Salvage Her Heart

by Shelly Pratt

  Still no words he delivers, just actions. He takes his time, undresses. I’m confused. Is he taking over? Should I leave? But I can’t. I’m transfixed. He strips himself of the clothes that make him seem so well-kept. Dark hair covers his hard body, showing that he’s from European heritage. From a bedside drawer he removes a knife, the metal glinting in the light as he removes the sheath. For a second, even I’m a little scared as to what will happen next.

  With careful precision he cuts the ties that hold the girl in place. She doesn’t move, doesn’t even flinch. She just waits, unable to hide from her destiny. When all her ties are cut, he hops on the bed with her, gently running a finger over her scars like a lover’s caress. He likes it, I can tell. With steady hands he eases her on top of him, his erection ready to fit snugly between her legs. I just watch, wondering what my role in all this is.

  His hands grip her hips, rocking her forcefully back and forth on him, pleasuring himself with her body. I’m entranced and as horny as hell at watching another man fuck the woman I was just flogging. She’s enjoying this. Her moans have changed from one of pain to sheer pleasure. What happens next shocks me to my core. Stavros half sits, peering around the body of the girl he’s fucking. He motions to me.

  ‘Come join us, Alex,’ he coaxes. I go eagerly, wanting this so much. I’ve never had a ménage a trois before, but I’m not about to knock back this erotic display of sex and lust. As I climb up onto the bed, Stavros bends Charice down onto his chest, so that her arse rises up in the air. I see his cock fucking her from below, sliding in and out with her movements. Her arsehole glares at me, inviting me unwilling to fuck her as well.

  Without her permission, I enter her as well. The spit I slather my cock with does nothing to lessen the impact. She cries out, unaccustomed to having two cocks in her at once. She’s lucky that I’m already slippery from her juices and saliva. I’m not gentle. I don’t ease into it. I just pound away at her until I’m numb. I can feel everything from the inside of her tight butt down to Stavros’s cock and balls on the other side. I think I’ve just gone to heaven. I never knew I could be so sexually naïve before my little visit to Stavros’s house. We both pound away at her, not giving any one of us the chance to deny the inevitable orgasm that grounds our little session to a halt.

  I can feel his dick pulsing through the thin flesh that separates her vagina from her arse. I know he’s coming, which spurs semen to flow from the eye of my own dick. With all this going on, Charice has no choice, no option. She’s too consumed with our pleasure to not come herself. Her body shatters around us, pulsing and clenching our manhood like a tight fist. The second we are spent, Stavros shoves us off him, sending us sprawling on the king-sized bed in confusion.

  He stands, gathering his clothes in the process. The feral look in his eyes has been appeased somewhat, but there is still the dark devil that resides eternally. He eyes us thoughtfully before tossing the flogger back to me.

  ‘Finish her off, Alex; then I trust I will see you in the bar to finalise our business contract.’

  ‘Yes, Stavros,’ I say obligingly.

  Even though signing the contract will mean I have just gained from him, I can’t help feeling that I’m the one who has just been fucked over.

  Twenty-Two

  GRAYSON

  ‘Evie… Evie…’ I gently shake her awake, having stared at her beauty way longer than I should. We’ve spent more than a week together but I’m aware that I’m torturing myself. How can I keep wishing for all of her when I’m so terrified it’s all going to be ripped away from me at a moment’s notice? Life ain’t fair, son. My dad’s words repeat in my head as I watch her stir next to me.

  Her freckles have deepened this week, darkening from lazy days spent in the sun. Worry lines that used to cover her face have gone, contentment replacing them. I like the new Evie very much. She’s not looking over her shoulder every five seconds. I call her name again, but she just rolls closer towards me and slings an arm over my waist. It’s nice to be wanted, even when she’s not aware of it.

  I’ve been avoiding discussing our life after Rocky Creek Dam. I want to so much to reassure myself that what we have is real, that she wants me just as much as I do her. On the other hand I’m avoiding disappointment and rejection as I have done all my life. A part of me knows that the only thing holding her back is fear. It’s not that she’s not into me—her actions show me that she definitely is. What I’m unsure of is just how deep her fear runs when it comes to her husband. What I need to know is how much of a hold he has over her.

