Deadly In Stilettos (23 page)

             
A year passed, and Demi knew she would love to be Devin’s wife, have his children, and spend the rest of her life with him. When the New Year came and went. Their jobs became hectic, which did not allow them much time together. The distance and lack of personal attention got the better of them, causing a rift in their relationship. Each time they spoke on the phone, all they seemed to do was argue. Demi did not want their relationship to end like her other failed ones, so she took some time off from her job and temporarily moved to Tennessee to be with Devin. He was pleased in the beginning, but after a few months, that all changed.

             
Living with someone always brought out the best and worse in them. In fact, the longer she lived with Devin, the more Demi realized their fairytale love was over. He was a pig with a capitol P. He left the toilet seat up, did not bother picking up after himself when he took off his clothes, left hair on the counter after he shaved, but most of all, he did not bother letting Demi know when or if he would be home for the many dinners she prepared for him. Demi’s perspective of their relationship changed completely when she found several phone numbers in his pants pocket while checking them to do the laundry. She knew she should have confronted him, but never did hoping they were work related. His late nights at work got more and more frequent. Devin did not bother telling her about them. Demi was just about to give up and return home, when she realized her period was late. She went to the doctor for a pregnancy test after using several at home ones, and found out she was two months pregnant. She did not tell Devin at first, but decided to surprise him on their mutual birthday, which was the following week.

             
As the days passed, Devin got increasingly inconsiderate, disrespectful, and just downright mean. Demi spoke to his mother about what was going one, and about the baby, and learned that Devin had introduced another woman to the family just a few months earlier, and she still showed up with him for dinner some nights during the week. His mother said she wondered what was happening asking Devin, who told her that he and Demi called it quits because it just wasn’t working out. His mother believed him since none of the family had talked or seen her around. No wonder they didn’t attend Sunday dinner at his parents’ anymore, Demi realized. She was devastated. Knowing that stress and getting too upset was not good for the baby or herself, she decided it would be best if she packed up her things and went back to her home in Las Vegas.

             
The night when Devin came home and saw her packed suitcases, he wanted to know why she was leaving, but did not bother trying to talk her out of it. He just seemed confused and acted like she was throwing away their relationship. Demi couldn’t believe his act. He told her he loved her and wanted to marry her. He put on such a show that Demi might have believed him, if his phone hadn’t rung and he left the room and her, to take the call in private. Demi no longer cared who was on the phone. Before he came back into the room, she was in a cab on the way to the airport. She hoped that Devin would show up and asks her forgiveness, but that never happened. Demi was left heartbroken all over again, something she wasn’t prepared for., especially now with a baby on the way.

             
Devin showed up at her doorstep a week later. His mother told him about the baby, and Demi knew that was the only reason he came. She wished she hadn’t, but she invited him in against her better judgment. The look in his eyes should have been enough, but thinking that they could work things out somehow for the sake of their unborn child gave Demi hope.

             
What Devin told her that night hurt Demi to the depths of her soul! He had gotten married before she moved to Tennessee, but didn’t know how to tell her. He claimed the entire family knew but no one wanted to hurt her by telling his secret, so they didn’t. Demi was horrified and told Devin to leave. He refused, and suddenly tackled her, pushing her to the floor.

             
“You will not ruin my life by bringing a bastard child into this world,” he shouted in her face. “We cannot be together, so we cannot have a child together. My wife is also pregnant with our first child, so she cannot find out about this. I simply won’t allow it. You stupid slut, I should have never fell for you,” he spat, slowly breaking Demi’s heart into a million tiny pieces. She could not believe what was happening. She tried to free herself from his strong hold, but she was too small and weak.

             
Devin hit her in her stomach repeatedly until she cried out from all the pain. After he finished punching her, he stood over her and kicked her as hard as he could. All Demi could feel was excruciating pain and then wetness running down her legs. Before he left her, lying on the floor and bleeding, he told her that if he ever heard from or saw her again, she would be sorry. He walked right out of her life without any remorse giving her a look of pure disgust when he turned to look at her become slamming the door in her face.

             
Demi managed to crawl over to her home phone, resting on the end table, and call 911 before passing out. When the paramedics arrived, she was unconscious, lying in a puddle of blood. The sight was gruesome according to one of the paramedics at the scene, when he explained what he saw to the doctor.

The police showed up at the hospital with a thousand questions, which Demi never answered. She had other plans of revenge in store for my child’s father, but the news she received that day, changed her life forever. She found out that
she had lost the babies. Yes, babies! The doctor told her that she had been pregnant with twins and they didn’t make it because of the severe trauma sustained to her abdomen. That was the saddest day of Demi’s life. Devin robbed her of a chance to be a mother. The punching and kicking caused entirely too much damage, and the doctor suggested she not get pregnant in the future, for fear that she would not survive the birth.

