Deceit of Angels

by Julia Bell

  “So, Anna ran out of petrol?” said Jason to Ben, his lips twitching.

  “Ah, I see there’s been a bit of gossip from Graham. Well, yes, but at least it wasn’t stolen like I thought it had been.”

  Jason nodded. But he would have to mention it to Anna, he couldn’t let her get away with so obvious a chink in her efficiency.

  Anna was in the office and just finishing off for the day.

  “How did the meeting go?” she asked, as Jason threw his briefcase on the desk and sank into his chair.

  “Very well. At least the folk at Harrington Rhodes will have employment for the next few years.” He stared at her for a few seconds. She seemed very engrossed in her work. “Why didn’t you tell me your car ran out of petrol?” he smiled.

  Anna spun round and moistened her lips. “It wasn’t a problem. Please don’t laugh at me, it’ll not happen again.”

  “That I’m sure about. So, you had to get a taxi home?”

  “Had no choice.”

  “That must have been difficult at this time of the year.” He wasn’t asking a question, more speaking his thoughts out aloud.

  “I waited ages, but finally got one.”

  “You were very lucky.” She didn’t answer and walked over to the cabinet, replaced a file and slammed the drawer shut. Jason tried not to ask the next question, but failed. “You were shopping quite late?”

  “That’s how it is at Christmas,” she smiled.

  “Didn’t realise the shops were open that time of night.”

  She clicked her tongue in despair. “Well, that doesn’t surprise me. Shopping isn’t exactly your favourite pastime. Why all these questions?”

  He caught his breath. Was he interrogating her? If he was then he must stop immediately and yet his thoughts were troubled. What was wrong with him? It was perfectly acceptable for Anna to stay out on an evening, she was a grown woman and if she needed to shop late, that was absolutely normal at Christmas. He mustn’t grow too possessive of her or he’ll ruin everything he had.

  He changed the subject. “Oh, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.” She walked across to him. “Remember the Harrington Rhodes Christmas dinner dance?” She nodded. “I’m afraid the hotel has double booked and can’t take us.”

  Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “But Jason, it’s on Saturday night!”

  “I know and they’ve given us a full refund.”

  “So, it’s cancelled. Oh dear, I was looking forward to it. I was going to wear the dress I wore for your mum’s party.”

  “Were you! Wow! Well, the good news is that Graham has pulled a few strings and he’s got us another venue. The Marriott Hotel.” He saw Anna tense and her face become pale.

  “We’re going there?” she whispered.

  He reached out for her, but she moved away. “It’s a beautiful hotel. You’ll have a lovely time,” he said softly.

  The phone ringing on her desk allowed her a means of escape.

  Anna spent the evening feeling very subdued. She dreaded the idea of going back to the Marriott, back to the place where she had been imprisoned and assaulted. She wondered if she could make an excuse? Perhaps she could say she didn’t feel well. But then she realised that Jason might decide to keep her company and as the Managing Director he would be expected to attend a company function.

  Later on, Anna went to soak in the bath. She took a long time over it, so long in fact, that Jason was forced to take a shower in one of the spare bathrooms and was in bed while Anna was still bathing.

  “Have you fallen asleep in there,” called Jason in amusement. “Because if you have, you’ll get all wrinkly.”

  Anna had finally pulled herself from the soothing water and had dried and dressed herself in a pair of royal blue satin pyjamas. She stared at herself in the mirror. She still had a bruise on her neck where Dave had cruelly bitten her, but for the last six days she had worn a polo-neck jumper or a shirt with a pretty scarf. The previous night, Jason had been too tired to notice anything, but would tonight be different? She took her powder compact and tried to hide the blue and black blemish.

  She came out of the bathroom. Jason was sitting up in bed. “I thought you’d taken up residence,” he chuckled.

  “Wanted to look nice for you,” she said.

  He held out his arms to her. “Sweetheart, you always look beautiful to me. Come here.”

