“Old houses, Roger, make some weird noises, don’t they?”
He grinned as he walked her to the sleek, low-slung sports car waiting at the curb, his hand resting against the small of her back. It was a gesture that Roger knew some women found intrusive, yet sensual, at the same time. He relied on it to see which way the currents were running. If the woman pulled away, he knew to back off, give her more time and space. If she didn’t, he smugly assumed all systems were go. Tori drew away from his touch and his radiant smile slipped just a notch. Thinking this was now a challenge, Roger smiled even wider, anxious to get the charade of dinner over so he could get her back home and begin to thaw her out. No woman resisted him for long, willingly or otherwise.
He had made reservations at the five-star, dimly lit restaurant that encouraged intimacy and had a great menu. Roger planned to eat light; he didn’t want to seduce Tori on a full stomach. He grinned lasciviously as he walked behind her to their table. He wiped the expression from his face when she turned to smile at him before she sat down.
“Tori, I hate to repeat myself, but you are absolutely beautiful. How that husband of yours was stupid enough to let you go… Well, his loss is my gain. I’m sure every man in the room is jealous of me.”
* * *
Even though she was smiling, Tori felt anything but comfortable. She had looked forward to this evening as it had been so long since she’d been on a date. She had anticipated lively, intelligent conversation with a handsome man, a fellow writer. But, before they had even reached his car, she was beginning to feel somewhat ill at ease. This man who had charmed her mother and agent made her feel apprehensive, and she had caught the look that made her feel as if she were standing before him naked. It wasn’t anything she could actually put her finger on, but all at once, the idea of being out with Roger didn’t seem like such a good idea.
Oh, he was still being the charming, attentive host. He pulled Tori’s chair out for her, smiled at her as he seemingly hung onto her every syllable. He was making conversation, keeping it lively and humorous. Still, there was this nagging feeling in the back of her mind, something just wasn’t right here. All she wanted to do now was get dinner over with as pleasantly, as quickly, as possible and then go home. Strangely, her stomach grew queasy when she thought of his walking her to her door.
When the waitress came to take their order, Roger made small, flirty remarks to her. Evidently, the young woman was used to this type of behavior, but it made Tori squirm in her seat with embarrassment.
“Good evening, folks. How are you? Are you ready to order? Our special tonight is the prime rib, served with baked potato and salad. Do you see anything you like on the menu?”
Roger looked up into her face. “No, there’s no pretty little blonde waitress on the menu. I need to speak to the manager at once. It’s unbelievable that he should leave the second most tempting dish off the menu. The first would be my beautiful date here.”
Tori blushed as she stared at her menu, trying to avoid looking at Roger’s face. She knew he thought he was funny, that his comments were cute. She thought him immature and disrespectful.
“My lovely companion here will have the prime rib, cooked medium-well, and the salad with the house dressing.”
Tori knew her mouth was open and that her jaw was slack.
“That’s okay with you, isn’t it, Honey?”
Tori bristled at his too-familiar term of endearment. She could create a terrible scene, verbally, and try to embarrass him as he had just done to her, or she could acquiesce like an adult. Glancing at the young woman waiting to take their order, Tori felt as if they had already caused her enough trouble.
The smile felt as artificial as it was. “Yes, that will be fine. Thank you.”
While Roger ordered his own food, smoked salmon with a side dish of rice, Tori was clenching her hands in her lap. She ached to reach over and slap his arrogant face. His condescending attitude and his assumption he was so attractive he could get by with such behavior, infuriated her. She found she liked him less with each passing minute. What were her mother and agent thinking? Surely they didn’t realize he was such a conceited, overbearing boar. To be honest with herself, she had to admit the man she had dinner with at her mother’s house and the man with her now were two different people. Lydia obviously knew little about her newest client. In spite of herself, Tori chuckled as she imagined how Lydia would tear into this pompous ass seated across from her, looking so smug with himself.
