The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
AFFLICTION
BY TROG |
CHAPTER
43 |
CHAPTER 43
As they entered the penthouse Tea looked around sadly. Looking up she half expected Todd to come flying down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, with his hair flying in the air the way he always did...full of energy and spirit...causing the air current in the room to shift...to change...causing that strange flutter of excitement in her.
Antonio watched her standing alone in the center of the room her face averted, looking at something he couldn’t see. He walked up beside her and took her hand, turning her around.
“Tea...listen to me. You can’t fall apart now. I know things seem bleak but we’ll find something on that son of a bitch that did this to you. Do you hear me?”
Tea looked up at him and nodded unconvincingly.
“Look...I’m going to go home and get some clothes so I can stay here for a while. I want you to lock and chain the door behind me and not let anyone in. I spoke with the doorman and he’s not to let anyone up here. I’ll be back in an hour...okay?”
Tea still said nothing...only nodded silently as she watched him go. She walked up to the door, locked it and slid the heavy chain across its track. Looking into the kitchen she could almost hear the faint strains of flamenco music in her head and feel his warm body moving with hers across the shiny, black-tiled floor as she closed her tired eyes and leaned against the doorframe remembering the feel of him...the happiness she felt in his arms.
Finally she forced herself to walk up the stairs and into their bedroom...their bed still unmade from the last time they made love...after coming home from Windsor Lake. Picking up the corner of the sheet from his side of the bed she brought it her face and inhaled deeply, smelling his spicy scent and the musky smell of the lake in the soft folds of the white fabric as tears came to her eyes.
Walking over to the mirror, she began to unpin her hair, letting it tumble down her back. She undressed quickly, peeling the suit off her body and slipped out of her shoes trying to remove all traces of this day away. Slipping the pink silky camisole off and sliding her panties to the floor she stood in front of the mirror naked...defenseless.
“I love your body, my sweet,” said Aaron Blackmoor in a soft, silky voice as he watched her from the doorway, “it’s Hellenic...like those lovely sculptures of women that line the walls of ancient Grecian temples.”
Tea gasped, turning in horror, picking up her camisole from the floor and trying to cover her pelvis as her hands went to her breast. Stricken with fear she found herself paralyzed, unable to move as he came closer.
“Don’t hide yourself from me, my love. I am your husband after all. Yes...I do love your body. I know the fashion for women is tall, stick-like bodies with over-inflated artificial breasts...but...that has never appealed to me. I am Spartan in that way...simple and natural is what I love. Your small, perfect breasts, the curve of your tiny waist the flare and roundness of your hips....such perfect balance and proportion, such petite grace...you’re quite exquisite you know...so delicate and womanly...my perfect, little goddess. I miss kissing you...touching your skin...being inside you. I love you, Tea.”
“Stay away from me,” managed Tea, her eyes filled with terror as she backed away from him.
Aaron looked devastated by her rejection, running his long fingers through his spiky, blond hair.
“Your words hurt me deeply, my darling, but...you will change your mind eventually. You loved me once...and you’ll love me again...together we will break this spell that he has put on you...when we’re away from this place...this burned out, ugly city...this falling Troy. The war is over, my love...we can go home, now.”
“This is my home...Todd is my home. I won’t go anywhere with you...stay away from me...get the hell out of here...or I’ll call the police.”
Aaron smiled.
“Actually, Tea...the phones aren’t working for some reason. And you will come with me...if you want to save Todd’s life. You know he’ll be convicted, Tea...you’re a fine lawyer after all and the evidence is enough to put him away for the rest of his life. Do you, Tea? Do you want to save his life....give him his freedom?”
Tea looked at him with contempt.
“You know I do, you bastard!”
“Then...come away with me and I’ll make sure he’s free by morning.”
Tea stared into his pale blue eyes.
“What do you want, Aaron?”