  Normally, she wouldn’t need a second invitation but now she hesitated. She walked across the carpet and instead of sliding in beside him, she sat up against the pillows, her leg tucked underneath her. She could see the desire in his eyes and thought of all the times they had made love in the past. They had always been such wonderful moments and taking in a large breath she convinced herself that this time would be no different. She loved him passionately and that very fact would make everything all right.

  Taking her time, Anna started undoing the buttons on her pyjamas. Jason watched her mesmerised while she undid the first two, trying to control his breathing that was coming in short gasps. He found her so alluring and sensual that he thought he was going to explode with yearning.

  “Let me do that,” he whispered. He undid the remaining buttons and then pulled her down into his arms, kissing her hair, then her forehead and then her lips. “God! How I’ve missed you.”

  He caressed her shoulder and then ran his hand tenderly down her body. He felt hungry for her, like a starving man suddenly offered a delicious plate of food. But he sensed something was wrong. Anna wasn’t responding in her usual way, she was tense and nervous. They had been parted only one week, but it was as though they had never made love before. He would have to be as gentle as possible. And unhurried. Perhaps just by loving her he could help her relax. He slipped the pyjama top over her shoulder, kissing her bare flesh. But it was when he tried to remove the top she tensed even more.

  “Can I keep it on?” She clutched at the garment, pulling it to her, trying to cover herself.

  He lifted his head, puzzled. “Are you suddenly feeling shy?”

  “No, just a bit cold.”

  Jason gave a smile and drew her closer. “It looks like I’m going to have to warm you up,” he murmured.

  He helped her out of her pyjama bottoms and then pressed his lips on her neck and throat and mouth, his body aching with sexual tension. Anna tried to relax, tried to think of Jason and their love for each other. But her husband’s face kept floating into her mind.

  She didn’t know if she imagined it but Jason seemed to enter her with a violence he had never used before. Anna let out a muted shriek of pain and held onto him, burying her face in his shoulder. Pain and pleasure are often indistinguishable and for Jason, Anna’s cry only meant enjoyment. Not for one moment did he believe he was hurting her. And not for one moment did he think that each urgent thrust into her made her grit her teeth and bring tears to her eyes. Only after he had fallen asleep, did Anna allow her pillow to absorb her tears.

  The following day brought some remarkable news from Nigel. He phoned to say that he had received the paperwork from the solicitor representing Anna’s husband, since now he was divorcing her on the grounds of adultery.

  “Are you OK with that?” he asked.

  “He’s got a bloody nerve!” she said crossly. “He puts me through hell and then calmly divorces me on grounds of my adultery.”

  She quickly glanced round. Jason had just gone to the kitchen to make them some coffee. She didn’t want him to come in and catch her in the middle of this particular conversation.

  “I was surprised, to be honest. But it’ll be a lot quicker if you allow him to divorce you. It should be straightforward from now on and you could get your divorce by April or May. June at the very latest.”

  “I would like that very much!”

  “Then I will get on with it immediately.”

  “Thank you.”

  “There’s also some good news on the financial front. He’s agreed to buy you out, so you should recei
ve a cheque when your divorce is finalised.”

  Anna felt stunned. “He has? Now I’m really confused.”

  “It looks like he’s being amicable and we have to be thankful for that.” He gave a nervous cough. “Listen, Anna. I’ll do everything I can, but are you sure you don’t want to press charges?”

  But Anna was adamant. The situation was totally impossible. “I can’t do that. I don’t want to hurt my boys.”

  She heard Nigel sigh. “Very well. But let me know if you change your mind.” There was a slight pause before Nigel added, “I know I’m your solicitor but I’m also a friend. Ring me if you ever need to talk. And Sophia says the same thing. Don’t be worried about ringing us at home if you really need to.”

  Anna bit her lip. She could hear Jason coming through from the kitchen. “Thank you. I’ll bear that in mind,” she whispered. “Must go. Bye.”

  She quickly put down the receiver as Jason appeared. He had heard her talking and noticed her abrupt stop when he entered the office.

