Cheater

28. Derek

When she passed the phone to Kenny and he told me Hallman had come out, I told him to keep them inside until I get there with a gun pointed at Hallman. Only at Hallman.

No way would I have anyone point a gun at Chloe.

I also told him I want them six feet apart and not to let them talk.

My impulse control is holding on by a thread here as I drive the short distance to her, flexing my trigger finger the entire way, reminding myself she’s not far, that nothing’s gonna happen until I get there. Kenny has the gun pointed at Hallman. He won’t touch her. He better not fucking touch her, or I’ll be taking Kenny’s gun and…

I fly through a stop sign. Shit.

I will my pulse to normalize, counting backwards from a hundred.

When Hallman put his mouth on her, I wanted to come out of my skin and rip his fucking head off his shoulders. When he explained what he had in that cardboard box – and I’m kicking myself in the ass for not paying close enough attention to what he was doing when he was out of town – I knew I was about to expedite my plan. She refused to come to me so now my hand has been forced.

Strategy gets tossed out the window and instead of continuing to show this girl why she should pick a life with me by my wining and dining her, by my showing her how much she matters, by making all her dreams come true, I’ve now tossed it all out the window. It doesn’t matter. Fuck the plan. I’m getting what I want. My queen. Because I’m done with this long-game bullshit. She’s coming home with me tonight. I only lasted a week from the moment I first fucked her. I wanted to take at least a month while showing her all she’ll be to me, wanted her to willingly pick me after seeing the difference between what I give her and what she gets from him. But… it is what it is.

I park and rush inside, finding Kenny on a chair, a gun in his hand but resting on his knee. My eyes devour Chloe, ensuring her wellbeing. She sits on the couch, arms wrapped around herself, eyes full of terror. I have to stop myself from physically lifting her into my arms to comfort her. Because I have to deal with this first.

The asshole in the wheelchair is at least twelve feet from her and staring at me. Pale. Confused brown eyes on his pale face bounce between me and Kenny.

“Thanks, man. You can go now.”

Kenny puts his piece into the back of his waistband while shooting me an angry look. I know he’s displeased with me making him pull a gun and hold people. Probably unhappy I ordered he point it at a guy in a wheelchair. He prefers to be in the shadows.

“I’ll make a deposit in the morning for your trouble,” I say.

He scratches his clenched jaw before he looks to the captives in the room. “My apologies, Miss Turner. Mr. Hallman. Nothing personal. I hope you won’t hold it against me, should our paths cross again.” He nods at them and leaves, closing the door behind himself.

Chloe is staring at me with terror in her eyes. Hallman’s forehead is wrinkled as he watches Kenny go, then looks at us, looking absolutely lost.

“Have you said anything since Kenny told you two to sit and wait?” I ask her.

It’s only been twelve minutes.

She shakes her head. “He told us to both stay quiet and say nothing until you arrived. Derek, please…”

“What’s going on here?” Hallman asks. “Who are you? Who was that and what the hell is happening here?”

I sit in the chair Kenny vacated.

“I’m Derek Steele,” I tell Hallman.

He stares at me for a second and I see recognition hit his eyes.

“You’ve written about my family,” I add.

“A while ago, yeah. You’ve got a beef with me about that?” He looks at Chloe and I know things aren’t adding up. “You know him?” he asks her.

“Adam…” Chloe starts to speak, but her chin trembles. She’s about to cry. I don’t like it.

I don’t normally give a shit about tears, but I don’t like this.

“I’ll do the talking, baby,” I state.

Hallman’s eyes bounce between the two of us with confusion.

“Chloe and I met not too long ago,” I explain.

“Derek,” Chloe whispers brokenly. She’s clasping her hair on both sides of her head. She’s terrified of what I’ll say to him.

She cares that much about hurting him. My beautiful, selfless girl.

I keep talking. “The night she celebrated her friend Alannah’s promotion. It took about a week, but she used her hall pass on me.”

“Derek, don’t,” Chloe says softly, eyes filled with horror, with pleading.

Hallman looks at Chloe with wide eyes. “Tell me you’re not pregnant or something.”

She flinches.

And my back straightens, in fact all my senses perk up at the idea of that. At the idea of Chloe carrying my child.

A series of images race through my mind. Chloe with a round belly, my hands on it. Love shining in her eyes as she holds a bundle in a white blanket. Strange sensations rise in me at the whole notion.

“No. I’m not pregnant,” she says. “It’s been a week, Adam. And you know I’m on birth control.”

“It’s gonna be okay, baby. I’ve got this,” I tell her, then turn my attention to Hallman. “She used the hall pass and very sweetly tried to explain to me afterwards that it was a one-time thing. But I don’t want it to end. In fact, more than that, I find myself unwilling to allow it to end.”

He frowns.

