Scarlet
I’ve just landed at Heathrow airport, and I’m impatient to see David and James. It’s been three months since James was born, and now my seventh visit to Spain. I immediately went to work hooking Reid in on my first visit. I must admit, when I purposefully met him at a bar, I was nervous as hell that he would recognise me. He was there—propped up at the bar just like he was all those years ago when I met him for the very first time. The only difference was that I didn’t want to murder him on the spot like I did this time. He hadn’t noticed me when I initially sat down. It was only when I ordered a drink with my practiced Scottish accent that he looked across at me. I turned and smiled at him, but carried on staring ahead at the bar.
“Scarlet?” he’d said.
Acting nervous, I turned to him. “Sorry. Were you talking to me?”
“Scarlet,” he says again, his mouth hanging open like he can’t believe I’m here.
Nervously, I shake my head. “You have me mistaken for someone else. I’m Dr Mercy.”
I notice the frown on his face as he looks away. After a few seconds, he looks back, clearing his throat. “Doctor?”
I offer a small laugh. “Yes. I’m a psychologist from Glasgow.”
He shakes his head like he can’t believe it all. “I’m sorry,” he finally says. “I thought you were someone else.”
I gestured as if to wave it away when really I wanted to slap his smug face. “Don’t worry. I get that all the time.”
As the barman approaches with a glass of red wine—which I can’t fucking stand—I say my thanks and take a sip, trying my best not to pull a disgusted face as I do. I will really give the game away otherwise.
“Not Scarlet,” he whispers, like he’s finally convinced himself. It’s a good thing David mentioned all these little things. “Do everything Reid knows Scarlet hates,” He’d said. “Drink red wine, wear dowdy clothes. He’ll soon convince himself you’re not who you are.”
“Pardon me?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he answers, taking a sip of his drink. “So, you’re a psychologist, huh? I bet that’s interesting work.”
I notice his perusal of my attire. Just like David had advised, I went out and bought a lot of plain white or frilly shirts and long grey pencil skirts. Enough to show him I have a body underneath—to possibly entice him—but not enough that he’ll immediately want to jump my bones the moment he sees me.
“It is interesting. I meet a lot of characters.”
“What brings you to Spain?”
I shrug. “A different way of life. I suffer SAD, so practicing out here in a better climate does a world of good for me.”
He frowns at first, but then laughs. “So, a psychologist who treats people for mental health issues has an issue herself.” Soon, he’s in hysterics. “I love that.”
I smirk at him. “I’m happy that I’ve amused you.”
“Sorry,” he answers, still laughing, “but you have to admit that’s quite funny?”
I shrug, taking another sip. “I suppose it is.”
“Whereabouts do you practice?”
“I’ve just opened up in San Pedro. I’m still finding my feet, but I’ve already fixed myself up with a nice batch of clientele, so I certainly can’t complain.”
“San Pedro’s not too far from me and my club.”
Faking interest, I ask, “Your club?”
“It’s a bar really, but let’s just say it offers extra-curricular activities for special guests.” He smirks. “It’s on the other side of Puerto Banús, exit one-eight-four, if you ever want to visit.”
“Maybe I will one day,” I answer. “What’s your club called?”
“Scarlet’s”
“Ah,” I reply, noticing his reaction to mine.
“What’s ah?”
“It’s the same lady you thought I was.”
Gripping his hand on his glass, he slightly grits his teeth. “Yes,” is all he says before turning his head back to the bar and taking a sip of his drink. I think I may have lost him, but then he says, “So, what do you do for people? Help them over phobias and shit?”
I smile. “That is part of what I do, but I also offer help for people struggling with bereavement or anger issues. A wide spectrum of issues. No one is immune to psychological problems.”
“Like you with SAD,” he observes.
“Exactly.”
“I have had trouble sleeping lately.”
I’m actually surprised he offered that bit of information about himself. “I’m sorry to hear that. I also help with that, too.”
He gazes at me for a while like he’s trying to figure me out. “Have you got a card?”
I inwardly celebrate the fact he asks as I dig into my purse. “Of course,” I say, handing it to him. “Feel free to call anytime.”
And he did. The very next day, in fact. That was six weeks ago now, and only five appointments in, I’m already wanting to chuck in the towel. It’s not that I don’t want revenge on Reid, because boy, I do. It’s just I never realised just how much I would miss James every time I hopped on that plane. It also surprised me that I even miss David.
As I pull my carry-on luggage through Immigration, my heart leaps in my chest when I see the doors to the main airport open, and I find David standing there with James in his arms, facing forward. My smile brightens when I notice how rosy James’ cheeks are and how chubby he’s getting. I guess without my milk at hand all the time, he’s getting his full amount of formula to keep him going strong. He certainly looks healthy.
As I walk forward, David’s face brightens, and I notice James smiling at me. My very first proper smile. “Oh, my God, James just smiled!”
“I know. He’s been doing that a lot these last couple of days,” David answers, offering James to me. When he’s in my arms, I give James a big kiss on the cheek and hug him close to me. Fuck, I’ve missed my boy.
