Page 7 of A Pawn for Malice
Hal raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“Oh! Don’t be so smug,” she spewed. “Thewhores didn’t bother me. I was glad he sated his sadistic hungerselsewhere.”
“He wouldn’t have looked elsewhere, if he gotwhat was expected of you …”
“You son of a bitch,” she interrupted, as shelifted the edge of her towel to expose her upper thigh. “This iswhat he liked,” she pointed with the scissors still in her hand.“Recognize them, Hal? Cigarette burns. Do you do that to thosehigh-priced whores you bed? Did he learn that from you too?”
She was surprised by the horrified look onhis face. She let the towel drop back into place and crossed herarms over her chest.
“I may have pulled the trigger, but you’rethe one, who killed him. You pampered and nurtured him to expectthose less fortunate than him cater to his every whim. He drownedhimself in alcohol, because he wanted to be like you. He hadaffairs with your leftovers. He was your carbon copy,” she shookher head with a disgusted laugh. “The pitiful thing is, it made hima weak, ugly, vile little man just like you. I am so done. I don’tneed you, or this house,” she waved. “Now get the hell out!”
Hal snickered. “What makes you think you’vegot a choice? You’re still a Wilton, sweetheart.”
“Don’t threaten me, old man.”
Hal pounced forward and Jessica swiped thescissors upward, grazing his left cheek and drawing blood. He fellbackwards and growled between clenched teeth, as he glared at thescissors still held between her hands, threatening contact again.He wiped away the blood running down his cheek with the back of hishand, then raised his palms in compliance, as if to calm her.
“Ohplease. Whenare,you going to realize,I have a more positive force in my life...the Newcombe Empire. That,is myinheritance. I don’t need youanddespiseeverything you stand for.”
The corner of her mouth lifted victoriously,as she watched the color drain from his face. She had struck achord, a wonderfully, splendorous chord.
“I know that’s why you sought out mygrandmother … for a contract of marriage with your son. Did youreally expect to control me, to gain access to my inheritance oneday? Guess again.”
The look of contempt he sent her confirmedher suspicions all along. Now she was more than certain, why hewanted her to stay on in Wilton, so he could control the empire herAunt Florence would one day will to her.
“I’m bored with this little exchange,” shewaved. “I told you to leave, and I won’t tell you again.” Shedidn’t want him privy to her plans to flee. “When my Aunt returnsfrom Europe in a couple of weeks, I’m out of here.”
She hoped she sounded convincing enough. Shecould not tell from the look on his face whether, or not, hebelieved her.
Hal scrunched his lips and nodded. “You’renot the little mouse I thought my son married. I quite like that inyou. Makes you more appealing … more worthy of the challenge.”
More like prized game to be hunted andcaged, she thought.
She knew he would not allow for her to leave.She could already see the wheels turning in his sick, depravedmind. She knew she had to move fast, and that meant now.
“I like a little adventure.” He toyed,closing the distance between them.
She was trapped. She could feel the sheen ofsweat on her skin and her pulse beating in her ears, as her heartpounded furiously in her chest. No matter where she moved, shecould not get away. She held the scissors tightly in front of her,and ready to plunge the sharp sheers into his belly, if need be.Just when she expected him to pounce, he plopped down upon the edgeof the bed and leaned back on his elbows.
“Look. I’m a fair man. I’ll make it worthyour while to stick around until I tire of you.”
Her jaw dropped open and she just as quicklyclosed it. This man was relentless. The gall of him. To think hewas that powerful to assume, whatever he offered, was worthy ofconsidering and accepting.
“If it gets you the hell out of my house,yes, I’ll bite,” she cow-towed.
He laughed and she knew he thought he won atwearing her down.
Let him think whatever he wants, shethought.
He clapped his hands and rose. “Now, that’smore like it. I’ll send a car tomorrow … dinner … 7 p.m. Wearsomething … alluring. Go to Mitzy’s on Main and charge my account.I’m confident we can come to something amicable.”
He moved toward the door, stopped and turned.“I wouldn’t think of leaving, Jessica. You know how I get, when I’mdisappointed.”
Jessica sent him a smug smile. She could onlyimagine what his reaction would be, once he found her gone. Shealso would not put it past him to have a “watch” placed on herhouse. When Hal wanted something … someone, he went to greatlengths to accomplish that goal, no matter who got hurt in theprocess, or stood in his way. She knew she could not wait until thenext day to leave. Escaping now was paramount.
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CHAPTERTHREE