“You. You are all I want. All my time in the battlefield...all that death...it was all for you. Come with me now and Todd will be free. If you don’t come with me...I will kill him. Sooner, or later...I will kill him. He will never be safe if you are not with me.”
“Why are you doing this to me. I don’t love you, Aaron...I will never love you the way you want me to. I can’t give you the absolution that you crave. I can’t give you back what you killed inside yourself.”
He came closer.
“Oh yes, you can, my love. I’ve felt it. I need you, Tea...no one else has ever made me feel like this...so alive, so in love....so human. I can’t be without you, my sweet. You come away with me...or I will destroy this man you claim to love. Come away with me...and Todd Manning will be free...and he will live.”
“You think you’re infallible? What makes you think Todd won’t find me?”
“I have studied him...he’s weak, Tea...no match for me. He is selfish...his own needs will always come first. In a few months he’ll probably skulk back to Blair...wounded and defeated...back to his old life just like he did before...when he chose Blair instead of looking for you.”
Tea looked away from him, his words hurting her, slashing her trust in Todd‘s love...having the desired affect.
“He loves me...he’ll never settle for that life again.”
“Are you sure, Tea? No...I don’t think you are. Todd Manning is too messed up...too needy...too many demons...too many ghosts. And his love is transient....mine is forever. I will always love you...only you. You will never be second choice in my life.”
Tea dropped the camisole and buried her face in her hands.
“Go away! Leave me alone!”
“Don’t cry, my love...he’s not worthy of your tears. He has lost the war...I have won. You are my prize...my beautiful prize.”
Tea looked up at this madman...her husband...and in his presence....she felt completely defeated. Indeed, she felt like Helen of Troy, a human spoil, chattel in the hands of powerful men...powerful forces that were beyond her control, deciding her destiny. She felt powerless...her options limited and agonizing.
“If I go with you...how can I be sure that Todd will be free.”
“You have my word, my love. He will be free by morning. You will be with me...and I will have no further use for Todd Manning. But...know this, Tea...if you think that you can leave me after Todd Manning is freed...think again. Todd Manning lives...only as long as you are with me. If you leave me he will never be safe from me...never,” he said icily.
Tea watched him then turned and walked over to the window. Looking up she noticed the sun was setting...it felt like it was setting on her life. Finally she turned around, walking up to him, naked and defiant.
“Fine...you win...I will go with you as long as you stick to your end of the deal. Todd will be free and he will live...as long as I am with you. But know this...if anything ever happens to him...I will kill you. I’ll have no other reason for living...nothing left to lose...and I will kill you, make no mistake about that,” she said, looking him in the eye, choking on her words.
He looked at her for a long time, loving her passion even if it was for another. A powerful wave of desire ran through him at her dangerous words, her savage, protective love for Todd Manning. And he believed her.
He nodded silently.
“And I will never let you touch me. If we make love...it will be rape. I will never lay with you willingly.”
Again he smiled mysteriously.
“I’ll wait until you are ready, my sweet. Sooner or later, everyone gets lonely...even Todd Manning. There will be a day when he reunites with his wife...and that day...you will lay down with me because you will see that I was right about his love. You’ll see, Tea. In a few months...we’ll be home...and everything will be as it should be.”
Tea’s heart pounded with fear.
“Please...just let me go and see him one more time. I need to explain...to make him understand.”
“No,” he said coldly.
Tea looked at him for a long time, then, she walked over to him, tears streaming down her face and fell to her knees before him.
“I’m begging you. Just let me see him once more...just one more time...please...please.”
Aaron looked down at her, his heart aching for her in the presence of her pain and humiliation. Even this pain felt beautiful to him...loving the delicious throbbing inside his chest that made him feel weak and vulnerable. He wanted to take her in his arms and grant her this one last wish...to give her everything she desired. Reaching down he took her by the arm and lifted her slowly to face him, her luminous eyes shining and filled with hope.
“No.”
to be continued...
2002 Copyright by Trog
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