After fighting to get out of her grip, I unsnap my seatbelt and try to crawl to the other side of the car. Tiffany opens the door and is now inside with me. She moves faster than I can react, and she’s on top of me. I’m trying to block her throws. It’s doing no good. She’s throwing fists like a prize fighter, and she’s making contact with face and ears. I’m also trying to get off the shifter that’s grinding into my side.
Finally, I find the will to fight back. I grab my purse that’s on the floor on the passenger side and start hitting her with it. All of my stuff is raining down around us, but it does nothing to make her stop. I don’t know if I’m winning or not, but I’m getting worn out fast.
Tiffany manages to overpower me, and she has her hands on my throat while screaming she’s going to kill me. I’m hitting her on the head with my empty, flimsy purse and trying to loosen her grip with the other hand. I’m fading fast, but before I completely black out, I feel her weight coming off of me. I see Andrew dragging her out by her feet. She’s cussing and kicking him. Still, he gets her out with no problem, and he gets a tight hold of her. She’s kicking both feet in the air and jerking from side to side like a madwoman. I believe Andrew is smiling, or maybe, he’s gritting his teeth because she’s too much to handle. Either way, I have to get out of here. That woman wants me dead.
I push open the passenger’s side door and drag myself out of the car. When I stand up, I realize I’m not in the driveway anymore. The car has rolled backwards and stopped halfway onto the curve right in front of Tiffany’s house. The car is still running. I stammer back across the street with what little bit of energy I have left, and lock myself in the house. I slide down to the floor and close my eyes. I can still hear her cussing, the car engine is running, and I can hear more people, as well. Instead of looking out the window to check out the scene, I get up and go the bathroom on the other side of the kitchen, where I close and lock myself inside. Nobody can get me now.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Of course, Grey knows about the thorough ass whipping I received from Tiffany before he gets home. Andrew called him after the tussle. Grey didn’t bother to leave work early to check on me, but I expected that from him. My wellbeing rates as high as a cow in a slaughterhouse.
I’m sitting on the sofa when he finally walks through the door. Andrew is sitting at the island that separates the kitchen from the living room. He’s snacking on popcorn like he’s about to see a movie. Probably so. I’m sure Grey is going to put on one hell of a show.
“She hurt you?” Grey evenly asks.
“No,” I respond the same way. She did, actually. It hurts to speak.
“Your face is swollen. How the hell are you supposed to work looking like that?”
“I don’t know,” I respond with complete disinterest.
“You deserved it. I bet she tow that ass up in that car. Wish I could have seen it.”
His level of thoughtfulness and concern is not even a disappointment.
“Chasing that sorry ass dick. You think Russell Wolfe is going to save you?”
“You shouldn’t be so hard on her, man,” Andrew chimes in weakly.
“Shut up,” Grey snaps at him. “I’m still mad at your ass for not calling me last night before bringing her home.”
“Forgot, man, that’s all it was.”
“Don’t let that shit happen again. If you want to stay under this roof, you better do as I say from now on. I’ll put your ass out without a fuckin’ penny and won’t think twice about it.”
Andrew starts for the entrance to the hallway.
“Where the fuck you going?” Grey says as he moves towards the entrance, too. “You ain’t going nowhere.”
“You got no beef with me, man!”
“You stay right where the fuck you at, bruh.”
“Who the hell you talking to? I’m not your bitch, and you ain’t gonna treat me like one.”
“You can always pack your fuckin’ bags and gets to stepping, loser. I should make you leave, anyway. Fuckin’ no good bastard. Lazy ass ain’t worth the air you breathe. Everybody in this house is worthless.”
Andrew backs down from his little show of courage. He wears his defeat like the coward he is.
Grey returns his attention back to me. “If you go back to that asshole’s place again, you’re fuckin’ dead. If you drive by that mutherfucker, I’ll have your mom tortured to death. You don’t think I’m capable, try me one more damn time. I dare you.”
His threats send chills up my spine. All I’m thinking about is what Lucas said about those women being raped by gunpoint. I have no doubts Grey is capable of torture and so much more.
“Now that I’ve established whose dick is the biggest in this house.” Grey adjusts his belt. “Moore tonight. Lingerie and coat. Probably won’t do you any good. Maybe, he’ll throw your ugly ass to one of his bodyguards. That reminds me to call him about no refunds tonight. He just have to cover your face up if he doesn’t like what he sees.”
I will not let his words break me or crush me. With pride and poise, I stand up and go to the bedroom. At least, I’ll be with a man who cares somewhat about me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
My time with Brennan becomes a surprising comfort. We didn’t have sex. Of course, he saw the bruises on my face and neck, and immediately thought Grey was the cause. I explained to him what happened. I even admitted to why Tiffany came after me. Brennan is uncomfortably quiet as we sit in the living room of our suite. He has rum in one hand. His single breasted jacket is on the back of the sofa. He has on a vest, completely buttoned, over a white long sleeve shirt. His shoes are shining under the flood lights from the roof. Brennan has a gentleman’s way about him, a regal air. Honestly, I feel like a child in his presence.
