Chapter 11
Toni's need for revenge had become an obsession. It crept through her brain and grew in importance until she was hardly able to think about anything else except getting back at Elliot for what he had done to her-for what he was still doing, whenever he had the chance.
Each time he had called to inform her that Stan would be working late at the office, the ache had intensified. She felt that hate enlarge itself within her the moment Elliot walked through the front door, with that knowing, demanding look on his face. His hot hands and foul delights seemed to have burned a scar into her soul. And every time he used her, every time he stripped away a little more of her pride, she wanted to hurt him even more than before. Until finally, nothing else seemed to matter.
And she'd found the way.
It had taken that entire summer to set things up properly, but now Toni felt ready. Her entire body trembled with fear and anticipation as she stood in front of her closet and selected the outfit she'd wear that evening-the outfit in which she'd present herself to Eva Stillwell.
She'd been clever about it, too, and she complimented herself as she chose a tight-fitting black sheath and laid it across the bed. Elliot had never suspected her motives, and without knowing it, he'd helped Toni to arrange his own downfall. Now it was time to put the final stages of her plan into action.
The original idea to meet Eva Stillwell had turned out to be nothing less than a brainstorm, Toni assured herself as she started to peel off her clothes in preparation for her bath. And it was Elliot who had first introduced them, at the club.
It hadn't been hard to wangle the invitation. One night, Elliot mentioned that he and Irma were going to have dinner with Eva Stillwell and some of the other company" big shots at the country club. Immediately, Toni told him how much she wanted to see the club, maybe even join it. From there on, maneuvering Elliot into inviting Stan and herself along, was only a matter of three sentences and half an hour in bed.
Stan had protested loud and long about social climbing when Toni told him what she had arranged. But she had quickly conquered his anger. A man on the way up had to mix with the right people, she'd said. And she'd gone to so much trouble to get the invitation, just for his sake. Then she turned on a few tears and Stan gave in.
It took only five minutes after her introduction to Eva Stillwell for Toni to realize why Elliot disliked her so much. Intuitively Elliot had sensed something about the woman-something that he could never be fully aware of. Something that Toni recognized instantly-and knew she could use to finally get rid of Elliot.
Eva's smile and courteous greeting would have appeared innocent to the uninitiated. But Toni had seen the pinpoints of intensity in the woman's eyes-the kind of interest that could mean only one thing.
Toni had seen that look before, on the faces of women she'd met in New York. She remembered the old days, in their apartment, when Stan's artist friends had come to visit. There had been a few women among that group who had looked at her that way ... and who had come back again and again in hopes of finding something more with her than just a casual friendship. There had been no need to use such women then. But now, she had the best reason in the world ... Elliot Barnes. And his job.
Why not, she'd asked herself. She had arranged a promotion for Stan once before. It should be a simple matter for Eva to get rid of Elliot and give Stan his job, if she wanted to. And Toni knew, she could make Eva want to.
Tonight she would clinch the deal.
The warm water circled and massaged her breasts like soft, soothing fingers. Toni slid her body a little lower into the tub and leaned her head back against the cool tile. But her excitement wouldn't allow her to unwind. She'd been through plenty in her day, yet tonight's adventure was going to be like nothing else she'd ever known.
A persistent wave of doubt returned to warn her that she couldn't go through with it. Toni willed the mood away and reached for a washcloth. Of course she could go through with it. She could go through with anything, if the reward was great enough. And nothing, but nothing, could be worse than Elliot, anyhow.
The sweet-smelling soap clouded the surface of the water. Toni raised her leg up into the air and started to massage her tingling flesh. A subtle tremor of excitement played along her skin, above and below the water. She hurriedly completed her bath.
For once it was going to be nice to see the city. Toni tried to bolster her spirits as she wrapped a soft towel around her glistening body and tucked the end down between her breasts. A long time had passed since she'd spent an evening in Manhattan. And then, it had only been second-rate places she'd visited with Stan. Tonight, she was stepping up in class and style. Tonight, she was going to see how the other half lived.
She patted her body dry and smiled in silent admiration. Eva was a foxy one, she had to admit. Who'd ever think that such a woman would have the nerve to keep an apartment in the city? An apartment, safely concealed from the knowledge of anybody in her family or in the company? An apartment reserved for....
The fresh bra and panties felt good against her skin. Toni pulled a pair of stockings over her long legs and glanced over at the alarm clock. Five-fifteen. She would have to hurry to be on time. Thank goodness Stan thought she was going to a movie.
