A/N Christine is in a bit of trouble at the beginning of this chapter. I think she deserves to know how much trouble her little escapades caused our poor Erik. Thank you so much for your reviews, I'm so excited that we are approaching the 400 mark! Thanks for taking the time to read. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
BETA desperately needed! My poor former Beta has lost the use of her computer so she is no longer able to provide me with a speedy turn around. What I am looking for is someone who is over 18, so I don't feel uncomfortable emailing the hot and steamy scenes. Also I would really welcome someone who would help me make some plot decisions. I know that I have made some bad choices in the past and would welcome anyone who can offer direction in that area. Please private message me if you are interested in taking up the challenge. I usually produce about two to three chapters a week, so I would guess that it would take up to an hour at most for each chapter.
Author – ToryD
Choices
Chapter 19
As the elevator climbed to the top floor, 27, 28…36, 37…40, 42…PH, Christine held her breath as she watched the numbers on the interior panel. "Oh baby," she said as she patted her flat stomach, "I think your daddy is very angry at mommy." Swallowing hard she clutched the handles of her shopping bags as tell tale ring of the elevator bell announced her arrival.
Erik looked up sharply as the doors parted to reveal his mischievous wife. "Darius," he called softly, never once taking his intense gaze from Christine's guilty face. "Please take Mrs. Desmond's packages upstairs."
Darius moved forward and relieved Christine of her heavy load. "Thank you." She said with a slight smile. Remembering that she had her prenatal vitamins along with her physician provided copy of What to Expect When Your Expecting inside of the various shopping bags she called after his retreating form. "Darius, please just place them on the bed, I'll unpack them myself. I have several gifts that I want to keep secret."
"Yes Ms. Christine." He responded as he began ascending the stairs.
Christine looked down at the floor like a small child about to get a well-deserved lecture from their angry parent. She tensed as she heard Erik's slow approach. Oh boy, now I'm in for it. She thought silently to herself. She didn't know who was more surprised, herself or Erik when he lifted his trembling hand and pulled her slowly into his embrace.
Erik's body was shaking with emotion as he simply held Christine tenderly in his arms. "Christine," he whispered in a tortured plea that brought tears of self-reproach to Christine's eyes.
Closing her eyes, she leaned into him as she brought her arms up around his waist. "I'm so sorry Erik; I didn't mean to cause you so much worry." She said in a remorseful tone.
Releasing her Erik once again let the anger of her betrayal take hold. "Please join me in the study Christine." He said with a tone of voice that she had never heard him use.
A shiver of apprehension raced through her as she fell into step beside her tense husband. Once inside Erik closed the door with a resounding bang, causing Christine to jump in fear. Knowing that she deserved what was to come, she decided to simply sit there and take whatever he needed to dish out.
Erik paced the length of the study as he tried to control the renewed rage that was filling him. Stopping at the small bar to pour himself a drink, he downed the potent brew with one telling swallow.
The tension in the room was palpable as Christine watched Erik pace restlessly throughout the room. Hiding a small smile, she was somewhat comforted that he was so upset over her disappearance. "Erik, if you don't stop your pacing your going to ruin the carpet." She said with a wicked little gleam in her eyes.
Erik rounded on her in a fraction of a second, his green eyes shooting sparks of rage at her from across the room. "Christine" he said in a carefully controlled tone. "Have you any idea of the hell you have put me through in the last two hours?" He questioned as he slowly approached her seated form.
Christine swallowed hard at the uncomfortable question Erik had left hanging in the air. "Erik, I…" Her voice trailed off as she realized that she could never justify her selfish actions to the man who wanted nothing other than to love her.
Erik positioned each of his strong arms on each side of her, effectively pinning her in place as thought she was a school's biology project ready to be dissected by young eager science students. "Yes, dear wife…pray continue, I am most interested in what you have to say for yourself." He said in such a menacing tone that Christine gasped in shock.
