The Wheels of Fortune (closed for DarkWarrioress)

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur Hawthorn was hardly to be seen in the city now. He did keep the townhouse near Washington Square, though; after all, there were meetings with his publisher, guest lectures, interviews, and financial matters to be addressed. There was a day when things were different, when the country home was only for getaways, a day when Emily was alive.

It was nearly six years since a drunken driver had leaped the curb and crushed the life out of her just as she stepped up the first stair to the brownstone. Another step or two, and she’d still be with him. But, no, she was gone, and there was no returning.

Emily had been the center of his life, as deeply in love with him as he was of her. And her love was beyond belief. A submissive who took charge, a slave who ruled him by anticipating his every need, his every desire, a wife whose greatest satisfaction came from pleasing him, a lover who found her pleasure in living a thousand and one personae for his pleasure. Romantic. Nurturing. Masochistic. Whatever he needed or wanted. No need to ask or order; she knew and offered herself without a word from him. The pleasures of tenderness and of pain, and all in between delighted her. To be played by him, to have him elicit sighs and cries, moans and screams in a symphony of pleasure was all she lived for. And then she was dead.

He mourned, and then sought relief in other women. Dates and escorts, for tenderness and for pain, but it was all empty; there was no replacement for his lost Emily. And so he took more and more to the secluded country lodge they had built in the Adirondacks. A half-dozen bedrooms and playrooms for their lustful games. Bridal suite and dungeon. Strip club and swimming pool. And there was the outdoors as well, secluded enough for whatever they would play.

It pained him to be there, but there was also solace in the memories each room, each tree, evoked. And it was far better than the pain of walking those stairs where she died. But still he craved to have that love again, to find another woman to be his Scheherazade.

But even a recluse needs provisions, and Arthur drove the hour to the Interstate and then another half hour or so to Plattsburgh one day every week or two for groceries and whatever else he might need. Today was such a day, a pleasantly warm spring day, and Arthur Hawthorn was on his way back to the lodge.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Tess Montgomery was driving along the desolate highway, trying to keep her thoughts at bay with little success. Why had she stayed so long? To be brutally honest with herself, she didn’t know. Her ex-husband was a brute of a man. He always found a reason to beat her every day. He demoralized her to the point where she started to feel like she deserved it. He told her that often enough. Nothing she ever did was good enough for him. The laundry. The cooking. The cleaning. Even the sex. Nothing. It got to the point where she thought she was nothing and better off dead.

​

Tess hadn’t started off this way. She graduated with honors from both high school and college. She had wanted to be a writer. It wasn’t an easy field to break into. Still, she had been undeterred and wanted to do something in the writing world or at least, something to do with that field. Then she met Bradley. He was a bit of a bad boy. Flaunted the rules. Had an I-don’t-give-a-damn-what-anyone thinks attitude. Liked to party hard. Tess thought he’d grow out of it. Unfortunately, he never did. When he had asked her to marry him, she had hesitated, but said yes in the end. She was in love and she loved what he could do to her body. He had shown her things, made her experience things she had never felt before.

At first, their marriage was everything she thought it would be. Brad doted on her. He made her feel like his queen. It was in their second year of marriage that Brad first laid hands on her and her world fell apart. It went downhill from there. He started going out more, drinking more, partying more and coming home later and later until he didn’t come home for two days. Tess had been worried sick. When he stumbled into their home, she had been livid with worry. His reply had been simple. He backhanded her across the floor and told her that what he did wasn’t any of her concern. After that, Brad always seemed to find a reason to hit her.

Eventually, while Brad was out on one of his binges, Tess packed up her things, took the money she had managed to squirrel away and left. It was six months of looking over her shoulder and moving from place to place before she felt safe enough to settle down. She found a job, an apartment and began saving her money to divorce Brad. It took her a year, but she finally had Brad served with divorce papers. Eventually, she was a free woman and she put her past behind her. It was too bad that her past refused to let her go. Two years later, here she was, on the run again. She had gotten a text message from Brad.

“I know where you are, bitch. I’m coming for you. You’re mine and you’ll always be mine.”

She knew what that meant. She was a dead woman walking. Tess, who had never been a weak woman before she met Brad, had found her strength once more. She had grown. After her experience with Brad, she felt she could handle anything that came her way. She might not have everything figured out yet, but she knew she wasn’t going back to Brad and if she stayed where she was, either he drug her back to god knows where or he would end up killing her. Tess had decided she liked living. Law enforcement was of little help. So, she packed up her things and hit the road. Again. Tess made a mental note that as soon as she settled down again, she would change her phone number. Why she hadn’t done it sooner, she didn’t know. It simply seemed unimportant compared to other priorities in her life.

Driving down the highway with her windows rolled down and music blaring from the radio, Tess didn’t hear the tire on the car blow, but she felt the flat and braked slowly, pulling the car onto the shoulder of the highway.

“Great. Just great. A flat tire, what next?” She muttered to herself as she got out and went to the rear of the car to get out the spare tire and the car jack.

It was a particularly warm day and Tess was wearing a white shirt and form fitting jeans that molded around her curvaceous ass. The last thing she wanted to be doing was changing a tire. Squatting down near the blown tire, she popped off the hub cap and tried to get the lug nuts loose to no avail. They were way too tight for her to remove. She had no car service like AAA and had no idea what to do now.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur reflected on his day as he began the drive home. It had been a good day, as most of his days were. He was a recluse, to be sure, but he was far from morose, and, though he kept mostly to himself, he was friendly to his neighbors and anyone else he met.

The only times one might notice he was troubled were those sporadic nights when he’d sit alone in one of the rooms, drinking a tumbler of Redbreast and reading Emily’s diary, He mourned the loss of her, his companion, partner, and lover; his inspiration and motivation, It was his relationship with Emily that fired his imagination, that kept him writing the tale she inspired.

He’d only written one novel since her death, and that was merely the completion of one already near finished. In the last five years, nothing. Not that he hadn’t tried. For himself. For the memory of Emily. For his publisher. A half-dozen starts; an introductory chapter or two. All promising. All undeveloped and unfinished.

He’d started his day early; he wanted to catch the grad exhibition at the University’s Fine Arts Department. There was a drawing there that caught his eye, a pen-and-ink of a young woman from behind, her back naked, leaning against a tree overlooking Lake Champlain. The asking price was $125. He decided to buy it, and went to the sales table. The student manning the table was the artist herself, and Arthur offered her some advice.

“Don’t underprice your work,” he told her. “If it’s not expensive enough, the people who buy art won’t think it’s worth anything.”

