chapter Thirty
“What in the hell are you doing here, Sharron?”
“Now, is that any way to talk to your wife?”
“You haven’t been my wife for several years. Get the hell off my property before I have you arrested.”
“But, baby, I miss you so much.” She dropped her coat, revealing a skimpy red teddy, and not much else. Before he could slam the door in her face, she grabbed ahold of him.
Rafe quickly gripped her arms and pushed her away, not wanting to have her touching any part of him. When she realized seduction wasn’t getting her what she wanted, the waterworks began.
“Oh, Rafe, I need you. I thought I wanted something different in my life, but I just can’t seem to live without you. Please, don’t be so cruel,” she sobbed as she reached for him.
“So for the past three years, you’ve done nothing except cry over our broken marriage?” he mocked.
“No, of course not. I tried to live my life, attend parties, smile for the cameras, but all of that was nothing but a show. Once a woman’s been with a man like you, there’s no going back. I need you, Rafe. Please. You used to love me so much. I know you still do,” she sobbed.
She was a great little actress. She’d really missed her calling in life. Rafe didn’t know if it was vindictiveness, or just because he’d had a hell of a day, but he invited her in by opening the door wide.
“Oh, thank you, baby. I knew you missed me, too,” she said as she once again threw herself at him. He brushed her off and started moving down the hallway.
“Follow me.”
Her five-inch heels clicked on the hardwood beneath her as she practically ran to keep up with him. He imagined her modified breasts were about to spill from her lingerie. Nothing about her manufactured body did a thing for him, anymore. When he’d met her, she’d been real, not some plastic Barbie Doll. He really should’ve known who she was. She hadn’t tried to hide her greediness all that carefully.
He’d just assumed she appreciated the finer things in life. There was nothing wrong with that. When he discovered she loved his money a whole lot more than she loved him, he’d been grateful she’d shown her true colors.
“Sit down,” he commanded.
She sauntered over to his couch and sat, arranging herself in the most appealing way she could. He gazed at her, wondering if there would be even the slightest of sparks inside him. After-all, he was incredibly sexually frustrated.
As his gaze traveled from her expertly made-up face, over her breasts, and then across the top of her thighs – he felt nothing, not even the barest of sparks.
Interesting.
“Why don’t you sit with me, Rafe? Better yet, why don’t you take me to your bedroom – I’ve learned a few things over the years that I think will make you a very happy man,” she promised.
“I have a better idea,” he said as he reached for the file he was looking for and slowly approached her. Triumph sparked in her eyes when he leaned down. She really thought she had him fooled.
“What’s that, lover?”
“Why don’t we talk about you,” he said, his tone not giving anything away. She still thought this was a pleasant chat.
“Mmm, what do you want to know? I’m an open book,” she lied.
“Well…” he hesitated as he wanted to fully enjoy the devastation on her face when she discovered she wasn’t getting her way.
“How about we talk about the fact that you’re broke, about to be homeless, and been cast from the high society circles from here to New York.”
It took her a moment, but his words finally registered and she stiffened as her satisfied smile fell away and hatred glowed in her eyes before she managed to control it, and plaster a devastated expression in its place.
Rafe didn’t feel the victory he’d planned on. He was surprised to almost pity the woman – almost. She had reaped what she’d sewed. He was done with his small game. Walking to the phone, he lifted it to call his security and she flew off the couch toward him.
“What are you doing? Please! Let me explain. I was trying to be happy again after you threw me out. I lost all joy in life and wandered like an empty shell. Then I met Antonio. I thought he was a good man. He was so nice to me at first. That’s why I got the new breasts and nose. I wanted to please him. But then, he turned out to be a real jerk. I thought he’d take care of me so I wasn’t careful with my divorce settlement, and then out of nowhere, he kicked me out of his house, wouldn’t even let me have the jewelry he’d bought for me. I didn’t do anything to deserve that. Now I have nothing, no money, no home – nothing. You can’t just leave me like this, Rafe. You love me.”
Rafe listened to her speech without feeling a single emotion. He simply didn’t care enough about her to even give a damn.
“According to my sources, he kicked you out because he found you in bed with the pool boy. Isn’t that a bit clichéd, Sharron? The pool boy, really?”
“That’s a lie. I would never do that.”
“Tell it to someone who cares. I honestly don’t. I thought I’d enjoy seeing you like this, but you matter so little to me that I’ve already grown bored with this conversation.”
“You were never so cold before. What in the hell has happened to you?” she screamed.
“I’m who I always should’ve been. I quite like myself.”
“What am I supposed to do,” she wailed.
“It looks like you’ll have to figure it out. I want you to leave my home, Sharron. Don’t come back.”
With that, Rafe lifted the phone and called security. They were there within seconds and Sharron didn’t stop screaming the entire time they hauled her from his office. If she came back again, he wouldn’t hesitate to have her thrown into jail.