Her Only Salvation

by J.C. Valentine

  Brilliant. Now he would have to wear shoes twenty-four seven because it wasn’t like a place this classy provided maid service.

  Thankfully, there was a liquor store not more than a block away, and Randy had just enough cash left in his wallet to purchase a bottle of Jack.

  ***

  After drinking half the bottle of newly acquired whiskey, he showered then settled into the easy chair to take in a little mindless programming and begin plotting his next course of action.

  It had been a few days since he had called Terri at the club. Despite her heightened fear and overly cautious behavior, he had managed to follow her home unnoticed that night.

  He was still a little ticked that she had sold their house. He had worked hard for it, after all. Obviously she hadn’t appreciated his efforts if she would just go and sell it the minute he was out of the picture. He wondered what she did with the money from the sale. Women liked to shop, he knew that much, so she probably blew it all on dresses and shoes.

  Judging by the house she lived in now, she must have put a small portion of the profit there, as well, but not a lot. It was too small and plain to have cost much.

  For just a moment Randy entertained the idea that she might have saved the money, maybe waiting for him to come home, but he squashed that line of thinking immediately. If she had been waiting she would have welcomed him back by now, instead of forcing him to rot away in this dump.

  Whatever. He wasn’t worried about whether she was or wasn’t glad he was back. He needed to concentrate on the reunion. And there was going to be a reunion. He just needed to get his head on straight and set a few goals. Finding where she lived had been the first, so he could check that off his to-do list. He had already made contact but that wouldn’t be enough. Tonight he planned to do it again; he just needed to lock down how to go about it. Terri had already gotten her panties into a bunch just from one little phone call, so he knew coming at her too much too fast would be more trouble than it was worth. He couldn’t exactly beat her into submission, not right away anyway. Although he did enjoy seeing her get all riled up.

  Nothing tugged at a man’s heartstrings like a pair of mascara-smeared eyes.

  No, he wouldn’t use force just yet. Some things in life required finesse, and Randy was a smooth operator when he wanted to be. Romance wasn’t exactly his shtick, but he would manage. Maybe buy her something sparkly, take her to dinner, for a walk around the neighborhood. Show her how it used to be, and how it could be again.

  Of course, if Terri decided to be stubborn, she would force his hand. Randy wasn’t the kind of man to take no for an answer, and when it came to his wife, no was like a cold, hard slap in the face. He would allow her some time to get reacquainted with the idea of him being around again, but anything beyond that, and he would have to remind her of who she was dealing with.

  Women needed to be put in their place. Too far over the line one way or the other, and things could get out of control fast. She was lucky he put up with her insubordination. Getting him locked up, that was an offense that couldn’t go unpunished, but he was cutting her some slack. People had been killed for less.

  Because of her thoughtlessness, he had spent the last year in a jail cell, his freedom snatched away in the blink of an eye. Now he was homeless, wifeless, and penniless. Her actions had cost him everything. Oh yes, she would pay for her role in all of this, and he would start with reclaiming what was rightfully his, starting with that pretty little house. She thought to divorce him, but she would soon realize that not only was that never going to happen, but everything that was hers was also his. They were still married, after all.

  ***

  The lighter went on with a shhhtck, and Randy brought it to the cigarette. Taking a long draw, he let the smoke fill his lungs and breathed it back out slowly. The inside of the truck cab was growing colder the longer he sat in front of the house. Glancing down at his watch, he realized that Terri would be getting off in a few short hours. That meant he didn’t have much time to work with.

  Tucking the keys in his jacket pocket, Randy popped the door open and stepped down from the truck. The block was dark, save the dull glow of lamplight from the neighboring homes. Looking both ways, he jogged across the street and up the short drive until the freshly trimmed bushes lining the foundation provided him an effective cover.

  For the past few days he had spent his time following Terri, learning her habits. Since she came in late each night, she started each afternoon with a run, always careful to keep an eye on her surroundings, though she never saw him. The rest of the afternoon was spent inside cleaning or watching TV. Once she had ventured to the grocery store, sticking to the main roads, stopping at all the red lights and stop signs.

  Never was much of a risk taker, he mused, puffing on his cigarette.

  Smoke curled from his nostrils as he peered inside. Tidy kitchen as always. He made his way around back, peeking inside at all the furniture. So she had kept the lot of it, after all. Maybe the little minx should be rewarded…

  By the time the sun started setting, Terri’s familiar white Ford would back down the drive and head in the direction of the club. Randy had spent each of those days and nights tracking her every move, learning the paths she took. She never deviated.

  Tonight, he stayed behind. It was time to step up his game.

  There was a low deck tacked onto the back of the house, a sliding glass door the only thing that separated outside from in. Pulling out his pocket knife, Randy slipped the blade between the doors and set to work prying the lock.

  There was only one thing that stuck in his craw about the whole deal. Of all the nights he had tailed her, at the end of every one of them an expensive black car would slide up behind hers, wait until she got out of the car, waved goodbye and the garage door shut securely, before shooting down the street and out of sight. No one ever got out, but Randy had seen that same car in the parking lot of Sunset Black and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that behind all that sleek muscle was another man.

