by Julia Bell
His tone sounded sneering, but when she glanced at him he was taking a drink and the glass obscured his features.
“It’s not the same thing. I was separated from you when Jason and I started a relationship.”
“You didn’t leave me for him?”
“No I didn’t! I left you to work in Bristol.”
“I’m glad about that. Didn’t like the idea of you going off with another bloke.”
“But I hadn’t.” Now that she felt the air was cleared, she started feeling better. Surely Dave would understand?
“You’re not wearing your wedding ring.”
She took a big gulp of the wine. “Didn’t seem any point.”
“I see you’re wearing his ring. God! He must be rolling in it. But there again he’s got his own business. It’s doing very well too from what I’ve read.”
“Jason works very hard.”
“Jason Harrington,” he said quietly. He rolled the name round on his tongue as if savouring it.
She tried to explain, feelings of panic rising up inside her. “We didn’t mean to fall in love. His wife died and he needed my help.”
“His wife died! How very convenient. And I guess you were more than ready to comfort him.” He gave a strained laugh and Anna saw the jealousy in his face. “Did he still think you a widow then? How long after starting work for him, did you feel it necessary to mention your husband?”
“I told him on my birthday,” she whispered.
Dave frowned as he made a quick calculation. “I make that two months! Goodness, you can keep a secret!”
“But he knows now. And he loves me and I love him.”
“You’ve got a nerve to get engaged while you’re still married.”
“But why won’t you file for divorce? My solicitor is waiting to hear from yours. I’ve told you that you can divorce me on grounds of adultery.”
Dave put down his glass. “Adultery,” he murmured. “The very idea of you sleeping with someone else made me feel sick!”
“How dare you! What do you think I went through all those years? No, Dave, our marriage is over. It’s been over a long time and it would be better if we made it legal. I want rid of it.”
Anna realised she had said the wrong thing as Dave’s eyes flashed with anger.
“You want rid of it! Is that what you think of our nineteen years together, something to be rid of!”
She put her glass on the floor and stood up, trying to steady her trembling. “I think I’ll leave now. I’ve had enough of this.” She walked quickly to the chair and snatched up her coat.
Dave jumped up and grabbed her arms. “Oh no, you don’t. I’m not finished yet.”
“Well, I’m finished. Let me go.”
He clasped her hands behind her back, holding them together with his left hand. Anna struggled trying to release herself. She hadn’t realised he was so strong.
His face was close to hers. “You’re still my wife and I have more claim over you than he does.”
“No you don’t! We don’t live in the Victorian times. A husband hasn’t that kind of power over his wife any more.”
“Hasn’t he!”
He started pulling at her clothes with his free hand, undoing the button and zip on her trousers.
“What are you doing?”
“Showing you what rights a husband has.” His grip on her hands became painfully tight, his face twisted with fury. “I’ll teach you not to walk out on me and embarrass me in front of my family and friends. Do you have any idea what it’s like to have people talking about you behind your back!”
Frightened, she tried to struggle away from him. “No! Dave, please...don’t!”
He didn’t hear as he forced his mouth over hers, crushing her lips in a harsh and cruel kiss. Burying his face in her neck, he bit into her throat. She struggled to free herself, but her squirming only seemed to excite him more. Bending her backwards, he leaned on her so heavily, she lost her balance, causing them both to come crashing down onto the carpet. Pinned down by his full weight, Anna’s slender body became trapped.
Covering her face and lips with hard, brutal kisses, he was unaware of her fight to catch her breath. She felt and tasted the blood trickling from her cut lip and nausea overwhelmed her. With mounting alarm, she felt him tug at her clothing and although she tried to kick him away it seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.
Anna couldn’t remember how she ended up in her underwear. She was only aware of his hands on her breasts and thighs, hurting her, bruising her. Inside her head, she screamed and then the scream reached her throat and she opened her mouth. But nothing came out. She struggled against him but he didn’t notice, didn’t care that he was hurting her, as he tore the rest of her clothes from her.
