Jezebel (9 page)

She turned to face him. “And you think you are?” Jessie Belle laughed. “You're kidding, right?”

“I'm dead serious.”

Jessie Belle sighed in frustration. “Atkinson, for the last time, I'm not leaving my husband.”

“You love me, Jessie Belle. I can see it in your eyes.”

“This was kind of cute in the beginning, but now it's annoying, Atkinson.
I love Traynor
. Go find Cynthia and just leave me alone.”

“No,” he responded. “I don't love her. It's you I want.”

Jessie Belle felt a tremor of fear after noting the crazed look in his eyes.

This fool is out of his mind. He's insane
.

Not wanting to set Atkinson off, Jessie Belle softened her tone. “Listen to me, please. Atkinson, we can't do this. Not here.”

“Meet me tomorrow at the Holiday Inn on Peachtree. The one by McDonald's…three blocks from the dealership. You owe me, Jessie Belle.”

“I can't.” She stepped around him. “I'm not gonna cheat on my husband. You received a nice commission when you sold us the car. Let that be enough.” Jessie Belle made a move toward the door. “I'm sure Traynor's wondering where I am. I need to go.”

Atkinson grabbed her, pulling Jessie Belle to him. “C'mon…just one kiss for now, baby. I can hardly wait to be with you tomorrow.”

Before she could utter another word, his mouth covered hers.

S
he'd known Atkinson was attracted to Jessie Belle, but Cynthia had no idea he'd acted on those feelings. And Jessie Belle…

The hussy
.

Jessie Belle was going around acting like she so in love with her husband…. The tramp was sneaking around and sleeping with Atkinson. Cynthia was still having trouble believing what she'd just seen with her own eyes.

Jessie Belle and Atkinson all hugged up in the choir room kissing. She heard Atkinson talking about their plans to meet tomorrow at a hotel.

Blinded by tears, Cynthia brushed past one of the ushers, nearly knocking her down.

“I'm s-so s-sorry,” she stammered. “I should've been l-looking where I was g-going.”

“What's wrong, Cynthia? Did something happen?”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Angie, I can't talk right now.”

She wrapped an arm around Cynthia. “Come over here and sit down. I've never seen you this upset.”

“How could he do this to me?” Cynthia whispered as she glanced around the room. “And right here in the church…”

Angie was confused. “Cynthia, what in the world are you talking about? What happened?”

Instead of answering, she burst into another round of tears.

Cynthia kept telling herself that she shouldn't be so surprised. Atkinson was a player—he loved women. All women.

Her ex-husband was just like Atkinson—didn't know a thing about being faithful. But he wasn't as good-looking as Atkinson and he couldn't keep a job. Cynthia divorced him.

As for Atkinson, she liked him a lot—enjoyed his sexual prowess and loved spending his money. They'd been together for the past couple of years and until now, Cynthia had never felt threatened by another woman.

Jessie Belle Deveraux was evil.

Traynor Deveraux was a good man and she'd hoped to garner his attention, but then he left town for a couple of weeks and came back with a wife. Cynthia was on the verge of breaking up with Atkinson before she heard.

She dried her eyes.

Maybe there was still a chance with Traynor. If Jessie Belle and Atkinson got together…

“I need to see Reverend Deveraux,” Cynthia stated.

“You want me to go with you?”

She shook her head no. “I'll be okay, Angie. Thanks.”

Filled with jealousy and anger, Cynthia burned with the memory of listening to Atkinson make plans to meet Jessie Belle for a lovers' tryst. They were going to pay for their betrayal and in the end she would have Traynor. It really wasn't a bad trade-off.

Traynor was a much better catch than Atkinson. With that in mind, Cynthia walked as fast as she could to his office.

Cynthia knocked, and then opened the door without waiting for a response.

“Your wife is having an affair with Atkinson,” she announced without preamble. “I just overheard them making plans to meet tomorrow.”

Traynor didn't respond for a moment. When he did, he said, “You most likely misunderstood them.”