“In fact,” he added as he took out his checkbook, “I don’t want it for a dollar less than five hundred. Who should I make the check out to?”

He wrote her the check and gave her his card,

“After the exhibition bring it to The Frame Shop with my card. Tell them to call me.”

A nice lunch at one of the city’s finer restaurants, and he was off to a few specialty stores before getting his basic groceries.

He was about five miles from his exit when he spotted a deep pothole near the shoulder of the road. He steered around it, but less than a half mile farther along he saw someone who probably hadn’t managed to avoid the hazard.

There was a car pulled over on the shoulder, and a woman was standing beside it, holding a tire iron. Arthur pulled up behind her and got out.

“Could you use a hand, ma’am,” he called out.

He walked around to the passenger side to see what the problem was, and he froze in shock. It was the front wheel, the tire torn and flat around it, turned at an odd angle. He paled as he saw the front steps of the townhouse, the car up the steps, the tire blown out and the wheel twisted, the same as he saw now. He barely managed to shake himself out of the horrible vision before he saw Emily crushed under the car.

“It’s a lot more serious than a flat, ma’am” he stammered. “I’ll call a tow truck. There’s a good garage at the next exit.”

He took a deep breath and his first good look at the woman. She was beautiful and shapely, but he tried to hide his reaction; he didn’t want to discomfort her. Still he felt something odd in himself, something about her. As he introduced himself, he looked in her eyes and saw traces of fear and worry, but strength and resolve as well.

“My name is Arthur,” he said as he extended his hand. “Arthur Hawthorn. I live a ways off the next exit.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Tess heard the crunch of gravel behind her. Someone was stopping and hopefully helping her. She turned from the side of the car, tire iron in hand and saw a man get out of his car.

“Could you use a hand, ma’am?”

The sound of a male voice made her body automatically tense. Silently she cursed. Would she never get over that reaction to a male? She willed herself to relax and grinned ruefully. When had she become a “ma’am”? She knew it was just a simply show of respect, however. It just smacked her as funny is all.

“I could, yes. I can’t seem to get lug nuts off this tire.”

She saw him pale and briefly wondered at it.

“Are you alright, Sir?”

“It’s a lot more serious than a flat, ma’am. I’ll call a tow truck. There’s a good garage at the next exit.”

Tess bit her lip hearing that. She was mentally calculating if she could afford to have it fixed and still have enough money to survive when she got to wherever it was she was going.

“Thank you,” she stammered, “I’m in your debt, Sir.”

“My name is Arthur. Arthur Hawthorn. I live a ways off the next exit.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hawthorn. My name is Tess. Tess Montgomery.”

She slid her hand into his extended one and grasped it firmly, giving it a brief shake. She steeled herself not to jerk her hand away from his and simply let it slide free. She took the tire iron to the back of the car and tossed it in the trunk before leaning against the side of the car, worry filling her eyes briefly, then lit up with hope. Maybe she could find a job in the town where her car was being towed to.

Tess had gotten use to things popping up randomly in her life over the last two years, if anything, she had learned to simply go with the flow and just keep moving forward. So, maybe this was, in some ways, where she was supposed to be. For whatever reason. Hopefully, it was far enough away from Brad. As for a job, she could turn her hand to almost anything. Desperation did that to a person. She had worked in a bar, as a waitress, a painter, even a housekeeper. Tess had done whatever she needed to do to keep a roof over her head and food in her belly. Maybe this kind gentleman, who had stopped and was trying to help her, would know if there were any jobs available in town. Tess, stood up straight and turned her head to address him in a polite and easy manner.

“Excuse me, Mr. Hawthorn? Would you happen to know if there are any jobs available in town, by any chance?”

As she studied him, something tickled in the back of her mind. He looked vaguely familiar, but she just couldn’t place him. She was sure they had never met before but maybe she had seen a picture of him from someplace? The more she tried to grasp at it, the more elusive it became.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“Just a minute, Ms. Montgomery,” he said, “let me call the tow truck first.”

As he waited for someone to answer at the garage, Arthur thought. And first of all he thought it odd that a woman he just met, a stranger he stopped to help with her car, would start things off with a job search. He wondered what her reasons would be. Most likely, she’s trying to get away from something or someone. She could be a criminal, perhaps she’s stolen from her employer and is looking for a place to hide. Maybe a drug dealer eluding the police who found her out. An abused woman trying to escape a pychopathic partner. A tenant skipping out on the rent. A streetwalker escaping from her pimp. In debt to the mob, perhaps. There were many possibilities, Arthur thought, and each one of them could be the kernel of a story.

“Hello, Gus?” Arthur said as his call was answered. “I have someone here who needs a tow. She’s wrecked her front passenger wheel on a washout on 87. We'e about four miles from your exit, and the washout’s about a half-mile before here. Okay. See you soon.”

“The truck should be here in a few minutes,” he said turning back to Tess. “Now, about jobs . . .”

“Tourist season is coming up,” he continued, “and there’s usually a lot of jobs available. Most of them are already filled, though, by high school and college kids looking for some summer money. The restaurants - the better ones - might be worth considering; they prefer to have more mature and responsible staff. If you’re interested, I can give you a list.”

He decided not to press her about her reasons; no sense in making her uncomfortable.

“It’s a nice area to settle in,” he added. “The people around here are friendly and nice. The scenery is great, and there are a lot of things to do all year ‘round.”

The tow truck pulled up then, and a man in greasy overalls jumped out.

“Hi, Mr. Hawthorn,” he said as he shook Arthur’s hand. “Good to see you. I saw the washout and pot a warning flag there. Notified the DOT too.”

“Good, Gus,” Hawthorn replied, “and this is Ms. Montgomery. It’s her car that’s damaged.”

He walked around and took a look at the damage.

“It certainly doesn’t look good,” he said, and then whispered to Arthur. “Not like Ms. Montgomery. She looks real good.”

Turning back to Tess, he continued. “Just how bad I won’t know until I get ‘er up on the lift. We’ll see.”

Gus then went to work hitching up Tess’s car to the tow.

“C’mon,” Arthur said to Tess, “I’ll give you a ride to the garage.”

There were a few things going on in Arthur’s mind right then, One was Tess’s looks; yes, she was good-looking. Exceptionally good looking. Another was the mystery about her: what was she running from and why would she think it’d be safe for her here. And lastly, but perhaps most heavily, was her car. Why did it have the exact same damage as the car that killed Emily? Was there something other than coincidence in having it happen here, and apparently, for him?

It was only a few minutes to Gus’s Gas and Garage, and Arthur pulled in while Gus unhitched Tess’s car.