Christine was more than a little intimidated by her masked angry husband. "Erik, please if you will just let me…"
Leaning down even further Erik placed his face even closer so that she could feel his anger radiating off him. "Let you what Christine, try to explain your total disregard for your safety? Hmm, or perhaps you would like to explain why you failed to think of how your impulsive actions affected my staff. Are you aware that at this very moment Reginald and Steven are franticly searching for you? Did you stop and think for one infinitesimal moment that I, your husband, might be in fear for you?" Erik's last rhetorical question pierced Christine's heart and made her cringe at her own lack of forethought.
Feeling tears of regret fill her eyes see looked up into Erik's enraged features. "Oh Erik, I'm so sorry, I didn't think. Please…" Her voice broke at the emotion of disgust she was feeling towards herself.
Erik steeled himself from taking her in his arms to comfort her. No, he thought firmly to himself, I need to be certain that she is aware of the repercussions of her future actions. "Christine, look at me." He said in a calmer yet still firm tone. "I want your word that you will never take such a foolish action again." He demanded, never taking his seeking gaze from her distraught face.
"Erik," she said with a shuddering breath. "I…" she paused as she tried to find the right words to apologize for all of the senseless worry she had brought to him.
"Your promise Christine." Erik said in an insistent voice.
Looking up into his fierce eyes Christine nodded her head in acceptance. "I promise." She said with a sadness that threatened to unravel his steely resolve.
Erik straightened and held out his hand to her. "Good. Darius has dinner prepared; I suggest we not delay him any longer."
Christine took his offered hand and stood at his side. Pulling lightly to stall his exit, Christine once again tired to offer her apology. "Erik," she said as she reached up with her free hand to trace the lines of worry around his tired eyes. "I am truly sorry. I didn't mean to cause you any worry." She said as fresh tears began to fill her eyes.
Erik felt himself crumble at the sight of her troubled tears. Pulling her gently into his arms, he let the last remnants of his anger drain away. "Oh Christine. I love you!" He declared with a soft truthfulness that had her thanking God above for letting her have this special man as her own.
How long she stayed in his arms she did not know. But what she did know as he held her so tenderly on this cold December evening was that her husband loved her with a deep and abiding passion that equaled her own. She had also discovered that such a love was a precious gift, not to be taken for granted or treated carelessly. No, she thought to herself, what had seemed so important this morning now seemed to be so trivial that she was ashamed of herself for her total disregard for Erik's feelings. Closing her eyes, she savored the strength of her husband's body as she vowed silently to herself that she would do whatever was deemed necessary to ensure that she would never again be the cause of the undeniable look of fear in her Erik's eyes again.
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Meg stood in front of the school's entrance waiting impatiently for Christine the next morning with an agitated expression on her face. "Did you have a nice evening Christine?" She asked with a sarcastic edge to her voice.
Christine, flanked by her two burly bodyguards, winced at her friend's justified tone. 'Uh, Meg I'm sorry to have put you in that position last night." She offered her apology with a pleading look about her eyes.
Meg glared at the two men who had interrogated her none to gently the night before. "Well, I guess you will just have to make it up to me somehow." She said as she pushed opened the double doors to the school. "Did everything go ok at the uh…thing yesterday?"
"Let's talk about that later." Christine said as she gave Meg a sideways look to keep her mouth shut.
Meg gave her a sheepish smile as she opened the office door to retrieve the mail from their prospective slots. "Sure, Christine, anything you say."
Rolling her eyes, Christine snatched the mail from her friends grasp with a little too much force, causing her friend to laugh softly to herself. "Let's just get to class." Christine said with an exaggerated sigh.
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Cara stood admiring the modern painting of the newest up and comer on the New York art scene. "What do you think Marcel, is it really worth $800,000?"
Marcel eyed the abstract painting with a critical eye. "He has captured the essence of serenity as it is so aptly named. His brushwork is truly unique. Yes I would say that it is indeed worth the price, if not more." He offered his educated opinion.
"Hmm, I would have never thought, but then again Erik was always the expert in this area." She said abet a little sadly.
Tensing at the sound of the name of Cara's prey, Marcel once again thought of his unsuccessful attempts at warning Erik Desmond of Cara's impending plans of destruction. "Cara," he paused as he turned her to face him. "I really wish you would just let this go. Erik is now married. Its time for you to move on now." He said in a gentle pleading tone that caused Cara's eyes to harden with firm resolve.
