First Degree

Chapter 2: Work Bitch

I woke up the next morning and my bed was empty. Liam was nowhere in sight. I saw this as my chance to do what I love.

I grabbed my laptop and opened Word. I started where I stopped off on my latest novel that he knew nothing about. When he wasn't around. I saw that as my chance to attempt to build myself just in case he decided to leave me one day. I even attend this book club every Wednesday.

If Liam found out he would totally do away with me and that's no joke.

I got out of bed and took me a long hot shower. Once I walked back into my bedroom I decided to get dressed and go to the coffee shop in down town Manhattan. Manhattan has all the nice coffee shops. People think Starbucks is the only delicious coffee in the world. It's not.

I threw on my pink sweater, boyfriend jeans, and Uggs. I applied coconut oil to my dreads and grabbed my laptop. It may sound cliche but coffee shops are the best places to write novels.

I put my laptop into my satchel and grabbed my car keys. Believe it or not I feel so free and alive when Liam isn't around. I love him dearly but he scares me.

I hopped in the red Mercedes he got me when we first got married. Those were the good days. I didn't have to worry about the abuse, neglect, or other women.

I pulled up to the coffee shop and felt relaxed. I walked in and ordered my regular coffee with cream. I opened my laptop and felt comfortable in my happy place. I was writing a book about a woman and her cheating husband. I know you've read plenty books about this but my book is different. This time the woman kills the man in the end.

I took a sip of my coffee as I took a break from typing.

"I bet this is going to be one good book." A very strange man slid into the chair sitting across from me. I stared at him with a slight frown.

"Hi, I'm Khi." He extended his hand but I just looked away and continued typing on my laptop. Maybe he would go away and avoid getting BOTH of us killed.

"I take it you're not as friendly as other journalists I know." He finally put his extended hand down and put his straw into his smoothie.

"Not to be rude, but why are you here?" I asked, coming off as rude anyway.

"Having a smoothie on my lunch break." He shrugged as if we've known each other for years. I looked up at him and noticed he was a clean cut white man. Why is he at my table?

"Nice." I nodded and looked back down at my work. I was stuck. I didn't know what to write next. I was stuck at the part where she walked in on him for the last time with a strange woman.

"How would you react if you walked in on your wife with another man?" I asked the stranger. He sighed. Then he began to chuckle.

"Well considering the fact that I did once before, I actually took it very lightly. I walked away." He shrugged and took another long sip from the smoothie.

I just stared at him to see if he was telling the truth but he didn't look moved.

"Wow." I finally looked back down at my work. He's a different type of guy. I thought maybe guys would shoot or want to fight.

"How would you handle it?" He asked as he took a long stare at my 12 karat diamond ring.

I thought about all the times I've caught Liam with different women. They always were prettier and more successful than me so I couldn't blame him. Once I even attempted to get mad he would hit me or make me sleep in the basement like an animal.

I would have to beg to come back out to living quarters of the home.

I noticed the stranger looked at me with a weird look. That's when I noticed a single tear had hit my keyboard.

"Sorry I-"

"Oh no! It's fine!" I perked up instantly.

I looked past his shoulder and my face dropped. You would have thought I saw a ghost. I'm pretty sure my skin was pale like a ghost.

"Hey honey." I tried to greet him before he walked over and made a scene. He approached the table and looked at me like I knew better.

"Who is this?" He nodded towards the stranger.

"Hi man I'm Khi." Khi stood up with that extended hand once again. Liam looked at his hand then looked down at me.

I quickly turned my laptop to the New York & Company website. He just continued to stare at me like he wanted to punch me.

"Hey man I'm no one. I just saw her sitting here and was telling her about our new look for the Sports Illustrated cover and she has it." Khi reaches in his pocket and hands Liam his card.

This handsome young man works for Sports Illustrated? Ive heard nothing but great things about that magazine company. I would love to become an editor for them.

Liam tucked the card into his pocket without taking a look at it. Khi looked at me with that forced smile as he grabbed his smoothie.

"Well nice meeting you-" he looked at the 'Genesis' bracelet around my wrist. "Genesis." He finished with a more relaxed smile. I nodded and he walked away.

"I was here to bring you coffee and you are here flirting with men that work for Sports Illustrated?" Liam asked.

"Liam he was only looking for someone for the cover. It's honestly not that serious." I shrugged. He yanked me up causing me to accidentally knock my laptop over. I fell down and cried as he still had a good grip on my arm.

"Get your ass up!" He yelled as he drew attention to us. I tried grabbing my laptop but he was dragging me out the coffee shop by then.

"Stop it Liam." I cried but he continued to drag me. I hit my leg against one of the tables trying to stop him.

"Hey man stop." One man tried to grab him but Liam pushed him so hard against the bar.

He finally got me to my feet as we got outside and he struck me twice in my face. I fell down and tried running to my car but he grabbed some of my dreads.

"You were in there embarrassing me now it's time for me to embarrass you!" He scolded me. He yanked my sweater off leaving me in nothing but my bra in this cold New York winter.

"Please Liam. I'm sorry." I cried but no one, not even him, could hear me.

He pulled my Uggs off and pulled my pants down. I was freezing now. I was curled up on the sidewalk while people stood around watching, scared to do anything.

He reached down and snatched my keys from me and left me all alone.

I tried to gather myself together and go back into the coffee shop where it was warm and call a taxi. I was so embarrassed that everyone in downtown Manhattan had seen me naked.

I felt someone grab me and I instantly started fighting back.

"It's okay." He said in my ear as he covered me with his jacket. It was the man that goes by Khi. He walked me to his black BMW and put me in the passenger seat. The heated leather seats felt so good on my bare behind.

"What the fuck was that? That man can't be your husband!" He sounded so upset as he drove off. I just leaned my head on the warm seats enjoying the warmth of his car.

He was exactly wrong. That is my husband.