Authors: Priscilla Poole Rainwater
Rolling his eyes, Nicola hopped on the work bench. “If this woman is as giving and loving as you've been telling me every day since we were reunited, then I'm sure that a little charm and a humble apology from you will do the trick. All women are like that. All they want is to see you to squirm for
a while
, grovel a little here and there, but in the end, they'll always take you back.”
Frowning, Granger wondered if his brother honestly believed all women were that easy. “Charm her? An apology?” Suddenly, he couldn't help but chuckle as it was his turn to shake his head ruefully. Although older, his brother, it seemed, had a very narrow view of women. But he knew that when the right woman came along, she would turn his world upside down, and he would be there to enjoy every moment of his demise.
“Yes, you date and romance her like you did when you first met her.
Tell her what a cad you were for leaving, and everything will be fine.”
Nicola's blue eyes twinkled with mischief. Charming and then bedding women was his favorite game, a game he liked to think he was a master of. Hopping off the bench, he stretched his muscular arms over his head and headed for the door, with Granger in tow. “I'll accompany you home.” he offered, as if the decision had already been made. “Since Grace left me more money than I could ever spend, I think taking a vacation to the states wouldn't be so bad. I can go see the beautiful mountains you've been telling me about, and I'm sure our grandparents would love to see us together.”
Granger felt his stomach tighten with nervous energy, knowing the reception he would receive upon his return wouldn't be pleasant. He knew the reunion would be less than joyful. His broad shoulders slumped, and he sighed as his brother turned and gave him a worried look. “This is one homecoming that won’t be pretty. I don't think Cassandra will be happy to see me, and I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't do her best to kick my ass for leaving the way I did. She has every right to never want anything to do with me again.”
Laughing softly, Nicola clapped a hand on his shoulder, his blue eyes twinkling with mirth. “We're Italian, brother! We're used to our women being emotional. Why, all Italian women
are full of passion and fire. I'm sure your American wife will be easier to handle. Let her cry, call you names for a while, maybe even slap you a time or two, but in the end she won't remember why she was ever upset with you to begin with. Play your cards right, keep a cool head, and she'll fall into your arms and forgive your foolish behavior. It's how women are.”
Right, you don't know what a pissed off black country girl can be like...
he thought grimly as he followed his brother down the road to the large villa. But his mind had been made up, he wouldn't let another night pass without at least being near his family.
Chapter 48
The Johnson Law Firm: 4 PM the following day
After careful consideration, Granger decided the best plan of action was to see Satin, tell her in person he had no desire to go through with the divorce, and hopefully find out what was going on with Cassandra. Knowing her frame of mind might making approaching her a bit easier. He knew he could have talked to Malcolm, but he didn't want to put him on the spot, make the man feel as if he was betraying Cassandra's confidence.
In the past five months Granger had developed a rare, unexpected friendship with Satin. She was definitely different, she was the kind of woman he could have just as a friend. She wasn't afraid to tell him what he needed to hear, not what he wanted to hear, and she didn't try to inflate his ego or use flattery to get anything from him. In the five months since he had left home, he had
spoken
with her often, and it didn't matter that she was on his payroll, she pulled no punches. He admired her honest and straight-forward approach to things, it was a refreshing change from the 'yes men' (Malcolm was not included among them) that he more times than not found himself surrounded by at work.
As he and Nicola made their way into the attorney's richly decorated reception area, he looked around and spotted several women, including Satin's aide, Lacey, huddled around an office door, in the transparent act of eavesdropping. Almost as one, the three women closest to the door leaned forward even further, almost pressing their ears against it while the others gathered around as close as possible in order to not miss a word.
Both he and Nicola stopped in their tracks as they heard a blood curdling scream. Actually, it sounded more like a cross between an angry bobcat and a wild woman, and the scream was followed by what sounded like glass shattering against a wall. Whatever was going on inside, it was loud enough for him and Nicola to plainly hear. With quick strides, Granger made his way to the group of women and started to shoulder them all to the side.