The black dress clung to her body and molded her curves. Toni stole a final glance in the mirror and nodded approvingly at her own trim silhouette. Despite everything that had happened, she didn't look used up. Mink was going to look good on her, she told herself. Smiling, she picked up her purse and left the house.
The Midtown Tunnel was slow, and Toni felt the irritation rise. She'd never get to Eva's place on time now. Maybe she should stop and call. No, let the woman wait. That way, her appearance would be appreciated even more.
Traffic in the city wasn't much better than it had been in the tunnel. Toni steered her car downtown, along Second Avenue and tried to remember what time Stan had said he'd be home tonight. Not until late, she recalled thankfully. Last minute preparations for the television show that Stillwell was sponsoring tomorrow night. Toni stopped the car for a light and took a deep breath of evening air. That new job was keeping Stan in the city often. It was good to have him out of her hair.
She couldn't remember when he'd been so tired, either. Thank goodness the work was draining most of his energy, Toni told herself. After some of her sessions with Elliot, contending with Stan in bed would have been absolute agony. Even so, it still seemed strange that Stan should want her so infrequently. Toni turned West on Fourteenth Street and decided not to think about Stan any more. No point in looking a gift horse in the mouth. If he could do without her, she could certainly do without him.
Greenwich Village was crowded with warm-weather tourists. Toni cursed the mobs of people that kept herding across streets in front of the car and honked her horn loudly. Six-thirty-five, her watch said. Almost three-quarters of an hour late. Maybe Eva wouldn't wait.
She pulled the car into the nearest garage and walked the rest of the way to Eva's address. She stopped for just a moment at the sight of the blue canopy in front of the expensive apartment house, as the reality of the situation suddenly occurred to her.
What had she gotten herself into? Conflicting thoughts cascaded wildly through her mind. A butterfly fluttered unnervingly in the pit of her stomach. What was she doing, she asked herself. What had come over her to make her agree to this? How could she willingly surrender herself to the embraces of ... of another woman?
Nonsense. Toni willed herself forward, past the doorman and into the lobby. Whom was she trying to kid? She knew damned well what she was doing. She'd known it since the first time she saw Eva. She was going to bed with a woman so that she could get rid of Elliot and move Stan one step higher on the ladder. So what, she thought, and stepped off the elevator. So it was a woman. It was only one more person. At the end of a long list.
Eva answered the door quickly. "I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind." She stepped back for Toni to enter.
Toni smiled pleasantly and tried not to stare at Eva's outfit. Until then, she'd only seen the woman dressed for work, in simple costumes, undecorative but acceptable. Tonight, Eva Stillwell wore tapered slacks and a man-tailored shirt. There was no doubt about it, Toni told herself, stealing another look at the woman, who went to mix a round of drinks. Tonight, Eva looked exactly like what she was.
"Why are you staring?" Eva asked, without turning around. Her tone was a combination of annoyance and resignation.
"I wasn't...." Toni was caught off guard by Eva's direct approach.
"Don't he to me." Eva's words were clipped, angry.
Toni had never heard that tone of voice from the woman, before. "All right," she admitted weakly. "I was a little surprised to see you in pants. That's all."
Eva turned back from the long walnut bar and smiled widely. "That's better." She sounded completely composed again. "Now it's off your chest. We can both relax."
Toni accepted a cordial without speaking. Suddenly, the woman didn't seem quite so easy to handle anymore. The weak, hungry, totally susceptible Eva Stillwell seemed not to exist at all. Toni was frightened.
"Drink your drink." Eva spoke with an air of authority. "Dinner's ruined. I'll have to scramble some eggs or something."
"I'm sorry." Toni fished for an excuse. "Traffic was heavy."
Eva finished her own drink without comment. The expression on her face gave no clue as to whether or not she believed Toni's words.
Toni fidgeted uncomfortably at the edge of the white sectional sofa. She could feel Eva's eyes, staring at her, through her, and she didn't have the nerve to face the woman.
"You'll have to excuse me." Tom's throat was dry. "I'm a little nervous. I've never...."
"We don't have to talk about it." Eva sounded annoyed again. "I can see that you're not exactly at your charming best."
Toni caught the ice in the woman's tone and wondered why Eva had turned on her like that. What had she done to deserve Eva's wrath? Was it because she was late?
"If you like, I'll make those eggs." Toni would have said anything to escape that feeling of being on display that tore now at her composure.
"We can always eat out, if you'd prefer," Eva suggested.
"Yes, that would be nice." Toni jumped at the chance to get out of that apartment-out in public where she'd be relatively safe.
"Fine." Eva nodded. "We'll do that. Later."
