~ Barbara ~
Pulling into her driveway, Barbara immediately knew something was up. Everything on her porch had been put back into its proper place. Walking up the steps, she scanned the area with a critical eye. Several of the items were broken but someone had done an exceptional job of cleaning the place up.
The only thing out of place was a huge bunch of fresh flowers in a blue vase sitting on her welcome mat. A chill went up her spine as she realized that David had most likely been back at her place and this was his idea of a peace offering.
Stepping forward, she unlocked her door and carried the vase inside. Careful to relock the door behind her, she dropped her purse and walked through the house.
Plunking the flowers down on the kitchen table, she stepped back feeling weird about the whole situation. The flowers didn’t look like something David would have chosen for her. He was strictly a red roses kind of man. These were a nice variety of mixed, brightly colored blossoms. Staring at the little white envelope, Barbara it probably read something along the lines of making up and communicating that he was turning over a new leaf.
Taking a step back, she bit at her thumbnail as she turned the details of their last encounter over in her mind. His behavior had been appalling and frightening. Facing off with him that way had been a stupid thing to do. He might not be as big as most men, but he could really hurt a woman like her. The thought of getting tossed around like her porch furniture caused a sick feeling to churn in her stomach.
Staring at the tiny white envelope, she saw it was decorated with a light leaf design down one side. Unfortunately, she’d had enough for one day. Whatever words of contrition he’d written would just have to wait until tomorrow or, better yet, never.
Grabbing the vase, she crammed it between the wall and her sleek stainless steel trash can. Dusting her hands together, she thought if it was out of sight then it would be out of mind, at least until she could decide if she wanted to read the note at all.
Grabbing a banana and a bottle of cold water, she headed upstairs. It was getting late and a restless slumber awaited her. Elbowing her bedroom door shut behind her, she dropped her fruit and water on the nightstand, took off her college ID, and dug her cell phone out of her pocket. Naturally, the cell phone cued her to think of Jeremy Strond. The words from his text whispered through her mind, only in his voice. I was hoping to get to know you a little better. God, the man had his act together. It was refreshing to talk to someone who was upfront about what he wanted and spoke plainly, instead of playing a bunch of stupid mind games.
Pulling off her clothing, she slid into bed wearing only her bra and panties. If anything, she was a comfort first kind of gal. David had always insisted she wear sexy lingerie to bed. That was fine for special occasions, but dressing for comfort was one of life’s small luxuries and she was intent on doing just as she pleased in that regard.
Grabbing her cell phone, she checked her e-mail and social media while she ate her fruit. A handsome, scarred face kept intruding on her thoughts. He said that he’d texted her. That was impossible or she’d have gotten them. A dark thought niggled at the back of her mind.
Curiosity got the better of her, so she searched her old messages to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. That’s when she saw it. There was a verification of her blocking a number. Sitting up, she signed into the account for her cell phone. Sure enough, someone had blocked his number.
A sick feeling kicked in her gut. Since she’d never do something like that to her new acquaintance, the only other reasonable explanation was that David had done it. A migraine began throbbing on the right side of her forehead as she realized that she’d been foolish enough to use the same password for everything from her e-mail to her bank account to her cell phone account. David even knew the password to her healthstyles account. He didn’t have to be smart to try it first when hacking the rest of her accounts.
That’s how he knew how much money she made and that she’d blown through her divorce settlement. Embarrassment and humiliation warred with each other in her chest as she realized how much information that gave him on her life choices. He knew when she stopped for coffee, when she paid to live stream a movie, and even how much she paid for her Brazilian waxes.
Quickly pulling herself together, she pulled up each account on her phone one by one and began changing all her passwords for ones he’d never guess. On a whim, she used, JeremysAngel917.
Feeling empowered, she texted Jeremy.
Are you still awake Mr. Strond?
I was hoping to hear from you. How was your day?
Not anything I want to relive by talking about it.
That bad?
Yes. I figured out why I didn’t get your texts.
Phone malfunction?
No, it was an asshole ex malfunction.
How did the sneaky bastard manage that?
He hacked my phone and every damn thing else.
Well I can tell he’s working your last nerve tonight.
I locked everything down, so that shouldn’t happen again.
Clever of you to figure it out.
Ha, if I were truly clever I wouldn’t have used the same password for everything.
Crap, she realized she’d just done it again, only with a super-secret alpha-numeric combination.
A lot of people do that. I just use the same root words with different numbers.
That makes it easier to remember, I’m sure.
To a convict, numbers are everything.
You’ve been in prison??!!??
Yep, like every other dude I was innocent of the charge that earned me that conviction.
Do you mind if I ask what happened.
My twin brother was caught on a security feed robbing a liquor store. Armed robbery is a felony. When they came for him, I told them it was me. He’d have lost his mind in lock up.
That was a foolish thing to do. How is your brother going to learn anything if you protect him from the consequences of his own behavior.
I wish that I’d know you ten years ago Angel. Your advice would have been appreciated. I spent my whole life cleaning up his messes and running interference. Unfortunately, when I was serving time, there weren’t nobody on the outside to keep him out of trouble.
Don’t tell me something terrible happened to him.
He abused a young teen and the girl’s brother nailed him.
Jesus, I’m sorry about that.
I know it makes me a bad person, but I don’t know that I’m all that sorry.
I don’t understand.
Spending all those years locked up, knowing he was on the outside doing every awful thing made me realize that I didn’t really have any control of the situation with him.
We all kid ourselves that we have more control than we really do in life.
I guess it was just a matter of time before his evil circled back around to put the smack down on him.
You believe in karma?
There was a brief pause before the words began pouring out.
No. If we all got what we really deserved, my brother would have been in jail instead of me and that girl would have been safe.
You must have looked a lot like your brother for them to accept that it was you on the video feed.
We were twins.
Were you identical twins?
I don’t like that word. It implies we’re the same on the inside as well as outside. I was never anything like my brother. I only wish I’d realized that sooner.
I’m sure you did what you thought was right at the time.
I was too blind to see what he was capable of.
People have a way of getting over on us, no matter how smart we are.
You sound like someone who knows.
My husband cheated on me repeatedly. Each time, I believed him when he said it was the last.
I always pitied the poor stupid bastard for preferring whores over his own wife.
What do you know about it?
Dr. David Reynolds is an asshat. His father’s been on our club’s payroll since he moved to this town over fifty years ago.
You grew up with him?
He’s been a skirt chaser since he learned he had a willy.
It took me an minute to figure that out. I honestly thought he loved me.
David loves himself, always has and always will.
I like how you’re so plain spoken. All the beating around the bush that most men do is mentally exhausting.
Decent people appreciate honesty. Don’t let your messed-up ex make you feel bad about yourself.
I know that I’m nothing special but I don’t think I deserved to be cheated on.
It’s nothing to do with you. David was brought up with every advantage imaginable and he’s pissed it all away.
He always seemed so together that it was a little unnerving.
That’s not the David I know. The kid I knew wrapped his fancy sports car around a tree when was sixteen, got thrown out of high school for drinking, and flunked out of college once before they forced him into rehab.
How could I have been married to him for five years and not known that?
His old man was probably worried about you leaving him at the altar if you knew.
I probably would have.
Of course you would, ‘cause no sane woman is gonna sign up for life with an alcoholic narcissist.
You’re a smart man.
I read a lot while I was in lock up. I like learning.
What did you think of my class tonight…