by T L Swan
“Sure.” He nods. “I will be just outside.” He walks over to Margaret and kisses her gently on the cheek, sensing her fragility.
I drop to the bed next her and pull her into an embrace. “Margaret,” I whisper.
She shakes her head as she tries to hold back the tears and drops her head again.
“What are you doing in LA?” I ask into the top of her head.
She shrugs without answering.
“Why are you staying in this terrible place?” I ask as my eyes look around our surroundings, and then it dawns on me.
“Do you have any money, Margaret?” I ask.
She shakes her head in shame. “James has taken all of Joshua’s money and Robert put a stop on all of my accounts.”
“Why are you in LA?” I whisper.
“It’s safer here,” she replies.
I frown. What in the hell is that supposed to mean? I keep watching her. She thinks she’s in danger, but from who?
“Do you think that James Brennan is going to hurt you if you stay in Australia?” I ask.
She fakes a smile. “He’s going to kill me wherever I am.” Her eyes fill with tears. “It’s only a matter of time,” she whispers.
I frown as my blood runs cold. “No, he won’t.” I shake my head. “He’s all talk.”
She smiles at my innocence. “Dear Natasha, always finding the good in people.” She grabs my hand and holds it in hers. “He’s nearly killed me before and next time he will succeed, I have no doubt about that.”
I frown. “When has he nearly killed you?” I’m lost, what the hell is she talking about? Is she having a psychotic episode?
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” she whispers as she stands and pulls back the dirty floral curtains to look down at the road.
Fear fills me. This is uncharted territory seeing her like this. “You need to tell me the truth about what is going on right now!” I demand.
Her tortured eyes meet mine as she contemplates my request.
“Enough lies. You told me before that you fell in love with him and that the affair lasted only weeks,” I reply.
“I was telling the truth,” she whispers sadly.
I frown. “Then how is Wilson James’s son also? It doesn’t add up!”
She twists a piece of her jacket between her fingers as she thinks out loud. “Men don’t always need consent to take what they want,” she murmurs.
My stomach drops as my eyes meet her tear-filled ones.
“Tell me,” I whisper.
“I’m a bad person,” she whispers.
I shake my head as I pull her into an embrace. “No, you’re not, Margaret. Nobody is a bad person. You can make bad decisions but that doesn’t mean you are bad.”
She stays in my arms and I know she so desperately needs someone on her side. I can feel it.
“Tell me, please. I will not judge you. Psychologists are a different kind of person, Margaret. We are trained not to judge, we couldn’t do this job if we held judgement. And trust me whatever you think is your worst secret, I have heard worse and then some.” She bursts into full-blown sobs and I know I nearly have her.
“Please trust me,” I whisper into the top of her head.
She pulls back and coldly resolves to tell me.
“The affair happened as I told you. I fell madly in love with him and wanted to leave Robert.” She stares off into space as if she is right there in the moment.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Robert came back from his trip and confessed to his affair and apologised to me for leaving me alone so much. They were words that I had wanted to hear for such a long time.” I smile sympathetically. “He asked me if we could start again for the sake of Scott. He didn’t want his son to grow up in a broken home and I knew that I owed it to Scott to try.”
Her scared eyes meet mine and I give her a reassuring smile. “Yes, go on,” I whisper.
“I told Robert that I had been unfaithful and that I had been desperately lonely and that I still loved him. We decided to put the past behind us and move forward together—we were so young.”
I nod. “Did he know it was James?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “He never asked; he didn’t want to know who,” she replies.
I nod my head. This is common for men—if they know who they can’t move past it.
“I went to James and told him my plans and he went crazy, totally lost control, and then he hit me.” She stops as if remembering the pain and closes her eyes. “And then he broke down crying and sobbing. I felt so guilty.” She sobs.
I go to the cupboard and find her some tissues and pass them to her and she wipes her nose as she thinks.
“And then I did the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life,” she whispers.
I already know what she is going to say.
“He begged me for one last time. He wanted to make love to me one last time and I was in love with him also. He was so broken.” She looks down at the ground as she thinks. “We made love that day and I had in effect betrayed Robert all over again and he knew it. I gave him the ammunition he needed.”
I frown.
“Two months later Robert and I had gotten back on track and the feelings we had for each other had returned and I was just newly pregnant with Joshua. I thought I had put it all behind me. James had left me alone and had gone back to his wife.”
I smile and nod.
“James rang me this day out of the blue when Robert was away and asked me to meet him. His wife had found out and he needed to talk to me to get our stories straight. I agreed to meet him in a hotel room as we didn’t have anywhere else we could go that was private and I would never allow him to come to my house.”
I nod. “Yes.”
She stands and walks back over to the window and wraps her arms around her as if cold.
“What happened then?” I ask. This story is true. I can tell by how uncomfortable she is telling it.
“He told me that if I didn’t have sex with him he was going to tell Robert everything. That I was previously going to leave Robert, that I loved James, the whole sordid story. When I refused…” She stops.
“He took it anyway,” I whisper and her eyes meet mine.
