The hunt, p.35
The Hunt, page 35
CHAPTER 25
TWO WEEKS AFTER the Labor Day debacle, I was reading my divorce papers, sitting in Chris’s desk chair in his downstairs office—the space where he often held his intimate parties. There was a lot of legalese in the contract, things that had to do with Devek’s taking full responsibility of the debt incurred during our marriage. Since I wasn’t asking for any financial remuneration—there was nothing to be had—I was asking for full custody of both children. The office door was closed and I had privacy. But Chris kept on coming in and out, searching for papers he needed, or looking up something on his computer, or just asking me if I had questions.
I had a lot of questions. The next time he came in, I said, “Am I reading this correctly or does it say that Devek gets Sanjay over the summers?”
“That is correct,” he said.
“That is unacceptable.”
He sat on top of his desk. “Baby, it was his set-in-stone demand from his lawyers. I have to speed the process along. The longer Devek and Sanjay are under threat, the more that threat becomes a reality.”
I became weepy. “Once Devek has Sanjay, I’ll never see my son again.”
“Terry, he’s signed the papers, and by law, if he reneges, he’ll get jail time.”
“They’ll never prosecute him. He’ll just run away with him.”
“No, he won’t.”
“How do you know?” My voice had risen a couple of notches. “I’m a little emotional right now.”
“I know.” Chris was preternaturally calm. “Teresa, listen to me. I know there are some divorced men who are good fathers. But judging from my experience with divorced men—which, granted, is biased—what I see is that once men start new families, they discard the children from their exes. Men are attached to their kids because they are attached to their wives. Once they’re done with their wives, they lose interest in the kids.”
“You never lost interest in Gabe,” I countered.
“Because I never lost interest in you,” Chris said. “This may sound harsh, but I’m pretty sure that Devek will remarry. And once that happens, you and your kids will be relegated to souvenirs.”
“What do you know of him?” I said. “You’ve never met him.”
“I’ve talked to him.”
“You have? When?”
“Mostly, I talked through lawyers, but there were times I had to talk to Devek directly. Specifically, when it came to Sanjay. And our conversation has been mostly civil.”
“Mostly?”
“He’s a frustrating guy.” Chris laughed. “Devek is a little …”
“Weak?”
“I was going to say wimpy, which is surprising because most doctors think they’re a step away from God. He’s probably weak because he’s always been under the thumb of his older brother”—he looked at me—“who seems to have a thing for you.”
I felt myself turning red. I looked down.
“Good for you for saying no,” Chris said.
Tears spilled down my cheeks. I whispered, “Devek told you what he did?”
“I dragged it out of him. In all my experiences, I don’t recall knowing another man who tried to pimp his wife to his brother. What’s his name? Pramod?”
I said, “Then you’re aware of Devek’s character. He’s not going to let Sanjay go. If for no reason other than spite.”
“Nah, that won’t happen.” He looked at me. “Listen to me, Terry. Devek is a respected doctor who comes from a rich and prominent family. He’s an idiot, but on paper, he’s a pretty good catch. I guarantee you that once he gets a new wife—and a much younger wife—she won’t want anything to do with Sanjay. Eventually Devek will stop asking for visits. He will, in fact, ask you to keep Sanjay for the summer because he’ll have other plans with his new family. You’ll get him back. In the meantime, this concession got him to sign the papers.”
I wiped my eyes. “What if he doesn’t give him back … I mean now?”
“Baby, I’m going to India and picking Sanjay up personally. If Devek wants to remain alive, he won’t fuck with me. This time, I promise you I won’t miss.”
“Are you really going?”
“I promised Sanjay’s … guardians … a big final payout. Until I get the boy in my hands, they won’t get it.”
“Thank you for everything, Christopher. I can’t tell you how much …” I smiled through tears. “Can I come with you?”
