The Harpy

We hit the dance floor first. Then proceeded on to the main event.

I had asked a friend to check out where Justin and Beth sat in the club - and it turned out to always be the same "married affair table in the corner" every Saturday. When we had danced a few songs, we headed over to "their table', Nikki in full strut, hanging onto my arm. Beth was in a yellow dress I'd never seen, Justin in a blue suit. I'd be lying if I said Nikki looked better than Beth- Beth was tanned and elegant. Still, Nikki was spectacular, and instead of looking elegant or refined, she proudly carried a bad-girl air of pure sex and immorality that pulled in looks from across the room.

I pulled out a chair at their table for Nikki, then sat down myself. Beth and Justin seemed to be frozen in absolute shock.

I looked around in mock surprise "Very nice, most gyms are less fancy."

Justin's face darkened, glaring at Nikki. "That dress. You spent money on..."

I cut in with an edge to my voice "No. I did." I tossed the stack of cabin pictures onto the table. They were the seamiest ones I could find. Most of the pictures I had snapped were considerably kinder, they were good looking people after all. I had sorted through the stack and pulled out the absolute worst. They looked sad, awkward, and dirty. I continued "I got back part of my deposit on a Mexican seaside resort bungalow that I was going to surprise Beth with on our anniversary. Since that isn't going to happen, I thought I'd buy something useful." Something flickered across Beth's face. Disappointment? Maybe. Probably at finding out there had been more money available than she had thought.

Looking down at the spread of pictures, Justin finally began to sense danger. And shut up.

Beth was white behind her tan.

"so how long..."

"We've been 'working together' for almost four months."

"How did you find out... everything?"

"Didn't really have to 'find out' anything. You made no effort to hide it. You just assumed we would be too crushed or too weak to do anything."

Justin tried to regain some traction and sneered mockingly "So what, have you fallen in love with each other?"

Nikki grinned "I don't even like him, he's a complete Bastard."

"And she is a total Bitch. Don't like her at all."

Nikki's grin grew wider and took on a predatory cast "But the sex? Oh my God. That is amazing. Nothing like an angry revenge fuck. Every nasty thing you can imagine." She looked dead at Beth "and a hell of a lot you never would have. I know I hadn't. But a little rejection will go a long way to convincing a girl to try all kinds of new things." She sing-songed that last bit as she shifted her unflinching gaze toward Justin.

Beth drew back like she'd been slapped and looked over at me. "You can't do this - we were trying to work on things."

Well, that was unmitigated Bullshit.

I laughed, but with no mirth at all "Hardly. You were marking time until Asshole here was ready. And screwing him three or four times a week while I babysat the girls and lived like a fucking monk. I had people coming to the office to tell me the bad news for months. Not only were you cheating but you made it a fucking public spectacle. We didn't have to conduct surveillance to find you, it was like tracking an EF5 tornado - just follow the mayhem. "

I could feel anger building rapidly, but Nikki squeezed my leg.

Nikki, for once, was the cooler head. She took over. "Obviously the divorces will be for adultery. It won't make any difference in money, but let's face it, it's more honest. And it will make us feel better. My new hobby will be making sure everybody in the world gets copies of the pictures and a full explanation of how you nuked your marriages: family, co-workers, employers. Fuck, I'll track down your 1^st grade Sunday school teacher."

She focused on Justin for a second. "By the way, shithead, I'm moving in with my sister for now. With Jaime. "

Having gotten my head on straight, I threw in the kicker. "A little bit more serious for you is the fact that the two of you have been embezzling money from the materials account at the construction company. It took a long time for us to work it out, but when Nikki realized you two were spending like sailors on leave, we knew it had to come from somewhere. Nikki and I have assembled more than enough proof. There are tax issues, wire fraud, even one count of mail fraud, so even if Justin's cousin is okay with it, you have a real problem. Probably enough for a five to ten in prison for you..." pointing to Justin "... and a couple years in jail as an accessory for you." pointing to Beth.

Wide-eyed, Beth immediately tried to defend herself "I didn't know! I thought it was his money, I was putting it into an account to keep it out of his divorce!"

I cut her off "Yeah, you were 'holding it for a friend.' How often does that work in court? Besides, that puts that money square into our divorce. If my name had been on that account, I'd have assumed you were setting me up. That would have ended really badly."

Beth and Justin paled. I suspected they had considered that idea, but apparently decided not to.

I offered up the counter proposal Nikki and I had worked out.

