I Love You More Than (16 page)

Felicia awoke almost two hours later to the smell of food wafting through the door. Her stomach immediately started growling. She hadn’t ate since, well since yesterday. Getting up from Harrison’s massive bed, she hurriedly dressed in loose lounge pants and threw on a camisole. Felicia made her way to where he was in the kitchen, removing their takeout from his toaster oven.

“Need any help?” She asked as she walked over to the island to see what he had ordered up. Looking down at her, he shook his head no and chastely kissed her lips.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah I do. Much better thanks to you.” Felicia told him as her arm encircled his waist, hugging herself to him. “But you still haven’t told me what happened between you and David.” She said with much apprehension.

“We’ll talk about it over dinner. Would you like some wine?” Felicia thought about it for a moment. She needed a drink but wasn’t sure wine would cut it at the moment. Deciding she needed to remember what he was going to tell her more than she needed something stiff to calm her nerves, Felicia settled for a glass of white wine.

Felicia set the table for two. Harrison brought the serving board over that was packed with their takeout. He set the board down on the table between them. The rice he put into a big bowl and did the same for the shrimp and vegetables. Felicia went to the fridge, grabbed the bottle of wine and a couple of beers for Harrison. Once she sat down she said grace and they dug in.

“How do you like it?”

Looking up from her plate Felicia shot him a weak smile.

“It’s really good...”

“I can do a little something, something with a phone and a takeout menu. But grilling is my real talent for real. If I would’ve had some steaks unthawed I would’ve grilled us some.”

“Harrison it’s cold as hail outside.” Felicia looked at him as he were crazy. Causing him to let out a thundering laugh.

“Stop looking at me like,
this white boy is crazy as hell
. If you’re a true grill master, you grill all year round. You don’t let a little winter weather or rain for that matter deter you.”

Felicia just shook her head at him. He never ceased to amaze her. Harrison was such a good person. A good person she’d dragged into her crazy ass life…

“Okay, I can’t take it any longer. What happened when you went inside the house?”

“I was really hoping to finish eating first. I didn’t want to get indigestion, but I can tell its eating at you.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin and took a swig of his beer. “I let myself in as David was just waking up.”

Nine hours earlier…

“Who the fuck are you? And what the fuck are you doing in my house?” David asked Harrison as he was closing the door. Harrison saw David reaching under the couch for his gun. Harrison calmly lifted his shirt showing David what was tucked in the waistband of his jeans.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you Dave. That’s it, sit up big guy.” David took note of the Glock and realized he might be in trouble. “Now let’s address your initial question then we can get to why I’m here. Who the fuck am I? I’m Harrison Kincaid and I’ve been seeing Felicia for a few months now. She’s very special to me. More than you could ever know that’s for sure.” Harrison wanted to increase the fear that was starting to be visible on David’s face as he started to realize what the visit was about.

“Now as to what the fuck I’m doing in your house? I’m not in your house, I’m in Felicia Montgomery’s house. I get where the confusion comes in though. Took me a while to comprehend the whole situation myself. I mean only a sorry ass punk would live off a woman. And you’ve done it for damn near two decades.”

Taking the Glock out of his waistband, Harrison walked over to the chair that faced the couch and sat down. David’s face looked like it had swollen to twice its normal size as he struggled with holding his tongue.

“Is there something you’d like to say David? Don’t be scared to say whatever it is that’s on your mind just because you’re talking to another man. You have no problems talking to Felicia or expressing to her exactly how you feel. Take last night for example, did you have any issues voicing your thoughts and opinions?” Harrison asked as he gestured with the gun using it to make points.

“Look, I didn’t know she was involved with anyone when I went into her room last night. It’s never been an issue for me to get some in the past. How long did you say you two have been together?”

Harrison sat smirking at David. He was ecstatic on the inside. The motherfucker was going to give Harrison the excuse he needed to stomp his sorry ass into the ground.

“That’s cute Davey. Long enough to where I was the one who wired your punk ass that Western Union money.” Harrison decided to go ahead and lay all cards out on the table.  David’s eyes grew big as saucers at that revelation.

“And I don’t know, perhaps it wasn’t an issue four years ago because your blocking methods worked. I mean when you think about it, you were living the dream. Staying with the mother of your children during the week. Dip off to see your girlfriend on the weekends. Man talk about having the best of both worlds. For you living with Felicia meant you could keep her from moving on from you. Even if you hadn’t had sex in years, you still knew no one was sleeping in her bed. No one would be around your daughters.

“But see all that’s changed now. Felicia wants you out and you know this. I’m sure you’ve been plagued with trying to figure out the reason her somber mood has suddenly become happy. After all, you have done anything and everything you could to make her feel worthless and lucky. Just to have you in her presence.”

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!” David yelled, causing his fat bloated stomach to shake. Harrison continued to glare at him with unveiled disgust.

“Don’t I? If you purposefully keep a person down, making them feel as if they aren’t worthy of even being in your presence. You continually make it so that they constantly work for your approval and to make you happy despite how miserable they are. This is the game you’ve run on Felicia since day one. But again after seeing you I understand it. How else could you,” Harrison emphasized his point by spreading his hands apart to mirror the size of David’s girth. “David Foster keep someone around other than making them feel worthless?”

By this time David’s hands began clenching and unclenching.

“But let’s get back on track and back to what happened last night after Felicia turned down your advances. What happened then Dave?”