  ‘Evie… beautiful…’ I whisper softly, only half invested in actually getting her out of bed.

  ‘Hmm?’

  ‘I’ve got something planned for today. Are you ready to get out of bed?’

  ‘No, it’s so warm and snuggly lying in your arms. I don’t ever want to get up.’ Her words are muffled against my chest, although I hear her loud and clear.

  ‘You really make it hard for me to want to get you out of bed when you say things like that, you know?’

  ‘Hmm, maybe we could stay in bed all day?’

  ‘Well you’re doing a fine job, it’s already after ten.’

  She jerks up abruptly, completely forgetting her desire to laze all day.

  ‘Are you kidding me! Why didn’t you wake me?’

  ‘I’ve tried; you just looked so peaceful that I didn’t have the heart to kick you out of bed.’

  ‘I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.’ She jumps out of bed, just a tee and a pair of panties covering her smooth skin. I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry at the sight of her in next to nothing. In the bathroom I can hear her quickly brushing her teeth and washing her face. She walks out towards me, her belly peeking out from under her shirt material. Just the sight of her bare flesh makes me want to trail kisses all over her skin until she begs me for more. My thoughts are shelved the minute she slips into a pair of jeans.

  ‘So, you said you had something planned? What did you have in mind?’ she asks excitedly.

  ‘Callum is bringing down a couple of horses he’s loaned from a neighbouring farm and Kirima has packed us a picnic. There’s a really nice horse trail that borders the Nightcap National Park.’

  ‘That sounds great! Do we need to take anything else?’

  ‘Just your sexy self,’ I grin, grabbing a baseball cap to wear, if only to tame my unruly hair.

  ‘Can do,’ she winks. Time away from Alex has done wonders for her confidence, her sense of fun and carefree nature. I’d hate for that to ever go away again. I know, that my biggest battle at the end of all this is going to be to convince her that I will keep her safe—that I can provide her a safe haven from all of his torment.

  ‘Why the frown Mr Glines?’

  ‘It’s nothing. Come on, Callum’s been waiting for a while.’

  I grab her hand in mine, revelling in how wonderful and natural it feels to be so close to her. We set off at a steady pace up the path towards the main cabin, glad for the shade the pine trees provide. It’s already warm out, although in western parts like these, it could easily climb another ten degrees before the day is out.

  At the edge of the main cabin is a fenced paddock that holds our horses. They’re both saddled and munching heartily on lush grass that covers the earth. They both have saddle bags bulging on either side, presumably with the food and water I’d asked Kirima to pack for us.

  ‘There you two are,’ yells Callum as we approach.

  ‘Sorry, we got held up.’

  ‘Mate, no explanation needed, thanks very much,’ says Callum, hands held up in a ‘keep-it-to-yourself’ action.

  ‘No, really, I was sleeping,’ offers Evie, embarrassed at the insinuation.

  ‘Don’t say another word, Evie, he’ll only use it as fuel to tease you more,’ I say with a laugh.

  ‘Hey, it’s only you I give a hard time. Never the ladies, mate, never the ladies. They hold too many cards to put them on the bad side.�
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  ‘Well, I see you’ve learned something in your years of marriage.’

  ‘Damn straight, no way I’m doing without.’

  ‘We’ll see. Horses good to go?’

  ‘Yep. Put Evie on the mare, Rooter is yours.’

  ‘Rooter?’ Evie snorts, unable to contain herself.

  ‘Yeah, the colt pig-roots all the time, you know? Likes to buck people off. I wouldn’t do that to you, Evie, but Grayson? Well… he can look after himself.’

  ‘Great, thanks, mate.’

  ‘You got it.’ He salutes us and walks back to the cabin. We make our way to the horses and eye them up.

  ‘I can ride Rooter if you like,’ she giggles, ‘I rode a lot when I was younger.’