I continue. “I’m prepared to make it very worth your while if you withdraw your marriage proposal and ask for the ring back.”

Chloe stares at me with horror and she’s about to speak.

“Shh,” I tell her. “Please, Chloe. I’ve got this.”

His eyes ping pong between me and her. His mouth opens and closes a few times, like he’s blown away, doesn’t know what to say. He starts with, “You had someone hold us at gunpoint so you can come tell me you want my fiancée?”

“In a very short time, your life has had a lot of changes, Hallman,” I go on. “Until the past week or so, things weren’t going very well, were they?”

He frowns and waits for me to elaborate. He’s also absorbing the situation at hand. Not a total dolt.

“But things got better. You got that van and got some independence. You also had a very productive trip with that work assignment. I’ve put in an offer to buy the company that owns the publications Laurier writes for, by the way. If you take on the projects you and Laurier talked about, you’ll be working indirectly for me. And you’ll be paid very well. Better than he’s been paid.”

“Derek!” Chloe clips angrily.

“Just a minute, bunny.” I keep my gaze focused on Hallman. “I was the anonymous donor that put in over half the value of your accessible van. I made some calls and got you that assignment yesterday. I also had someone arrange for you to meet with Sheldon Laurier last night. I had them recommend that you receive consideration to take on some of his projects after he retires above and beyond the magazine column. As you can see, I’ve got the ability to make things go well for you.”

“You want my fiancée?” Adam snaps. “You think I’m gonna give up the woman I plan to spend my life with for a job opportunity and a van?” He scoffs. “And you have us held at gunpoint? Wow. You think she’ll have anything to do with you?”

“Chloe has quickly become very special to me,” I state. “She doesn’t want to hurt you. She didn’t want to sleep with me in the first place, would never have been unfaithful to you if you hadn’t pressured her to do it. Once she did, feelings developed.”

“Derek,” Chloe warns. “Stop this.”

Hallman looks at her.

She shakes her head. “I don’t have feelings for Derek, Adam. I don’t. He’s being persistent, and I–”

“You might not be ready to admit it yet, but you are developing feelings for me,” I correct.

“Hatred. That’s about it,” she declares, shooting a dirty look at me. “How dare you!”

My gaze bounces back to Hallman. “My brother-in-law is a neurosurgeon. He’s well connected. I could pull strings to get you on probably any clinical trial you’re interested in to help with your mobility. I can have Laurier recommend you for everything you’re interested in writing in that field. Interested in something else? I might be able to help there, too. In fact, I can pull some strings and get you a publishing contract with one of the big five for your novels. I know you’ve had three rejections already, but through my family connections, I’ve got some pull with two, possibly three of the big five.”

Chloe’s eyes bounce to Hallman’s face. “You finished your novel and submitted it?”

“Ten months ago,” I advise. “It’s not a novel. It’s a series of four. He’s got one left to write but he’s been a little blocked since the accident. Playing video games most days all day might not help with that though, Hallman.”

Hallman takes a big breath and is about to speak when I cut him off.

“By the way, the night he had the accident, he didn’t come straight home from work. He stopped off at a nightclub. The Fifth.”

Hallman blanches. “I wasn’t drinking. I drove sober.”

“Maybe, but you were upset when you left after a heated conversation in the corner with a lovely auburn-haired beauty. Coincidentally, it’s a conversation I happen to have a partial recording of.”

Chloe stares at Hallman in shock.

He frowns. “It was Jeannie. She begged me to meet her to talk about a reconciliation. I told her to leave me alone. Nothing happened.”

“Jeannie, your ex-fiancée,” I put in.

“Fiancée?” Chloe asks him. “I thought you two just dated.”

“We were only engaged just over a month when we split. It doesn’t matter.”

She looks slain with betrayal.

Fucking goof.

“Since you’ll be off Chloe’s medical benefits after she marries me, I’ll buy you insurance and cover everything not included. Also, I’ll arrange for you to meet with the exoskeleton people you’ve been researching. I’ll pay for that equipment, too.”

“The what?” Chloe looks even more thrown.

I answer for him. “It’s an expensive rechargeable suit that he’d wear and use to walk. I’ll even buy you two suits, Hallman, so you can wear one while the other one charges.”

“How did you know I’ve been researching that?” he asks. “How do you know this much about me?”

“I get daily reports of your technology habits,” I admit and then I smile. “Yep. Got reports of all of your web surfing habits. Dating back about… oh… five or six years.”

I lean forward and rest my forearms on my knees. “Lots of information at my fingertips, Hallman.”

He flinches and blinks a couple times. “Including a recording that just happens to be from the night of my accident? That doesn’t sound like a coincidence.”

“It is. I have pretty good software that sifts through security footage and uses facial recognition. Lucky for me you chose to meet your ex at one of my clubs.”

Chloe stares at him with concern before her eyes ping back to me.

