Pure Feeling

devil's advocate

"You haven't forgiven me."

Harry's statement caught me off guard. "What?"

"You're distant, and you just pulled away when I tried to kiss you." There was no accusation in Harry's tone, only sadness.

One week of lying to Harry, and I was ready to break. Every time he pulled me out of my own thoughts, it became harder to hide the guilt. Every time Don's parole hearing was mentioned, I withdrew further, unable to face the lies. Harry thought I was petrified Don would be released, and I was, but he never suspected that I would have a hand in it.

"Sorry, I was lost thinking about work." I hated that the lie slid off my tongue so easily. I craned my head and pouted my lips, looking for a kiss. Harry scowled. "I promise you, you're forgiven. I'm not holding a grudge, Harry."

"You are against Genevieve. You need to talk to her, Sasha. She's beside herself and she needs you."

I shook my head. "I can't, Harry. She knew better, and now she's opening up a storm with Drew..."

"Genevieve has the right to seek justice. That isn't about you," Harry warned. He'd left in the middle of the night a few days ago because Xavier was in the lobby, ready to take Drew down. The police had questioned him about his involvement with Drew, and he'd told them everything. The police were charging Xavier with a summary offence, but they had their sights set on the big fish and were giving him immunity for his cooperation. Apparently, they suspected Drew was involved in 3 cold case sexual assaults and he'd been on their watch list for a few years. He always managed to evade the police and they never had enough to arrest and charge him.

It wasn't new information to me — Drew had always been sneaky. A girl in high school accused him of forcing himself on her but Don managed to make it go away. Drew had been stalking me and assaulting me for years, but the police had never been able to do anything. There wasn't even enough evidence for a restraining order.

"But they are asking questions. I don't want to aggravate him!"

Harry growled. I tensed. "He's an animal, Sasha. He deserves to be locked up."

"Look, I'm just anxious about the parole hearing tomorrow, okay? I'll be in a better place to deal with Gen after it's all over."

"It will be okay, baby. They won't let him out... they can't. He's dangerous." Harry was scared. He tried to hide it, but the evidence was in his wavering voice and the beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. He had wanted to  hire the the best criminal lawyer he could to represent my interests but I convinced him to let it be.

"Let's just forget about Drew and Don and Gen and Xavier... and everything that's a mess. I want tonight to be about us." I looked at Harry hopefully and he sighed. He wouldn't deny me a night of peace.

"Alright," he agreed. "Dinner's ready. I'll meet you at the kitchen counter, I've got to get a bottle of wine."

Harry set off to get wine and I rose from the sofa and idly made my way into the kitchen. Harry had set us up to eat at the breakfast bar, the norm for us in the penthouse. It felt strange to eat at a dining table for 10 when it was only the two of us. Eating in the kitchen felt more relaxed and intimate.

The smell of Harry's creamy sundried tomato pasta made my stomach rumble. I picked a piece of penne up with my fingers and popped it in my mouth. I was picking up another piece when Harry came up behind me and slapped my bum.

"Use a fork, Sasha."

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry."

We ate, talked, and drank at the breakfast bar for a few hours. Time and problems slipped away and by the time Gilligan came over in search of his own food, I was warm and giddy from the wine. Harry fed the dog and I cleaned up the kitchen, amused by the mess Harry made whenever he cooked. For someone who liked control and order, the kitchen always resembled the workplace of a toddler after he'd been in it.