“Absolutely not!” Chris snapped back. “I’ve got contacts there, but I’m still a stranger in a foreign country. If those guys get their hands on you, they’ll bleed me dry.” He got up. “The lawyers are going to be here in a few hours. They’ll explain everything.”
“I’ll write down any questions I have.”
“You can write whatever you want, but you have to sign this contract. I can’t go back and start renegotiating anything. It’ll just delay things and piss people off. If I fucked something up, you’ll have to live with it. I did the best I could.”
“Thank you again.” My voice was still quiet. “Chris?”
“What?”
“Why didn’t you ever remarry?”
He regarded me as if I were an alien. “I’ve got a vault filled with cash, I’ve got the best business in the world, I’ve got pussy and ass whenever I want and however I want, I’ve got all the toys and shit. Why would I marry some whiny-ass bitch who’ll take my money and give me headaches?”
I said, “There are a lot of nice women out there.”
“I’m sure there are. I’m not interested in nice.” A pause. “No putdown to you. You’re very nice.” He furrowed his brow. Then he said, “I think you’re asking me if I could ever love another woman. The answer is no. One love of my life is enough, thank you very much.” He looked at me pointedly. “With you, I don’t have to explain myself. Which makes you easy.” Another pause. “You’re also … I shouldn’t tell you this. It’ll swell your head. But you’re good in bed.”
That was a first. Never heard that from him before. Not that he ever complained.
His eyes got far away. “I’ve been with a lot of women.”
I raised my eyebrows. “I’m aware of that.”
His eyes came back to my face. “I love what I do, Terry, but believe it or not, it’s still a business. When I’m with a newbie—after I pay her, of course—I’m always thinking, Is she good enough, is she enthusiastic enough, is she compliant enough, does she have enough spunk, what are her facial expressions, what noises does she make? It’s the difference between a sex worker and a good sex worker. A thousand things rush through my mind. Even when I pay for it with one of my workers, I’m cognizant that I’m with my own employees and I don’t want to damage the merchandise. I never fully leave my brain behind.
“When I’m with you, baby doll, I feel this out-of-body experience more potent than any drug I’ve ever taken, because I can finally let myself go.” His eyes met mine. “I don’t mean to hurt you. I really don’t want to cause you pain. Forcing you is a terrible tactic and it always comes back to bite me in the ass. But sometimes, I get so worked up, I just can’t help it.”
I didn’t say anything. Challenging him wouldn’t help get my son back.
He said, “Which is why no matter how mad you get at me, no matter how you keep fucking me over, I’ll keep coming back. And I’m not the only one, you know. Devek’s still madly in love with you. I know he’s hurting. He’s as much an idiot as I was. He would take you back in a heartbeat. But Pramod would never allow it.”
I was confused. “You’ve talked to Pramod?”
He paused. “Again, I don’t know if I should tell you this, but here goes. No judgment, okay?”
“Okay.”
“I work with casinos all the time. I get a lot of my workers from them. When certain people accrue gambling debts, I buy the debt from the casinos at a discount for quick cash—usually sixty to seventy percent—and then the people come to my place and work off the full amount of the obligation plus ten percent. I pocket the difference. Most are sex workers, but a few, like Karen in the commissary, do regular jobs—cleaning, serving, bartending. Anyway, while they’re working off the money, they still get their tips, but I keep their percentages until we’re even. It usually takes anywhere from three to nine months. After that, the workers are free to continue or get the hell out. About thirty percent stay on.
“Now, the vast majority of people who owe money to casinos don’t become sex workers, obviously. They pay off their debts by getting loans from their families or hocking valuables or working in the kitchen, or something like that. And the vast majority of people who think they can do sex work are unsuitable. In an initial interview, I can tell in five minutes if it’ll work or not. But, when I do get someone, he or she has never, ever owed the amount of money that Devek had accrued, because casinos cut you off when the losses pile up. When Devek first told me how much his obligation was, I was astounded. No casino I’ve ever worked with will let you get that far unless the gambler is filthy rich—which Devek wasn’t—or has a guarantor. Guess who your husband’s guarantor was?”
