Karma Ch. 01

I drove off heading in his direction but as I pulled up at the stop sign just before his house I realized if I went to prison for killing or hurting him, my two kids could suffer. I knew I couldn't go home; not yet anyway because I was still hurting too much so I drove to my work. I had some serious thinking to do; alone with my demons.

I had to plan my retribution to maximize their pain and minimize my exposure to problems with the law. If it was possible I had to make him hurt so much more than I was now; that's what good, meaningful and satisfying revenge was all about. He had to pay dearly for what he'd done. Most importantly, I had to make sure he never touched Julie ever again.

At work I linked into my server at home and watched what was happening. I was still so angry and I knew if I was there now I'd probably make a terrible mess of an already difficult situation.

The kids had been picked up and Julie was standing at the door of my study looking sad and alone as she gazed in when the house phone rang. She'd been looking at the large photo of us on our wedding day that I had hanging on the wall. When Julie answered it turned out to be Karen just wanting to chat.

I'll never understand how they could have anything left to talk about after being together most of the day. Well, half the day anyway; she'd been with her best friend's husband the rest of the time. I wasn't sure how Julie could speak with Karen without feeling guilty; maybe she was or perhaps she knew Karen was a party to the whole thing.

Karen said, "I just thought I'd give you a call to see if James was feeling okay after the chest pain he had today. I was really worried about him and was going to make you call an ambulance for him."

At least someone was thinking about me.

Julie responded, "His chest must still be hurting and I'm still so worried about him. He's hardly said anything since cricket and now he's had to go into work without eating to sort out some type of problem. Did you notice he seemed to be under a fair bit of pressure when we came back with the lunches?"

Karen answered, "You could be right. You did notice he didn't eat anything for lunch didn't you? He was using his IPhone while you and George were away and he seemed to be different after that. It was just as well he was able to tell me all about his security system to keep his mind off his problem. It's funny though, because when he spoke to his staff at work everything seemed alright.

It sounds like he can do so much with his phone you'd never know what caused it. Before I forget, I never thanked you for today for the lunches and all. You two must have enjoyed yourselves; George came back in such a good mood. He's been grinning from ear to ear since we came home."

Julie was quiet for a moment after Karen's comments. As she put her hand to her cheek she said, "I never noticed he didn't eat. How could I have missed that? Now I'm really concerned; James never misses a meal and now he's missed two in a row. Was he on his IPhone long?"

Karen replied, "He spoke to his work for a bit then he showed me what he could see on your security system."

Julie sounded nervous, "What did you guys see?"

Karen responded, "I just saw your kitchen. I suppose James saw the same thing before he showed me. Why?"

Julie exhaled and answered, "No reason. You must have just missed us. That's all."

Julie looked relieved when she heard Karen's response about my IPhone and must have convinced herself that I'd seen nothing; that I knew nothing as I hadn't said anything to her about what had happened. She must've thought she had time to find the DVD with the downloaded files.

As the conversation continued Karen asked Julie to hold on for a moment as she spoke to George as he was about to leave to go down to the Booze Barn to buy some more beer and wine.

If ever there was a sign from above that was it; there was a god after all. What I heard Karen say was exactly what I needed to hear and it suddenly all came together for me to get some swift justice; some immediate and meaningful revenge. It would be a temporary fix so to speak just to make me feel a bit better until I worked out what I needed to do to the prick to give him some long term pain.

I knew the arsehole always liked to park out the back of the Booze Barn so he didn't have as far to walk. More importantly for me, I also knew it was dark and it had no security lighting or CCTV.

I checked to make sure the surveillance cameras were still switched on throughout my building and went to the toilet carrying a newspaper making sure I could be easily seen in the corridors. If anyone needed to watch the footage they'd think I was about to read the paper in the toilet. I knew I could exit the building through the warehouse from a connecting door in the toilet and that the cameras in the warehouse were broken.

