He. Loves. Me.
And that fucking love almost cost me my life.
“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.”
? August Wilson
§§
Devin
I stared at my wife entwined with her lover in our marital bed. I’d left the restaurant immediately after Nina and started making phone calls knowing I wouldn’t get any answers from Eileen. If I’d stayed with her a minute longer, I would have lost all control. I felt the hope from that morning slip away from me with Nina’s parting words. She was furious and had every right to be, but she’d meant them.
And that had changed every rule of fair fighting.
As I stared at Eileen sleeping soundly with one of my partners, I had to stifle a laugh at the fact Thomas wasn’t wearing his hairpiece. It amazed me they had become that comfortable. He was so vain about his appearance. I reached into my pock
et and took a snapshot with my cell phone before dropping my suitcase loudly on the floor.
They both jumped as soon as they saw me and shot out of bed, scrambling for cover.
“Devin,” Thomas offered in a low voice as an apology. I ignored him, my sights on the woman looking back at me in shock.
“What are you doing here, Devin!” She gripped a sheet to her chest as if I would at all be interested in seeing anything underneath it.
“Good morning, honey,” I chimed happily. “So fucking good to be home. I see Thomas was kind enough to keep the sheets warm.” I gave him a sly grin. “Thanks, pal. And now that there’s a vacancy, I’ll just get settled.” I opened my suitcase and dumped the contents on the floor. It was an entire week’s worth of suits and just enough to have her gasping in disbelief.
“Devin, you can’t possibly think you—”
“See you at the office, Thomas,” I said warmly as he threw on his suit coat. He stopped just short of the door and turned to me.
“Devin, I don’t know what to say.”
“See you soon, Thomas.” I couldn’t give a fuck about his presence, but it was good to know he would be shitting himself the rest of the week worrying about my retaliation. I may just give him a run for his money. He was, after all, fucking my wife. I couldn’t care less, but then there was that matter of respect. Though I was positive she’d painted me a pretty villain to Thomas, I decided I would make sure her prophecy came to fruition.
“Devin, get out! Get out of this house!”
Ignoring her demand, I removed the canvas off the wall. “You know I always hated this painting.” I gripped the Renoir and opened the window next to her bedside table. I pulled a sharp pen from my suit jacket and ripped through it, hearing her screams. It was her prize possession. I threw it out the window, and it landed just short of hitting an escaping Thomas.
“Sorry, buddy,” I called as he jumped out of the way. “Safe travels.”
I turned back to Eileen, who was now pounding on my chest with her fists. “I own your plantation too now, bitch. You really aren’t very good at the game of Monopoly. I now own Park Place and all the hotels, and you have just landed your ass in jail.”
She stopped her pounding and looked up at me.
“The paperwork, I read it.”
“I forged your signature on the real initial contract. It’s the first shady deal I’ve ever brokered, and it was fucking worth it. It got you into closing where all the lawyers were present, and you signed it away to me with a smile.”
“Get out of my house,” she ordered with a pointed finger as she sat on the side of the bed, dressed in only a half-slip.
“Call it off,” I countered. “You have gone too fucking far!”
She looked up at me, judgment clear on her face. “I’ve gone too far. And what you’ve done you won’t have to answer for?”
“I don’t care what happens to me anymore. Can’t you see that? I. Don’t. Fucking. Care. I’m here, call it OFF!”
“I already have.” With false confidence, she stood then walked toward the bathroom. I gripped her arm and pulled her to face me.