Escalation Ch. 04

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, in between her screams and pleas.

I don't know why I was so furious. I didn't want the cheating slut anyway. I left her chained at the foot of the bed, and went outside to work. I was useless, getting nothing done. The bitch sold the rings. I'd saved for months to buy them, and she just threw them away. Just like she did my love and our marriage.

I lost it, and started digging a hole out back. I wanted it to be deep. Didn't want critters digging her up. It was only about mid-thigh when I had to take a break. I'd been digging in the stony ground like a madman for hours. I ached, couldn't see from the sweat in my eyes. My hands were bleeding. They make it look so easy on TV and in the movies, but digging a grave is hard work.

I went inside, and found her huddled on the floor where I'd left her. Useless bitch. I unchained her, and gave her a kick. "Cook something."

"What happened to your hands, Marty?"

"None of your fuckin' business. I'm hungry. Cook."

I watched her walk gingerly away, her ass red and bruised. Good. She deserved it, and a whole lot worse.

She made pancakes, one of our staples. When I dripped blood on the plate, she took the fork from me. "Stop it, Marty. Stop it. Let me bandage your hands. You're only going to make it worse. You're filthy. You're going to get an infection."

"Like you would care. You should be happy. Maybe I'd die before I could kill you."

She got up and grabbed our first aid kit. She brought over a pan of water and rinsed my hands, wiped them. She saw where the blisters had broken, and put some antibiotic on them, before putting on the gauze, and wrapping them with the tape. Then she fed me. I ate slowly, seething.

"You should clean up, and rest. Whatever you're doing can wait. Your hands are in no shape to be working," she said. She dragged me outside, to use our makeshift shower, washing the dirt off of me.

It was cold, but I didn't care. I was done with her. "Why?" I asked. "Why would you do that?"

She looked up at me, and I saw the tears in her eyes. "I tried, Marty. I'd run out of money. I was hungry, and had no place to stay. I was scared to death. The pawn shop offered me four hundred dollars. I needed it. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I pawned the rings, and I ate for the first time in three days. That money got me all the way to Idaho."

"I think you're lying. Like always. I think you got rid of them as fast as you could. Just like you couldn't wait to get out of our marriage."

She turned off the water, and passed me one of our two towels, standing there wet and naked. Once I'd dried off, she took me by the wrist, and dragged me back in the house. "Please sit," she said, guiding me to the couch.

I sat and watched her open the counter under the sink, and pull out her purse. I'd almost forgotten about that damn thing. She opened it and a minute later, handed me the little slip of paper. "I pawned them three months ago. Look at the date. I hated doing it. You're the one that wanted out of the marriage, Marty. Not me. You wanted to divorce me. You know damn well I never wanted that. I was willing to fight for us."

"Yeah, I remember how you fought. With a cock in every hole, until your boyfriends put me in the hospital. The same way you always fought for our marriage, by trying to destroy it."

I realized I was approaching this all wrong. I got her chains and took her out back. I chained her to a tree about ten feet from the hole, leaving enough slack for her to do the job, and gave her the shovel. "You dig." She didn't seem to want to get in the hole, but a little shove convinced her.

She looked up at me crying, and started digging. She was lucky to get a cup of dirt out of the hole, working barefoot, with her skinny arms. I went into the house and grabbed a bucket of water, and put it beside the hole. "You're not coming out of there until the hole is above your head."

I walked away from her, ignoring her whining pleas. I made a list, got in the RV and left.

~ * ~ * ~

I was gone more than twenty four hours. I didn't get back until close to sunset the next day. She was still in the hole, filthy, throwing tiny showers of dirt out of the hole. I could barely see the top of her head.

I walked over and watched. She looked up at me with dead eyes. "I'm almost done. There was a big rock and it slowed me down a lot. I'm sorry."

"Throw the shovel out of the hole, Sheri."

She was obviously exhausted. She could barely push it out. "Not like this, Marty. Please. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of it. I was a total bitch to you, and you had every reason to be pissed at me. I know it. I should have talked to you about your night out. I really did think you'd gone out to get laid, but even if you had, I could hardly blame you. I'd denied you sex for six months, just to punish you. I'm an idiot, but please, not like this."

"I lost my love, my marriage, my job. You put me in the hospital. How could you do that to me, Sheri? You were supposed to be my partner in life. You were supposed to love me, not torture me. How could you?"