  ‘That’s okay, beautiful, I’m used to the wild horses from these parts. Come on, let me give you a leg up.’

  I know she doesn’t need the help, especially with her admission of riding previously, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to pass up an opportunity to hold her whenever I can. She’s so light that she slides into the saddle with ease, looking like a complete natural up there. I follow suit and mount Rooter.

  ‘Lead the way, Cowboy.’ Her replicated drawl does nothing to ease the flutter in my chest. Digging my heels into the horse’s girth, I set off at a slow pace out of the paddock. For the better part of the morning we follow the trail through thick forest and across little streams that have run off from the main creek in the area. I managed to make it to the highest ridge in the area by lunchtime with no fewer than five attempts by Rooter to get me off his back. Little prick. The only plus to his antics is the fact that I get to look all manly and shit by gripping on for dear life and getting him under control. If you ask me, Evie looks impressed.

  The top of the ridge affords us views over the national park and surrounding terrain. The dense vegetation and absence of people makes me feel like we are on the edge of a frontier. It’s very peaceful to know you are the only two people around.

  We tie the horses to a tree and stop to eat a late lunch. I’m by no means thinking this is going to be a champagne and crystal affair, but any time with Evie is like a special occasion. She is what makes the simple things seem like gold.

  Kirima has certainly packed us a nice spread. Fresh baked bread, hunks of locally made cheese, pickled vegetables and cured meat from the local farmer they get all their produce from. There is a chilled bottle of white wine, but it has warmed somewhat from the hours in the back of a saddle bag. Evie doesn’t complain, she just drinks happily from her plastic wine glass like it’s the best thing she’s ever tasted.

  Our light-hearted lunchtime conversation had to turn serious at some point because I know we’re both very aware of the time limit we might be facing with this romantic little getaway. What I wasn’t expecting was the topic of conversation.

  ‘Grayson, do you see your parents much?’

  ‘Not really. I mean, we’ve never been really close in that way. Don’t get me wrong, they always supported me and I never wanted for anything, but after I got on the drugs in a big way, they kind of wiped their hands of me. It was like I’d tainted the family name enough for them to never really trust me again.’

  ‘That’s not really fair, especially since you’ve changed.’

  ‘Yeah, I suppose. I just don’t think they understand what I went through. I’m not sure if that’s my fault because I never really could articulate to them just how much pain it caused me or if it’s because they expected me to handle things better. Either way, we love each other, but the reality is they care more about other people’s opinions than their own. They like to hide problems rather than talk them through.’

  ‘It must be hard on you, not seeing them as much as you’d like.’

  ‘Not really, no. I know that sounds harsh, especially since I’m their only son, but when you’ve never had an overly affectionate relationship with your parents it’s easier to let them go. Now Jean, she’s different. She loved me, no matter what. She saw me at my lowest and still showed me love and affection. She healed me enough to believe that there wasn’t just one fish in the sea – that there was someone else out there who would be more deserving of me and would love me just as much back. Jean showed me that I didn’t need drugs to numb the pain, but that I should embrace it to move on and become stronger, to grow from it.’

  ‘She sounds like a wise lady.’

  ‘She is. Jean’s been through a lot in her life, but it has never dampened her spirit to love and show kindness and compassion towards others. In some ways, I see her more as my mother than my real one, despite the fact that she didn’t birth me.’

  ‘You know, I always felt that way with my own parents. That they loved me, no matter what—that they would protect me, no matter what. I had no idea that the monster I was introduced to was of my father’s orchestration. I didn’t think they could ever put me in harm’s way, but I was wrong.’

  ‘Oh, Evie…’

  ‘No, it’s okay. I mean, I accepted what my dad did a long time ago. Of course I was angry and hurt that he would want me anywhere near a man like Alex. After a while, I realised that he was just weak. Too weak to deal with things and as a consequence, I suffered because of it. It was like his problems became mine. Now I feel like I have to honour the marriage agreement in order to protect them. If I leave, I not only put myself and them in danger, but I also make them penniless overnight.’

