by Marie Kelly
For another hour they made their way around the event, Sara finally excusing herself to go to the washroom. As she left, moving up the small corridor back to the main hall, she felt herself grabbed, the hands pulling her into an alcove. Holding back the small squeal of shock, she turned finding herself face to face with Nigel. “Hello Sara”, he said softly, his eyes all over the woman who had once been his wife. She felt the panic rise, her eyes darting to the corridor for any sign of another person, however, they were alone. Taking a deep breath, she faced him, aware as he blocked the way. “Hello Nigel”, she finally managed, her eyes showing the anger she felt. “You look amazing…stunning”, he simpered softly, his hand moving to touch her shoulder as she shrunk further against the wall. “What do you want Nigel? I am with somebody so if you don’t mind I would like to return to them”, trying to push past him. He blocked her way, his face reddening as anger took hold of him. “Yes…I saw that…didn’t take you long did it?”
Sara recognised the tone, growing quieter, “We are divorced Nigel. It is for the best” She saw as his eyes filled with sadness, the anger draining from him as quickly as it had risen. “Sara…this is a mistake. We were good together you and I…we were happy. I loved you. I know that you could learn to love me …I know it” Now she looked up at him in complete disbelief, “You hit me Nigel…do you really think I could love somebody who did that?” His demeanor became one of guilt as he looked back at her.
“I loved you Sara…I still love you…but you taunted me with the fact you didn’t love me. It wasn’t my fault, it was yours” She stared back at him with pity in her eyes - pity and anger. “No Nigel. It was not my fault. You knew the day you married me that I did not love you…and your violence…that is unforgivable” Raising herself to her tallest, she looked coldly at him, seeing the anger once more return, his fist clenching as she gave him a contemptuous glare. “Do you want to hit me again Nigel? In front of all of these people…what would mummy and daddy think of that?” She saw the fear cross his face as he stepped back, Sara taking her chance as she moved around him, needing to get away.
“I know about Nick”, his voice paused as she continued walking, “and Tara” His soft words froze her to the spot, as slowly she turned to face him. “W…what did you say?” Nigel repeated his words, his face now that of the cat with the cream. “I can fix it all Sara…you can have everything if you just do one thing” Sara felt the colour drain from her face; her legs shook as she stared back at him in horror, unable to speak as he moved closer. “All you have to do is come back to me Sara. We remarry and everybody will be happy…we can be a family…a happy family”, a more sinister sneer lighting his face, “If you don’t…well let’s just say that everything might get messy…which would be very bad for you”
Sara covered her mouth with her hand, holding in the pained moan as her eyes shone with tears. “No…No…Never”, her head shook from side to side, as turning; she fled down the corridor back towards the main hall, Nigel calling after her. “It is the only way Sara…choose…you know you have to” Sara felt the panic filling her as she moved into the crowded throng, her eyes darted from side to side looking for the sanctuary that was Darius.
“You OK?” He suddenly appeared beside her, his hand resting on her arm making her jump as his look held such concern. “N…Nigel”, she began, her eyes full of fear, his hardening as they rose to the man who followed her, Sara seeing him at the same time, her hand grasping Darius. “Please…don’t make a scene, not here…it’s what he wants…he knows about Nick…everything” “Did he hurt you?”, his one question saw her shake her head, Darius giving a deep sigh as his eyes returned to her, his head nodding. “Fine. We are leaving”, his arm moving around her as he led her away; she smiled with gratitude and thanks. The sound of the younger man laughing hysterically behind them, his voice high and venomous made her groan softly. “Well Sara…didn’t take you long to fall on your feet”, his cruel sneer loud enough for many others in the room to hear, the muted sounds of the people closest falling into silence. Sara’s eyes flicked to Darius, her expression pleading, her arm on his holding him back as he made to turn to the younger man. Looking at her, he stilled, his mouth set angrily as he again started with her to the door. “Hey…Darius”, the cry from behind even louder, “You might want to be careful…she gets around”
This time there had been no stopping him as Darius spun around, grabbing Nigel by the lapels and propelling him none too gently against the wall. Around them, people gasped as the younger man cowered. “W…what are you doing? Just a friendly warning…she’s a slut” Sara felt mortification fill every part of her, her eyes staring in horror at the scene before her. Darius was furious as he towered over the man who she once called her husband.
