Page 20 of Mr. Kelly

“I can’t dance without my muse,” she cried. “Your love and passion inspire me to be the dancer I am. It means nothing without you.”

I sigh because I’m sick of the song and dance. “Helena. The lawyers are working on the divorce papers as we speak. I don’t want to do this anymore. You don’t want children.”

I moved to the door to let her out, but she fell to my feet and hugged my leg, crying like a child whose life is imploding.

“I can’t!” she cried.

Her words slowed my steps until I was standing in place looking down at her. “Can’t and won’t are two different things.”

Helena cried hard and dropped her head. “I can’t. I found a little after we started trying.” Her confession is so low I could barely hear her.

“Are you telling me you’ve known for THREE FUCKING YEARS that you couldn’t have kids?”

She was on her knees, pulling at my pants and begging me to look at her. “I’m sorry. I love you so much the thought of losing you kills me,” she wailed and laid on the floor at my feet. “I knew that you’d leave me without them. I just want you to love me even if I’m barren. I can’t help that I’m broken.”

Barren. The word repeated in my head over and over like a buffering message. Now, the childless years wouldn’t feel like they were for nothing, but the lie still burned my skin like I’d been dipped in acid.

“You thought I was so cold I’d leave you for something beyond your control?”

Helena wiped her splotchy face. “Isn’t that what you’re doing now.”

No. But that’s how it’d look. “No. You’ve constantly lied to me for years. I. Can’t. Trust. You!”

“Please, Theo. We can go to counseling. I’ll do anything. We can get a surrogate or adopt. It’s bad enough that I’m defective. I can’t lose you too. I love you with my whole heart.”

It’s something she used to say to me when we first fell for each other. Seeing her on the ground broken and begging isn’t something I’d expect to see in my lifetime. I was torn between the side that promised to be with her through sickness and health and the side that had one foot out of the door. She gave a minimum of three years’ worth of lies, but I never wanted to see her lying on the floor. Reduced to tears.

Barren.

“Get up, Helena. There is no need for you to be on the floor.”

She jumped up, wrapping her arms around me, and all I could see is the table where I fucked River more than once. The guilt of duplicity hit me again and I needed air. My phone rang, and I grabbed it, looking for any reason to keep me from wanting to pull off my skin.

“Yeah?”

“Boss, it looks like the wrong wine was delivered-”

“I’m on my way down.” I said it faster than necessary. It was actually something River could have handled, but I preferred to get some space. “I need a moment, Helena. This is a lot to digest. I have to fix an issue and I need some space. Let’s go. We’ll discuss this at home later.”

The scene was the last thing River needed to see.

“Okay.” She nodded and looked over her shoulder. “Let me just freshen up.”

My phone rang again with another issue. “Okay. I really need to take care of this. Hurry up. Lock the door on your way out.”

I didn’t like leaving her alone in the penthouse, but I had pressing matters to fix before opening. I already had the vendor on the phone as I boarded the elevator. After a few transfers, I was too annoyed to stay on the phone.

“Donovan, I’m going to the site. Calling will take too long.” I stopped and looked him in the eyes. “If you don’t see my wife leave in the next ten minutes, call me.”

He nodded and gave me a salute as I fished my keys out of my pocket. Too many fires to put out at once.

Now, I stand in a tossed apartment, but there is no sign of River. She’s not at the penthouse and she’s not at her apartment. Pulling out my phone, I call the burner, but turn in a slow circle once I hear it ring somewhere in the apartment. I find it on the broken bed and stomp the other part of it until it breaks.

After a few breaths, I make a new call.

“Found out your mistress has flown the coop?”

“Andrea, must you be weird all the time? Where could she have gone? Surly is still after her. I swear, if he has her-”

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