It began on a pleasant cold January night. A chromium Cadillac deftly swung into an available space at the Miami Beach EDITION hotel. The doorman, a black man dressed in impeccable white and gold, quickly moved towards the car and opened the side door, lifting his peaked cap.

A tall, athletic man slid out of the car.

He was possibly in his early thirties and was very attractive. He had a square-shaped face accentuated with high cheekbones, an aggressive jaw, a Grecian nose, a chin with a deep cleft, and stormy dark eyes. He was immaculately dressed in a lightweight dinner jacket. His tie was handmade by Drake's, he was wearing a diamond-studded wristwatch, and on his finger he wore a gold signet ring.

"Evening, sir!" The doorman said, his voice loaded with definable respect.

"Evening! Take care of my wheels, will you?" The man replied, flashing the doorman a smile before moving away from the car. He entered the hotel, moved through the lobby, and strode into a vast ballroom, and his blue eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the whole place.

The room was filled with guests who glided across the dance floor in their ties and long shimmering evening gowns. Where's Lauren? he thought. His handsome face lit up when finally, his eyes settled on the hostess, a sexy-looking woman in a red evening dress who was engrossed in an in-depth discussion with some of the guests.

Cautiously, he glided his way towards the woman, and as if prompted by an unknown force, she looked up to see the man making his way towards her. She politely excused herself from the guests and walked towards him.

"Hello! Darius," The woman said, offering him her hand. The man smiled and took the outstretched hand.

"Hello, Lauren, and happy birthday!" Darius said, smiling at Lauren as he held her tender hand. His voice was deep and husky. He let go of her hand and stared hard at her.

She was one of the most sensually attractive women; few men could resist, and the mere look of her made you think of a hot wild night of lovemaking. Interestingly, her beauty and sensuality had no effect on Darius. The relationship between them was like that of a brother and sister. He dragged Lauren to a corner of the room and looked intently at her.

"You look edible, Lauren!"

"Yeah, I know! So where's my present?" She asked, flashing him her best seductive smile.

"You'll get it in due time! Is she here?" Darius asked, almost impatiently. 

"Yes and no!" Lauren answered.

"Yes and no? What's that supposed to mean?" Darius retorted. The warmness in his eyes was now replaced with something hard and cold.

"Pipe down, cowboy!" Lauren said, noting the quick flash of anger in his eyes. "She's here. I saw her tonight. I'm sure I did! But with this crowd, she could have hidden herself away somewhere."

"You know that the main reason I'm here is because of her. Our agreement was for you to help me keep an eye on her till I got here! You promised me you would hook us up tonight. Just a simple assignment and you could not even see it through. I thought you had my back."

"You can say whatever you like, but I am certain she's here." Lauren retorted. "She's just hiding somewhere. Perhaps, from the men, if I may add. Almost every man in Miami wants to get into the pants of Eva Montreal."

"I'm different from every other man in Miami. I care about her," Darius replied with indignation.

"Don't flatter yourself!" she replied. "Think of her husband too. The man might be lurking around somewhere here. You don't want to mess with him."

"Have you seen him tonight?" Darius asked nonchalantly.

"No! But Vince Montreal is a creep who follows his wife everywhere! He never lets her out of his sight."

"That's his business." he replied, "please answer me; do you know where I can find her?"

Lauren turned her full attention to the guests. Where is Eva? she thought, where could she had gotten to? Darius was a perfect old friend of hers and a businessman who had kept himself away from women for entirely too long. She had been so amazed when he had called her and told her he was desperately in need of a woman. That had shocked her to the bones, and what made it worse was when he had told her that he had found the right woman, and her name was Eva Montreal. Why Eva of all the women in Miami? She had asked him. Eva Montreal! A married woman who had the hot sun of Miami in her loins. Every flesh-and-blood man in Miami was into her. She was notorious for her wild sexual exploits with men. That was the woman Darius, of all people, was interested in. Every attempt to turn his mind away from Eva had fallen on deaf ears. Only heaven knows what he had seen in her. He had begged her to help him find a way to hook them up, and she had done just that. Luckily for Darius, he had called her when she was planning to celebrate her birthday, and to satisfy him, she had made sure Eva Montreal's name was included in the guest list. Now, the stupid woman was nowhere to be found.

"I think I will have to look for her myself!" Darius said, noting the uncertainty on Lauren's face.

