Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

In the canon Rhett makes lots of snarky comments and does some mean things to Scarlett but in truth she really has no idea why he is doing what he is doing. Rhett never explains his actions. Yes, Scarlett should have investigated further but she was a self-centered woman who never wanted to bother with other people's feelings.

I have been in relationships where the other person wouldn't tell me what the problem was but would make lots of snarky comments. The comments hurt and I still didn't know what the problem was.

Chapter Thirteen

Rhett went to Mr. Powe's office and accepted the offer. It was a good offer. The buyer Leslie Sawyer had offered Rhett four hundred and fifty dollars. Mr. Powe said he would send him and Mr. Sawyer a note when the papers were ready to sign.

A week later Mr. Sawyer and Rhett had signed the papers and Rhett was no longer the owner of a saloon and brothel. Rhett never wanted to see that lying bitch again, but he would have to, so she didn't get her feelings hurt and retaliate against him. There were so many things she could do if she had a mind to do them. He once again thought about killing Belle to prevent her from inflicting harm into his life. He sighed. He couldn't do it yet. After ten years at working to be a better person, he was. He couldn't just cold-bloodedly kill the woman as a prevention to what she might do. Yet, he would if she did anything overt against him.

Rhett got on his horse and rode to The Painted Lady. He would not be there for more than ten minutes. Fifteen minutes max. He would have to get his profits before he told her that he had sold his half of the saloon.

As Rhett got off his horse and looked at the building that he had spent far too much time in the first three years of his marriage, he felt the shame of his actions again. As he walked inside, he figured out what he was going to say to Belle.

Rhett smiled his most charming smile as he saw Belle behind the bar. He said, "Hello, Belle."

"It is about time you came to see me. You have been back from your honeymoon for three weeks."

With Belle's words, Rhett realized that Belle knew too much about his comings and goings. That would make it difficult to prevent her from harming his marriage. He once again entertained the thought of just killing her now and sighed with regret. No, he couldn't do it, yet.

Rhett said, "Yes. I'm sorry I haven't gotten here sooner. It seems that now that I am a married man I don't want to go out at night. Do you have my profits?"

"Was it worth the wait?"

"I don't mean to be rude, Belle, but that is none of your business."

"When she does something to make you mad, you will tell me all. I will be right back."

"Bring the profits to date."

"I can give you up to the end of last week."

"Good enough."

Belle walked into her office. In a few minutes she was back with some bills in her hand.

"Your half of the profits was sixty-two dollars. We had a couple of good months despite you not frequenting the place."

Rhett reached out and took the bills. He put them in his wallet. He then took Belle's hand. He said, "Scarlett wants me to quit smoking. She doesn't think smoking cigars are good for me. I had been thinking about quitting for a while. I'm tired of waking up and coughing up a lung. You don't know this, but a cigar and a glass of whiskey just go hand in hand, therefore I won't be frequenting this establishment very much in the future."

"So, Scarlett is going to wear the pants in the family."

"I won't say my wife being concerned about my health was wearing the pants in the family. How can I get mad when I know she is right? Smoking all those cigars isn't good for me."

"You will never quit smoking forever. You enjoy your cigars too much."

"We will see."

"When you start smoking again you will be back. When the new wears off you will be back for some entertainment."

By the way Belle had stressed the word new Rhett knew what she was referring to. He just smiled and said, "I do plan to be faithful to Scarlett."

"Rhett you could never be faithful to any woman and when your wife makes you mad about something or won't do what you want her to do while you are being intimate, you will be back."

"We will see. I sold my half of The Painted Lady to Leslie Sawyer because I no longer want to own a saloon and brothel.

"Go on now. When you want your half back hopefully Mr. Sawyer will sell it back to you. In about six months you will be back drinking, smoking, and using the services if not before."

Rhett walked out of the saloon. He got on his horse and rode back to the hotel. He looked at his watch and he had spent twelve minutes in the establishment. Safe enough.

As Belle watched Rhett walk out of the saloon, she was in no doubt that even before six months was up Rhett would have returned to her. Rhett always returned to her. Six months was the most time it would take for Rhett to get fed up with his wife only wanting to do it in one position in the dark. Belle laughed and said, "On Saturday night."

Belle would have been surprised to know that Rhett had never intentionally returned to her. He had like Belle and had thought her fun therefore, when he was in a city she was in, he would always visit her. The sex with Belle was amazingly good also. She did know how to please a man. Of course, that was her profession after all.

In the middle of June, Rhett said, "Let's go down to Tara for the day."

A big smile broke out on Scarlett's face, and she said, "Of course, I didn't think you would go to Tara."

"Why?"

"Because it is in the country thus boring."

"Yes, that is true except for one fact. You will be there so it can't be boring. No place you are at could ever be boring."