"You get one chance for a little bit better future. Justin runs for it. Quits work, and heads for the hills. At least 400 miles away. Takes his car, his clothes, his football trophies and his yearbook. Nothing else. Not one god damned thing. Nikki files for abandonment; she wouldn't get shit out of the divorce anyway with his under-the-table deal with his cousin. We don't give evidence to the cops or his cousin. If his cousin finds out on his own and takes action, tough shit. I'd recommend you put all the money you still have back into the materials account. It may make a difference in whether he starts looking for you."

I looked at Beth "I am filing for divorce with me having primary custody - no child support. And no maintenance. With adultery as cause. You agree to that or you go to prison and I just take full custody. As for all our shit; make a list of anything you want, but it'd better be short. You can keep your clothes. And you can keep all those fucking shoes."

Nikki broke in. "He offered me your stuff, but the shoes are too small and the clothes suck. I stopped wearing underwear around him, so you can keep your granny panties."

I sent a mock glare at Nikki as Beth struggled not to hyperventilate.

I continued. "Get a fucking job, move in with your parents - or whoever, at this point I don't care. You'll get plenty of visitation with the kids. I won't block that, you used to be a halfway decent mom. I won't even tell your parents what happened."

I made eye contact with them carefully, to make sure they were paying attention "It's a one-time offer. Expires tomorrow at midnight. If Justin's fucking ass isn't on the fucking road by then, we turn everything over to his cousin, and the cops. The offer only stays in effect if both of you agree."

Nikki leaned forward, putting her spectacular cleavage on display. Probably for Beth's benefit.

"You guys have managed one amazing achievement. The two of us. We were serious when we said we had nothing in common. We couldn't agree on a movie to save our lives, hate each other's music and if he talked about any of his hobbies, I would slip into a coma."

"And she is a shallow, emotional harpy whose voice grates on my nerves like broken glass." I added.

Nikki continued, locking eyes with Justin like a serpent with its prey "So when we got together when we weren't figuring out how to fuck you over, we were only doing one thing. Fucking each other's brain's out in every twisted way possible. If we ate dinner together it was to get enough energy up to fuck again."

She looked at Beth. "I can't believe you abandoned him for this piece of shit. I'm not bluffing, if you think so, come along with us some time and you can watch. It would probably make it hotter. If that's even possible. But having you watch me get ass-fucked by your husband would be completely insane, so just give me a call anytime if you want to see. "

I looked at my watch and broke in "Remember the deal. Sorry, we have to be going so I can pick up the kids."

I stood up and held my hand out for Nikki to stand. She did, and then leaned over to them.

"Go ahead and have sex again - we're stopping on the way back and I'm getting fucked every way possible."

Hateful woman.

She wasn't lying or exaggerating though - we stopped at a hotel and she was absolutely nuclear hot. Apparently telling Justin and Beth off had turned her on to full blast - hell she was fingering herself in the car before we got out of the parking lot. She actually peeled her dress off over her head while I was still opening the hotel door and walked in wearing just high heels. Following her lead, my clothes were piled next to her dress on the floor in seconds. There really wasn't any speaking at all, other than the obligatory moans, groans and screams. Within an hour we were headed back home; we had outdone ourselves.

Something in Nikki had changed though - maybe it was confronting Justin and Beth, but the crazy anger seemed to be gone. Just gone. She was still as sex driven as ever, but that glittering edge of true madness wasn't there.

Beth damn near beat me home - I'd just tucked the kids into bed when she flew in the front door. And paused. I hadn't showered on purpose, and I reeked of Nikki - and Beth had always had a sensitive nose. Air freshener had been a major player in keeping our secret.

"We need to talk."

I dropped into the easy chair. "We needed to talk months ago."

"Look, can we step back a bit? You can't just let that bitch destroy our..."

"Stop" I held my hand up "the only bitch who destroyed this marriage is standing in front of me!"

She gawped at me, a particularly unattractive look. Rare for her.

I continued "You really don't get it Beth. You got a sweetheart deal compared to Justin for a reason. Nikki bargained for you, she begged and pleaded on your behalf. She tried to make Justin the real villain in this mess. And you have no idea how hard that was for her - she hated you with every fiber of her being, but she still did it. She feels like her train wreck caused ours. I'm not even sure I agree with that, but I made the deal. Because she begged me to."

I paused, catching my anger before it exploded. Then in measured tones:

"If that money laundering account had been set up in my name, or if the DNA test on the twins had come back different, we wouldn't be talking. They're pouring a factory foundation on Fifth Street and I have a copy of the key to the site. You and Asshole would have just disappeared. Nikki could have begged all she wanted and it wouldn't have mattered."

