ktmorrison
patreon
Devil In The Waters, Book 3, Chapter 17 (complete)
🕑 Added 2020-03-28 00:00:00 +0000 UTCThe power was in her hands, quite literally. She didn’t know if that made her want to laugh or cry. Sometimes over the last twelve hours it was both.
What she’d done to Josh yesterday made her feel guilty. It was a direct and purposeful manipulation of her sweet husband. A way for her to get away with the things she’d done.
There were times during this escapade between her and Josh and Devlin that had become so complicated she thought she might go out of her mind. There was so much she cherished with Josh. So much she cherished with her husband, that she’d used that as an excuse to foster support to her adventure working for a man neither of them wanted in their lives. Only, she hid a secret from Josh. At least now she admitted it: She wanted Devlin in her life.
As much as she hated Devlin telling her how he knew what she wanted, it turned out he was right. She wanted him. Wanted him for one thing. One thing, one time. So she’d wrapped cotton around her badness, like an armor of soft padding so she could pinball her way through the safety and security of her marriage without either of them getting hurt. For one dirty thing. It was terrible. Lies, all lies, told to a man she respected and adored. And yesterday she’d resorted to sexual manipulation. And frankly, Kimmy, be honest with yourself: it wasn’t really the first time you’d resorted to it.
She lay in bed bathed in morning light, her back to her husband’s front. A wonderful afternoon yesterday once the cork had popped off their bottle of tension. A wonderful night with him, too. But that weird thing she’d done with her hand came out of nowhere. Using Josh’s erection like a joystick to control his movements. Not the physical ones, but the movements of his mind. Guiding his Player-Character away from her game’s dark corners where he might stumble onto the truth.
She stared at her hand, curled on the pillow next to her face. It had worked . . .
***
Last night they’d gone out on a date. Went to this new Brazilian steakhouse in town and they ate too much. But they laughed and talked. Not about work, though. Well, not about her work. Not about Stone Brokerage. They talked about Swanson and talked about strategies moving forward that might get him attention. She knew he was already well-liked and competent, but his savvy wife had some good suggestions.
At first they backed out of drinks because they were stuffed, and thought they’d go see a movie, but ended up instead driving around in her new eco-conscious car looking at houses in subdivisions, talking about things they liked, things they wanted, laughing at things they didn’t like when they did see them. The fun had been completely unprovoked.
It was Kimmy’s decision to look at houses. It was togetherness she wanted. They were a couple again. He told her how much he hated being mad and she said she hated the feeling too, hated walking around all day hardly talking. Then they ended up at the Dragon again, went inside and had some whiskies at the end of the bar.
After that they came home and watched TV together, cuddled on the couch. And though Kimmy’d been perverted in the afternoon, doing that weird thing for him, they never did have sex. But that was fine. They fell asleep around ten o’clock on the couch, woke up together and found their bed around midnight. He’d woken up with her this morning in bed spooned against him.
Now he was making them both breakfast, hoping they’d eat together at the table before leaving for work, his ambitious omelette failing and becoming scrambled eggs and peppers instead.
“Hey,” Kimmy said, coming from the bedroom to the kitchen pass-through, head down, looking hassled, going through her purse.
“Morning,” he said.
She was showered and dressed for work; suit jacket, shirt buttoned right up, all business with her hair pulled back in a bun. Purse plopped on the counter, she had her phone now and was texting. He plated their breakfasts as she came into the kitchen, stocking feet in her cozy slippers. She glanced up from texting and did a double-take seeing his eggs, smiling then and tucking her phone into her jacket pocket. “Aw, Josh, did you make me breakfast?”
“No big deal,” he said. “It was supposed to be an omelette . . .”
***
Before Josh had a chance to take a bite of his breakfast, she lay a hand over his. When he looked up, she said, “Look, we need to talk more, right?—I’m probably going to be late tonight. Are you going to be okay with that?”
Josh sat poised, contemplating, a forkful of scrambled eggs held up midpoint from plate to his mouth. His eyes drifted over her shoulder out the window, back to hers. He nodded. “Okay,” he said, then took a bite of his eggs.
