Clearing the Air
The police questioned us at the ER, and there will undoubtedly be more questioning later from them and the family, but for now, Juliette and I are back at the beach, finally alone.
"Congratulations on a job well done, Juliette."
“For the wedding?”
“And for saving my life. Although that rankles. I’m the one who battles dragons.”
“I knew you’d come to rescue me.”
“And in the end, it’s you who did the rescuing.”
“It’s good that I did it. I needed to fight him, defeat him, take back some of the power he ripped from me all those years ago.”
“I’ll try to deal with the blow to my ego and focus on the fact you’re finally, truly safe.”
“Yes, thank goodness.”
Her skin glistens in the oatmeal treated water of the guest bath. I run a hand down her arm, then up her torso to cup a breast and thumb a rosy nipple. It goes from pliable to taut so quickly, a blink would have obliterated the sight. I feel a lazy throb respond in my groin, but I'm so relaxed, it barely registers. My other hand repeats the motions on the other side of her body, careful to keep my bandaged upper arm dry. It's ridiculous how much I enjoy surrounding this woman with my limbs, holding her in my hands, supporting her cushion-soft body against my hard-packed one.
Juliette captures my good arm and wraps it around her waist. "It was a beautiful wedding. Your new sister-in-law was a radiant bride."
I chuckle. “Wait until she finds out the real show was going on elsewhere.”
“Thank goodness the newlyweds were in the process of leaving when Daniel decided to make his stand. I’m sure that’s the only way we were able to keep it all quiet from everybody else. I would have hated ruining their wedding.”
I kiss her temple. “It hurts a little that nobody missed us.”
She snuggles against me. “I’m more embarrassed than hurt. You know what they probably think we were doing instead of dancing.”
“Let ‘em think whatever they want. The only people who matter know what really went down.”
She’s quiet for a minute, then she shudders. “Leo, when he shot you—”
“Grazed me,” I correct her. There weren’t even any stitches required. The fucking tetanus shot hurt more.
Her smile is so sweet as she gaze up at me. “When I thought you were shot, maybe even dying—"
“I know. I had the same feeling about him being anywhere near you.”
“I feel like I should be guilty he’s dead. He was so disturbed.”
My head rests on top of hers. “Juliette, it’s time. Tell me about Rosalyn Jeffries. Tell me the rest of her story.”
*****
I bite my lips together, inhaling deeply through my nose as I consider my options. Finally, I clutch the arm that he’s draped loosely around me.
“There was a progression.” I entwine my fingers with his as if securing a lifeline. “At first, Daniel was loving and kind. But slowly, he changed. I think it started with recreational drugs. His…lovemaking had always been…enthusiastic. But it got rougher. It was still okay. Until he introduced kink. Even that would probably have been okay, but when he was under the influence of whatever drug he’d taken, he stopped seeing me as his wife, as another human being, really, I think.” I shift in the water, and Leo scoops me closer, but I shimmy out of his hold and turn to face him. Memories are enough constraint for this part of the story.
“He started tying me up. First it was just my wrists, but from there he eventually bound my entire body with ropes. It didn’t matter how many times I complained about how tight they were, or how painful the positions. The ways he would bend my body to bind me. He did what he wanted. And there was always sex. While I was tied. Rough sex. In every way and place he could devise. And I was helpless to stop him or protect myself. He never heard the word ‘no’ at any pitch or volume. Later he gagged me to make sure.”
I can’t stop the tears seeping down my cheeks. “He’d leave me tied until my limbs turned blue. And he did things to my body while I was bound, that…” I close my eyes, tears leaking out the sides.
“It’s okay. I’ve heard enough,” Leo murmurs. “Thank you for sharing that with me, Juliette. I needed to hear it. You should have warned me long ago.”
As I shift to lay back against him again, I concentrate on keeping my breathing steady, allowing the ugly memories to fade away, using Leo’s strong body for support.
His kiss is as soft as falling snow. “You’ll never have to worry about that with me.”
*****
“You make we want to believe that’s true, Leo.”
“We’ve worked hard to open you up, make you feel safe and cherished. The romantic in me recognized that there was a kindred spirit somewhere in you, struggling to get out before it went out like a spent candle.”
Water recycles through the tub to keep the temperature even. It trickles from her fingertips, sliding down her arm, back into the tub. “Yes. Daniel killed me twelve years ago. Oh, he left me walking around. I didn’t know I was dead until you shoved your way into my life and refused to let me shove you back out. You saw it, you knew I was dead, and you took me on anyway. You resuscitated me, Leo, brought me back to life. I’m not one hundred percent yet, but you’re convincing me that if I trust in you and in us as a couple, I will be, someday.”
I squeeze her hand and pull her even closes against his chest. “You’re fine, Juliette. You’re strong and sure of who you are, and now you’re more complete than you were, with the potential for achieving anything you want in any area of life, including a relationship.”
“Thanks to you. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
She tilts her head back so I can kiss her. I need her kisses like I need food to eat and water to drink. I wonder if she has any idea how essential to me she is?
“I want you.” I ghost a laugh. “I said those words to you before. A lifetime ago, it seems.”
“I remember.”
“Then we were talking about sex.”
“At least I was.”
“Now I’m talking about something else.”
“Go on.”
“I want a new life. With you. The two of us together, every day, side by side.”
She’s silent for so long, I worry all the shocks she’s endured recently have taken their toll.
“You want to know if that freaks me out as much as it did when we first met.”
I nod, my cheek pressed against her temple.
“When I saw you charging Daniel, I couldn’t bear the idea that I could lose you. That freaked me out, Leo.”
“Sooo…?”
“You’ve taught me that we’re better together, stronger together. That it’s not a fairy tale.”
“Juliette—“
She turns in the bath. “Here’s the bottom line for me, Leo, and it’s a kicker. As much as I’ve fought against it, I want you, too. Every confused, stubborn, befuddled, misguided part of you. All your passion, all your pain, all your dreams, all your pragmatic reality, all your poetry. I want you.”
My hands clasp her upper arms. “Juliette, I’m not talking about a fling. I want this for the rest of our lives.”
“I know.”
“You understand what that means. You’re sure you’re ready for what that will entail?”
A giggle bubbles out of her before she can squelch it. “You darling man. That will make me happy. Ever after. That’s the one fairy tale I’ll choose to believe. You’re my Prince Charming. It’s that simple.”
“Juliette—"
Her grin is coquettish, one brow raised. “Now, let’s get out of this tub so we can discuss things properly.” She stands up and reaches for a towel.
I stand up with such alacrity, water sloshes over the side of the tub.
“Juliette. Am I hearing you correctly?”
“I don’t know. Depends on what you’re saying to me.”
“I want you to marry me, Juliette.”
“Hmm,” she muses as she hangs up her towel. “I think Mr. Romance can do better than that.”
I finish scrubbing the moisture from my body and toss the towel aside, arms outstretched.
She holds me off with one hand against my chest. “You’ll just have to keep trying.”
My hand covers hers. “Until I get it right?”
“That’s the plan.”
She curls her fingers around the base of my shaft. It instantly reaches for her, eager for contact. “Such a demanding thing,” she croons.
My hips flex, and I crush her fingers tighter around me as I begin to stroke. “Your hand needs a diamond.”
Her eyes narrow in thought. “Nooope, that’s not it. Try again.”