All Bark & Little Bite Ch. 12

By the time she'd rejoined the party she noticed that Clyde had left. Martha looked at her as she'd entered the room and Saundra gave her a little, assuring smile. As the party wound down and the guests began to leave Saundra felt fatigue settle in. When she walked Martha to the door the petite lawyer turned and tightly hugged her.

"Saundra, are you sure you're going to be ok? I'm worried for you. What if Clyde does reveal his suspicions to Martin?"

"Hush. There's nothing that I can't handle. Try not to worry. I'll call you soon. Ok?" Saundra whispered as she released Martha. Normally, Saundra would be a jumble of frazzled nerves over a situation such as she was now in. For some reason she felt an overwhelming sense of calm. She wasn't sure if she was merely avoiding fear or if it was peaceful relief in truly committing to change her life.

After she finished cleaning up from the party she headed to the bedroom. She desperately wished she could sleep in one of the spare rooms but obviously could not risk arousing any suspicion in Martin. As she began to undress Martin came out of the bathroom, naked and sporting a semi-hard dick. He stopped to look at her.

"As always you put on a class act, Saundra. The dinner was very good and our guests had a good time. I have an appointment with Clyde tomorrow afternoon and I think things will go quite well," his words sounded hollow to Saundra. She discretely watched him as he climbed into bed. His half erect prick had not gone unnoticed by her and her adrenaline began to race throughout her body. She felt angry knowing he expected her to service him like a cheap whore. That's what he'd coerced her to be and she was damned if she was going to continue.

Saundra pulled on a plain cotton nightshirt and slid into bed but stayed on her side facing away from him. He turned off the bedside lamp then reached over to her, taking her shoulder and pulling her to lie on her back. He grasped her hand and pushed it against his cock to make her stroke him. When she did not respond he sighed heavily and reached up under her shirt and began to squeeze her breasts.

"Stop it. Not tonight, Martin. We both have busy days tomorrow. Go to sleep." She pulled her hand away from his swelling member and rolled away from him.

"You will do as I want. What the hell has gotten into you?" he asked incredulously. He placed his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off.

"I've had enough. I'm tired. Let's just go to sleep." Her voice was quiet but her tone was stern. Martin stared at her dark form, surprised at her rebuffing insolence. She had never refused him before. She was usually sullen, sometimes tearfully unwilling, yet in the end always submissive. Between her cold response, and the way Clyde had quietly left right after he'd come back from his rendezvous with Saundra, Martin felt somewhat uneasy.

Something was out of sorts, and although he felt suspicious he decided not to push it tonight. Instead he would wait until after his meeting with Clyde and find out what caused this sudden change in her demeanor. He was uncomfortable with the unanticipated behaviors of his new client and his wife and thought it best to gather the facts before he acted further. He was inclined to think she must have done something very wrong and if it were so, she was going to regret it. He rolled over and thought about what punishment she would deserve as he drifted into a restless sleep.

The next afternoon, as soon as Clyde walked into Martin's office the young lawyer felt there was something definitely wrong. His normally jovial client sat down across the desk from Martin with a rather serious expression.

"Good afternoon, Clyde. Would you care for something to drink, coffee, soda, something stronger?"

"No, thank you, Martin."

"I'm glad you could come to dinner last night. We didn't really have the chance to talk just before you left. Did you enjoy your evening?" Martin shifted in his chair wondering what Clyde was thinking.

"It was interesting. Listen, I understand that Mr. Johnson asked you to work with me on my business contracts and I appreciate that. Since he recommended you I trust that you are highly competent in that field."

"I appreciate that, sir. Please know that I will do my utmost to satisfy your business needs." Martin was beginning to feel impatient. By his physical language and terse expression something was obviously bothering Clyde and Martin wished he would just bring it out in the open. Surely he was not offended by the offer of Saundra's pleasures as Clyde had seemed genuinely eager to join her in a little sex play. Yet, Clyde proceeded to keep the discussion on a professional level, although he seemed somewhat reserved. Martin forced himself to focus on the matters at hand and push away his personal concerns.