“I heard them as clear as day,” Cynthia countered, taking a seat in one of the visitor chairs facing his desk. “I'm sure you don't want to believe this about your wife, but it's true.”

“What exactly did you hear?”

“They were planning to meet tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“I didn't hang around long enough to hear that part. I was too upset.”

“I hope you aren't in my husband's office bothering him with nonsense,” Jessie Belle stated from behind them. “If you need to talk to someone, I'm available.”

Cynthia stood up. “I was actually just leaving.”

She made her way to the door, pausing long enough to eye Jessie Belle from head to toe.

“Why are you looking me up and down like that?”

Cynthia uttered, “Just seeing what a real
lady
looks like. You try and have a good day, Mrs. Deveraux.”

Jessie Belle followed her down the hall and grabbed Cynthia by the arm. “You don't fool me. You're up to something. I can smell it all over you.”

Snatching her arm away, Cynthia responded, “I'm not trying to do anything to you, Jessie Belle. I don't have to—you've done enough to yourself.” Wearing a smug expression, she announced, “I told your husband about you and Atkinson. You know, I never thought you'd be so stupid.”

Jessie Belle looked angry enough to physically attack her, prompting Cynthia to take a step backward.

“There's nothing going on between me and Atkinson.” Lowering her voice, she added, “If you've done anything to cause problems in my marriage—I intend to make sure you regret it for the rest of your boring life. You better pray I can fix this mess.”

Cynthia was still shaking when Jessie Belle turned and headed back to Traynor's office.

Jessie Belle chewed on her bottom lip as she made her way down the hallway to her husband's office.

That witch! If Traynor believes her…I'm gonna make her wish she'd never been born. He won't believe her. Traynor knows Cynthia is a lonely woman with no life. He knows how much she loves to gossip. He won't believe her
.

Jessie Belle sent up a quick prayer.
Lord, I need You to help me with this mess Cynthia created. I'm innocent. Please don't let Traynor believe a word she says. I don't want to lose my husband. I haven't been unfaithful to him. Please get me out of this mess.

Standing outside his office, Jessie Belle felt a little better.

I haven't done anything wrong. Cynthia's just jealous of me and she's afraid of losing Atkinson. Goodness knows…she can have the man—I certainly don't want him
.

Jessie Belle decided feigning ignorance was the way to go. She would just wait and see if Traynor mentioned anything. Surely he wouldn't believe anything coming out of Cynthia's mouth.

She headed for the nearest exit door and walked outside. She'd wait for Traynor by the car.

Jessie Belle didn't have to wait long. He walked out a few minutes later, his expression grim.

She made small talk while they rode the short distance home. Jessie Belle couldn't help but notice that Traynor wasn't saying much.

“You were so quiet on the drive home,” she began. “Is everything okay?”

“Why don't you tell me?” Traynor responded.

“I'm not sure what you mean. Is something wrong?”

He didn't say another word until they were inside the house. “Cynthia came to my office after service to tell me about an interesting conversation she overheard between you and Atkinson.”

“Okay. Is there a problem with my speaking to Deacon Bradford? We've spoken on several occasions. He is a deacon at our church and he did sell us a car.”

“Cynthia said you and Atkinson were making plans to meet tomorrow. Jessie Belle, I need to know the truth. Are you having an affair with him?”

“I can't believe you'd listen to lies about me and Atkinson. Especially when they're coming from Cynthia, of all people.”

“I want the truth, Jessie Belle,” Traynor insisted. “Are you and Atkinson having an affair?”

“No, we're not,” Jessie Belle responded. “Cynthia's just an insecure and jealous witch.” She stepped around him. “I'm not gonna entertain this foolishness any longer. I haven't done anything wrong. I bet she—”

Traynor interrupted her by saying, “Jessie Belle, I've seen the way Atkinson looks at you and the way he acts around you. I'm not stupid. And in my spirit I feel like there's something more going on between the two of you.”

He walked over to the front door, opening it. “If you're sleeping with him, then, Jessie Belle, I think it's best that you just leave. Go to your lover.”

Her mouth opened in shock. Jessie Belle could hardly believe her ears.
“You want me to leave?”

