Ghosts of the Past Ch. 02

Robert Clark snorted a laugh as he watched from his table.Good for you, Diana... that jerk deserved it! But, then again, so do I...

Tom and Lisa Price had arrived at the table. Lisa asked, "What does she mean, Donald? And who is this woman you were talking to?"

Lynda stood up and moved beside Tom to grasp his arm. Price was still whimpering in pain and holding his nose, so Lynda answered for him. "I'm Lynda Seldon. Donald is my ex-husband and this man is now my husband. My friend Diana was just paying your husband back for encouraging his slimy friend Robert to hit on her years ago and for dumping her as soon as he got her into bed!"

Lisa Price frowned sadly.So he just wants to get me into bed! He even told me he loved me...

What the hell is that all about... Vinny DeMarco witnessed Diana punching Donald Price. He immediately headed over to their table. "Diana, I hope you have a good reason for punching Mr. Price! Would you care to explain why you did that?"

Diana took a deep breath. "You know me, Vinny. Would I punch someone for no reason?"

No, you wouldn't. But did you have to punch the son-in-law of one of the richest men in town... "Mr. Price, I'll have to ask you not to bother Diana any more or I'll have to ask you to leave!"

"I wasn't bothering her! I was just talking to my ex-wife, here, and she walked up behind me and sucker punched me!"

Lisa walked over to her husband and grabbed his arm. "It's time to go, Donald. I can't believe you had the nerve to talk to your ex-wife knowing I would see you! I don't want you anywhere near that bitch! You understand me?!!" She was dragging Price away.

Lynda called after her, "Don't you ever call me that! You're the one who's a rich little husband-stealing bitch! You're welcome to my first one, but you stay away from this one!" She stepped in front of Tom when Lisa paused and looked back at her.

Lisa's eyes flashed with pain.Honey... I did you a favor. We both know what a bastard Donald is... and I didn't steal him... he was forced on me! And, yes, you better hang on to that one...he's a real man... I had hoped Robert was like him, but I guess I was wrong... "Come on, Donald!" she gritted through her teeth as she yanked on his arm again.

Tom and Charles looked at each other in disappointment when Donald and Lisa Price, Harold Green and Robert Warren/Clark left the nightclub.Damn...we didn't get much of a chance to find out anything...

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Lisa struggled vainly to get away from the strong hands holding her prisoner. "I can't believe you said you loved me! I'm just glad I hadn't been so stupid as to allow you to seduce me into bed... since that's all you want from women!" she hissed quietly.

Robert tightly gripped her upper arms to keep her from running away. "Lisa... I'm not that man any more! Please believe me! When Don and I were younger, I was as much of an ass as he is. But I've changed... and I can't stand to watch the way he treats you! This is killing me because I'm not in a position to do anything about it! I'm in the middle of something right now and I can't afford to blow my relationship with Don by running off with his wife!"

Tears came into Lisa's sapphire eyes. "Yes... I know! You and Daddy and Donald stand to make a pile of money with these deals you're working on... whatever they are! And, of course, you can't afford to blow your share of the profits to take me away! I wouldn't be as attractive to you without the money, would I?!!" A small sob escaped her.

And I've done something that may ruin these deals you're working on...so you may not get any of that money any way...

Robert shook her slightly in frustration and then immediately enfolded her in his arms to hold her against him. "Lisa... it's not about the money! What I'm working on here isn't about the profits. It's something else... but I can't tell you about it. Just please... trust me when I tell you it has nothing to do with the money! I do love you... and as soon as everything is worked out, I'm going to take you away! Don doesn't deserve you. Hell... I don't deserve you... but I need you!" he groaned.

Lisa whimpered desperately.You NEED me?!!! Nobody's ever needed me... She looked up into Robert's piercing ice blue eyes and saw the longing... the love... the raw need. She melted inside. "Oh, Robert... take me... now! Daddy and Donald won't be back for hours... take me to bed and make love to me! Love me... please!" she added desperately when he hesitated.

Robert Clark growled as he captured her soft lips.You're the first woman since Diana that has pleaded for me to love you... He reluctantly ended the fiery kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. "Oh, Lisa... you don't need to beg me to love you... I already do. But I can't take you tonight. I have to leave tomorrow for a while and if I make love to you tonight, I may not be able to leave you! Please trust me, darling. As soon as this situation is resolved, I will come for you and I'll never leave you again! I promise..."

He crushed her against him as she whimpered desperately again. He kissed the top of her soft auburn hair and inhaled her scent.I need to remember how you feel in my arms...

Lisa clung desperately to the only man who'd ever made her feel like a worthwhile human being. More than that, his eyes made her feel things as a woman that she'd never felt before. She had agreed to see Donald and then married him only because her father had forced her to. He'd threatened to take away her trust fund if she didn't.

She'd found out shortly after their marriage that she had been a bartered arrangement between her father and her husband. Donald would help her father make all this extra money only if he got to bed his pretty, young virgin daughter. Her father had agreed only if Donald would marry her... it would've seemed as if he was prostituting his daughter to just let Donald have her.

You may have taken my virginity, Donald...but you never even came close to taking my heart... She looked up at Robert again. "I love you, Robert... you're taking my heart with you tomorrow. Please keep it safe until you come back to me! I'll be waiting for you..."