"I am so sorry, Darius, but I am sure she's here! Just linger a little while, please?" She said, noting the look of pain in his eyes. She gave him a small smile and moved on to attend to the other guests.

Darius grimaced and drew in a long slow breath. He went over to where the barman was serving the guests, got up on a stool, and asked for scotch over crushed ice. He sipped the drink, his keen eyes on the guests, searching, his mind busy with thoughts. He knew he would be lovesick if he did not see her that night. He had waited too long, and he could wait no more. He had to see her! He just had to.

After a long stretch of patient waiting accompanied by a desperate need to smoke, he stood up and went out onto the patio to cool off.

The night was cold and chilly.

He shivered slightly as he dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out a pack of Marlboro cigarettes. He lit one, dragged down the smoke, and he felt the tightness inside of him loosen up. He had not stayed there for a full minute when he heard movement behind him.

The faint smell of a perfume told him it was a woman.

Startled, he swung around and saw a feminine figure moved past him to the other side of the patio. She was dressed in a white evening gown. Nobody needed to tell him this was the woman he had been looking for. 

Eva! her name was like a heavy blow to his heart. She was of average height, but she looked taller because of her slim but well-built body. She was full-breasted and had long, tapering legs and sturdy hips. Her hair, black as a raven's wing, reached to her shoulders and was parted in the middle, forming a frame for her face that had a wild, sensual beauty. It sent a hundred-watt current through Darius' body. She rested her hands on the railing; her head tilted back as she stared up at the moonlight.

Unhurriedly, he wandered over to her and paused by her side.

"Why are you out here all alone, beautiful? To enjoy the cool breeze of the night?" He said, letting the words slid easily from his mouth.

"And you are?" she asked, still looking at the moonlight.

"I'm Darius. Darius Martin Kane," He answered.

"I think I have heard of you." she said, "You are that real estate millionaire who recently bought that house in downtown Miami. Am I correct?"

"Yep! I never knew news could travel so fast." Darius replied drily.

"What do you want with me?" She asked.

She didn't even turn to look at him, which gave him a chance to study her better. She was not only beautiful; this woman exuded a kind of magnetic sensuality that moved him.

"Let's say I've been searching for you for a while now," Darius said, staring at the firm lines of her throat, her lips—which were glistening red—and her smoky violet eyes. He could see the puckered hardness of her full breasts, and he felt blood rush into his face.

She turned her head and looked at him coldly. Then she smiled—a cunning little smile.

"Mr. Kane, why have you been searching for me?" She asked.

"Please call me Darius, and if I may say, you are even more beautiful up close," he commented, watching her face closely.

Although she was beautiful, he had to admit that there were lines on each side of her mouth, which gave her a bitter, cynical expression.

"Why don't you answer my question first?" she continued.

"Alright! I am here because of you!"

This time Eva narrowed her icy violet eyes at him and studied his face for a moment. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" She finally said.

"I have wanted to meet you for a very long time now."

"Really?" Eva asked incredulously, wondering what the man was driving at. She paused and went on. "Are you not here for the birthday girl?"

"Nope! I wanted to meet you in person; that's why I'm here," Darius replied. If she wants him to be so direct, then so be it.

"I don't understand; how did you know I would be here?"

"Because, Eva, when I want something, I will do anything to get it. I arranged for you to be here!"

A sudden realization hit her.

"Wow! Story of my life. Are you saying you were the one who included my name on the guest's list?

"You can say that again, Eva, but it does not make any difference. You are here, that's all that matters to me."

"Wow! How romantic!" Eva exclaimed sarcastically.

"Eva, this is for real! I have wanted to see you for a very long time now. To possess you and make you mine."

"Are you drunk?" Eva asked, watching his face closely.

"I'm not drunk, Eva. I just want you, is it too much to ask?"

His words puzzled her, and yet she could feel her body warming to them. There was something about his handsome face. Something so masculine, so possessive and compassionate, and to her dismay, she felt a trickle of moistness between her thighs.

"Well, if you must know, I'm a married woman," Eva said, watching his face closely.

"I know!"

Eva stiffened and looked at him suspiciously.

"You know? "

"Yes!" Darius answered firmly.

"But we've never met before."

"That I know, but it does not change anything."

"Of course it does change things! You know I am legally married, and yet you still want me?" She asked, looking at him as if he was crazy or something.

"Yes!"

"What kind of man does that?"

