Chapter 13

It wasn't perfect after that. We still had issues. A couple of times she had to get on the phone with Sandy, and talk things out, before she could calm down enough for sex. Sandy came over at least a couple of times a week. We kept the suite for almost a full month, until I found a nice apartment for us.

I had a surprise for her. When we moved out of the hotel and into our apartment, I stopped her in front of the door. Her eyes got big as I dropped to one knee.

"Make me the happiest man in the world, Sheri? Say you'll marry me. Let me take care of you forever. Please? I love you, and don't want to live without you."

I opened the box and held it out to her. I'd manage to finagle a ring shopping trip with her mother and Sandy. They picked out the setting, a simple solitaire, round cut. Less than three carats, nothing ostentatious. I would have gone with something fancier, diamonds on the sides, but I went with their advice. Not cheap, but considerably less than the cost of a month in the hotel.

Sheri dropped to her knees, hugging my neck, tearing up. "Forever. I swear. Forever and ever."

I put the ring on her hand, and she was crying hard. I lifted her in my arms, and opened the door.

The room held about twenty of our closest friends and family. All my gang, her parents, Sandy and Robert of course. About a dozen of her long time friends. She was mortified at first, to be caught crying, but was soon running around showing off her ring. It was a wonderful moment, to see her like that. Happy, at ease with everyone, men and women alike. Glowing.

Dan laughed. "You can't take your eyes off her, can you? Sometimes I wish I knew what that was like."

"Giving up your tomcatting days?" I teased.

"Hell no. Not 'til I find one like yours. I don't mind the search."

"Speaking of the search, how's the other one going?"

He looked around cautiously. "Not much progress. It's getting kind of expensive. You sure you want to keep going?"

"Every penny I have, if needed."

He chuckled. "We're not talking that kind of expensive. We'll stay on it. I'll let you know if we have any progress."

Three nights later, I was staying up alone, drinking heavily. She was with them. I knew I said it would be Ok, but my stomach thought otherwise. It was unfair, I know. Robert had been so good about everything. I guess I'm not built the same. It was eating me up. The phone rang several times, but it was never her, and I didn't pick up. I fell asleep on the couch, watching some damn 50's black-and-white gangster movie.

I woke to her holding me. I reached around her and hugged her tight. "You look terrible," she said softly. "Did it upset you that much? He barely even touched me, nothing more than a friendly hug or caress. I swear."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I know it's not fair, but I hated it. Not knowing. I trust you, I trust both of them, but I couldn't stop wondering."

"Shh. It's Ok. It's done. He was ecstatic. Sandy was so happy it almost hurt. You did a kind and wonderful thing, but we never have to do it again."

"They don't want to?" I asked.

She giggled. "Of course they want to. I don't. Not without you. Never again without you. I loved being there for her, but I didn't like it. Being a sideshow. I thought I'd like it better. I missed you every damn minute of it."

"I don't want to be selfish," I told her.

"You're not. Robert's different. He likes to hear about it. He gets off on it. Sandy loves sharing and teasing him. It works for them, but they're not us. I could never do what she does, and we both know you're nothing like him. Not in that way. It's alright."

"Were you naked?"

She nodded. "As a baby. He got an eyeful. I got her off for him at least half-a-dozen times, then he fucked the shit out of her for a good thirty minutes or more. I ... I couldn't go down on her after that. I think I disappointed them both a little. I just couldn't. She got me off a couple of times, barely, but it wasn't about me. It was all about Sandy."

"She was happy?"

"Delirious. They both were. You did a good thing. We did a good thing."

I nodded. "That's what matters most. I ... I can bear it, I guess, if it's that important to them. I understand if you ever want to do it again."

"No. Not a fucking chance in hell. Maybe if you're there too. I could deal with the four of us, but not without you. Don't even ask me to."

"I won't. I'm selfish. I want you for me, and me alone."

"And Sandy," she teased.

"Ok. Sandy too. Sharing you with her is different, you know?"

"Of course. We all love each other. I don't love Robert like that. I know you don't."

She hasn't done that again. Not the three of them.

It was four months of bliss before we got the first nibble. Dan kept me updated, while progress proceeded on the first investment that Robert had located. We were at dinner, the four of us, Sandy & Robert, still newlyweds, and Sheri and me. I received the text from Dan. "Target acquired. CP Southeast corner. Fifteen minutes."