“Only you can change your circumstances, Rachel.”
“I used to believe that.”
“Why don’t you believe it now? What is stopping you from walking out of that house?”
“My mother,” I answer.
“Is she literally stopping you herself?”
“No, Grey pays for her apartment. He pays for the meds she can’t afford. All of that goes away the moment I want to walk. And to be perfectly honest with you, I don’t think he’ll just let me walk out the door. I know his secrets. I know what he’s done, and he’ll do anything, including killing me, to protect those secrets.”
“How did you end up where you are today?”
I get up and go to the window. The Savannah River is beautiful. The lights from the city are reflecting off of it. I lean on the window sill and remark, “Grey caught me with another man earlier this year. He was the neighbor that lived across the street.”
“The woman that hurt you. He’s her husband?” Brennan comes over to stand beside me.
“Yes. First time I saw him, I thought he was so gorgeous. He was everything that Grey wasn’t. Charming, cute, debonair, and he cared for his wife. He was never shy about showing it in public. I knew about his restaurant, and I went there a few times, hoping to run into him in the beginning. Around the third time, he saw me and sat with me. We ate dinner a couple of times after that. One day, I asked him over to the house. Grey was at work. It was last year. Both of us knew what was going to happen. From that day forward, we were all over each other. I fell in love with him. The day I got caught, Grey didn’t walk into the house when he was there. He waited until he left before coming inside. He beat me so badly. I thought he was going to kill me. The next morning, he told me that I wasn’t to see him anymore. Grey said that he would kill him if I did, and he said that I had to do what he said, no matter what it was, or my mother and I would be homeless.”
“Why don’t you divorce him?”
“The prenup,” I answer with a laugh. “There’s an infidelity clause. I cheat before our two year anniversary, I get nothing. I walk out of the marriage with what I came in with.”
“And he keeps your mother over your head to keep you hooking.”
“What are you expecting me to do?”
“You’re a man with means, connections.”
“That’s dangerous territory, Rachel. One that you can’t change when it’s done.”
“I don’t care. Can you help me or not?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Andrew drives me back to the house. As soon as I’m out of the car, he takes off. He’s been mad since Grey’s last discussion with him. He didn’t speak to me during the ride to the hotel or back. Actually, he was on the phone with his girlfriend both times. Andrew never spoke her name. I believe he did that on purpose so I won’t know who she is.
I go directly inside to the kitchen. I’m stunned to see that another woman is sitting in the nook with Grey, and she’s not the police officer. Candles are lit. A full scale meal is spread across the table. They’re holding hands, as if they’re in love. When she leans in to kiss him, our eyes meet. She backs away from him. Grey catches her expression and twists around in his seat. His smile disappears upon seeing my face.
“Where is Andrew?” Grey says as he stands.
I open the fridge, take out a cheap bottle of champagne, and grab a glass out of the cabinet.
“That dude is stupid!” He heads for the entrance to the hallway.
“He’s gone, Grey.”
He stops, turns around, and shakes his head. “Did he say where he was going?”
“Nope,” I reply.
Grey grabs his phone out of his shirt pocket and calls Andrew. “How many times I have to tell him to call me before bringing you home? Just press the speed dial button for my number. That’s all he has to do.”
While ignoring his comments, I untwist the cap and pour my drink.
“Grey, who is this?” the woman asks while still at the table.
I chuckle, realizing I’d forgotten she was in the house. “I’m his wife.”
“You’re his wife!” She gets up and marches over to Grey. “I thought you said you put her out!”
He ignores her. He has his cell phone to his ear, waiting for Andrew to answer.
“No, honey, I still live here.”
“Grey!” She has a high pitched voice that grates on my nerves.
“Shut-up for a minute!” he says to her irately.
“Don’t tell me to shut-up!” She pushes him. “You shut-up! You lied to me!”
With glass and bottle in hand, I stroll out of the kitchen, leaving them to their little argument, and lock myself up in the master bedroom. The walls muffle the sounds of their voices. She’s wearing him out, and he’s giving her the same blues. I turn on the radio beside the jewelry box on the dresser and sit in the rocking chair, facing the window.
A loud thud sounds off. The woman screams. Grey has hit her, and he’s cussing her out. I continue staring out the window. Once I finish the whole bottle, which takes about an hour, I curl up on the bed and close my eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A nonstop bang on the door awakens me.
“Rachel!”
I look over at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It’s just after eight in the morning. I slowly drag over to the door and open it. Grey is in his suit. I will admit, he’s handsome. His goatee is trimmed nice. Big brown eyes and soft lips. He stands with confidence and sex appeal. I remember loving hard on him at one time. My heart used to melt at the sight of him, but now, I hate his fucking guts.
“The kitchen is a mess,” he says. “I want it cleaned before I get home tonight. I’ll be back early.”
He has to be joking. What the hell is wrong with his new girlfriend? Is her fingers broken? Did he kill her last night? I’m not going to ask.
