"An act. All of it's been an act. I have been such a fool. Over and over." She felt tears well up and fought them back. "Ah, damn. It probably would do me some good to talk about it. And as long as you're willing to listen, I may as well get it out of my system."
Teri had been keeping her problems to herself for so long, it took her a moment to decide where to start. "About a year ago, I asked Rico for a deposit slip for our joint savings account and his reaction was so defensive I just knew something was wrong. I tried checking the account on line—you know I avoid the computer if at all possible—but I couldn't access it. My password was invalid.
"Rather than ask him about it, I went by the bank and had them reset my password for me. While I was there, I asked for a current statement. I was positive they'd made a mistake when it showed a balance almost thirty thousand dollars less than I thought we had."
Teri's lashes lowered with remembered embarrassment. "I had them print out a copy of all the transactions for the previous two years. It was unbelievable. Money had been going in and out of that account as if it were an active business. Unfortunately, the balance column showed that whatever the business was, it was a losing one.
"All that time I would give Rico a check and he would take care of depositing it because it was on his route. He always brought me back a deposit slip. I just didn't know about the withdrawals he made in between. He always said he liked taking care of the family bookkeeping and I was glad not to have to deal with it. Stupid, I know." She paused to take a sip of tea in an attempt to ward off the sudden chill she felt.
"When I questioned Rico, he confessed—a real heart-wrenching, Academy Award confession. As he put it, my success made him feel unmanly. Since I wouldn't quit, he wanted to bring more money into the house. He thought gambling was the answer. He never meant to let it get out of control, but he kept thinking he could make it all back on the next race or the next number or whatever. He promised he was done with it as soon as he paid off the last losses."
Selena leaned forward and covered Teri's hand. "I've heard gambling can be as bad of an addiction as drugs and alcohol. There's even a Gamblers' Anonymous."
"Yes I know, but the addict has to want to help himself. I thought I was helping by putting my earnings in a separate account he couldn't access."
"What did he do when he found out?"
Teri sighed. "He went berserk. Mind you, he never laid a hand on me, but he smashed every piece of our good china before he calmed down. Afterward he was all apologies and promises again. That lasted about a month. Then he didn't deposit his check into our house account on payday."
"So you had it out again."
"You got it," Teri confirmed, making a disgusted face. "That time he threw a lamp through a window. He promised to get help, if I would just bail him out once more to the tune of twenty-five hundred dollars. I gave it to him, but with the warning that it was the last time. I thought he was doing okay, until three weeks ago." She shook her head still having trouble believing how easily he had fooled her. "I found out he had stolen a check from my business account and forged my signature."
Selena's mouth dropped open. "This sounds more like a nightmare than a marriage. Can't you have him arrested for that?"
"I don't know. After everything he's put me through, I don't love him anymore, but I don't have it in me to put him behind bars for something he obviously can't help. That night I asked for a divorce. He pulled out all the stops. The macho-man cried like a baby. He reminded me that our religion prohibited divorce, not that we've been especially devout Catholics all these years. He swore he loved me too much to ever let me go, and starting from that minute, he was going to prove it by being the best husband a wife ever had. But first, he needed a little financial assistance." Recalling how shocked she had been at his incredible nerve, she rolled her eyes and gave a dry laugh.
"I agreed to give our marriage one last chance but I refused to give him any more money. He told me he had gotten in over his head with some very nasty people. I saw real fear in his eyes, but I still said no. I was through bailing him out.
"I really never expected him to live up to his promise. But he's been attending GA meetings for the last three weeks and basically, he's been an angel. We were almost like newlyweds again." She took another sip of tea, and Selena waited patiently for her to continue.
"I overheard him on the phone when I went back to the house earlier. He still owes somebody money—maybe the same nasties he told me about. It's all been an act to get me to pay off his debt. The worst part is, I finally realized the reason he doesn't want me to file for divorce has nothing to do with our religion or love. It's all about my money."
"Do you have a big life insurance policy?"
Teri looked at Selena in surprise. "What an awful thing to..." She stopped and recalled Rico's words over the telephone—I'll get the money out of her. One way or another. She shook her head slowly, thinking of Rico's explosive temper and the handgun he insisted on keeping in the nightstand drawer for protection.
"We both have life insurance policies. Of course his is just a small one through the post office, enough for funeral arrangements. Mine is for a hundred thousand... enough to cover the mortgage... unless I die in an accident. Then it's a million."
Selena whistled. "That's a very tempting reason to push you down a flight of stairs."
Teri's eyes widened. "No. He wouldn't do anything like that. He's a gambler and a liar, even a thief, but I don't believe he'd hurt me physically."
Selena shrugged. "I hope you're right. Keep your guard up, just in case. If he gets desperate enough, he's liable to graduate from breaking things to breaking bones. Don't look so skeptical—I know what I'm talking about. I've read a lot of true crime stories. And remember, if it looks like he's about to change tactics and try some rough stuff, you can always hang out at my apartment in town."