“The lift’s in use now,” Gus explained; “it’ll be about an hour before I can get a look. Do you folks want to wait.”

“Sure,” agreed Arthur; it would give him an excuse to find out more about Tess. “But can I plug my car fridge in? I’ve got some groceries I don’t want to go bad.”

“That is, if you’re okay with that,” he said to Tess. “There's a place across the road where we can get a coffee or cold drink and chat while we wait.”

Just then a State Trooper pulled into the garage.

“Hello Mr. Hawthorn,” the Trooper said cheerfully as he got out of the car. “Gus called me about the accident. I have to make a report for the records. Besides, if the DOT’s at fault, they’ll pay for the repairs.”

“Thanks, Charlie,” Arthur said, “This is the car’s owner, Ms. Tess Montgomery.”

What a convenience, Arthur thought; now he might find out just what she was up to.

“Tess Montgomery? Red hair?” the Trooper stated. “We’ve had a Missing Person’s Report on you from New Hampshire. Your husband filed it. Are you okay?”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“Just a minute, Ms. Montgomery, let me call the tow truck first.”

Tess bit her lip again. Damn her impatience. She went silent and waited for him to make the call. She listened as he spoke with someone named Gus. After the call was complete, they waited for the tow truck and he advised her.

“Tourist season is coming up and there’s usually a lot of jobs available. Most of them are already filled, though, by high school and college kids looking for some summer money. The restaurants - the better ones - might be worth considering; they prefer to have more mature and responsible staff. If you’re interested, I can give you a list.”

“Yes, thank you. I’d appreciate it.”

She shifted on her feet uncomfortably. She felt bad asking and if she hadn’t been in need of the money, considering her current state of finances, she would have kept her mouth shut. A total stranger had stopped to change her tire and they found the situation was worse than just that. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Tess looked down at her feet as she listened to Mr. Hawthorn. It wasn’t long before the tow truck pulled up and the two men were shaking hands.

“….this is Ms. Montgomery. It’s her car that’s damaged.”

Tess looked up in time to see Gus walk around her car to check out the tire.

“It certainly doesn’t look good.”

Tess’ heart sank. Yep. She was going to have to stay in town awhile and get a job. While Gus was hooking up her car, Mr. Hawthorn was being friendly again.

“C’mon, I’ll give you a ride to the garage.”

She got in his car and shut the door. After Mr. Hawthorn joined her and started up his car, she started to breathe heavy and Tess kept telling herself that it was alright. She was alright. Her hands began to shake so she clasped them tightly together. She hadn’t been this close to another man since…..

They were in town before she knew it. Getting out of the car, she heard Gus say that the lift was in use and remembered he had said that he wouldn’t know how much damage was done until he got it up on the lift. She was brought out of her thoughts when Mr. Hawthorn spoke again.

“That is, if you’re okay with that. There's a place across the road where we can get a coffee or cold drink and chat while we wait.”

“That’s fine, but you don’t have to wait with me. You’ve been so helpful already.”

Just as he was hooking up car fridge, law enforcement pulled up and an officer got out of his car, greeting Mr. Hawthorne. Tess listened with only half her attention and probably not even that much.

“Thanks, Charlie. This is the car’s owner, Ms. Tess Montgomery.”

Hearing her name, she glanced up.

“Tess Montgomery? Red hair? We’ve had a Missing Person’s Report on you from New Hampshire. Your husband filed it. Are you okay?”

Tess paled. Significantly. The world around her started to spin and she felt like she was going to faint. Brad. That son of a….

She managed to stand tall, taking a deep breath. Damn Brad to hell. Leave it to him to She looked at the trooper as if Arthur Hawthorne wasn’t even there.

“You mean my ex-husband? We’ve been divorced for two years now. I’m fine, Officer and I’d appreciate it if he wasn’t told where I am. If you care to run a check, I have a standing restraining order against him. May I speak with you in private for just a moment?”

She turned to Mr. Hawthorne and spoke softly, “Will you excuse us for just a moment? This won’t take long. I can meet you inside after I speak with the Officer.”

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur looked at Charlie and nodded. The trooper understood and acknowledged the sign; he was to take Tess seriously and not pull any of that “little lady” crap with her. Off to the café, then, and a large cappuccino while he waited for Ms. Montgomery.

“What’s up?” asked Alice from behind the counter. “It looks like Charlie’s questioning that redhead, Mr. Hawthorn.”

“There’s no problem, Alice,” Arthur replied. “She hit a washout on the 87 just north of here. Charlie has to report it. I guess he’s getting the details from her. I stopped to help her out.”

He didn’t mention the other issue, the reason Ms. Montgomery was on the highway to begin with.

Yes, Ms. Montgomery, on the run from an abusive husband - a long-divorced husband, an ex- with a standing restraining order. What was wrong with the world that she’d have to run from him; he was the problem.

Now he understood her need for a job; she needed money to keep away from him, she needed a safe place to stay. Arthur had an idea. She had to be here to wait for her car anyway; why not invite her to use one of his guest rooms. They hadn’t been used in over six years, but he was sure he could get it in order quickly enough for her. Maybe that was why she was here, why her car looked like that. She needed help, Arthur’s help. Maybe fortune and fate had sent her to him.

He sipped his coffee while he waited for her to finish with Charlie.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Tess finished speaking with the state trooper. She gave him an abridged version of her married life with her ex and how she was seriously worried about him finding her. She fished out her phone and showed him the latest text message she had received from him. The trooper read it, handed her back her phone and advised her to change her phone number asap and get a private number. Tess took back her phone, placing it in her hip pocket, nodding and telling him that as soon as she secured a job, she’d be doing just that. The two shook hands and Tess turned and headed into meet Aruther Hawthorne. She located him easily enough. She slid into the booth and a waitress came around to take her order. Tess ordered a coffee with cream. After the waitress left, Tess turned her attention to Arthur.

“Thank you again, Mr. Hawthorn. I appreciate kindness you’ve extended towards me. I guess you’re wondering about all that,” she nodded toward the window and the state trooper who was getting into his car, “My ex-husband is a, well, there’s no polite way to say this, a dick. He started off differently, then gradually, after we got married, he changed.”

Tess paused as the waitress came back with her coffee and creamer. She thanked the woman and stirred creamer into her coffee.

“So, to make a long, horrid, story short, I fled. I moved somewhere and began my life over. I divorced the prick and now, it seems he wants me back. I told the trooper I don't want him to know where I am and this latest stunt of his, is just another way of him trying to get his way."

