Finley Calloway’s House

Bel Air, California

 

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

The words hung in the air between them. Finley stared up at the house. She’d never really liked this house. It was all Norman, his idea of living the Hollywood lifestyle, and, back then, she’d wanted so desperately to please him. But it was an eyesore, and she couldn’t wait to get it out of her life.

“I want my life back, and this is the last step to do that.”

“The last step could be done by a lawyer.”

“That would take days. You heard what he said. He’d have to have papers drawn up to evict him, and then if he chose to fight, it could drag out for months. I don’t have time for that.” She glanced at Zeke. “I’ve already lost six months of my life. I don’t want to lose any more.”

He reached over and took her hand. “All right. But if this gets nasty—”

“We call the cops. I have no problem with that.”

She could tell that Zeke was uneasy with this. But he had no idea what a wimp Norman could be. He might get off on hitting women, but if she walked in there with a tall, muscular man like Zeke beside her, Norman would crumple like a paper plate laden with too much barbecue.

She took a deep breath and climbed out of the SUV, walking with all the confidence that the doctor had given back to her when she not only announced that she didn’t believe Finley was crazy, but also gave medical weight to the theory that Norman had drugged her. Of course, they couldn’t prove it was Norman, so there was nothing they could do to him. Yet, knowing that everyone believed her now was more than enough for Finley.

She just wanted him out of her house, out of her business, and out of her life.

Zeke moved up behind her, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back. She was grateful for his presence, grateful for everything he’d done for her. And she planned to tell him that later.

But she needed to do this now.

They walked right up to the front door. Stupid man hadn’t bothered to lock it.

He was in the kitchen, the sound of that stupid rap music he loved so much tipping her off. She strode down the hall, nearly at a run, so determined to get this done. She rounded the corner and found him standing between the legs of a tall, beautiful brunette’s legs.

Was it any surprise that the woman was her personal assistant?

“Hello, Norman.”

He jumped like she was a wasp, and she’d stung him. He moved so far across the kitchen that he might not have ever touched poor Zoey.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you think? It’s my house.”

“Of course,” he said, his eyes darting to Zoey before moving to Zeke. He didn’t seem pleased to see the big man standing there, nonchalantly watching the scene with his hands clasped in front of him. “I just…I heard you were going to court to have the power of attorney thrown out.”

“They threw it out, Norman. You want to know why?”

He shifted slightly. “I haven’t had my phone on. I didn’t know the case was resolved already.”

“It has been. Once the doctor told the judge that I wasn’t crazy, that the other two doctors misdiagnosed me, and that the breakdown I suffered was caused by a drug I didn’t willingly take, he had no choice but to shut the whole thing down.”

Norman’s eyes jumped to Zoey. She had jumped down off the counter and was standing to one side, trying to make herself as small of a target as possible.

“Now that I have control over my life back, I can go through with my original plan. That means you have exactly five minutes to pack your shit and get out of my house!”

Norman paled. “You can’t do that! This house is half mine!”

“No. This house was purchased in my name, remember? Besides, even if your name was on the deed, our prenup says that you leave the marriage with what you came into it with. You didn’t have a house when I met you. You were living out of that crummy little apartment that was infested with roaches.” She smiled sweetly. “Maybe it’s still available.”

Norman’s eyes darkened the way they once did when he was about to hit her. She saw his fists tightened at his sides, saw him take a threatening step forward. But that was all she saw.

Zeke moved between them, pressing his chest close to Norman.

“You better listen to the lady,” Zeke said in a low, calm voice. “Or we’ll have to call the police, and no one wants that, right?”

Norman must have nodded because Zeke backed up a little.

“And Norman?”

He glanced at Finley, his eyes still dark with anger. Maybe a little hatred, too.

“I understand three more of my scripts sold while I was…incapacitated. And you’ve collected royalties on those? I expect you to pay that back. And the salary you took for the past six months.”

“I’m entitled to that money. We have a contract,” he said between clenched teeth.

“Yes, but that contract expired the moment Jackson Chamberlain bought Tainted Water.”

“No. My lawyers wrote up a new contract.”

“And my lawyers have already filed paperwork with the court to prove that it was illegal based on the fact that you drugged me and caused my breakdown! We may not be able to press legal charges against you, but we don’t need to prove your guilt in civil court. We only need to show it was likely, and we have more than enough evidence to show that.”

The rage that crossed Norman’s face then was frightening. Almost against her will, Finley took several steps back from him even as Zeke moved between the two of them. He didn’t say a word, just stood facing Norman until he calmed down a little.

“You’re done, Norman,” she said as he finally brushed past her to go get his things. “You will never see another cent from me. And you will never work in this town again.”

It was a triumphant moment to watch him storm up the stairs like a reprimanded child. But it had been such a tense confrontation that she could feel the ache in her shoulders from the tension that had come to stay there. She’d almost forgotten about Zoey until she heard Zeke address her.