“You got a problem?”
I stare at him.
“Did you hear what I said, Rachel?”
“Yes, I heard you, and no, I don’t have a problem.”
He nods and turns sideways as if he’s about to leave. Then he stops and asks, “Did Andrew tell you where he was going last night?”
I shake my head.
Grey nods, still trying to read me. He crosses his arms, tilts his head only a little. “Why aren’t you mad?”
His question is confusing. I shake my head and shrug my shoulders.
“The other night, you walked in while I was with another woman in our bed. Last night, you walked in while I was having dinner with someone else. None of that bothers you?”
I decide not to answer. I’m not sure what kind of reaction I’ll get if I’m honest.
“It doesn’t,” he remarks. “You’re not jealous at all, are you?”
“No,” I answer bravely.
“Why not?”
I shake my head. I can’t answer.
“What if I bring another woman in here to live with us permanently?”
“Does it mean you’ll make me move out?” I ask nervously.
“Why would I do that? You’re bringing in at least a thousand dollars a week on your back for me. I’m not giving that up.”
“Then you can move in whoever you want. This is your house. Your rules.”
He laughs while pointing and says, “You got that right.” Grey begins thinking about something else. He’s making me real nervous. “I tell you what. Since you don’t give a shit about who I have in this house, I want you to move out of this bedroom today. Pick out whatever spare room upstairs you want and move in there. Do you have a problem with this new arrangement?”
“Not at all,” I remark solidly.
Grey saunters down the hall to the garage. As soon as I hear his car leave out of the garage, I go to the den that faces the front yard and watch him drive away. Actually, I want to see if there’s another car outside. That’ll let me know if that girl is still in the house. I don’t see another car, but I do see Grey stop at the end of the driveway before making a right turn. I spot Russell’s car backing out at the same time from his driveway across the street. When Russell makes the turn onto Privilege Place, so does Grey. I can see him pulling Russell over, making accusations, cussing him out. I don’t even care. I can’t do anything about it, anyway.
I close the drapes and head back to the kitchen. When I get there, I stop dead in my tracks. Grey and his girlfriend must have had a knock down dragged out fight. Food is on the floor and on the walls. The water in the sink is running. Wait. Why in the hell is it running? Whatever. I don’t know why I’m worried. I don’t pay the bills. A red high heel from a shoe is in the middle of the floor. The sofa in the living room is crooked. The lamp is broken. A vase on top of the fireplace is knocked over. Grey definitely did a number on that girl. If she’s smart, she won’t come back.
Grey likes women who are weak, clamoring for his attention, and who wants him as the center of their world. I used to be all of those. Now, I only fit the first description, and I don’t think there’s no way for me to be stronger.
With a sigh, I get to work, cleaning up the results of my husband and his girlfriend’s fight. That sounds so fuckin’ wrong in every sense of every word. I’m so angry with myself. If only the strength exists within me, I would walk out that front door with my head high, feeling free, and looking forward to a new beginning. But fear consumes me. My mother. That’s all that matters is my mother, and she is why I must continue to live in this hell and to endure it for as long as I can.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Rachel.”
I’m on my hands and knees in the kitchen, scrubbing some kind of sauce stain off the floor. I peep around the corner of the island. Jaleesa is standing in the living room.
“How did you get in here?” I stand up and take off my gloves. I look into the hallway to see if Grey is with her.
“I used Andrew’s code to get in,” she answers.
“Oh,” I remark. “Well, neither one of them are here. You should have called first.”
“I came to get Andrew’s things.” Jaleesa doesn’t appear to have an attitu
de. She seems more subdued, perhaps a tad bit sad.
“Grey has been asking about him,” I remark.
“He’s gone to Atlanta. He’s not coming back here. He’s had enough of Grey.”
“Oh, well, good for him,” I respond sadly.
“I also stopped by to talk to you.” Her nervousness has got me a little off. I’ve never seen her act so afraid before.
“Have a seat,” I tell her while pointing at the sofa. “You want something to drink?”
“No, I can’t stay long. I’m sure Grey thinks that Andrew is here because I used his code, and he’s probably on his way.”
“He can see who’s here, Jaleesa. There’s a camera over there in the corner.”
She looks over and shifts in her seat so her back is facing the camera. “Grey has always been on top of things, huh?” she chuckles sadly.
“Jaleesa, you must be shaken because of what happened earlier this week. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“He’s never put his hands on me before.” She twists the hem of her shirt. “That’s all I ever wanted to do was stay on his good side. I knew if I could make him happy, then he would never put his hands on me. Guess I was wrong.”
“I should have warned you how he would react when I saw you in the restaurant. We should have talked.”
“It wouldn’t have made a difference. I saw you as the enemy, and I wouldn’t have listened. I thought you had him wrapped around your finger, and anything you said, he would listened. I was always afraid that you would turn him against me or Jack or even Andrew. My biggest fear was Grey cutting us off because of you.”
Rachel (Women of Privilege Book 2) Page 8