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Charlie was a good trooper and a good man. He ran a background check on Tess’s ex and verified the permanent restraining order, and also that the man had a record of domestic violence. He contacted the New Hampshire state police, and they immediately withdrew the missing person alert and informed the DA of Brad’s violation of the restraining order. He’d let Tess and Arthur know about it later.

“Well,” Arthur said, “I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had - have - such troubles. I understand why you’re looking for a job. I’ll make a list of places you can try. As I said, there might not be anything open.”

His writer’s mind kicked into gear then, and he wondered just what it was like for a woman to be trying to escape an abusive relationship with a persistent and dangerous stalker. It wasn’t a story he would - or could - write, he did want to know.

“I guess you’d be looking for something that didn’t need references; your ex might find you through past employers.”

Yes, he did want to know more. Not just about her life, but why her life had brought her to him. The car, again, the car that evoked that image. Was it coincidence or fate? And then there was Tess herself, an attractive woman, a very attractive woman, but more as well. There was something about her that appealed to Arthur, something that he sensed. Character? Definitely: it showed in her face and in her story. But more, a sensuality, a sensuality that showed in her voice, in her hands as she lifted her cup, in the way her eyes looked at people and things.

They chatted for a while about job possibilities and this part of the Adirondacks - the climate, the people, and such, and then Gus came in.

“Well, we had ‘er up on the lift,” he said as he sat down next to Arthur, “I’m afraid the news isn’t good. The whole front assembly on the passenger side needs to be rebuilt. I can keep the cost down if I can find used parts, but still, it’ll cost about $2000. I’ll need a few days to find the parts. I can get new ones, but that’ll take a day or two anyway and up the cost a couple of hundred.”

Arthur figured that would be quite a hardship for Tess, maybe even an impossibility.

“Go ahead with whatever Ms. Montgomery wants,” Arthur said before Tess could respond. “Put in on my bill, Gus. She’ll pay me later.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Arthur, bless his heart, was trying not to pry and Tess was appreciative of that fact. He had again offered to make her a list of places to check into for jobs.

“I guess you’d be looking for something that didn’t need references; your ex might find you through past employers.”

Tess nodded, “I would prefer that but, if they need references I’ll give them. My old bosses know the situation and they wouldn’t give Brad the time of day.”

Gus came in and sat down next to Mr. hawthorn and by the look on his face, it wasn’t going to be pretty. Tess braced herself.

“Well, we had ‘er up on the lift, I’m afraid the news isn’t good. The whole front assembly on the passenger side needs to be rebuilt. I can keep the cost down if I can find used parts, but still, it’ll cost about $2000. I’ll need a few days to find the parts. I can get new ones, but that’ll take a day or two anyway and up the cost a couple of hundred.”

Tess paled. Significantly. That was about all the money she had left. She was about to tell Gus something when Mr. Hawthorn spoke up.

“Go ahead with whatever Ms. Montgomery wants, put in on my bill, Gus. She’ll pay me later.”

Tess almost jumped up, shouting NO but she controlled herself and looked directly at Gus. Keeping her voice soft and steady.

“What Ms. Montgomery wants is to ask you if you’ll hold my car, please, Gus. My priority after securing a job and a place to live, is to get you paid off for all your trouble.”

She then turned to Mr. Hawthorn and explained.

“Thank you, Mr. Hawthorn. Again, I appreciate your offer of generous help but no thank you. $2000.00 is a lot of money to loan someone you just met on the road. I will pay Gus myself if he doesn’t mind holding my car until I do. I hope you understand.”

If she had been someone else, maybe it would have been easy to accept his generosity. Aside from having learned to be totally independent, she was also stubborn as a mule. After Brad, she swore never to depend on a man again. You just never know how or when they will want to be paid back. Her thoughts may have been unreasonable, but the experience with Brad still haunted her. Scars ran deep and some, quite visible. Sometimes, you just had to have faith in human nature. Unfortunately, Tess little to no faith in the male gender.

Tess was confident enough to be able to secure a job. She had a degree in bookkeeping and surely, someone around here needed one. She just had to find them.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“If you say so, Ms. Montgomery,” agreed Gus, “but you’ll have to come and sign some papers. And get in touch with your insurance company. Maybe they’ll get the DOT to pay for the repairs.”

“My apologies,” Arthur said after Gus left, “I didn’t mean to offend you with my offer. And it wasn’t really charity; I did expect you to pay me back.”

He was impressed with Tess’s independence, but wondered how she ended up with an abusive husband. Those psychopaths can be very charming, but it seems too charming; most people would be leery of them. Perhaps Tess had some hidden vulnerabilities, an undercurrent of submissiveness, that enabled him to manipulate her. No matter, he was growing fonder of her and growing ever more curious about the coincidence of the front ends. He wanted to know more about both, about the coincidence and about the woman.

He took a sip of his cappuccino and looked Tess in the eye.

“It’s fine to be independent,” he said, “but there are few rentals in this area, and the motels are starting their high season for the tourists. And jobs are spread out here; almost everyone needs a car to get to work. The town is small, and the restaurants and such are all over the place. Even if you found a place to live, it wouldn’t likely be in walking distance of your job.”

He paused for another sip of his drink and to consider if he should offer her any more help. He did come up with an idea.

“I live alone, Ms. Montgomery,” he began. “I do have hired help. House keepers once a month, gardeners once a week. I do the rest myself It’s not much, but I get tired of it- laundry, daily cleaning, cooking, bills to pay - you know, the mundane things of life. I wouldn’t mind a bit of short-term relief, so how about we make a little deal. You help me out with the day-to-days, let’s say about ten hours a week, and you get one of my guest rooms, meals, and use of my SUV. All just until you’re on your feet. It’ll be a bit of a vacation for me, and a useful situation for you. No charity, no hidden obligations - just a straight-forward deal. What do you say?”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“If you say so, Ms. Montgomery, but you’ll have to come and sign some papers. And get in touch with your insurance company. Maybe they’ll get the DOT to pay for the repairs.”

Tess nodded, “Will do, Gus. I’ll be over as soon as I finish my coffee…. and maybe a sandwich,” she added as an afterthought, “it would be nice if DOT would pay for it, but I’m probably not that lucky.”

Gus left and that left her and Mr. Hawthorn to talk.

“My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you with my offer. And it wasn’t really charity; I did expect you to pay me back.”

“No. No. You didn’t offend me, Mr. Hawthorn. Truly. It’s just that, that’s a lot of money and I don’t feel comfortable accepting a loan from someone I do not even know. Then again, I have always had a problem accepting a loan even from people I do know.”

As Tess listened, she flagged down their waitress and asked for a ham and Swiss on wheat.. with French fries. Not exactly healthy but what the heck.