I tried to act calmly, but gave my dinner companions my apologies. "Urgent meeting," I explained. "Can I impose on you to give Sheri a ride home?"

Sheri was confused. "Urgent meeting? You never have urgent meetings," she said.

"Rarely. I can't miss this one. I honestly have to run. I'm sorry. I'll see you tonight."

I grabbed a cab and was dropped at the Ritz Carlton a couple of blocks away, making my way to the rendezvous from inside the park. The Grand Army Plaza, with all the horse and carriages begging for tourists was a great place for anonymity. The plain grey Ford pulled up and I hopped in the back. It was dusk, and the light was fading.

"Twenty minutes ago," Mark said. "Dan is with him, Jaime's on his way. Our resources have left the building."

We took the Brooklyn Bridge and headed south to the Port Authority. As we drove up to one in a long line of identical warehouses, the metal garage door opened, and we pulled inside quickly. It lowered behind us, before the lights came on. Mark walked with me to the door leading to a stairwell. Dan was standing at the base of the stairs. "No information yet. We haven't tried too hard so far. Confirmed ID. Definitely one of the four."

A red light started blinking, followed by a soft beeping. I could hear the motor for the garage door operating above. A few seconds later, Jaime came walking down the stairs. He looked like I felt.

Funny how the women thought he was a big cuddly teddy bear. Grizzly was more like it. Dan moved in front of him and was almost bowled over as Jaime walked through him as if he didn't exist.

"Don't kill him," Mark started speaking rapidly. "We need information."

Jaime walked up to the guy, and slapped him on the side of the head hard enough to lift the guy and his chair off the ground, toppling him sideways. "I want him when you're done," he growled.

Dan had hold of one massive arm. "That's not your call," he said calmly. It's up to Steve."

It was not a pretty scene. Nothing scientific or calculated. Mark worked on the guy for a couple of hours, until we were certain we had all the information we could get out of the bastard. None of us were professionals in this line of work, but I believe we did an adequate job as motivated amateurs.

Dan was carefully taking notes, asking questions, repeating them in different ways, going over previous details, until he was satisfied. "Let Jaime have him," he finally said. He turned and walked up the stairs. Mark picked up his tools and followed suit.

I stood beside Jaime, seeing the veins bulge on his temple. I almost felt bad for the guy. After over three years, I'm sure he thought he'd gotten away with it. Just a little fun, right?

"Go ahead," I told Jaime.

We weren't wearing masks or trying to disguise ourselves. This piece of filth would never identify us to anyone. Not in his short lifetime.

I knew Jaime was dangerous. He had a temper that had gotten him in serious trouble before. Getting him out of the trouble, once a long time ago, was how our friendship was originally born. What I saw scared me. For well over an hour Jaime 'tended' to our guest. He didn't talk to him, didn't explain, didn't threaten. No hope for the future, for escape, for redemption. Not for this piece of shit. He didn't use anything but his own hands, knees, elbows and feet. He must have broken half the bones in the guys body, methodically snapping his ribs one at a time with his boots. I refuse to describe what he did below the waist.

The guy was still alive, somehow, when Jaime moved the chair out of the way, and centered his victim in the large plastic sheet. He looked over at me, and even though I was feeling nauseous, I had to add my own signature to the effort. I unzipped and pissed on the fucker, in his face, taking my time, shaking off the last few drops.

Jaime folded the ends of the plastic in, and rolled it up. If he was still alive, it wouldn't be for long. Suffocation was too good for him anyway. He took a roll of duct tape off the table and tossed it to me. I strapped the plastic closed, while he held it off the ground. He delivered one last massive kick, and turned away. We walked up the stairs, and he sighed. "I feel better, how about you, Ace?"

"Twenty percent or so," I told him.

He laughed. "Yeah, that's about right. It's a start."

I picked up flowers on the way home. I thought I'd be in deep shit for my abrupt departure, but I didn't expect the reception I got. Sheri flew into my arms, making me drop the flowers to catch her.

"I was so worried for you. You've been gone for hours. I couldn't get hold of you."

I hugged her, my precious gamer girl, my wife-to-be. I didn't say anything, just held her, until the tears stopped flowing. What she'd gone through. How close I'd come to losing her altogether before I even had a chance to meet her. How she'd suffered.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I love you, Sheri. More than anything."

She clung to me. "Do you want to tell me what this is all about?"

"No. I'm not going to lie to you, but I'm asking you to stay out of this. Please."