Page 18 of Desire

“Nothing,” Elise’s reply is succinct and firmly shuts the door on any further conversation. I know she doesn’t want to talk about it, but I’m not going to give in that easily.

“A few years ago, I met this woman. I’d been carefree and single up until that point, but we got on really well.” I start to tell my story, hoping it will encourage her to open up to me. “I’ve never really found the one, and I guess I still had my doubts about her, but I decided to give it a chance because we got on so well together. I asked her to come and live with me, and she accepted straight away. We moved her in the next weekend.”

“Leo, you don’t have to tell me this,” Elise interrupts, but I ignore her and continue with my story.

“At first, it was bliss. I mean, sex on tap, who isn’t going to enjoy that?” Elise winces. “But gradually, I noticed things. It was like a déjà vu at first. I thought I’d put things in a certain place, and when I went to find them, they were gone. Money, fancy clothes, even a trophy—one by one, they all disappeared. When a necklace mymamágave me for safe keeping vanished, I pulled the house apart trying to find it. There was no trace, though. I’d been working a lot and practicing for a competition, and I began to think I was going mad. But then I noticed my girlfriend coming home with new handbags, shoes, and other expensive items. She didn’t have a well-paid job, and most of her stuff was designer.”

We stop at some traffic lights, and I look across at Elise. She’s still looking straight ahead, her face pale despite the fake tan we have to wear. The car behind me beeps his horn, and when I look up at the light, I realize it’s now green. I pull away again, keeping my eyes focused firmly on the road this time.

“When I eventually asked her about it, she flew into a rage and accused me of being mean to her. The money was from her inheritance, and I should trust her. I apologized. We made up, and for a couple months everything was fine. Then it happened again—I lost a watch my father gave me. It wasn’t fancy or worth a great deal of money, but it was from him, and I don’t get to see him anymore. It was special. Reluctantly, I knew I had to do something about it, so I had CCTV installed in the house while she was away for a girl’s weekend at an expensive spa in Beverly Hills. When she returned, I gave it a few days and then reviewed the footage. What I saw broke the trust I have in women. She was stealing from me. Anything she could lay her hands on. I watched her take money from my wallet when I wasn’t looking, raid my wardrobe for designer clothes, and even take one of my old trophies out of the house.”

“Leo.” Elise reaches out and places her hand over mine on the steering wheel. “You don’t have to go on. I know it must be hard. Please.”

Again I ignore her.

“I showed her the footage that night. She went mad at me for not trusting her. She blamed me for not buying these things for her. The only reason she’d said yes to moving in with me was because she wanted to be a kept woman like her friends. She told me I was in the wrong and accused me of forcing her to steal to keep up appearances. She told me I wasn’t a generous enough partner. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I’d initially planned to keep all the stuff she’d bought with the money and items she’d stolen from me, but in the end I just wanted her out of my life. I told her to leave, and then I walked out of my house. When I came back some time later she’d left, having taken a load more stuff—everything of value was gone, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even tell the police. Her false sense of entitlement made her believe she deserved all that stuff, and I didn’t have the energy at the time to argue with her. I just wanted her out of my life. Thankfully, I’ve not seen her since. I did hear she was dating some British pop-star and was covered in jewels and designer clothing. I guess she found the person she wanted.”

I pause in my conversation while I pull the car up outside Elise’s house. It looks like no one’s home, and I wonder if Izzy is with Natalie. Elise places her hand on the door to open it, but I stop her and continue speaking.

“For a long time after, whenever I went out with a woman, I made sure I bought everything for them, even small gifts on a first date. They thought I was crazy. Eventually I realized I didn’t have to buy expensive presents, I just needed to be me. But it took a long time to recover from what that woman did to me. Relationships should be equal—that is the main thing I’ve learned. No one person is more important than another.”

Elise rests her head against the window. I hear her take a deep breath before she turns back to me.

“I think you better come in.”

She shuts her eyes after she speaks as if it’s painful to even get one or two words out.

“Why?” I ask, needing to know she’s going to be honest with me. “What happened between you and your husband?” I question again.

Elise knits her hands together, the whites of the knuckles showing.

“He hit me.”

Chapter 9

Elise

Iset the cup of steaming hot coffee down in front of Leo. Since we entered the house, he's not said anything to me. He’s just sat there in silence while I prepared our drinks. I'd love to know what he's thinking, but then again, maybe not. He’s a passionate man, and I’m not sure I could bear to witness another volatile outburst.

The story he told me about the woman stealing from him broke my heart. How anyone could do that to him? He's the kindest man I know. I didn't mean to get scared when he got angry earlier. It was a natural reaction because it brought memories of Simon, flooding back into my head—his fists, his words, the pain, the bruising, and the feeling of failure afterward. The poignant part of Leo’s tale is that he hadn't been the one in the wrong. It was the woman stealing from him who’d caused the harm. She couldn't expect him to buy all those designer presents for her. If she wanted them, she should have saved her money or found a better job. I can’t begin to get my head around it. You don’t date someone to get expensive things. You date someone because you like them. Leo didn’t realize it at the time, but basically she was pimping herself out to him, and when she didn’t get the payment she felt she deserved, she stole from him to keep up the illusion with her friends.

What kind of a world is it that we live in? What kind of a world is it that I’ve brought Izzy into? Maybe I was wrong to have her. No, I love my little girl more than anything or anyone else. I need to stop thinking about Simon's message and do all I can to make this world right for her. I need to be strong.

Simon signed a contract giving me full custody of Izzy. He has no comeback. My lawyer is going over the agreement again just to make sure, but as far as he’s concerned, there’s nothing Simon can do. Izzy is mine unless I void the contract by breaking the terms of the agreement. Appearing on the show is allowed. I’m not in Hollywood. I’m not acting on the silver screen. I am merely appearing in a dance show, and I just happened to have finished at the top of the leaderboard in week one. That’s what Simon really hates. He can’t handle knowing I’m achieving something. I also wonder if he could see the chemistry I have with Leo and it twisted his evil mind. He never wanted me to be better than him. It’s the reason why he abused me in the first place because ultimately I am.

I take a seat next to Leo, and he looks up at me from his coffee, the steam from the caffeinated nectar wafting around his face.

“Your husband hit you.” He finally speaks.

“Yes,” I reply.

A sudden thought occurs to me—is this breaking the contract? Telling Leo? No, he wouldn't say anything. I know that for certain.

“I don't understand. I'm sorry, Elise. I can't even imagine what you've been through. Is he in prison?”

Leo reaches past his mug of coffee and takes my hand. I allow him to this time after freaking out earlier at his touch. Now it comforts me because I know I’m doing the right thing talking to him.

“No, he's not in prison. It’s complicated, but the truth is I never reported him.”

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