“What is it, Tori? C’mon, share with me. You’re grinning like you have an inside joke.” Roger was smiling, waiting for the punch line, and Tori so wanted to give it to him.
“Oh, it’s really nothing. I was thinking about something my mother had told me about some friends of ours. It really wouldn’t interest you. You’d have to know these people for it to be funny. So, tell me about your latest project, Roger. How is your book coming along?”
Roger groaned, “Are we honest to God going to talk ‘shop’ tonight? I thought we’d go out, have a nice dinner, and get to know each other better, perhaps grow closer.”
Tori’s eyebrows wrinkled. “Well, isn’t this the way to get to know each other better? I mean, we’re both writers, so that’s a common ground to start with. But, if you don’t want to talk about that, what do you want to talk about?”
“How about our first sexual experience?”
Tori again looked at her hands clinched into fists in her lap. “No, I don’t think that’s something I want to talk about. First of all, that’s a very private subject—one I don’t discuss with other people. Second of all, it’s none of your business. You know, Roger, I think this date was a bad idea.”
Roger reached his hand across the table so quickly he knocked over her glass of water.
“Oh, damn! I’m sorry. Damn it! Tori, I apologize. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He dabbed at the spreading water stain on the linen cloth. “I just feel relaxed with you. Maybe I feel too relaxed. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. Please, let’s change the subject and start over.”
Their food arrived and conversation was stilted throughout the meal. Several times Roger attempted to draw her out, but he quickly reverted to using lewd, suggestive remarks.
When the last of the dishes had been taken away, Roger looked at her with a frown. “I don’t know what else to do to make you happy. I’ve apologized and tried to keep the conversation flowing…”
Tori could feel the heat rising in her face. “Oh, please, Roger. Your conversation has consisted of nothing but dirty little comments meant to see how far you can go, to see if you’re going to ‘score’ later. Let me put your mind at ease. It ain’t gonna happen, Babe.”
Roger’ face reddened to an apoplectic shade of crimson. “Why, you ungrateful… Here I am, trying to be a nice guy by doing our agent a favor. She told me that you couldn’t get a date, and asked me to take you out, show you some attention…”
Tori tried to remain calm and display some dignity as she rose from her seat. “Would you please take me home now? If you don’t want to do that, I can call a cab.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, sit down, Tori. Stop being so damned melodramatic. There’s no reason to get all bent out of shape over this. We started off on the wrong foot but there’s no reason we can’t salvage the night.”
Quietly, firmly, “Now, Roger. I’m leaving—now.”
Sighing heavily, Roger stood and threw some bills on the table. He took her arm as they left the table, but Tori jerked it out of his hand. She didn’t wait for him to open her car door and hugged the handle as they drove away from the restaurant. She was only glad she didn’t live so far away that they had to make more conversation. The temperature in the car was glacial, much colder than the sleet that fell on the windshield.
Tori was reaching for the door handle before Roger had come to a complete stop in front of her house. He reached out and took her hand and she froze, glaring at his gesture. She watche
d in the reflection of the dashboard lights as his face hardened.
“Oh no, Tori. I’m walking you to the door like a proper gentleman. I want Lydia to get the full effect when you tell her about our date. We’re seeing this through to the bitter end, dear.”
“There’s no need for you to do that. I’m perfectly capable…”
Roger got out and stiffly walked around to open her door. Tori held her body rigid as he walked alongside of her, up the steps to her door. She could hear the dying leaves on the trees clacking dryly against each other. He stood silently as she fumbled with her key, then leaned lazily against the doorframe as the lock’s tumblers fell into place.
Tori opened the door slightly, then turned to tell Roger goodnight and end the evening with as little additional anger as was now possible.
“Well Roger, I wish I could say it was fun, but…”
Roger pushed her against the open door, causing Tori to practically fall inside the house. As she was correcting her balance, she watched Roger close, then lock, the door behind his back. He had an evil grin marring his handsome face.
