“Because I love Derek and I don’t want anyone else.”
Finally.
Derek’s arms opened to her and he pulled her close, stroking her hair. He looked to Erebus and smiled. Everything worked out.
“Then you can have him, I’m through with this.” Before joining the party, Erebus laid out his clothes ready for a quick exit. Stripping out of his leathers for the last time, he stuffed them in his gym bag before checking the cupboards for the last of his things.
Walking away had never been easier, or felt so right. Or came too late.
When he snuck downstairs and outside, Kitty was sitting on the bonnet of his ute, still crying and shaking.
“Oh, sweetheart,” her makeup gone with her tears, she could have been anyone’s sister. “It isn’t that bad.”
“I don’t ... I don’t know where to go,” she sniveled. “I don’t have anywhere to go.”
He didn’t want to become involved, but couldn’t leave her like this. Damn it, he was already involved, “I can drop you at home, if you want.”
“I need to shower and,” she stammered, “I don’t know what to do.”
Damn it, why did he always seem to hurt women who didn’t deserve it. Thinking quickly and ignoring the warning in his head, “Come on, you can shower at my place.”
Kitty didn’t stop crying until they were almost half way to his unit. Then the questions started.
“Who do you live with?”
“No one.”
“How did you start ... that sort of work?”
“Necessity.” He kept his answers short, not wanting to open up to her, needing to keep her at arms length as much as possible.
Her pretty face screwed into disgust at the unit block and the smell of stale, he didn’t want to think what caused the stench in the stairwell. No matter, he could now get rid of the unit along with this whole life.
He laughed when she recoiled as he opened the door to the bedsit. “Not up to your standard, princess?” Standing in the middle of the room, he waved his hands around to give her the grand tour, “To the left we have the boutique style kitchen.”
“They look like hot-plates and a jug.”
“On the right we have the master ensuite,” he laughed again as she checked it out.
“Are you kidding me? There’s water dripping down the wall.”
“Did I forget to mention the water feature? How remiss. Seriously, I’ve had a crap week and you made me laugh when it’s the last thing I wanted to do.”
Kitty carefully sat on the edge of his bed, “You really live here?”
“I sure do. As small as it is, the shower should be clean and I’ll get you a fresh towel.”
“Can I ask you a question,” as she took the towel from him, “What do you do with the money? You must have earnt heaps doing, well your thing.”
How quickly he turned from laughing to big brother, “None of your business. Shower - now.”
While he heard the water going, he got dressed and started packing up his things. With no more work scheduled here in the city, there was nothing stopping him from going to the country and starting work on his house. Fresh start, leaving this whole mess behind.
Kitty took so long in his bathroom he almost forgot she was there. Until the door opened and he saw the real Kitty. Rich, sophisticated, Kitty. The blonde waves brushed out and now her long glossy straight hair pulled into a tight, high ponytail. The harsh make up replaced with light eyeshadow and lip gloss. Her clothes wouldn’t have been out of place on any university campus. When she stepped back into the room, he couldn’t tell if her composure was real or fragile, but at least she had stopped shaking.
“So,” she started, “I think we need to talk.” She picked up the advertising brochure for his house from the bundle of renovation magazines, “Clearly we have a lot to talk about - over food.”
“Fine.”
Hell Hath No Fury
Kitty
Kitty directed him to an Italian restaurant on the north shore. “Don’t worry, it’s my shout.”
The owner greeted her as if she was a long, lost daughter, “Miss Catherine, good to see you. Are your parents well?”
“Yes, thank you,” her smile for a favoured uncle, “I hate to ask and I know you’re busy, but could you please find a table for us. Silly me, I forgot to arrange a reservation.”
“Yes, yes of course. Please wait at the bar while I clear one for you.”
“So,” Erebus helped her onto the bar stool, “Kitty is for Catherine.”
“Are you going to tell me that you were christened ‘Erebus’?” she laughed. Being in her environment suited her confidence. She owned the room.
“Enough about me. How does Miss Catherine end up in a unit playing kitty cat with a troubled couple.”
“Are we playing truth and dare?” She tried to hide the fragility in her voice.
“Only on your side, there’s nothing to tell on mine.”
The bravo disappeared. “Petro,” she called to the maître d.
“Yes, Miss Catherine. Is everything to your satisfaction?”
“My friend and I are celebrating a successful partnership, would you have a bottle of champagne chilled? I don’t want to wait until we get to our table.”
“Certainly, Miss Catherine. I believe your mother’s favourite is the Chandon.”
“Daddy prefers Verve, if you don’t mind.”
“Excellent choice.”
Kitty tapped her empty glass with her long nails waiting for the bottle to appear, be opened and poured.
“To truth and dare,” Erebus toasted.
“If you are game enough to play.”
“Over to you, Miss Catherine,” he said sarcastically.
“It’s easy,” she started with downing half the glass, tipping it for Erebus to refill. “Mummy and daddy were happily married. When mummy had me, I hurt her so bad that mummy and daddy couldn’t be mummy and daddy anymore.” The long-held guilt threatened to stop her story. She needed to tell someone, and the only person who would understand was sitting with her.
