As quietly as I could I made my way to the kitchen door and peeked through the gap. The man standing at the counter almost made me drop the stiletto I held. Banging the kitchen door open I watched him jump and it gave me a certain level of satisfaction.
Richard spun around to face me. I could tell from the moment I looked at him that he was drunk, or at least well on the way.
“What are you doing here?” I tried to make my voice sound as icy as possible. I wanted him to know that he wasn’t welcome here. Clearly he had not returned his key like I had asked him to.
He focused his attention on me, his eyes travelling down over my attire. A sneer filled with lust lit his face and unconsciously I took a step back. Several times in the past Richard had tried to “rough up” our sex life. It was not something I had ever been interested in but I had gone along with it.
“Where were you?” There was a slight slur on his words. “I let myself in.” His eyes lingered on my barely contained breasts before sliding down to the slit in my skirt. He licked his lips when he realised just how far up my thigh it revealed. “You never dressed like that when we were together. If you had... Well, I might have reconsidered my hasty decision.”
“Grow up, Richard. I’m none of your business anymore. I don’t want you here. Leave your key and get out.” I was beyond angry. How dare he look at me like that. He had made his choice. The blonde in the coffee shop told me that.
I turned and stalked away down the hall. The kitchen door flopped open as Richard followed me. He grabbed my arm and turned me to face him once more. The smell of alcohol on his breath turned my stomach. What had I ever seen in him? He couldn’t compare to David.
“Let me go.” I shook free of his grip and faced off against him. He was thin, he certainly didn’t hit the gym the way Ashcroft clearly did. However, I knew Richard was strong in a wiry kind of way.
“Come on, baby. For old times’ sake. Looking at you all dressed up like that has me all hot and bothered.” He grabbed my hand and pressed it against his crotch. The feel of his small erection made me sick.
“Why don’t you just go back to your little blonde bombshell? I’m sure she would be more than happy to help you.” I yanked my hand away as I spat the words into his face. For a second he seemed confused and then realisation dawned.
“Libby, wants to take it slow. She’s a lady and I understand that. But a man has needs you know? You, Carrie, you were never a lady. I guess I never realised how much of a slut you really could be.”
Without thinking I drew out and slapped him hard. The sound echoed in the hall. “Get out!” My hand shook as I pointed to the door.
“You want to play? Let’s play then. I don’t mind a bit of rough.” Richard reached out towards me as though he hadn’t heard my command for him to get out. I dodged out of his grasping grip and ran down the hall towards my bedroom. If I could just get into the room I could lock the door and call the cops. I skidded across the wooden floor and into the room. I slammed the door but Richard reached it before I could get the lock in place.
With one quick push he heaved the door open, knocking me backwards onto the floor. I hauled myself upright but the leather skirt slowed me down and tangled around my legs.
“I love when you run from me, Carrie.” Richard wrapped his hand in my hair and dragged me kicking and struggling towards the bed. Pushing me onto the mattress he flipped me easily onto my stomach and pressed my face down into the rumpled sheets. The smell of sex and David’s musky scent invaded my nostrils.
“No panties... I like it.” Richard declared as he pushed the leather skirt up to reveal my naked ass.
“No!” I screamed and struggled as I heard the sound of him unbuckling his belt. And then he was gone. I was free. I dragged myself across the bed as the sound of cracking wood and a strangled cry of pain met my ears. Tears ran in rivulets down my cheeks as I turned to the scene of chaos.
Richard lay in a heap, pieces of broken dresser lay around him.
David stood over him. Anger rolled off him like waves of stormy water crashing onto the shore.
“Don’t you ever touch her again. If you come near her, I will kill you. Do you understand?”
“Who the fuck are you?” Richard swore as he attempted to pull himself up from the wooden wreckage.
David pressed the toe of his highly polished black shoe into the middle of Richard’s chest and pushed. Richard sprawled back onto the floor and winced.
“Seriously, this is none of your business. What I do with her doesn’t concern you.”
David laughed then and I shrunk back against the head board. I watched as he crouched down beside Richard.
“It concerns me when you try and harm what is mine. She doesn’t want you. She has found someone who knows how to treat a beautiful woman. Now get the hell out of here.”
Richard scrambled up off the floor and headed for the door. The look he threw at me over his shoulder made me grateful that David was in the room. I sat quiet and still until I heard the sound of the front door slamming.
“Carrie?”
The soft warm tone of his voice made tears spill down my face. I drew my knees up to my chin and sobbed. David wrapped his strong arms around me and cradled me against his chest.
“How did you get in?” I looked up into his blue eyes.
“The front door was open. I followed you from the club. I’m just sorry I didn’t get here sooner. Why did you leave?”
Shock was beginning to numb my mind but at the mention of the club it brought back all my feelings of embarrassment from earlier.
“I saw you come into the club. I know you followed me down. But then you left before I had the opportunity to come over to you. Why? Did you get a better offer?”
Anger flared in my stomach and chased away my upset. “A better offer? The only one with a better offer was you! I saw her. Did you really expect me to hang around while you enjoyed yourself with her? I mean I know I don’t compare to her but I thought you wanted me?” I climbed off the bed as I spoke. I didn’t want his arms around me. They only clouded my judgement.
“Carrie, what are you talking about? What woman?” I watched as realisation finally fell across his face. “God no, Carrie, you have it completely wrong. She is not mine, nor do I want her. She belongs to one of my friends. I wanted to introduce you to her. Carrie, I have you. I don’t want anyone else.”
David crawled across the bed and stood in front of me. Relief washed through me. He didn’t want her. He wanted me.