Chapter Fourteen
Rick waited on the other side of the glass at Gloria’s prison. He was looking forward to seeing the woman up close and being able to say what he needed to say.
Even before the verdict had been read, he knew he’d make the time to talk one-on-one with Gloria. Only then would he get the closure he needed. His wife was doing better and was finally sleeping through the night again.
Gloria shuffled in and looked surprised to see him before anger hardened her expression. Damn, she looked even worse than she had at the trail.
Her hair was frizzy and unkempt, and up this close, he could see the pockmarks from acne when she was a teenager and the wrinkles on her face.
She lifted the phone before he reached for his.
“What the fuck do you want?” she asked.
Rick smiled, making her expression darken further. “I had to come and see the person who tried and failed to break up my marriage. Did you really think you had a chance of doing that?”
“Fuck, yeah, your little wife is so fucking gullible it was fun messing with her.”
He knew she was trying to get a rise out of him, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction, and his grin widened. “My wife isn’t gullible. She has a pure heart. She could never intentionally hurt anyone, especially me.”
Gloria rolled her eyes, and her lip curled in contempt. “Oh, yes, I forgot you both have the perfect marriage and life.”
Rick tilted his head to the side. “It really bothers you, doesn’t it?”
Her brows snapped together. “What?”
“The fact that someone is blissfully happy while you’ll never be.”
She stayed muted, but he could tell he hit a nerve.
“I have another question. Didn’t you consider Riley your friend?”
Gloria nodded and shrugged. “Yeah.”
Rick snorted. “Have you ever had a real friend?”
“You bastard. Of course I have.”
“Were you ever taught how a friend acts?” Rick asked.
“Fuck off and get to the point,” she growled.
“You considered Riley your friend, but you were going to damage and hurt her worse than an enemy would. Besides breaking up her marriage you were planning on getting her drunk and giving her drugs so Tom or any other man could butt-fuck her whenever they wanted. Who the fuck thinks like that? Especially a friend?”
“Jesus, you’re making it sound so much worse than it is. I knew she could have more fun with me, but you kept her shackled so tightly she couldn’t do anything but have a meal.”
Rick leaned back in his chair. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I would allow Riley anything she really wanted to do unless I knew it would harm her, but what makes a good marriage is she’d never do anything to jeopardize us, and I wouldn’t either.”
“You guys think you’re living in a fairy tale. It’s bullshit.”
“No, you’re just jealous as hell,” he said.
She tried to deny it, but they both knew the truth.
“I found out you were actually raised in an upper-middle-class family. I was shocked. Your mom and dad are still alive and together. You have a brother and sister but haven’t talked to them in years.”
Gloria shrugged. “So.”
“I also know you tried to get your parents to help you find a good lawyer, but they disowned you years ago for a bunch of things, including trying to have an affair with one of your father’s friends. A married friend.”
“Jesus Christ. The man came on to me first.”
“Oh, I’m sure he did,” he said sarcastically. “I know you’re older now, but if you resembled the way you look now, no one would want you.”
Her face darkened. “Not all of us can look like fucking angels. As far as my family goes, they have tighter asses than you and that’s saying something.”
Rick just grinned at her insult.
“People like Riley, me, and your family, want to enjoy our lives and find people who care about us. It’s the best feeling in the world knowing that whatever happens, I’ve got Riley, and she’ll always be there. We don’t have to do drugs or give out sex like it’s candy to feel good. We get high off of everyday life, and it’s something you’ll never experience unless you change your attitude. I really doubt that could happen since I found out you were always an entitled, conniving, lying whore.”
Gloria’s face turned red, and fury made her hand shake. It didn’t deter him. He was going to say everything he needed because he never wanted to come back and see her.
“Your father had a lot to say about you.”
“You talked to him?” she asked.
“No. A friend who wanted to take you down about as much as I did. Your father thinks you were born warped and got worse as you got older. He couldn’t keep you around because you were destroying your mother.”
“Fuck them. Maybe if they had been better parents.”
“That shit doesn’t fly. Your sister and brother both turned out exceptionally well. Both with beautiful families and great high-paying careers.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fuck them. They always thought they were perfect. So much better than me.”
Rick chuckled. “They were right.”
Gloria growled. “Who is this other person helping you?”
“No one you know. He has a hard opinion of people like you, and he especially likes Riley. He was willing to do anything, and I mean anything , to get you behind bars.”
He saw the moment she realized what he was saying and smiled.
“You son of a bitch. You set me up.”
Rick shook his head. “No, of course not.” His tone was easy and cheerful. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face.
“I couldn’t figure out how the drugs got into my trunk. You did it,” she practically screamed.
He chuckled. “Of course not.” His voice was still delighted. “I would never do anything like that to a person that had tried to hurt my wife.”
She practically bounced in her chair. “You fucking ruined my life.”
“No. You did that. I might or might not have helped, but this way you have had more time to think about your mistakes.”
“You fucking bastard. I’m going to tell my lawyer.”
Rick shrugged. “What are you going to say? Someone put the drugs in my car, they set me up ?”
“Yes,” she hissed.
He laughed. “You can tell him anything, but do you really think anyone is going to believe you? Besides, you deserve everything you’re getting.”
“But fifteen years?” she yelled.
“Is the least you deserve. I warned you if you fucked with my family you’d pay. You just didn’t realize how ruthless I could be.”
“You’re worse than I am.”
He shook his head and frowned. “Not even close. I’d never intentionally hurt anyone unless they tried to hurt my family and then they better pray to God because there is nothing I wouldn’t do to get them fucked up. Otherwise, I’ve never just fucked with someone for the fun of it like you do.”
“You’ll pay for this. I guarantee it,” Gloria threatened.
His eyes darkened as his anger rose. “You better watch it, you bitch. Look what happened the last time you threatened me. How’d that turn out for you? Have a good life, I hope they treat you like shit.”
He put the phone back in the cradle, stood, and walked off, ignoring her screaming.
Once in his car, he sat for a long time contemplating and reviewing the conversation he just had. He tried to figure out if he’d said everything he wanted to say because he never wanted to look at that face again as long as he lived.
He was undecided if he should tell Riley about the visit. She was finally smiling all the time, and the shadows were gone from her eyes. He didn’t want to fuck that up.
He started his car and headed for home. He knew his wife would be there waiting for him. She knew he was on his way, but she didn’t know she was going to be naked, under him and he deep inside her body within minutes. It was the only time he felt whole, and he needed that now.
The End