I put on some latex gloves the cleaners had left in the toilet and exited in one of our older unmarked work trucks through the automatic door and drove to the Booze Barn knowing I should beat him by five or ten minutes. Parking among the staff cars I waited in the shadows and checked that they hadn't installed any cameras since my last visit.

I had slipped on an old baseball cap and a large coat as a disguise as well as a pair of slightly oversize steel capped boots someone had kindly left in the cab of the truck. Then I picked out a piece of 3"x 2" dressed pine that looked the right length from the back of the vehicle and waited silently.

He must have seriously wanted a beer to get there so quickly; maybe to celebrate his finally fucking Julie after all the years we'd known him. He arrived a little earlier than I expected but I was waiting quietly and wanting to hurt him....my god I wanted to hurt him so badly.

He was just past me then I swung as hard as I could and hit him across the middle of his back; I hated that bastard so much now. My plan to hit him a few times with the timber was thwarted when it cracked unexpectedly as I hit him even more heavily a second time. What a shame it wasn't good hard wood or even a good English willow cricket bat; now that would have been karma.

George staggered from the first blow then was thrown forward from the second and landed heavily; his wallet he'd been carrying in his hand fell loose and landed next to him. He was dazed; maybe even blacked-out but my timber was useless so I threw it back into the truck then I just kicked him as hard as I could in the ribs... three times.

It was such a delightful feeling as my boot made contact with him. Each dull thud of the boot connecting with his chest was music to my ears. His cries of pain were exhilarating. I went to kick him in his nuts but in my enthusiasm I think I missed; in my defence it was very dark and he may have moved a little.

Having said that, I wasn't very good at soccer when I was younger either; in fact, any sort of football. I couldn't kick for shit! I felt so much better as I heard him continuing to groan in pain; maybe I should've tried for his nuts again just to make sure. It didn't really matter; I could always get him another time. It would give me something to look forward to.

I remembered his wallet had a security access card for my building in it and I didn't want some of the local ferals to get it. I had an idea and picked it up. I emptied the wallet of his cash and then pushed the wallet down the front of his pants and I left quickly.

It couldn't have been timed any better because as soon as I was driving down the street a car came past and turned into the car park. If I'd had stayed any longer to keep hurting him I could've been caught or identified. I slowed to watch and saw it stop with George in its headlights. I could see he was now rolling on the ground in agony as the occupants got out of their vehicle to help him.

I would've felt much happier if they'd run over the mongrel but what I'd done at least made me feel a bit better for the time being as I drove carefully back to work and parked the truck in exactly the same place it was when I took it.

About twenty minutes after the security cameras showed me entering the toilets, they recorded the sound of a toilet flushing and a tap being run then me leaving still wiping my hands dry with paper towel; the newspaper under my arm was folded a different way and I had an alibi if I needed one; I hoped.

I'd been back in my office for about twenty-five minutes and was actually doing some work to keep my mind off what Julie had done when my office phone started ringing. I remembered then that I'd turned my cell phone off earlier in the car park while I had waited and had forgotten to turn it back on.

I could see from the caller Id it was our house phone and knew it had to be Julie so I checked the monitor to see her holding the phone to her ear. I begrudgingly answered.

I didn't really want to take the call but I needed to place myself here at work; besides I thought she might've heard about George already. Julie was almost hysterical and she told me Karen had just phoned her in tears to tell her George had been attacked and robbed in the car park at the Booze Barn.

I made all the appropriate noises but was smiling to myself as she told me all she knew; which wasn't much but enough to tell me he was in severe pain; I liked that part best. I pretended I missed some of what she'd said and got her to repeat that last part again. I liked hearing it just as much the second time.

It confused me that she was concerned about George if she hated him so much like parts of the recording suggested. I suspected something wasn't quite right when she told me his wallet had been stolen and now they had no money or cards in the house to buy groceries the next day for the coming week; why had he lied? Were his credit cards all maxed out?

