Kisses and Revenge (17 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Warren did what he could to adjust his schedule so he could be home more, but it was difficult. Leslie decided it was time for her to do something more with herself. Figuring getting out of the house would uplift her mood, Leslie called around and found a shelter she could volunteer at. For her, it was about having time with other people and feeling like she was doing something which held some sort of meaning.

Once she had seen Warren off to work, she headed for the shelter. It was a women's shelter, which specialized in helping battered and abused women get back on their feet after leaving abusive partners. Leslie was excited to be able to work with these women and help give them hope. Her main job would be giving women vouchers for clothing from the thrift store and handing out food. Walking into the door, she was greeted by Margret Stevens, the head of the shelter. The woman was in her mid-forites but didn't seem to show her age. She kept her hair dyed a honey blonde color, and it was apparent she took care of herself by the lack of wrinkles on her face. She was tall and shapeless wearing a pair of slacks and a nice blouse.

"You must be Leslie Finn. I am so happy to meet you. Thank you for offering to help us out. We could use all the help we can get." Margret gave her a firm handshake. Leslie always liked people who used good handshakes.

"I'm glad to be here. I have been spending far too much time at home and could really use getting around other people. My fiancé spends so much time working. He can't spend all his time entertaining me." Leslie giggled a bit as Margret started to walk her through the shelter.

Margret showed her around the entire building. There were several rooms for the women to stay in. In the center of the building was a large cafeteria with a kitchen off to the side. Some of the other volunteers were serving lunch to the ladies who resided there. Leslie smiled as they walked through, but her stomach started to grumble from the smell of the food. Having to stop for a moment, she took slow breaths to keep from getting sick. She had felt that way before coming to the shelter, and she couldn't help but wonder if she was coming down with something.

Patting her back, Margret did her best to make sure she was okay before she took her into a small office. "Are you okay? This is going to be your office. Whenever a woman comes in, you will have them fill out this form and then input the information into the computer. From there you can give them one voucher. If they are going to be staying, they will then need to be sent to my office so I can do lodging in processing. The program is pretty easy to use. Would you like to try to do one now and make sure you know what you are doing?"

"Yeah, I'm all right. Just something hit me wrong is all? I will be fine, and yes, that would be great." Leslie sat down at the computer, and Margret went over how to log in and enter all the information. As Margret had said, the program was fairly simple to use. "Yeah, I think I will be able to get this. Thank you for this."

"Well then, I am going to let you get settled. If you need anything from me, pick up the phone and click the number four button. That will call directly to my office. We are glad to have you here. There is always a need for more volunteers around here." Margret patted Leslie's shoulder before she left the room, leaving it to Leslie.

Looking around, Leslie smiled thinking she could bring in a few photos or little things to make it a bit homier, a bit more hers. She liked the idea of having an office. Pulling out her phone, she sent Warren a text to let him know she was okay and getting started at the shelter. One of the things she had promised Warren was she would check in with him and be home in time to have dinner with him. Margret had understood that and made sure to plan her schedule accordingly.

Taking a few moments, Leslie got the office organized better to how she would perform her work. Then she sat down and set up her computer. It wasn't as nice as her computer at home, but she didn't expect the shelter to have the most up-to-date equipment. Warren messaged her back to let her know he was proud of her and happy she enjoyed the place. Leslie only hoped it would last.

Within the first hour of her being there, her first charge came in. Melinda Garrett came through the door with her jacket pulled tight around her and her face bruised and bloody. A small boy clung to her leg, also afraid. It broke Leslie's heart to see them, and she swore she would do all she could to help them.

"I'm sorry you are having to go through this, but we are going to do all we can to help you. Now, I am going to have to get some information and then, if you like, we can get you cleaned up and something to eat," Leslie explained, pulling out the forms Margret had told her to use.

Melinda reached out with a shaking hand, grabbing the pen and paper so she could start filling it out. Leslie couldn't help but notice how badly the writing was from Melinda's anxiety, so Leslie got up and moved around the desk to sit closer to her. "Here, let me help you with that. I know you are going through a lot."

Melinda looked over to her, her smile trying to break through the swelling on her upper lip. It was hard to believe anyone could do this to another person, but Leslie had learned over the last year the world was much crueler than she had ever thought. Taking the pen from Melinda, she asked her the questions and wrote down the answers, giving Melinda time to think things through and answer.  When the form was completed, Melinda signed it and Leslie started putting the information into the computer.