“I know all your secrets. All of both of your secrets.”

Hallman swallows and looks down, eyebrows wrinkling.

“Too bad I didn’t check the last few days to see what you’ve been surfing and doing online. This one here was keeping me busy, if you get my drift.”

Chloe shakes her head, eyeing me with disdain.

“Chloe’s most unsavory secret is that she’ll put up with absolutely all your shit because she thinks she loves you, Hallman. Because she’s loyal. And she thinks you love her.”

“I do love her,” Hallman argues.

“Not nearly enough. Not the way she deserves to be loved. But that’s neither here nor there anymore. You’re done. I’m up. So listen, I can make things easy, or I could make them hard. I’d like Chloe to leave with me tonight. She’ll marry me. We’ll keep it between us maybe a month or two. Then we’ll announce it. Maybe have a second wedding for the families, but she’ll be my wife within the week.” I look at her and flash a smile.

She’s in shock.

I keep going. “Chloe needs to marry me and stay married to me for you to keep all the things I’m offering to give you. If she doesn’t, you lose your job and I stop paying the medical bills, not to mention you won’t find yourself anything like what I’m offering you.”

I lean back and cross one ankle over my knee.

“Chloe and I… need to talk before I’m willing to make any decisions.”

She stares at him in shock. “You’re not considering this,” she says.

The shock and pain on her face don’t feel good. I don’t like it. I need to stay the course, though.

“Chloe, I’m… I’m in shock over here but he’s being pretty clear here about what he wants. About what might happen if we don’t cooperate. He had a guy point a gun at us!”

“At you,” I correct. “Did Kenny point the gun at you, baby? I told him not to. I’ll fuckin’ end him if he pointed that gun in your direction.”

She shoots me an irritated look and then her gaze swings back to her soon-to-be ex.

“Are you saying this because you want what he’s offering or because you’re afraid of whatever he’s holding over your head?”

“Both,” I mutter.

They both look at me.

Hallman says, “I think we need time to think. Time to talk. Can we have that?”

“No,” I say simply.

“I’m not doing this,” Chloe states. “No way. You can’t bulldoze my life like this, Derek.”

“I already did, little bunny. Things are over with you and him.”

“Plant cameras in our house and have someone hold us at gunpoint because you don’t want me to have sex with my fiancé, and–”

“Cameras?” Hallman asks. ”Here?”

“Oh yeah. I’ve been watching and listening for a week. Had Kenny install cameras the night she used the hall pass on me. How’s this?” I suggest, “I don’t tell him what you don’t want me to tell him, baby, and I don’t tell her what you wouldn’t want her to know, Potato.”

Chloe winces.

Frowning, Hallman mouths, “Potato?”

I laugh. “But Chloe comes with me tonight. Marries me. Then, she stays married to me and all goes well. And I hate to say this but to make sure there’s no misunderstandings, I’ve got to. If either of you fuck me over in any way, shape or form, you won’t like what happens.”

“You’re a psychopath,” she whispers.

“You’re getting married just once in your life. Wearing the white dress only one time. For me.”

She looks at him. “Let’s take his power away, Adam. Right now. I’ll tell you everything. You tell me everything. Then he has nothing to hold over us. Forget the job opportunities. You’ll figure them out yourself. You’re very capable.”

“I can have him dealt with for you,” I tell Hallman. “You’ll never have to think about him again.”

The room goes dead silent.

Hallman stares with wide eyes. I smile.

“Who?” Chloe finally asks.

“Or I could pull some strings and things would go very public.” I shrug. “You can either make it easier on Chloe to walk away and get to have all the things I’ve laid out. Or I take Chloe anyway and you get nothing while your skeletons get leaked to the press.”

“Let me get this straight,” Hallman says. “You hook up with my fiancée, she tells you it’s a one-time thing, and how do we wind up here? You started spying on us the same night she slept with you? What the hell?”

“That night was perfection,” I tell him, kissing my fingertips. “She is everything I want. I’ve never, ever felt like this.” I look at my girl and my chest swells with feelings.

But she looks ready to crumble. I can’t wait to hold her, take her to my bed, cover her with my body while I whisper into her skin how I’m going to make it all better. She might not believe me at first, but I will.

“So it was more than just Thad Steele who was a maniac,” Hallman mutters. “It’s just a better kept secret with you.”

My smile disappears. “Be careful, Hallman. I’m offering you some incentives here. I can rip all that away and take my girl anyway.”

“Chloe and I need to talk about this,” he says. “Can you give us some privacy?”

“No. Take the ring off, little bunny. Give it to him, and come with me. I’ll send someone to pick up your things later.”