  He put the mug down in front of her. “Who was that?”

  “Nigel. It seems I’m going to get my divorce after all. Dave has agreed to go ahead. Nigel thinks it’ll all be completed by the late spring.”

  Jason’s face became radiant as he pulled her onto her feet and swung her up in his arms.

  “That means we can have a summer wedding at the Grange,” he said, laughing with delight.

  She didn’t feel like laughing with him. “Yes, that would be wonderful.”

  He gently put her back on her feet, his heart melting. “I know it’s been tough for you, but let’s look forward now. There’s Christmas and your boys visiting and then all the plans we can make for our wedding.”

  Although tears threatened she was determined not to give way to them. She had spent enough time crying over her husband’s despicable behaviour. She gave a watery smile and shook away her tears. “Yes, of course,” she said briskly. “Must finish this letter so it can be posted tonight.”

  She sat down at her desk and started typing.

  Jason returned to his desk, his thoughts grim. While making the coffee he had had a conversation with Ben and Mrs Wilby who felt duty bound to tell him of Anna’s terrible wretchedness while he had been away. They put it to him that she was missing her boys to the point that she could make herself ill, something that he had already concluded. Thank goodness a visit was imminent.

  They carried on working for the rest of the day. It was now Friday and it was a week since her ordeal with Dave. The memory will fade, she thought confidently. Jason was right, she must think of the summer and the wonderful life she and Jason would have together. She would take each day as it came. Her thoughts turned to the night before when she and Jason had made love. She had still felt some pain, but of course she was still a bit bruised since she hadn’t quite healed yet. But she would, she convinced herself and then everything would be as it was before. All she had to do was be patient.

  The next day was Saturday and that evening they were to go to the Marriott Hotel for the Christmas dinner dance. That evening, Anna dressed feeling very nervous, but the fact that they were in one of the suites eased her mind somewhat. She only had to walk through the main door and into the foyer. After that she would be in a room that had no association whatsoever with her husband.

  She dressed with care, wearing her hair as she had that night of Margaret’s party. In fact, she decided to wear the same jewellery. It had been a wonderful evening and she and Jason had made love for the very first time that night. Perhaps she could capture some of that magic again. But she had forgotten the love bite on her neck. It was slowly fading but was still noticeable. There was nothing for it but to wear a scarf. She selected a silver one to match the trimming on her dress.

  Hollie came bouncing into the room. “Do I look pretty?” She was wearing a pink party dress and Anna had already done her hair, tying it up with a ribbon.

  “You look wonderful. The belle of the ball.”

  “What’s that? The bell and the ball?”

  Anna couldn’t help laughing. “No, sweetie, the belle of the ball. It means the prettiest young lady there.”

  “You look good too,” she said, skipping round the room and then out of the door.

  Jason appeared. “Goodness! You look great. And that scarf really sets it off.”

  Anna pulled the silver taffeta more closely round her. “Thought it would look more Christmasy.”

  Anna didn’t look to either left or right when she entered the hotel. She kept her eyes firmly ahead, her hand through Jason’s arm. And before she knew it she was in the suite, decorated with balloons and garlands with the tables set with silver cutlery, shining wineglasses and Christmas crackers and party poppers.

  The evening turned out to be very pleasant and the meal was delicious. She and Jason watched with amusement as Ben and Mrs Wilby did a ‘turn’ around the floor and then spent the next ten minutes fanning the large lady with their menus as she panted with the exertion. During the evening, Anna started enjoying herself as she danced with Jason. There was always something so wonderful about being in his arms and seeing him smile at her. It was if she was the only woman in the room and he always made her feel very, very special. She was so desperate to recapture what they had shared that she was unaware that she was drinking too much.

  Jason noticed. “That’s your fourth glass of wine, sweetheart. Be careful, you know you can’t hold your liquor.”

  She leaned towards him. “Oh, can’t you handle me when I’m drunk?”

  He gave a smug smile. “Of course I can. I’m just thinking of you.”

