39. Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“What? Is it time already? Shit!”
“Can you please stay here, Nikos? Please. Just stay here,” I plead, already out the door, trying to race my husband to the front door but he’s already seated on one of the massive leather chairs when I get to the lobby.
“Hey, hon. You came early,” I say, noticing the bottle of wine in his hands and trying hard not to let my frustration show.
“Well, I figured I could come in and keep you company until you get off. It’s awfully quiet here tonight, isn’t it? I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”
And then his gaze falls on my clothes, a dark expression crossing his face and I look down at myself to see that in my rush I have misbuttoned my shirt.
“Oh, I see. I did interrupt something. Where is he, Lisa?”
“I was going to tell you,” I start but Nikos’s voice coming from down the hall stops me from saying more.
“I’m right here, Tom.” Nikos’s voice is cold, flat and I know this isn’t going to be pleasant for any of us.
I turn to look at my husband and a shiver goes through me. There’s anger building in his face, coiling behind his eyes.
“Did you fuck him?”
“Jesus, Tom, keep your voice down! Someone might walk in!”
“Did he fuck you, Lisa? It’s a simple question.”
“Damn it, Tom. What do you want me to say?”
“He did, didn’t he? Goddamn it, Lisa! You’re a hard woman to please, you know? I knew that when I married you, but what a great fucking birthday present you got me this year!”
“I’m so sorry, baby.” I reach out to touch his arm but he takes a step back, avoiding me.
“The fuck you are! You’re fucking him at work now, too? I’m such a fucking idiot! Here I was thinking this was just a fucking infatuation of yours, something to get out of your system, but this? How—”
“I’m in love with your wife, Tom. I never planned for any of this and I know it must be hard for you too, but I can’t stop thinking about her.”
Tom stares at him for a long moment. “I can’t say that I blame you, man. My wife is a beautiful woman. Men want to fuck her. Right, sweetie?”
“Tom, please. You promised, remember?”
“And you fucking promised to be faithful and loyal to me, remember? You were supposed to only fuck your fucking boss, Lisa! Not fall in love with him!”
“I never said I was in love with him, Tom! Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“I’m going to leave you to work this out, Lisa,” Nikos starts, walking toward the exit. “Please keep your voices down or take this outside.”
“Get back here, Nikos. This is as much your problem as it’s mine,” Tom’s voice echoes across the empty lobby and I brace myself when he turns to me again. “This is all your fault, Lisa. I wonder how you’re going to get out of this after the mess you made, huh?”
“Don’t you put this all on me, alright, Tom? We never really set any clear boundaries or anything and I—”
“She doesn’t have to get out of anything, Tom. I’m ending this, whatever it is, right now. Your wife shouldn’t have to take the blame for this; I am at fault here, too, just as much as you are. We all agreed to this.”
He pauses, taking another step closer to my husband and I hope this won’t get any worse than it already is. “I mean, what did you expect, man? Seriously? People would get hurt either way.”