by Heather Wood
“Good. Everyone gets together pretty often, so we’ll have to make this regular thing,” he said. She rather throw her body over the nearest bridge, but simply nodded in response. After they ordered, Julia turned to the couple with an artificially bright smile. “It’s great to put a face to the name, Alice. When Peter and I went to lunch this week, he was telling me all about you. I feel like I know so much about you that we’re already friends.”
God, Alice thought, this girl is relentless. “Sorry I can’t share the sentiment. Peter’s never mentioned you.” Were they sleeping together? Was that it? She questioned herself quietly. She didn’t know whether she should feel jealous or sorry for this girl.
“Anyway, it turns out we have a mutual acquaintance. Ryan Beringer?” Alice almost lost it as soon as she said his name. She dug her nails into her arms to keep from scratching them down Julia’s perfect fake tanned face.
“How do you know Ryan?” She meant it to come out casually, but could tell it came out as demand by the looks of her fellow diners.
“He’s the boyfriend of one of my good friends. Bethany?” she prompted. Alice almost laughed aloud. Of course, Julia would be friends with Bethany. She wondered if this helped contribute to the hostility she was feeling from Julia. She thought it was strange that the girl hated her so much over a crush on Peter.
“What a small world,” Alice drawled. To help diffuse the tension at the table, she forced out, “They make a lovely couple.” Julia and Stacey were practically doing cartwheels over her discomfort. She darted a glance at Peter who gave her a reassuring smile and put his hand on her knee. She could get used to this attentive boyfriend act he seemed bent on playing since Friday night. Maybe the erratic behavior was just a fluke and things would be smooth sailing from here out.
Peter quickly changed the subject and shared an antidote from a client meeting he had the other day. Although he spent the dinner mostly discussing work affairs, he checked in with her regularly. He also had no problem showing her affection in public-holding her hand, kissing her cheek, pulling her close to him. She had to admit she got a cheap thrill from witnessing the aggravation plain across Julia’s face for the entire meal. As they left, everyone made plans to get together again in two weeks at a local Japanese restaurant. Alice already planned to be sick that day, especially if Julia and Stacey were going to be there.
Peter was quiet on the ride back to his house. She wondered if she played the part of the adoring girlfriend to his satisfaction. Alice figured he had to at least give her credit for not getting into a brawl with his bitchy stalker. Alice looked over at him. “Did you have a nice time?”
“I did. I know Julia can push buttons-I hope you didn’t let her get to you.” He rolled his eyes to show what he thought of Julia and her button pushing. She was relieved to know he had noticed her antagonizing Alice.
“It’s fine, I’m not threatened by her,” she said honestly. “She’s obviously very into you.”
He laughed. “She’s pretty, but not my type.” They pulled up to his house. He came over to open her car door. He held her hand as they walked inside. Before she could even put down her purse, he began to kiss her passionately. She pulled back and gave him an uncertain look. “What is it, Alice?”
“I’m scared, Peter. I have this bad feeling-you’re going to end up breaking my heart.” Or a few bones, she silently added.
He pushed a piece of loose hair away from her face. “Alice, what happened…it was fucked up. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to say sorry enough for everything. But just give me a chance.” She looked away from him. He gently tilted her face to look at him. “Please.”
She gave him a gentle kiss and she could feel his smile. “I love you, Alice. Don’t be afraid to give yourself to me.” She nodded and he began to slip off her dress. He led her into his bedroom and set her on his bed. He quickly took off his clothes while she lay back onto the bed. He kneeled over her. His lips began at her mouth and then moved slowly down her neck, breasts and belly. His fingers caressed her over her panties. He moved his hands away and began to carefully work his fingers playfully over her breasts. She gave a moan of pleasure.
“Peter…”she gasped. She found it hard to concentrate, but she couldn’t help but question what the hell was going on. He had never been gentle like this in bed. Their sex life thus far had pretty much involved her waiting until he finished after a few minutes of thrusting into her. She figured he had no bedroom skills and now wondered why he’d been holding out on her. Pushing her thoughts away, she instead focused on the moment and how wonderful his touches and kisses felt.