I stand and step up to Hallman. “She’s mine. From here on out. You have no more claims on her. Anything related to our agreement will be discussed via an email address I’ll send you. You don’t contact me directly. You don’t contact Chloe.” I lean toward him and add, “You don’t ever contact Chloe. Ever.” I wait and give him a severe look before I straighten up. “And you tell nobody, and I mean nobody about any of this exchange here. You tell your friends and family that you ended the relationship. She’s not the bad guy here. You’re just too fucked up from your accident. You need time to focus on yourself. Your career. Your healing. You realize you were being difficult to live with and you don’t want that for her. Nobody can change your mind.”

He blinks a couple times and then looks at her. I sidestep to block her.

“Make it easy. She’s not happy but she’d never abandon you, so you end things with her. She marries me and I give her everything she wants. You get the customized robotic exoskeletons, into any medical trial you’re interested in. I will pull strings to make your career go very well instead of doing the opposite. You get your fiction series published by one of the big five and you have your medical bills paid for life. I’m feeling generous here, Hallman, and I want my girl to feel good about walking away, knowing you’ll be all right, so I’ll sweeten the pot and if Chloe wants me to, I’ll hand over a million dollars on our one-year wedding anniversary. To you. She can decide when that time comes. She’s already been fucking me. Loving it, man. Loving it. I fucked her repeatedly, including in your bed.” I look to Chloe. “Don’t feel bad, baby. He knows it’s not your fault. He pushed you into it and I’m the one pushing the issue. It’s not your fault. It’s his. It’s mine. Hallman, she tried to stick to your rules. I wasn’t having it. Any of it. Because you’re a tool who doesn’t deserve her.”

Chloe’s got tears streaming down her face as she stares at me in disbelief. But in short order, she’ll realize this is the best thing in the world for her. She’s being liberated from a life where she’s not appreciated, where she won’t get what she wants. With me, she’ll have it all.

“I was gonna play it differently, Chloe,” I explain with my palm to my heart. “Honestly. I wanted to show you what you could have. How much you’re worth. How I see how much you’re worth. I was planning things in a way you’d decide to pick me because you know I’m the man for you. But the idea of him fucking you?” I shake my head. “I had to throw strategy out the window when you wouldn’t come to me. When you wouldn’t take my calls. Because I can’t stomach it. Can’t fuckin’ stomach the thought of anybody touching you but me. But you’d let him. You’d ride his dick tonight because he went to the trouble, because he was throwin’ you a fuckin’ bone. Wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t come. Neither would he. And then you’d cry yourself to sleep while I sat back feeling sick about anybody but me being inside you. No way. No fucking way. I’m not him. I’m not okay with another man fucking you.”

She shakes her head with disbelief, dashing tears away.

“He told his cop buddy over here the other day that he was springing boners randomly, too, baby. He bought that pump thing but fuck, if my dick wasn’t working and I was springing them randomly, I’d call you immediately and give you the option to hop on.”

Hallman’s eyes bounce between us. “It only happened twice. I wasn’t in the headspace to do anything, to… you… Chloe, you know where my head has been at with all this. I refuse to justify myself when I’m the one who’s lost use of my legs. Just me. But forget that, it doesn’t matter now. What matters is you, Chloe. I don’t want this guy to hurt you.”

“I’m gonna give her everything, Hallman. Anything she wants that money can buy. Anything she wants sexually. And I already know Chloe better than you do after just a couple weeks. Because I know what she really needs I’ll give her the emotional support and intimacy she deserves, too. Something you’ve never done.”

I lean forward aggressively. He flinches.

“The last thing I’d ever do is hurt Chloe. I’ll hurt anyone who hurts her. The only reason I haven’t hurt you after all the pain you’ve put her through is because she’d have difficulty forgiving me for it.”

“I’ve hurt her?” he asks.

“You pushed her with the hall pass. You had her loyalty, and you broke her by doing this. All you had to do was show her how much she means to you. But you failed, Hallman. You let her carry the whole load instead of manning up. You’ve been putting her through hell.”

“Stop it,” Chloe whispers. “Please stop it.”

Her shoulders tremble and she dissolves into full-body sobs. I go to her but her hand flies up. “Stay back, Derek. D-don’t touch me.”

“Go spend a couple minutes talking in the bedroom and get your closure now. I’ll be watching. No touching. If he touches you, it’ll really piss me off. Don’t piss me off, Hallman.”

She rubs her temples.

“Pack a bag, Chloe. You’re coming home with me tonight.”

“No.”

“No isn’t an option,” I state. “Don’t test me. I’ll carry you out of here kicking and screaming and I don’t want to do that, baby.”

She looks at him. He says nothing. I watch her examine him for a minute looking broken. And I don’t like it.

“Go on. Let’s get this done,” I prompt.

I gesture toward the hallway and open the app on my phone that’ll show me the bedroom.

Hallman puts his hand to the controls for his wheelchair and maneuvers himself around and then down the hall.

Chloe blinks a couple times, shaking her head at me through teary eyes as she gets to her feet and follows him.