Page 8 of Forbidden Temptations

Founded at the dawn of the first century AD, on the order of Roman Emperor Nerva and the pride of the Mercian King Æthelred, Gloucester was built along the banks of the River Severn, close to the Welsh border. Though primarily an industrial mecca, the city was a wealth of history and culture, with Tudor architecture still adorning its central streets and the fabled cathedral at its heart.

They drove in silence for several long moments, street lamps bathing them in warm light as they entered the city area. Cruising down Eastern-Avenue past rows of warehouse stores that lined either side, he glimpsed two sets of traffic lights changing from emerald, to amber, to crimson, and began to brake.

Downshifting gears, he quickly floored it as the lights changed back just before they came to a complete stop. There were two more sets of lights, but both stayed green as they approached and passed. Despite it being ten-thirty on a Saturday night, the roads were dead and deserted but for the odd cyclist. Houses sprung like weeds as they drove around a roundabout, past a Tesco’s garage and took the last exit of an even larger roundabout, capped by a grass isle in its centre.

There the road became thin and narrow, winding round numerous snaking twists and flanked with rows of two-storied brick houses on either side, passing a cemetery and an old primary school encircled by high iron spear fencing.

“She’s moving into her parents’ house on Friday,” Alice announced suddenly as they swerved off the main road after passing an ancient church. “I told her you’d be happy to help.” She glared at him venomously, as if daring him to refuse.

Steering the vehicle into their parking space, Richard took the car out of gear and put the handbrake on. Taking the key out of the ignition, he turned to his wife, gave her a genuine smile, and said, “Anything for you.”

Leaning forward, he seized her lips in a passionate kiss.

Thoughthelivingroomdoor was shut, Richard could dimly hear a movie playing as he shut the front door behind him and Alice. Recognising the cheesy dialogue, he couldn’t help but groan in disappointment.Oh God, please no, not Twilight again!

The flat was a huge leap down from the one they’d had in Bristol. On the third floor of a five-storey tower block, it had two small bedrooms, one bathroom, and boasted views overlooking Gloucester Park as well as a security door and parking. The rent was also cheap because the flat was on the less desirable side of town.

Slipping off her shoes, Alice went ahead of him and vanished through the wide archway on their right into the kitchen to make a cup of tea whilst he moved down the darkened foyer towards the living room’s closed door. “Hey Rebecca, we’re home.”

A startled gasp and hurried footfalls sounded in answer, and the door was suddenly swung open to reveal a slender feminine figure, shadowed against the bright glare of the living room.

“Hi Mr Martin, sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“That’s okay Rebecca. I know we’re back a bit earlier than we said,” he assured her, blinking against the sudden flood of light. Fortunately, his eyes adjusted quickly to the blaze, discerning the girl’s soft doe-like eyes staring up at him from beneath the smooth wash of dark brown hair that she’d tied into a side braid over her left shoulder. Just nineteen, she had a long, sweet face and a petite yet shapely form that was clad in tight blue jeans and a pink floral T-shirt that ended just above her flat navel. “Has Alex been behaving himself?”

“Oh, he’s been just wonderful. Little tyke hasn’t made a peep since I put him down.” Smiling up at him, she stepped back to let him pass into the flat’s living room.

Neither spartan nor lavish, the furnishings were mainly teak and pine, equally as decorative as they were functional, as well as a wide three-person sofa of supple black leather that had been pressed against the wall and a Sony DVD player and 32’ television that were mounted on the opposite wall. As he’d feared, the filmTwilightwas playing on the flat screen.

“So, how was the party? Did you have a good time?”

“Boring really. In fact, we were kicked out,” he said, barely able to keep the wide grin at bay as he recalled Scarlet’s venomous, jilted glare. He would probably pay merry hell for it on Monday, however. Scarlet always loved to play games and Alice had thrown a fine challenge her way tonight.

She may have won the battle, but he was sure the war had only just begun.