Teri forced herself to smile. "Thanks, hon, but I really don't think that'll be necessary. To be on the safe side, though, I'm not even going to confront him. Instead, I'm going to play along until I talk to an attorney. At least I should find out how hard it will be to get a divorce, knowing he'll contest it. Damn! I don't need this aggravation. How the hell am I supposed to be creative with this over my head?"
Another tear threatened to escape her eye, but she quickly swiped it away and smiled again when she saw how disturbed Selena was. "I'm sorry. It was really crappy of me to dump all this on you."
"Don't say that. What kind of friend would I be if you couldn't unload your problems on me?"
"I've only got one problem I'd like to unload. But he doesn't seem to be agreeable. You know what would be wonderful? If he met some hot-to-trot bimbette that got him so worked up, he decided to leave me on his own."
"Is there any chance he's fooling around? You could hire a detective to follow him."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he's cheated on me along with everything else. But since he's been on this good behavior kick, I can account for every hour of his day. I even went with him to his GA meeting one night. Of course, I suppose he could always fit in a quickie along his delivery route if he really wanted to." She meant it as a joke but Selena didn't laugh.
Selena got up and walked back and forth a few times. "I've been told I have a very analytical mind. There must be some way..." She paced a little more, then abruptly returned to her seat. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "I've got it. I'll set Rico up. The way he slobbers over himself every time he sees me, seducing him should be a cinch. Once I've got him hooked, you'll hire a detective to take some incriminating pictures and, voilà, grounds for a divorce."
Teri let out a squeal. "You're too much. I think sacrificing yourself to my husband might be a bit beyond your job description." Picturing Rico and Selena together made her chuckle. Not only were they extreme opposites in coloring, Selena was about four inches taller and thirty pounds heavier than Rico, but Teri had seen his reaction to her, and slobbering pretty much covered it. When Teri v
ocalized her thoughts, Selena caught a case of the giggles. They were soon exchanging ideas about what Rico would do with so much woman after twelve years of sex with a pixie.
Selena amended her suggestion. "I was only thinking of leading him on, but you might have the key to a permanent solution. Sex with me would probably kill him, and then you wouldn't have to worry about how to get a divorce."
"But I'm not sure he deserves such a great goodbye gift!" A tear squeezed out of Teri's eye, but this one was from laughing so hard. "If I thought for one minute you could get Rico out of my life permanently by having sex with him, I'd not only give you my blessing, I'd double your next dozen paychecks!"
Selena arched her brows and pursed her lips. "Well now that you said that, I guess I'm going to have to get to work on it."
Chapter 2
Rico's breath caught in his chest when he saw who had been knocking at the back door. Just looking at her made his cock twitch.
"Can I come in?" Selena asked breathlessly.
"Oh, sure, but Teri's up in her studio." Since she seemed intent on coming inside, he stepped aside, but as she entered, her body grazed his anyway.
"I know. I was up there all morning. She said you were off today."
Rico narrowed his eyes. "She sent you to see me?"
With a throaty laugh, Selena tossed her head, causing her pale hair to swirl around her. "Don't be silly. As possessive as she is about you? She thinks I went home, but I had this incredible craving all of a sudden. I thought you might be able to satisfy it."
Rico watched the tip of her pink tongue moisten her upper lip. For a year she had come and gone without giving him so much as a glance. Not that she had to look his way to turn him on. He had often broken out in a cold sweat simply imagining what it would be like to run his hands over all that luscious flesh. Now, unexpectedly, she was close enough for him to smell her spicy perfume. He cleared his throat. "Craving?"
She appraised him from head to toe before meeting his eyes for a brief, seductive moment. Turning her back on him, she swayed over to the refrigerator and opened the door. She bent over at the waist and peered inside. "I can help myself."
Without a doubt, she had the longest, sexiest legs Rico had ever seen. It was all he could do to keep from pressing himself against her ass as she rocked from side to side in her tight short shorts, but he held his ground. A few weeks ago he would have already had his dick deep inside her after such an obvious invitation. But he couldn't afford the risk now—not with Teri so close to giving in. And especially not with a piece that spent so much time with his dear wife. Besides, he wasn't sure he could trust a broad whose eyes looked like they belonged on one of the cats outside. After all, before this, she'd never shown any interest in him whatsoever. It made him very curious.
"Aha! Found one." Selena showed him the apple she had unearthed. As she took the few steps back to where he stood, she slowly buffed the fruit's bright red skin on the section of tank top hugging her full breasts.
Rico was captivated by the sight of her nipples tightening into little points. As big as she was, he was surprised that she could go braless. They were probably fake, but he didn't care.
"Wanna bite?" she asked, holding out the apple.
With a level of self-control he hadn't known he possessed, he dragged his eyes away from her tits. He had to get rid of her before he exploded. "No. Thanks. I, uh, don't mean to be rude, but I was on my way out. I, uh, have an appointment."
Selena pouted prettily, but he moved to open the door for her to leave. She took a big bite of the apple and sauntered toward him. "Are you always off on Mondays?"
Her question threw him. "No. My days off change every couple of months. I got switched to Sunday-Monday last week. Why?"
"No reason. I was only thinking if you got bored sitting around the house while Teri's painting, we might catch a movie together... or maybe do something more... active, like tennis. I have a lot of... leisure time."