He was forcing himself between her legs, gripping her knee to bring it up round his waist. She tried to cry out, but his weight crushed the breath out of her lungs and made her gasp for air. When he thrust inside her, the pain seared like a hot poker, burning with agonising intensity with each frenzied heave.
She sobbed with pain. “Dave...please.... please stop!”
Her husband didn’t hear her tearful cries. She raised her arms to push him away, but he caught her wrists and pinned them down on the carpet behind her head. His face became taut with pleasure as he took what he believed was rightfully his. His breathing gulped faster and faster, until finally, his body stiffened and he let out a muted groan, his head thrown back, his teeth clenched. Slumping on top of her, his writhing became calmer until they ceased altogether.
Anna lay still, waiting for the pain to ease itself. As the burning slowly ebbed away, the anguish started to well up from her throat, ending in quiet, uncontrollable tears that came in soft choking sobs. Dave raised his head, a look of triumph in his eyes. He pulled himself to his knees, fastening up his clothing. Once released from his weight, Anna sprang to a kneeling position, pulling her discarded clothing towards her trying to hide her nakedness.
He watched her. “Where’s he now, this new guy of yours? If he was half the man you say he is, then he would have been with you, looking after you. This is all his fault for not being around to protect you. Too busy making money I should think.” Anna tried to put on her shirt. Why, oh why, did Jason have to go to Singapore? If he had been home then this wouldn’t have happened. Or would it? Jason didn’t accompany her everywhere! She didn’t need a chaperone. Suddenly Sophia’s words came into her mind. Don’t be alone with your husband, she had warned. Dave reached out and pulled the shirt from her hands. “You don’t need that yet.”
“Don’t touch me! Keep away from me!” she shrieked. She shrank from him, crawling along the carpet, trying to make for the door. He jumped to his feet and pulled her up with him.
“Do you want to use the bathroom?”
“Don’t want the bathroom,” she whispered. “I want to go home.”
“Not yet. Lie down on the bed.” Anna gave out a scream and he clapped his hand over her mouth. “Shut up, you idiot! Do you want the neighbours to hear?”
He pushed her onto the mattress, pinning her down with his weight once more.
“Let me go home.”
His face twisted in a smile. “Soon.”
“I’ll call the manager and he’ll call the police.”
“And what will you tell them?”
“That you…you…”
“Raped you?”
“Yes,” she gasped.
“They won’t believe you. You came to this room willingly, the receptionist will testify to that. And you’ve been drinking.”
“I haven’t drunk much.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll deny everything. I’ll say you came up here so we could have a little chat and we got a bit amorous. You’re still my wife.”
“Everyone knows I want a divorce.”
“Whose going to believe anything you say? You’ve already proved yourself a liar.” He rose from the bed and walked over to the wardrobe. Taki
ng out the spare blanket he wrapped it round her, smoothing out the folds. He then disappeared to the bathroom. In minutes he came out with a bundle of damp tissues and sitting on the edge of the bed, used some to wipe away the blood from her lips and then others as a cold compress for the bruises that were starting to appear on her chin and neck. He winced. “Oh dear, you’ll have rather a big love bite tomorrow.”
He was unusually gentle after being so rough and Anna wondered if he would be sympathetic to her plight.
“Why don’t you let me go?” she said quietly.
“I’m not finished with you yet.”
She recoiled from him. “I promise I won’t tell anyone.”
He gave a smile. “Oh, I know you’re not going to tell anyone.” He scooped up her glass from the floor and held it to her lips. “Take a drink.” She gulped the wine thirstily. Being drunk or a little tipsy seemed to be a good idea at that moment in time. He placed the glass on the side table and picked up the bundle of wet tissues once more. “Now then, let’s sort out the rest of you.” He pulled the blanket away and Anna let out cry and clung onto her only means of cover.
“No, leave me alone!”