Once finished, she sent her to Margret for information on housing. As difficult as it was for Leslie to see a woman treated so harshly, it also made her feel good to know she was helping.

Feeling hungry, Leslie went to get some food, but as soon as the scent hit her, she felt that strong nausea once again. Rushing to the bathroom, she barely made it before she began throwing up into the toilet. What was wrong with her? Washing her face and rinsing out her mouth, she took a few moments to breathe and think. Then it hit her. Her eyes grew wide, and her hand instantly went to rest on her stomach. Could it be?

Heading for Margret's office, she poked her head in the door. She hated to be this way on her first day, but there was no way she would be able to get through the rest of the day without knowing. "I'm sorry to bother you. I was just sick in the bathroom. I think it might be best I try another day. I hope that is all right."

"Oh my, yes, please. Go take care of yourself. We will be here." Margret gave her a warm smile and motioned for her to take her leave.

Going back to her own office for a moment, she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

***

With a quick stop at the drugstore, Leslie found herself rushing into the house with pregnancy test in hand. Her heart pounded away in her chest, making her breath heavy. She hadn't bothered to message Warren about it, deciding it best to wait until she knew the results of the test. Slamming the bathroom door closed, she tore into the test and took off her clothes at the same time. All she had wanted for years was to have a child, and while she wasn't in the best position in her life, the idea of having a baby was still very exciting for her.

The test seemed to take forever to manifest results, but slowly the word "pregnant" showed up on the little window. For a moment, Leslie's whole world stopped. Fear and happiness consumed her all at once, and tears of joy filled her eyes. Digging through her purse, she grabbed her phone and quickly sent Warren a text. Not wanting to tell him over the phone, she simply told him she wanted him to come home as soon as he could.

With the text sent, she then showered and got into comfortable clothes. Her stomach growled again, and she knew she had to find a way to eat something. Maybe some soup and toast would be all right. Digging through the cabinet, she found some vegetable soup and hoped it would be bland enough to stay down. While the soup heated, she toasted bread and buttered it lightly. Last, she got herself some club soda to help with her rumbling tummy.

Just as she sat down to eat, Warren came rushing through the door. The look of worry and fear on his face was priceless, and Leslie nearly laughed wanting to take a picture of it. Standing up, she went over to him, and his arms quickly surrounded her, pulling her close. "What is wrong? Why did you leave work early?"

"Calm down. I'm okay, but I have something important I need to talk to you about." Leslie led Warren over to the table and had him sit down. Once he was settled, she pulled out the pregnancy test stick. Warren's eyes grew wide, and his hand slowly reached out to take the small plastic test.

"Is this real?" His breath came out short and quiet.

"I'm afraid so. It looks like you are going to be a daddy," Leslie answered, a huge grin breaking out on her face.

For several seconds, Warren sat there, unmoving, barely breathing. Leslie was sure he was going to be angry with her now that she had seen his reaction, but suddenly he jumped up and engulfed her in a tight hug. "I can't believe this. We are going to have a baby! I don't think anything in my life would make me happier. Please say you are happy about this."

"I don't think anything would make me happier. You know I have wanted a baby for a long time. Now I am going to have one. You are happy about this?" Leslie had to be sure. It was important to her that he was on board.

"Of course, I am. I've already asked you to marry me." He stopped talking suddenly, and his cheeks turned a little red. "Of course, I still need to work on getting that ring for you."

Leslie squealed with happiness, but her sound was cut short when Warren kissed her hard. His arms were like a vice grip around her, holding her as if wanting to keep her safe. The kiss stole her breath and made her chest tighten. Then other things began to tighten in her. Their kiss grew, and the taste of him had her moaning deeply. Slowly she ran her hands up his back, gripping into his hair with all she had. Warren took this for the invitation it was, and he cupped her ass and pressed his hardness against her, letting her know just how much he wanted her.

The more they kissed, the more heated her body got. Her food forgotten, the two of them shuffled down the hall, kissing and banging into the walls as they went. Once they stumbled into the frame of the door, and Leslie was sure it would cause her back to bruise. Not that she really cared. In that moment, all she wanted was to be with her man, the father of her child, her soon-to-be husband.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

For the next week, Leslie and Warren lived in a state of pure happiness. Every night he came home and made love to her so vigorously that she fell into a deep, content sleep. It had made her mornings more enjoyable and had her far more relaxed. After finding out about the baby, he took her to a nice restaurant and asked her to marry him in a more proper way. Of course, her morning sickness, which was more like all-day sickness, made the date a little strange. They had managed to get through it, though, and the ring he had gotten her had been stunning.