For a moment Harrison thought David was going to pop a vein as he realized that Harrison knew he had hit Felicia. David was so used to her covering for him and keeping his abuse under lock and key. He felt secure that his actions wouldn’t have a consequence. She’d always kept his shit under wraps hidden from everyone.

“That was it. We argued and I admit the argument got heated and loud, but that was it.”

“That was it? Are you sure Dave? Tell you what, since this is the first time we’re meeting, I’m feeling a little generous. I’m going to give you another minute to think about the question and your answer. Now I must warn you, if you lie to me again, I’m going to drag your fat ass outside and beat the living shit out of you. So again, what else happened last night Dave?”

David hated being called Dave and the punk ass in front of him was asking for it. But he had to hold himself back since he couldn’t get to his gun underneath the couch. After two minutes or so passed David still hadn’t answered Harrison’s question. He got up from the chair and tucked the gun back in his waistband. Walking over to where David sat on the couch.

David raised his hands in defense. “Okay, okay, okay man. I hit her okay! I lost it and slapped her.”

“Why did you slap her?” Harrison quietly asked as he calmly removed his coat.

“Look man, like I told you I had no clue she was seeing anyone. Had I known,”

“What?” Harrison asked cutting him off. “Had you known then what? You would’ve nicely packed your shit and left? You wouldn’t cause her more strife? What?”

There was nothing David could say to that. They both knew had he known Felicia was involved in another relationship he would have done whatever he could to make her life a living hell. Just then there was a knock at the door. David looked at Harrison for direction.

“We’re both guests here Dave, but you go on and get the door.” He told him as he motioned for David to get up and answer the door.

“But I’m not dressed.” David almost wondered if Harrison had heard him. He didn’t acknowledge it nor did he offer to get the door. Wrapping the sheet as much as he could around his waist, David got up and opened the door. David was shocked to find Jacob on the other side of it.

“Jacob I’m so glad to see you. Can you,” whatever it was David thought to ask Jacob quickly died on his lips once he got a look at Jacob’s expression.

“I would’ve thought this piece of shit would be bloodied to a pulp by now.” Jacob said as he walked into the house closing and locking the door behind him.

“Nah, I wanted to wait for you first. I know there have been many times over the years you wanted to put him out of his misery. Thought the least I could do was wait so you can see the asshole get what he has coming.”

David looked wildly back and forth between Jacob and Harrison. If he could get to his gun then maybe he could wound Harrison and get away. But fighting without weapons…he knew it would be over before it even started.
Was that fucking unshed tears of joy shining in Jacob’s eyes?
It was then that the full weight of the consequences of his treatment of Felicia all these years hit him.

“Go on and put your clothes on. You won’t be able to move when I’m done with you.” Harrison announced as he pulled his sweatshirt off over his head, stripping down to his customary wife beater tank. David hurriedly threw his clothes on thinking that if he hurried up, Harrison might just let him leave.

“You know I used to think these were called wife beaters because that’s what most men who beat their wives wore back in the day. But now I’m wondering if it was what men wore when they beat a wife-beaters ass? Hmmm. Doesn’t really matter, we know what it means today.”

And with that Harrison hit David straight on with a jab to the nose, causing blood to spurt down his face and button down shirt.

“Alright man! Alright! You’ve made your fuckin point already.” Harrison laughed loudly.

“Bitch I’m just getting started. Oh yeah Dave? You didn’t know?” Harrison asked in a taunting voice, “I’m about to make you my bitch. And after that, I’m going to lay down the ground rules and explain how things will operate from here on out.”

David had no time to recover from the words he’d just heard when he was given a one two combo to his midsection. This wasn’t just going to be an ass beating, Harrison was going for blood.

Forty-five minutes later, David was being helped into his truck by Harrison. Harrison had obtained the address of where David’s girlfriend lived and told Davey to expect his shit sometime the next day. Harrison also let him know that if he decided to go to the police department to file charges, remember he had struck a woman. Also Harrison knew many people, inside the jail, in the police department, hell everywhere that could make his life a living hell. That’s what being in the services affords you. Connections. And if those people found out he was a woman beater, well…he knew after all he used to be an officer of the law. If he tried to in anyway cause Felicia, Dana or Elena any intentional hurt or grief, he’d have to deal with him. Harrison let David know in no uncertain terms he was there to stay and he always protected what was his.

“I let you have her thirteen years ago, thinking you’d take care of her and make her happy. I’ll never make that mistake again.”

****

During the recount of what happened, they’d put up the leftovers and loaded the dishwasher with the dirty dishes. Now they sat in Harrison’s dark family room on the sectional facing each other. The lights from the street lights illuminated the huge open space.

“So we will need to meet Labor Ready at your place tomorrow at ten AM. They’ll load all of his shit into the U-Haul and your dad said he’d drive it over to him and have someone follow him to bring him back.”

Felicia sat stunned and utterly speechless. She was more stunned by the fact that David would finally be out of her house. Out of her life. It had been so long that she had given up hope that he would ever truly leave. And she would be lying if she said she wasn’t glad that David had received a taste of his own medicine. True he’d only slipped and slapped her once, but the intimidation, bullying and yelling he had aimed at Felicia all these years… She couldn’t help but to feel a little bruised and battered from the thirteen year battle.

“So I’m free,” She whispered quietly. “I’m finally free.”

“Yes Felicia, David’s reign of terror is over.” Harrison told her trying to help make her feel at ease about the situation.

“You don’t know David like I do Harrison. He may watch himself around you, but he is a very petty and vindictive human being. He may not come for me directly, but he’s going to try and pay me back. Most likely through Dana and Elena.”