by Linda Verji
Then he sent her a message. Ten okay with you?
The nerve! That stupid, cheating bastard had the nerve to send her a message. His message flipped her switch and her bomb started ticking. Olivia let the anger sink into her blood and poison it. Oh! Tay had stepped on a rattle snake.
“Why are you clapping?” Pete, one of the other trainers, asked her.
She hadn’t even realized that she was clapping. Rather than fling her phone against the wall in anger, Olivia typed out. Sure. I’ll be waiting. xoxo.
With each passing hour her anger increased and by evening she was on the verge of boiling over.
“That lying piece of shit.” Olivia tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel in tune to the fury singing in her blood. Interestingly enough the anger came with a sort of calm too. It was as if her body had been taken over by a monster. It soothed her, told her it would take care of Tay.
Tay, Tay, Tay. Tay Harrison.
The guard waved at her as she drove into their complex. Olivia maneuvered her car into her spot, exited her car and entered the three-story building that hosted her home. Once in her apartment she prepared for Tay.
She cooked his favorite meal; bourbon chicken, green beans, veggies and white rice. Leaving the food in the oven to keep warm, she headed to the shower. After her shower, she put on the blue baby-doll he loved, glossed her lips with the vivid red lipstick he liked, and splashed on his favorite perfume.
Then she whipped out her red wig.
CHAPTER 6
Of course Tay was late to his own party.
Ten o’clock came and went, yet there was no sign of him. Still Olivia waited! Sooner or later he’d show up with apologies and roses. Sure enough at quarter past midnight he announced his presence by pressing on her buzzer.
She took a fortifying breath, patted her wig then lifted off the couch. Her heels clicked as she walked to the door. A glance through the peephole revealed Tay holding a bunch of roses. She sure hoped he’d stuffed some prayers in there because he’d need a whole lot more than roses to survive this night.
“Hey, baby,” Tay greeted her with a smile when she opened the door.
She took in the smile teasing his lips, the strength in his square jaw, the charcoal suit wrapped lovingly around his muscular tall frame. If he were a book being judged on cover alone, he would’ve been a best-seller. It was too bad that beneath all that gloss he was just rubbish.
Dirty ass bastard. She pasted a smile on her face. “Hey.”
His eyes ran over her body, lingered over all the sexy bits then came back up to meet hers. “Don’t you look fantastic?”
Fuck. You. She gifted him with an even brighter smile. “Thank you. You look nice too.”
He gave her body another once over then nodded. “Wow.”
“What?”
“You’re just so beautiful.” He held out the flowers. “These are for you.”
“They’re lovely,” She took a whiff of their cloying scent. “And they smell good too.” She stepped to the side of the door. “Why don’t you come in?”
As soon as he was in the house, he pulled her closer by the waist. Cupping her face, he bent his head and kissed her. His lips moved over hers with practiced ease. Some part of her acknowledged that the man was a good kisser. The other part wished she could slice his lips from his face and feed them to him. When his hand crept towards her ass, she stopped the kiss.
“What?” He locked his arms tighter around her waist. “Are you mad at daddy for not getting here on time? You know how work is crushing me.”
“I’m not mad at you.” Smiling, she extricated herself from his tight hold. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh, you do? Okay.” He let her guide him by hand toward the kitchen. As they entered he smacked her on the ass. “Mm. Ass sitting just right.”
“Oh, Tay.” She giggled. Die. Just die.
He came to a startled stop when he saw the spread she’d put out. All the lights in the kitchen were off, replaced by candles that gave the room a soft romantic glow. The dreamy ambience was further enhanced by the low R&B music humming in the background. Scenting the space was the aromatic smell of chicken and rice. She’d covered the kitchen table with a white cloth, a lit set of candles, a bottle of wine chilling in an ice-bucket, one plate, a wine glass, and cutlery.
Surprise obvious in his voice, Tay asked, “What’s all this?”
“You are such a good man, babe.” Olivia cupped his jaw and lifted to her tiptoes to peck his lips. “I thought you deserved to be pampered a little.”
