Devil She Became (Devil's Angels Book 1) (5 page)

Months passed as Reese and Harrison continued their torrid affair. Neither of them mentioned his wife again, and Reese tried to enjoy the time they had together.
It’s ironic
, she thought,
I’m the happiest I have ever been, yet I am also the loneliest I have ever felt.
More and more, Reese wanted Harrison to herself. She took great comfort and satisfaction in knowing he loved her, but it just wasn’t enough.

Looking out her window one evening admiring the beautiful view of Lake Michigan, she wondered about Harrison’s wife, Lisa. What kind of woman was she? Reese knew what she looked like, but why had Harrison married her? Did he tell her he loved her too? Did he, in fact, love her? What about his children? What kind of man was he when he was with them? Thoughts like this drove Reese absolutely crazy. She couldn’t imagine Harrison having a tea party in the backyard with his daughters or attending a ballet recital. How long had he been married before they’d had children? Sometimes, Reese felt tremendous guilt as well. She’d had no real intention of hurting anyone when they started this, but a lot of people would probably be disgusted with her if they knew she was a mistress. It wasn’t something she had sought out to do. She had simply fallen in love with him, whoever he was. Whatever situation Harrison was in, she was prepared to handle, or so she thought.

Pressing her forehead to the glass, she thought of Harrison. Did he feel any guilt at all? How did he feel? She was certain he didn’t feel guilty for cheating, but did he feel bad for his children at all? Reese constantly thought about how much better their lives would be with his wife out of the way, but how could they get rid of her? Harrison had said she wouldn’t leave him, so how could Reese remove her from the picture? Pacing the floor, she racked her mind for a solution. She needed to clear her head.
Time for a drink
, she thought. Donning a soft, pink dress, she slipped on a pair of heels and went down to a local pub.

Pulling her sleek Audi into a parking spot, Reese slipped into a quiet pub. As she walked in the bar, she felt all eyes upon her, which made her feel a bit self-conscious. A few drinks later, she would feel more at ease. As she sat at the bar sipping a vodka tonic, she thought she recognized a tall man with thinning hair looking at her.
Who is he?
She thought.
Probably just some guy looking to score.
She turned away and went back to her drink.

A few moments later, the bartender returned with another vodka tonic. “Compliments of the gentleman at the end of the bar.”

As he sat the drink down in front of her, she looked up expecting to see another guy hitting on her. To her surprise, it was the same man she had noticed earlier. He waved at her.

“Reese! How are you?” She peered closer. It was Darrell Wyndham, an old friend of hers from Northwestern. Darrell had married her former sorority sister, Julia Wasserman.

Reese jumped up from her seat and walked over to him. “Hi, Darrell! So good to see you!”

They embraced briefly.

“Reese, it’s been so long. You look so beautiful, as always.”

“Thank you.” Her blue eyes scanned her former friend. Tall, thin, almost too thin, with balding hair, Darrell didn’t look anything like she remembered him. The last time she had seen him, he had been handsome with teasing green eyes and clean-shaven with dark hair. Now his eyes looked a bit sunken, giving him a sad, tired appearance, and he looked as if he hadn’t shaved in several days.

“
So how are you, Darrell? Are you still married to Julia? How is she doing?” Reese sat down next to him.

Nervously, Darrell swirled his drink in his hand. His eyes remained downcast and his face clouded with pain.

“I am surprised you haven’t heard; it was all over the local news.” Darrell looked up at her.

Reese swallowed hard. “What is it, Darrell?”

“Julia... She died several months ago.” Darrell choked up.

“Not Julia! Oh, my God, Darrell. I am so sorry.” Reese reached over to embrace him. “How? Why?”

Darrell sighed heavily. He threw back the rest of his drink.

“Depression. She had been depressed for a number of years, but after our kids were born, it got worse. A friend of hers recommended she try getting on an antidepressant or something and she did. Didn't help. She got worse, and one weekend I had the kids out camping. She... she hung herself in the basement.” Reese’s mouth dropped. “Oh, how tragic, Darrell.” Tears filled the corners of her eyes.

Darrell cleared his throat. He rubbed his arms as if a chill had come over him.

“I… I found her. My brother and I had been camping with our kids. He ran inside when he heard me scream.”

“Oh, my God, the kids didn’t see her, did they?”

Darrell shook his head. “No, thank God. My brother had kept them upstairs until the police had arrived. Cops had initially thought it was some weird ‘autoerotic asphyxiation’ thing since she wasn’t fully clothed, but I knew what she had done. Her depression hadn’t gotten better. Actually, Julia had been suffering from bipolar depression since she was a teenager. Tragic. So tragic.”

Reese put her arm around Darrell. “I am so sorry. I never heard anything about it on the news. Julia had never seemed depressed in college. She’d been such a fun girl.”

