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The Tessarae Inn |
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Poseidon Rising CHAPTER 7 Blair finished her shower then used the blow dryer lightly on her hair. There was no reason to style it tonight. No one was going to see her but she refused to let everything go. Dorian always said if you had to make a choice to take style over substance. Maybe that wasn’t right, but it felt right tonight. She selected a nightgown—a midnight blue satin one with spaghetti straps that fell in soft folds and with a hemline that touched mid-calf. It was so beautiful that she imagined it was the sort of thing a princess would wear. She could probably wear it out on the town, but she wasn’t going out tonight and she sure as hell wasn’t going back to the club again. Not after the big brawl between Todd and Chad that cost her tens of thousand of dollars in damages and the wrath of one pissed off partner, especially when she refused to let Todd pay for the damages. That was it for her. So Saturday night at the club was another thing she lost along the way—no more one- drink-one-dance ritual, no more Chad, no more drama, no more drama in her life. Tonight she would create a new ritual. She would have her one drink alone, propped up in bed while listening to the radio. The only touch she would feel on her body would be when she inevitably pulled her knees to her chest and circled them with her arms. It was a position that made her feel safe and somewhere in the night she would have a need to feel safe as she let the memories and loneliness sweep over her. By the morning everything would be right in her world again. A night of loneliness once a week was a small price to pay for peace of mind the rest of the time. She turned off all of the lights except the one on her dresser that glowed softly. She lit two pillar candles, poured a small glass of Scotch into a crystal shot glass then turned on the radio. New ritual. She pulled back the covers on the bed and was about to crawl in when she noticed the signal light on the security system intercom network. She pressed the button. “Is something wrong?” “He’s here, Ms. Cramer. He’s probably in the house now. You told us not to stop him but we are watching him.” “Thank you. I will call if I need you.” He had finally come. She felt a heavy weight settle on her chest. She had successfully avoided him for three weeks but she knew it was just a stalling tactic. At some point they would have to face off with no children, or Viki, or Amanda or a lawyer between them. Tonight was as good a time as any for the big back-from-the-dead showdown. She remade the bed, no need of giving him any false ideas, and then sat in the chair by the French doors at the far end of the room. She drained her glass then waited. Maybe after tonight the pain would finally be over—all the loneliness erased. Todd was back in this world safe and there was no longer any need to grieve for him. He could get on with his life with Amanda and she could… The bedroom door opened in graduated increments. He stepped into the room slowly and systematically scanned the area. He looked at the bed then stepped further into the room. When he saw her, he stopped and stared at her. Finally, he said, “Knew I was coming?” “Sooner or later. It may as well be sooner. Would you like a drink?” He watched her through narrow slits for a few seconds longer then nodded and walked over to the bedside chest. He grabbed the bottle of scotch then flopped down on the bed. He took a gulp straight from the bottle and then locked his gaze on her. “Are you going somewhere?” “No.” “It’s just the way you look.” “How do I look?” He shifted his gaze. “You look like you’re going somewhere.” “I’m not.” She waited for what felt like a long time for him to say something else but he was just staring at her. She tried not to look at him too much. Tried not to think too much. Tried not to remember too much. Tried not to get lost. Finally, she broke the silence, “What do you want, Todd?” His eyes flickered then his eyelids drifted downward so that he was looking at her with that sleepy expression of longing that used to make her nearly reach orgasm without a single touch. ”What do you think I want?” Blair felt a familiar sense of pulsating excitement radiating through her body but she shook her head to stop her body’s betrayal. She cried so much when they told her he was dead. Cried so much. Hurt so much. Was so angry. So lost. And all she wanted was for someone to tell her it wasn’t true. Now, here he was. Twice in a lifetime. A miracle. How was she supposed to react? Where had he really been all that time? Drinking Scotch with Amanda in a thatched roof bungalow and waiting out the storm? The baby is dead, Blair. I’m dead, Blair. I lied. I lied. Get over it. She slowly met his gaze. “This is my house, my bedroom, my life. You came to me. Once again, what do you want?” He took another gulp of the Scotch while he let his gaze drift from her head to her toes and back again. He locked his gaze on her face and said in a low hoarse voice, “You can’t keep acting like there’s nothing between us.” She steadied her nerves. She really could use another drink. She folded her hands on her lap and leaned back in the chair slightly. “There are two very important things between us. I will never deny that but beyond that there is nothing.” Todd growled, balled his free hand into a fist, slammed it into the mattress and jumped up still gripping the bottle of scotch. “You can’t take everything, Blair. You can’t have it all.” Blair bolted up straight. “What are you talking about?” “You’re up to something and I know it. I don’t want you to think that just