"No, Erik is going to be mine again. Little Ms. Christine can just go fuck herself!" She hissed between her clenched teeth.
Marcel's eyes took on a look of hopelessness as he stared back at the ugliness of Cara's jealousy. "No Cara, you can go fuck yourself! I will not be a party to any of your evil plans." Turning on his heel, he began to walk away from the stunned Cara. At the gallery's entrance, he paused as he thought of his 'friend' that he had just left behind. "Shit!" Turning abruptly, he stalked back to Cara with a purposeful step to his gait. "Cara, listen to me! You are only going to make a fool of yourself! If you don't give up this ridicules idea, you're going to end up not only heart-broken but alone with no one to turn to." Marcel said with such an uncompromising validity that the blood in Cara's veins froze at the projected outcome for her dismal future.
Cara closed her eyes to shut out the overwhelming fear that filled her. "I can't stop myself Marcel. I have to try to win Erik back." Pasting a smile of bravado upon her exquisite features, she looked up into his concerned eyes. "Oh Marcel, don't you see. I don't care what kind of life I would have without Erik." Fighting the tears that were threatening she swallowed hard at the intense emotion filling her. "I will understand if you can't help me." She said in a dejected tone that played directly at his heart.
Taking her into his comforting embrace, Marcel cursed the events that had befallen his heart-broken friend. "Cara, please understand that I would do most anything for you. But this is only going to result in your own destruction and I can't just sit idly by and watch." He whispered sadly in her ear.
Cara leaned back to assess her worried friend. "Oh my silly friend, don't you know that I can't go on living a life without Erik. He is the other half of my soul." She imparted in a tortured voice.
"Cara!" Marcel exclaimed with distress as he gained the undeniable truth of her words. "I…please let me…" he stuttered as he fought to find the words to bring her some form of comfort.
Seeing that her friend was struggling she reached up and placed her fingertip to silence his lips. "Shh, it's ok. I understand, and I love you for trying to make me see some sense." Taking a deep breath Cara resigned herself to her lonely task ahead. Smiling she caressed his smooth cheek. "You should go now, before Erik and his wife arrive."
Marcel hesitated with an impending sense of doom filling him as he debated the prospect of leaving her to her destructive plans. "Cara," he began only to be silenced by the coldness that had so suddenly taken over her beautifully made-up features.
"Go Marcel. I have no need for you now." She said in a flat voice that defied any further arguments from him.
Leaning down he kissed her cheek in way of a small apology for failing her. "Goodbye."
Cara watched as he exited the building, "Goodbye, my sweet caring friend." She said in a sad little whisper.
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Taking Erik's proffered hand Christine exited the limousine into the flashing fray of the numerous photographers that lined the entrance to the gallery. Pasting a practiced smile on her face, she allowed Erik to escort her into the busy glass enclosed building.
"Erik, Christine," Louise Sutton, one of New York City's most feared society matrons called to the entering couple. "How are the newlyweds?" She questioned with the customary air kiss on each of their cheeks.
Calling on all of his charm, Erik greeted the old dowager with a slight bow of his head. "Wonderful, I couldn't be happier." He reported as he leaned over to bestow a tender kiss upon Christine's temple.
"Ah, I can see that my dear." Turning her attention to Christine, she saw an answering look of happiness. "And it seems that your bride is equally as happy as well."
Christine blushed at the look of amusement in the older woman's eyes. "I am, Mrs. Sutton." She replied in a soft voice.
"Christine dear, please call me Louise." Louise demanded as she counted the new Mrs. Desmond among the select few who shared the top tier in the echelon of New York society.
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Cara watched with a sour look upon her beautiful face as Louise Sutton fawned all over Christine. "The bitch never gave me the time of day when I was with Erik." She said under her breath as she took another glass of champagne from a passing waiter. Downing the glass in one swallow she placed it upon a glass table as she squared her shoulders. Smoothing down her tight red satin dress, she began to close the distance between herself and her former lover.