“I live alone, Ms. Montgomery. I do have hired help. Housekeepers once a month, gardeners once a week. I do the rest myself It’s not much, but I get tired of it- laundry, daily cleaning, cooking, bills to pay - you know, the mundane things of life. I wouldn’t mind a bit of short-term relief, so how about we make a little deal. You help me out with the day-to-days, let’s say about ten hours a week, and you get one of my guest rooms, meals, and use of my SUV. All just until you’re on your feet. It’ll be a bit of a vacation for me, and a useful situation for you. No charity, no hidden obligations - just a straight-forward deal. What do you say?”

Tess gave it a little thought as the waitress brought her, her sandwich. Tess dug as if she was starving, which is what it felt like. How long ago had she last eaten? She couldn’t remember. She had just wanted to put as many miles between her and Brad as she could. That meant stopping for gas, using the bathroom and maybe, just maybe spending a little of her savings for a small bite to eat.

What Mr. Arthur Hawthorn was proposing sounded like a life saver. Bartering services, she could handle and if things were as he said they were she had no reason to doubt him. Realizing that almost everyone they had come in contact with today, knew him and appeared to be on good terms with him. That said a lot. She set her coffee cup down on the table and stretched out her right hand.

“You have a deal, Mr. Hawthorn and please, call me Tess.”

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Hawthorn shook Tess’s hand, saying, “and please call me Arthur.”

Tess finished her sandwich and coffee, then, and as they rose to leave, Alice came over with the bill.

“I’ll take it, Alice,” he said, and then turned to Tess. “It’s a business lunch. My treat.”

He left a good tip for the waitress, and then followed Tess back across the road to Gus’s. He waited for her to come out of the office after signing the papers for Gus to hold the car and repair it when Tess gave him the go-ahead. Tess retrieved her things from her car and loaded them into Arthur’s SUV

Arthur unplugged the car fridge and started the vehicle.

“My lodge is about an hour from here, Tess,” he explained as they crossed the highway and continued along the local road.

“You’d probably like to know a bit more about me,” he declared, “so I’ll tell you.”

He gave her the bare outline of himself - a writer, a widower - with just enough details to make sense. He already knew the basics of her, at least recent, life, but was hoping to learn more, to try to figure out what the connection to him might be.

“Don’t be intimidated,” he said as they pulled up to his enormous lodge. “I only use a few of the rooms; you won’t have to take care of the whole place.”

“There’s twenty-four rooms in all,” he continued. “I’ll show you around once you’re settled in.”

Arthur carried some of her stuff upstairs with her, and led her to one of the guest rooms. Well, actually a guest suite. There was a spacious bedroom with a king-size bed, dressers, and all; a sitting room with a large flat-screen television on the wall, a sofa and armchairs, coffee table, and desk; and a full bath with walk-in shower.

“I’ll leave you her to get settled. I have to get the groceries away. I’ll be downstairs when you’re finished.”

Arthur thought about Tess while he took care of the groceries. It was nice to have someone around the lodge again, he thought, maybe it was time for him to get back into the world. And she did have a nice walk, naturally graceful. And where did that thought come from, he pondered. Everything away, he retreated to the living room with a tumbler of Redbreast to await her return.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“Done.”

Tess smiled and finished up her meal. The waitress came by with the check and Tess started to reach in her pocket.

“I’ll take it, Alice. It’s a business lunch. My treat.”

She removed her hand from her pocket. There were battles to die on the hill for and others, not so much. This one she could let go of even though something inside of her cringed a little.

“Thank you, Arthur,” she spoke softly.

She knew her eyes were guarded but there was little she could do about that. Tess got up and waited while he left a tip and then they both headed over to Gus’ garage. Going inside, she found Gus, following him to his small office and sat down to fill out the necessary paperwork. She asked Gus to let her know what DOT said about paying for the necessary repairs. He reassured her that he would. Tess left the garage with a handful of papers and got into Arthur’s SUV.

So, after they left town and headed toward Arthur’s home, he told her a bit more about himself. She listened attentively but didn’t offer anything about herself. Besides, they had just pulled up at his home and Tess stared in awe through the SUV’s window.

“Don’t be intimidated. I only use a few of the rooms; you won’t have to take care of the whole place.”

She blinked. Well then, thank heavens for small mercies, she thought to herself.

“There’s twenty-four rooms in all. I’ll show you around once you’re settled in.”

“Tweeenty-four rooms?” Tess stuttered as she followed Arthur into the lodge, as he called it.

The room he showed her to, the room that she would be occupying for the duration of her employment with him, was… incredible. She couldn’t have afforded something like this even in her dreams. She was still looking around when Arthur spoke up.

“I’ll leave you to get settled. I have to get the groceries away. I’ll be downstairs when you’re finished.”

“Of course. This won’t take me long. I’ll join you shortly.”

He left and headed downstairs. Tess stood in the middle of the room, still looking around then shook her head and got busy. Putting her things away, she set out a change of clothes on the bed and moved into her bathroom for a quick shower. The hot water felt fabulous on her weary body. She leaned against a wall and let the water beat down on her skin. For now, at least, though wary, she did feel a measure of safety. For now. Knowing Brad, he wasn’t going to stop. Pushing off the wall, she scrubbed her body, rinsed off and shit off the shower before reaching for a nice, warm fluffy towel. Drying off quickly, Tess headed for the bedroom and her clothes. She had chosen simply. A flowered skirt, a flowing, gauzy blouse and a pair of flat shoes. A quick brush of her hair and she headed downstairs to join her new boss.

She found Arthur in the living room with a drink. She smiled slightly as she joined him. Her eyes didn’t seem quite so haunted and at the same time, defiant, now.

“Arthur, you spoil me. My room is wonderful. Thank you,“ she went to sit on the sofa, gently folding her skirt under her legs.

“Also, I’m sorry about that little mess with the state trooper. My ex just doesn’t know when to stop. We’ve been officially divorced for two years now. You would think he would have moved on with his life by now.”

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur listened to Tess and then put his drink down.

“Why don’t I give you a quick tour and then we can sit and talk,” he said as he stood up.

“You’ve seen the living room now,” he observed, “and, yes, the fireplace does work. It’s very cosy in the colder weather.”

He tilted his head towards the massive stone fireplace.

They left the livingroom and toured the dining room and then the kitchen. A three-and-a-half by seven foot oak table with chairs centered the modern appliances and traditional cabinets. Off to one side were a storeroom and a laundry room.