Later, she was lying sleepless next to him. The sex had been amazing and left her more confused than ever. The way he was tonight reminded her of the guy she met months ago. Although she promised him to try and make things work, a part of her had already checked out of the relationship. She looked over at him and put her head against his chest. She listened to his soft breathing and wondered if she could give her heart completely to him. She questioned if she could love him on the same caliber she had loved Ryan. She always thought Ryan was “the one,” but maybe you could have more than one great loves in a lifetime.
Chapter Twenty
“Fine, call the police. I can show them the proof of what a psycho you really are.” He kept dragging Alice through the woods. She would momentarily break free and he would quickly grab her and pull her back to him.
“And what proof would that be? Whatever you think you saw was another figment of your imagination. Your own mother can testify to your instability.”
“You’re not going to convince me that I’m crazy. I know who you really are and what you plan to do to me. But don’t think for one minute you’ll get away with it. He knows who you really are and he loves me. He’ll never let you live if you hurt me.” She hoped he didn’t sense the false bravado in her voice. The thought of dying actually terrified her. Especially since she suspected he wouldn’t make it quick. He seemed more inclined to make her suffer as long as possible. Where was he taking her anyway? To some sort of freaky den of torture where he planned to rape and do God knows what else to her?
He stopped walking suddenly without warning. She watched as he tilted his head as if listening for a faraway sound. She tried to hear too and could barely make out sirens. “Good,” she cooed. “Guess, the police are here to arrest me. We better hurry along.”
“Bitch,” he swore and wrapped his hands around her neck.
***
Alice guessed who the call was from before she even looked at the display on her cell phone. It was a little after 9:00 on Monday morning and she knew Ryan must have just gotten into the office. She figured Rose had mentioned immediately after his arrival Alice had been there over the weekend to see Daniel. Alice turned off the ringer and went back to her work. Mondays were always hectic and she didn’t have the time to talk to Ryan. Not to mention things were terrific with Peter last night, conversing with Ryan could end up tainting things and make her more confused than she already was.
By lunchtime, she glanced at her phone and felt guilty when she saw three missed calls from Ryan. He didn’t leave a message, but she knew she’d better call him back soon unless she wanted an impromptu visit at her office or apartment. After Diane left to meet a friend for lunch, Alice dialed Ryan’s number. “Hey,” she said when he answered. “Is it an okay time to talk?”
“Yes, I have fifteen minutes until my next patient. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all morning.” He didn’t sound exasperated, only stated it as a fact.
“I know, sorry about that. I’ve been swamped all morning and this is the first free minute I got.”
“No big deal,” he brushed off her apology. “I was just worried-Rose told me you came into see Daniel on Saturday. What happened?”
“Didn’t they tell you? I fell into the coffee table and hit my head pretty hard. Just wanted him to look at it in case I needed stitches. I’m perfect now though besides th
e hassle of not being able to brush my hair because of the adhesive. My hair looks like I got run over by a truck,” she joked. He didn’t reply and she thought the call was lost from the silence over the line. “Ryan?”
“Sorry, I’m here. So, how did it happen?”
“I was about to take Junior for a walk and he started spazzing out. I got caught up in the leash and lost my balance.” She willed Ryan to believe her and not become suspicious.
“Hmmm…” he sounded thoughtful.
“Thanks for checking in, Ry, you really didn’t have to. I had asked for you when I called on Saturday, but didn’t want to bug you when Rose said it was your day off. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
“Alright, you sound busy, so I’ll let you get back to work,” he said reluctantly. “I’m glad you called Daniel to get checked out and I hope everything is okay.”
“It is. Bye Ryan.” He mumbled a goodbye and they disconnected. She let out a breath-she didn’t realize she was holding. I can do this, she told herself, I can get over him and be happy with Peter.
