Dan couldn't believe what was happening. They had taken his car. They had taken his pride. They had probably taken his marriage.
He should have known better. He had given in to lust, but what the heck gave the Saint Paul police the right to take his car? On top of that his name was now published on the "bad boy" list. He could call a friend to get a ride home, but eventually word would get to Martha. She worked at the largest hospital in the Twin Cities. Someone was bound to see his name and tell her.
His heart felt like he had rubbed it with raw glass. He knew she would never forgive him. He had seen the hookers walking the strip a few times. He never had any interest in them. None of them were particularly attractive. Today was different. When he spotted the gorgeous redhead, he did a double take.
Within minutes she was next to him in the car. Her legs looked fantastic. He couldn't bring himself to think about having intercourse with another woman besides his wife, however. She suggested a blowjob and gave the price - both with and without a condom on. He chose without and handed her cash. Then she slapped him in handcuffs.
She had to see the disappointment in his eyes as she read him his rights. He just lowered his head. St. Paul had enacted their new anti-prostitution measures a year ago which included impounding the john's car until the hearing. That was tomorrow.
He knew he couldn't lie to Martha. He dialed her cell. She had an hour left of her shift. How could he let down the most important woman in the world to him? He started to cry.
"Dan? Are you OK?"
"Martha. I am so sorry."
"What is the matter, Dan? Did you get hurt?"
"No, I... I am so sorry."
"Did you lose your job?"
He didn't think about that. He probably had. It was a big fear for Martha as she was pregnant with their third child. Oh why couldn't he suddenly wake up and this was all just a big nightmare?
"Martha, I made a big mistake. I was arrested and they impounded the car."
That was all he needed to say.
The silence at the other end of the line was deafening. She knew what an arrest and impounding of the car meant. She was a nurse. Doctors were constantly getting busted on the strip.
She said three words. "Call a cab." Then she hung up. He knew better than to call her and tell her that he couldn't afford one after they confiscated what he intended to pay for the blowjob. He called Rob at work.
Normally Rob wouldn't have been his first choice, but Rob had some ins with management at the office. Dan was an architect at one of the largest firms in the twin cities. A good architect. He wouldn't have been worried about his job except for the fact that all three of his supervisors were female. He had not just won himself any favor.
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Martha must have left work early as her car was already in the drive when they pulled up. Rob just looked at him. "Call me if she asks for a divorce. Martha is a hottie." Dan gave him a look that said, "Thanks for the ride and go fuck yourself." He got out.
He fully expected Martha to be waiting at the door with a suitcase packed for him. She was there, but no suitcase could be seen. As he approached, she said, "Speak and I'll poison your food. Touch me and I'll cut your arm off. Leave the basement other than to go to work and something else will get cut off. Are we clear?"
He nodded.
"The boys are spending a week with their grandparents in Rochester. I'm sorry that my mother had to find out this way, but I was worried about Will. He wanted me to buy him a gun."
He looked at her, but knew better than to speak. This was her letting him know how angry she was. It was probably going to get worse.
"I've begged Ginny at your office not to let you go." It had gotten worse. "She agreed but you are restricted to the building until further notice. All site work will be delegated and I have arranged for Lance to take you to and from work. Your truck is being sold to cover your court costs."
His look was one of surprise, but he held his tongue.
"You object?"
He shook his head.
"Your dinner is in the basement. Oh, I almost forgot. I left you a present as well. Have a good night." She stepped well back from the door so that he could enter and head to the basement. She actually bolted him in.
Lance? Ugh. A repugnant man. His truck sold without even asking him? That was cold. Calling his boss, Ginny? That was pushing the limit.
Bolting him in the basement? He would tolerate that for a few days at the most. He entered the bedroom where he saw his suitcase and a paper bag sitting on the bed. Inside the bag was a blow up doll. An old fashioned one. Very funny, Martha.
What the hell had he done? How was he going to survive? It was the look on her face that hurt him the most. If he lost her, he didn't know if he wanted to live.
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"Bang!" The lights blinded him. He blinked and saw Martha. She was holding a gun. She had actually fired it through a wall! The hole in the paneling told him the gun was loaded and she was not messing around. Was this the end for him? Martha had never been violent. Ever. Could the combination of her pregnancy and his infidelity have pushed her over the edge?
She was wearing a black tank top and camo sweats. Never a good sign. She was carrying a rope and tossed it to him. "Tie your legs to the bed." He did so very quickly. Then she tossed him some cuffs. "Cuff your right arm to the headboard." He complied.
She walked up to the bed, still holding the gun, and pulled out a large knife. She had gone insane!
Pulling the covers of the bed down, she saw he was only wearing his shorts. Placing the knife up one leg hole she deftly cut through them. Then she did so for the other leg. "Get rid of those filthy things," she said. He pulled them off and decided against tossing them on her clean floor. He simply set them beside him.
She walked over to the blow up doll and removed it from the box. She opened the valve and handed it to him. "Fill it up," She ordered. He started to fill it but was finding it difficult to breathe. She kept waving the gun around like she was crazy. All he think of was the car scene in Pulp Fiction.
