“Okay. But…”
Clark cut her off. “You know, most of this is your fault. I don’t need all this pretentious shit to live. I buy it for you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t need more money than what the firm pays.”
“For me! For me? How dare you. You can’t blame this on me. I’ve never needed any of this.” She waved her hands to encompass their surroundings. “And as for the Club; well, I’ve never felt welcome there and I never will. This is not my life, Clark, it’s yours!”
“You don’t have a clue, Brook.” Clark walked to the bar and poured a scotch and water.
“I don’t have a clue? Oh my god! I’m not the one breaking the law. I’m not the one who set up someone I supposedly loved to be taken by animals. To be abused for days. They raped me, Clark! Those filthy pigs raped me! They planned on killing me.” She sucked in a ragged breath, anger and heartache warring inside her. “I do have a clue. You don’t!” Brook’s voice broke and tears ran down her cheeks. “They hurt me so badly! Over and over again, Clark."
“Brook…” he reached out a hand, beseeching her. “It was never supposed to happen, sweetheart. Those bastards! I hate the thought of their hands on you.” He stopped as a frown passed over his face. “I suppose you fought them?”
“Yes, you son-of-a-bitch! I fought them. Did you think I’d just lie there and take it? Maybe enjoy it?” Brook felt as if she would vomit. “But what the hell does that have to do with anything? What if I hadn’t fought? What if I couldn’t? How can you even ask something like that?”
“I don’t know. It just popped into my mind. I didn’t mean anything by it. Of course, I don’t think you enjoyed it. That’s crazy, and you know it.” He paused. His expression was an odd melding of agony and bewilderment. “But, where have you been all this time? You don’t look injured to me. What am I supposed to think? Have you been with them this whole time? My god, Brook. Where were you?”
“With them? God! No, I wasn’t with them the whole time. I would have been dead a long time ago.” Brook was astounded. “I got away. Escaped. Got lost in the middle of a forest in the freezing cold. I thought I was going to die. Then, I was rescued by a man. A good, kind man. He took care of me, cleaned me up, and kept me safe. He lives way up on a mountainside in the forest. I couldn’t get off the mountain until the snow melted.”
“Well, whoever he is, I’d like to shake his hand. I’d like to thank him for helping you. I can hardly believe you're really here. But Brook, you need to take a minute to see my side of things. You have to realize this isn’t the way it was supposed to go down. I never wanted you to be hurt! The thought of it makes me…" Clark rubbed his hand over his face. “I swear, I almost lost my mind when you disappeared. It wasn’t as if I meant for you to be taken. I don't think you realize how hard this has been on me.” He paced back and forth a few times.
Brook started to speak, but Clark cut her off.
“You just don’t understand. Maybe my need for money isn’t your fault. But, lord, Brook. You can’t imagine the thrill of setting up these deals. The money that flows from those rich bastards overseas… It’s like a drug. I imagine it is similar to shooting heroin. The rush! But it was supposed to be my private indulgence, my secret. I never intended to drag you into it or involve you in any way. Don't you see? I’m sorry you got hurt. I truly am. I would never hurt you for a million dollars.”
“No, Clark.” Brook sighed. “Not for a million. You did it for a lot less.”
The anger had suddenly drained out of her, leaving her exhausted and miserable. The conversation illustrated how self-absorbed Clark was. Why hadn’t she seen it before? No questions from him about her condition, the location where she had spent the last several months, or even about her abductors. He still seemed to be focused on his own interests, only superficially engaged beyond that. She was stunned by his self-centered responses. “You know what? I'm done. No more. I’m leaving you, Clark. I don’t love you anymore. In fact, I despise you.”
“Brook, no!” Clark fell to his knees and reached towards Brook.
“Just…don't. Don't do this to me, or to yourself. It’s over. It was over before I even got home. I love another man.”
Clark’s face reddened and he climbed back to his feet. “Another man? Who the hell is he? The man on the mountain?” Seeing the answer in Brook’s eyes, he shouted, “No! I won’t allow it. I love you. You can’t leave me. You can’t love another man. You're mine; you belong to me.”
Brook shook her head and walked from the room; the sounds of his pleading followed her through the long hallway and up the staircase.
“It’s just gratitude you feel for him!” he called after her. “It’s not love! You love me, and you know it.”
Brook entered their bedroom and stared at the bed she had shared with Clark. There was no way she would ever sleep in that bed again. Going to the dresser, she pulled out some clothes and took them with her to the guest room. Locking the door behind her, she went into the attached bathroom and ran a hot bath. She heard Clark knock on the bedroom door several times, but she ignored him. She wept as she bathed, her misery spilling out in hot tears.
Later, in bed, she hugged the pillow to her and missed Lance. After the warmth and comfort of his cozy cabin, her own house felt like a mausoleum. She cried for her marriage that had turned out to be an empty union. She cried for the hurt she had endured. And she cried for the one man who knew how to take away her pain. Lonely as she had ever been, Brook finally drifted into a restless sleep.
Chapter 53
That first night, Lance thought the ache in his heart would get the best of him. He reached over and touched the empty space where Brooklyn had lain and felt tears behind his eyelids. He wondered how she was doing, pictured her walking the floors of her fancy home. Against his will, he envisioned her in the arms of her husband and punched the mattress with his fist.
I have to stop thinking about her! There’s nothing that can be done.
Long hours passed before he was able to sleep.
Chapter 54
The next morning, Clark followed Brook around as she took her suitcases from the closet and packed her things. The argument continued until she wanted to slap him.
“I know what I did was wrong,” Clark said. “But you did wrong, too. You’re not little Miss Perfect, you know.” His eyes shone with unshed tears. “You're breaking my heart, here! I'm trying to be reasonable but you're just determined to destroy our marriage. I just don't understand it. I don’t see why we can’t just forgive each other and go on like before."
"I'm not asking your forgiveness, Clark." Brook gripped her hands together until her knuckles whitened, fighting the urge to strike out.
"If I’m willing to forgive you, why can’t you forgive me? I’ve learned my lesson. My god, have I ever learned my lesson!”
“I doubt if I’ll ever be able to forgive you. But, if I do, it’ll be because I don’t want to carry the bitterness around in my heart any longer, and not because you deserve it. Face it Clark, our marriage is way beyond repair. It’s over.” Brook was shaking from barely contained rage and heartache. “I’m not sure even now you can grasp the horror I went through. Open your ears and listen to me. I was raped, Clark! Again and again. And I was beaten. I was almost killed! Then, after I managed to get away, I fell down a ravine and got lost in the forest. I only had a shirt on, no shoes, nothing. I went through hell! And all because of you! If it weren’t for pure luck and the kindness of Lance, I’d be dead right now.”