"The type that goes by Darius Martin Kane!"

"You've got balls of steel, you know that? What if my husband comes charging in here?" she asked.

"I don't care about him!" Darius snarled.

"Vince can be pretty rough sometimes, and you know he would be fighting for what rightfully belongs to him!" She said, a note of warning in her voice.

"As I said earlier, I don't care. In this city, we've all heard what kind of man Vince Montreal is. Such a man does not deserve a woman like you."

"How do you know the kind of man I deserve? You talk as if you already know everything about me," Eva said, studying his face.

Darius didn't say anything.

"Alright! If you want me, then prove it!" she said.

"What?" Darius replied, totally caught off guard by her response.

"Prove it that you want me. Here and now!"

"Tell me how!" he replied huskily.

"Kiss me!" she said softly, moistening her glistening red lips with her tongue. "Reduce me to jelly, handsome."

Darius felt as if he had stepped on the teeth of a rake and had the rake handle slam him in the face.

"Kiss you?" he asked, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.

"Yeah! Kiss me, hot man!" she said. "Crush me up in your arms. My body is starving!"

"But….we've just met?" Darius bundled the words out of his mouth.

"Do it!" Eva said coldly. "I won't repeat myself."

Something about her should have warned Darius, but he was beyond caring. This was something unique, something that made him short of breath and a little crazy in the head.

He moved towards Eva, grabbed her to his chest, and touched his lips to hers.

The kiss made something explode inside of him. His lips were pressed hard against hers, and he felt her tongue exploring his mouth.

"Oh, my God!" Eva said against his mouth, "hold me tighter."

He has undone her gown's zipper with an experienced hand and slipped the strap off her shoulder. She was not even wearing a bra. Free from its constraint, her full breasts spilled out. He dipped his head and took the rosebud nipple into his mouth. He felt her body stiffen with desire, and she clutched his head closer for him to take more. After a while, he brought his head up and began to kiss her again. They stood there, their breath mingling, their eyes closed, swept away by the intenseness of the passion, and neither of them became aware that a third party had joined them. The tall, powerfully built man grinned wickedly as he watched them kiss. Then he laced his fingers together, lifted his hand, and slammed it hard on Darius's neck.

Darius went down on his hands and knees. He thought the ceiling had fallen on him. Dazed, he turned around, but he was a shade too late to avoid the blow that crashed against the side of his face.

A vivid streak of light blinded him, and then he seemed to be falling into thick, suffocating darkness. He grunted and went down like a pole-axed bull.

Vince—for the man, was Vince Montreal—regarded the still body lying on the hardwood of the patio, a flick of recognition on his face. Then he dragged his eyes to Eva, who was looking at him, her fists clenched, her eyes dark explosions.

"Hello, Eva," he said, a bite in his voice. "I can see you've upgraded your tastes to the likes of Darius Kane. Now that's what I call real smart!"

"You creep!" Eva seethed out. For modesty's sake, she used her hands to cover her naked breasts.

"You seemed hard to find tonight, and yet I still found you."

"Quit the talk, Vince. We both know you are a crazy stalker. It's a shame you can't just keep following me around. You're always behaving like a lizard after a fly!"

His face went white with anger.

"Are you comparing me to a lizard?" he asked in a weak tone.

"Yeah! A very sick one. I think you've got wax in your ears. I keep telling you to stop following me, but you wouldn't listen!"

"But you are my wife, woman! I can do whatever I want with you."

"Real men don't follow their wives around."

"Damn you! I'm a real man," he said hotly. "Have you got no shame? How can you let another man touch you when you've still got a husband?"

Eva scoffed.

"Husband? I've got no husband! What I've got is a gutless insect!"

Vince's face twisted with raw rage.

"Am gonna break your jaw if you don't stop talking." he snarled.

"Go on, break it!" She retorted. "You'd prefer to break the jaw of a woman than talk trash to a man! No wonder you're such a goddamn coward."

"Don't worry!" He said quietly. "I'll fix your behavior when we get home," and he reached out and patted her cheeks with soft, moist fingers.

"Don't do that!" She said violently. "Don't ever touch me like that, damn you!"

"I'll fix you!" he said, smiling wickedly. "You will like it when I fix you. Now move," he pointed a thick finger towards the doorway.

