by Carrie Elks
‘Then let’s agree to you not having any men into your home,’ he said. ‘And not introducing them to our daughter. That includes the asshole who lives next door to you.’
Juliet froze in her seat. She’d been waiting for him to mention Ryan. Her mouth went dry as she looked over at him, trying to work out what he knew.
But then, what did it matter whether he knew about her and Ryan or not? There would always be something he could hold over her if he wanted to, some way of controlling her and any reaction she might have. As long as she was afraid of him, he would keep winning.
The only way Thomas could have power over her was if she let him. It was her choice and hers alone. She could spend the next twelve years cowering in fear of him, or she could stand up for herself, be proud, show him she wasn’t about to take any more.
‘Ryan Sutherland’s a good man, and a good influence on Poppy.’ She sat up a little straighter. ‘He’s also a very close friend of mine. He’s always welcome in my home.’
For the first time Thomas looked flustered. His eyes narrowed into slits. ‘Are you fucking him?’
The mediator gasped. Juliet turned to look at her horrified face. Even both their lawyers – normally so poker-faced – looked shocked.
For a moment, nobody said a word. The silence settled its way into the room, lying heavy in the air like an over-filled cloud. Juliet could hear her own breath – a little rapid, but still steady – as she tried to take in his words.
‘Your question doesn’t deserve a reply,’ she told him, her heart pounding in her chest. ‘But I’ll answer it anyway. No, I’m not fucking him, because unlike you I don’t fuck anybody. When Ryan and I are together, we make love.’
She stood up, slinging her purse over her shoulder as she caught her lawyer’s eye. ‘I think this mediation is over, don’t you?’
23
We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo
– A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Juliet’s elation at finally standing up to Thomas lasted for all of her drive home. She pulled her car onto the gravelled driveway and put it into park, letting her head fall back onto the chair rest, closing her eyes as she took a breath in. Had she really just done that?
Yes, it seemed that she had. She’d stood up for herself, taking control from Thomas. She’d refused to stay silent any longer. Opening her eyes, she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the glass, and she couldn’t help but smile. Staring back at her was a kick-ass woman who wouldn’t take crap any longer.
She was stronger than that.
She’d grown sick of being told what to do. Somewhere in the past weeks she’d stopped being afraid of Thomas and what he might decide next. She’d realised something important – he could only hurt her if she let him. And on that point she had all the power.
She glanced over at Ryan’s house, and her smile widened. He might not know it, but her newfound strength had a lot to do with him. Would she have stood up to Thomas without him? Maybe, but she wouldn’t have felt so good about it.
The lightest dusting of snow had fallen in the night, making the ground outside sparkle like a carpet of diamonds. It would be gone before school was out, leaving only a few damp puddles behind, but for now it made everything look magical.
But she couldn’t just stay in here all day. She had things to do – a quick change of clothes and then off to the shop, where poor Lily had been holding the fort. A few hours of fixing up orders lay ahead before she’d need to pick Poppy up from school. There wasn’t time to think about this now. Maybe she’d buy a bottle of something sparkling on her way home and invite Ryan over to celebrate later. They could toast her newfound freedom, and enjoy each other’s company.
Sliding the keys from the ignition, she turned to pull open the door when a glint of winter sun flashed across her eyes. It bounced from the car behind her. The one that was pulling up on her driveway to block her in.
Thomas’s car.
He pulled the black sedan up until his fender was touching the rear of her small Ford.
Was he trying to intimidate her? Her heart immediately started to race. Opening the door with a shaking hand, she swung her feet onto the path, the thin heel of her court shoes sliding against the slippery surface.
Almost immediately Thomas opened his door too, his feet crunching on the gravel as he covered the distance between them. He looked as furious as he had in the lawyer’s office.
‘We need to talk.’ He grabbed her arm. His fingers easily closed around her slender wrist.