She watched him chew, patted his hand, picked up her fork and took a bite for herself.
Josh wiped his mouth with a napkin, said, “Why are you going to be late?”
She hummed while she chewed, coming up with an answer. She’d hoped he wouldn’t pursue it. Hoped that her honesty would be enough. But Josh held his crumpled napkin in a hand and waited for her to finish chewing. She put a hand over her mouth, saying, “Have to meet some clients after work. Maybe they’re coming in from the airport or something, I don’t know.”
“Why do you say the airport?”
“Oh, I don’t . . . Because it’s not . . . we’re meeting them downtown.”
“Where downtown?”
Shoot. She thought the honesty would be easier. And she couldn’t lie. So she said, “Right downtown. We’re meeting at the Royal York,” hoping that wouldn’t bother him. Josh knew the Royal York was a hotel. But surely the clients were staying there, he’d think, so she said no more before she suggested to much and sounded suspicious. That is what she thought: the clients were coming in from the airport, probably from China, but staying in the city.
She waited for more questions, and Josh said nothing. Put another forkful of eggs in his mouth.
***
It bothered him that she was going to be late tonight. Bothered him that she would have a meeting after work hours. But he knew her job wasn’t like his job. Not a 9-to-5. Billable hours and all that. She made more money than he did, and it came with obligations. He wouldn’t hold that against her. But it still bothered him. He racked dishes in the dishwasher, cleaned the pan were he’d ruined the omelette, dried his hands. Kimmy returned from the bedroom, all ready for work now. She was going through her purse at the pass-through saying, “So what’re you going to do tonight, baby?”
“I don’t know,” he said, “I’ll come up with something.”
“Go out for dinner,” she suggested, smiling, “or get Meyer and Steve to come over. You guys can play video games . . .”
“Maybe I’ll do that,” he said.
Whatever it was she searched for in her purse was abandoned. She looked up, both hands still in her purse, nodding at him, lips pursed in a half-smile. She zipped closed her purse then slung it over her shoulder. She was taller, and he knew the slippers were gone and she’d put her feet into high-heeled shoes now. She said, “Have fun tonight. I’m sorry I won’t be home. I don’t think it’s a regular thing.”
And he had to ask: “Devlin will be there?”
She nodded. Then she said, “I don’t know who all’s going to be there. It won’t just be me, I imagine. But yes, Devlin will be there. You’re still okay?”
“Work is work,” he said, putting on a brave face.
She held his gaze for a few beats, then smiled. “That’s really good, Josh. Okay, I’m gonna go . . .”
He nodded, met her in the foyer and kissed her goodbye. In her heels she was practically the same height as him, and he ushered her to the door, held it and let her walk out. He stuck his head in the hall to see her move down the hallway to the elevator bank. Looking good, looking professional. All black suit, black high heeled shoes, and smoky stockings . . .
He closed the door, stood in the foyer by himself with his hands on his hips, staring at the photo of the Lungshan Temple. Slightly askew, he leaned over the table and straightened it. Then looked to the table where Devlin’s card had been stored.
If Kimmy put the card there—and if he was to believe she was telling the truth—then who else would know she’d done that? How could anyone know where she’d put his dumb business card? Would Kimmy have said to Devlin if he asked if she had his card: Yeah, I put it in the table in my front hall? No one would say that. They’d say Yes, I have your card. Why would Kimmy lie about how the card got there?—because Devlin had really been here. Here in his apartment, and Kimmy’d fucked him. Fucked Devlin before she ever started working for him. Maybe fucked him at the party, too. That’s why she took the job. Took it to be close to Devlin.
He was running out of excuses for his wife. Running low on the fuel that ran his engine of trust.
And something occurred to him. A sudden icicle dripping down the back of his throat and freezing his heart.
Chewing his cheek, he made his way to the bedroom now, heart thudding. Right into the closet, opening all the drawers, not finding what he was looking for. Knew exactly where it should be. He’d seen it there already.