“I eat in the kitchen sometimes, but mostly I take my meals in the breakfast room.” he said as he led her through a doorway from the kitchen. “I think you can see why.”

The room was at the back of the lodge and furnished with a table for up to six guests, but its defining feature was the wall of glass that offered a view of a forest-ringed lake. From there they entered an adjoining exercise room, complete with apparatuses. Then there was the pool.

An indoor/outdoor pool, thirty feet long and glass-enclosed, also faced on the lake, and opened to a large wooden deck with stairs leading to a path to a beach. Back inside, he showed her a media room and an office. There was a game room, too, with bar, pool table, and more, The tour ended with the study, a large, very-well appointed space, with fifteen-foot high bookshelf- and art- lined walls, large mahogany desk, and dark brown leather sofa and chairs.

“There’s another guest suite like yours, but a bit smaller, upstairs, and there’s a visitors’ half-bath on this floor,” he said as they returned to the living room, “and a number of other rooms that aren’t in use. You’ll find the doors to them locked. Other than those rooms,” he noted, “you can have the run of the house, including the pool and the fitness room.”

He motioned to the chair she had sat in earlier.

“Can I get you something to drink while we sit and talk?”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“Why don’t I give you a quick tour and then we can sit and talk.”

“Sure.”

Tess got up and let Arthur show her around his home. The more she saw, the more she was in awe. This place was huge. Who was he, exactly? Her mind kept tickling at her but the more she tried to remember, the further away the answer seemed to get. Tess just had a feeling she should know him somehow.

“I eat in the kitchen sometimes, but mostly I take my meals in the breakfast room. “I think you can see why.”

The view from the breakfast room was breathtaking. She could only imagine what it looked like first thing in the morning as the sun came up over the trees, shining down on the lake, making it sparkle. She found herself impatient to see it for herself.

“…and a number of other rooms that aren’t in use. You’ll find the doors to them locked….”

“So, you won’t be needing them to be tidied up from time to time then.”

She was simply seeking clarification as she pulled her eyes from the view as they moved on. Tess made note of the office since she would be doing some work for him in there as well. Their tour ended back where they started and Arthur motioned for her sit down again.

“Can I get you something to drink while we sit and talk?”

“A Kentucky bourbon if you have it, please. Neat,” she added as she sat back and waited for her boss.

If the man didn’t have a fine Kentucky bourbon in his bar, she’d be mightily surprised. He seemed to enjoy refinements. She studied him as he went to get her drink. Here was a man who had money, not that that mattered to her. Money was nice to have, but it wasn’t the begin all, end all of everything. Yes, it certainly made your life easier but when you had so much of it that you had nothing to strive for, what good was it? To her, it was something to get up and work for and towards.

Tess looked around her. She could too easily get used to being here, but she would have to keep reminding herself that this was only temporary. Arthur was a generous man, sharing his home and car with her. She could never take that for granted. She could almost forget about Brad. Almost. Tess was smart enough to know that she couldn’t let her guard down. If she did, she’d find Brad back in her face again and she couldn’t take the chance of endangering Arthur as well. Also, there was a part of her that didn’t trust Arthur. All this seemed too good to be true. She couldn’t help but wonder what interior motive he might have, if any. No one was this nice, this good, without expecting something. Granted, she was going to be working for him, but that seemed so trivial compared to what he was doing for her. Ten hours a week still left her with time to get a part-time job in town, provided she could find one, to make some money to pay off Gus and get her car back. If the Universe smiled down on her, DOT would pay for her repairs and she wouldn’t have to worry so much about making some cash.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur froze as Tess named her drink. “Kentucky bourbon neat” was Emily’s drink. The blood drained from his face for the second time since he met this woman, and in that instant, a whole evening with Emily flew through his mind.

The note said to meet her in the game room, and that’s where he found her. She was sitting at the card table, a bottle of bourbon and a tumbler beside her. She wore a red silk Oriental-style dress, a slit on the side that reached to her hip and the top three buttons undone. Red heels, black nylons, and make-up like a 1940s floozie completed the look. Arthur was ready and willing, as always, to join in her little play.

A bottle of his favorite, Redbreast, was on the bar with an empty tumbler. He took a seat and poured himself a drink. She leaned forward to give him a glimpse of her breasts and then sat back, crossing her legs with enough of a flourish for him to see what she wasn’t wearing underneath her dress. She looked him in the eyes, picked up her tumbler, and threw a double back.

Emily slammed the glass down on the table, her eyes still burning into his, and declared that a real gentleman would pour a drink for a lady. Arthur rose from his stool with his drink and stepped up to the table. He poured another double into her glass and then raised his glass towards her. She picked up hers and threw back the double as he threw back his in a toast “to a real lady.”

Then he leaned over, wrapped his hands around her waist, and lifted her to her feet for a kiss, hard and hot, on her scarlet lips. As he kissed, he lifted her farther to sit on the edge of the table. His hands left her waist, then, and took hold of the plackets of the partly open top of her dress. A quick yank, and the dress top was down over her shoulders, down to her elbows, pinning her arms against her sides. He broke the kiss and laid her back on the table. A quick unzipping and an even quicker flip of the dress to open a path for his cock to drive into her pussy.

His hands found her breasts and began roughly kneading them as his hips pumped him back and forth inside her. He could feel her body begin to tremble, and he grasped her nipples between thumbs and forefingers, yanking on them to pull her upright. Another kiss as her breasts now pressed against the smooth silk of his suit jacket, He felt her hands, bound at her elbows, reach out and hold him by the waist as they both came.

He snapped out of the reverie in an instant, and the color, as well as a smile, rose in his face.

“I’m afraid there’s only two choices, Tess,” he said as he got up, “Maker’s Mark 101 and Weller’s 12 Year. Which would you prefer?”

As he waited for her reply, he remembered a third, a bottle of Eagle Rare 17 Year that he bought as a present for the birthday that Emily never had. A wave of sadness washed over his face on the way to the liquor cabinet.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

If Tess hadn’t been studying Arthur, she would have missed it. The sudden loss of color in his face as if he had just seen a ghost. Oh, it came and went fast enough. However, Tess was studying him because he piqued her curiosity. Why was he being so nice to her? Was he like this with everyone he meets?

“I’m afraid there’s only two choices, Tess, Maker’s Mark 101 and Weller’s 12 Year. Which would you prefer?”

“Both of them are excellent, let’s go with Weller 12 Year.”