Julie asked if we could help them out and I asked how much cash he lost; I thought the $850 she told me was a slight exaggeration as I counted out the $345 in front of me that I'd taken; about what you'd pay a whore I thought. My demons were enjoying their initial revenge.

I did the caring thing and asked if he was taken to hospital. Julie then told me he'd refused an ambulance and somehow drove himself home then collapsed onto his bed when he arrived. He was now resting and I had a gut feeling all was not as it seemed with our George.

Julie then asked if I could please come home and drive her over to comfort Karen and give her some housekeeping money to help them out. I agreed knowing I couldn't stomach talking to George but his wife deserved some support and besides, giving them some money should divert attention away from me.

Then I had an evil thought that I wanted to ask him if he'd upset anyone recently; as a joke of course; just to sort of lighten the moment; for me anyway and to get him worrying about what he'd done and maybe he should expect more of the same or worse if I ever found out.

I stopped at the ATM and withdrew $1000 as I needed to be beyond suspicion about assaulting him and taking his money then drove home to pick up Julie. She was waiting at the front door so I got out of the car and went to her and I asked, "Do you really want to talk to George again so soon after today?"

I watched the colour drain from her face as she leaned against the door frame to steady herself. Her mouth was half open as if she was about to say something. Her expression was priceless as she most likely considered that her worst fears had materialized and I knew her secret.

It was easy to see she was definitely in panic mode and deep in thought, possibly wondering how I knew and then she looked at me for a moment and asked, "What...what do you mean James?"

I could see in her eyes she was worried that I knew what she and George had done.

As much as I didn't want to lose her she had to pay the price for what she'd done and I was enjoying the pain I was inflicting. I just replied, "You know." I saw her take a deep breath as she expected me to say something she didn't want to hear. Her eyes were misting and I could see she was about to cry.

I continued, "We've been with them all day."

She'd be no good at poker; the look of relief on her face as she pushed off from the door and exhaled said it all. I wasn't finished yet. I so desperately wanted her to tell me; not the other way round and I'd keep niggling at her until she did. Maybe I should just tell her and get it over with but I wanted some satisfaction.

Julie was very quiet in the car. It was only going to take a few minutes to drive there so I had to be quick and said, "No one's ever been mugged at the Booze Barn before. Maybe it wasn't really a robbery. Have you heard if George has been playing around with another man's wife?

Maybe it was a very angry husband who attacked him. If George has been kicked in the nuts there's a very good chance there's an angry husband involved somewhere. I've heard that's what happens if husbands find out they've been cuckolded; they go for the groin every time. It must be some sort of in-built male response.

You know Julie, there's no greater insult to a husband than to cuckold him. There's nothing worse that a wife can do to him. When a husband finds out it instantly tells him that the woman he worships has no love or respect for him......and she no longer deserves him. I know it would totally destroy me.

If George is stupid enough to have an affair or even a one time fling, then he's lucky that was all they did to him; maybe it was a warning or even the start of much worse to come. If it was me it would be both and I make him suffer so badly for a long, long time. Whoever did it could've really seriously hurt him and most likely next time they will if they find out he ever does it again.

This might just be all hypothetical, but he'd be no friend of mine if I ever found out he'd actually done it to another husband. I couldn't stand to have him anywhere near me and I'd have no respect for him any longer.

I'll tell you now that if he'd done it to me I would've wanted to severely hurt him.....or worse! I wonder how the cheating wife will get on and if her marriage will survive if it was really something like that. I somehow think her marriage could be in real trouble if she couldn't convince her husband she loved him and she totally regretted what she'd done."

I wanted to make sure she was in no doubt about my true feelings about deliberate cuckolding; she needed to know and understood how I felt about it. At the same time I had to warn her of the potential consequences if there was something long term happening.....if our marriage survived and really I hoped it would. I was positive he must've taken advantage of her and it was a one-time thing.

Maybe it was a mistake to say what I did as it probably drove her deeper into herself. Julie didn't respond and just turned to face the window but before she did I could see tears forming in her eyes. Nothing else was said. We pulled into their driveway parking behind his work van and I went around to open Julie's door.

