Page 11 of A Reindeer Wish for Love
Chapter 6
Mason
“What do you want now, April?”I asked, squeezed my eyes shut when she sauntered into my office and dropped down in her favorite leather chair.It was her chosen place to torment me because of the one time she agreed to help me furnish my office after I begged her several times.Before she had no time for me, but this time she had, and I remembered what a mistake it had been to include her in my professional life.
April never contributed anything to my professional well-being with even simple suggestions, or “how’s your day?”when I had a shitty day and some over the top clients who felt they were entitled to me day and night and anything in-between, because they paid the law firm which at the time consisted of Halifax, and partners who were too old to do anything or go to court.
When he made me a partner, the money rolled in and that’s when April rolled out of my life and out of my bed, but into someone’s bed at one of the homes I’d owned.
I rarely received a visit from April except to ask for extra money aside from what she got out of her allowance, and that was no small sum.
When we first married and I had become a partner in this law firm, she encouraged me to purchase homes in California and Florida on the pretext we would have to have parties and meet new people who could further my career.
I didn’t know at the time it wasn’t for us or the people we’d socialize with, but to impress her girlfriends, and there were many.I never knew she was into women until I flew in from Europe and discovered she was at our home in Florida, and I walked in on a scene I had yet to remove from my head.
It was then I discovered who was the Dominant in that relationship.Before, I hadn’t taken the time to pay attention to my own life and that April had become a Dominant in this relationship as well.Had I took a breath from working night and day things wouldn’t have remained a secret for that long.
I sat behind my desk close to my checkbook, because whenever she visited me in my office on an upcoming holiday, it was because she needed money for her and her girlfriend to go on a trip to Europe or a ski lodge in Colorado.
“Where is it this time?”I barked.She glanced at me surprised, bit her lip, and behaved as if I was incapable of knowing her not so secrets and not concerned about her intentions or problems.And speaking of problems, after I discovered her extra marital affairs, and I didn’t take the time to divorce her, she came to me with all her insecurities concerning her love life.I listened, and we came to an understanding—an open marriage.
However, I was never the beneficiary of that arrangement because I had to work to pay for all those homes and expensive trips and cars.
That’s when she thought she could do whatever she wanted to me.Why was she trying to punish me?She got what she wanted and that was a woman, but I never got what I wanted and that was to be free to live my life.
“What no hugs, not even a kiss?”she questioned, raising her arms and extending them out to me as if she thought I would appease her by walking over to her to hug or kiss her.“It’s not like we don’t know each other and our needs,” she stated, “It’s just that you have chosen to bury your needs for the good of this law firm and your huge salary” I couldn’t take this anymore.
“It’s because I chose this route that you and your little friend, who seems to think I’m made of money and have deep pockets are for want of a better term, chose to extort and blackmail me.”
“What blackmail are you talking about, Christopher?You shouldn’t make that insinuation if you can’t prove it.After all, I’m your wife and it isn’t blackmail to ask your rich husband for spending money for a trip all wives are expecting from their wealthy professional husbands.”
“This isn’t all your doing, April.It’s that girlfriend of yours.”April stood and pranced around my office leaning over my desk as I stood with my hands lodged firmly in my pants pockets waiting for a reply.
April glanced up and over at me with a raised eyebrow.“I wouldn’t say it’s blackmail.I haven’t run to the newspapers, Daily Mail, or Halifax and screamed bloody murder about you being in love with a man, and I didn’t know you were gay.”
“That’s because I’m not involved with any man.”I stood meeting her cold eyes.Halifax knows we are in the process of getting a divorce,” and before she could open her mouth, I said, “He knows I’m bisexual.”
“But does he know you’re not really bisexual?I’d say you are a full-blown gay man.But I haven’t been able to prove that.And when I do—”
“What are you going to do?Get a divorce and ruin your chances of receiving your monthly checks?”
April slanted her head to the side, and quipped, “I could get alimony.”
“Yes, and for how long?You are an able-bodied woman of thirty and can work.I’d say it would be temporary maintenance if at all.I’m a lawyer remember, and a good one especially in one of the most prestigious and well-connected firms in Manhattan.Go ahead, I wish you would, because I’m tired of funding you and your girlfriend’s lives when I could have a life of my own.Your only savior is that I haven’t met a man yet I would do anything for,” I said, thinking about the young man who had just exited my office.
I haven’t met one I’d be willing to give myself to or introduce my employees to yet because once I’ve found that man, I will be devoted and he will be my life partner, and I’ll be done with April and her little plaything once and for all,I thought, staring at April as I reached for my check book and leaned in to sign it.