He nodded. His jaw tightened.

“Yeah, the fucking media got a hold of the story given my job and position in the community. ‘Prominent investor’s wife dead from apparent suicide.’ Then they also talked about the ‘autoerotic asphyxiation’ theory as well. It was very humiliating to my children and the rest of our family. Then my in-laws took my kids with them out of state so they wouldn’t have to hear terrible things about their mother.”

“So where are your kids now?” Reese reached in her purse for a tissue.

“Still in California. My in-laws had a place out there before any of this happened.”

“How long have they been there? Since it happened?” Reese blotted the tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

Darrell nodded. “Yeah. They have been going to school out there. They are doing pretty good.” Darrell pulled his phone out to show Reese photos of two very beautiful children – a boy, who appeared to be about eight, and a girl, who seemed a few years younger.

“How often do you see them?”

“I fly out there every couple of weeks. It’s been really hard with work and dealing with all this.” Darrell signaled to the bartender for another drink.

“Can I get you another?” Darrell asked her.

Reese shook her head. “No, I think I’ve had enough.”

Darrell smiled softly. “So tell me about you. What have you been doing? Are you married?”

Reese laughed. “Well, I was briefly married, and we lived in San Diego for about a year after graduation. It didn’t work out, and I moved back here about a year ago. I have been seeing someone.”

“Any kids?”

Reese shook her head no.

“So what’s this guy like? We should get together sometime. I have been seeing someone as well. She’s amazing. Her name is Natalia and she’s been by my side through this whole nightmare.”

Reese was puzzled. A girlfriend? So soon after his wife’s suicide? That was a bit strange. “Sounds great. But our situation is a bit complicated.” Reese grimaced crossing her arms over her breasts.

Darrell furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

Reese blushed. “Well, I normally wouldn’t tell anyone this, but he’s involved
elsewhere
if you get my meaning.”

Darrell sat back, shaking his head knowingly. “Ahhh, I see. No big thing. That’s the situation for a lot of guys I know. I am just surprised you would be willing to be a part of that kind of relationship.”

Reese pulled back offended. Her face burned hot. Why the hell had she mentioned that?

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

Seeing her offense, Darrell backed down. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just you are so beautiful and smart. I remember your bikini calendars.”

Reese laughed.

“But that’s not all. I mean, you were very smart in school as well. I recall a paper you wrote about foster children and the politics of foster care in America. So well done. I was merely inferring that you must have dozens of eligible bachelors to choose from, so why this guy?”

Precisely. Why this guy? Reese had wondered often. Because he was Harrison… her everything.

Reese shrugged and shook her head. “He’s just amazing, that’s all. Our situation isn’t ideal, but if that’s the only way then so be it.” Reese finished her drink.

Darrell cleared his throat. “So what are you guys going to do? Is divorce an option for him?”

Reese chuckled. “Hell no. He has quite a reputation to protect, other family to consider, money.”

Darrell smiled. “Oh, yes, one of those guys. Any kids?”

“Yes, he has two children.”

Darrell pondered her situation. “So does this guy want to stay married? Does he want out, but can’t?”

“Definitely. But the only way he could get out is if she left. Unfortunately, she isn’t going anywhere.”

Smacking her hand to her forehead, Reese realized what a mistake she had made. “I am so sorry, Darrell, that was so insensitive of me after you just lost Julia. I didn’t mean to sound uncaring.”

Darrell waved his hand at her as he drank from his glass. “No worries. I know you didn’t mean it that way.”

Reese glanced at her phone. “Oh, shit. I didn’t realize it was this late. I need to get home.”

Darrell stood up. “Well, it was so nice seeing you. Let’s get together again. I mean that.”

“Can I get your card?” she asked.

Darrell pulled out his business card. “My cell phone is on that too. Please call and we can catch up. Bring your boyfriend. Don’t worry, I won’t say anything about him being married.”

Reese embraced him briefly. “Great seeing you again. Yes, we can definitely have dinner sometime. I am sure Harrison would love to meet you. Obviously, our evenings out are limited, but he does happen to have a free evening next week.”

“Great. Well, hope to see you then.”

As Reese walked out of the bar, she slipped Darrell’s card in her purse. How tragic for his wife to commit suicide so young. Some guys have all the luck.

“Now, please explain to me why we are going to dinner with one of your old boyfriends, Reese!” Harrison angrily buttoned his shirt.

Reese continued fixing her hair. “He’s not an old boyfriend, Harrison, I assure you. He was a guy I was friends with in college. I was in a sorority, and we saw each other often at frat parties. That’s all. He married one of my former sorority sisters.”

Harrison stormed into the bathroom. “Just tell me you didn’t fuck him.”