He took it all in again then turned to her with a smile. “You did all this for me?”
“Who else would I do it for?” she offered with wide-eyed innocence. “You’re my only one.”
“You’re my only on too,” he returned before touching his lips to hers.
This fool! She pulled out a seat for him. “Now, sit here and let your only one cater to you.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Rubbing his palms in excitement, Tay sat down. He was lucky she didn’t pull the seat from under him. The image of him sprawled on the floor had her lips twitching in a wicked smile. She quelled her amusement when he turned his head. “Baby, why haven’t you set a space for yourself.”
“Because, my love…” Her fingers dug into his shoulders in a soothing massage. “…This is your night.” Yeah, it is. Her heels clicked as she came round the table and picked the wine. It opened with a pop. “Tonight is all about you.”
“Thank you.” He held out the wine glass and she poured out some wine for him. He looked up at her. “Damn! You really went out, didn’t you?”
“You deserve it.” And a whole lot more. She clinked the bottle against his glass. “To tonight.”
“To tonight.” He pressed the glass to his lips.
She took his plate and strutted her way to the cooker. His gaze followed her as she spooned food to the plate. When she turned with the filled plate, she caught him staring at her ass. What a one track mind. Normally his lusty glances would’ve turned her on. Tonight they made her want her to throw the plate at him. The smile he gave her was as unrepentant as his ass grab when she set the plate in front of him.
The chicken over the bed of rice and veggies was enough to inspire Tay’s appetite. Slurping his tongue over his lips in obvious anticipation, he complimented, “This looks good.”
“I hope it tastes good too.” She walked behind him and set her hands on his shoulders. “Now eat.”
He took his first bite and groaned. “Amazing.”
She smiled. “Is it?”
He glanced upwards at her and grinned. “My wifey can throw down in the kitchen and bedroom.”
Wifey? Her stomach churned in anger at the word. It took immense control not to smash a plate into his mouth, but she smiled and gave him an upside down peck. “I’m glad you like it.”
Tay wolfed down the food like it was going out of style. How had she never noticed how loudly he chewed? Blinded by love. Well, today her eyes were wide open and all his ugly colors were out in the open.
Still chewing he said, “It tastes a little different today.”
She massaged his shoulders. “That’s all the extra love I put into it.”
“That feels so good.” He closed his eyes as a groan escaped his mouth. His corded muscles shifted and luxuriated in her touch as he asked, “What did I ever do to deserve you?”
Nothing. That’s what you did. Nothing.
Her anger twisted around inside her like a raging tornado. Yet despite it, she managed to hold on to her temper through his whole meal. Seeing him eating the meal so eagerly helped a lot.
“You ready for part two?” she asked when he’d cleaned his plate.
“Readier than I’ve ever been.” He stood, and she guided by him by hand out of the kitchen and toward the bedroom. As they walked, he said, “You know what would make this night even more perfect?”
“What?” She turned to look at him.
“If you removed this thing.” He reached for her wig.
“Watch it!” Flashing him an angry glance, she drew her head sharply backwards. Who did he think he was, laying his grubby, cheating hands on her hair?
“Okay. Sorry.” Tay lifted his hand in surrender. “You don’t need to get mad.”
It took everything in her to haul her anger back into its cage. She swallowed before forcing a smile to her lips. “I’m sorry. I need it to set the mood. I hope you don’t mind.”
Tay gave her wig a dubious look, parted his lips as if to say he minded, then probably deciding that it was better not to piss her off, he shrugged. “I don’t mind.”
“Thank you, honey.”
She only had a few minutes until he realized that all wasn’t right. The moment they got to the bedroom, she started on his clothes. “Let’s get you out of these.”
He admonished, “Watch my suit.”
He’d always been a stickler when it came to his suits. There was only one drycleaner who could touch them and whenever he stayed over he made sure she put them away properly. Once she’d even complained that he treated the suits better than her; like they were more valuable than she was.
Well, now she knew.