“What are you doing here, Zoey?” he asked softly, almost like a father speaking to a child.

“I don’t think I know anymore,” she said, before running out of the house.

“You know her?”

Zeke didn’t answer her right away. He was staring at the path Zoey had just taken through the house. When she touched his arm, he jumped, like she’d startled him.

“You okay?”

He slipped his arm around Finley’s shoulder. “Yeah. You okay?”

She nodded.

They waited, watching as Norman moved through the house, grabbing an odd item here or there. Finley didn’t really care what he took with him. He could take it all as far as she was concerned. All she wanted was her freedom.

And the ability to sell this monstrosity so she could forget all the terrible things that had happened within its four walls.

When he was gone, driving off in a cloud of dust and burning rubber, Zeke lifted Finley onto the counter, almost in the same exact place where Norman had had Zoey.

“How do you feel?”

“Relieved,” she said softly.

“You’re free.”

“I am.”

“What do you do now?”

“Go to Disney World?”

He smiled, but the smile quickly faded as he moved in for a kiss. She slipped her arms around his neck, remembering the doubt she’d felt in the clinic, the fear she’d had that he was just like Norman. She knew now that he wasn’t. He’d fought hard for her, and he really didn’t have to. Yet, she still felt a little bit of reluctance, this little voice telling her to be cautious.

“Can I ask you something?” she whispered after a moment.

“Anything.”

“What do you think should happen now? Between us?”

He pulled back slightly so that he could see her face. “Like, long term? Or short term?”

She shrugged. “Either.”

His eyes dropped to the floor for a moment. “I’m an addict, Finley. I lost nearly a decade of my life to drugs, and I’ve worked hard this past year trying to get something of a life back.” He was quiet for a long moment. “I can’t plan too far ahead because I don’t know where tomorrow’s going to take me. I have to live my life one day at a time.”

Something broke inside of her when she heard that, some sort of dam that had been holding back all this hope she didn’t know she’d been holding on to. She touched his bottom lip, running her thumb along the edge of it.

“One day at a time sounds good to me.”

“Are you sure?”

“I…I rushed once. I don’t want to make that mistake again.”

He touched the side of her face, running his palm slowly along her cheek. “I want to get to know you. I want to spend long afternoons talking about the weather and the last book you read and…whatever. And I want to spend a few more nights getting to know all the little nooks and crannies of this amazing body of yours.”

She smiled. “I could handle that.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “I’m positive.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked her legs around his waist. “Now take me home and have your way with me, Mr. Maxwell.”

“I thought you were home.”

She leaned back and looked around the house. “This was never home.”

 

***

 

His place wasn’t quite what she’d expected. But then again, she hadn’t expected him to take her there. She’d imagined they’d go back to her aunt’s place, but she couldn’t say that she minded.

He lived in a little apartment above a little flower shop. It was so small that it would fit in one half of the master bedroom in her monstrosity, but it was so neat that she could almost imagine they’d be able to eat off the floor without tasting a speck of dirt. He had minimal furniture, just what was necessary to be comfortable. A couch, a small television, a bed, and a nightstand. There was a set of weights in the corner of the bedroom, and half a dozen pans hanging from hooks in the kitchen ceiling. That was about it.

It was simple. Minimalistic. It was Zeke.

He drew her through the narrow living room to the bedroom, his fingers barely holding onto hers. She followed, her thighs already quivering at the thought of what was to come. She moved close to him and slipped her hand under his shirt, loving the way he caught his breath at her simple touch.

“Where are the handcuffs?”

“What?”

She smiled. “That was a little fun, don’t you think? All that handcuffing us together stuff?”

“You liked that, did you?”

“It had a certain erotic quality.”

He chuckled softly. “I could go get them.”

She stepped back, allowing him space to leave the room. And then she lifted off her dress, unceremoniously revealing to him that she was wearing nothing but a thin pair of panties underneath.

He didn’t need the handcuffs if that was what he wanted.

He picked her up and kissed her roughly, turning to press her up against the wall. It was cold against her back, but his body was warm, his heart pounding so hard she could feel it against her chest. He felt so alive! Hot breath against her throat, his pulse beating ferociously in his neck. His hands like desperate animals seeking sustenance. So much energy inside of him, so much desire. It made her ache in places she never even knew she had, let alone had ever felt come to life quite so anxiously before.

They didn’t even make it to the bed. The floor was hard and cold, but the weight of his body against hers was enough to keep her warm. It was nearly impossible to believe that she’d had doubts about this man. When he held her this way, when he touched her in such a way, when he whispered her name, she knew without a doubt that this was where she was supposed to be. It was just the absence of hope that she had distrusted. Not him. Never him.

This was her future. Slow, fast…it didn’t matter. This was where she wanted to be.