  The little bitch was stepping out on him.

  Instantly enraged by the very thought, Randy wrenched the knife sideways, breaking the blade off in the door. He cursed blackly, kicked the bottom of the door, and strode in circles, digging his fingers into his hair as his mind worked overtime to both calm down and come up with a new plan.

  He had to get inside. It was essential that he know everything, the routes she took, her schedule, and the lay of the land.

  The silver moon glowed overhead, mocking him. Somewhere in the trees and owl hooted its laughter at his failure. “Best laid plans,” he muttered to himself, pacing the deck, his brows drawn low as he thought hard.

  “Fuck it,” he growled. Storming back to the glass doors, Randy gripped the recessed handles and put everything he had into them. Using his bodyweight, he shoved repeatedly, rocking the doors on their tracks, until, finally, the flimsy metal lock inside gave way and the panel glided open.

  Satisfaction rolling through him, he stepped inside and gave himself a tour of his new home.

  It was neat as a pin. The floors polished, the countertops gleaming. The smell of lemons hung in the air. As he moved into the living room he got an eyeful of the expensive furniture they had purchased early in their marriage, right down to the woven rug lying beneath the glass top coffee table.

  The bathroom was out of date, linoleum covered floors, brass light fixtures over a frameless mirror. Nothing noteworthy. Opening the door to what must have been a guest bedroom; he saw more of the same. Too much furniture crammed into too tight a space. Closing the door behind him, he turned and stepped immediately into Terri’s room. She had kept their bedroom outfit, too, he noted smugly.

  Sliding the bifold closet doors open, he scanned the clothes hanging on the bar, everything evenly spaced and organized according to color and season. Two pairs of tennis shoes rested on the floor beside a pair of black pumps and bright red heels that screamed trash. Shaking hi
s head in disgust, Randy closed the closet and moved to the dresser.

  The first drawer was reserved for socks. The second and third for pair after pair of lacy underwear and bras, all part of a set he noted with curiosity. Terri had never been one for fashion or one to worry whether her undergarments complemented each other. Either she had developed an addiction to lingerie, or his suspicions about another guy were true.

  The evidence was pretty damning.

  Reaching inside, Randy sifted through the silky scraps of material, searching for something, anything that might shed some light on this new side of Terri he had discovered, but he came up empty handed.

  It was obvious to him that she was up to something, though.

  Headlights whipped across the room, casting slashes of bright light across the walls and ceiling. His eyes cut to the clock on the table. Somehow he had lost two hours. His heart slammed in his chest, a warning that it was time to leave, but he ignored it, sliding up to the window’s edge and looking out. The street was dark, but the porch light illuminated the driveway.

  Terri’s car was just pulling up the drive. Pausing, he watched as she waited for the garage door to rise, then drove inside. Where was—oh yes, there it was. On cue, the black car rolled up, but instead of stopping at the curb, it pulled right into the driveway.

  Eyes narrowing, Randy focused on that car, determined to witness this scene play out.

  Terri made an appearance first, the clicking of her heels audible through the closed windows as she approached the luxury car. Cutting the engine, the driver pushed open the door and stepped out.

  Definitely a man, Randy thought, sneering as he sized up the competition. Tall, at least six-foot, dark hair and a wide smile. He wore a simple pair of dark jeans and a form-fitting T-shirt. Aside from the car, the only thing that hinted that he was loaded was the platinum watch around his wrist and the diamond stud glinting in his ear. Other than that, the guy was pretty average.

  It must be the money, Randy thought with some irritation. That was a woman for you, though. His mother had been a gold digger, raised by a gold digger. It only made sense that Randy would marry one, considering what he was raised with.

  He couldn’t hear their conversation, only muffled voices through the thick glass. As they walked side by side up the walkway toward the front door, Randy experienced a moment of panic. It was too late to backtrack down the hall and out the back door where he had come in without getting caught. He didn’t know the house well enough to find an adequate hiding place, either, but as the front door opened and he heard the couple step inside, he visually inspected the room for the best option.

  The closet was tight, and would be the most likely place Terri would go first if she planned to change out of her work attire. The bathroom was a close second, and there was no way he would be able to duck into the neighboring bedroom without being caught on the spot, the living room being just feet away and in clear view of the short hallway.

  The bed was the only option he had left. Crossing the room, Randy dropped to his stomach and slithered beneath the bed, scowling over the fact that he had to hide from his own wife.

  Chapter Six

  It felt awkward, having her boss in her house again. Of course, since he had been here before, given himself the grand tour, she could skip that part. The problem was more his presence, how he seemed to overwhelm the room with his sheer size and strength of character. It made her feel out of place in her own home. Then again, that same strength made her feel feminine and protected, like she didn’t have to worry about anything when he was around.

  Giving herself a little shake, Terri slammed the lid closed on that thought. That line of thinking was exactly how she had gotten herself in such a mess with Randy. He had been the same kind of guy, strong in both body and mind. He was the kind of guy who commanded attention when he entered a room. Women loved him, men wanted to be him. In the beginning, he had been her protector, and in the end, he had become her attacker. Luke was exactly like that, and Terri refused to get involved with another man who fit that description.