“Roger? What do you think you’re doing?”
“I know what I’m doing, Tori. I’m coming in for a night cap.”
“No, you’re not. This whole night hasn’t gone well and I just want it over with. Please, just leave.”
His laughter was mocking, derisive, yet Tori noticed the tightening of his jaw, the nearly involuntary pinching at the corners of his mouth as his eyes darkened.“Do you realize just how much I spent on dinner?”
Tori’s face blanched, then turned pink. She repeated his words in astonishment, “Do you realize just how much I spent on dinner? You have got to be kidding me. No one uses that line anymore; it’s antiquated, Roger. Here, I’ll give you the money for my dinner. Whatever you spent, what was it, twenty bucks or so?” She opened her purse, fishing for her wallet.
Roger’s lip curled into a thin, obscene sneer as he slapped it from her hands in one savage movement. “I don’t want your damned money, girlie. However, you can repay me. I’m open to the bartering system.”
“I do not believe this! Roger, get out of here immediately. Don’t make this worse by forcing me to call the police. And I will, Roger, I promise you that.”
His mouth compressed into a thin line of barely repressed rage and a whisper of fear washed over Tori’s body. He took a couple of deliberate steps toward her, already bringing his hands up to grab her. There was something sinister smoldering in his now-obsidian eyes, something that scared her.
“You women are all alike. You want it as bad as we do, but you want to play hard to get. But, you know what? I’ve found out it ain’t so hard to get. You just gotta show her how much she wants it. So, the choice is yours, Tori. We do this hard, or we can take it nice and easy. How do you like it, Tori? I’ll bet you like it hard.” A cold smile played along his professionally whitened teeth.
Tori’s body betrayed her by beginning to tremble and sweat dotted her forehead. The grin on Roger’ face turned menacing. Tori took a step backward, instinctively. She bumped her hip against the arm of her recliner and fell to the floor. As she scrambled for a handhold on the carpet, Roger was already bending over her. Tori was more frightened than she’d ever been in her life. Roger’s face darkened and the smile that curved his lips sent a shiver of terror across her spine.
“No, Roger; please don’t do this. Please…” The words were a mewled whisper in the deathly quiet room.
Unheeding of her words, Roger had one knee on each side of her trembling body. His breathing was harsh, sour, and spittle from his open mouth fell onto her cheek as he leaned his face closer. Tori closed her eyes and pushed against his chest with all her strength.
Suddenly, it seemed as if the air grew heavy and it shivered around her. At once she felt the weight of his body leave hers. It was as if Roger was propelled away from her. Her eyes flew open as she heard the thud of his body hitting the wall next to the locked door. He seemed to hang there, suspended, against the wall before his body slowly sank to the floor.
Even as she struggled to her feet, from the corner of her eye she caught sight of a heavy, luminescent haze. A translucent image, more like an impression, of a man loomed over the prostrate Roger. She felt, rather than saw, the angry stance of her rescuer. Fiery loathing seemed to emanate from this vaporous shape, yet Tori felt no fear for her own safety. She somehow understood the anger was directed toward Roger, alone.
The look of stunned disbelief might have been comical under other circumstances. Roger’s mouth was open, his eyes were darting around the room and his face was a pasty white. His lips were moving, working to speak, yet no words came out. Staring at Tori with widened eyes, he scrambled sideways, his hands making slapping noises against the wall as he fought his way to the front door, his head turned to watch the vaporous form move closer. He managed to get to his feet, only to have them appear to be pulled from beneath him. His bottom hit the floor with a resounding thud that shook the lamp on the table beside him. Roger threw out his hands as if to fend off an attacker, the fingers splayed in a gesture of supplication. He fixed his gaze on a point just in front of him, but dared to allow his pleading eyes to look at Tori for only a second.
Tori understood the facial expression, but not the reason for it. She kept looking at the empty space Roger stared into and could find no reason for his look of terror. His tongue, at last, found the ability to speak.