The wild look in his eyes told Eva he meant every word, and a cold chill ran through her. She knew she had stepped on the cobra's tail. Before she could look for a means of escape, Vince had moved towards her, caught hold of her arm, spun her around, and slapped her buttocks with a viciousness that made her squeal.

"Move," He yelled at her. "Move! Whore!"

"She wanted to vent her anger back at him, but the shame of people seeing her in the state that she was in weakened her, and she allowed him to roughly propel her out of the patio into their limousine, which was patiently waiting for them outside. 

When they got home, Eva walked into the bedroom without saying a word. She undressed and slipped into a thin, pink lacy nightdress. She turned off the lights and got into bed. She heard Vince in the living room, mixing a drink.

A few minutes later, he came into the bedroom, turned on the light, walked over to the bed, and sat on it.

"Have not changed my mind about what I am going to do you!"

Eva sat up, an icy glint in her eyes.

"Do you your worst pervert! You are a coward. It's only a coward that beats a woman."

Vince's face was contorted with red lines of anger now.

"Watch your mouth, woman, and shut your trap," he growled "How dare you to say that to me?"

"Why won't I? Your behavior this night is unspeakable. You could have killed that man."

"My behavior?" Vince asked incredulously. "Are you crazy? You cheat on me, and yet you talk about behavior."

"I am not crazy! I can't do this anymore, Vince. Give me what I want and let me go."

"No! I can't give you what you want!" he snarled.

"Why can't you give me?" She asked simply.

"Because I love you, Eva! I'd die if you leave me!" he said, a solemn expression on his face.

Eva chuckled and gave a hard, barking laugh.

"Don't say you love me. We both know that's not true. But if you say it's because of my money, that's why we are still stuck together; I'll understand that after all, every man for himself, right?" her voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Damn you!" he retorted, and he got up from the bed. "I love you, Eva, and you are just blind to see it. Don't make this harder for me, please."

"I'm not making anything hard for you. You have a thick skull Vince, that's why you don't get words into your head. I don't love you. Not now, not ever. This marriage was a mistake. I want a divorce, and that's all I want from you. "

"No! You can't have it. I won't give you a divorce," he said in an unsteady voice. When she had told divorce, it was as if she had poured a bucket of ice water on him. The thought of a divorce scared him more than anything.

"I want a divorce, Vince. That's all have been asking from you for the past few months now," she said, looking at the sudden lines of discomfort on his face. She could even smell his fears.

"You are a very stubborn and proud woman Eva." He paused and went on, "Look at me! Just take a look at me for a second. Don't you want me? Look at me and tell me you don't want this man standing before you right now! "

"Looking at you right made me realize one thing," she said spitefully, "This marriage was a terrible mistake."

"You liar! Look at me!" he yelled at her.

"Am looking at you, Vince!" she howled back.

"Closely, Eva! Pay attention to me!"

Eva paused and stared at her husband for a moment.

He was standing over her, looking down at her, a wild menacing look on his lean, tanned face. He was six foot three, and his muscular body was burned to a golden brown by the sun. With a sliver, onyx hair, an icy blue eyes, and a short pert nose, he was gorgeous. A splendid looking athletic man, and yet she felt nothing for him. Inwardly, she knew most women would die to have this man, even if for just a one night stand but not her. What a waste! How did I end up marrying him? she wondered.

He continued. "What do you see? A hell of a hunk, right? Don't tell me you don't feel anything for me, baby. It insults my intelligence. It makes me angry."

"I don't feel anything for you. Nothing!" she sneered angrily.

A look of pain flashed across his sweaty face.

"I don't believe you. Surely, you must feel something for me." Vince said, seeing her breasts under the thin silk of her nightdress rising and falling in agitation, and he felt a sudden overpowering need for her.

With the speed of a striking snake, he reached out and put both hands around her and drew her close in an embrace. Then swiftly, his hand slid up under her nightdress, and he cupped her chubby buttocks.

Eva was angry with rage. She reacted as if she had been touched with a hot iron. She squirmed violently in his arms like a frightened squirrel. She beat his face and chest with her small fists, thrashing with her legs. He let go of her and cursed.

"Damn it! Get your dress off, or I'll rip them off," he yelled.

"Who do you imagine you are?" Her eyes are blazing with fury. "You will have me when I want you and not before! Now get out!"

Vexed and bored by her reaction, he clenched his fist and hit her on the side of her jaw. Her beautiful eyes rolled back, and she slumped onto the bed.