Out into the bedroom, checking the other drawers, checking the hamper. Moving fast.
He darted to the bedroom window, getting on his knees on the chair and peeking down to the parking lot. Kimmy out there, strutting in high heels to her new car. Looking confident. Independent. Like his Kimmy, but a woman separate from their relationship. One who was intimidating. Beautiful, smart, making lots of money. The way she should be. Not stuck in this apartment making baskets for people who love their cats too much.
But it was what she wore that stabbed dread into his heart. Those smoky stockings. Part of the lingerie set.
Her kimono hung on the back of the bathroom door, but the lingerie was gone. Bra, high scoop-bottom panties, garter belt and garters, and thigh-high stockings. Kimmy was wearing them. He was sure. Sure his wife had worn that special elegant lingerie today knowing she had a late night meeting at the Royal York—a hotel—with Devlin fucking Stone . . .
Comments
DavidnDaria
We picked "Okay for Now". Note I wrote, "We". I got outvoted, 2-1. Daria and A clearly think the story could go darker and they'd be happy. Me, well, you know me. I'm the guy who couldn't finish "Maggie" for five months and I am struggling with this. Take heart though, KT. I'd venture to say any other author who would write such a story could not do it as you have. You're simply a cut above and it shows in my reactions. In this story, you have taken it to the next level. You've created a genuine bitch in Kimmy. A man who loves his wife and is scared to death of losing her, and an asshole to beat all assholes. Together, it's a very entertaining read, IF I just read it. If I take time to analyze things, it makes me want to stop reading it. Daria and A are into it. Yeah, A knows all about our history with cuckolding and how it failed very badly and violently (if you don't remember, the "Bull" almost went through a wall and would have fallen about 20 feet to concrete had I not stopped). So, yeah I'm not a cuckold in that sense. It doesn't stop Daria's fantasizing, though. So, this is fueling Daria's darker side and A's darker side, too. It's not a bad thing your book is serving that purpose. All that written, our vote is a compromise. They want darker, I wanted too dark. So, there you go: Right in the middle. And I didn't even mention cheating. :)
RCH
I'm sticking with Josh being in a coma!!! No Zombies, just a 3 month pregnant Kimmy with Devlin's arm around her. It's possible that I may have eaten some moldy rye bread. Been seeing a lot of weird stuff lately...
RCH
That was so funny!!! Thanks DnD!!!!
Chinookfan72
BNR, that is an excellent idea.. Devlin like to keep trophies from their sexual escapades (panties in the container etc.) perhaps after destroying them, Devlin keeps them and FedEx’s them to Josh’s office later on in the story. (perhaps on Kimmy’s way home from work on Tuesday she stops in to the lingerie shop and purchases a replacement set of lingerie and she sneaks it into the house). When Josh confronts her she shows him exactly where it is... Only weeks later for Devlin to mail used lingerie to Josh... CSH, I agree with you that I don’t want Josh to get irrefutable evidence. But Devlin doing what I have proposed is just basically doing exactly what happened in the tent, but Josh is for sure awake and coherent this time. To me, nothing Devlin can do short of providing a video or allowing Josh to watch would be irrefutable. At the end of the day, Devlin could just be fucking with Josh and he’s using Kimmy as the weapon because it hits the hardest. who actually knows what is on Devlin’s dick in the tent, or on his hand in this scenario? Josh can believe what he wants, but ultimately Kimmy would still have plausible deniability.
JamesIsAsleep
I enjoy how each little update gives more and more glimpses of each character's rationale ( at least in the moment and in their own opinion).
CSH
Thing is - Kimmy doesn’t have Josh managed as well as she thinks, not yet anyway. He’s going to need more time and more instruction before she really has him under control.
CSH
Josh is smart enough to intuitively know what’s going on but not crafty enough to force her to admit it. If he did go to the hotel he’d likely fail somehow though we’d get a great scene of him torturing himself over whether to go or not. I don’t think Josh is ready yet for direct irrefutable proof either from observation or from Devlin. Some ambiguous teasing from Devlin would be something else though. As would her suddenly shredding her panties or stockings. Bet she could invent a story for that and “guide” Josh into believing it.