After an hour of conversation their business was concluded and their talk turned casual as they spoke of playing golf together in an upcoming charity tournament. Mr. Johnson had told Martin he would be joining him in a foursome that would include Clyde and another client. As Clyde stood up and shook Martin's hand he glanced down at the picture of Saundra on the desk. Martin followed his gaze and wondered why Clyde seemed aloof during their meeting, but was glad his client now seemed more relaxed.

"Your dinner party last night was enjoyable, Martin. I appreciate you inviting me. You have a lovely wife. She's quite talented."

"Thank you. As mentioned last night it takes teamwork to establish a successful career."

"Yes, I'm sure," Clyde grinned as he drew closer to hinting at his secret about Saundra. "I'll bet she pleases both your male and female clients quite well."

"Excuse me?" Martin's smile faded and he frowned in confusion. Although Clyde could not know that he did not have any female clients he instantly felt on guard as to what Clyde meant.

"Well, I just assumed..." Clyde let the intriguing allusion hang between them. He turned and went to the door and just as he opened it he spied Martha not far away, talking with another co-worker. Martin followed him out of the office and noticed Clyde was gazing at Martha. When he looked back at his client Clyde smiled and again looked over at Martha. "She's a lovely, sexy little thing. Too bad she swings the wrong way," Clyde laughed smugly. Martin maintained a calm demeanor as his mind raced with the subtle allegation Clyde seemed to be implying.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed your evening last night. I look forward to playing golf with you this Saturday." Martin quickly changed the subject to brush off Clyde's supposed suggestion. There was a nagging little voice in the back of his mind as to what Clyde was insinuating and the behavior of both his client and his wife the night before. Now that he thought about it, it did seem that Martha had been gone longer than was necessary and she rejoined the party only moments after Clyde had come back out.

"Yes, Saturday will be fun. The weather forecast is in our favor for sunshine and a mild temperature. Thanks, Martin." Clyde smiled and walked away. Martin watched him as he walked between the desks of the common area of the office. He caught the disdainful concern on Martha's face when she looked up as Clyde brushed closely past her. The petite lawyer abruptly finished her conversation and quickly walked back to her office.

Martin didn't need to guess at what was going on, now. His gut instinct told him it was a safe bet that Martha was probably calling his wife from her office. What the hell was his slut doing with that lesbian? His anger began to build at the thought of his wife having some kind of disgusting fling with another woman, especially with one of his co-workers. Talk about adding insult to injury! His first reaction was to want to confront his associate but that would not be possible in the busy office. He took a deep breath to focus on a meeting he needed to attend and knew his suspicions would have to wait. As he went back into his office to gather his files he made a quick phone call to his home and found the line busy. He forced himself to calm down. Control was the key and he would sort things out as soon as he could leave the office and confront his whore of a wife.

"Hello?" Saundra answered.

"Saundra, it's Martha. Mr. Van Neusen just left the office. From the looks on his and Martin's faces something was discussed other than business. You should have seen the smug expression on Van Neusen's face as he passed me on his way out. Martin was trying to hide it but he looked upset as he went back into his office," her words came out in a rush. "I know Martin has abused you, Anthony told me. I'm worried about you!"

"Martin told me last night that he was meeting with Mr. Van Neusen. Please don't provoke Martin by panicking. Just act as if it's business as usual." Saundra's calm puzzled Martha.

"But Saundra," Martha began.

"Martha, I called Anthony earlier and told him what happened. He's going to help me," Saundra interrupted her. "Just keep your distance from Martin. I don't want you involved in any trouble because of me. Please."

Martha hesitated not knowing what to say. She had admired Saundra for a long time and since their afternoon together she had fantasized about what might grow between them. Perhaps it was only infatuation but she adored Saundra. She wondered if she was only being selfish out of fear of losing Saundra and what they could possibly have together.

"All right. But please call me if you need me. I'll do whatever you need to help you."

"I appreciate that Martha. You are a sweet woman. Just stay safe, ok? I have to go. I've got a lot to get done before tonight. We'll talk soon."

"Ok. Bye," Martha sighed.