“I didn’t want it.” She shakes her head as her eyes tear up again. “He told me that if I fought him he would take me so roughly that I would lose Robert’s baby. He would make sure that Robert’s baby didn’t survive.”
Oh god, this is fucked up. That was Joshua in her stomach.
She drops her head in shame.
“How long did this go on for Margaret?” I whisper through my dread.
“Up until the day I paid him Joshua’s money. I hated him, I thought of killing him so many times. I should have.” Anger lights her eyes as she lifts her chin defiantly. “I wouldn’t hear from him for months and I would be so grateful but then as soon as Robert went away he would demand his sexual favours and if I didn’t agree he would beat me. I was hospitalised three times when the children were young. The doctors thought it was my husband. They had no idea he wasn’t even in the country at the time.”
Oh my god, I drop my head in pity. “How did you?”
“The children always had a nanny. I had to have one so I knew they would be safe when Robert was away. At least I could guarantee their safety.”
“Margaret,” I whisper.
“He always wore a condom. I had no idea that Wilson was his until Joshua threw it in my face.”
My eyes widen in horror.
She fakes a smile at me. “So you see, Natasha, Joshua was right. His mother is a dirty whore and now I have lost the husband that I do love and my four sons. My life is not worth living.”
I stand still as shock courses through me. Margaret’s the victim in all of this. It’s always the ones who are so vulnerable that pretend to be so together. The best form of defence is attack. What do I do? Fuck… what do I do?
I watch her for a moment. I can’t leave her h
ere like this. “Right.” I stand and go to the door and open it in a rush.
“Adrian, can you come in here please?” I ask.
He stands up from his seat in the hall and walks into the room.
“Can you help me pack Margaret’s things please?” I ask him as I close the door behind him.
His eyes hold mine for a moment and he nods. “Yes, of course.” He bends and starts to pick up her things and she shakes her head.
“Natasha, no. I’m staying here,” she answers defiantly.
“You are coming with me.” I point at her. “If you think for one minute I am going to let you be a victim to fucking James Brennan one more time you can think again.”
Adrian stops what he is doing and stares at me as he pieces the puzzle together. His eyes widen.
I bend and start to throw her things together and I point a hairbrush at her. “You are coming with me as a guest in my house and tomorrow we go to the police and that asshole is getting charged.”
She shakes her head. “He will kill me, Natasha.”
I shrug my shoulders. “You know what, I would rather take my chances on that than you take your own life through shame. If I leave you here tonight that’s exactly what you will do!” I shake my head angrily. “And I’m not having that on my conscience!” I yell.
“I’m ok,” she snaps.
“You are as far from ok as one could possibly get!” I scream as my anger erupts. This man has ruined her life. How dare he?
“If Adrian has to drag you kicking and screaming out of here he will,” I yell.
Her eyes flick to Adrian and he smirks and she smiles softly.
“Pack,” I yell.
Joshua
I stand in the kitchen as I make the coffee for everyone. Dad is in the kitchen and Cameron, Wilson and Scott are sitting on the lounge as we discuss the game.
I take out my phone and dial Natasha again.
“Hey.” She answers first ring.
“Where are you?” I frown. This is the third time I have called her. She should be here by now.
“I’m out the front—coming in now,” she replies.
“Ok.” I hang up.
I pass the coffees around and we sit and I yawn. I’m really tired.
Natasha walks in and smiles nervously.
“Here’s my girl.” I smile as I hold my hand out for her and she takes it and bends to kiss me softly on the cheek. My father smiles at our interaction. He adores Natasha.
Adrian walks to the door. “Hi.” He smiles.
“Where have you been soft cock?” Cameron calls. “It was a good game you missed.”
Natasha walks back out of the room and returns, pulling someone by the hand into the room, and I frown. She pulls my mother into view and we all fall silent. What’s she doing here? I didn’t even know she was in the country. My anger immediately starts to pump.
“Get out!” I snap as I jump to my feet.
“Joshua!” Natasha snaps as she puts her arm around my mother protectively.
“How dare you turn up at my house?” I reply.
She drops her head as her eyes fill with tears and my heart hurts. She looks bad. I’ve never seen her like this. My eyes flick to my father and his eyes are glued to her as well.
“Margaret is staying with us for a while,” Natasha announces.
“Like hell,” I reply.
Natasha’s eyes flick to Cameron. “Cameron, she’s not fit to be staying alone at the moment.” Cameron frowns and immediately stands, goes to her and puts his arm around our mother, understanding whatever that code stands for.
“It’s ok, Mum. You can stay,” he says softly. His eyes flick to me and he subtly shakes his head.
“Margaret, let’s get you to bed, honey,” Natasha says softly as she smiles at her. I frown. What the hell is going on here?
My mother’s haunted eyes meet mine and then flick back to Natasha for approval. Natasha smiles warmly. “You’re safe, Margaret. It’s ok. This is a safe place,” she says softly.
I frown at Dad and my brothers. “No,” I snap.
“Joshua!” Natasha asserts. “Enough! This is my house too and Margaret is staying here as my guest. I just found her in a two-star hotel across town on her own, frightened half to death.” Her voice raises with her anger. “You two are two of the wealthiest men on the planet and yet she has no fucking money! Tell me why!” She looks at Dad and me.