“Miss Catherine, your table is ready.” She needed the time settling in at their table to collect her thoughts. No one knew how much she hurt, or the lengths she had been prepared to go.
“Are you ready,” she asked Erebus. Poor guy, he had no idea what she was about to dump on him. No matter, he chose to become involved so he could damn well listen.
“Another bottle, please,” she ordered. “I don’t think this one will last long.”
“Okay,” just as she no longer looked or felt like “Kitty”, the man across the table no longer appeared the sexual animal from the unit. No fire in his eyes, regretfully, no more hunger when he looked at her. One shower in his unit and she stopped being “Kitty” but a real person. In a way, that made it harder to open up.
“You were saying,” he encouraged her to begin again. A story that played over and over in her head.
“Mummy got hurt and it was all my fault.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you were a baby, not your fault and I’m sure no one blames you.”
“Mummy got hurt, so daddy found someone else. Only he didn’t tell mummy and everyone thought they were still a happy family.”
“Oh,” he took her hand, stroking her palm with his thumb. The sweeter the action, the more she wanted to tell him everything.
“Daddy’s other woman was mummy’s best friend. The person she turned to when mummy was sick, helped raise mummy’s son and daughter. Daddy set up a house with his other woman, who kept pretending she was mummy’s friend.”
Erebus replace her glass with one filled with water. It didn’t matter. Catherine couldn’t keep the pain inside any longer. Everything she had was to crush the guilt she owned until it consumed her.
“Kitty, I mean Catherine, you don’t need to tell me.”
She didn’t know why it was so important to tell him. After all, why would this man care? He was nothing more than a male whore
. At least she had her reasons.
“Erebus, why did you make me walk away – it would have been easy for you to use me and then walk away. You didn’t - why?”
Erebus
He heard the bitterness, hurt and remorse in her voice. It had taken a huge amount of courage for her to get the words out of her head.
Catherine honoured him with the truth and he owed her the same.
“The truth is,” other than Felicity, no one knew his truth. “The truth is, I didn’t start out like this. I once worked in business until I made some wrong decisions and lost everything. Now, I’ve earnt enough to get back on my feet and walk away. I know Derek and Jade and I can see them from an objective perspective. They needed something to get back to where they were before you and I entered the picture. He is too macho to end our arrangement – and she loves him too much to tell him she’s no longer happy.”
“You’ve told me why you were ready to walk away, but not about me. Don’t you find me attractive?”
“Catherine, here and now you might be the most stunning woman I have ever seen. Far prettier and more attractive than when you were wearing that lace suit.”
“Really, I thought you liked what that suit offered!” she flirted.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, that suit definitely did things for me,” he laughed, “My disinterest isn’t you, it’s me.”
“That old excuse.”
“Yeah, well …”
“I told you mine, your turn,” she refilled his drink. “Spill.”
“Playing around was easy to do when there were no feelings involved. None in the room and none with anyone outside.”
“So, what happened?”
Confession was supposed to be good for the soul. Catherine was right, no one else would understand. “I met someone who didn’t know my past or what I did to earn and before I knew it …”
“She fell or you did?”
“Both.”
A comfortable silence as their sausage and cheese crostini and roasted zucchini flowers arrived.
“And now?” Catherine asked as she snapped the crostini into pieces.
“She wanted me to be honest with her, so I told her everything.”
“Oh.” More silence.
“Enough about me, what about you. How does your parents’ relationship end up with you in a bedroom with Derek and Jade?”
She shook her head, nonchalantly, “Haven’t you worked it out yet?”
“Not at all.”
“Daddy’s lover is married – to Derek!”
“Oh.” Flashes of understanding and concern crossed his face as he leaned forward, taking her hands. His eyes never leaving hers.
“Was it worth it?” he whispered.
“I don’t know. But that’s not the best part. Daddy’s lover also screwed my brother – but they don’t know that I know everything.”
“Fuck! Derek’s wife also screws around! Sorry about your dad, but with your brother as well. That’s messed up.”
“So now you understand?”
“Catherine, you did what you thought you needed to do so everything would make sense. Believe me when I say it doesn’t have to define you.”
“Nothing makes sense anymore!” she cried, “I thought at least we had a connection and when it all blew up there would be you and me. But you don’t want me.”
“Catherine, please listen. You wanted to punish your father – so you did what you did with Derek.”
“You saw him – he has Jade, my father has Derek’s wife. You were right – it’s all messed up.”
“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”
“I can’t go home. I wanted to surprise them at their party on Sunday night. The whole, ‘hi, Derek, surprise’ only now I don’t. I don’t want anyone to ever know how stupid I’ve been.”
“It’s okay.”
“I can’t let them see me like this. Daddy will know something’s wrong. Derek can never find out or he will hold it over daddy, and his wife.”
“It will be okay,” Erebus promised.
Their mains arrived and Erebus watched Catherine push the grilled baby octopus and salad around her plate.