Dave stared at her in amazement. “Have you forgotten you’re the mother of my children? I’ve seen you naked before.” Keeping a tight rein on her fears, she tried to relax and allow him to bathe her private parts, all the time talking to her in a soothing voice that belied his true intentions. When he had finished, he wrapped her in the blanket once more and took the tissues to the bathroom. He was gone quite a while and she looked desperately towards the door leading to the corridor, wondering if she could make a run for it. “I know what you’re thinking, Anna,” he called. “And I can move faster than you.”
He came out of the bathroom wearing only his shorts and T-shirt and made his way over to the bed. Anna shrank from him, tears of dread starting to well up. He clicked his tongue in disapproval when he saw the large globules trickling from the corners of her eyes. He lay beside her and started talking. At first, she was stunned and then amazed as he reminisced about their married life together and their two sons. He spoke about the boys when they were small, reminding her about the happy times they had had when they had been a family. All through his reflections, Anna remained silent. She listened impassively, not wanting to pass comment that she had been bitterly unhappy during all that time and that he had been the reason for her unhappiness.
She let her mind wander and thought of Jason so far away in Singapore. She guessed it would be the middle of the night for him and he would be fast asleep, having no inkling of what she was enduring at that precise moment. She wondered if Ben and Mrs Wilby were worried about her now that she was so late in arriving home. Would they call the police and report her missing? Suddenly she had the terrifying idea that Dave might murder her. Surely Dave wouldn’t end her life, he would be caught in no time. She blinked in horror.
“Feeling tired?” said Dave quietly.
Anna didn’t dare look at him. “Yes I’m very tired. Please can I leave?”
He turned towards her and pulled away the blanket. She tried to hold onto it. He moved over her as she gave a cry of alarm, but he shushed her by putting his forefinger on her lips. He pushed inside her for the second time and she let out a cry of pain.
“The reason why you’re not going to the police is because if I’m arrested, I could go to prison.” His mouth was close to her ear. He began to move, enjoying her humiliation, building up the momentum. “And if I go to prison…what are the boys going to…think about having a father in prison. Their university chums…will love that. I can just imagine all the…snide comments. Now I don’t think you’d want to put…your sons through that, would you?”
He started to breathe heavily. It wasn’t so frenzied this time and Anna closed her eyes and prayed for it to finish. And then it was over with a groan and shudder of pleasure. Even then, she kept her eyes closed. He lifted himself from her and she heard him go to the bathroom. Moments later he came out and when she opened her eyes she saw he was dressed. He looked down at her, as he pulled on his coat and then picked up the key and threw it next to her.
“Well, that was fun. You’re certainly a very beautiful woman. Enjoy the room. I’ve paid for the night.” And then she heard him slam the door behind him.
Anna couldn’t move, her tears drenched her face, her body ached. The soreness between her thighs throbbed and she felt defiled and unclean. But much worse than the physical pain, was the knowledge that the man who had fathered her children had violated her. A man who had resorted to taking what he believed was rightfully his because of their marriage vows. All she had asked was her freedom and he had treated her with derision.
But then Anna was filled with horror. What would Jason say when he came home? Would he say she deserved everything she got, since she had gone willingly to the room with him? Why had she placed herself in such a risky situation? She should have had more sense. How could she face him? How could she face Jason, knowing she had been so stupid? She wouldn’t tell him. She would keep it a secret. If she told him he would insist on getting the police involved and Dave was right. She couldn’t let her boys go through the embarrassing ordeal of seeing their father sent to prison.
Anna climbed off the bed and tried to stand. She would clean herself up and then she would get a taxi home. It didn’t matter about the car. She could come back and collect that later. She just wanted to go home.
Deborah leaned forward and lowered her eyelids seductively. Her companion was certainly very attractive and if he hadn’t been a client she would have suggested skipping dessert and spending the rest of the evening at her apartment. She sighed with regret; she never mixed business with pleasure. She turned her head to watch the people coming and going in the foyer. And then the lift doors opened.
