by E. L. Todd
“What’s going on?” Skye came to his side with Cedric in her arms.
“I need you to watch Trinity while I’m gone,” I said. “Is that cool?” I knew I didn’t need to ask. Cayson would do anything for me. I always looked after Skye when he wasn’t around, and he would reciprocate that in a heartbeat.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“I have some stuff to do for the album.”
Cayson’s eyes dilated, like he didn’t believe me. But he didn’t question me about it. He probably knew what I was really up to.
“It’s just for a few days,” I said. “And Trinity is pretty low-maintenance for a house guest.”
“Trinity can stay as long as she wants,” Skye said. “She could even move in if she wanted to.”
Trinity forced a smile but it wasn’t real.
“Of course she can stay with us,” Cayson said. “War Chief loves his godmother.”
Skye handed Cedric to Trinity. “He missed you.”
Trinity took him and immediately held him close. She seemed a little happier now that Cedric was in her arms. She peered down into his face and smiled before she walked to the couch. Skye went with her, and they started talking in quiet whispers.
When they were out of earshot, Cayson moved in. “What are you up to?”
“Maximum has a wife.”
“What?” he blurted. “He’s married?”
“Yeah. His wife lives in Italy. That’s how he manages to fool her all the time.”
“Let me guess,” he said. “You’re going to pay her a visit?”
“I think it’s time she knows what her husband is really doing in the U. S.”
He nodded. “But what will that accomplish? Maximum won’t go to jail.”
“No.” I smiled because ruining his life brought me serious joy. “But I can get her to leave him.”
***
Twenty-four hours later I walked up to the mansion in the middle of the vineyards. It was exactly what I pictured rustic Italy to look like. The house was constructed of cobblestone, and refined dirt was the pathway from the road. Crickets and insects buzzed over the fields. The slight hills covered in vines brought it to life.
I knocked on the door and prepared for the conversation. There was a good chance she wouldn’t believe me. Most wives wouldn’t. If someone told Trinity I was a cheater and a liar she wouldn’t believe them.
The door opened and a woman with dark hair answered. It trailed over one shoulder, thick and wavy. It was black rather than brown. Her olive skin was the product of intense sun exposure, probably from lounging by the pool all day. She was beautiful but she couldn’t look more different than Trinity, who was blonde and fair.
She spoke to me but all that came out was Italian.
I didn’t understand a word of it.
Shit, what if she didn’t speak English? Why didn’t I think this through? “Uh, please tell me you speak English. Because I don’t know a single word of Italian other than pasta.”
Her lips rose into a smile. “Pasta is an English word.”
“It is?” Every time I ordered at an Italian restaurant I thought I was speaking Italian. Oh well.
“Yeah…who are you?”
“Sorry, I’m Slade.” I extended my hand to shake hers.
“Amelia.” She dropped her hand. “How can I help you, Slade?” When she said my name it was heavy with her accent. It sounded kind of funny.
“It’s a long story…can I come in?”
She continued to block the door. “You think I’m going to let a stranger into my home?”
“It’s about your husband. I’m from America.”
“What about him?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“It’s sensitive stuff. I think you better sit down.”
“Is he okay?” The concern in her voice told me she cared about him. Actually, it told me she loved him.
Poor lady.
“He’s fine,” I said. “He’s in good health. It’s nothing like that.”
She searched my eyes as she debated letting me enter the house. After a few second she stepped away and left the door open. “I’m home alone but there are triggers around the house to alert the authorities, just so you know.”
“Uh, thanks for the heads up.” I walked into the expansive home with tall ceilings then took a seat on the red couch. The home was decorated in a classic taste. It had Maximum written all over it.
She sat on the other couch and crossed her legs. She wore a long white dress that made her skin look even darker. A gold bracelet was on her wrist, and on her left ring finger was an enormous rock.
Maybe this was a bad idea. She wouldn’t believe me. And even if she did she wouldn’t give up this luxurious home because of it.
“What did you want to tell me?”
“It’s difficult to talk about…at least for me.”
“Why?”
“Because it has to do with my wife.”
She sat up straight, intrigued.
“My wife is a fashion designer in Manhattan. Maximum called her and said he wanted to collaborate on a project with her.” Ugh, I hated telling this story. It made my stomach burn with too much acid. “They saw each other a few times and he came onto my wife. She brushed it off and assumed he was just friendly—”
“Italians are passionate,” she argued. “A simple touch doesn’t mean anything like it does to you.”
“Okay…but it gets worse.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “When Trinity felt uncomfortable and sad she didn’t want to see him anymore he came to her office when no one was there.” This was the hardest part of all. “That’s when he…held her down.” I didn’t finish the sentence. Everything else was implied and I didn’t have the stomach to say the words out loud.
Amelia stared at me without reacting. “You’re accusing my husband of rape?”
I nodded.
“My husband is a good-looking man. He doesn’t need to force anyone to do anything. And he wouldn’t do that to me.”
My plan was backfiring. “I know it’s hard to believe but it happened.”