She blinked, suddenly horribly aware of how alone we were. "How much time do I have to move out?"

"I should give you the til midnight tomorrow, just for the fucking elegant symmetry of it all, but I'll give you a week. It'll take two days just to box up all those shoes. And God knows I want those gone."

She mumbled something about being sorry, then headed up the stairs. She only took five days to move out, and I was alone with the kids. Even with the twins, things felt pretty empty.

I heard Justin's cousin was looking for him, but hadn't called the cops. I hoped he was well hidden. His cousin had always had a propensity for violence.

I may have cheated a little on my promise not to let his cousin know.

Two weeks after that, I let the twins stay with Beth and her parents for the weekend; they were clear on the rules and Beth was just as clear that the retribution for any bullshit would be a quick trip to prison.

Almost at midnight there was a pounding at the door. When I opened it, Nikki was standing there in full warpaint and club clothes, looking almost giddy. At least someone was adjusting.

"So is she gone?

I nodded. "Back with her parents, trying to explain away a mysterious copy of a divorce petition with 'Homewrecking Slut' written all over it in bright red lipstick. Thanks for sending that."

Nikki grinned her crazy grin "Great! I wanted to do something nice for her. Give them something to talk about."

I chuckled. I'd promised not to say anything to Beth's parents, but Nikki hadn't. In fact, she'd promised the opposite. So a whole series of packets had gone out to Beth's friends and family. With pictures. I doubt she'd ever really live it down.

Nikki's smiled broadened wickedly "Hey, I brought a housewarming gift!"

I almost corrected her; after all I hadn't moved, but in some ways she was right, the house felt new.

"Thought we could share dessert."

A familiar blonde-capped face peeked out from behind her.

"I brought a cream puff."

Poor, poor, Amber. She wasn't terribly experienced, and the two of us pretty much shared her like the confection she was. We pulled her into our tempest - she wasn't a partner so much as an accelerant on an open flame.

Not that she was complaining, after everything Nikki and I had done with each other over the past months, we were able to give Amber a graduate course in orgasms - she passed out twice. Nikki was smiling like that cat that ate the canary the next morning as she helped Amber, who could barely walk on her still wobbly legs, out to her car.

A few nights later, Nikki came over alone.

A few night later, she came over with Jaime.

After the children were asleep, she wordlessly pulled me straight into the bedroom. We moved slower this time - much slower. Afterwards I lay there staring at the ceiling with her head resting on my shoulder as her finger traced a pattern across my chest.

"We can't keep doing this Nikki."

I felt her stiffen.

I continued. "We kind of had an agreement. I know we never talked about it directly, but I think we agreed we had 'nothing in common'. No feelings. And I'm kind of having a problem with that."

Silence.

Then Quietly. "Bastard."

Then I felt her crazy, familiar smile against my shoulder, as her nail traced out a heart over mine..

"You must have been a slow learner as a kid. Did they have to bring in a specialist to teach you to walk?"

"Bitch."

Post Production Notes: There it is, my version of a BTB with some graphic sex. I just had to write one to see what it was like.

What a ride. Shifted back and forth on the ending a dozen times - RAAC? Shallow graves under a foundation on 5^th Street? Maybe prison for the cheaters?

In the end, I let Nikki choose. She was the most hurt after all. She'd lost her husband, her self-respect and, at least to some degree, her sanity. So I just asked her.

Beth maybe isn't as burned as some would want, but that was Nikki's choice. And Nikki's complicated and possibly insane, so it's really hard to understand her choice here. Maybe she believes in a little chance of redemption, at least for some. Or maybe, she wants Beth to be able to see what she's lost to her; and make no mistake, Beth's lost everything she really valued. Nikki made damned sure of that. And I'm sure it wouldn't be as satisfying to Nikki if Beth were in prison - Nikki wouldn't be able to enjoy the show. Nikki will even have real control over Beth's access to her own daughters, given some time. This whole thing, from that first day standing in the rain may have been all her plan, all along. I'm frankly not sure, and I don't want to ask. She just might answer.

Nikki has a permanent place in my heart, probably a more than any of the other female characters I've written. She may not be as pretty as Beth, but so fucking what? She loves fiercely and completely and she won't let go now until she falls to dust. I'm sure she brings Amber back many times - but Amber's no threat to their relationship; she's something Nikki wants to share with the man she loves. As Nikki said, Amber is pretty much a treat - that extra slice of cheesecake you couldn't eat on your own, but are happy to share. Nikki just expresses her love a little unconventionally. Sure, she's manipulative, and crazy, maybe even dangerously so, but aren't all the good ones?