At first she was startled to see Anna coming out of the lift that led to the bedrooms but then she smiled. Well, well, well, she thought, Jason’s intended wasn’t above having a bit on the side when she fancied it. How absolutely delicious! She looked at her watch and raised her eyebrows in appreciation. And she took her time about it, this was a woman after her own heart. What a pity she despised the very ground she walked on. In better circumstance she might have suggested a menage a trois. Jason had always repelled the idea in the past, but with his naive little secretary, he might think differently. It would be interesting to put it to him, next time their paths crossed.
The nightmare seemed to go on and on. Anna was horrified to see how late it was when she finally looked at her watch. Somehow Dave had managed to keep her prisoner for nearly six hours and it was already gone ten o’clock. To make matters worse the office Christmas parties were in full swing and the street thronged with people enjoying a night out. The deafening noise of disco music poured from the doors of the bars and clubs and partygoers milled about in all manner of festive clothing. The commissioner was very kind and tried repeatedly to call a taxi, but it was a good thirty minutes before one became available. Falling back against the seat, Anna was grateful to be on her way home. It was only when the city lights had faded in the distance did she realise it was Friday the thirteenth.
She arrived home just after eleven and was dismayed to see the light still on in the kitchen. Ben and Mrs Wilby were sitting at the kitchen table and as she opened the door they jumped to their feet in relief.
“Anna! Where have you been? We were thinking of calling the police!” said Ben, helping her off with her coat.
“I got held up. The city’s bedlam,” she answered lamely.
She couldn’t hide her cuts and bruises.
“What’s the matter with your face?” said Mrs Wilby. She tried to take a closer look but Anna rebuffed her and went to the fridge for a drink of milk.
“Oh, I fell over. Slipped off the kerb.”
“We should put something on that.”
Anna shook her head. “No, I’ll be OK. Must go to bed, I’m very tired.”
> Ben and Mrs Wilby exchanged worried glances.
“Jason must have rung three times,” said Ben. “The last call came about six. He was just off to bed and he wanted to speak to you.”
Anna licked her lips nervously. “What did you tell him?”
“What could we tell him? That you hadn’t come back from your Christmas shopping,” said Ben.
Anna smiled. “No doubt he’ll phone again tomorrow. I’m off now.”
She made her escape leaving a very perplexed Ben and Mrs Wilby standing in the kitchen.
Anna spent the next forty minutes in the shower. She felt that all the soap in the world would never make her clean again. Finally, she climbed into the large bed and pulled the covers over her. For the first time she was glad to be alone. If Jason had been with her that night then she wouldn’t have been able to hide her injuries or distress from him. She would have had to confess everything and there was no doubt that he would have reacted fiercely. There was no way she could have prevented him getting the police involved. She lay on her back staring at the ceiling, her feelings numb. She would try and forget it. Surely it would be easy to dismiss it from her mind? All she had to do was pretend that it had never happened.
If Anna thought she could put it out of her mind, she was very much mistaken. She had a fitful sleep, tossing and turning all night, her dreams filled with the horror of her ordeal.
“Anna, wake up! Daddy’s on the phone.” Hollie was tapping her on the cheek.
Anna pulled herself up in a sitting position and took the receiver from her.
“Hi Jason. I’m sorry, I seem to have slept in.”
She heard him chuckle at the other end of the phone. “I hope you haven’t been at the Christmas sherry, sweetheart.”
She tried to smile. “No, I’m just a bit tired at the moment.”
“Well, you’ve been working very hard. I’m afraid I need some information for this meeting I’m just going into.”
Anna eased herself gently out of bed. “I’ll get it for you now. What is it you want?” He told her and she nodded. “Yes, I know where to look. Won’t be a minute.” She passed the receiver back to Hollie who had remained standing by the bed. “Talk to your daddy and then put the phone down when I pick up the extension in the office.”