“I'll not stand for you to carry on under my nose like that. If I can't trust you, then I don't see how we can have a marriage.”

She'd never seen him look so angry and hurt. “Traynor, honey, I'm telling you the truth.” Jessie Belle's words came out in a rush. “I've never had an affair with Atkinson. Look, you don't have to worry about him—it's Cynthia that's the problem. I didn't want to bother you with this, but she's made it perfectly clear that she's interested in you.”

This time it was Traynor who was stunned. “Jessie Belle, what are you talking about?”

“She's attracted to you, Traynor. Haven't you noticed the way she hangs on your every word and how she follows you around the room whenever we're all together? As for Atkinson, I made it clear how much I loved you. He knows that I'm not interested in him. Honey, there's no affair.”

“You think Cynthia made this up because she's after me?”

“What else could it be, Traynor? I mean, Atkinson has flirted with me, but it's nothing like what she's saying. If you picked up on his attraction to me, I'm sure she did, too, but Cynthia's using this to cause problems between us.”

“She seemed really upset. I don't believe she was faking.”

“I guess you'd rather think that I'm the one having an affair, then,” Jessie Belle said over her choking, beating heart.

How could Traynor accuse her of betraying him?

“No, that's not it.”

“Traynor, Cynthia's been after you from the moment she met you,” Jessie Belle stated with staid calmness. “I even think she's been pushing Atkinson toward me, so that she can kill two birds with one stone—causing problems in my marriage and getting rid of Atkinson. I'm sure Cynthia's hoping you will leave me so that she can be with you. Women can be so manipulative, Traynor.”

“Jessie Belle, I had no idea.”

“I know you didn't. Men don't seem to notice these kinds of things, but women do. Ma used to tell me all the time about the different women trying to capture my father's attention.”

Jessie Belle led Traynor over toward the window. “I bet she's sitting on her porch right now, waiting to see if one of us storms out of here. She's counting on your kicking me out of the house, I'm sure.”

“She
is
on the porch,” Traynor stated. “She keeps looking over here.”

“I told you. She's waiting to see if one of us is leaving—mostly me.”

Jessie Belle suddenly felt nauseous. She placed a hand to her mouth.

“Sweetheart…you okay?”

“I don't know what happened. I just suddenly feel sick to my stomach.”

Traynor took her hand and led her over to a nearby chair. “Why don't you sit down for a minute and see if it passes,” he suggested.

Jessie Belle searched her memory, trying to remember when she last had her period. She'd stopped taking birth control the moment she and Traynor decided they wanted to get married. She made a mental note to schedule a doctor's appointment.

If her suspicions were right and she was indeed pregnant…Traynor would forget all about Cynthia and her foolishness.

Please let me be pregnant,
she prayed silently.

Some of Jessie Belle's color returned to her face, but Traynor was still worried about her. He felt guilty for accusing her of being unfaithful when he should have known better. She had never given him cause to make such an accusation.

“I'm sorry for accusing you of cheating on me,” he told her. “I hope you can forgive me.”

She nodded. “I probably would've reacted the same way if someone had come to me like that.”

Traynor didn't believe her. “I think you would've come to me like a mature person and ask—not accuse me outright. I was wrong for the way that I treated you, sweetheart, and I'm really sorry.”

Another wave of nausea hit Jessie Belle. This one sent her running off to the nearest bathroom with Traynor following close behind. He wet a washcloth and gently wiped her forehead as she emptied the contents of her stomach.

When she could vomit no more, Traynor picked her up and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom.

“I need to brush my teeth,” she whispered.

“Just lay down for a little while, sweetheart. I don't want you passing out—you look a little weak.”

Traynor was worried that he'd upset Jessie Belle to the point of making her sick. He sat beside her on the bed, holding her hand. Guilt seeped from his pores. “Are you feeling a little better?” he asked after several minutes passed.

She nodded. “Some.”

Jessie Belle slowly swung her legs to the edge of the bed and climbed out. “I need to brush my teeth.”

Traynor helped her to the bathroom.