Toni felt her shoulders droop slightly. She knew what Eva meant. There was no escape. As a last resort, she tilted her head back and emptied the contents of her cordial glass with one swallow.
The heavy taste of sweet coffee liqueur warmed its way down to her stomach. Without asking how strong it was, Toni knew the drink was going to hit. Hard. "May I have another?" She handed her glass back to Eva.
"Of course," Eva smiled.
Toni slipped off her shoes and tried to let the smile that Eva had just displayed encourage her. Perhaps with the alcohol, the rest of the evening wouldn't pass so uncomfortably.
Two drinks later Toni was feeling a little better. As she sipped the liqueur, she forced herself to think about all the things that she'd have, if Stan got Elliot's job. A new house. A maid. Charge accounts at the biggest and most expensive stores. Then, she thought about Elliot and what he'd been doing to her. And suddenly, she felt very brave.
"I think I'll be all right now." Toni drained the last drop of her third drink and set the glass down on the marble coffee table near the sofa.
"Well, that's progress." Eva placed her glass beside Toni's and smiled amusedly. "When you first came in, I didn't know if you were going to last through the hour."
"You'd be surprised what I can last through." Toni purposely dropped the double entendre. She didn't know if women flirted with other women the same way they flirted with men. In any case, she wanted to let Eva know that permission to begin was granted. For no matter what the cost, Toni knew she wasn't going to make that first move.
"Some music?" Eva seemed to sense Toni's uneasiness.
"Anything." Toni prepared herself to comply with any and all of Eva's wishes. The preliminaries for the evening had long since past. Eva knew she was willing. And now, Eva knew she was inexperienced. Let the woman take it from there.
Toni waited while Eva switched on the hi-fi. Then she got up and walked, barefoot, into the woman's outstretched arms.
She'd danced with women before, but never like that. Toni tried to accustom herself to the sensation of something soft in her arms. She felt Eva's breasts, through the thin material that covered them, pressing against her own. She sensed Eva's excitement in the way her breath came, warm and quickly. Toni closed her eyes and wondered just what she'd be expected to do.
Suddenly Eva stopped dancing. "You're tense," she said, matter-of-factly. "Frightened?"
Toni had to nod yes. To deny it would be an obvious lie.
"Come here, then." Eva led Toni to the sofa and guided her down toward the pillows. "Why are you doing this, Toni?"
Toni stared blankly at the woman. She knew she had to answer. "I'm just tired of my husband, I guess." It was the first thing that came to mind.
"And you think that I can give you what you want?" Eva looked skeptical. Almost insulted.
"Yes," Toni whispered.
"Wouldn't you know it?" Eva chuckled bitterly. "I always get the green ones."
Toni felt the panic rise. She had to say something now, she knew. Something right. Something convincing. Or else, she'd lose Eva's interest. "Please Eva," Toni made her voice breathless. "I ... want ... you ... to ... teach ... me."
Toni smiled to herself as Eva sank on to the sofa and grabbed her in her arms. Willingly, she let Eva ease her back down onto the pillows.
She lay quietly as the woman caressed the soft swells of her breasts. She raised her hips willingly as Eva worked to push the dress up over her knees.
Toni felt the woman's hand on the inside of her thighs and tensed. Something was happening. Something she hadn't expected-something she didn't know how to handle.
"Just relax," Eva commanded, somewhere above her. "I'll take care of everything."
Toni closed her eyes and surrendered to the sensations ripping through her body. In the back of her mind she knew that this couldn't be all that Eva wanted-everything that women could do. But she didn't question. She just lay still and enjoyed it.
It was a hollow victory. She accepted the cigarette that Eva lit for her and waited for the axe to fall. "All right," Eva's tone was heavy with dissatisfaction. "Now you feel a little better. Perhaps you're ready to go home?"
Toni looked shyly over toward the woman. "No, I don't want to go home," she lied. The course was clear. Toni knew what she had to do.
"Oh?" Eva raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What more do you want?"
Toni reached over and gently took the cigarette out of the woman's hand. Then she ground both of them out in the ashtray.
With leaden movements, she took Eva into her arms and turned the woman's face toward her own. She forced her lips forward, against Eva's. "Show me how to make you happy, too," she murmured.
Eva paled and swallowed hard. "You're kidding," she whispered, smiling and trembling, all at once.
"Try me," Tom said, reaching for the light on the end table. Eva's hand reached for the zipper on Toni's dress. And then, as they descended back to the softness of the sofa, Toni knew that Elliot Barnes was on his way out of a good job.