“You never know when to be quiet, do you Nigel?” Darius’ voice carried over the room. “You might have persuaded Sara not to say what really happened…but she told me everything and if there is one thing I cannot abide…it is a man who thinks it is OK to use a woman as a punching bag” Nigel’s eyes flicked from the man holding him so tightly to his party who had moved forward, his voice becoming so whiny.
“S…she is lying…she is a damn liar” Darius snarled at the now terrified Nigel. “No…I saw the pictures Nigel…and I know other women who say the same thing” Sara’s mouth opened in shock. How could he have seen the pictures, they had only been taken for the police report? Feeling the sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach she knew that somehow Darius had got hold of the report, realisation hitting her. That was why he recognised Nigel, her eyes filling with tears.
Still holding Nigel, Darius was talking, “And while we are on the subject of who was being unfaithful to who…perhaps you should tell Sara about Jessica Winters, or Rebecca Saunders”, satisfied to see the colour drain from the other man’s features. “It wasn’t Sara messing around on your marriage…it was you. So a ‘friendly’ warning Nigel: If you persist in spreading these slanderous rumours about her then I will come after you … and believe me you do not want me coming after you”
With that he released him, Nigel falling further down the wall as he flicked terrified looks at Darius and then his friends. They now stood with shocked open mouths, no longer laughing with him as they had moments before, many looking at Sara, their expressions full of apology. Seeing this was more than she could take as she spun around, the tears sliding down her cheeks she fled the hotel, only stopping outside as Darius’s arm grabbed her and turned her to him, his hands grabbing both of her wrists. Sara felt hurt and betrayed, her anger aimed solely at him as she tried to pull free the pain stamped so clearly on her features.
“Y…you had no right. This had nothing to do with you. I hate you!” He hauled her harder to him, “Tough. It is done and from now on the rumours will stop. The lies will stop. Tell me that you don’t want that Sara…because I know that I damn well do” A loud sob left her, taking with it all the fight, as her head dropped, tears falling unchecked down her beautiful face. “Y…you don’t understand”, her voice full of misery, “Now all the gossip will start again…all of the finger-pointing; only now he has the whole situation with Nick to throw in. People will take sides, and they are going to look at the fact that less than a month after divorcing him I am the latest plaything for a man who has made it very clear that I am just in his bed till he returns to Italy”, her voice scathing, “a disposable sex toy”
Her eyes finally rose to hold his, “This will destroy any reputation I had left…only this time it will do it publically…you have no idea what you have done” Frowning, not understanding a word she was saying he lifted her chin, his look searching, “Then tell me Sara…why won’t you tell me?” He saw as hardness once more filled her lovely blue eyes, Sara pulling her head back moving to the car, her whole body resigned, “You did exactly what you wanted to do Darius. You destroyed me…more completely than you can ever know”
The return journey to his home was spent in silence, Darius scowlin
g at the way she ignored him, her eyes full of sadness and desperation, staring blankly out of the window. That night they had not made love, Sara sliding as far away from him as possible as he stared at the dark ceiling, his insides churning with anger.
He had tried to help her, he defended her and she turned on him, her theatrics angering him as he tried to understand how he could have become the bad person in the scenario. Nigel was out of order, and if Sara was not prepared to put him in his place then she should have been thankful, not attacking him. Flicking a look at her stiff back turned away from him he wanted to turn her, to make her pay for her words. However, the desperation in her eyes had been real and again he cursed giving her the one-secret concession. Frowning, he again pondered her words “He had destroyed her”, turning over as he punched the pillow into shape. This had been his plan all along had it not? So why then did his stomach feel so cold, why did he care?