"Erik," she called in a seductive manner that held more than just a customary greeting.
Erik tensed as he heard his named called by the one person he wanted to avoid. "Cara," he responded in a cold tone that warned her to behave herself. "Allow me to introduce you to my wife Christine, and Mrs. Louise Sutton."
Smiling like a black widow spider about to pounce upon her unsuspecting prey, she turned her attention to Christine. "We have already had the pleasure, haven't we Christine." She said in a smooth melodic tone that caused Christine to straighten her spine in resolution.
"Yes, I do believe that you were the one who had the bad manners to approach me in the ladies room at the opera last month." Christine said without missing a beat.
Cara laughed in an effort to cover up the distinctive slight that Christine had so rudely imparted. Turning her gaze to the older woman Cara held out her hand in greeting. "Mrs. Sutton, I do believe that we share several common acquaintances." She said with a sweet expression on her face.
Louise glared at the unmitigated gall of the younger woman who stood before her. Ignoring Cara's hand, Louise allowed the full distain she felt appear on her wrinkled features. "Erik, Christine, if you would please excuse me, I find that I am in sudden need of some fresh air."
Christine bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing aloud at the undisguised dismissal of Cara by the elegant older woman. "Erik, would you please get me a club soda?' She asked her husband sweetly.
Erik eyed Cara warily as he weighed the situation with a felling of despair.
Cara seeing that Erik was uncomfortable with leaving his little wifey in her company decided to push him along. "Yes Erik, be a good husband and get your wife a drink."
Erik glared at his ex-mistress with unhidden hatred in his green eyes. "Cara I swear if you so much as…" He was silenced by Christine's restraining hand on his arm.
"It's ok Erik. I'm afraid that Cara and I have some unfinished business we need to discuss on our own." She said with a determined look on her tense face.
Erik hesitated as though he was fighting within himself the stupidity of leaving these two women to themselves. "Christine…" he began in a pleading tone that caused Cara's left eyebrow to rise in amusement.
"Please let me deal with this small problem on my own." Christine said in a manner that brooked no further arguments.
Erik sighed resignedly as he turned towards the small bar feeling as though he was digging his proverbial grave with every step he took away from his wife.
Christine eyed Erik's former mistress with a distaste that conveyed her abhorrence of the woman who stood so boldly before her. "So Cara, what kind of trouble are you stirring up this time?" She asked in a bored tone.
Smiling a calculating smile Cara enjoyed the look of wariness that Christine was so valiantly trying to hide. "Why Christine, what makes you think that I'm the one stirring up trouble?" Cara responded in a jovial voice. "If I'm not mistaken it was you who stole Erik from me."
Laughing a humorless laugh, Christine was conscious of the attention they were receiving from the filled to capacity room. "Oh you poor thing, I would have thought that you would have known that Erik's only use for you was as his whore." Pausing Christine saw that she had scored a direct hit with her stinging comment. "Oh my God!" she said with a mocking gesture of bringing her hand to her mouth. "You really did think that he would offer you more. How hard it must be for you to realize that you never meant anything to him other than a quick fuck."
Cara's face turned red in her rage, lifting her hand she was poised to strike the smug expression off Christine's face. "You fucking bitch!" She hissed out in a fit of fury.
Christine anticipating her opponent's actions quickly deflected the blow with a tight grip on Cara's arm. "Oh no you don't, not this time."
Erik had witnessed the severity of the situation and abandoned his quest for drinks. Quickly making his way to his wife's side, he put his arm securely around her waist. "Is everything alright Christine?" he questioned in a deadly voice that set Cara's blood racing.
Releasing Cara's arm she turned to face her husband. "Everything is fine now that Cara and I finally understand each other. Let's go and view the paintings." She said as she pulled Erik away from the enraged Cara.
How long Cara stood in the middle of the room she did not know. All she knew with a certainty that shook her very soul was that she would once again have Erik as her own, even if it meant she had to eliminate her competition in the most deadly of ways.
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A/N Holy cow! Is this Christine spoiling for a fight or what! Cara has met her match, or has she? We will definitely have Simone in the next chapter. Let me know what you think in the reviews.