She wouldn’t have known either of them except for the fact she had spent some time as a bartender in Kentucky. She had escaped to Kentucky about a year after leaving Brad. Thinking back, she turned her hands to quite a few different jobs in those two years. Oh, how she wished she had been able to put down roots again, but Brad simply wouldn’t leave her alone. She could have stopped running, but she knew her ex-husband, if he couldn’t have her, nobody would. He was so convinced that she belonged to him. She knew he was hoping that he could charm his way back into her life as he always had before.

That haunted look that had entered Arthur’s eyes for a moment. She had seen that look once before and it was when he looked at her car, broken down. He was quick to cover it up. Tess wondered what put it there in the first place. Some tragedy, she supposed.

He mentioned being a writer. A wry grin crept onto her lips. The only thing she had been able to write with any regularity was in a private journal she kept. She had wanted to be a writer herself at one point in her younger years. Fate apparently had other plans for her. Now, she wasn’t sure what the hell Fate was up to.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur had regained his composure by the time he returned with a bottle and a tumbler for Tess. He put the glass on the table and filled it with a double. He hadn’t asked her how much; it was a long-lost habit that resurfaced. His mind turned to Emily again, but he quickly dispelled the image.

He sat and freshened his own drink. He looked up at Tess and commented to hmself on how attractive she looked - maybe felt was a better word - to him. There was something familiar about her, though he couldn’t have ever met her before, something that made her seem at home here in his living room. He thought back to the car and to her drink and wondered again if it was coincidence or was fate and fortune up to something. He decided he needed to know, to understand, more.

“So that’s the quick tour, Tess,” he said. “I don’t expect you to do much. Dusting, maybe a bit of vacuuming, neaten up rooms I’ve used, mostly the study. The dishes too, and there is a dishwasher, of course, and the laundry. I’ll take care of the master bedroom. I do cook, and you can eat with me if you want. If you prefer, you can do your own meals. If you do decide to join me for meals, I’d be happy if you cooked sometimes. I did mention the household expenses, but I wouldn’t expect that unless you end up staying a long time.”

He paused for a sip of Redbreast and realized he actually had felt he’d like her to stay a long time.

“Now,” he concluded, “ask any questions you have, and then we can discuss job possibilities around here for you.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“Thank you.”

She offered as Arthur handed her, her drink. Lifting the glass to her nose, she inhaled the bouquet, getting the scent of vanilla, caramel and oak. She tossed it back and put her glass down. She could taste the caramel and the vanilla as the drink slid down her throat. The drink was well balanced. Tess felt the heat slide through her or rather the warmth, with a hint of heat, at least to her palate. For a moment, she let her head rest against the back of the chair, enjoying the aftermath. After a moment or two, she lifted her head and smiled at Arthur.

“To answer you first, I would not be averse to sharing meals with you, Arthur or even taking turns cooking. That only seems fair for both of us. It does get rather lonely eating alone. As for household expenses, as soon as I can secure a part-time job I plan on chipping in on the expenses. Of course, I’m not sure how much I can contribute but I will help. Questions. There’s not many I can think of, but the office work you’d like me to do. Is there any particular time you’d like to see that done? I don’t want to be in your way and do you require me to not be in the office when you are? As to the cooking, is there anything you don’t care to eat?”

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur was pleased to see Tess savor her bourbon. So far he had only seen the practical, business-like side of her; no her sensual side was emerging. His mind wandered for a moment from the task at hand into speculation about what other experiences she savored as much as the bourbon. Certainly there was something in her that found pleasure in extremes; there always is in women who marry abusers. The roughness excites them, but then the complete self-centeredness of their partners overrides everything. There was more story to be had in that part of her life, but there also would be time to read it.

Arthur laughed lightly.

“I’m pretty much amenable to all sorts of food. I’m always willing to try something new. I will say, though,” he added, “I’m not particularly fond of tofu in any form. Aside from that, I’m good to go with whatever you might make.”

He finished his drink and stood up.

“Let’s go back to the office, then,” he said as he offered her his hand.

He held her hand even after she got up, even as they started towards the office. It felt good to hold a woman’s hand again; it had been over two years since he had been even this intimate with a woman. The thought made him a bit self-conscious, and he released her hand as they exited the living room.

As they arrived at the office, he opened the door and unconsciously placed the flat of his hand, fingers outstretched, on the small of Tess’s back.

“Go ahead,” he urged, his handing pressing firmly to guide, not push, her forward.

Once inside he took his hand from her back and waved over the desk.

“See?” he asked, “just a mess. I’m good at paying the bills, but terrible at filing. I force myself to do it once a month before the cleaning staff come so they can take care of the office.”

“There is a filing system,” he said as he opened the top drawer on a two-drawer oak filing cabinet. I can show that to you when you want to get started.”

He closed the drawer and turned fully towards Tess.

“I don’t spend much time in here,” he explained. “I’m only in for business. My real work is in the study. That’s where I write. When I do write, that is. I’m afraid I haven’t been very productive for quite a while.”

He sighed heavily; it was obviously an important issue for him.

“Let’s go back to the living room for another drink,” he said, cheering up significantly. “You can tell me about your knowledge, skills, and abilities, as they say, and I’ll draw up a list of places worth trying. You can look on line as well, and there are a few agencies in the area.”

His hand was on her back, guiding her out as they left the office.

“Lead on, Tess,” he declared as he closed the door. “You know the way now.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

After learning about Arthur’s food preferences, he led her to the office. When they stepped inside, she wasn’t ready for what her eyes beheld. His desk was a mess. There were papers stacked all over the surface.

One part of her mind was reeling from Arthur holding her hand. It was something completely unexpected and maybe it was the shock of his doing so that kept her from yanking her hand back. She still had problems with men touching her and she could feel her soul cringing inside. He dropped her hand and she wondered at that but couldn’t help the small sigh of relief that flooded through her. His hand, when it found the small of her back, made her stand up straighter. The scars no longer hurt and they were starting to fade but any touch there, reminded her of how she got them and her stupidity.

He showed her the filing cabinet and she was itching to start clearing up his desk now but contained that impulse as they headed back to the living room. She really didn’t want to talk about herself. She never did. However, he deserved some answers to his curiosity. She could never repay him for his kindness or his generosity.

Once back in the living room, she waited for Arthur to pour them another drink and she thought about what skills she possessed that would help her secure a job. She had a question of her own that she voiced immediately.

“Arthur, you mentioned not being productive, writing wise lately. Why is that? I mean, I understand writer’s block. Is that the problem or is it something else? Forgive me for asking, but I couldn’t help noticing a couple of times today that you stopped and turned terribly pale, almost to the point of worrying me that something was wrong.”

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur sighed heavily and took a long sip of his whiskey.

“I was hoping you hadn’t noticed,” he responded, “but since you have, you deserve an explanation.”

