I was frozen in place. He looked back over his shoulder at me, “Now.”
I rose slowly and then followed along, taking slow deep breaths and wishing I could just vanish into thin air.
Inside
the master bedroom he sat on the bed and started to untie his black leather shoes. Then he took them off, took his tie off, his blazer off, and took cufflinks out. He looked even more dressed up than usual. Great, this incident got him pulled from an important meeting; that should put him in a fine mood.
He took his silver crucifix necklace off and put it on the nightstand. He took his shirt off and threw it on the bed. Then he folded his arms and stood up. He undid his belt. He was looking at me with intensity; biting down on his bottom lip. My heart rate started picking up and my throat felt dry. He had the halved belt in his hands and he jerked his hands to make it snap loudly. I jolted and then shuddered.
“So,” he said to me, “Care to explain what happened in the store today?”
I blanched. He had to already know what had happened from Earl.
“I saw Rose in the bathroom. She followed us. She was just worried. I told her to back off. She will.” My voice was small, weak, I was quaking.
“Yeah, Rosalie Crenshaw and Susan DeLong are making inquiries. It needs to stop.”
“I-I told her I was fine, to back off.” I was not at all comfortable with the names he was dropping, the fact that he obviously had information on them. I kept my eye on the belt, feeling bile rise in my throat.
“Yeah, you said.”
He was silent, watching me.
“What are you gonna do?” My chin was trembling.
“You want to know what I’m going to do?” His eyes were challenging me.
“I want to know you’re not going to do anything to --- to them. I’ve talked to her; it’ll be fine. She…” I didn’t know how to finish that, to find the words to make him leave them alone.
He sighed, then pinched the bridge over his nose, “I do not need this hassle.”
I stood there, not knowing what he wanted me up here for. It was still the afternoon and he was undressing in front of me so of course I didn’t feel like, based on his track record so far, that this was going to go well.
“Come here,” he told me, dropping the belt on the bed beside him.
I blew out a slow breath. “Listen,” I said and took a step back.
He raised his eyebrows, “Here.”
I stepped up in front of him. He grabbed the back of my knees and pulled me closer.
“I had to come all the way home in the middle of a busy work day to deal with you so you’re going to make it worth my while,” he said and the tone of voice and expression on his face were scary. Beyond scary. He caressed the back of my leg softly. I tried to step back but he grabbed my hips.
“Did you disobey me?” his fingers dug in.
“No.” I whispered, my voice hoarse, gaze fixed on the ceiling.
“You snuck off to talk to her; what did you say?”
“I just kept telling her I’m fine and not to worry.”
One of his hands slid up and down my thigh. Suddenly both of his hands were pushing the pants I was wearing down, taking the underwear with them. I tried to back up.
“You refused to answer my call. Stop,” he said.
I froze.
“Take your shirt off,” he said.