BNR
I LOVE EVERYTHING I JUST READ! But... add one thing (besides going bareback which just gave me goosebumps!) Devlin DESTROYS the lovely lingerie that Kimmy tells Devlin were supposed to be for poor Joshy only. And now they hang around her metaphorical neck like metaphorical noose!
Chinookfan72
He was tracking her whereabouts before he doubted her trust, so I can’t imagine him deleting the app now that he has some level of suspicion. Even if the app is deleted I don’t see how lying to Josh about her whereabouts helps Kimmy.. It’s not likely Kimmy and Devlin will be expressing obvious displays of affection in a public, I can’t imagine Kimmy being okay with that at this point in time.. She still very protective of the marriage and there are plenty of private areas in that hotel to display affection in. Sure she wants to cheat, but she isn’t going to take an unnecessary risk to get it.. Down the road I can see her doing something like that, but not now.
CSH
Though another possibility would be him showing up openly at the hotel - not making a scene but just letting her know he’s there so they could go home together. That would piss Devlin off to no end and give him a reason to start bullying Josh again.
CSH
If Josh does go spy on her I would hope that everything seems normal and he goes home.... only to have her either come home late or call and say she’s spending the night. I’m enjoying his bouncing back and forth between ‘is she or isn’t she’. This also gives Kimmy a lot more leeway to manipulate him. Though he knows in his heart that it’s true - he wants her to convince him it’s not. Dealing with her coming back the next day without her smoky stockings would be doubly painful for him.
DavidnDaria
Red, you're right! It's TWD only it's LHW3! You gotta watch this... I posted it on KT's blog, too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojrtwXqqc6g
DavidnDaria
Here's the thing... I wonder if Josh still has "Find My Phone" enabled. What if Kimmy decides to change things up and go someplace else after the meeting--simply because Kimmy told Josh where she'll be? Hmm....
Chinookfan72
I think Josh might be like John Nash in a beautiful mind... or maybe Kimmy will do enough gaslighting to make Josh feel like he’s losing his mind like John Nash did..
Chinookfan72
Well they are missing from the last place he remembers seeing them. Could she be wearing them... absolutely! on the other hand, maybe she just moved them to another drawer and her stockings are actually just smoky pantyhose and everything Josh is picturing is a lie... KT is a master and we are her puppets.. Personally I hope she is wearing them. Not sure about the change of clothes as I’m not sure how big the purse is. Again I hope she has some or stashed some in the car the day before (her cheating clothes were in the car the whole time Josh and Kimmy were driving around looking at houses and Josh never knew. I’m not sure how believable this is, but this is how I wanna see the night go. Josh spies for a while, and he sees nothing. Just Kimmy sitting next to Devlin and a couple other people he doesn’t know having a business meeting (drinks, food conversation etc.). What he doesn’t know is while he is spying Devlin’s hand is between Kimmy’s legs and he is stoking her.. Just as Josh is getting tired Kimmy texts him saying the meeting is going long and she is going to stay at the hotel, she’s not sure how long the meeting is going to go and at this rate it’s better for her to stay at the hotel than drive or Uber home. The meeting is going to continue the next morning and it doesn’t make sense driving back and forth. He agrees without a fight because after seeing her with Devlin for hours acting 100% normal he talks himself into being crazy again and that he completely believes Kimmy (she tells him she picked up her dry cleaning earlier that day so she has work clothes). However just before he puts his car in drive from the valet Devlin knocks on the door. Josh rolls down the window and Devlin bullies Josh for a bit, but ultimately confirms he sent the text about the card and is pissed Josh hasn’t texted him lately.. he’s got so much to tell him..Josh doesn’t believe him, so Devlin puts his hand in window and tells Josh to smell his fingers (a call back to the tent) and asks if he enjoys the smell of his wife.. Devlin then tells Josh to watch his phone later for more messages. Josh asks for Devlin’s number again since it’s blocked and Devlin gives him his card. As Devlin is about to leave he tells Josh to head on home, head of security is one of Devlin’s friends and if they catch him at the hotel tonight they’ll consider it trespassing. Devlin heads inside and catches Kimmy just as she’s coming out of the bathroom after the meeting is over. They head up the elevator and then the fun starts... Will any of this happen? who knows I highly doubt it.. Weathermen are more accurate at predicting the weather than I am at predicting this story, not going to stop me from predicting though.. that’s half the fun. One thing for sure... Kimmy has tossed those Magnums.. If this is her only time fucking Devlin she’s going bare!