"Bye," Saundra said and hung up the phone. She wanted to get out of the house before Martin came home from work that evening. Yet her natural instinct was such that she could only accomplish things by planning them out. She was rather insecure with any sort of spontaneity. Her self-confidence came from knowing what and how things would happen. Her thoughts flashed on her afternoon with Martha and Anthony. While she had ended up enjoying their liaison, on the inside she had been in turmoil over-thinking her actions and reactions. She couldn't allow herself to be in that state of mind, now. She needed to be clear about what she was doing.

When she had spoken with Anthony earlier that morning she had lost her composure and cried for a few minutes. But Anthony took control and helped her calm down. He told her he'd come right away for her but she asked him to wait. She needed to do things her way and not act like some panicked little rabbit. She wanted a little time to come to terms with her decision and be rational about it. Once she left there would be no turning back and it somewhat surprised her that there might be any question about leaving. But after several years of being told what, when, where, and how to live her life she needed to absorb the impact of this dramatic change in her life. Saundra needed to feel in control of herself and not let Martin dictate her actions in any way. Anthony reluctantly conceded to her wishes and told her he would make arrangements for a safe place for her and would wait for her call when she was ready.

After her conversation with Anthony, Saundra seemed to be in a strange fog; it was a similar reaction as when she experienced physical pain and endorphins were released to counteract the shock to her body. Emotional pain and fear invoked the same chemical response from her brain. She was well aware of the possible consequences from the meeting between Martin and Clyde. Yet her anxiety was being suppressed enough to allow her to function in a rational manner. She had always been one who could stay calm in the midst of a storm, only to break down and worry or cry after things were resolved or at least under control.

Saundra thought about how Martin had woken her up on his way out, leaving for work. His kiss had been deceivingly gentle as he gazed into her eyes. He told her he expected she would be more accommodating later that night with no excuses of being tired. As soon as he'd left she got up and taken a long hot shower mulling over what to do. At first she considered going to her parents' house; they lived about a three hour drive south of Chicago. But she didn't want to take her car. She didn't want to take anything that connected her to Martin, let alone be traced by him. She had also toyed with the idea of catching a flight out to her sister's home in New York. Her family had always thought her marriage was strange. Her mother and sister were always making subtle comments trying to give her the opportunity to open up to them. But she remained stoic. Martin had worn her self-esteem so far down that for the most part she was convinced that the life she was living was what she deserved. No longer though, she had woken up and found herself again and was not going to be bound in her sham of a marriage.

During the morning she had distracted herself by making some calls in regards to the charity for which she was chairwoman. Trepidation occasionally threatened her bizarre calm but she felt an obligation to the other ladies with whom she worked and was determined not to let Martin dictate her actions. She was no longer his puppet.

She needed to relegate some duties to other members of the charity. Ironically it involved a dinner and dance that was to be held in counterpart to the same golf tournament that Martin was to play in that Saturday. But that just made her feel vindicated, that he would not stop her in making that event a success while she quietly left him. She wondered how he would handle attending the dinner without her, the person who had planned and directed the event.

After she'd finished making her calls she did some laundry, only washing her clothes and not Martin's. Anthony called to check on her admitting he was anxious about getting her out of the house before her husband came home. Saundra assured him she would call him with time to spare. Then she made a trip to the bank to withdraw money from their joint savings account, a total of $5000.00, and went to a different bank to set up her own account. Stopping at the grocery store she got a couple of apple boxes from the produce department to pack her personal belongings that she did no want to leave behind, photographs, books, and other, small personal items from her family. When she arrived home she packed the boxes first, then brought out her largest suitcase to begin packing her clothes. She glanced at the clock and was surprised to see it was already nearing 5pm so she called Anthony. He told her he was on his way.

It was much later than Saundra had planned to start packing and she felt agitated about letting time slip past her. However, Anthony was on his way and she would be long gone before Martin arrived home which was usually between 6:30 and 7:00. As she was quickly folding and organizing her clothes in the suitcase she heard the front door open then slam shut. Oh, the wrench thrown into best laid plans! Her heart froze and her breath caught in her throat and time seemed to stand still. She could only think that Mr. Van Neusen had given Martin an earful and he was home early to confront her about it. At first she considered grabbing the phone and running into the bathroom and locking herself in. But no sooner did she have that thought when she glanced toward the bedroom door and saw Martin standing there.

