Never Forgotten

Part 25

Part 25

"Marlena.." John whispered with panic in his voice.

"It's okay..it's okay" Marlena replied while quickly putting on her t-shirt and running her hands through her hair, trying to disguise her aroused state. "Go..open the door..I've got this!"

Standing up, John took a deep breath, to calm down his nerves and his body. "Okay, you ready?"
Nodding her head, she prepared herself for the inevitable confrontation that was about to take place.

"Roman..calm down!" John said as he opened the door.

Without looking at John, Roman burst inside, hitting John's shoulder with his own on purpose. "Where is she?" He yelled angrily.
Quickly turning around, Roman pointed a finger at John's face. "And don't tell me what to do. Now where is my wife?"

"Roman..please" Marlena interrupted what was about to become a dangerous interaction between the two men. She could see John's jaw tighten and his hands clenched into fists. He was doing everything possible to restrain himself from not throwing Roman back outside the door.

Turning his head, Roman looked in the direction of her voice and saw her sitting on the sofa. "I'm taking you home!" He commanded as he walked with ruched steps towards her.
He suddenly stopped in his tracks a feet away from her. His eyes scanned her form and demeanor. Her hand's fiddling, her averting eyes, her swollen red lips and her tousled hair.
His eyes caught something on the sofa's armrest. Taking a step closer, he narrowed his eyes and saw her discarded bra.
"What the hell" he let out, slowly putting the pieces together.

Marlena stood up and reached out her hand. "Roman...I'm sorry.." was all she said. She wasn't going to deny or try to make him understand.
But she was truly sorry, not just for what he was realizing right in that moment, but also for the years when she didn't have the courage to leave their loveless marriage and give him a chance at real love and happiness.

"So you two have been having an affair..." It was more of a statement than a question.
"How long have you been sneaking behind my back making me look like a fool..huh??." Roman's face was red with anger.

There was no point in denying the obvious Marlena thought. "Roman, I wanted to tell you the other day but as usual you weren't interested in having a conversation with me. I....." Marlena stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but Roman, I haven't been happy for a really long time and I'm sure neither have you...I.."

Roman interrupted her, his voice was thick with disgust and anger. "Don't pretend to know how I feel. You are my wife. We took vows and you betrayed me with that son of a bitch" He spat and turned to point his finger at John. "Do you think that you can just walk back into Salem and into our lives like you did all those years ago..huh.. And think that you could come back and claim what you think is yours, my children and my wife, without it having any consequences?" Roman was raging.

"Roman, let's talk calmly about this" John said, defensively holding up his hands. He felt this situation was beginning to escalate quickly. And he saw that Marlena was getting nervous as well.

Roman ignored John's plea and turned back around to face Marlena who was now standing. His eyes immediately fell to her bosom, her white t-shirt was slightly see through, confirming that the bra on the sofa was indeed hers and probably recently removed by John's hands. Roman's blood was boiling out of control, all common sense left him, leaving only the primal part of his brain to take control of his actions.
He suddenly launched at Marlena in one quick move, grabbing her upper arm. "I'm taking you home, right now!"

Marlena tried to wrestle his hand off her arm, but he was holding her so tight that she was sure it would leave a mark. "Roman, let go your hurting me" She said calmly with a definite voice.