  No, Terri thought next. Luke wasn’t anything like Randy. Luke showed compassion and understanding, whereas Randy had always been about himself. He never wanted kids and hated animals. Who hated animals? Serial abusers, that’s who. He hadn’t even managed one kind word to help her through the toughest time in her life, when her dad died of a brain aneurism. Luke? When she showed fear, he had wrapped her in his arms and assured her that everything would be fine, and he would not only shelter her from any storm that might roll in, but he would weather it with her, as he was doing now.

  And it helped that he was amazing to look at.

  Feeling marginally better now that she had her concerns squared away, Terri moved on to her next thought: being a good hostess.

  “Would you like something to drink? I have water, juice, coffee, tea…” She trailed off waiting for him to make a choice.

  Luke shook his head. “I’m good, thanks.”

  Terri pursed her lips. She never had been much of a conversationalist, and offering beverages was about the extent of her hostess abilities. She was lost, completely out of her element. With nothing more to say, she excused herself to go change.

  Once inside her bedroom, Terri slipped out of her painful shoes and shed her tight, skin-smothering clothes. It always felt good to get out of her work attire and into something more comfortable, breathable. When she came to the push-up bra, she hesitated. Normally, she wouldn’t bother with one, but with Luke sitting in the next room…

  She chose to leave the bra on. Pulling a purple T-shirt from its hanger, Terri tugged it over her head then opted for a pair of black yoga pants. A comfy pair of thermal socks later and she was ready to head back to the living room. Almost.

  Ducking her head into the hall, she called out to Luke. “I’ll be out in a minute. I just need to wash my face.”

  “Take your time,” Luke called back.

  Closing the door again, Terri was just turning to head into the bathroom when she thought she heard something, a muffled noise, almost like a shuffle of fabric against fabric. She stood, waiting and listening, straining her ears and willing the sound to happen again. It didn’t, and Terri almost laughed at her edginess. Her mother always said that a solitary existence was a breeding ground for lunacy. Living alone must finally be getting to her.

  Shaking her head, Terri slipped into the bathroom and started the water.

  ***

  The moment Terri disappeared into the bathroom; Randy dragged himself out from under the bed. It enraged him that she would allow another man in the house, but there was nothing he could do about it right now, short of killing the guy. He knew that he would, too, if he didn’t get control of himself. Even now his hands were shaking, crying out for him to do violence. Restraint would prove difficult, if not impossible, when another man was sitting just within reach, but he would have to practice control if he didn’t want to go off the deep end and land himself back behind bars. Murder had a way of catching up to you. Not to mention, Terri was the kind of woman that needed constant guidance, and where would the lesson be in that if he got himself arrested?

  The water was running now and he could just make out the small splashes of her hands dipping in and out of the water. A part of him wanted to march in there right now and ask her what the hell she thought she was doing, but again, he reminded himself that he needed control. There was a plan, and he needed to stick to the plan if things were going to work out.

  Opening a drawer in the table next to the bed, Randy pulled out a small tablet of paper and pen he had seen earlier while rummaging around, and started writing. Terri might know that he was out and about, she might even realize that he had been keeping an eye on her, but he didn’t think she realized how close he had gotten yet, and he wanted to shake up her world a little. He wanted her to know that he was everywhere, watching, waiting…planning. He liked the idea of her finding his note, knowing that he had been
right where she was standing, in her home, touching her things.

  With a dangerously dark smile, Randy placed the pad on the table top. What would she do when she read his words? Call the police? Crumble into a pitiful ball and cry into herself like the weak little girl he knew her to be?

  A knock on the door jerked him from his thoughts and Randy froze, unsure what to do.

  “Terri?”

  The deep, smoke-roughened voice of the man Randy knew from the bar came through the thin wood causing a growl of hatred to bubble up his throat. He just barely kept himself from wrenching the door open and pounding the guy’s face into the floor.

  Balling his fists, he listened as the man continued to speak.

  “Terri, I forgot something in the car. I’ll be right back.”

  The water shut off in the next room and Randy felt that familiar, ridiculous urge to duck and hide. He held his ground, though, his heart pounding in his ears, waiting to see how this would play out.

  The door to the bathroom opened a crack, shedding a thin line of light into the room. “Luke? Did you say something?” Terri called out.

  Luke? It even sounded like a rich boy name.

  “I’m going to run out to my car for something,” Luke repeated.

  “Okay.” Once it was clear that Luke was gone, Terri turned the water back on, not bothering to close the door again.

  Randy waited until he heard the front door open and jumped on the opportunity. On quick feet, he darted past the open bathroom door and out of the bedroom. At the end of the hall, he saw that the front door was standing wide open, but knew the man, Luke, would be coming back through it any moment. Retracing his steps, he went in the opposite direction, leading him through the kitchen and out the sliding doors onto the patio. He was just about to close the glass panel behind him to cover his tracks, but at the last minute chose to leave it open—just one more reminder to let her know that she was his and he would never let her go.