Chapter 5: Mrs. Lund

The hotel suite door shut behind us at nine that night, and I leaned my back against it.

Two officers had taken the report on Sloane in the church parking lot.

Everett's driver was out looking for her, and Dale had gone home swearing she would turn up by morning.

There was nothing left for either of us to do until someone called.

Everett stood in the middle of the room with his tie pulled loose.

He had not touched me since the vestibule, and I knew why.

"Come here," I said.

"Callie, you've had the worst night of your life."

"I've had the worst two nights of my life, and I'm married to you now."

He crossed the carpet in four steps.

I pulled the knot of his tie until it came apart in my hands.

He kissed me slowly, the way he did when he was being careful, and I did not want careful.

I bit his lower lip, and he made a low sound against my mouth.

"There you are," he said.

His hands found the buttons down my back that the housekeeper had done up that afternoon.

He undid them one at a time, and my dress opened and slid down my arms to the floor.

I stood there in my slip with my bare shoulders cold, and he stopped.

There was a yellow bruise at the edge of my ribs, six days old, from the back stairs.

I saw him see it.

"Don't," I said. "Not tonight. Please."

His jaw moved.

"Tell me where it hurts, and I won't touch it."

"It doesn't hurt. It only reminds me of things."

"Then I'll give you something else to remember."

He lifted me and carried me to the bed.

I pulled his shirt off over his head, and he let me.

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