Page 217 of Perfect
“My family and I are on vacation,” I say, gesturing to the oat milk and basket of food. She nods and reaches up to tuck her hair behind her ear, and I notice the obscenely large emerald ring and slim gold wedding band on her left hand. Anxiety pulses through me, but two years is plenty of time for her to have fallen in love and gotten married to someone new.
I hope.
I gesture to her hand. “That’s a beautiful ring.”
She looks down at her hand and smiles wider. “Thank you. He did a good job, didn’t he?”
“Did you get married recently?”
Her expression tightens slightly as she glances back up at me. “We got married about a month and a half after he got out.” My stomach drops and any trace of a smile slides off my face.
Oh,no.
“You and Theodore are married?” Her mouth tightens as she tilts her head slightly to the side.
“Of course we are. Why wouldn’t we be?” she asks in a challenging tone.
“I just…I thought…well, how’s married life treating you?” Alex narrows her eyes slightly, scrutinizing my face momentarily before sighing.
“Look, I understand and appreciate the idea of what you’re trying to do here, but your concern is misplaced. It’salwaysbeen misplaced.” I feel a rush of frustration.
“I don’t think that’s true, frankly. I think Theodore is a dangerous man and an abusive partner, and I think being with him puts you in danger.” She laughs and rolls her eyes, shaking her head at me.
“I’m not in any danger,trustme.” I notice she doesn’t address the other points I’ve made. “Theo’s the only reason I feel safe, and I know he’d never hurt me.”
Oh, this poor woman.
“Stalkingisa form of harm, Alex.” Her eyes widen and she flushes angrily, and it’s all the confirmation I need. He absolutelywasstalking her, and most likely still is.
“Oh,shutup,” she says harshly. “Theo loving me the way he does is the only reason I’m alive, and I’mveryfuckinghappy to be alive.” She looks away from me briefly as tears start welling up in her eyes. “God, Theo's right – youarea shitty therapist. You seem incapable of believing that Iwanthim the way he is, and you took ayearaway from us because of it. Do you have any idea how hard that was?” I feel a mix of guilt and pity as I look at her, and I keep my tone gentle when I speak to her.
“Alex, do you truly believe this is what’s best for you?”
“Do you think I’m a fucking idiot?” she snaps. “You realize that I knowexactlywho Theo is and what our relationship is like, right? I chose him because he makes me happy.”
I’m not sure if I believe that’s true, but it’s heartbreaking if it is. I did my best to give her an opportunity to escape him, but there’s nothing I can do for her if that’s how she wants her life to be.
I should have known better than to get involved.
“My family is waiting for me, so I should be going," I say softly. "I wish you all the best, Alex, I really do.”
"Whatever," she mutters as she glances away from me, wiping her eyes quickly. I turn around and startle as I almost bump into a man standing close behind me, and I take a quick step back, grabbing for my purse as it slips down my shoulder.
“Excuse me, I’m so sor-” I stop speaking as I look up and see Theodore standing before me, his arms crossed over his chest and his face locked in that cold, blank look that he used to give me during sessions, the one that means he’s deeply upset about something.
Exactly how long has he been standing there?
He looks almost as different as Alex does now. His hair is longer than I’ve ever seen it, down to his collarbones, and he’s filled out significantly since the last time I saw him. He looked thin during his trial, but now he looks more like he did before he killed Alex’s husband, except healthier and broader in the shoulders.
Not for the first time, I’m viscerally aware of what a large man he is.
“Hello,Melissa,” he says in an icy, condescending voice as he steps into my space, looking down at me with barely restrained hatred. “Why the fuck are you making my wife cry?”
Oh my god, he’sfurious.
“We were catching up,” I say, trying to keep my voice from wavering. He barks out a laugh, not breaking the direct, unsettling eye contact he’s making with me.
“That’snotwhat you were fucking doing,” he says quietly, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I work to keep my face from revealing how absolutely terrified I am of him, but from the way his eyes narrow appraisingly and the small, predatorial smile that creeps across his face, he can tell.