‘There’s nothing to talk about.’ She yanked her arm back. ‘If you want anything from me, you can go through my lawyer.’ She walked carefully towards the house, trying to keep herself upright in her best shoes. What had she been thinking, wearing them in today’s conditions? Another way to show him that she was doing just fine without him. She could dress up, look good, and it wasn’t for him any more.
It was for her.
‘There’s everything to talk about.’ He was right behind her, his steps mirroring hers. ‘When you were going to tell me you were sleeping with that asshole?’
‘How about never?’ she replied. ‘We’re almost divorced, Thomas. Who I spend time with has nothing to do with you. The sooner you get that through your head the better.’
‘It has everything to do with me.’
She whipped her head around to face him. Though her heels had added a couple of inches, he was still taller than her. Intimidating as hell. But damned if she was going to let him know it.
‘As long as Poppy is healthy and safe, it doesn’t. And if you hadn’t noticed, she’s happy. She’s doing brilliantly. So if I choose to spend time with another guy, you don’t get a say, okay?’
He shook his head, frowning. ‘No, it’s not okay. It’s not okay at all.’ He reached for her again, and she stepped back, flinching. When she looked at him, he had the strangest expression on his face. A mixture of confusion and something else. Was it panic?
She sighed. ‘Look, I know things are changing. It took me a long time to come to terms with the thought of you and somebody else. But you will, too. I don’t expect you to like the guys I date, I don’t even expect you to tolerate them. But I do expect you to respect my right to spend time with whoever I choose.’
He shook his head again. ‘No, I can’t do that.’
Her muscles tensed up in her stomach. ‘Why not?’
‘Because you’re my wife.’
‘I’m your soon-to-be-ex wife,’ she corrected. ‘And don’t forget, this was what you wanted. You chose Nicole, you want to be with her. We’re not puppets dangling on a string. You can’t keep changing your mind.’
There was a war going on behind his eyes. He reached up to rub the back of his neck, his suit jacket lifting with the movement. ‘I didn’t think … ’ He trailed off, frowning. ‘I didn’t think that you would move on. Not this quickly. I don’t like it.’
Her skin felt cold, and it had nothing to do with the air surrounding them. ‘I don’t understand.’
He stopped rubbing his neck, and reached for her face, cupping her jaw with his soft hand. ‘This isn’t what I want. I don’t want you seeing other guys. I don’t want you spending time with them. You’re mine, Juliet. You’re my wife.’
‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘No, you can’t do this. You can’t.’ He was playing mind games. Just when she’d gathered the strength to release herself from him, he was trying to drag her back in. ‘You don’t get to say those things any more. I’m not yours, and I won’t be your wife for much longer.’
‘But you can be, don’t you see? We can try again.’ His face lit up as if he’d had an epiphany. ‘You and Poppy can move back home, and we can be a family. Isn’t that what you want? For her to grow up with both parents?’ His voice softened. ‘We were happy once, weren’t we? I miss you both. I want you home with me.’
For a moment her thoughts went to that big mansion by the river. Happy memories sprung up �
�� the ones she’d forgotten in the darkness of the last year – of Poppy as a toddler, running into Thomas’s arms as he got home from work each night.
‘I was happy,’ Juliet said. ‘But it wasn’t enough for you.’ The image of Thomas holding Poppy disappeared, followed by the memory of Nicole standing in their bedroom, wearing nothing but a draped sheet. ‘When were you planning to tell Nicole about this?’ she asked drily. ‘Or did you want us both in your bed?’
‘Nicole doesn’t mean anything.’
‘She meant enough to throw your marriage away.’ Juliet didn’t even know why she was engaging with him. Maybe there was some satisfaction from hearing him throw Nicole under the bus, but in reality it changed nothing.
‘It’s not too late. We can try again,’ Thomas was repeating himself. ‘Let me talk to Nicole. You could move back in next week.’
She could picture it all. They’d go back to the way it was, Juliet taking care of Poppy and the house, sitting on charities and making small talk with his parents. He’d go to work, come home, and expect to be taken care of. And all the time she’d be waiting for another Nicole to show up.