RCH
Well, she is wearing smoky stockings. He noticed that and her lingerieare missing from the house too. Is good evidence she is wearing them or possible in her purse. I'm 100% sure she packed an extra change this time. She kept digging in her purse... Hum clean panties, matching bra, ah yes there's the Magnums. Okay, got everything zip up and bye Josh Love You! KT your a master!
Chinookfan72
Assuming Kimmy tries to stay at the motel I’d think her reasoning would be around time, money, and convenience . That is assuming she even tries to convince Josh. She might just say he I’m stay here. I’m not sure how much resistance Josh will put up. The story is set up for Josh to spy.. Wether he will or not is up to KT.. KT seems to keeping us on our toes this story so the obvious answer probably isn’t right.. Assuming he does go to the hotel, what will he see? perhaps Devlin notices him snooping and confronts him, opening the door to more humiliation and more messages. Perhaps he sees Kimmy and Devlin being close, close enough to bother him, but not close enough to be evidence. It could go a lot of ways.. As for a Kimmy having Josh by the joystick, I’d say she does.. Whatever movement of clarity he gets immediately vanishes upon Kimmy’s entrance into his space.. Devlin too has a similar effect on Kimmy and her one-and-done mindset.
JamesIsAsleep
The ground has been laid, now Devlin just needs to bring the inevitable home. Agree with what has been said about how interesting it is that Kimmy has given Josh a specific location, we'll see what he does with that info!
RCH
We're getting closer! DnD, I think Josh's trust is going to crack I see him spying on her at the Royal York. He finally has enough information. The stockings and lingerie, make a good reason to spy. Kimmy is a victim of her own arrogance! I could be wrong but she doesn't have her hand on Josh joystick now. Us gamers know not to leave your game controller during a critical phase of the game! Kimmy spending the night would be an step to far either way. Josh won't buy it. He would have to be suffering from brain damage to buy that excuse. Hum... Is this some bizarre coma fantasy, Josh has been living in? Is it possible Josh is in a long term coma from alcohol poisoning? The whole story is fueled by Josh deep seated fears, Devlin vexing him in his coma! Does he awake months later in an abandon hospital? Weakly he manages his way outside to a devastated world. He sees movement to his right as a rotting upper torso pulls itself towards him moaning... Wait that's been done before. That one ended with the wife cheating too? Coincidence! I don't think so!
Chinookfan72
Like the fact she could be wearing the lingerie at work.. I like how when no one around Josh has it all figured out, but as soon as Kimmy is near he turns into Gumby.. Kimmy isn’t much better with her “one-and-done” routine... Can’t wait for tomorrow’s chapter as we get closer to after work shenanigans.
Glaucon
Hey Kimmy, don’t bank on it not being a regular thing! (boring typo patrol: "cleaned the pan were he’d")
Glaucon
It's noteworthy that Josh actually knows where Kimmy is going to be tonight...
DavidnDaria
Now, the question is: How does Josh handle his latest revelation? How does he deal with the sudden moment of clarity? Does he spy further? Does Kimmy spend the night at the hotel, feigning drinking too much? Why didn't she take an Uber home? Taxi, even. Worse, how will she justify it with Josh? Will she even try? She knows she's lied, but it doesn't matter to her. She's got a goal and Josh is closing in. She thinks she's got Josh by the joystick? Does she? And a request for you, KT. Please, if you can, check in regularly and let us know you're okay. It's important. Thanks.
