The Deal

When he arrived home after work he found Blair making dinner. "Why are you cooking when we have someone to do it?" he asked, going over gave her a kiss. His heart would pump faster, a warm feeling would go through his body whenever he looked at her.

"I told her I would make dinner and that she could go home early, with full pay of course. I like cooking for you. I have heard that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Brushing her hair over he placed his lips on her neck. "That's what a woman came up with, but if you ask a man he'll tell you the way to his heart is with amazing, hot sex."

Laughing she shrugged him off. "You would say that. Now go take off your suit and put something casual on, dinner is almost ready." She glanced over her shoulder to watch as he walked away. She had never been this happy in her whole life, she had someone who loved her unconditionally and someone she loved with all of her heart.

After dinner, they snuggled up on the couch under a blanket watching TV. The news came on and Ryan Platt's face was plastered all over the screen. He was sentenced to life for the beating and rape of over ten women. After his arrest, several more women came forward. A few of them knew he was their attacker, but he had threatened them and their families if they were to report him so they never told the police that it was him that beat and raped them. But now that it was out in the open they felt it would be safe. With all the pieces of evidence against him, the time factor and the other information that was brought forward he was finally stopped and put away.

She snuggled close to him as they listened to the news. "I still feel ill when I think of what he tried to do to me."

"I know, me too," he said, holding her tighter and kissed the top of her head. He shook his head when he thought back to when Ryan was arrested and he went to see him and the man had the nerve to ask him to defend him in court or recommend a good lawyer. He had to be held back by two guards when he jumped up and went for Ryan's throat. He would gladly have gone to prison for killing him after what he had done to Blair and the other women. His conscience would forever haunt him knowing that he had gotten the man off on the rape charges. But Ryan was so convincing and had him believing he was innocent. Now he had to wonder how many other guilty men he had helped to escape justice. It made him question his ability to tell the innocent from the guilty. He made a vow to himself that he would from now on dig deeper before taking on a case.

"Let's go to bed, I need you," she said, looking up at him. Suddenly she needed to feel Austin's touch, to feel his naked body against hers.

That night it was as if he knew how she was feeling so instead of the rough and tumble sex he took his time with her. His kisses soft and tender, he touched and kissed her all over, letting her know how much he loved and cherished her. Her eyes glistened when she looked into his, knowing then that he was always meant to be hers, and she his.

"I love you so much Austin," she said, her fingers gently caressing his cheek.

Hearing her say those words he felt as if he had died and gone to heaven. For years he had dreamed of hearing her say that to him. His marriage to Betty was a lie, one that hurt her so much that it drove her to cheat. He didn't blame her though, she had known from the beginning about Blair and how he felt but she still pressured him into marriage. At night when she laid in his arms after sex, it was Blair he was thinking of. In his mind, it was her he was making love to and he was sure Betty knew but she never let on.

The next day he decided to surprise Blair by showing up at her office, bringing lunch with him. Only when he got there Rachel told him she had taken the afternoon off. He thought it was weird that she never mentioned she was going anywhere. So he drove home, expecting to find her there but the housekeeper said that Bair hadn't come home yet. Now he was confused as to where she might be so he tried calling her but got no answer. Feeling frustrated he goes back to his office, leaving her a message on her voice mail to call him back. She never did.

He arrived home moments before she did later that day. "How was your day?" he asked, removing his tie and jacket.

"Oh, it was alright, same old thing. How was your day?" she asked.

"Interesting, I won another case this morning so I thought I'd surprise you by popping in to see you. I even brought lunch so we could eat together but Rachel said you took the afternoon off. Where were you and why didn't you answer my calls?" He couldn't help noticing how she suddenly became nervous.

"I'm sorry, I had my phone turned off and forgot to turn it back on."

Now he knew something was up, she never turned her phone off and still hadn't answered his question. "So where were you?" he asked, becoming suspicious when she wouldn't look at him when she answered.

"I went shopping."

"If you went shopping where are your bags?"

"I, I didn't find anything I liked."

"Since when do you go shopping and not return with tons of packages?" Now he knew something was wrong, she was the queen of shopping.

She whirled around to face him, her eyes flashing with anger. "What the hell is with the third degree? So I took the afternoon off, big deal. I don't like being questioned and I don't like your tone." Storming out the room in a fit of anger she left him confused and pissed off.