The next morning he blinked and groaned, his eyes falling on the clock reading 8:30. “Sara”, he mumbled sleepily, rolling over and frowning seeing the empty space he expected to see her lying in. The movement by the window drew his eye, Sara standing already dressed, staring out of the window, her countenance sad, resigned.
The memory of the previous night returned to him, as Darius frowned once more. “Sara?” his voice had been louder. She gave a small jump before turning to face him, the anger from the previous evening gone as she moved to the bed, sitting on the edge. “I’m sorry Darius”, her voice was low, gentle as he turned on his side to look at her. “What is going on Sara? There is more that you are not telling me”
She did not even try to lie, nodding her head softly, sadness filling her beautiful eyes. “Yes…yes there is, and Nigel knows everything. He wants me to go back to him…to be his wife again” Darius’ eyes widened in stunned shock as she shuddered. “Are you going to?” His voice was calm, steeliness within it, feeling the relief fill him as she shook her head “No…Never. That is one thing I can never do…though it might cost me everything”
He reached out a hand, his fingers trailing down her arm, his tone softer, “What is it he knows that you can’t tell me Sara?” For a moment he thought that she was going to speak, her eyes staring intently at her clasped hands, before she gave a sad sigh, her head shaking. “I can’t…please don’t ask”, her eyes moving to his. “But I am sorry. I know that you thought you were helping, and I appreciate what you did…I just…” Darius wrapped his fingers around her arms, pulling her down beside him; his face so serious.
“OK Sara…You say you can’t tell me…we will work on that …but what if I can make sure that he doesn’t speak a word of anything he knows?” Her eyes widened in surprise, hope rising within her. “Y…you can?” Darius nodded his expression grim, “Yeah. I can make sure he never speaks a word of whatever it is he knows”, adding ruefully, “that I am not allowed to know”
Tears sprung up into her eyes, her mouth quivering into a smile. “Thank you”, she finally managed, before her hands moved to caress his cheeks, her head rising to kiss him. With a small groan he kissed her back, his need to know what secret she kept disappearing as the need to possess her swamped him.
That afternoon Darius told her he would be out for most of the day, Sara smiling at him, the warmth in her eyes and sincerity in her thanks once more making him question why it meant anything to him. Sara laid out the files, carefully splitting them into two piles. One for those she knew to be genuine customers or suppliers and another for those she was unsure or unfamiliar with. For hours she phoned the unknowns, meticulously making notes on each and every one.
When Darius moved back into his home later that night, he found her sprawled on her belly in his study. Smiling as he entered, he made a low whistling sound a sparkle in his eyes. “So…how did you do?” Her grimace was answer enough; as Sara stood pulling the paperwork together, before joining him on the couch he threw himself onto with a loud tired sigh. “Well…I think that I may have ruined both of our days”
He gave a loud groan before smiling. “In that case I should go first” Sara nodding, “Oh if you have good news, then you should definitely go first” Darius laughed softly. “One of the contracts I have ongoing is one your ex’s in-laws have been trying to bid for. I spoke with Nigel’s father today and explained that they were ahead of the pack at the moment …but if his son was to open his mouth then they could find themselves right at the back”
Sara stared up at him in stunned surprise “Y…you did?” Darius pulled her in closer as he dropped a small kiss on her head. “His father informed me that Nigel was being sent away for a month…and that he personally guaranteed that he would not be opening his mouth either now or in the near future” The look on Sara’s face made Darius smile, her eyes wide and full of wonder. “I…I don’t know what to say…how to thank you”, she spluttered, sincerity in every syllable.
Giving a large heart-flipping smile, he looked at the pad she held in her hand. “Well …you could tell me that the news is not as bad as we first feared” Sara’s sigh saw him laugh adding, “Or not”, as she curled her legs up and opened the pad.