After the families' day at Tara, Rhett knew several things. Scarlett and her children loved being at Tara which he had already known, Suellen Benteen was a bitch which he had already known, Will Benteen loved Tara enough to put up with that harridan which he had already known, and despite Scarlett being with him the entire time he had been bored out of his mind which he had also already known. Would he be returning? Of course, because it had made Scarlett so incredibly happy.

Another reason was Suellen could always get Scarlett's temper up by simply walking into the room. Rhett always loved to see Scarlett when she was mad. She was a beautiful sight to behold. The other plus is that Scarlett could always best Suellen in a verbal battle, probably in a physical battle also because Scarlett would fight dirty. Since Scarlett had won her verbal battle with Suellen, she was a little smug on their return trip to Atlanta. A smug Scarlett was a joy to be around.

Rhett remembered that the sisters had the same conversation about Frank Kennedy they had in the previous timeline, but he now knew they had that conversation quite often. Or something pretty similar.

All throughout the summer, Rhett and Scarlett were very busy socially. He loved to watch her at the Scallawag and Republican events. He knew that she knew these people were low class but because they treated the couple like royalty it was always a thrilling experience.

The couple were busy building their house. There was a lot of squabbling on their home then they had moved on to the furniture. He had not been kidding when he had said he was going to be completely involved in the process. They had not agreed on very much and there was a lot of negotiating. The first thing they had agreed upon was an oversize bed. Then they had agreed upon water closets, a bathtub, and a small device to heat water in.

Rhett was busy making money at night in the shadows and Scarlett was busy running her businesses. As a rule, Scarlett checked on her businesses every Wednesday.

One Wednesday night, Scarlett was distracted at supper. Rhett had to call her name several times over the course of the meal to get her attention. After the meal was over, Rhett said, "Wade, you can go on upstairs. Mammy is already there. Sit down, my dear."

Scarlett sat down. She didn't like the harshness of Rhett's tone. He said equally harshly, "What did I say would happen if I caught you thinking about Mr. Wilkes?"

Scarlett was scared. She didn't like the way Rhett looked or the way he was talking to her. She quietly said, "Let me think. Um… I think you said you would yell at me."

"What I said was I can make your life heaven on earth, or I can make your life a living hell. I also said you would not like to see my anger."

With defiance Scarlett said, "You can't control my thoughts."

"No, I cannot but I can control how I treat you. As I just said heaven on earth or a living hell. Have you enjoyed the last several weeks since we got back from New Orleans?"

"Yes."

"That would be heaven on earth. Would you like a taste of a living hell?"

"No."

"Would you like for me to speak to you cruelly or mockingly?"

"No."

"Would you like me to speak to you harshly?"

"You are speaking to me harshly."

"Just think how harsh it will be when I finally lose my temper. I am barely holding on to my temper right now. You are my wife and as such you will never think about anyone else when I am around," Rhett had started off in a normal tone and had gotten louder and louder. He continued in a very loud voice, "I currently make it a point to only go to saloons that are not attached to brothels so there is no question if I am being faithful to you or not. If you are not going to extend me the same courtesy by being faithful to me in your mind then I will return to going to The Painted Lady where my friend, Belle, works."

Rhett watched Scarlett get paler and paler. At last, in a noticeably quiet voice, Rhett said, "Do we have an understanding?" Scarlett simply nodded her head, but she didn't speak. Rhett stood up and said, "Good night. I don't know when I will be home."

Scarlett just stared at Rhett's back as he walked out of the dining room and across the foyer then out the door. After the door was shut, Scarlett collapsed in her chair. She wouldn't say her thinking about another man was being unfaithful to Rhett but obviously Rhett thought it was. With a little bit of self-righteous anger Scarlett said, "He knew I loved Ashley when I married him. Does he expect me to suddenly stop loving Ashley?" Scarlett sighed. She said, "No, but he does expect me not to think about Ashley when he is around. I guess that is not an unreasonable request. I will have to be a lot more careful in the future."

Why Scarlett had been thinking about Ashley was because of something he said today when she was at the mill. He had said, "Since you and Captain Butler have gotten married the only time, I get to see you is at the mills. You are just too busy." She didn't want Ashley to think she was falling out of love with him or feel neglected. Scarlett stood up to walk out of the room. She had the thought, 'Of course, he is the one who married another woman over me so if he is feeling neglected it is his own fault.'

Rhett was home before Scarlett went to sleep. When Rhett walked into their bedroom, Scarlett looked at him warily. He said, "I am no longer angry but if it happens again, you will feel the full force of my anger."

"Alright, Rhett."

Rhett now knew that in his past life he should have come down hard on Scarlett each and every time he caught her thinking of Mr. Wilkes. The only thing Scarlett truly respected was strength. She had to understand what he would and wouldn't tolerate. He had been so worried about her discovering that he was jealous of Mr. Wilkes and thus jumping to the conclusion that he loved her that he hadn't let her know the reason for his anger.