Flag On The Play (5 page)

There was this calming silence while Kari contemplated my words. She was thinking hard and that was good for me. She didn’t seem as mad as she was before. The sex calmed her rage and it helped me as well. Not being able to hold her was agonizing for me.

When I was meeting her for lunch it was painful. I hated seeing her smile because I knew I wasn’t the reason for her happiness. I may rot in jail for what I’ve done. This entire stunt was selfish mainly because I have children but I didn’t see any other options. Kari is the one thing I want that I don’t have.

I want to have Kari for myself. She makes me whole. She makes me complete. You never really realize the effect a person has on you until the threat of losing that person becomes a reality.
So here we are now.

“Kari, I have to go to work.”

“On a Sunday?”

“Yeah I got to play catch up on some things.” I grabbed the handcuffs off the bedside table.

“
Hey hey, what are you doing with those things?”

“I got to go so that
means I have to leave you here.”

“There is no way in hell I’m going to let you handcuff me to the bed.”

“I can’t let you walk around freely.”

“What if I have to pee?” Damn it, she was right. “Mason, the windows are boarded up. Do I have a hammer or a screwdriver? I can’t get out
of the windows and I know there’s a lock on the door.”

“I don’t trust you. I need more time to convince you I’m the one.”

“Look you convinced me that you’re the crazy one. I have no doubt about that.”

“Shit!”
I hate even contemplating letting her roam free. If I would have kept my cock in my pants I wouldn’t be going through this dilemma.

“I’m not going to let you handcuff me again. So you better just get that monkey ball ass shit out your brain. Look fool, I’m locked in
here.” She pointed at the door. “I ‘aint going nowhere.”

Fuck, Kari is smart. But is she smart enough to bust her way out of here? I don’t know. 

“You’re trying to deceive me with Kari logic.”

“Wouldn’t that be karma?” She rolled her eyes and it was
sweet and sexy. I must admit that I am bias.

“I think karma already hit me in the balls.”

“Well you don’t have to go to work. You could just stay here and stare at me all day.” She was pummeling me with her sarcasm.

“As much as I would love to do that, today that is not a possibility.”
I stood, grabbed my boxers off the floor and put them on.

“Afraid someone will wonder where you
are?”

Yeah. “I got a lot of important jobs to oversee this week.”

“Uh-huh, I don’t care. I have to pee. I have to brush my teeth and I’m not going to sit here in this bed smelling like cum, dick and pussy.”

“I love that smell.” I did. Kari rolled her eyes and tried to hide her grin. I saw it.

Kari tossed the sheet back and swung her feet to the floor. She went to stand and she fell straight down to the floor. Shit. I rushed to the opposite side of the bed.

“Mason!”

It was my fault. I fucked her too hard. I bent to the floor to scoop her up and she hit me in the chest.

“No!” She glared at me. She was mad again? “Look at this shit!” The inside of her thigh was purple. I did that. I bruised the inside of her thigh. I didn’t do it on purpose. I missed her. I was just really excited. As I admired my handiwork I held back the smile that was fighting to burst out.

“You need some crutches
, a wheelchair?” Shit my evil twin said that. That wasn’t me.

She gave me her evil eye. “You think this is a joke?”

“No, I’m sorry.” I touched her bruise.

She winced. “Ouch!”

“It hurts?”

“No shit, dumbass.”

“I’m sorry baby. I got carried away. I missed you. I told you I might hurt you. I didn’t try to but you know how I am. At this point you should know how I am.”

“Mason I know exactly how you are but I still have the right to be pissed about it.”

“Yeah you do. I will make you a hot bath. I will get you some pain medicine. I will stay here and take care of you.”

“I thought you had to go to work.”

“I do but you’re more important.”

“Don’t be stupid.
Help me up.” I scooped her up in my arms and stood. She seemed surprised that I did it so quick and easy. “Just put me in the bathroom and then go.”

I walked her to the bathroom and sat her on the toilet. She looked up at me like she needed privacy. I looked at her like that was not an option. She started peeing. I turned to the bathtub and started running the hot water.

“I can’t leave you like this.”

“Leave me. Get the fuck out!”

“Be nice.” 

She rolled her beautiful chocolate eyes as she reached for the toilet paper. “I have food. I have everything I need so go. I need a break from your
extra ass.”

“You want me to go?”

“Yes, hello, do I have to write that shit in hieroglyphics?”

“Are you sure?”

“Mason, go. I can barely walk. Where am I going to go? I will be here when you get back.”

I took one step forward and I was in her face. “You better.” She cowered a little and I like the feeling it gave me. It’s been awhile but I’m still the Coach. I call the plays.

CHAPTER 4

Against my better judgment I left Kari alone. It was Sunday morning but I really did have a lot of work to do. Now that I had two construction locations I had to make sure things were going as planned. I took on double the work and had dulled out the responsibilities as I saw fit.

Marcus
Jackson was my right hand guy. He was in charge of my new location. I had explained to him that my brother was in charge by name only. I give him the management title but Marcus was really my guy. I paid Marcus more money than my brother because he deserved it and Marcus has a daughter in college. He needed the money more than Mike.

My nephew RJ and I stayed back at the old location. RJ was young but he was
learning the business pretty well. He was smarter than Mike and able to adapt easily. Everyone liked RJ, women and men. He had personality and people skills. His only downfall was his age. He knew how to act professional. It helped that he had a girlfriend. She calmed him down and got him to act more mature.