Robert drops his head in shame and guilt fills me.
“Now I am taking Margaret to her room and tomorrow we are going to the police and having that fucking asshole charged and we are uniting as a family.”
Wilson shakes his head. “I want nothing to do with her.”
“Well tough luck!” Natasha yells, losing her temper. “She is my mother-in-law and my children’s grandmother and I will not have her disrespected one fucking minute longer.”
The room shrinks at Natasha’s venom. She’s furious and my eyes flick to Adrian in question.
“You know I have had an epiphany. I would give anything on earth to have my father back. It doesn’t matter, all this bullshit you are all going on about. We can get through this… together… the Stantons are not being brought to our knees by James Brennan. Margaret has suffered enough at the hands of that monster and I for one am standing by her in her time of need.”
My heart skips a beat and my eyes fill with tears. I don’t think I have ever loved Natasha more than I do at this very moment.
Natasha angrily wipes the tears from her eyes. “That’s what families do… we stand together… and defend each other. Don’t let this monster do this to us!”
I look at the floor and Natasha quietly grabs my mother in an embrace and leads her out of the room. We all sit, still and in shock. Why is Natasha on her side now?
“I don’t get it,” I snap. “Natasha wouldn’t let me go to the police before. What’s changed?”
Adrian stands. “I think the charges against him have changed,” he murmurs.
“To what?” Robert snaps.
Adrian’s eyes meet his. “To rape.”
Dear god.
Chapter 18
Natasha is wrapped around me, dozing in her orgasmic state of consciousness. I kiss her gently on the forehead. “I have to get up,” I murmur.
“Hmm,” she replies sleepily.
I peel her off me and she grips her legs around mine tighter. “You can’t get out of bed yet,” she murmurs into my chest.
“I’ve got to go work, Marx.” I smile.
“Mmm, we need to talk,” she mutters sleepily. I smile. God she’s beautiful when she’s half asleep.
“About what?” I reply.
“What do you want for a wedding present, Joshua?” she says into my chest as she kisses it.
I think for a moment. “A baby,” I reply.
Her eyebrows instantly rise and she pulls back to look at my face.
“What?”
“You asked me what I want and I told you,” I reply.
She frowns as she looks at my face. “You’re serious?” she whispers.
“Deadly,” I mutter deadpan. That wasn’t the response I had hoped for. I get up and walk into the bathroom and she calls to me. “I’m too young.”
I shake my head as I get into the shower. “Whatever,” I reply. Aren’t women supposed to be the maternal ones? I will be getting kids when I’m fifty.
Fifteen minutes later I stare at my reflection in the mirror of our bathroom as I fasten my tie, having just showered for the second time this morning. I smirk. It was worth it as always. My girl does come up with the goods every time. I am in a suit and will be soon leaving for work. I hear Cameron’s voice in my bedroom. Frowning I go out to see what’s going on.
Natasha is naked and the blankets are pulled up around her chest as she speaks to Cameron who stands at the end of the bed.
“So will you be able to prescribe those for her?” Natasha asks. “I can’t, I’m not registered to work here,�
�� she adds.
Cameron nods as he thinks. “Yeah, I’m going in now. Just keep her here until I get back in about an hour.”
My eyes flick between the two. “What medication are you putting her on?” I ask flatly. Natasha explained the whole sordid story last night and to be honest I am having trouble believing any of it ever occurred.
“I’m concerned about her, Joshua. She needs to be on a mild anti-depressant,” Natasha replies.
She rustles around in the bed and my eyes flick to her. Naked, soft and open under those blankets, her dark long hair falls softly around her shoulders and her beautiful brown eyes and dimples are on show. I feel my cock twitch in arousal. Here we go again. Will this need I have to be inside her ever subside just a little so I can think?
“I don’t even think it’s true,” I murmur as I bend and pick up Natasha’s pyjamas from the floor.“Why?” Natasha snaps.
I shrug. “James is a wealthy man. I can’t see him using domestic violence as power over a woman,” I reply.
Natasha and Cameron’s faces both fall. “You can’t be serious,” Natasha snaps.
I stand still. “Deadly,” I reply as I put my hand on my hip.
“That is without a doubt the stupidest thing that has ever come out of your mouth. Are you telling me that men with money don’t hit their wives or use standover tactics?” Natasha snaps, outraged.
I shrug. “Well, you don’t hear about it,” I reply.
Natasha sits up, the blankets nearly fall and she catches them just in time. I raise my eyebrows at her in annoyance.
“Oh and I suppose you think that people who have a mental health issue can only be depressed if they have a terrible life,” she snaps again.
I shrug.
Cameron shakes his head at me in disgust.
“People who live with domestic violence and mental health conditions who have money are just better at hiding it from the world. It happens in all walks of life, Joshua. You don’t have to have a depressing life to be depressed and it makes me sick that you would stand here and defend him when you know he was definitely taking her money… your money.” She sits up again angrily and grabs the blankets again as they nearly slip and the protective instincts kick in.