Page 71 of Faith
Frannie smiled. “I had a friend like that. And now my husband.”
Nina knew Frannie was talking about Gwendolyn. It was hard for Nina to think of Gwendolyn as a person who had friends. She left the house less often than Nina, and Nina never left.
The front door to the coffeeshop opened, and a man walked in. He was turned away from them, but there was something about him that had Nina on edge.
The man walked to the counter and ordered. Nina stared at him the whole time.
“Do you recognize him?” Frannie asked in a quiet voice.
Nina tried to shake her head, but then he turned. A smile lit his face, and he approached.
“Nina! Is that you? Good to see you out and about. Who’s your friend?”
Nina gawked at him. Robert was one of her regulars. One of the men she thought were there for her. Who would protect her if she’d ever needed him to. Seeing him in the daylight, in a random coffeeshop, was shocking, to say the least.
“Never mind,” Robert said, pulling out the chair next to Nina. “I already know who Frannie is. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Frannie didn’t blink, just smiled. “It’s always good to meet friends of Gwennie’s. How is she doing? Is she joining you?”
Nina struggled to keep up. Robert was there instead of Gwendolyn? No. It wasn’t possible. Was it?
“She’s great. Really sorry she couldn’t be here. The two of you together, though. What are the odds?” Robert laughed loudly, leaning back in his chair.
The flash of something shiny caught Nina’s gaze. The heel of a gun. She gasped, and Robert followed her gaze.
“Whoops. Should keep that hidden. Wouldn’t want to make anyone nervous.”
“What are you doing here?” Nina asked.
“I was told you’d be here. I jumped at the chance to see my girl. How could I not?” He tucked a stray piece of hair behind Nina’s ear.
How many times had he done the same thing before? How many times had she thought it was a sweet and thoughtful gesture?
His fingers lingered on her jaw. “Have you missed me?”
Nina couldn’t breathe. The barista brought Robert’s coffee and breakfast sandwich to the table.
He looked up at her and smiled brightly, thanking her for delivering his order, then sipped his coffee. He groaned in pleasure, a sound Nina knew well from their many times together.
“This coffee doesn’t taste nearly as good as you do, Nina.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked again.
Robert smiled. She used to think that look was charming and kind. Not anymore. It was a sneer. A judgement. He scanned her body and lifted his gaze to hers. “I was sure I had to be mistaken when I showed up for our weekly appointment and was told you were gone.” He leaned closer, kissing her neck. “Do you really think you can disappear on me?”
Nina shivered at the threat in his voice. “I don’t belong to you.”
“Yes, you do.” He took another sip of his coffee, then picked up his sandwich. “I paid for you. I paid more than if I’d just bought you, but I paid for you. I even paid to make sure you were clean when I arrived, so you’re welcome for that, too. I paid to keep others away from you. I needed to know I wasn’t going to get something from you.”
“You know all of that was illegal, right?” Frannie asked.
Robert looked at Frannie, the condescending smile one you’d give a child who spoke out of turn. “I guess being married to a cop has given that moral compass of yours a good straightening, hasn’t it? It wasn’t so true years ago when you walked away from a dying Casey Slater.”
Frannie gasped.
Nina swallowed. “What do you want, Robert?”
“Well, first, my name’s not Robert. Did you really think I was going to use my real name with you? No. But I did use my real dick when I fucked you. Every week. For years, Nina. It was so good. You could have come to me when you ran away, but you had to go to your brother’s friend. I mean, I get it, the man is a specimen, but Gwendolyn is pissed. She thought she could trust you. All those years together. She took care of you. Do you remember when she used to brush your hair at night? When youtwo would have dinner together? All the things you used to do. She missed that.”