I was a bundle of nerves the first few hours at the job. I left my office
at lunch time. I had to pick up my trio of rugrats.

I stroll
ed into my old house. I still had s key. I hoped that Tess had bathed and dressed the kids. It was always hit or miss when it came to Tess. The divorce was final but I had to admit that it probably didn’t help the situation when I would sleep at the house.

I only sle
pt there a couple nights a week. I wanted to be close to my kids. They are unaware of the divorce. Hannah would be the only one that would understand but I don’t have the courage needed to break ladybugs little heart.

I couldn’t stay with Tess. I couldn’t
stay married. I was miserable. I couldn’t breathe. I had a noose around my neck. It felt like a real albatross. The more I thought of her and I coupled the more bitter I became. I didn’t love Tess anymore. I was at a point now where I just tolerated her in small controlled increments.

Tess’ suicide attempt was the death of us. The intensive therapy made things worse or at least that was my perception. The more Tess and I talked about things, the more distant and disillusioned I became. Silence would have probably built a wall that blocked the horror of it all.

Thank god the kids were dressed and ready to go. I went inside for a moment and Tess had looked better than I had seen her in months. She was hovering around the stairs while I put the kid’s coats on. It was cold out for November.

“Mason.”

“Yes.”

“Are you coming home tonight?”

This isn’t my home anymore. I gave it to her in the divorce settlement. She owns it outright. She knows this. “No, I have work at the office. Karen will drop the kids off later tonight.”

“Oh okay. I was going to make dinner.”

“That’s not necessary.” Here alone with Tess is not something I’m trying to do. I would rather pull my teeth out with pliers.

I was rel
ieved to get the kids in the truck. I drove Hannah, Tim and Matty over to their Aunt Karen’s house. She was going to take them to see
Disney On Ice
. Karen had been really helping me out since the divorce. She was a godsend.

I was in a rush to get back to
work so I could finish up and get back to Kari. I had to make sure she was still where I left her. I had been second guessing the decision to leave her handcuff free. I had to convince her to be with me. I was eager to see Kari but apprehensive about the future outcome of the mess I had made of this situation.

After I said my good-byes
and kissed my kids Karen followed me to the front door. She shadowed me to her driveway and out to my Range Rover.

“I need to talk to you.” Karen snipped.

“Talk.” I opened my truck door and turned to her.

“Mason, what did you do?”

“What?” I was going to ride this denial bus until the wheels were bald. I had an idea where this was going. Be cool or is it keep calm and deny, deny, deny?

“Where
is Kari?”

“How would I know?”

“Mason seriously. Don’t friggin’ fuck with me today.”

“Karen what are you talking about?”

“Yesterday Kari was supposed to be getting married. She never showed up to the church. She friggin’ vanished. No one has seen her since yesterday morning and I know you had something to do with it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mason, this has your name written all over it.”

“My name isn’t written anywhere. I haven’t seen Kari in months. I thought she was already married.”

“Bullshit!”

“You’re saying she left Jack at the altar?”

“Yeah that’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“That’s really heartless and cruel. Doesn’t sound like the Kari that I knew.” Past tense.

“No it doesn’t but it sure sounds like something you would do.”

“I haven’t done anything. Maybe she ran off with her son’s father.” I quickly came up with another suspect. I am the man. Quick thinking. Fist bump from me to me.

“Trey’s father was at the church
.”

“Christ Karen what are you implying?”

“I’m not implying a friggin’ thing. I know you had something to do with this.”

“I didn’t.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not
lying.”

“Look at me Mason.”

I chuckled. “What?”

“Why are you so nervous?”

I chuckled a little harder this time. “You are paranoid.”

“I know when you’re lying.”

“I’m not. This is so ridiculous.” Now I was getting nervous. Karen was like a hound dog.

Karen was staring me straight in my eyes.
“Did you hurt her?”

M
y own sister thought I could hurt Kari. I’m insulted damn it! “I didn’t do anything.” I was fuming but it was best that I hold it all in. Why would I ever hurt Kari? I love Kari. Am I the only one that understands this?

“Mason, is Kari
still alive?” Karen started tearing up. I could not believe my eyes and ears. “Mason, is she still alive?”

“Karen you better watch what you say to me. It sounds like you may be calling me a killer
. I told you I don’t know where she is. I haven’t seen her in months.”

Karen took a pause. I could see she was carefully thinking before the next words spewed from her mouth.
Our brother sister bond has been tested since the death of our mother. “Jack is going to call the police.”

“If my fiancée left me and I haven’t heard from her I would call the police.”

“She sent him a friggin’ text message?”

“How did she send a text if she’s missing?” I was dead set on keeping my lies straight. I had to remember that I was Leonardo DiCaprio’s understudy. I was a thespian
, a trained method actor. I was going to act my balls off. If I didn’t get an Oscar I was going to get that Golden Globe. If I didn’t get that Golden Globe I was sure as hell getting a daytime Emmy. Fuck I would settle for a SAG award. I nailed this role. I only have two balls and I was throwing both of them to the wall.

“Mason, she better be okay. She better be alive.”

“If she’s texting Jack she must be alive and well.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Whatever, I’m tired of the accusations. You need to stop letting your imagination run wild. I’m going back to work. So if this little interrogation is over I’ll be on my way.”