‘I don’t want to try again.’ Her voice was strong, even if she felt like a child inside. ‘I’m not the same woman you married. And you know what, Thomas? I’m so glad I’m not. Because I don’t want to be your wife, I don’t want to live in your house, and I don’t want to wake up and wonder if you’re going to be faithful to me today. I want so much more than that, and I’ve got it. Without you.’
His expression hardened. He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her. Goosebumps broke out on her skin.
‘You won’t get a better offer,’ he told her. ‘The older you get, the harder you’ll find it. You’re getting past your prime.’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘Single woman with a kid – what guy’s going to stick around you with that baggage? And in the meantime, I’ll be battling off the women throwing themselves at me.’
‘Really, Thomas?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Last time I looked, it takes two to make a baby, and from what I remember you were a more than willing participant. You’re a single father with a kid, too.’
He opened his mouth to reply when the rumble of an engine echoed from the road. They both turned to see Ryan pulling up on his driveway. His black truck came to a stop, and the door opened. He climbed out of his car, running his hand through his hair, unaware that he was being scrutinised.
‘Sutherland?’ Thomas said quietly. For a moment she’d forgotten he was even there. ‘That asshole.’
‘You need to leave now, Thomas.’ A sense of urgency washed over her. The two men being in one place was a really bad idea. Especially since Ryan had no idea she’d blabbed all about them to Thomas. ‘We’ll talk later, when we’re both a bit calmer.’
He shook his head. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’
Ryan turned and stared at them. She willed him to turn away, to walk up the steps to his house, to ignore them. If she could keep the two men separate, they all had a chance of walking away from this unscathed.
‘You doing okay, London?’ Ryan called out to her.
Damn it.
‘She’s fine. Now get the hell out of here, this is none of your business.’ Thomas’s reply came before she had a chance to answer. The viciousness of it made her spine tingle. Ryan froze to the spot, frowning as he took in the words.
Then he turned and walked towards them.
Damn.
‘Go, now, Thomas,’ she hissed through gritted teeth. He ignored her, his eyes firmly trained on Ryan’s approach. As he came closer, she could almost taste the testosterone in the air. It sizzled around them, hot and mean, making her as uncomfortable as hell.
‘You need any help?’ Though Ryan’s face was tight, his eyes were gentle when they caught hers. Even standing next to her soon-to-be ex-husband, she could feel the pull of this man, unable to resist his magnetic energy. There was something about the two of them together that slotted into place.
‘Thomas was just leaving,’ she said. ‘We finished mediation today.’
With his six foot two stature, Ryan dwarfed Thomas. He was more muscular, too. But height and weight counted for nothing next to intent, and she could feel the antipathy in Thomas’s stare.
‘I’ll leave when I’m ready.’ Thomas’s dismissal felt all too familiar. ‘In the meantime I think you and I have something to discuss, Sutherland.’
‘Thomas, don’t.’ She reached for his arm, but he shrugged her away. Ryan took a step towards them, his eyes darting from Juliet to her ex, as if he was trying to weigh up the situation.
‘I have nothing to discuss with you,’ Ryan said.
‘Apart from the fact you’ve been fucking my wife,’ Thomas spat out.
She wanted to scream. Torn between throwing herself between them, and running away and hiding, she found herself rooted to the spot. Frozen in that moment just before a crash, she could see everything that was going to happen, but was powerless to stop it.
‘She’s right, you should leave. Before you say something I might regret.’ Ryan’s stare didn’t waver.
‘Oh, is that a threat?’ Thomas raised his eyebrows. ‘I’m not scared of you, Sutherland. I despise you.’
‘The feeling’s mutual. So why don’t you slide your scrawny ass into your car and get the hell out of here?’
‘Oh, am I interrupting something?’ Thomas laughed. ‘Did the two of you have something planned? Maybe I should go, leave you to have sex with my wife the same way you’ve been doing for who knows how long?’ He shook his head, that mean smile still painted on his lips. ‘Is she a whore in bed for you, the same way she was for me?’