She sank down and sat in the dirt, leaning against the wall. "For better or worse. You were supposed to love me and forgive me."

"Forsaking all others. That doesn't include blowing men I work with, fucking my arch-enemy on top of me, and getting gangbanged. It doesn't mean protecting the men who beat me and put me in the hospital."

"My sister? Did it have to be my sister?" She looked up at me, the tears carving tracks through the dirt on her face.

Nearly twenty hours of driving had left me exhausted. I sat on the edge of the hole, my legs hanging down. "I'm sorry about that. You're right. That was uncalled for. I should have let things go at that point, and just gotten the divorce. It would have saved us both a lot of heartache."

She nodded. "Getting revenge with the guys you worked with was pretty bone-headed, wasn't it?"

I chuckled. "Yeah."

"Was I really that bad at the party? Did I tell you I was humiliated to be married to you, and didn't want to be married?"

"Yeah. You were drunk, but it still hurt. You're mean when you're drunk."

"I didn't mean it. I was proud to be married to you. I always was. You were a great husband until I fucked things up. I'm so fucking hard-headed. I wish now that when you came home, instead of screaming at you, I had done everything in my power to show you that I didn't mean it. But I couldn't. You know how I used to get."

"I should have tanned your butt that night. Right there at the party. I could have stopped you, stopped all of it, but I was too pissed. I wanted to give you enough rope to hang yourself. I should have stopped it."

"I don't even remember why I was so mad at you," she said. "I was pissed, and I was going to punish you, and I can't even remember why. How sad is that?" She sighed, and laid down in the dirt. "Do it quick, okay? I know you don't owe me anything, but for those first four years, the good years, can you make it quick?"

"Get up Sheri. It's late, I'm tired and I'm hungry. Get the hell out of that hole."

She stood shakily and stepped over to where I was. She leaned against my leg, and rested her head on my thigh. "What have we done to each other?" she said.

I didn't have an answer for her. I got to my knees, grabbed her arms and pulled her out of the hole. I removed her chain, rubbing the chafed skin around her ankle. I took her to the shower and washed her down. She opened her mouth under the hose, drinking thirstily, while I scrubbed the dirt off of her. She could barely stand, so I picked her up and carried her inside. I did what I could for her hands and feet, and covered her up with her blanket on the couch. I made sandwiches for us, and sat with her feet in my lap, eating. I brought the cooler out of the RV, and restocked the fridge. I grabbed us each a beer.

"Only one for you. You're a mean drunk, Sheri."

"Never again, Marty. I've learned that lesson, if nothing else. I'm not getting drunk again. It destroyed my life, my marriage, and a good man."

She slept on the couch. I didn't get my story that night.

~ * ~ * ~

The next morning she was limping, moving slowly, but she had breakfast ready when I woke up. She was singing, and teased me for sleeping in. She made eggs and bacon, from the new stores. The rotten thing kissed me on the cheek, and sat opposite me, grinning while I ate.

She wasn't eating. She just sat there, hands on the table, tapping her fingers, and raising her palms to look at her hands every now and then. She sipped her coffee and watched me.

When I didn't react, she held her hand out, waving it in front of my plate. "You don't mind?" she asked.

"You're my wife still, aren't you?"

She nodded. "I wouldn't sign those damn papers. No way."

"Then you should be wearing my ring. Don't do that again."

She played with her engagement ring, twisting it, rubbing it. I noticed she had bandages on her hands similar to mine. "Don't work outside today, Marty. Please? Stay in with me. Let's rest. Punish me with that big hard cock of yours. It's been two nights, Marty. Two nights without having you inside me is too long. I never want us to go that long again."

I couldn't help reflect on her cutting me off for six months.

She watched me, quiet. "I'm not that woman, Marty. You may not believe it, but I swear, I've changed. I'll never deny you again. Ever."

"That's the truth. You don't have a choice now, do you?"

She shook her head. "I don't. But I wouldn't if I did." She looked up from her ring, into my face. "Did you really drive all the way to Billings?"

"Didn't have much choice, did I? You didn't pawn it in Pocatello. You only had four more days until the loan expired. I thought you said you sold it? The pawn ticket showed it was a loan. You could have gotten more money for selling it."

"I kept hoping I'd find some way to get it back. Stupid, I know."

I stood, and took her by the hand. I bent her over the end of the couch. Her rear was still bruised from the spanking, but she had a lot of matching bruises, scratches and bug bites on the rest of her. She opened her legs, and I eased into her. It wasn't difficult. She was dripping. I fucked her, and smacked her ass. "Don't ever remove those rings again."