Brushing her palm over the fabric, she said, “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it very, very well.”
With methodical movements she bared him. He watched her with hooded eyes obviously loving the devoted attention. Once he was naked, she stood back to admire her handiwork. His erection lurched in excitement.
I wouldn’t do that if were you, buddy, she almost felt sorry for it. Almost.
Noticing her eyes on his dick, Tay smiled. “You like what you see?”
“Very, very much.” She bit her lip.
He reached for her but she sidestepped his touch. He protested, “Come here.”
“No. Lie down on the bed,” she purred. “I have another surprise for you.”
A spark of excitement lit up his eyes as he strode to the queen-sized bed. Olivia winced when he carelessly tossed Mr. Ted, her white bear, to the floor along with her throw pillows.
Don’t worry, Mr. Ted. We’ll get even.
Tay settled atop her white comforter. Posing like a Greek god, one knee raised to display his considerable assets, he said, “Surprise me.”
“In a minute.” She picked his clothes from the bed and headed toward the door.
“Where’re you going?”
“To take care of your suit. I’ll be back.” She threw him a coy look before exiting the room. Once she was outside in the hallways, her fake smile fell away like a rock dropping into the sea.
Watch my suit, his words taunted her. Yeah, she’d watch it alright. She dumped his suit, shirt and socks into a bucket in the laundry room, then lugged the container to the kitchen.
Watch my suit! She uncapped the bottle of cooking oil and squeezed it over Tay’s clothes. It dribbled over the fabric coating it with a healthy shine. Deciding that the clothes needed more oil, she uncapped another bottle and emptied it. There was ketchup sitting right next to the oil. She dribbled the red fluid over the clothes. Mayonnaise? Why not? She spooned several healthy dollops of the creamy dressing onto Tay’s clothes.
“Olivia?” Tay called out from the bedroom.
“I’m coming,” she yelled back while garnishing his suit with soy sauce.
“Oliv-Olivia?” His voice sounded strangled.
“Just a minute.” She strode to the living room to pick the bat she kept behind the door. Back in the kitchen, she used the bat to stir the fabric concoction. By the time she was done Tay’s clothes looked well cooked.
Grinning, she clicked her way back to the bedroom. The Tay she found there was a far different one then the one she’d left. Gone was the Greek god pose. Instead he was seated on the edge of her bed, doubled over and clutching his stomach.
“Tay.” Olivia widened her eyes and injected concern into her voice. “Are you okay?”
“I d-don’t know-”
Fffrt. He let out a loud fart and grasped his stomach. “Ugh! I don’t kn-know what’s wr-aaah!”
Brrraaap. He dashed off to the bathroom and slammed the door, leaving behind a potent gag-inducing stench. The stink was a cross between two-week-old, boiled egg and a rotting garbage heap.
“Woo.” Olivia fanned her hand over her nose to wave away the pungent smell. A chuckle escaped her, then another. She hoped her amusement didn’t show in her voice when she knocked on the bathroom door. “Honey, are you okay?”
His response was a long fart that almost ripped through the wood separating them.
That’s the spirit. Olivia laughed as she replaced the baby-doll with yoga pants and a graphic t-shirt. The trumpet-like symphony of his stomach having a meltdown followed her as she exited the bedroom and went back to the kitchen. Well aware that she was having a Mad Max moment but unable to stop, she put on a pair of uggs. Grabbing the bucket with the baseball bat, she left the apartment. Tay’s black BMW was parked alongside her Nismo.
He loved that car like a son. The sleek vehicle was polished to a t and every week he made sure it got serviced. She almost felt bad when she emptied the bucket of ‘cooked’ clothes over its hood. Almost! The car’s alarm started ringing as soon as the lump of clothes plopped onto it. Undisturbed by the ringing sound, Olivia readied her bat, then swung.
Crash! The driver side window shattered and pieces of glasses fell to the concrete lot and inside the car. She took a few steps and swung again.