Hold on a minute, if there was something REALLY serious going down here, one of them would have called the police. Besides, at least three of them are actually snickering....
he thought.
Another loud crash, then a thud, followed by what sounded like two animals panting loudly in a struggle. “Quit throwing glass at me, I'm warning you, Peanut! Come here! Don't try to run away now...get your behind right here, right now! I've a good mind to
ta......ahhh
HHHHHHH, DON'T YOU DARE BITE ME AGAIN, YOU LITTLE SHE-DEVIL!
” A male voice boomed from behind the door. “Owwwww! Damn it, lemmee' go, lemmee' go, you
SPAWN OF SATAN!!!
”
“
ASSHOLE! DICKWAD!
” the female voice screeched indignantly. “How
DARE
you lay your grubby paws on me! I'll rip your sack off and feed your tiny little nuts to you for
LUNCH!
Let me go, you limp-wristed
FAGGOT!
Get away from me!”
Her comments caused some of her employees to gasp, while others were doing their best to control the hysterical laughter bubbling right underneath the surface. Knowing their boss as well as they did, they knew she would indeed try to neuter the man, given half a chance.
Sounding as if he was really sucking wind now, the male voice threatened, “ Stop that wiggling! What did I tell you about that foul mouth of yours,
HUH?
Haven't I warned you a hundred times about speaking to me with the respect I deserve?”
“Big man, huh?” the female voice mocked, although it sounded as if she was winded as well. “What's your encore, gonna' go down to the daycare center and steal lollipops from two-year olds, you tiny-dicked sphincter slug?” she screeched.
“Alright, that's
ENOUGH!
” the male voice raged, sounding genuinely upset now. “I told you you were going to get that ass spanked if you kept disrespecting me! I'm tired of every third word coming out of your mouth being filth! If you can't act like a lady, by God, I won't treat you like one! Now take your medicine like a child!” he roared as the unmistakable sounds of a flat human hand connecting with fleshy but firm buttocks began resonating throughout the office.
“
AAAAHHHHHHHH!
” the woman began wailing in either outrage, or genuine pain. Or both.
“You had enough?! You gonna' speak to me like a friggin' human being now?” the man demanded breathlessly once the spanking sounds had ceased.
“I'd like to see you try that again, you...you...
JERK!
” the woman replied, sounding frustrated and close to tears. “I can s
ay any
fucking thing I want, shit-for-brains! You hear me? Fuck! There, I said it! Fuck! Fuck fuck
FUCK!!!!!
”
WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!
Came the spanking noises again, accompanied by another inarticulate howl of rage and shame.
Silence for a moment, then another loud crash and a thud, sounding as if items
were
being shoved to the floor. The male's voice, now muffled, followed by a startled female yelp, then silence that seemed to last an eternity.
“Ahhhh,
SHIT!
” the male's voice suddenly cried hypocritically.
Granger had heard enough. He wasn't worried about the woman inside being in
harm’s
way, but he did fear she would do something she would regret later to whoever the man was inside. Shouldering his way through the throng of eavesdroppers, he muttered, “'Scuse me, ladies...”
Parting like the Red Sea, the women turned and focused their attention on the two handsome men in their presence.
Lacey's brown eyes flew wide, and she began twirling her curly hair nervously, “Oh! Mr. Mortensen.” she stammered as she looked from one brother to the other, clearly embarrassed that a valued client had caught them all eavesdropping on their boss.
Granger's mouth twitched in amusement. “Hi Lacey, I'm just here to see Satin. I know she's, uhhhhh, otherwise engaged right now, but could you tell her I'm here, please?” he said, unable to keep a trace of laughter from his voice.
