I remembered the day he confessed. He knelt on one knee in front of all our friends as witnesses; when I nodded, he wept until he could barely speak. He held me then and swore, "Elaine, I will never let you down. I love you. I will never be like my mother. I will never betray you. I belong to you—forever!"
I believed him without reservation. I gave him my whole heart, convinced that no matter what trials came, we would walk through them together until the end of our lives.
Now, I watched Talia's restless hands wandering over him. She bit at his throat; he made a muffled sound, his breath rough, and told me, "Elaine, don't imagine things. I'll be back tomorrow."
He tightened his arm around Talia's waist as she clung to him, then, as if nothing had happened, he said, "I'm busy—gotta go," and hung up before I could answer.
He walked into the hotel with Talia in his arms, his eyes full of desire. He said to her, low and possessive, "You started this!" Then, pinching her chin. "You'll take responsibility!"