"No, honey. I won't."

"Don't."

I was pretty tired. We took the day off, and I used her pretty thoroughly. We didn't talk much, there wasn't much more to be said that we hadn't gone over already.

I did get my story that night.

~ * ~ * ~

I could hear her teeth chattering at the foot of the bed where she slept. It was getting cold at night, and the blanket she had wasn't doing its job. It had only been four weeks, but the weather had taken a decided turn for the worse. I had given her a rug to sleep on, but it wasn't enough. I sighed, and got up, removing her chain, and dragged her up onto the bed.

"Don't get any ideas. This doesn't mean anything, you cheating whore. I'm just tired of hearing your teeth chatter."

"S-s-s-sorry," she mumbled.

I pulled her closer, and dragged the bedspread up to cover her. "I'm probably going to have to fuck you pretty soon. Pretty naked girl in my bed."

She climbed on top of me, her skin cold. I rubbed her back, warming her up, and fondled her ass. She buried her head in the crook of my neck. I had her ass cheeks in my hands, squeezing them. "You always had a nice ass," I told her.

"You think so?" she asked.

"I know so. Great ass."

"Your ass, Marty. You want to? In my butt?"

"Later. Put me in you."

She reached down and took my new erection in her hand, and guided it into her pussy. She backed down onto it, taking it all. "Want me to fuck you, baby?"

"Nah. Just relax. I like this."

"Me too, baby. I Lo—"

"Don't!" I growled.

"Sorry." I could feel her hot little pussy pulsing around my cock. She was doing her tricks again.

"Relax, damn it!"

"Sorry, baby." She kissed my neck, and I didn't smack her for it. Then she did it again.

"Behave," I said.

"Please, baby. Just this. Please."

I sighed. She was such a devious creature. Always pushing things. Breaking the rules. No kissing was a big one. She knew that.

"I'm still angry with you. Like as not I'll kill you tomorrow."

"I know, baby." She kissed my jaw line, and I felt her teasing little pussy squeezing away.

"You make me come too soon, I'm gonna tan your hide again," I warned her.

"Warn me, baby. Warn me if you get close."

I tried to relax, waiting, wondering what kind of bedtime story I'd get. So many things I'd never known . . .

She was talented. I'll give her that. She never was like this for our first five years. She nibbled my neck, and did her pussy magic, backing off every time I warned her. Then she started whispering.

"I remember being scared to death. I still don't know how I did it, but I backed right into the overhead post in the underground garage, and I heard the glass shatter. I was stunned for a few seconds. I looked back and I'd broken out the whole rear window, and the wiper was pointing at me. We'd only had the car for, what, less than a month? I knew I was dead. I hurried home, and I had this great idea. I'd get dressed up in my sexiest lingerie, make you a drink, and suck your dick as soon as you got home. I'd wait for you just inside the door, drink in hand. It was such a wonderful idea. Then you walked in the door . . ."

Every man's dream. On her knees, drink in hand, reaching for my belt before the door was even closed. As cynical as I was, I knew there had to be a reason. Me and my big mouth.

". . . wreck the car?' You knew. I don't know how but you knew. I remember dropping the glass, and running to the bedroom, bawling my eyes out. I was dead. The car was brand new, and I'd bashed in the back. Then you were there with me, holding me. Asking me if I was alright. If I was injured. I tried to explain, and you hushed me, kissing my tears away. But I had wrecked the car! You laughed, and held me so tightly. Then your lips were on mine telling me everything was going to be alright. You made me laugh when all I wanted to do was crawl in a hole and die. I remember you said . . ."

'Greet me like that, and I'll buy you a new car to wreck every week.' I meant it too. It was the sexiest thing she'd ever done, and I just had to make a smart ass remark and ruin it.

". . . by the hand, back to the door. I pushed you outside, and told you to wait five minutes. I cleaned up the glass from the floor, straightened my face, and got you a beer. No more dainty crystal. Shit. I'd broken one of our wedding crystal too! I got back on my knees, and took a few breaths, then adjusted my outfit, propping up my tits for you. I was going a little crazy waiting, but then you opened the door. You said you were the luckiest man around. I gave you your beer, and had your pants open in seconds. I think you had cheated a little, loosening them for me. That was fine by me. I was going to give you the best damn blowjob in the world. I heard that little sigh you make, when I first take you in your mouth, and I knew . . ."