“You’ve had a lot to deal with,” he acknowledged. “Now listen to me, I’m on your side and get that you feel guilty about your mum – even thought it wasn’t your fault – but you have to realize that by trying to punish your father you only hurt yourself.”
“Great, now tell me something new.”
Damn, this wasn’t his problem, but he felt compelled to help her. As long as she didn’t start transferring all those feelings to him.
“When are your parents expecting you home?”
“Sunday night – there’s a big party for dad’s firm and a lot of his clients are going to be at our home. But Erebus,” now he understood the term “deer in the headlights”. Catherine’s hand shook so much she had to put down her fork.
“Derek and his wife will be there, too. I saw their names on the guest list and daddy wants me to play hostess. What should I do?”
“First things first, eat something. I’ll drop you off at home before I head out of town.”
“To her?”
“No, to the house I bought. Like I said, honesty didn’t work out for me. She won’t return my calls or anything.”
“Erebus, I don’t want to go home. I can’t go home. Can I come with you?”
“Catherine, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I like you, you are a great girl, but I don’t feel that way about you.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come onto you like that, blame it on the moment. Please, let me hide out at your house until I figure out what to do about Sunday.”
“What about clothes?” He tried to laugh, “I don’t think the cat suit will work in the country.”
“I’ll sort something out – I’m sure you have a spare shirt or two!”
A night of raw emotions, Erebus drank a pot of coffee before packing up his ute and leaving. Catherine finished the bottle of wine on her own. He didn’t need it or want anything to cloud his judgement any more than it already was.
One of them needed to think clearly.
Since when had he become “the sensible one”?
By early morning, he breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled into his own driveway. The white house looked forlorn in the fading moonlight, no streetlights to frame her and no lights inside to indicate she was more than a shell of a house.
Catherine didn’t wake as he carried her inside, upstairs and laid her on his bed. Before he left for the city he had replaced Felicity’s sheets with a cheap set from the local shops. The spare blankets in the cupboard intended to protect the floor boards were perfect to set him up with a makeshift bed downstairs. Not much, but enough to get some sleep.
The mid-morning sun woke him with a start. Fuck, did last night really happen or did he dream it all. Did Kitty, no Catherine admit to organizing the whole thing with Derek only to punish her father? That was screwed up in so many ways and the more he understood, the more messed up it seemed. Poor kid – hopefully a few days here away from life and the worries would be exactly what she needed. Keep her away from Derek and her parents. He could do his part by listening. She deserved at least a safe set of ears, and a pair that wouldn’t judge her.
Stretching out the cricks in his neck, he rolled onto the floor before pulling himself up. Too old to be sleeping like that. He had to get up, the amount of work still to do on the house was overwhelming, and now with cash and no job, the sooner he started the better.
He didn’t want to wake Catherine with the electric sander, so started hand sanding the intricate parts of the door frames, loving the feel of wood responding to his touch, slowly peeling the paint away and smoothing the surfaces.
“Morning,” she came down stairs, wearing his shirt and her own jeans.
“How’d you sleep?”
“Okay, I guess. Is this the house in the photos?”
“I forgot you saw
the brochures, coffee?” he led her to the kitchen and showed her the Italian style coffee percolator.
“Yes, what’s that?”
“It’s a little old fashioned, certainly been around a long time before pods. My father used to make coffee every morning on the stove for my mum.” He poured water in the bottom half, placed the ground coffee in the insert and screwed on the jug before heating it on the stove.
“I’ve never seen that before.”
“So, how handy are you with sandpaper?” He laughed at the shock on her face. “C’mon, you have to put your body to work to earn the coffee.”
Kitty/Cat/Catherine
Catherine recoiled, far too soon to make a joke out of what they had done. Waking in a strange bed, coming down stairs wearing his shirt, her confessions. Tears started all over again.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he held her as a brother would, “I didn’t mean anything – the house needs a lot of work and I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a spare pair of hands or at least the company.”
“What about, us and your girlfriend?” she remembered him telling her all about some girl, but if the girl was important why did he bring her here with him.
“Catherine, you needed a friend and somewhere to hang while you figure things out. The whole thing with Derek and Jade was pretty intense – but you still have choices. Don’t let it define you and you don’t need to follow through with punishing your dad. Especially if in punishing everyone who deserves it, you’re the one who’ll end up getting hurt. Hang out here with me for a few days. You live upstairs, and I’ll camp down here.”
“But it’s your house,” she shook her head, “I’ll catch a cab or bus back home and face the music.”
“Yeah, and I’ll be working late and getting up early to do stuff. Far easier if I’m down here.”
The sound of bubbling from the coffee percolator caught his attention, “It smells different,” she said as he poured out two cups. “Stronger.”
“I should warn you, the way I like my coffee will put hair on your chest,” he laughed again, “At least that’s what my father used to say.”
“You’re different here,” she waved her hand at the house, “More relaxed, less …”
Who is Erebus: Bad Boy meets Good Girl romance (Bad Boys & Good Men Book 4) Page 9