"Serves you right!" he snarled. Then he undressed her. He stared hard at her half-naked body. It had been long since she allowed him to make love to her. Blood rushed into his loins, and sweats were streaming down his face as he looked down the swell of her full, ripe breasts, her long, beautifully formed legs, and her black, lacy panties.

With the back of his hand, he wiped the sweats from his face, stood up from the bed, and crossed the room to the wardrobe. He took two pairs of tie and went back to the ground. First, he rolled her over so that her back was facing him. Then he fastened her ankles to the bedposts and tied her wrists to the top of the bed. Satisfied, he moved away and looked down on her naked body, spread-eagled on the ground. Her body aroused him once more, and he felt a sexual excitement run through him.

After a moment or so, she opened her eyes and peered over her shoulder, her eyes dazed.

"You bastard!" Her voice was a ragged whisper.

"Consider yourself fixed," he replied, grinning wickedly.

There was a sudden urgent need burning inside of him to hurt her. To see her begged for mercy for what she had said to him. He started to strip off his clothes, and in a moment, he was free of his shirts, trousers, and shorts and stood naked before her. His manhood was rock hard and erect.

"I want to make love to you, my Eva! It's been so long! and this night, I want something different!" he said huskily.

"I hate you, Vince! I hate you and am going to cheat on you; every chance I get," she screamed, not weighing her words.

"I know!" Vince said in a bored, flat tone. "You need help, Eva. You need help. You need a doctor to cure you of your promiscuousness. Don't worry; I'll be your doctor. That's why I am going to nail your ass this night."

All the color went out of her face instantly.

"Nail my…what?" she stammered.

"Just lie still and be quiet. It's going to be fast and easy."

Understanding crept up on Eva's face.

"Vince! What you are about to do is wrong, please don't do this. You can do anything you want with me but not this," She said, looking pleadingly at him.

"Your behavior this night was so disgusting. How could you have allowed that man to go that far with you? You've been cheating on me for quite too long. I think it's time I return the favor," he gritted out.

"I'm your wife, Vince! I'm your wife, for Christ's sake! You can't do this to me. If you want me, I would give myself to you but please, not this! Not like this, for Christ's sake." Eva cried, tears in her eyes as she struggled frantically on the bed.

"Look at you! You are like a trapped rat! I'm your husband, and I can do as I deem fit."

"Please, no! please, no!" She sobbed uncontrollably.

Vince ignored her cries as he moved upon her. She tried to sit up, screaming to him not to touch her, but all her screams fell on deaf ears. He raised her hips higher into the air, pushed her panties aside, and there was a sudden excruciating pain as he shoved his tumescence penis into her. He began to thrusts harder and harder, brutally, and with animal violence, as she cried and begged. He kept on moving in, more in-depth and faster, until she heard a wild groan that came from deep inside of him. Finally, it was all over, and she heard him say: "How do you feel, sweetie? Was it good for you? I'll be gentle next time, my darling."

Eva did not open her eyes as she lay on the bed and cried hysterically. She thought of what he had done to her, and she wanted to rip him apart.

***************

Darius Kane's penthouse was located in the heart of Millionaire's Row's, Miami Beach. The house overlooked the sparkling blue ocean and had an unobstructed view of the Miami sunsets. It contained ten luxury bedrooms with elegant bathrooms, a glass pool, Jacuzzi, top-notch electronics and gadgets, and a sophisticated dining room. The kitchen is complete with modern new appliances, granite counters, a customs cabinet, and a perfect view of the waters. The penthouse also had a six-car garage that housed a Cadillac, an Escalade, and Two Roll Royce wraith. The house was the definition of polished Miami living.

Inside his living room, Darius, after a quick shower that morning, was sitting on a couch, mopping over a hot mug of black coffee. There was a dark, bleak look on his face as he put the cup to his lips and sipped the drink. He grimaced as the hot liquid shot down his throat. The back of his head still hurt severely, and it felt as if a lump of iron had been bounced on his skull. He relaxed into the seat, and when the pain had subsidized a little, he lit a cigarette and did some thinking. Was with Eva and me? he thought. How did I come to love her so much that I almost got my head knocked off? He drew in a long slow breath and grimaced.