                                                         ~~~

              Demi arrived at her hotel. Her emotions overwhelmed her, but she needed to focus. Devin Masters had caused her more pain than anyone else on her list, and he would die slowly and painfully because of that. She did not care that he was a husband, father, son, and brother. That inspired her more. Maybe his family would think twice before going along with lying to cover up for him or anyone else after his death. More than four years had passed since her miscarriage, but each time Demi touched her stomach, she knew she would never feel life growing inside it again. If her babies had arrived on their due date, her twins would have turned four on the very day Demi arrived in Memphis. If they had been given the chance to have a life, she could have been home planning a big birthday bash for them, with all of the trimmings, the entire neighborhood invited. Nothing would have been too much for her babies, but sadly, that would never come true.

             
By the time Demi was in her hotel room, evening was fast approaching. Devin would be on Beale Street soon, she was sure of it. She had to get dressed for her little performance. She too could be an actor, just like Devin. Only this would be his final act.
‘
Exit stage left,sorry Muthafucka
!
’ Demi thought preparing to see him.

             
Demi called Greg to let him know she arrived safely and that she would be back in New York tomorrow. He was happy to hear from her, but there was something in his voice that alarmed her. He sounded far away, not at all like the man she’d seen earlier at the airport. Before they hung up, Greg told her that Laurel had called him, crying and he was meeting with her at the Cordwright estate to help her gather the rest of her things. Demi told him to be careful, because although she cared for Laurel, there was still something mysterious about her that Demi couldn’t quite put her finger on.

             
After she got off the phone with Greg, Demi unpacked her beautiful shoes. She had kept them just for this occasion. The Jimmy Choo stilettos—double ankle strap with a cross strap across the instep, made with beige and brown suede snakeskin—were simply breathtaking. The being and brown outfit she put on added flavor and sophistication to her look. She was in and out the door within an hour, and on her way to Beale Street. As she walked down the street, many people admired her, complimenting her outfit but most of all her shoes. The men could not take their eyes off her, while the women gave her dirty looks of envy. Demi did not care one way or the other, but she did look good, and Jimmy Choo never failed her.

Chapter 15

 
              CHARLIE’S WAS one of the best restaurants in Memphis. The relaxing atmosphere welcomed all who entered. Its charm was known by people of many cultures and ethnic backgrounds, and anyone who ventured down Beale Street. No one passed by Charlie’s without stopping in to admire and taste the delicious food art. On any given day it was hard to get inside, let along get a table. Demi had therefore called ahead and made reservations. Although they did not like taking reservation for one, she said she’d pay an extra 15 percent to get a particular table, on that particular night.

             
As she followed the waiter to her table in the rear, Demi noticed several people watching her. She felt a strong presence in the air and looked around. There he was. How he had known she would be there was beyond her, or was in only a coincidence? Demi looked away and continued following the waiter to her table, pleased by the coziness and privacy of the back corner booth. She thanked the waiter, ordered a bottle of expensive champagne, and asked to be left alone for a while. Once the waiter returned with the champagne, he gave her a keypad that she could use to signal him when she was ready. Demi thanked him for his kindness and sipped her champagne. The coolness of it relaxed her.

             
From across the room, Devin admired the woman he had lost more than four years ago. The woman he’d chosen to marry over Demi quickly divorced him right after giving birth to their son, taking half of everything he owned. He regretted treating Demi the way he had and wanted to prove it to her. He had known Demi would come sooner or later, so he came to Charlie’s every year on the same day, just to see if he saw her. Tonight was his lucky day. She was finally there. The question lingering in his head was could he hold it together to complete his plan of deception.

             
Her expression was hard to read. She looked beautiful, yet there was something deeper about her around the edges, darkness lurking in her eyes. Devin knew he had a lot of apologizing, explaining, and making up to do if he wanted her back in his life, or if he wanted his plan to work. Why had he been so stupid? They could have been happily married with two beautiful children, who would have turned four on this very day. He knew why she was there. He had to talk to her, but he did not want to overwhelm her into making a scene in public. He couldn’t afford for that to happen with his career and all. Besides, what if she was waiting for someone to join her? That thought brought more sadness and regret, also rage, to Devin. His heart pounded hard at the thought of Demi involved with, or married to, someone else. She belonged to him.

             
Setting her glass down, Demi put her hands on her legs, trying to stop from shaking. She had known she would see Devin that night, but hadn’t expected him to be waiting for her to show up. He was more handsome than she remembered, but she could not get past the fact that he betrayed her, taking her children away from her before they were even born. Rage welled up inside her. She wanted to kill him right then and there, in front of everyone. Demi needed to calm down. She took another sip from her glass, allowing the champagne to relax her more. Her cell phone buzzed. She looked at the caller ID, but the caller was blocking his or her number. Demi had a feeling she knew who the caller was, though. Although she was disguising her voice, Demi knew Anya Bankston was behind the other threatening calls. She would regret the day she ever met her, Demi thought, and answered her phone.