Now You See Me Read Online Free Page B

‘And how wa s m y day, darling? I thought you’d never ask.’
    ‘I know how your day was.’ She stopped herself from sliding under the water by grasping his leg. ‘Briefing a barrister to get some slime off on fraud charges. Filing bankruptcy for some other sleaze, helping him hide his Swiss bank accounts. Our whole relationship is a study in conflict of interest.’
    ‘Except where it counts.’ He probed between her legs with his big toe. She ran her hands up from his ankle to his thigh, lightly cupping his testicles as his erection grew.
    ‘I reckon I’m on a promise tonight, don’t you?’ he said.
    ‘Sure.’ She answered lightly, standing up and reaching for a towel. She climbed out of the giant bath and stood drying herself, watching him in the mirror as he wallowed in the foam. ‘Mick, this Gus Farrell. He is guilty, isn’t he?’
    ‘Who Gus Farrell? Oh, you have such a lovely bum. So firm, yet so plump. So ripe, so smooth, yet slightly furry ... Like pomegranates, etcetera.’
    ‘Get off. That was breasts, anyway.’ She flicked water at him. ‘You know quite well who he is. The Belinda Carey murder; the stepfather. You were in law school with him.’
    ‘Total nerd. Was then, always will be. Course he’s guilty, why do you ask? Even I couldn’t save him.’
    ‘Yes. I know. He’s guilty.’ She carefully shook out the towel and put it back on the rack. ‘See you in bed,’ she said.
     

 
     
    Belinda’ s stepdadd y use d th e broo m handl e i n he r vagin a whe n sh e wa s ver y smal l. Late r h e woul d hav e preferre d hi s ow n dic k. M y ow n fathe r wa s mor e inventiv e; anythin g smoot h an d sli m an d rounde d. Th e handle s o f kitche n utensil s— eg g slice s an d sou p dipper s; th e woode n grip s o f a n ol d skippin g rop e; th e plugge d an d oile d lon g neck s o f bee r bottle s; occasionall y th e middl e finger s o f hi s righ t han d— al l wen t u p m y ars e a t on e tim e o r anothe r. Everythin g grease d wit h butte r o r cookin g oi l. Nothin g pushe d i n to o fa r. Fa r enoug h t o hur t, bu t seldo m an y bloo d .
    Yo u use d t o as k m e whe n thi s starte d, whe n wa s m y firs t memor y, an d I coul d neve r answe r. I t ha d alway s bee n th e cas e.I couldn’ t remembe r a tim e whe n i t ha d no t bee n par t o f m y lif e.I d o remembe r th e firs t tim e h e pu t hi s coc k i n.I mus t hav e bee n abou t si x. Ti e sa t m e o n hi s kne e— a n unlikel y even t,I shoul d hav e bee n warne d— an d pu t hi s finger s insid e m y underpant s, pullin g the m dow n, roughly tuggin g a t m e whil e h e inche d himsel f u p m y bu m. I t mus t no t hav e bee n ver y satisfyin g fo r hi m, tha t firs t tim e— th e pai n wa s sudde n whe n h e mad e hi s firs t rea l thrus t an d I crie d ou t to o soo n an d leap t awa y. No t ou t o f hi s reac h, neve r ou t o f hi s reac h, bu t h e ha d t o conten t himsel f wit h a beatin g the n. Al l tha t tim e preparin g m e, preparin g th e plac e fo r hi m, h e mus t hav e bee n furiou s t o fin d I wasn’ t quit e read y afte r al l .
    I suppos e th e nex t tim e wa s easie r.I don’ t remembe r tha t, jus t th e endles s successio n o f time s .
    ‘Come and sit on my knee, ’ he’ d sa y . ‘Come and sit on your father’s knee, now. ’ I t wa s hi s favourit e wa y o f doin g i t, thoug h tha t didn’ t sto p hi m comin g int o m y be d a t nigh t an d enterin g m e lyin g dow n, i f ther e hadn’ t bee n a n opportunit y earlie r. I t neve r occurre d t o m e t o cr y ou t fo r m y mothe r. Neve r onc e.I accepte d unquestioningl y tha t thi s wa s wha t daddie s di d, an d therefor e tha t mummie s mus t kno w abou t i t an d approv e. Ye t I mus t hav e sai d somethin g t o he r, som e tim e. I t wa s onl y afte r I starte d goin g t o schoo l tha t h e threatene d m e an d reveale d tha t wha t h e di d wa s a n importan t secre t, neve r t o b e share d wit h anyon e.I woul d b e dea d i f I