Damien went to see Marcus.
Not to threaten him.
To understand him.
But understanding turned into rage.
And rage turned into violence.
---
He found the address in Christabel's phone.
Not because he was snooping. Because she had left it on the counter. Because she had nothing to hide.
Or so he told himself.
The office was in the city. Not the fancy part. The real part. The kind of place where people went when they were tired of pretending.
Damien walked through the door.
The waiting room was empty.
A receptionist looked up.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm here to see Dr. Webb."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No."
"Then I'm afraid—"
He walked past her.
Opened the door to the inner office.
Marcus was sitting at his desk.
Looking at a file.
Looking up.
"Mr. Moreau."
"Dr. Webb."
"This is unexpected."
"I'm sure it is."
---
Marcus stood.
Calm. Professional.
"Would you like to sit?"
"I'd like to talk."
"Then let's talk."
Damien didn't sit.
He stood in the middle of the room.
Hands clenched.
Jaw tight.
"You've been seeing my wife."
"I've been treating your wife. There's a difference."
"You've been spending time with her. Alone. In this office."
"Therapy requires privacy."
"It requires trust."
"And you don't trust me?"
"I don't trust anyone."
---
Marcus walked around the desk.
Leaned against it.
Arms crossed.
"Mr. Moreau, I understand your concern. But I assure you, my relationship with your wife is strictly professional."
"You've been meeting with her for weeks."
"Because she needs help."
"From you?"
"From someone."
"Why not a woman?"
"Because Dr. Reid referred her to me. Because I have experience with her specific issues."
"What issues?"
Marcus was quiet for a moment.
"That's not something I can discuss without her permission."
---
Damien stepped closer.
"You're going to tell me what you discuss with my wife."
"No."
"No?"
"Patient confidentiality is not optional."
"I can make it optional."
"How?"
Damien smiled.
The dangerous one.
"You don't want to find out."
---
Marcus didn't flinch.
"I've been threatened before."
"Not by me."
"You're threatening me now."
"I'm warning you."
"Same thing."
"Different intention."
---
Damien grabbed him.
Not gently.
His hands around Marcus's collar.
Pushed him against the wall.
"Stay away from my wife."
"I can't do that."
"You can."
"She needs help."
"She needs me."
"She needs someone who isn't trying to sleep with her."
---
Marcus's eyes widened.
"I'm not trying to sleep with her."
"You're spending hours alone with her."
"That's my job."
"You're making her lie to me."
"I'm not making her do anything."
"She's lying because of you."
"She's lying because she's afraid of you."
---
Damien's fist connected with Marcus's face.
Blood sprayed.
Marcus stumbled.
Damien hit him again.
And again.
And again.
"You don't know anything about my wife."
"I know she's scared."
"Of what?"
"Of you."
---
Damien stopped.
His hand was bleeding.
Marcus's face was bleeding.
They stood in the middle of the office.
Breathing hard.
"You're going to stay away from her."
"I can't."
"You can."
"I won't."
---
Damien grabbed a rope.
From where, he didn't know. From the desk. From the closet. From his memory of a hundred other confrontations.
He tied Marcus's hands.
Pulled the rope over a beam.
Hoisted him off the ground.
Marcus hung upside down.
Blood dripping from his face.
"Let me down."
"Not yet."
"Let me down!"
"Not until you promise."
---
Marcus laughed.
The sound was broken.
"You think this will make her love you?"
"I don't need her to love me."
"Then what do you need?"
"To keep her safe."
"From who?"
"From you."
---
The door opened.
Christabel stood in the doorway.
Her face was pale.
Her hands were shaking.
"Damien."
"Christabel."
"What are you doing?"
"What needs to be done."
---
She walked into the room.
Looked at Marcus.
Hanging upside down.
Bleeding.
"Let him down."
"Not yet."
"Let him down now."
"Why?"
"Because this isn't who we are."
---
He stared at her.
"This is exactly who we are."
"No." She stepped closer. "This is who you used to be. Before me. Before Lena. Before the cities."
"I'm protecting you."
"You're hurting me."
"How?"
"By becoming the man I was afraid you still were."
---
He looked at Marcus.
Then at Christabel.
Then at his hands.
They were covered in blood.
Marcus's blood.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Let him down."
He lowered the rope.
Marcus fell to the floor.
Groaned.
Christabel knelt beside him.
"Are you okay?"
"I've been better."
"Can you stand?"
"I don't know."
---
She helped him to his feet.
Led him to a chair.
Pressed a cloth to his face.
"You need a doctor."
"I need a new career."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize." He looked at Damien. "He's the one who should be sorry."
---
Damien stood in the corner.
His hands were still bleeding.
His face was empty.
"I am sorry."
"Not yet." Marcus touched his lip. "But you will be."
---
Christabel walked to Damien.
Took his hands.
"You need to leave."
"I'm not leaving you."
"You need to leave."
"Christabel—"
"Go home. Take care of Lena. I'll be there tonight."
"We need to talk."
"We will. But not now. Not like this."
---
He looked at Marcus.
Then at Christabel.
Then at his hands.
"I love you."
"I know."
"I love you in ways I didn't know I was capable of."
She touched his face.
"I know. Because I love you the same way."
---
He walked out the door.
Christabel watched him go.
Then she turned to Marcus.
"I'm sorry."
"He's dangerous."
"I know."
"He's going to hurt someone."
"He already has."
---
Marcus stood.
"I can't see you anymore."
"I understand."
"It's not safe."
"I know."
"For me. For you. For your family."
She nodded.
"Goodbye, Marcus."
"Goodbye, Christabel."
---
She walked out of the office.
Into the city.
The rain was falling.
The streets were wet.
Damien was waiting by the car.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"I know."
"I'm sorry I hurt him."
"I know."
"I'm sorry I scared you."
She looked at him.
"You didn't scare me."
"Then what did I do?"
"You reminded me of who you used to be."
"Before you?"
"Before us."
---
That night, they put Lena to bed together.
Not separately. Not taking turns.
Together.
Damien read a story. Christabel sang a song. Lena fell asleep between them.
"She's going to be okay," Christabel said.
"She's going to be more than okay."
"Are we?"
He looked at her.
"We're going to try."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."