“Please… I didn’t know, I swear. Just leave me alone and I’ll go.” He began to carefully move ever closer to the door as he continued to plead, “If I had known… She never said a word. She never told me…”
Tori’s head was turned sideways, staring into the emptiness that Roger was addressing. She looked back at Roger as if to say, “You’re nuts.”
Roger’s chagrined smile somehow frightened Tori more than his attack on her. His next words slammed through her and confusion gave way to terror.
“Thanks, Buddy. I promise you, I won’t be back. If I’d known Tori…” He bolted for the door, jamming his shoulder against the frame in his haste to leave. He didn’t bother to speak again to Tori.
As she heard the car engine roar into life outside, the heavy fog beside her began to dissipate. Tori was shaking her head in denial, her eyes round and large in her horror-stricken face.
Oh no, this isn’t happening. It’s not possible. Mama!
She grabbed her purse on her frantic dash to her car.
* * *
Sharon opened her door to a daughter who began babbling the moment she saw her mother’s face. Tori threw her arms around her mother and began to cry.
“Baby! What’s wrong? What’s happened, Tori?”
Tori’s sobbing words were incomprehensible. Sharon’s tone of voice belied the fear she felt, the firmness of her words pushing back the hysteria.
“Victoria! Stop crying and tell me what happened.”
Tori took a deep breath when she saw she was scaring her mother. She leaned over to pull a tissue from a box sitting on the coffee table. Understanding moved into Sharon’s face.
“Tori? Did Roger force himself on you? Did he…?” She seemed incapable of finishing the question.
Tori smiled tremulously, “No, Mom, he didn’t. Oh, he tried, believe me, he tried. And I think he would have actually raped me if…”
“If what, Honey? Tori, tell me what happened.”
She knew her mother wouldn’t understand.
Hell, I don’t even understand. What just happened back there at my house?
“Let’s just say that my self-defense classes paid for themselves tonight, Mom.”
The worry lines in Sharon’s face were now overlaid with anger. “That bastard! I’m calling the police. Who the hell does he think he is…”
Tori took the phone from Sharon’s trembling fingers. Her own shaking hand made it difficult to not drop the phone. “No, Mom, just let it go. It’s over, done. I don’t think Roger Hart w
ill ever try that again.”
“But Tori, he shouldn’t be allowed to get by with this. He should be arrested, put behind bars like the animal he is…”
Tori put her arms around Sharon, trying to calm herself as she quieted her mother. It was as it had always been between them. They comforted each other, their love generating a protective shield that enveloped them. The anger and tears yielded to wobbly smiles.
“Mom, mind having an overnight guest-again?”
Sharon kissed her daughter and pulled her into the kitchen to help make a pot of tea.
* * *
As Tori slept in the security of her mother’s home, a dream wrapped her in its arms.
The horizon was draped with soft colors, the sun setting on a quiet land. He stood before her, silent, love and desire intermingling in his eyes. She smiled and it was all the invitation he needed.
He framed her face with his hands, permitting himself the luxury of sinking into her emerald eyes that sparkled with love.
“Victoria, how I’ve missed you. How I wish you would remain here, with me, so that I may always protect you. Here, in my world, I have the power to overcome men such as Roger Hart. I was nearly ineffectual in that physical battle in your world. If not for the superstitious fears of a bully, I would have lost. Here, I have substance, strength. Stay with me, Victoria. Remain, so I may love and shelter you.”
Her tears glistened in the fading amber twilight. Taking his hand in hers, she kissed the fingertips. Sadness forced the tears to spill across her cheeks. She turned and walked away. His voice faded more with each step she took, melting into the time where it belonged. The last words she heard were filled with anguish.
“I love you, my Victoria, and I will wait…”
She awoke to voices raised in anger. She grinned when she recognized Lydia’s strident English accent. She threw back the blankets and rushed out to see her agent, her best friend.
Through the Shadows Page 9