“I am afraid that my news is not as good as yours”, she replied with a more sombre expression on her features. “I found five customers who do not seem to exist”, her mouth curled in anger, “Also ten fake suppliers…all used to buy stock for the customers”
Darius listened intently, his fingers gently stroking her arm as she talked. “I looked at the money transferred to the suppliers for stock that we ‘bought’”, Sara giving a small groan, “It is worse than even I thought”, her eyes looking apologetically at him. “He siphoned money into that account for items that were never used on so many jobs, as well as ones made up with the fake customers”
He dropped a small kiss on her head. “How much?” Groaning softly, she lifted the pad to show the amount. Darius gave a small whistle. “He really did a number on your family’s company” Sara gave a small nod, “Yeah”, her only response, a rueful smile on her lips, “Not such a bargain now” She looked up at him, “I imagine that you are regretting getting involved with us again”, her voice sad.
Darius sighed, a long slow exhale of air, his expression solemn, his voice soft. “I have no regrets…and I am sure that the detective I hired will find him” Sara frowned. “You hired a detective? We already have one working for us” A slow smile spread over his face. “This one has never failed. The best bounty hunter in the business…give him a lead and he can find anybody. He is looking for leads even as we speak”
Sara gave a large grin, her eyes dancing. “A lead like……this?”, pulling a slip of paper from the pad she waved it before him, his fingers taking it and reading the contents, a frown of confusion on his face. “What is this?” Sara chuckled “Well…I went through the delivery sheets and found that in all cases the person signing had been a Miss Seymour – not really helpful -except for one which was sighed Anne Seymour”
Darius gave a small grunt, “Sounds like a fairly common name…but somewhere to start I suppose” Giving a smug laugh she chuckled again, “Oh…like I would stop there. I found a hundred and thirty two Anne Seymour’s in our area, and by age elimination brought that down to thirty six” Darius regarded her with a quizzical look, “Why age?” Sara sighed, “I never wanted to tell Angela this…but I never thought that Nick was working alone. The man is a snake…and a womaniser. Seemed to me to make sense that he probably found some stupid woman to work with him”
He gave a small nod. “Sounds reasonable…do you have the list…my detective can work through them” She smiled wider. “Like I said…why stop there? I ran some online searches of the different Anne Seymour’s – took me hours – but I got lucky. I found a picture of one woman with Nick…Anne Seymour, 28, attractive and just his type. If you look on the other side of that piece of paper you will find her address and phone number”
Darius stared at her, his eyes full of respect, flipping over the sheet. “OK Miss M
arples…You are amazing”, he finally murmured, his tone full of admiration as he pulled out his mobile phone, placing a call to his detective, giving him the information she managed to glean. “Well Sara. I think that perhaps we both managed to find some good news. If I know Kane this is all he will need to find your brother-in-law” Sara’s expression became more serious as she bit her lip, “I hope that you are right. The sooner we find him the sooner that money can be returned…and…”
“And you can get away from me?” Darius finished, Sara giving a return frown. “No…No that is not what I meant”, her shoulders shrugging, as a more guarded look fell on her. “It is complicated” “Did it ever cross your mind Sara that I might be able to help?” Sara gave a small nervous half-laugh, her eyes avoiding his as the laughter left her features, her look more guarded. “I…if I find anything else I will let you know” Darius sighed as she ignored his comment.
Chapter Seven
Living with Darius was starting to feel normal to Sara she realised, as the two woke up the following morning. At that time he would shower and get dressed for work; she found herself enjoying this private time they shared, as the two would laugh and joke, telling each other their plans for that day. As he moved forward to give her a farewell kiss, she smiled up at him suddenly reminded of her appointment later that day. “Darius…I might be late tonight” His brow rose with interest. “Oh? Anything I should know about?”
Her lovely face gave a soft smile, “No…Just that I have an appointment with a realtor…with you leaving in three days I need to find somewhere to stay” She tried to keep her voice light, her nails digging deeply into the softness of her palms. “Best start my search before I am forced to move in with … The mother”, the words uttered in dramatic horror, Darius giving an appreciative chuckle.