“Pramod. He controls the purse strings. But he already told Devek that he wouldn’t cover his debt.”
“Apparently that bastard told management that he’d cover Devek’s debt, knowing full well that he was going to let Devek drown.”
“Sounds like him,” I said under my breath. “He is a bastard.”
“It was Pramod who sent Devek to Goa in the first place. He owns the hospital where Devek works. Did you know that?”
“Actually, I did. He hates Devek. He’s jealous of him because Devek is better educated and is smarter. Pramod is a slimeball.”
“I’m sure that’s true,” Chris said. “Pramod has lots of businesses in Goa.”
“He has businesses everywhere,” I said. “I don’t know if he’s a billionaire, but it’s close.”
“He has more money than I do, that’s for sure.”
“Chris, how do you know all this?”
Silence.
“Did Pramod call you?”
Chris shrugged. “He was very unhappy about you moving away.”
“And?”
“What do you think? He made me an offer. If I send Juleen and you to him—back home was how he put it—he’d take care of his brother’s debt, you’d get your son back, and I’d walk away an even richer man.”
I was in utter shock. “I don’t know whether to believe you or not.”
“Doesn’t matter to me, but in this case, it’s the truth.” Chris stopped talking.
“What?”
He said, “There’s this archaic law in Goa—just in Goa because it was a Portuguese state—I don’t know if it’s ever been implemented or not, but it’s on the books. A Hindu man can take on a second wife if his first wife doesn’t produce sons. Pramod only has daughters. Maybe he wanted you as number two … to get some sons out of you.”
“He told you that?” When Chris didn’t answer, I said, “That’s ridiculous. I’m forty-two years old.”
“You can still have babies. How old is Pramod?”
“There are three sisters in between Devek and him. He’s around sixty.”
“To him, you’re still a young woman. The law is a good excuse to get you in his bed.”
“I’d never have sex with that goat!”
“You would if he threatened to take away your kids. That’s why Juleen had to be part of his bargain.”
I was stunned silent.
Chris said, “It didn’t matter what he offered me. I’d never let you go for all the money in the world. Think about that the next time you get mad at me.” He stretched his long frame. “I’m getting some coffee. Do you want anything?”
I still couldn’t speak
He patted my shoulder. “You need to relax. Take a Jacuzzi or something.”
I didn’t answer.
“Terry?”
I said, “I’m not taking a Jacuzzi with all those yucky men that you call clients. As a matter of fact, if I never see another male in my life, it’ll still be too soon.”
“Yeah, we’re dogs.” Chris smiled. “I’ve got a private hot tub on my patio. Go there.”
I got up and pulled the curtains back. I thought the fabric hid a window. In fact, it was a sliding glass door to a patio where, indeed, there was a hot tub. I had been in this office about a half dozen times and I had never bothered to look around. I said, “I’ve been dying for a bath. You’re just telling me this now?”
“I wasn’t hiding it from you,” he said. “You never asked.”
“Who’s been in there?”
“You mean like people? In the last six years, no one except me.” He held up his left hand and wiggled his fingers. “Well, sometimes I come with Mary and her four sisters, but I think you can handle that.” When I didn’t answer, he said, “TMI?”
“Y’think?” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Christopher. I’m still in shock. I can’t believe what you just told me about Pramod.”
“I’m a great liar, but I don’t have the imagination to make that up.” When I remained silent, he tapped the papers. “This is your future, Teresa. Our future. Together. Now forget about what I told you. Relax and take a Jacuzzi.”
Finally, I said, “I don’t have a swimsuit.”
“Why would you need a swimsuit? No one will see you except me.” He looked at his watch. “If you go in now, I can join you for about fifteen minutes.” He came over and pulled me to my feet. “C’mon. Let’s have a nice hot soak together, okay?”