Crash! Well, there went the left-side back passenger window. She took out the tail lights with two more strikes. The force of each blow vibrated along her arm stoking her anger. By the time she circled to the right-side passenger window, several of her neighbors were out on the balconies of their apartment watching her in shock.
“What the hell?” Tay shouted from her balcony. By the time he raced from the building wearing only the towel draped around his waist and leather shoes, she was on the front passenger window.
Crash. It shattered to Tay’s cries of, “Olivia, what the hell are you-” He doubled over in pain. “Ugh!”
Ignoring him, Olivia swung her bat. Crash. The swing took out his fog lights and turn signal lights.
“What the h-ow- oh!” Tay gasped as he held an arm to his stomach. “Oliv-”
She evaluated her handiwork. His BMW was a mess, like he was. But the windshield was still standing. Perhaps realizing her intent, Tay started towards her. She swiveled in his direction, gripping the bat’s handle firmly, threateningly. Fear leapt to his eyes and he took a quick step back. “Olivia, what-what’s going on?”
What’s going on? I’ll tell you what’s going on. Crack. The sound of windshield breaking echoed in the silent night. Tay continued to call her name but his voice faded beneath the volume of her anger and the fall of her bat on the windshield. It took a few more hits but finally she’d given it a nice pattern of cracks.
She turned to find Tay doubled over, clutching his stomach and looking at her like she’d gone crazy. He staggered backward at her attention.
When Olivia finally spoke, her tone was as cold as the night. “Tell your wife I said hi.”
She propped her bat over her shoulder and walked back to the building.
“You did what?” Lex’s mouth fell open. Despite the late hour, he’d raced over as soon as Olivia had called him. “You poisoned him?”
“No, I didn’t,” she defended herself. “I just spiked his food with a laxative to remind him who he was playing with.”
Staring at her in goggle-eyed shock, Lex set two cups of herbal tea on the coffee table. “You know you’re crazy, right?”
“That trifling bastard had it coming,” she retorted. “And I didn’t even unleash all my crazy on him. He left with all his limbs, didn’t he?”
Lex picked her wig from the couch, stroked it to settle the errant strands then lovingly set it on the poof. This is why she loved him. He respected her stuff. Wh
y did all the good ones have to be gay? He settled on the couch beside her.
“Did he come back into the apartment to get his car keys?” Lex asked. Before she could give him an answer, he raised his palm to forestall it. “Forget I asked. I saw the BMW with the smashed windows outside. That’s his, isn’t it?”
“Yup.”
“Remind me never to get on your wrong side.” Lex suddenly closed his eyes.
Observing him with curiosity, she asked, “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking a minute to imagine Tay running around outside with just his towel and leather shoes, and clutching his ass.” He sniggered. “Kodak moment right there.”
Despite herself, Olivia erupted in giggles and Lex soon joined her. When their merriment faded, he asked, “But seriously? A wife.”
“A pregnant wife,” she corrected. The thought of Nikki had her anger rising again. She should’ve taken out Tay’s kneecaps.
“That is low.” Lex sipped on his tea. “Super low. Even for Tay.”
Folding her legs under her, Olivia said, “If I was Nikki, I would’ve burst open someone’s face. But she was so calm, weird calm. Like Dexter when he’s hacking into someone he’s killed.”
“Maybe she’s used to him doing stuff like this,” Lex mused.
“You think?” She hoped his guess wasn’t accurate. The thought that Tay might have other side-pieces scattered around Atlanta sent pain pricking through her. Being the other woman was one thing, but being one of many was appalling. It would mean that she’d truly meant nothing to him other than a convenient depository for his sperm. No matter how angry she was at Tay, she still wanted to have meant something to him.
Lex interrupted her thoughts. “I’m surprised at how well you’re taking this. I thought I’d find you curled up in your bed, crying your eyes out. You haven’t even unleashed your blue wig.”
She shrugged. “He’s not worth my blue wig.”
Lex gave her a concerned look. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She only shrugged. Okay was not even close to how she felt. Despite meting out revenge, she was still antsy. Every time an image of Tay crossed her mind, her anger bared its teeth.