Waking up the following Monday, Leslie smiled seeing the shining diamond on her finger. Warren had already gotten up for the day, and when Leslie rolled over, she saw a small plate of saltine crackers next to the bed. It made Leslie so happy to see how sweet Warren was being over her pregnancy. Since finding out, he doted on her endlessly. She was sure by the end of this, she would be spoiled.

Deciding she couldn't lie in bed all day, Leslie stretched and sat up, sliding her feet into her slippers as she did so. Shifting her feet, she padded her way toward the bathroom to freshen up. The sound of someone talking downstairs in the living room caught her attention, and she turned and headed for the door and to the top of the stairs. Only halfway down, she could see Warren talking to the urn that held Adam's ashes.

"Her pussy is so sweet, brother. Now I know why you never wanted to let her go. You always got everything, and I was just shoved to the side. But I got her now, and the baby you were never able to give her. You fucking trusted everyone, always smiling and walking around with that chip on your shoulder. No one will ever find out about you, though, so long as your little wife does what I want. Oh wait, she is going to be my little wife now."

Gasping at his words, she jumped when Warren turned to see her there. Racing up the stairs, she tripped at the top and tumbled to the ground. Warren's hands gripped her and rolled her to look at him as he straddled her hips. Tears rolled down her face, and her arms flailed out swatting at him. "No! Get off of me! Tell me what you know! Damn it! Tell me!"

"Fucking bitch! Stop trying to hit me!" Warren growled, finally getting a hold of her wrists and pinning her down to the floor, gripping her with one of his much larger hands. His hand was bruising on her soft skin, and more tears stung in her eyes as she became more angry than sad.

"What happened to Adam? You know something. Why won't you tell me?" she sobbed, shaking from the pain that stabbed through her heart.

Warren chuckled as he pressed into her. He leaned down, breathing her in and moaning. "I can still smell me all over you. You screamed so nice and pretty for me last night, begging me to fuck you harder. I have wanted you like that for so long, thought of you nightly when I jerked off. Adam would have never appreciated you like I do. Mmmmm, and you gave yourself so willingly."

"What happened to my husband?" Leslie asked through gritted teeth, her body shaking.

"When we were younger, Adam and I were both infatuated with you, but I was the one that saw you first. I told him I wanted you, but he weaseled his way in and took you from me. He used his charm and money and standing in the company to seduce you away from me. Nothing I did ever seemed to work, so I stood back and watched as my brother took everything, and I was left with nothing. Perfect Adam, always getting his way. I guess I got to the point I couldn't take it anymore. He was going on about how much he fucking loved you and how he couldn't wait to start a family with you. He asked me when I was going to find a nice girl," Warren began to explain as he kissed on her.

"No, it wasn't like that, Warren. He didn't steal me from you. I never cared about you that way, at least not back then," Leslie whispered. Warren used his free hand to grip around her neck, tightening so she could no longer speak. Fear burst through her, both for her and the baby.

"I wasn't fucking finished! Now, where was I? Oh yes, he was bragging like he always did, and when he asked me why I hadn't found someone, I told him I had, and he stole her. Well, as usual, we got into a fight, but I was tired of his shit. I left and told him he would pay for stealing you from me, for stealing everything from me. Then I made sure of it. Knowing my way around your house the way I did, I planned it perfect. I shot him without being seen and left nothing behind. I would do it again, too. Oh, Leslie, my brother wasn't so perfect. He loved you and wanted a family with you, but he was still a rich bastard. He has been fucking around on you since the beginning. You were the prize, and he would never fuck you like he really wanted." Warren continued to tell his story.  The horror of it consumed Leslie, shredding the remaining pieces of her heart.

"You bastard! You lie!" she choked through the firm grip he had on her.

"Why would I lie about that? Here is the thing, Leslie; I have everything I need to blame you for his murder now. It took me some time, but it would be so easy and explain so much. The cops have been curious why you hide away and stay so guarded after all. His lovers are positive you found out and shot him because of it. Who do you think I was fucking before you finally dropped your panties for me? So, you can either dry your eyes and deal with the fact that I have you now, or I can throw you to the wolves. No one will believe you after I get through with you." Warren's voice was so cold and growling, unlike how he normally treated her.