Shooing the other women away silently, Lacey turned and rapped lightly on the door. Only then did the group outside notice things were now deathly quiet on the other side. “Oh Lord, she’s done killed the man.” Lacey muttered, suddenly worried she would be a possible witness to the murder of a police officer. She didn't put it past Satin, everyone knew Detective Lemont brought out the absolute worst in her, and that was saying a lot. Another knock, and still silence. Almost fearfully, she tested the door knob and discovered it was locked. Hurrying to her desk, she pushed the intercom buzzer, but still received no reply. Waiting several tense seconds, she tried again, and Satin finally answered.
“Yes Lacey, what is it?” she asked, sounding out o
f breath.
“Uhhhhh, Mr. Mortenso
n is here to see you, ma'am.”
Silence for a moment, then frantic rustling noises were heard before she finally replied in an awkward voice. “Please tell him I'll be with him in a moment.”
“Yes ma'am.” she replied, looking at Granger.
With a shrug of his shoulders, he smiled and nodded at her. He couldn't wait to see what the room looked like, especially after hearing how frazzled Satin sounded. Looking around the room idly, he spotted Nicola already flirting with a young secretary. Hearing the office door finally open, he turned back around and spotted detective Brian Lemont, tall and confident, and seemingly gloating, step out of Satin's office. The satisfied smirk the man was sporting told Granger that he had somehow managed to get the best of Satin, again.
Approaching Granger, he took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and began wiping both lipstick and blood off his lips. “Mr.
Mortensen
? I'm Detective Lemont, we've met? My condolences to you and your family again, sir.” he said in a warm voice as he extended his hand.
Reaching for the man's hand and giving it a firm shake, he couldn't help but notice the man was also sporting what looked like a deep, red bite on the side of his neck, and only inches from there, another set of bite marks, and several deep scratches on both his hands. Deciding it was best to mind his own business, he returned the man's smile and said, “Thank you, detective. It meant a lot to me how respectfully you and your department handled my mother's death.” Releasing his hand, he motioned for Nicola to join them, then introduced the two.
“You're back!” Satin beamed as she emerged from the office, then walked straight up to Granger, where she was engulfed in an emotional embrace.
Unable to help it, Brian felt an unpleasant worm of jealousy move in his gut as he watched Satin give the handsome man a friendly peck on the cheek. Married or not, he didn't like any man touching her, or being touched by her.
What the hell is this woman doing to me? I'm supposed to be a professional, she's a high priced lawyer, and we're both acting like immature, insecure teenagers...
he thought grimly. He wondered for the umpteenth time how Satin Johnson had marched into his life, with her bullying and demands, and turned it upside down. No woman had ever made him act so impulsively, so reckless with both his words and emotions. He had tried to convince himself, over and over and over again, that they were completely wrong for each other, that nothing could or would ever come of it, but his heart refused to listen.
Like his behavior today, after finding out she had taken a particular case and would be defending Jared Walsh. The man had been stalking a twenty year old local girl named Cindy Bowen, and when his affections had not been reciprocated, he had followed her one morning as she left her home. He had not only raped her, but had stabbed her thirty-nine times afterwards, leaving her to die on a lonely mountain trail. Hearing that Satin planned to defend the man and plead 'not guilty' on his behalf, he had somehow managed to choke down his fury and indignation, and set off to her office set her straight. He couldn't understand how she could defend a man who was clearly guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, couldn't understand how she could even stand to be in the same room with such a raving lunatic. She refused to see that he was simply concerned about her well being, that he cared for her. Instead of discussing things with him reasonably and logically, she had simply laughed, insulted him, then accused him of having an ulterior motive.
Fed up with the constant stream of foul language that had never ceased to flow from her mouth since the first time he had met her, and finally this, the accusations, he had finally lost it. He had decided to do what he had promised to do several times before since meeting the little firecracker, he had snatched her up and spanked her cute, round ass but good. She had fought him, the Gods knew, biting, scratching, and throwing anything she could get her hands on. But instead of running for his life like a normal, sane man, he had got so turned on he thought he would explode, as something deep within him longed to tame her, make her his, completely.