Chapter Thirty Five
“Hey!” Maria yelled, going for her. Dave pulled her back and locked her at his side, her small frame fitting perfectly in the curve his arm made around her.
“Most probably yes, but that doesn’t concern you the least bit. We got a divorce and there were strict terms to it, you stay out of mine and Elizabeth’s life and I stay out of yours.”
“I don’t want that anymore.” she pleaded, her voice low and gentle. Maria gave her an incredulous look, amazed at how she changed colours so fast, “I want you back Dave.” She stroked his chest tenderly with the tips of her fingers.
“You do see me standing here?” Maria asked. She had never laid claim to Dave, but Amy’s attempt of seduction was making her jealous and it annoyed the hell out of her.
“And so?” Amy gave her a cold gaze before she turned to Dave with a gentler look, “What do you say darling?”
Dave was still mesmerized by Maria’s implied claim on him. He liked this possessive, aggressive side of her. It had been making its way out slowly, it was new to her and he was glad he was there to see her come out of her shell, “Amy, you do remember your way out?” he said with a chuckle.
“If you want me to leave you are going to have to give me more money.” Amy sat on the seat close to his desk.
Dave smiled. The reason for Amy crawling out of her hole after so long, revealed, “You’ve blown all that money already?”
“Yes, what else am I supposed to do with my time?”
“Get a job, find a sensible hobby that doesn’t involve high school boys, and make some meaning out of your useless life.” Maria answered her.
“How much do you want?” Dave asked Amy before she retaliated against Maria.
“You can’t be serious? She’s going to be a constant pain if you start that now.” Maria spoke up to Dave. She wasn’t trying to tell him how to run his life, but she knew exactly what type of leech Amy was.
“No one asked for your opinion!” Amy shouted, shooting up from the seat.
“Make her sign a contract before you give her anything. Make sure this is the last time we set eyes on her.” Maria added with a smile. She cared too much about Dave to let Amy be a constant annoyance in his life.
Dave looked at Maria, amazed at how she handled the situation. She was no longer the girl who curled up on the floor when she thought her son had disappeared, she wasn’t retracting into her shell just because a voice was raised, and she was fighting back. “Tell your lawyer to call me.”
“What?” Amy asked shocked.
“Please leave, Maria and I are going out. You’ll have your car by the end of the day.” He walked to Amy and escorted her out of his office, and then he went back to Maria and took her hand in his.
“Where are we going?” She asked following him out.
“For a long overdue third date.” he closed the door behind him keeping Maria’s hand in his.
“We’ve never gone out on a date.”
He tucked her hand under his arm and walked out of the firm, appreciating all the stares he got. He didn’t mind it, he was sure Carol would fill him in on the rumours when they got back. “Yes we have, but our kids were with us, Michael insisted on it.”
“Michael? What does he have to do with anything?” Maria asked, perplexed, feeling shy at the new way his co-workers looked at her now. She could imagine what they thought of her, especially after his ex—wife just walked out ahead of them, they probably thought she was a home wrecker, but she didn’t care. Her mother was right, this was her time for true happiness and she was glad it was with Dave.
****
Ricky picked the lock on Nate’s apartment door. He felt excited and giddy having finally found Maria. He could already hear her screaming pleas fill his ears, as her blood bathed his fists. He had a whole act planned for her and he was going to enjoy every second of it. What he wasn’t sure of, was which would hurt her most, watching him kill Michael first or making Michael watch as he killed her.
Nate had been stupid enough to tell the town drunk about the trick they had pulled on him. He overheard the idiot laugh at him and he couldn’t control himself, he beat the man bloody and left him laying lifeless on the ground before he went for Nate. He thought of storming into his house and shooting him dead, but he knew that wouldn’t be too clever, and the fact that Nate was very capable of handling himself ruled out a beating. He broke into Nate’s house and tore the place apart until he found his New York address, he then put rat poison in his salt and sugar as his form of revenge. He wasn’t going to allow anyone to make fun of him and get away with it.
He walked into the studio apartment expecting to find Maria and Michael asleep, but the place was empty. There wasn’t a hint of them left in the house. He threw things around in a rage, feeling like a fool for having been tricked again. He was going to make her pay for all she had done, and the months of searching he had wasted.