Reese dropped her flat iron. “Of course not. I have no interest in him, nor did I ever.”

Harrison continued to dress. “What did you say happened to his wife?”

Reese slipped on a hot pink bra. “She committed suicide. Hung herself in their house.”

Harrison clucked his tongue. “Tragic. How old was she?”

Reese shrugged. “My age, twenty-eight.”

Harrison pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Where are their kids now, did you say?”

Reese sprayed herself with perfume. “California with their grandparents. He didn’t want them exposed to all the negative publicity of their mother’s death.”

“Hmmm.”

“Hmm, what?”

“Do you think he did it, Reese?” Harrison stared at her.

Reese widened her eyes. “Of course not!” she flared. “You should have seen how upset he was! She killed herself! He wasn’t even there when she died.”

Harrison snorted. “Sounds like a plan to me. Very convenient.”

Reese was confused. “No, she just killed herself. That’s all.”

Harrison helped her with her necklace clasp. “No, honey, I’m a lawyer. I see a lot of things most people don’t, and at lying, I am an expert.”

“Oh, that’s nice to know, Harrison.” Playfully, she slapped at him.

Harrison grinned. “He’s got a girlfriend already. I would say he didn’t mourn too fucking long. But hey, if he gets away with it, more power to him I guess. Not my business. Now, let’s go meet this murderous friend of yours.” Harrison slapped her ass.

“Shhh! Don’t say anything like that, please,” Reese said.

Later at dinner, Reese and Harrison met Darrell and his new girlfriend, Natalia. Natalia had long blonde hair and a very trim and fit figure. Reese liked her very much and found they had much in common. Harrison, despite himself, seemed to enjoy talking with Darrell about hockey and football, their shared passions. After dinner, Darrell invited them back to his place for drinks. However, Natalia had to work the late shift at the hospital as she was an ER nurse.

Despite wanting to return home to make passionate love the rest of the night, Reese and Harrison agreed to go for a quick drink. Harrison wanted to see some of the collectible hockey items Darrell had on display at his home. Darrell had done quite well for himself as was evidenced by his lavish home on the North Shore.

Darrell took Harrison on a tour of his hockey memorabilia collection as Reese studied photographs in Darrell’s house. Out of the dozens of pictures of his children, and several of Natalia, only one small photo of Julia remained, and it was in the corner of a hardly used study.

Reese found this strange, but thought maybe he couldn’t stand to see her pictures anymore. Perhaps it was too painful for him.

When they returned from their tour, they enjoyed a quick cocktail by the indoor pool.

Driving home, Harrison remarked the evening had gone better than he had thought it would.

“See, I have intelligent friends too,” Reese commented.

“Of course, you do, baby.” Removing his hand from the steering wheel, he slid it up her skirt. Stroking her thigh, he felt something odd.

“Are we missing something?” he asked, smiling at her.

“No, sir, we are not.” Reese grabbed his hand and put it between her legs where he could feel she was completely bare. He groaned and kept rubbing her. As she got wetter, she moaned and pulled her skirt up. Seeing her all bare that way, Harrison couldn’t control himself any longer. He pulled the car off at the nearest exit and looked desperately for a secluded area. When he found a private drive, he turned the car off, grabbed her face and began kissing her. The windows began to steam up, and it became stiflingly hot. He then jumped out of the car and ran around to her side. Startled, Reese didn’t know what was happening. He yanked her out and threw her to the ground.

“Ouch!” she said on a cry as she hit the gravel and dirt road rather roughly. Harrison’s eyes were ablaze with desire as he bent down to wrench the bra from her body, exposing her breasts. This further incensed him and he went mad. He fell upon her, smothering her with his mouth, his hands, and his body. Reese could hardly catch her breath, but she managed to undo his zipper, and he rammed himself into her repeatedly. Dirt was matted in her hair, and her back was cut from gravel, but Reese didn’t feel any of it. All she could feel was his immense shaft inside her churning, slamming in and out of her like a jackhammer. He continued to bite her neck and suck at her lips teasingly. Anyone could come along and see them as they were making love in the middle of the road. Like a wild animal, Harrison continued to grind himself into her deeper. An animalistic howl came from them both as they climaxed.

With a saner look in his eyes, Harrison seemed to realize where he was and what he had done. He helped her up and brushed the gravel from her back. He bent to gently kiss the cuts made by the sharp gravel on her back and ass. Pulling her dress on, Reese picked up her torn bra.

“Oh, God, did I do that? Shit, you make me wild.” Harrison grinned. Reese threw the bra back at him.

“It’s all good, baby, it’s all good.” She smiled as she rubbed her sore back.

As they drove off into the night, Reese felt a turning point in their relationship; a turning point in their world. Things would never be the same after tonight. She was sure of it. Only time would tell how right she was.