Ryan’s jaw was tight. ‘If you call her a whore again you’ll regret it.’
‘Will I?’ Another laugh. This time shorter and harsher. ‘You couldn’t hurt a damn fly.’ Thomas turned to Juliet. ‘Is this what you want? He left his family behind without a word, you know he’s not gonna stick around for you. He’ll just wander off into the sunset leaving you all on your own again. And you’d choose that over your family? Maybe I should request a psychiatric assessment as part of our divorce.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with me,’ she said. ‘My brain’s clearer than it’s ever been.’
‘The way I see it, you’ve gotta be messed in the head if you’re sleeping with that asshole.’ He jabbed his thumb towards Ryan. ‘Or is he just one in a long line?’
From the corner of her eye she saw Ryan’s hands clench into thick, round fists. ‘Thomas, you really need to go now.’ Her voice was urgent.
‘Don’t talk to her like that,’ Ryan said slowly. ‘She’s a beautiful, funny, intelligent woman you let slip through your stupid goddamned fingers.’ He took a step closer, until he was all up in Thomas’s face. Juliet’s heart rate went into a hundred metre dash.
Somehow she managed to get herself between the two of them. With her back to Thomas, she slid her hands onto Ryan’s chest, trying to hold him back. ‘Please don’t make this worse.’ She looked at him, willing for him to look back at her. Eventually, he dragged his angry stare to hers. ‘Please,’ she begged again. ‘Just go home and let me cool the situation down. This isn’t helping.’
He was silent for a moment. Behind her she could hear Thomas shuffling on the porch. Maybe he realised this confrontation wasn’t such a good idea after all.
‘I don’t want to leave you alone with him,’ Ryan told her.
‘He’s going,’ she replied firmly. ‘And anyway, I’m a kick-ass, remember? I don’t need a rescuer, I’ve got my own back.’
Ryan was hesitating, she could see that much in the way he was looking at her. He needed confirmation she was okay, that she could handle things. She nodded slightly, as if to say she had this.
‘Yeah, I’m leaving,’ Thomas said. ‘But this isn’t over, not by a long shot. If you think you’re welcome anywhere near my kid, you’re crazy, Sutherland. You can have my wife, but as far as I’m concerne
d that’s all you can have.’
Juliet turned to look at him, to make sure he was going.
‘I’ll be calling my lawyer as soon as I’m home,’ Thomas told her. ‘I’ll be fighting for full custody of Poppy.’ He stood there, looking at her for a moment. ‘Unless you want to reconsider my offer, that is.’
‘What offer?’ Ryan asked, his voice strained. She could feel the tension in his body as he stood next to her. He was like a bow pulled back, just waiting to launch the arrow.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Juliet said.
‘Of course it matters.’ Thomas moved his gaze to Ryan. ‘If you want to know I’ve asked Juliet to come home. To stop this nonsense and come back to where she and Poppy belong.’
‘Is that true?’ Ryan asked her. His voice was dangerously low.
‘Yes he asked, but I didn’t agree.’ She shot a look at Thomas who was standing halfway down the steps, willing him to get the hell out of there.
‘She will though,’ Thomas said, sounding more confident than she’d heard him in a while. ‘She’ll realise that you’re just a weak asshole who can’t even stand up for himself.’ His lips rolled up into a grimace. ‘I hope you enjoyed having sex with my wife, Sutherland. But just remember who had her first.’
Ryan was down those steps before the words even sunk into her brain, his fist flying through the air in a blur of flesh. There was a crack as it made contact with Thomas’s jaw, and she covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming out.
What the hell had Ryan done?
24
My heart is turned to
Stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand
– Othello
Punching Thomas Marshall in the jaw was a mistake. Ryan knew it before his fist had even slammed into the smug asshole’s face. He was playing right into his hands, making him a martyr in front of his wife. But damn, it had felt good for a minute.