The next couple of weeks were peaceful for Alice. She was feeling great on her medications and no longer felt the suffocating effects of her anxiety and depression. Peter was on his best behavior and the explosions from the previous weeks seemed like a distant memory. He suddenly became a much more thoughtful lover and most nights made sure she was pleasured in bed. Another check left on her kitchen table one morning made her wonder if she’d inadvertently become a kept woman. She hadn’t talked to Ryan and it made it much easier to concentrate on her romance with Peter. Her cut had healed and it didn’t seem to leave behind a noticeable scar.
The only discord came the Saturday evening when they were supposed to meet his colleagues again for dinner. “Do we have to go?” Alice whined. He made a face at her and continued to pull on his pants. She tried the seductive approach. “I could make it worth your while.” She walked across the room wearing only a sexy black bra and panties set.
He chased her and tackled her onto her bed with a laugh. “As tempting as the offer sounds, you know we’ve had these plans for weeks.” He kissed her mouth and then stood up to finish dressing. She gave him a pout as she pushed herself up onto her elbows.
“Your work friends hate me, maybe I should just stay home,” she lamented.
“They don’t hate you, they don’t even know you. Julia was rude and I already talked to her about it. I told her that I’m not interested and to leave you alone. She’s backed off and I’m pretty sure she’s into the new intern now.” He lifted her off of the bed. “Just get dressed and try to have fun. You know you’re going to be miserable if you go with this negative attitude.”
“Peter…”
“Alice, I mean it. I don’t ask much of you. I’m really going to be pissed if you don’t try to make nice with the people I work with. I thought you realized how important my career was to me,” he began to raise his voice.
Alice swallowed hard and didn’t meet his eyes. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I’ll get dressed.” She walked past him and entered her bathroom.
“Was that so hard? I’m going to have a drink while you get ready,” he called out to her. She rolled her eyes to herself and began to apply her makeup. Twenty minutes later, she was ready to go.
He whistled appreciatively as she walked towards him. She had to admit she liked how she looked. The few weeks of happiness had helped her put on a few pounds and fill out her clothes much better. Her breasts and butt had finally seemed to return and clothes no longer hung off her skeletal frame. She wore a short black dress with a corset style top. She had curled her hair into soft waves that cascaded down her back. After Julia’s reaction to her last time, she was hoping her appearance would make her envious. Peter gave her a hard kiss on the mouth. She smelled the vodka on his breath. “Maybe I should drive?”
“Don’t be a nag, Alice. I only had two drinks. Let’s go.” She barely had time to say goodbye to Junior before he was pulling her out of the door. Peter was irritating her, but she figured it would be better to not bait him and go into this dinner with them both in a bad mood.
The restaurant was only five minutes from her apartment, so thankfully it didn’t leave much room for conversation. She plastered a fake smile on her face as they entered the restaurant. The same group was there except for Bob and Lisa and the inclusion of the intern Peter had mentioned. She was expecting Eli to be college age, but was surprised to see he looked to be in his mid-twenties. Peter introduced them and Eli gave her a knowing grin that made her instantly uncomfortable. Although he was handsome, she knew he was cocky about it. His black wavy hair was styled perfectly and his bright smile hinted at a recent trip to the dentist for a bleaching treatment. “Hi there,” he greeted her and she could have sworn he winked at her.
God, this is going to be a long night, she thought, especially since her one ally Lisa wasn’t in attendance. Peter headed to the bar and returned quickly with a glass of wine for her. She had the occasional drink on her current medication and hadn’t experienced a bad reaction. She sipped the wine and felt eyes on the back of her neck. Turning, she saw Julia shooting her a deadly stare. Giving her the sweetest smile she could muster, Alice waved at her. Julia ignored her and hurried over to Stacey on the other side of the bar. Peter was greeting Marc at the door when she heard a whisper in her ear. “You know, Julia isn’t a good enemy to have.”