The whole trouble with Eva had started when he had seen her on TV. She was a model then and was advertising for a famous designer in Miami. That was when he had seen her. That day, he had felt his blood move through his body as she performed the advertisement campaign, and it was that day he had fallen in love with her. Though Darius disliked beautiful women and had stayed clear of them, he found he was continually thinking of Eva. He was so obsessed with her that he hired a private investigator to find out about her.

A few days later, the private investigator returned and gave him a full dossier filled with Eva Montreal's life history.

He had been astonished when he read she was a successful runway model who was extremely rich, and she had come from a respectable, wealthy family. He had been even more astonished when he read that she was married to a wealthy, handsome man who maltreats her because of her promiscuousness. The dossier also contained all her dirty scandals and secrets with different men in Miami city. According to the dossier, Eva Montreal was a wild woman who had dated and slept with various Miami men. How was he to cope with such a woman? He had asked himself. It wasn't that she was the only beautiful woman in Miami. There were lots of them! and yet he just could not understand how she had been able to affect him so much.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not see a short, fat man wearing a butler's outfit come into the living room. The fat man was carrying a breakfast tray. On it was a delicious sausage, heated buttered croissants, and freshly squeezed orange. He settled the tray on the table and turned his attention to his master, who had a sad look on his face.

The fat butler coughed slightly, and Darius jerked up his head, coming out of his thoughts.

"What is it, Alfred?" He asked.

"Breakfast is ready, sir."

Darius dragged his eyes to the table and eyed the tray wistfully. He had no appetite, but the food appeared delicious. He waved the butler away and settled down to eat. The food tasted extraordinarily good, and he washed it down with the orange juice. When he was done, he pushed the plates away and began to brood. Suddenly, the telephone which was in the room started to live. The butler came out almost at once and crossed the room to the phone. He lifted the receiver and put it to his ear.

"Mr. Kane's residence," The butler said in a pompous voice. He listened for a few seconds and held the receiver out to Darius. "Sir! It's for you, Miss Gates."

Darius frowned, puzzled. "Who?" then his face cleared. "For God's sake!" He walked over and took the receiver from the butler.

"Hello! Lauren," he said into the receiver.

"How are you feeling this morning, cowboy. How's your head?"

He grimaced. "Hurts like hell! That man almost clobbered me to death!"

"I told you! But you wouldn't listen. Vince Montreal his never a man to joke with his wife."

"How do you know it was him?" he asked.

"Who else could it be? This is not the first time he would do something like that in a social gathering, and you are not the first man to fall victim to such."

"There should be a law against such an unruly behavior," he growled.

"Vince has a lot of influence in Miami. He has the police in his pocket. If he asks them to jump, they would simply tell him how high."

"Don't forget! I've got friends in high places too. That man is an animal. He should be arrested and jailed for life."

"Oh yeah? Why don't you tell that to the judge, and you will also back it up with a good explanation on why you were kissing his wife."

"It was just a simple kiss which led to another!" he gritted out, remembering the previous night. "Anyways, thanks for taking me home."

"Not to mention, cowboy. I could not believe my eyes when I saw you lying unconscious, knocked out cold on the patio. We had a hard time getting you inside the car."

"Is he always like that? I mean, is he still that violent?"

"Yeah! he is, especially when it concerns Eva! I don't blame him! He's madly in love with her!"

"And yet he beats her?"

"That's no secrets. Every busy body in Miami knows that Vince and his wife do not get along pretty well. Some said he beats her to instill discipline into her, and some said that he beats her to stop her from seeing different men while some said he beats her just for the kick of it, but no one knows for sure."

"And none of these busybodies is ready to do anything about this unjust act carried out on a woman?"

Lauren gave a short laugh, which irritated Darius.

"Come on! Cowboy, Eva Montreal, is not complaining. If she wants the beating to stop, all she has done is to stop cheating on her husband."

"That's the problem! No one is ready to know why a beautiful woman like Eva Montreal cheats on her husband," he returned spitefully.

"Calm down! You are getting so worked up. The only reason why Eva Montreal cheats on her husband is that she's just a cheap beautiful woman who cannot keep her legs tight. She has seduced almost all the men in Miami."

"That's not true!" he said vehemently.

"Of course, it's true. Stop defending her. Don't you know that's why her husband beats her?"

"I don't believe you, Lauren. My instincts keep telling me something is making her cheat on her husband."

"Save your instincts for other things. If the beating gets out of hand, she could file for a divorce!" Lauren suggested cynically.

Darius sniggered.