“Did she go to the police?”
“No.” I wish she had.
“That’s just not enough evidence for me. I’m sorry.”
I pulled out my phone and sighed. “Well, I’ve been trying to get justice for my wife ever since it happened. I tracked down one of Maximum’s old secretaries. When my accomplice interviewed her she admitted that he did the exact same thing to her as he did to Trinity. I have it right here.” I held up the phone to her. I hadn’t watched it because it would be too difficult but Sean gave me the gist.
Now Amelia didn’t seem so confident. She eyed the phone.
“Watch it,” I whispered.
She finally took the phone and hit the play button. The interview went on for thirty minutes and Amelia watched every second of it. When the voices in the interview ended I knew she finished it.
She set the phone on her lap and sighed.
“I know this is hard to believe but it’s the truth. And my sole purpose in life is to destroy your husband.” I held her gaze so she knew I wasn’t kidding. “I’m going to rip his life apart piece by piece until there’s nothing left.”
“What does this have to do with me?” she whispered.
“I was hoping you would leave him after you saw that. Things are going to get worse from now on. I’m going to the media with this video and I’m going to drag Maximum’s name through the mud. I’m going to investigate everything about him until I find a legal foot hole to bring him down. If I were you, I’d get out of here before the shit hits the fan.”
She looked down at the ground, not hiding the distress on her face. “I just can’t believe he would do that…to me.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“I just…” She shook her head. “I don’t know. We have two boys together.”
He had kids? This just got better. “You should leave him. Take what you
can and go. There won’t be much money leftover when I’m done with him so make your preparations.”
“I’m sorry about your wife,” she whispered.
I wasn’t expecting an apology. All I could do was nod.
“I can’t see Maximum doing any of those things…but I can’t deny what I saw.”
“I understand. It would be hard for me too.”
She fidgeted with her hair, unable to handle the weight of everything. “I wouldn’t believe you if you weren’t so intent on destroying him…only a man who’s suffered greatly would go to such ends.”
“Exactly.”
She stared at the floor, her eyes starting to gloss.
“What will you do now?”
“I don’t know…I can’t picture him touching me ever again. He said he wanted me to stay here so I could be with family but…why wouldn’t he want to be with his wife? Have I been a fool this entire time?”
I hated to say it because she was nice, but yeah, she was stupid.
“I trusted him and now I feel so stupid. If he’s really doing those evil things then he’s…he’s a monster.”
The devil himself. “When the scandal breaks out you’ll be heavily scrutinized. So will your kids. If it were me, I’d go somewhere where no one would find me so I could cope in peace.”
She nodded, her eyes still downcast.
I actually felt bad for her. She was a victim just like I was. “I’m sorry you’re going through this. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here.”
“No, you did the right thing,” she said quickly. “I would much rather live with the painful truth than a comforting lie.”
My intent wasn’t to help her or make her see the light. My purpose was completely selfish, and now I felt a little guilty for that. “I just want to see your husband crash and burn. I’m sorry my vendetta has hurt you.”
“I understand, Slade.” She felt the wedding ring on her finger then slowly pulled it off. She stared at the diamond as it caught the light. “I wish I had a husband who would do that for me.”
Chapter Seven
Trinity
The only time I felt a little better was when I held Cedric. He was a happy baby, and when he grinned he had a dimple in each cheek. Every giggle was music to my ears, and when he looked at me it seemed like he was fascinated. He didn’t look at me like a worn out glove. He didn’t know what happened to me, so he looked at me like I was innocent.
Like I was like him.
Skye sat beside me on the couch and watched me play with Cedric. “He loves you.”
“The feeling is mutual.” I rubbed my nose against his and listened to him giggle again.
“When your baby gets here you’ll be so in love.” Skye breathed a musical sigh.
“I know.” I was looking forward to it. I would have a permanent distraction and a purpose. Maybe I could overcome what happened and move on if I had someone to live for. I couldn’t stay in my apartment all day when I had a baby. I’d want to show him the world. How could I do that if I was cooped up all the time? Maybe Baby Sisco was the greatest blessing I ever could have hoped for.
“How are you holding up?” Skye’s voice changed noticeably, like she didn’t want to ask the question but had to.
“I’m just taking it one day at a time.”
“Slade seems really supportive.”
“He’s great,” I whispered. “He’s been there every step of the way. I thought he would feel differently toward me or need his own space. But he’s been right beside me every single day.”
“Of course he has, Trin,” Skye said. “That man loves you no matter what.”
“It’s still difficult,” I whispered. “And he’s been so calm the entire time. I thought he would march around the house and destroy everything nonstop.”
“I think he understands it’s more important to be there for you than to be angry.”
“It’s still a miracle.”
She placed her hand on my back and rubbed it gently. “I can tell you’re a little better. Give it enough time and you’ll be back to normal.”
“I hope so.” I still hadn’t stepped foot in my building yet. Maybe when I did it would trigger a meltdown. I wasn’t sure. “Slade and I haven’t had sex.”
“That’s probably a good thing.”