Fear and doubt started to cloud his mind and he wondered if she was with another man, was she cheating on him? Going upstairs he changes into sweats and goes to his home gym, where he started to punch on the bag that hung from the ceiling. His fists kept hitting it hard and fast as he tried to drive the image of her with another man out of his head.

Twenty minutes later he had to stop, not having worn boxing gloves his hands were sore, his knuckles raw and red. He sat down, grabbing a towel he wiped the sweat that was dripping down his face and neck. He had to remain calm, he really couldn't see her cheating on him but if she wasn't then why wouldn't she tell him where she was and why did she get so mad when he asked her? He had so many more questions but figured he'd give her the benefit of the doubt and just wait to see what happens next.

That night when they climbed into bed things were still a little strained between them. Laying next to her he got to thinking that maybe he had overreacted. He was, after all, drilling her like he would one on the witness stand. She hadn't given him any signs that she was cheating so he had to stop being so insecure and thinking the worse.

He rolled over, his finger going under her chin he turned her head towards him. "I'm sorry. I never should have acted the way I did."

"Austin, I love you and I'm your wife but not your property. I shouldn't have to explain my every move."

"You're right and I'm sorry." He then climbed on top of her, his hand going under her nightgown and between her legs. Soon he had her moaning his name, their fight was long forgotten as they enjoyed each other's bodies.

The next few weeks flew by and nothing out of the ordinary happened, making him believe he had blown the incident with Blair out of proportion.

A month later she once again disappeared, she wasn't at work or home and not answering her phone. Again that feeling she was cheating on him welled up inside him. Only this time he was going to find out what she was up to.

Marching into her office he leaned over Rachel's desk, resting the palms of his hands on the desk. His eyes seething with rage. "Where is she and don't give me any bullshit that you don't know."

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she pushed her body back further into her chair. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You know damn well what is going on now tell me," he barked. "Who's the guy she's cheating on me with?"

"Austin, Blair is not cheating on you. If you want to know what's going on you're going to have to ask her yourself. I also suggest you watch how you talk to her, you know what she can be like if you go all caveman on her."

Yes, he knew, she would shut down and he'd never find out. He would talk to her in a calm voice and come right out and ask her. But first, he would go for a long walk to calm down before going home. As he walked the streets he thought about all the time he wasted in hatching a plan to hurt her when he should have been working on getting the only women he ever loved to love him back. Passing a restaurant he glanced inside and his heart felt as though it had stopped beating. A dark-haired brunette, her back to him was leaning over the table, kissing a man. He thought it was Blair, she had the same hairstyle and wore the same kind of clothes.

He stormed inside, marching right up to the table. "What the fuck are you doing?" he growled loudly, making all heads turn in his direction.

When the woman turned to face him he jolted backwards. She looked so much like Blair from the back but this woman was not his Blair. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were someone else," he said and walked quickly out of the restaurant, feeling like a complete fool.

He goes home and of course, she wasn't there so he poured himself a shot of whiskey as he waited for her to show up. He finally heard the door opening and the clicking of her heels as she walked towards the living room. He stood up and turned to look at her, she looked pale and tired.

"Hi sweetheart," she says cheerfully. "Would you like to pour me a glass of wine?"

Going over to the bar without saying anything he gets her the drink and hands it to her. "Where have you been? Don't tell me work, I know you haven't been there all afternoon." He took a deep breath, not wanting to lose his temper. "Blair, for the past three months you have been disappearing without telling me where you have been going. I want to know if you're having an affair."

"You think I'm having an affair?" she asked, looking shocked. "I love you, you are the only man in my life."

He put his hands in his pockets, not wanting her to see how his hands were curled into fists. "I want you to know I'm going to fight for you. I will not lose you, just tell me the truth, please."

Taking a sip of her wine she looks at him over the rim, he looked both sad and angry. Rachel was right, she should tell him what she has been hiding from him, from everyone. "There is someone I've been seeing."

Austin turned his back to her, he didn't want her to see the rage in his eyes. "Are you in love with him?" When she giggled he turned angrily around to face her. "I'm glad you find this funny."

"Would you like to meet him?" she asked, turning serious after seeing the dark look on his face.

He thought about it, thinking it would be good to face the man who she was cheating on him with. It would also feel good to use the man's face as a punching bag. "Yes, take me to him now."

"Alright," she said, putting her glass down. "Seeing you've had a few to drink I'll drive." Grabbing her purse and keys she walks away, followed by Austin.