He disrobed and so did I, and we both got in. He sat me on his lap and turned me around so my back was to his chest. He was hard underneath, but he didn’t make an attempt. He began to massage my shoulders. “Relax, relax. You’re very tight.” I said nothing. “Feel good?”
“Heavenly.”
“Good.” He ran his fingers down my spine, pressing his thumbs into my back muscles.
“Where’d you learn to do this?” I asked.
“From getting massages. I get them at least three times a week. I’ll set you up if you want. I just didn’t think you’d want my workers touching you.”
“If they’re good, send them over.”
“Sure.” More rubbing. That lasted a few minutes. Then he kissed the back of my neck. “I have about five minutes before I have to get out.” He wrapped his hands around my breasts and played with my nipples. “The way I feel right now, it’s enough time. Is it okay?”
And what could I do after what he told me. I owed him a debt I’d never be able to pay off. “Yeah, it’s okay. Thanks for asking.”
“I’m trying,” he said. “I’m not used to it, I don’t like it, but I’m trying.”
Five minutes later, he got out of the tub, dried off, and began to dress. “Water and drinks are in the bar. Help yourself. I’ll be back before you meet with the lawyers. I’ll bring something to tide you over before dinner. Take as long as you want in the tub, but don’t get dizzy, okay?” He bent down and kissed the top of my head. “See you later.”
After he left, I sat in the hot bubbling water and luxuriated, thinking about going from one doomed marriage to another. I didn’t know if Chris was lying or not, but his story had the ring of veracity. Pramod had mistresses—a lot of them. What did he need me for? But then I thought: maybe he just wanted what his younger brother had. That I could see.
Pramod had always dominated Devek. The constant competition wore my husband down emotionally—and sexually. Devek was a decent lover in New York, but once we got to Mumbai, he turned tepid. As the years crept along, we didn’t engage much. When he took on another woman in Goa, we were nearing the end. I certainly didn’t care. Perhaps he disengaged because he knew what Pramod had in mind. Or maybe he just didn’t like me that much. Whatever the reason, sex became nonexistent.
Chris was another story. No matter what he’d done on his trips away from me, he was always interested when he came back. He liked me and he liked sex with me. And he liked excitement in sex. He liked different rooms and different positions. He liked doing it with people in the house or when Gabe was watching TV in the next room. He liked doing it in his cars and on his motorbikes. He really liked doing it outside at night. Sometimes he’d take me to public places like parks and alleys, albeit they were deserted in the wee hours of the morning. He liked to dress me up and playact. He liked to call me dirty names. He liked it when I called him dirty names. He liked doing it while watching porn and munching on popcorn and giving me a play-by-play of what was happening in the video, often narrating things I didn’t want to hear. If it was new and different, he was game. For him, it was all about the hunt for novelty.
With me, sex was all about relaxation. Just push the right buttons and let me go into my head to drift to my favorite scenes in my favorite places. The more relaxed I am, the better the orgasm.
He had climaxed, but I hadn’t.
I sat back in the warm water, put my fingers between my legs, and closed my eyes. It took about a minute. Chris would have done me. He would have even been late for his appointment in order to get me off. In that one regard, he had always been unselfish. My excitement got him excited. But sometimes, when you really want to climax without taking a lot of time, it’s just better to lie back and DIY.
HE CAME INTO the bedroom a few minutes before five in the morning. I scooted over and he scooped me into his arms. I didn’t even wait for him to ask. He was quick and, for a man of his size, light on my body, his long, strong arms carrying most of his weight. Afterward, I went to wash up, and when I returned, he was hanging up from a call.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Fine.” We went back to our original spooned position. He nuzzled my neck. “You interested in anything, babe?”
“I’m going to have to take a rain check. It was a tiring day. My head is still spinning from all the legal mumbo jumbo.”
“Yeah, lawyers speak their own language.”
“So, what happens now that I signed the document?” I asked.