She felt a chill at Eli’s nearness. The guy oozed smarminess. “Thanks, but I can handle myself.”
“I bet you can,” he said quietly staring unabashedly at her breasts. She hurried away from him and slipped herself next to Peter. Maybe if she stuck to him all night, his jack ass coworkers would leave her alone.
“Hey hon. Did you say hello to Stacey and Julia yet? I just have to talk to Marc for a minute before we sit down for dinner.” She gave him a dubious look and realized he was serious. His expression said clearly that he needed to talk to Marc privately and to make herself scarce. Without a word, she walked over to the bar. Since there was no way in hell she was going to talk to Stacey and Julia and she didn’t really know Jim’s wife, she planned to sit on a stool and wait alone till they were seated.
“We’ll take two shots of Southern Comfort.” Eli came up behind her and instructed the bartender. He took the empty stool next to hers and gave her a confident smile.
“We will? I’m good, thanks.”
“Oh come on, have one shot with me. Just think of how much it will piss Julia off,” he said. He turned to Julia who stood with Stacey against the wall on the other side of the bar area and gave her a mocking smile.
“Why would you think I care about pissing Julia off?”
“Because she told me how much she hates you and how she wants to jump your boyfriend’s bones. How’s that shot sounding now?” He laughed at her irritated expression. She grabbed the shot glass in front of her and downed it quickly. “That’s a girl.”
“And you? What’s your story?”
“Sorry, but Peter’s not my type. And Julia is too desperate. I’d have sex with her, but she’s the kind of girl that would never leave you alone afterwards. Plus, what’s that expression? Never shit where you eat…”
“Do you even get paid? I thought you were an intern,” she said sarcastically.
“You’re feisty, I like it,” he grinned at her.
“Don’t you care that my boyfriend is like ten feet away and you’re hitting on me? Not the smartest move…” she warned. She wanted to get away from Eli, but was getting annoyed that Peter hadn’t even noticed her at the bar with him. Not to mention, her inner bad girl was pleased that the guy Julia apparently liked was paying her so much attention.
He held up his hands and gave her an innocent look. “Hey, don’t get the wrong idea, I’m just being friendly.”
“Fine, but keep your eyes above my neck please,” she said. He laughed and ordered another round of shots. “I’m going to be wasted before we even eat. I really shoul
dn’t have another.”
“Hey, it’s up to you. I don’t think I could stomach dinner with these people sober though.”
“Well, I’ll drink to that,” she said and clinked her shot glass to his. Peter finally met her eyes after she finished the shot. He made excuses to Marc and came over to where she and Eli were sitting.
“Hey, better slow down there. Don’t want you puking before we even eat,” he said and then turned to Eli. “Eli.”
“Peter.” She noted the tension instantly. He gave Eli a derisive smile. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to steal my girlfriend back.”
“Take her, she’s all yours,” Eli said sarcastically and turned back to his drink. Peter took her hand tightly and headed towards where Stacey and Julia were standing. She tried to pull her hand away, but it felt like Peter had a death grip on her. She wondered what the deal was between him and Eli. She couldn’t imagine he’d be that pissed about her having a drink with him. Unless, Peter had noticed how Eli had been undressing her with his eyes since they arrived.
“Hey ladies, Alice and I haven’t had a chance to say hello yet. How are you?” Peter sounded so composed, she wondered if the anger she sensed had been in her imagination. Alice stood by silently as the trio made small talk. Peter noted they needed another round and left her alone to head to the bar.
“Saw you made a new friend over there, Alice,” Stacey remarked looking over at Eli.
“Hardly. He bought me a drink, that’s all,” she said.
“Eli’s scum, don’t trust a word he says,” Julia said disgustedly. “Plus, he hates Peter, so he’s only flirting with you to piss him off.”
“Why would he hate Peter?” Alice asked. They both gave her pitying looks and again Alice wondered how the hell she let Peter convince her to come and have dinner with these horrible people.