Another long sip.

“Emily, my wife, was killed nearly six years ago,” he began. “It was a drunken driver, speeding down our cul-de-sac, apparently thinking it was a through street. Our townhouse was at the end of the street, and Emily was just starting up the stairs when the car jumped the curb and flew up our steps. She was killed instantly.”

He finished his drink and poured another.

“She was my muse.” he continued, “much more than the girlfriend role that everyone trivializes it into. My creativity arose out of our relationship. It was the world in which we were intimate that opened my mind to thoughts and ideas and images that became stories.”

He paused for another sip.

“After her death I barely managed to finish the novel I was working on. It was for her that I finished it. Since then I’ve only written essays and opinion pieces, reviews and the like. No novels. Not even a short story. I’ve had a few starts, but they’ve only gone a chapter or two before they become lost with no place to go.”

“So.” he said as he sat up straight, “that, I guess, is why I haven’t really written anything. And, before you say the obvious, I did go out with other women starting a few months after the accident. Arranged dates and women I met. Even a few fans. But it was all empty. After a couple of years I stopped dating altogether. Just hiring escorts when I wanted some intimate company, but that was even more empty. About two years ago I stopped having any physical relationships at all.”

“Now,” he said after another mouthful of Redbreast, “About my turning pale. The first was when I saw the front end of your car. Your wheel was damaged exactly as the wheel on the drunk’s car when I ran to find my Emily. It spooked me. And then, when you - the first woman in two years to be in my house other than the cleaners - named your drink, I was also taken aback. Kentucky bourbon, neat, was Emily’s favorite. Then, when I offered you the choice of two, I remembered a third, a bottle of Eagle Rare 17 year, that was to be a gift for Emily’s upcoming birthday. That thought made me very sad.”

He took a long draught of the whiskey the leaned forward and looked intently at Tess.

“When I took your hand to lead you to the office, I felt a reluctance, a discomfort, that you held back. And when I placed my hand on your back I felt you suddenly stiffen, as i there was some pain. I’m sorry I troubled you like that. It just felt so natural for me to touch you, your hand and your back; I’m sure I only meant to be friendly.”

He sat back, still looking into her eyes.

“Perhaps there’s a bit more I need to know about you.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Now she understood.

“I noticed, Arthur. A writer is observant, at least we should be,” she smiled a little staring at the amber liquid in her glass.

“Not that I’m much of a writer, but I try. I’m sorry about your wife. It sounds like she was your life. It must be frustrating not to be able to write because you lost your muse.”

She glanced up at him to find him looking at her intently. How odd it was that life had brought both of them to this point, here and now. Was it coincidence? Had the Fates woven their threads together? Life could be strange sometimes.

“You have no need to apologize, Arthur. It is my past that created that reaction. I’ve been working on it. It’s been two years now. You would think I’d be over it by now, but I still have a hard time around men. I keep telling myself that not all men are bad, but that still doesn’t keep my body from reacting the way it does.

In a nutshell? My ex-husband was an abuser. I use to ask myself why I stayed as long as I did. I have some answers but not all. I did manage to get out of the relationship. I moved around a lot to avoid him, but Brad just keeps on coming. No matter where I go, no matter what I do, he manages to find me and makes my life a living hell because he can’t let go. He just can’t move on. A good example is the state trooper today. Brad still calls me his wife, even though I am not.”

Now it was her turn to take another swallow of her drink and felt the bourbon smoothly slide down her throat. The heat followed in its wake. Liquid courage, someone once called it and she could understand why. Tess had never spoke of what she endured at Brad’s hands. She never talked about those years she had been married to him. It surprised her that she was talking to Arthur. Maybe it was because he had opened up about his wife. Tess didn’t understand it, but it was what it was.

“I can’t begin to tell you about all the places I’ve lived or the jobs I’ve held down but I managed to raise enough money to hire an attorney to file my divorce and two years ago, it was granted. Thankfully, we had no children. Nothing that needed to be divided. I wanted nothing from that man. I even changed my last name back to my maiden name. Now, as soon as I am able, I need to change my phone number. He sent me a text today. He figured out I changed my name back to my maiden name. It’ll only be a matter of time before he finds me again, I suppose and I’ll have to move on again. So you see, the sooner I can find a job that will support me, I’ll be moving out. I’m grateful for your generosity and kindness, but I don’t want to repay you by having my crazy ex show up on your doorstep, threatening you because I just happen to live here and work for you.”

And that’s exactly the kind of thing Brad would do. Her living with another man, even if the other man was someone she was working for, was not something Brad could live with. His jealousy was off the charts even though he had no right to be jealous. He didn’t own her no matter what he thought. He had been her first and only, but she wasn’t a girl any longer and she wasn’t his. Tess just silently prayed Brad wouldn’t find her. She was several states away now.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“I understand,” Arthur said, “a psychopath. Full of ego, everything is about him, no real empathy for others. A master at talking his way to what he wants, but with no other abilities. He thinks he’s dominant, but he’s actually only domineering. Fancies himself a leader, but has no idea what leadership is. Self-centered is putting it mildly. Psychopaths like that see only themselves; all else, all others are objects, and anything someone else has is rightfully his. Anything he has is his, and his alone.”

He took a sip of his whiskey.

“But at their core, psychopaths are insecure, constantly, and generally unconsciously, fearful of losing whatever they have. And if someone else has it, it diminishes them. That’s what makes them dangerous - they’re ready to strike out at any threat to their ego. But they are careful to avoid the risk of losing. They’ll beat their girlfriend if she talks to another man, but they’ll never try to slap or punch the other man. They’ll threaten and gaslight, but they won’t fight. They fear losing, and that’s why they often resort to weapons, to something that they think will ensure they are in control.”

Time for another drink.

“As you may suspect, I don’t care for psychopaths, and I’m also not intimidated by them, and you are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. If he does find you, I’ll deal with him. If you worry that he’ll hurt you, you can use the master bedroom. It serves also as a panic room. I’ll show you how it works later or tomorrow, but I don’t think you have to worry for now.”

Arthur worried that he may have lectured a bit too much; after all, Tess had first and experience of what a psychopath is like. But he also wanted to reassure her that she would be safe. And yes, the difference between domineering and dominant was important to him, as was the difference between dictators and leaders. Dominance and leadership go together, but the dominance should be earned, not imposed; a leader has empathy for others, and even if they are his servants, he treats them with respect. That was the relationship between him and Emily. She was submissive, but by her own will and her own decision. And Arthur respected that, was grateful that she gave him that power over her, a power he’d never abuse.