She never even realized I hadn't closed the front door. It wasn't until I felt the breeze on my back, that I remembered. I looked over my shoulder, and Linda from across the street was standing on the sidewalk staring at us. All I could do was grin. And close that damn door.

". . . upstairs for round two. I had a lot of penance to pay. I was going to make sure you were well satisfied. Instead, you made sure I was . . ."

She kept me going forever. When I couldn't stand it any longer, I grabbed her ass and pounded up into her, until I fired my load.

She whimpered sweetly and then apologized for taking me too far.

"No. That was good. You warm enough?" I mumbled sleepily.

"Perfect. Thank you."

"Sleep now, beautiful."

She sighed sweetly, hugging me. The little tart probably thought I was asleep. "Love you, Marty," she whispered.

"I know."

~ * ~ * ~

"Honey?"

"Yeah?"

"Put a pregnancy test on your shopping list, will you?"

Pregnancy test? Shit!

"You . . . you think?"

She came to me, hugging me and gave me a big wet kiss. "I'm a few weeks overdue. You've been fucking my brains out every day for the last two and a half months. You had to know I didn't have protection."

"I never thought about it," I admitted. That ruined everything! How was I supposed to kill her now? Shit! All that digging, wasted. She was carrying my kid. Still sneaky and conniving. She must have planned this!

"Well you need to think about it now. I'll make a list, alright? I'm gonna need pre-natal vitamins, a pregnancy test, fresh fruits and vegetables would be nice. Red meat. Where's that pen?" She was walking around the kitchen, naked as usual. I looked for signs. Her belly, her breasts, something. Maybe it was a lie.

She caught me looking and grinned. She walked over to the couch and bent over, presenting her rear to me.

I dropped to my knees behind her, kissing her soft bottom. I don't know what I was thinking, but I had to take a look at her pussy. Was it different? Would it feel different? What the hell was I thinking! I leaned over her, about to tell her that wasn't why I was staring at her, and I realized I was wrong. I was hard. I needed to take her. Make sure she was still mine. That the baby was mine. I kicked off my shorts, and entered her in a haste burying my cock as quickly as I could.

She giggled. "Eager boy. There's no rush. It's yours whenever you want it."

I reached around her to grab her breasts. Squeeze them, feel them. Were they filling with milk already? How much bigger would they get? I didn't even notice what I was doing, but my partner in crime knew what he wanted, and my hips were already at work, pumping her.

"I shouldn't drink but maybe a sip of champagne? To celebrate. I mean, if you think we should be celebrating. You're not mad at me are you, baby?"

"Mad?" I stopped thrusting into her. "Confused would be a better description. This isn't some trick is it?"

She looked back at me pouting. "No trick. You have to have noticed I haven't had a period since I've been here. You're going to have to put off killing me for at least seven months. I'm sorry to ruin your plans."

For a moment I felt a hint of the old anger. I slammed my hips forward, fucking her hard, making the couch shift underneath her. Grabbed a fistful of her hair and she gasped.

"Promise me, Sheri. Promise me."

"Anything baby."

"Nobody but me. Ever again. I don't care what the reason. I can't do it again. I can't."

She pushed me out of her, turned and took me in her arms. "I promise. If I ever get that angry again, I may swear at you, or scream, or break something. But I'll never cut you off again, and I'll never, ever do anything to jeopardize your trust in me. On my life, Martin. I swear. On my baby's life."

"Our baby."

"Of course. Our baby. Who else's baby would it be, out here? Sasquatch?"

"You made me crazy. I won't survive another time. Neither of us would."

She held me, kissing my shoulder, while I clung to her. "I love you, Marty. I always have. I never stopped. I never did any of those terrible things out of love for another. I screwed up, we both did, but I broke you. It was up to me to try to make it better. I was so scared, but I knew you still loved me. You would never hurt me. You couldn't. I think you wanted to, but you couldn't."

"I thought about it a lot. Bad thoughts. Terrible, evil thoughts. For over a year."

"I know. That deep hole we dug out back really scared me. And in the end all you did was take care of me, feed me, house me, take me to your bed, and love me over and over again." She gave me a grin. "Although sometime in the future, you're going to have to clothe me, you know. I can't see a doctor like this." She took me by the hand. "Come to bed. Let me love you before you run your errands."