Her heart shattered into millions of pieces hearing what came out of his mouth. Thinking back, she remembered the company picnic and Vivian telling her about her pregnancy. Could Adam have been the one to get her pregnant? No, Adam would have never cheated on her. Warren was lying. He had to be lying. Tears swelled in her eyes as she looked up at him. His face so like Adam's yet his eyes filled with hate. "Why would you do this? I can't ... I have no idea."

"Oh, my love, I did it for you. I did it for us. Now, I'm going to let you go, and you are going to get dressed and all pretty for work. Nothing is going to change for you and me. You are mine now, and I am never going to let you go." He leaned down and tried to kiss her, but she wiggled her face away. No way in Hell was she going to kiss this man after what he told her. Warren was having none of that, though. He gripped her chin tightly into his hand and pulled her toward him until he had her lips claimed.

Once he had his fill, he let her go and moved off her. Leslie scrambled away, needing to get as far away from him as possible. How was she supposed to go to work with this new information? She needed to tell the police or someone, but Warren had told her he had a way to frame her for it all. More tears filled her eyes, and her whole body shook as she stood up and rushed back to the bedroom. There had to be something she could do to save herself from this, but she needed to calm down before she decided.

The warm water of a shower helped to calm her down. However, as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, she saw Warren standing there waiting for her. He leaned against the dresser, watching her find clothes and get ready for work. "I wasn't kidding, Leslie. You fuck me over, and I swear to you, you will spend the rest of your life in jail, and that brat growing inside of you will spend the rest of its life in foster care. Like Hell am I going to take care of your bastard."

"It is your bastard too," she whispered, pulling her shirt on over her head.

Warren was on her instantly pushing her into the wall behind her. "Don't fucking smart off at me. You are going to go about life like you know nothing. You are going to tell no one what happened with Adam, and if you do everything I ask of you, I will give you the happy little picket fence life you always dreamed of. Now pull your head together or I'm going to tie your ass to the bed until you do." Warren growled his threats at her, his whole demeanor changing. How could he turn into this vicious monster so quickly? Nothing made sense to her anymore.

Warren watched her finish getting dressed. Worry consumed her that all of this was going to drive her mad, or worse, make her lose her baby. Taking a few deep breaths, she looked at him as she reached for the door. "I have no idea how I am supposed to do this. I hate you so much now."

"You will figure it out, and no, my dear, you don't hate me. You hate that you love me." He was so confident in his words, and it made her stomach turn. "I believe in you. After all, you will do it for the baby."

"I just don't understand why you would do this. Adam loved you." Turning away from the door, she looked into his cold, hard eyes.

"Adam loved himself, everything else was just him showing off. He never gave a damn about me. No one did. How do you think it was so easy for me to get over them all dying? My parents thought I was a fuck-up, and Adam was Mr. Perfect. My life is so much better. I have everything I ever wanted, and I'm giving you everything you ever wanted. What more is there to ask for?" That wicked grin, which was Warren's signature, stretched over his face. She now saw it for what it really was.

"That is sick. Here I was thinking I was being selfish for not letting you mourn, and all the while, you were using my pain to make me think you love me," Leslie responded.

"I do love you! I have always fucking loved you. When will you get that through your head? There has never been a time in my life that I didn't love you. The only problem was you didn't realize how much you loved me. Now that you do, everything is perfect." He walked over to her again and kissed her softly. "You will see. We are going to be so happy. With time, you will forget about all of this, and we will be one big happy family. I'll keep you pregnant until you have all the kids you want."

"Don't touch me. I don't want you." She could feel herself wanting to cry again. Being pregnant was making all the emotional turmoil worse.

"Yes, you do. Stop pretending you don't care. How about this? We will both call in today, and I will help you calm down. We can take a bath together, and I will give you a nice massage. I swear to you, you will forget all about my useless, piece of shit brother." He gave her another soft kiss then pulled her away from the door. Shaking her head, she knew he was right about one thing. She couldn't go to work in such a distressed state, not and keep it all a secret. She pulled out her phone and called them to let them know she wouldn't be in. It was easier that way, and at least she had a good excuse.