Plainly befuddled, Rebecca’s eyebrow arched at his comment and for a moment he thought she would press him for further details, but the kettle began to whistle, and he heard Alice shout out a greeting to the girl. As she turned to reply, he took the opportunity to slip past and crossed the room in six quick strides before going through the open doorway leading to the bath and bedrooms. Taking care not to make a sound as he moved down the shadowy antechamber, he crept past the connecting bathroom and master bedroom before coming to the infant’s room. Pushing the door ajar, just far enough for him to squeeze through, he stepped cautiously into the gloom beyond. A blue nightlight bathed the interior in a low gloom, illuminating the Star Wars cartoon wallpaper and providing just enough light for him to trek a route around the dozens of toys that lay scattered across the floor.

Sleeping peacefully in his cot, the infant Alexander never stirred as his father approached. If it had not been for his stormy grey-blue eyes and thick dark brown hair, the boy would have been the spitting image of his father and the sight of him curled around his favourite stuffed puppy brought a smile to Richard’s face. Given their tenuous financial state, many of their friends and relatives had been surprised by his and Alice’s decision to go through with the unexpected pregnancy. But Alice had always wanted to be a mother, and as there was simply no way of telling when the economy would heal, be it ten years or even a hundred. Life was just too short to turn down the blessing life handed them, and they had never been happier since little Alex came into their lives.

Bending forward, he placed a gentle kiss on the child’s brow before drawing back and retreating from the room, gently pulling the door shut as he went.

Knowing he should go and pay Rebecca for her help but too eager to get out of his suit, he entered the master bedroom and flicked the light switch before casually shrugging off his jacket. Hurling it across the bed, he’d just begun fingering his tie when there was a sudden knock at the door and he turned around to see Rebecca standing in the doorway, with a sheepish look on her face and herTwilightDVD case in hand. Concern stabbed his heart with an icy dagger.

“Hey…Mr Martin, I’m sorry to interrupt you but I’m setting off now and well…my dad’s gone away for a couple of days and before he left, he managed to screw up our laptop. I hate to ask, but he’ll be home tomorrow and if he comes back to find it broken, he’ll just blame me and force me to buy a new one, so…if it’s not too much trouble, could you… well um-” The words were spilling from her in a tide of emotion and she looked on the verge of tears.

Richard gave her a reassuring smile. “Of course I can. You go on home and I’ll be up to take a look in a minute.”

“You will! Oh, thank you Mr Martin; I really appreciate this.” Visibly relaxing, she turned on her heel and headed back through to the living room, leaving Richard alone with his thoughts and a quickly mounting temper.

“That rat bastard.”

Though they lived on the floor above, he had only met Rebecca’s father on one or two occasions, but each had left a lasting impression. Unlike his daughter, Derik Blaire was squat, heavy-shouldered, and prone to violent outbursts. Once happily married and a carrier squaddie, he’d been cashiered after getting drunk and striking an NCO whilst off duty, but still in uniform. A court-martial found him guilty of insubordination, behaviour unbecoming, and wilfully striking a non-commissioned officer. He’d lost his pension and been sentenced to confinement for three years before receiving a dishonourable discharge. In the months after his release, he was dismissed from six occupations before apparently abandoning the search for work. His wife, tired of his bullshit, left him for a younger man and moved up to Yorkshire to escape his continued harassment, leaving their daughter with her growingly aggressive and substance dependent father.

Richard was reluctant to ask about the pair’s main source of income. He knew Rebecca worked part-time in a shop over in the Quays, as well as babysitting for them and a few other families in the building. However, that could hardly cover the costs of living, so he was sure there had to be more there than just met the eye.

Loosening his necktie enough to pull it over his head, he hurled the cloth across the bed to join his jacket before starting upon his black shirt but then thought better of it. He and Alice would be going to bed soon enough. There was no point dirtying fresh clothes. Even so, a stab of old vanities caused him to pause before his wife’s standing mirror. Tall, clean-shaven, and relatively comely, he had deep blue eyes and medium length raven hair that framed a sharp jaw. Though only thirty-seven, his hair had been salted with a streak of silver, but Alice assured him it made him appear distinguished; he just prayed it didn’t foretell his going bald.

Deciding he needed a drink, Richard moved on to the kitchen to find Alice already leaning against the fridge and sipping a steaming cup of tea, waiting for him. A half glass of wine sat on the counter beside her.

---