He knew he was going to regret it eventually, but he had no choice. "I don't think so, Selena. It wouldn't be a very good idea."
She shrugged and stepped out the door. "Suit yourself."
Rico waited until her car was out of sight, then bounded up the stairs to Teri's studio.
* * *
Teri was mixing a shade of reddish-brown that refused to come out right when the door flew open. She twisted her head around but remained on the stool in front of her easel. "Rico? What's wrong?" A moment later he was behind her. Capturing her head in his hands, he tilted her backward and kissed her hard on the mouth. She made a whimpering sound and he freed her. "Rico!" His hands slipped under her smock as he nibbled her earlobe. "Will you stop? I'm up to my elbows in paint."
"You won't need your hands for what I have in mind." His fingers found her nipples and squeezed as he pressed himself against Teri's back. "I kept thinking about how good you were last night. Little Ricky doesn't want to wait till later to crawl back inside that hot little snatch of yours."
Teri's stomach clenched, but she refrained from shoving him away as she wanted to. A million years ago his dirty talk titillated her. Now she could only think of how crude it was. Why couldn't he have grown up, too? "Please don't, Rico. Not now. I've got this color exactly right and I want to use it before it gets too dry."
He kept nuzzling her neck while one hand slid down and squeezed between her thighs. "No problem. I'm too horny to make it last very long, anyway."
What in heaven's name had gotten him this turned on? "I'd rather not stop at all. Besides, I think I may have an infection." She felt him tense, but he didn't withdraw his hands. "It might only be an irritation. You know how much we've been at it these last couple weeks. But I think I should see the doctor before I take a chance of infecting you."
He wasn't giving up that easy. Rubbing himself against her again, he murmured in her ear, "I like your mouth just as much. C'mon, mama. Your baby needs you."
Yesterday, she would have granted his request. Yesterday, she hadn't known what he really needed from her. Not only would he never get another penny from her, she wasn't going to let him use her any other way either... ever again. She took a deep breath and straightened her spine. "I am not in the mood."
That finally got him to back away. "Sorry I bothered you." She saw his gaze move to the day bed on the other side of the room. "You used to like it when I was spontaneous. That was the reason we put that thing up here to begin with. Now I guess it's only another one of your props. And you wonder why I think you love your paintings more than your flesh-and-blood husband.
"You know, we talked a lot about compromises in the last few weeks. I promised not to complain when there was no dinner ready, that I'd try to understand about, what'd you call it? Oh, yeah, your creative juices flowing into the evenings, while I sit alone with the television for company."
She didn't want to have this conversation, but she also didn't want to let him know she was onto his deception. "I'm sorry, honey. You're right. Maybe it'll help if I told you that I've decided, once I get this new series nailed down, I'm going to take some time off."
"Hmmph. I'll believe it when I see it." He moved to her side and glared at the painting she was working on. "And your name?"
She knew what he wanted to hear—that she would be putting her married name on her new paintings. This point was not negotiable, as far as she was concerned. "For the hundredth time, Rico, I am not ashamed of your name. I started out using my maiden name on my art for my dad, the last male in his family line, and that's the name that developed a following. It's just good business. How I make money... our money," she added the last words as a test and saw a distinct flicker of greed in his eyes. "Why can't you let it go?"
She watched him struggle with the urge to argue. It was clear just how important it was to keep her happy when he not only gave in but apologized.
He kissed her cheek. "Sorry, babe. I guess I've still got a ways to go to be the perfect husband. Tell you what, I'll order Ch
inese and you can eat whenever you take a break." He turned and walked away without waiting for her response.
Teri turned back to her palette but her mind refused to be distracted. How could their marriage have gone so bad? If only she hadn't fallen so hard and fast in the beginning, or not been so anxious to give him all the attention he had lacked as a child. Twelve years ago, when they'd met, she thought their future had glowed with promise.
At twenty-five, Teri had begun to believe she would be single forever. A short, hazel-eyed brunette with average features to match her average intelligence, she had dated her share of extraordinarily average, nice men. Her boring secretarial job fit the rest of her mundane life. She was primed and ready to fall for someone like Rico Gambini, with his dark Italian looks, sexy smile, and naughty suggestions.
Rico was the postman who delivered the mail to her office. They had frantic sex on their first date and he asked her to marry him on their third. They were so in lust, it never occurred to either of them that they might have differences that could not be worked out between the sheets.
In the years since, Teri could not think of one difference that had been worked out peacefully, let alone lovingly. Except when Rico wanted something very, very badly. Only then did he descend from macho mountain to placate her with a compromise.
A few years after they were married, he insisted she quit her job, stay home and have babies, as a good wife should. As a concession, he agreed to her attending art school, thinking it would be a good hobby for her until she got pregnant. He had even helped create a studio for her over the garage of their new home. It had never crossed his mind that she could use her little hobby to earn a living.
His resentment of her career began the first time she received a check for a painting. He interpreted it as a sign that she didn't believe he could support her. That resentment escalated in proportion to her success, but she was willing to deal with his smoldering anger rather than give up her blossoming career.
Wicked Obsessions Page 2