because I nearly died and lost half of my memories that I’m easy prey. I know you’re up to something and I’m watching you.” God, she wanted another drink. She stood up and walked close to him and reached out with the glass in her hand. His eyes never left her body. He filled her glass. When it looked as if he was reaching out to touch her she drew her hand back quickly and walked back to her chair. She sat down, crossed her legs and took a sip of the Scotch. “Watch me all you want,” she said finally. “Knock yourself out. Go blind watching me. It won’t make any difference. There’s nothing to see.” Todd took a deep breath the way he usually did before he began to yell, but his voice came out soft and measured. “What is wrong with you?” “Have you signed the divorce papers yet?” “My lawyer keeps forgetting to give them to me.” Yeah right. And grass in now purple. “I can have another set messengered to you tomorrow.” He locked his gaze on her face. “Where are your rings, Blair?” She looked at her hand reflexively then bit her lower lip. When she looked up he was staring at her. She forced herself to look away. “I threw them in the ocean after you,” she said softly. “Liar.” She glanced back at him and could see the fire in his eyes and the challenge but she was not going to play that game. She tilted her head slightly to the right and waited. He cleared his throat then said, “I want you to move back in with me. The children need both of us. We can be a family again.” “What about Amanda?” “She’ll understand.” “You have a very understanding bride-to-be.” “This is between us. Now, my request is on the table. Stop being evasive.” “It’s a very strange request all things considered.” He dropped his head but a few seconds later he said, “What’s so strange about it? We’re still married.” “Only because you haven’t signed the papers.” “I’ll sign them if that’s what you really want but you need to be sure that you know what you’re asking.” She felt an unexpected surge of anxiety but refused to acknowledge it. She chilled her voice and said, “It’s for you because it doesn’t really matter to me. Married to you or not has no effect on my life plan. I could see your face everyday or never see it again. It just wouldn’t matter.” Todd carefully placed the bottle of scotch back on the bedside table and walked closer to her. “What I don’t understand is why you have to lie so damn much? It matters to you.” Blair nodded her head but she didn’t look at him. “You’re right. It matters,” she said slowly then looked up at him. “I’ve made a life for myself. This is my house. You can’t throw me out or slam a door in my face. Why would I move back in with you?” “What about Starr and Jack? What about what they need?” “Our children will grow up having at least two parents who love them. What more can you ask for?” “At least two parents? Are you seeing someone?” “I’m not the one with a wife-of-my-heart living with me.” “This isn’t about me. I asked about you.” “My personal life is really none of your concern but I will tell you this. There’s nothing to fight about anymore. You have your houses, your cars, your money, your businesses, and your children are in your life.” Todd exhaled loudly. “I’m not interested in fighting.” “Then what? There’s nothing left for us to take from or give to each other. Why don’t we call a truce and just leave each other the hell alone?” “So I lost you?” Blair snorted softly. “Oh, yeah. I didn’t make that clear? What part of ‘I don’t give a damn,’ didn’t you get?” Todd lowered his gaze from her face and seemed to study his hands. “Are you in love with someone else?” “What’s it to you?” His head shot up. “Just answer the damn question.” Blair suddenly felt tired of the verbal sparing, tired of everything. Maybe if she just told him the truth, he would end this battle before it began. “I shouldn’t tell you this because it will bring you so much satisfaction but the answer is no. There is no one else in my life.” He smiled slightly. “There never will be again. You won, Todd. You finally proved that you could get me to stop loving you and as a lovely parting gift made sure I would never even want to love anyone ever again.” He took a step closer to her. “Don’t say that.” He was looking at her with such gentleness that she had to remind herself not to get lost and that made her angry. After everything he did to her, why did she have to stay on guard against her body and the soft pleading of her heart? She crossed her arms and looked out of the French doors. It was up to her to make one thing as clear as possible to him, once and for all. But she had to choose her words carefully because it was just like Todd to hear only what he wanted to hear. “I don’t believe in love anymore,” she said finally. “So go make a life with Amanda or whoever the hell it is that your heart wants now and just leave me alone to get on with my life in peace.” “You can’t keep lying to yourself, Blair.” “You don’t get to have an opinion anymore about what I can and can’t do. Whatever that was between us, you destroyed, so why don’t you just stuff it and mount it on your wall with your other trophies. Go after a fresh kill.” He seemed to freeze for a minute then said, “Consider it done.” He walked out of the bedroom without looking back. It was long after the security network reported Todd had driven away that she was able to finally move from the chair by the French doors. She sat on the edge of the bed, picked up the bottle of scotch and held it to her chest. It still felt warm as if he had just put it down. She ran her fingers slowly along the outline of the bottle and then held on tight. Chapter 8 Poseidon Rising FAN FICTION
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