Chapter 15

By the Friday after Halloween, her period had ended. However, for as much as she wanted to be with Anthony again, she did not want to get pregnant. She could not even imagine what she would do if such a thing happened. Harrison would know it wasn’t his, and if Anthony demanded she get a divorce, she would be ruined. Women in her position did not get divorced and then marry their Italian lovers. What would her parents say? She came up with a plan.

On Saturday morning, Vera slipped into Garret’s bedroom. It was no secret her middle son had condoms in his bathroom. She had heard Harrison and Randall joke about it. She would take a couple, and then ask Anthony to start buying them. She couldn’t make the purchase, and Garret would start noticing if too many were missing.

Anthony had no idea he would be so happy to get back to this shit town, but all he could think about was Vera Coulson and what he wanted to do to her body. Ironically, he intended to be her drug, but she had become his.

She was perfection. Before his last wife got pregnant and fat, he’d used her body in unconventional ways, but she usually ended up crying while begging him to stop. He knew Vera didn’t enjoy certain things he did to her—but her tears were silent and she never asked him to stop. Even when he intentionally made it more painful, she accepted the fact he owned her completely. Perfection.

Lounging nude on the bed, he waited for his lover to arrive. He didn’t have long to wait. Five minutes early, Vera rushed into the room and into his arms. Impatient hands tugged at her clothes, desperate to get her in the same state of undress as his body.

“Wait,” Vera breathlessly pleaded, gently pushing him away.

“What for?” He bit her neck and continued to grope at her clothes.

Vera handed a small package to Anthony. He didn’t take it. Instead, he looked at it, perplexed, as if he didn’t quite understand what she was offering him. He frowned. It was a condom.

Snatching it from her hand, he waved it in the air. “What is this for?”

“I stole it from my son’s room. I thought we could use it today, and then you could buy some, for later. I have a couple more in my purse. So I don’t get pregnant.”

Anthony froze. He stared at the small package then looked into Vera’s face. The condom slipped from his hand and fell to the floor. Before she knew what happened, Anthony pulled back his hand and slapped her across the face, sending her falling to the floor.

She looked up at him, bewildered and confused, clutching her face, the sting still throbbed.

“What the fuck, you too good for my kid?” he shouted, and then kicked Vera in the belly with full force. Vera rolled into a protective ball as Anthony continued to kick her, his bare foot doing less damage than had he been wearing shoes, yet still painful.

“You think you can tell me what I can do with your body? I own you, bitch.”

Reaching down he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. Tossing her on the bed, he punched her belly and thighs repeatedly, ignoring her pleas. When he was tired of using her like a punching bag, he slapped her face repeatedly.

“You want to see what I think about your idea of using a condom?” he shouted as he rolled her over on her belly and jerked up her skirt and ripped off her panties. Brutally, he raped her, leaving no orifice unscathed.

When his rage subsided, he let her rest before cleaning her up. The only real damage to her clothes was her underpants. Making her stand before him, he straightened her clothes and combed her hair. Still in shock, Vera could barely move.

“Pull yourself together baby, no real damage,” Anthony insisted. He had her sit on a chair and then forced her to drink a little gin. With great effort, Vera regained some of her equilibrium.

“It’s your own fault, Princess. You should never have brought those condoms. You know I don’t like being told what to do.”

Vera sat quietly on the chair and watched Anthony as he paced the room.

“Don’t ever mention condoms again, you hear? You just need to do what I say and everything will be good and go back to how it was.”

Vera continued to stare.

“Damn, Princess, why did you have to go and do that?” Anthony’s anger resurfaced. Vera winced; she was afraid he was going to start hitting her again.

“I was really looking forward to seeing you today and you ruined it!” he shouted. Taking a deep breath, he looked down at Vera and put a finger under her chin, tilting her face upward in his direction.

“Tell me it’s okay. Tell me you’ll be here tomorrow,” Anthony asked in a whisper. He sounded almost desperate.

“Yes. I’ll be here. I promise.” Vera was too terrified to say anything else. She just wanted to get out of the motel room.

“Do you still love me, baby?”

“Yes, Anthony. You know I do.”

“And if I knock you up, you’ll have my baby?”

“Yes, Anthony, of course. I love you.”

“I need you to prove it to me.”

“I don’t understand.” Vera trembled in fear.

“Get on your knees baby. Do your best. Show me how much you need me.”

Vera almost asked now but caught herself in time. He was on the verge of going into another fit of rage.

Feeling ill, she slid off the chair to the floor onto her knees and looked up at Anthony. He smiled down at her, pleased that even with her bruised face and eyes brimming with tears, she was prepared to do whatever he demanded. Perfection.