than what you did, so why don't go to her, apologize, grovel, do whatever it takes to fix the shit!”
Remember Me Page 60