  He put his arm round her shoulders, pulled her close and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, relieved that she seemed more relaxed. The alcohol was certainly helping.

  Graham crossed the floor towards them. “I wondered if Anna would care to dance?”

  “Love to,” said Anna, rising unsteadily to her feet.

  Jason smiled with amusement.

  It was gone one in the morning when they finally arrived home. Although Hollie had been allowed to stay up just this once, she had fallen asleep and her father carried her upstairs and Anna undressed her and put her to bed. It had been quite a wonderful evening and with the wine inside her, Anna felt more relaxed and happier than she had been for the last week.

  She went into their bedroom and fell backwards onto the bed.

  “I’m absolutely pooped.”

  Jason was just starting to undress. “It’s all that alcohol you drank. I’m going to have to watch you, or you’re going to turn into a drunken sot.”

  “Cheek!”

  He lay down next to her, leaning on his elbow. “Well, is milady going to get undressed?” He caressed her cheek. “Or do you need some help?”

  She gave a sleepy smile. “I can undress myself.”

  He slipped the straps off her shoulders and started kissing her. Anna began to float away on a pink cloud and when he kissed her lips she responded passionately, flinging her arms round his neck and pulling him down towards her. He ran his hand up her leg to her thigh. Suddenly she was aware of his weight pinning her down. This seemed so strange as Jason never positioned himself so that his full weight was on her, he was always considerate of her comfort. At first she thought she was imagining it, but he felt very heavy. His kisses became more ardent and she found it difficult to breathe. She began to struggle against him.

  Jason lifted himself up and grinned. “Now what’s going on here?” he murmured. “Are you wanting to play a little game?”

  Anna had never suggested ‘games’ in their lovemaking, but there again, she had had very little experience in sexual matters.

  “I…want to get up,” she said. She tried to push him off.

  Completely misreading the situation, Jason pushed her back and held her hands in a vice like grip behind her head.

  “Oh no, you don’t. You’re not getting away from me!”

  She struggled mo
re violently. “Jason, please don’t!”

  He pulled her dress up to her thighs and started unfastening his own clothing. Anna gave out a muffled scream and he saw the fear in her eyes. He stopped immediately and sat upright, frowning in bewilderment.

  “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I thought you…”

  She jumped off the bed. “Don’t ever do that again!”

  He got up slowly. “I won’t, I promise you.”

  “I’m sleeping in my old room tonight. I’ll get my things,” she said, heading for the bathroom.

  He caught her by the arm. “Please don’t. I said I’m sorry.”

  “Leave me alone!”

  His eyes turned dark with anger. “Then go if you must!”

  Anna collected up her nightwear and toiletries. In minutes she was back in her old room, feeling very frightened and so alone. She climbed into bed, hid her face in the pillow and tried to smother her sobs.

  Jason lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Whatever had gone wrong, he thought bitterly, was much worse than a lovers’ quarrel. For when he had caught her arm to stop her leaving, he had inadvertently pulled the scarf away from her neck. There he had seen the shadow of a love bite and he knew beyond any doubt that he wasn’t the cause of it.

  It all looked very different in the cold light of day. Jason stared at his reflection as he shaved, his thoughts on the night before. He had definitely seen a love bite on Anna’s neck and he abhorred love bites. He thought them unsightly. Suddenly his mind drifted back to the previous Thursday night when they had made love for the first time since his return from Singapore. He knew he had lost control, his desire for her had been phenomenal. Could it be possible that he was the cause of the bruising on her neck after all? Even through his desire, he had still sensed a tension in her, a nervousness that he had never known before. She wasn’t relaxed and he might have been too rough. Perhaps he had hurt her?

  There was no doubt that since his return from Singapore she had been quieter and more subdued. He had seen a glimpse of the old Anna the night before after the Christmas party, but then she had had a few glasses of wine in her. At first, she had responded passionately until everything suddenly went pear-shaped. He sighed as he tapped the shaver in the sink and placed it back on the shelf.