  ‘That’s not your fault and not your responsibility anymore. I can keep you safe, I promise you that, but it’s time to let your parents stand on their own feet. It’s time your dad came clean to your mum and released you from your obligations. You’re only there to save his hide.’

  ‘It’s more than that, Grayson.’

  ‘Tell me.’

  ‘If I go, I can’t come back. If I make that decision to leave, I have to say goodbye to my parents. I have to find a place where he’ll never find me. And that’s the problem. Despite everything, I still love my parents. I don’t think I’m ready to say goodbye forever, because if I do, it would be like burying them for good.’

  A single tear trickles down her cheek. The internal battle she faces rages just beneath the surface. Even in the face of her anguish, I can’t back down. I won’t back down. She may love her parents, and they her, but I know one thing is for sure. I love her more than they do. I could never treat her the way that they have. I would give the last of my everything just to be with her. She may not want to say goodbye to her parents, but I will not say goodbye to her. I’m not sure yet how things will play out, yet one thing is certain—I’m never letting Evie go back to that life. Not ever.

  Twenty-Three

  ALEX

  The ink is dry; it’s time to head home. It’s time to deliver Evie her fate. She could have had it all, that woman, yet she chose to deceive me. There hasn’t been many occasions in my life where I feel someone has got the best of me, and yet, it seems infinitely so with Evie. With all these thoughts, it has been hard to reconcile just how I feel about that.

  For now, the only thing that brings me comfort is the moments of release I’ve had with Stavros’s women. The unrelenting anger is appeased, if only for a moment. If I was honest with myself, I have to admit I’m apprehensive of returning to a life that will no longer have the same structure, no longer have my doormat that I’ve become accustomed to. On the flip side, a twinge of excitement about the unexpected does wonders for my confidence and ego. A new woman every month? I can handle that. What makes me feel displaced at the moment is that everything in my life has been reversed, which only fuels my anger further. Why not just be black or white. Why does life have to insist on every conundrum having both?

  I’m packing my suitcase, paying attention to selecting carefully the toys I wish to take home with me. It’s not that I’m opposed to shopping for some punishment toys myself, but with the merger of our businesses and my other clients already signed to my company, I’m confident I’m going to be too snowed under f
or the first couple of months trying to find my feet again. Besides, when someone offers you something for nothing, you take it.

  So far my time spent away has gone uninterrupted, which should in itself say something. By that, I mean there has not been one single day that Evie has called to enquire about my trip. There has been no phone call to wonder when I’m coming home. Her lack of interest in my affairs and us as a couple just further reinforces that I’m doing the right thing by selling her out to Stavros. I’ve not yet let my mind fully wander to the place where I’ll let my imagination question what, or who she’s been doing while I’ve been away. I’m sure that Harry will have a full report for me when I get home, but in the interim, I don’t want to face it just yet. That door still has a lock on it as far as I’m concerned.

  I’m not going to phone Evie and tell her of my imminent return. Instead, I’m going to slink back into the country like I’ve never left. I’m going to take my time, and see the evidence laid out before me, because despite signing a contract with Stavros, I need to see with my own eyes the betrayal before I hand her over to him. I need those pictures, because I know they will tell a thousand words. I need the evidence like a pat on the back to confirm I’m doing the right thing.

  Unlike my wife, Harry has been emailing me daily, not divulging too much, but enough to reassure me he’s still on her tail. I know I can trust him to remain invisible until I get back on Australian soil, so I’ve left him in place until now. Today, I go home. Today is a new beginning for all of us.

  The butler who first greeted me upon my arrival comes to collect my things. As always, he doesn’t bat an eyelid when walking into the room with torture devices openly displayed amongst the furnishings. This guy knows which side his bread is buttered on. Any concern he has for any of these girls would be quashed before he had an inkling what to do with it, therefore saving him the trouble of looking for a new master and pay cheque. Trustworthy butlers are hard to come by and Winston here knows it, receiving a handsome check for his silence and loyalty.