I looked at her and asked, "Are you okay? Julie, are you crying?"

I felt some joy in her pain and she thought for a moment and said, "I just felt really sorry for Karen."

Maybe she did feel really sorry for Karen after she'd let her best friend's husband fuck her or maybe; just maybe, she'd listened to what I'd said about how I felt and knew she would hurt me.

Karen had been waiting for us to arrive and opened the door as we approached. She was in tears as well so as we went inside we both hugged her. I went weak at the knees as I felt Karen's firm breasts pushing against me as we hugged; she was just in a t-shirt and cut-offs; no bra. Her dickhead husband must be a complete fool to risk losing her for a very quick fuck with someone else's wife; particularly mine.

I followed them into the kitchen as Karen told us that George was in bed resting after taking some very strong pain-killers. She was in the process of making us coffee when I passed her the $1000. At first she refused to accept it but I told her that we were her friends and we'd always be there for her. I gave her another hug and I saw her eyes were misting up again.

She finally accepted the money when I told her we thought of ourselves as her family and we'd be offended if she wouldn't let us help. We knew her parents were dead and she was an only child so she only had George and Todd. I told her that she could always not spend it and give it back after George got paid next if they didn't need it or they could consider it a gift to help them out.

Karen returned my hug and then hugged Julie again. While she was holding Julie, Karen asked me if I'd go see how George was; he hadn't told her much. I nodded as I wanted to start the bastard squirming.

After knocking on the bedroom door I didn't wait for a reply as I opened it then went straight in. I asked him how he was and if he thought he'd be at work on Monday. He said he would as he couldn't afford to miss any time as contractors had no sick leave entitlements.

He went on to say, "I think there might have been two of them. They hit me across my back twice and I blacked out from the pain for a few minutes and can't remember anything else. I was in so much agony when I came round."

I almost shouted out in joy at hearing his last sentence. He struggled in pain to show me the marks on his back; the swelling and bruising were already coming out and in full colour. I thought he was such a deserving recipient of so much agony and what a work of art on his back; I almost asked him if he'd like me to autograph it. I was on such a high seeing the results of my work.

Smiling inside but looking worried as true friend should I said, "That's gotta hurt. Karen said something about the ribs as well?"

He could barely lift his shirt again and grimaced from the stabbing pain in his chest as he showed me the deep bruising right across his ribs then he added, "I must've been unconscious for the rest of it as I don't remember them kicking me. I'm pretty sure they cracked a few of my ribs though. They're going to take months to heal properly and I'm gonna feel them every time I laugh or even breathe when I bend over. I'll have to strap them for months."

I thought to myself, "Oh fuck! That's so disappointing that he didn't feel the boot. Kicking him had made me feel so much better but now that he'd told me he must've been unconscious when I did it, he's taken some of the joy away. But that's great news that he'll be reminded every time he feels the pain for months to come. That's what I wanted to hear."

Continuing, I said, "That's bad luck about your ribs then. That'll give you something to remember. You're lucky that was all they did to you when you were down."

Thank god he didn't show me as he went on to say, "They kicked me at the top of my thigh as well. I was fortunate; they just missed my nuts!"

I was thinking I'd been off the mark a little with that kick and maybe if I'd kicked him four or five times more there I might've felt so much better and actually given him far more pain to think about; maybe next time I'll have some practice beforehand. Badly bruised nuts would really hurt and give him something to think about.

I smiled in jest and jokingly said, "With you getting a kick there are you sure you didn't fuck another guy's wife?"

I watched his face drain of colour like Julie's had done and I wondered if he was asking himself now if it was me that had done it.

I continued, "They usually go for the family jewels if you have. You're so lucky they missed though; if they'd connected with your balls, now that would've really hurt. I wouldn't have thought you would've been fooling around with someone else's wife though George; not when you're married to someone who looks as hot as Karen. To tell you the truth, I'm shocked!"