"Can't you see Lauren? A man like Vince Montreal will never grant her a divorce. If indeed he's madly in love with Eva like you claimed him to be, such a man would never give a divorce. It would be like asking him to shoot himself in the head."

"That's understandable!" She paused and continued. "So what are you going to do now?"

He drew in a long, slow breath.

"Well, I'll lay low for now but have not given up on her. I'll find a way to see if I can still contact her again."

"Do you still want her? What exactly do you see in this woman? What exactly did she do to you that makes you want her so much?"

"I don't know, Lauren. I just don't know! I've been asking myself those questions for the past few months." He answered helplessly.

"She's not your type, Darius. There is a better woman than her in Miami. A woman like Eva could complicate things for you. She could destroy your image."

"I know, but I want her, Lauren. I like her so much."

"For Christ, sakes! she's just a piece of trash!" Lauren exploded, unable to control herself.

"Don't call her that! Don't you dare call her that?" He returned in a grave tone. "I'm gonna make her my wife right after I find a way to take care of Vince."

"Make her your wife?" Lauren said bewildered. "Just listen to yourself. I am sure she must have seduced you. That beautiful, little witch."

He gave an expressive sigh.

"Say whatever you like, Lauren! All I can think of right now is how I will protect her from that ogre that calls himself her husband. She needs help, Lauren, and I'm going to help her."

There was a long pause, and Darius knew Lauren was trying to digest what he had said, then he heard her speak.

"There is something you should know." Lauren said, finally.

"What's that?" he was fully alert now.

"Carolyn Tender telephoned me this morning. Have you heard of her?"

Darius knew who Carolyn Tender was. A massive set woman with a fleshy face and a nose for gossips. She was a well-known gossip columnist based in Miami city.

"Yeah! I heard of her, what does she want with you?"

"Carolyn told me something early this morning, right before I called you. It's about Eva"

"Eva?" he replied. A slow, sickening fear was already spreading across his body. "Alright! I am listening."

"Eva traveled to New York yesterday morning to treat herself in one of the hospitals over there."

"Hospital? My God! What happened? Is she hurt?" He asked in a rasped voice, concern written all over him.

Lauren drew in a long slow breath and said, "She was bleeding from the rectum. Carolyn told me Eva was raped anally by her husband."

A blind panic hit Darius for a long moment; he stood motionless, his hand like a claw gripping the telephone receiver, his mind whirling with thoughts.

"Hello! Darius, are you there?"

"Yeah!" He affirmed weakly.

"Carolyn told me that Vince did it to her because of the parody she had with a man at a birthday party!" she paused and went on. "That man is you, Darius. Carolyn only told me this because we are close friends and have been known to keep secrets."

Darius lost himself in another bout of thoughts.

"Hello! Hello! What's wrong, Darius?" Lauren asked huskily. His silence was jeering on her nerves.

Darius snapped out of his trance. "How do you think Carolyn finds out about this?"

"I think Eva planned to keep the public out of this, and that's why she traveled to New York. Unknown to her, the doctor who treated her in New York is related to Carolyn... The doctor asked Eva lots of personal questions. Poor girl! She needed a shoulder to lean on. She told the doctor everything. I think the doctor spilled the whole story to Carolyn."

"My God! He exclaimed," telling Carolyn that kind of information is dangerous. Moreover, how could that doctor have known Eva was a public figure in Miami?"

"I don't know," Lauren said. "maybe he was telling Carolyn about the interesting stories he hears from his patients and he was so caught up in it that he did not remember when the tale of Eva and her husband slipped out from is lousy mouth and knowing the kind of woman Carolyn is, she'd have to dig up some info about Eva. In Miami, we both know marital issues and scandals make newspaper and gossips columns sell faster."

"Christ!" Darius exclaimed.

"Just be a careful cowboy!" She said. "Vince Montreal is not a man to mess with. He has the money, and he knows lots of people in Miami. So that you know who you are dealing with. So long, sweetie, I'll give you a call later." With that, she ended the call.

A cold shiver runs through Darius' body as he replaced the receiver with unsteady hands. He crossed the room to the big window and looked at the blue ocean as the morning sun bathed on it. What a sight, he thought, but his mind was not there. He lit a cigarette and inhaled the smoke. His hands were still shaking slightly. Perhaps the air conditioner was making him feel cold. He opened the terrace door and stepped out into the sunshine. To his dismay, he still felt cold.