"Where do you think you're going?" Martin asked quietly. Saundra watched his eyes as he gazed down at the two boxes on the floor next to the bed, then at her half-packed suitcase. She could only stand there, her arms pressed against her sides, feeling stiff and glued to her position next to the bed.

"I'm going to go see my parents," she replied firmly, trying to sound convincing. She was unable to look away from him, keeping a watchful eye on his movements.

"Just out of the blue you decided to visit your parents? I don't think so," he said as he walked toward her. "You've got a big day coming up this Saturday. It's not like you to just run out on your responsibilities."

"I'm not..." she started to justify herself but Martin grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. Fear and anger welled up inside her as she mentally prepared herself for his onslaught of verbal or physical abuse. She felt every muscle in her body tense up in defense, ready to strike back. He shoved her down to sit on the bed.

"What's really going on, Saundra? From the look on your face there's no doubt you're up to something." He bent down and looked into her eyes, his face two inches from hers. "What are you trying to hide from me? After all our years together, surely you know I know everything that goes on with you." Martin hissed at her. A humorless smile played across his lips and his eyes were full of accusation. "Don't think about lying,Wife," he emphasized the last word as if with disgust.

Saundra's stomach churned and tightened in fear. She desperately hated confrontation of any sort. Yet part of her mind raged at her to stand up to his intimidation. Her hands trembled in her lap and she forced herself to look into Martin's angry eyes. She scooted herself backwards on the bed just to give herself a few inches of space away from him.

"I'm leaving you." No sooner had the words spilled from her lips than she heard him begin to laugh, it was loud and hollow, as if forced. She felt confused by his reaction. She had completely expected a slap or for him to begin yelling at her. He stepped away and simply stared at her.

"Obviously you're not joking as you've gone so far as to pack your things. What do you think you will do when you leave, Saundra? How do you think you will live? You have no experience in the real, professional world. You might be good at organizing dinner parties and charity events but how will that earn you income? You're just going to end up as some minimum wage receptionist somewhere, living in a dingy, little apartment with nothing to show for yourself. You might have a college degree but you have no 'street' sense. You wouldn't last more than a week on your own!" he spat at her, mocking her.

"I have supported you since we were married," he continued to lecture her. "I've worked hard for you, for us. You live in a luxurious bubble of afternoon teas, volunteering for charities, and social gatherings. It's from my efforts that you have a beautiful home, salon appointments for your hair and nails, the best tailored fashions, the pretty shoes, and the jewelry. You keep company with the upper crust of society. You're being ridiculously irrational. You won't last without me." He stepped right up to her and stared down at her, his eyes burning into her. When she remained silent he reached down and grabbed her hair to force her to look up at him.

"Tell me about Martha. Are you having an affair with her? Are you trying to make a fool of me by fucking that slut of a lesbian? Did you think you could keep it from me?" he yelled, losing his composure.

"Martha has nothing to do with us, leave her out of it. Yes, you've worked very hard. Your ambition has accomplished many comforts. On the other hand, you've kept me busy as well. Servicing your clients like a street whore. Nothing is worth that Martin, nothing. I am not a whore and I won't be treated like one anymore. Your confidence in your legal career must be sorely lacking if you think your clients need blowjobs and quick fucks from your wife to encourage their doing business with you!" Her last words were nearly shouted from her, the anger and frustration erupting from deep inside her. He slapped her so hard she fell back and her ears were ringing.

"You insolent bitch! Don't you dare disrespect me!" He stalked away and paced back and forth. His face was dark and red with intense fury. Saundra held her palm to her cheek, feeling the heat of his slap. She watched him pace and while part of her felt hatred for him, part of her actually pitied him. He had no idea how to love and be loved. She perceived him to be an empty shell with no feelings or conscience. She wondered how his clients could respect him, a man who would pimp his wife for status and money.