“There are times when I think I’m ready but then I freeze up.”
“There’s no reason to rush.”
“I know how he is.” He needed sex on a regular basis. Actually, he needed it twice a day. “I’m sure he’s frustrated…”
She continued to rub my back. “Trinity, believe me. He’s not frustrated at all. All he cares about is you right now.”
“Yeah…I guess.” I looked into Cedric’s face and saw Skye’s blue eyes. Sometimes I got lost in this beautiful face and everything went away. “Slade wants me to get a body guard.”
“He does?”
“So I’ll keep working and feel safe at the same time.”
“I think that’s a great idea.”
“I don’t know. What if the bodyguard tries something…?” I knew I was being paranoid when I shouldn’t be but it was hard to shake it off.
“Maximum is just one freak of nature. Not all men are like that.”
True.
“Look at all the guys we’re close to. They’re angels.”
“I know they are.”
“I think you should take on the bodyguard. We both know how much you love your job. It’s just not right to quit because some ass decided to cross a line. It’s not fair to you. Keep what’s yours, Trin.”
“I know.”
“If you need a bodyguard to make that happen, then do it. You won’t need him forever, just a chance to get into the hang of things.”
“I guess. I’m just scared to go back into that office. I haven’t been there since.”
“You can do it.” Skye was my personal cheerleader. “I know you can walk in there and conquer your fear. Remember, that building is your turf. Own it. Don’t let some piece of shit scare you off.”
She was right. I shouldn’t be afraid all the time. It wasn’t like he actually raped me. But he would have if I didn’t get away, and that’s what scared me the most. “I’ll try.”
“Keep trying until you succeed. I know Slade wants you to keep working. He understands how important it is to you.”
Slade held my hand the entire way. “He’s been really supportive. I wouldn’t know what to do without him…”
“And you’ll never know.” She gave me a smile before she squeezed Cedric’s hand. “When your little one comes you’ll be so happy. It’ll uplift you in ways nothing else can. You’ll see what I mean. Things are going to take a turn for the better.”
***
Slade picked me up when he was back in town. “Did you have a good stay?” He didn’t kiss me like he used to. He’d refrained from doing that for weeks. Whenever he saw me he gave me a gentle touch on the waist or the hand. But that was it.
“Yeah, we had fun. It was nice spending time with Cedric.”
“Good.” He looked at me with the same love in his eyes, but there was a tinge of darkness there. He was a little awkward around me, like he wasn’t sure how to be himself while not touching me.
“How was LA?”
“Uh, it was good,” he said quickly. “Nothing too interesting happened.” He quickly walked away and headed into the living room. “Hey, Cayson.”
Cayson clapped him on the back while he held Cedric in one hand. “The trip went well?”
“Very.” Slade kissed Cedric on the forehead. “Thanks for looking after Trinity.”
“No problem. She kept my wife company while I was at work.”
“And it was like having another babysitter around the house,” Skye said. “I actually got to nap a little bit.”
“Well, I’m glad you got some use out of her.” Slade grabbed my bag and threw it over his shoulder. “We’ll see you guys later.”
“Alri
ght,” Cayson said. “You two should come over later this week to play games or something.”
Slade gave him a thumbs-up. “Sounds like a good idea.” He headed to the door and walked out with me behind him. “I’m surprised you only packed one bag. That’s not like you at all.”
“Yeah…” I didn’t care for clothes or shoes anymore.
After he tossed the bag in the back we headed home. Slade drove with one hand but the other wasn’t on me. He usually held my hand or touched my thigh but now he was distant.
“Did you try the pizza?”
“The pizza?” he asked. “Why would I try the pizza?”
“Isn’t it different or something?”
“Oh…” His eyes were still on the road. “It was pretty flat if you ask me. I definitely prefer Chicago style.” He fell quiet again, like he didn’t feel like talking. He was walking on eggshells around me like I might snap at any minute.
***
I unpacked my things and changed into a new pair of pajamas. My portfolio was on the nightstand with a few sketches I made. I used to be excited to go to work, to share my thoughts with my team. When the designs were finally put together it was the best feeling in the world.
Could I really give that up?
Slade came to bed in a t-shirt and sweats. He didn’t sleep in the nude anymore, and I knew that was because of me. “Have you thought anymore about the body guard thing?”
I wasn’t thrilled about the idea but I knew I should consider it. “I guess I can give it a try.”
“Yeah?” He lay back and looked at the ceiling. “Which one did you like?”
“I think I liked Abe the most.”
“Well, I’ll give him a call tomorrow.” His voice picked up slightly when I agreed to the protection. “I really liked him too. He’s a good guy.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he is.”
“We’ll swing by your office tomorrow to get a feel of things.”
That sounded dreadful. “Okay.”
He turned off the lamp on his nightstand then settled into bed. He was tired much earlier in the evening than he usually was, but he had been traveling a lot lately. “Good night, baby.” He didn’t kiss me goodnight or come to my side of the bed. He only touched me when I explicitly asked him to.