“How was the flight?” David asks, pulling me into him for a kiss.
I kiss him back with relish. “It was okay. Glad I’m home, though.”
David huffs. “Believe me when I say the feeling’s mutual. I’ve missed you terribly.”
“You mean you’ve missed the sex on tap,” I jest, causing him to nudge me.
“You know that’s not just it,” he answers, laughing.
By the time we get to the car, James is already asleep. Carefully, I place him in his car seat before strapping him in tightly. He stirs and grumbles a little, but carries on sleeping. Once I’ve finished, I step out, shutting the door behind me when I notice David standing there, towering over me.
Pushing his hardness into me, he growls. “Your arse looks fucking perfect in those jeans.”
I smirk. “See? It’s all about the sex with you.” My playfulness doesn’t seem to rub off on David. Instead, he looks sad. “What’s wrong?” I ask, frowning.
“Did you let him touch you?” He immediately pulls away, shaking his head. “Scrap that. I don’t want to fucking know.”
I watch as he walks around the other side of the car. “David,” I say, making him halt by the driver’s door. I wait until he looks up before responding. “The thought of him touching me now makes me feel physically sick. Why would I want to put myself through that?”
I see the moment relief flashes in his eyes, but it’s a momentary thing. “Is that true?”
I show my annoyance. “Of course it is,” I answer. “David, where is this coming from? I’ve already told you that I won’t fuck him. I never want him near me that way again.”
He closes his eyes, and it’s then I notice just how tired he looks. “I’m sorry,” he offers. “It’s just so difficult knowing you’re so many miles away with that scum. I fucking hate it. I feel helpless.”
“I completely understand where you’re coming from, David. I really do. But we knew going into this that it would take time. We just need a little more patience, and then we can put all our pasts behind us and move on.”
David gets in the car, so I immediately follow suit. As soon as we’re strapped in, he starts the car, but then pauses. “I’m still one hundred percent behind you in all this. I’m just finding it really difficult.”
I bite my lip because although he knows I have to do some things, it still doesn’t help the guilt from rising up. “He tried to drug me.”
David snaps his head to me. “He what?!” he virtually screams.
Immediately, I shush him before turning around to check on James. He’s still fast asleep. “I didn’t want to tell you straight away because I knew how upset you’d get.”
“Upset?” he asks, his voice rising again. “Of course I’d be upset.”
“Nothing happened,” I say, trying to calm him. “In fact, I swapped the drinks when he wasn’t looking. I also plopped a Viagra pill in there, too. Just to add to the mix.”
David faces forward, gritting his teeth. I can tell he knows where this is heading. “What happened, Scarlet?”
“I already told you that I wouldn’t have sex with him if that’s what you’re asking. I …” I pause, wondering why it’s so difficult to tell him. David knew going into this that I would have to do some things. “I helped him give himself a wank, but I also helped him think that I was having sex with him. It was a little awkward, but I managed it.”
“Fuck!” David shouts, immediately getting out of the car.
Panic rising, I follow suit, walking around to his side. He’s standing there, head in hands. I can tell he’s finding this really hard to swallow.
“I’m sorry,” I offer, not knowing what else to say. “I did that one thing, but I won’t do anything else. I swear. I fucked with his head, and it worked. He’s already starting to think he’s going crazy. With a little more help, we can nip this in the bud within a couple of weeks.” When he doesn’t take his hands away to look at me, I edge closer, gently taking his hands away from his face. “Are you angry with me?”
He doesn’t look at me at first, but then he sighs, fixing me with his tired eyes. “I know you told me there would be things you’d have to do, but that was before … before you agreed to marry me. I know we haven’t spoken about it since—I guess that’s my fault—but I kind of thought things would change.”
Fuck, what is that feeling in the pit of my stomach? Surely it’s not guilt?
I search his eyes, trying to pull him back to me. “I’m so sorry, David. I really am. If it makes you feel any better, I felt sick afterwards. In fact, as soon as I got home, I vomited.” And that was before I scrubbed myself raw for the first time since that time Reid caught me after my encounter with Richard.
“Why did you do it then?”
I shrugged, pulling away a little to check on James. “I don’t know,” I answer after seeing he’s still fast asleep. “I wanted to mess with his head. I hated doing it, but I got the reaction I was after. It was just step one to the many more steps to come. With your contact helping me, we’ll be off to the States in no time.” When David doesn’t answer, I close the gap between us again, placing my arms around him. Inches from his lips, I say, “Please don’t be angry with me. I promise I won’t do anything like that again.”
David, coming around, shakes his head. “It’s fine. I don’t fucking like it, but it’s fine. You didn’t cheat on me. I know you didn’t. I’ve asked so much from you these past few months—even more than I knew you were willing to give. I guess that makes me selfish.”
I shake my head on a smile, noticing how different he is compared to anyone I’ve ever met. If he were Reid, I’d be punished severely for what I’d done.
“It doesn’t make you selfish,” I answer, kissing him on the lips. “It makes you human.”