He turned the radio off.

Relax, he told himself. So, his old spot was no good. But it wasn't like he didn't have a backup plan. What was he, a fool? Of course not. He would get rid of his filthy ex-bride and he would do it quickly.

A smile curled at his lips.

This was going to be easy.

Turning up the music, he sang along to his favorite song, and tried to clear his mind of everything except the music. He was going to be a good husband to his wife, they would be a good couple, not like his parents. Not like Mother.

The song was the one he had sung at his last wedding, and though it had seemed forever, it was only four minutes. The song ended and the announcer came on. "That one, that one is for the beautiful bride and groom."

"Oh, shut up!" he muttered bashfully. Youre too kind. Were technically not married yet!

He changed the station to classical music, because it reminded him of Mother.

He remembered the way Mother would keep him in the basement for hours, all the windows shut, never letting him leave. And she would whisper to him through the door, telling him how much she loved him. How much he meant to her. How much she would never hurt him. How much he was the only one she could ever truly love.

She was so lonely after Father was no longer around. But Mother made it clear that he, he could never leave her. He was hers.

But he had escaped Mother, and now he was free to live his own life, to choose his own love. He was no longer the little boy who had listened to the classical music she played in the basement of their home. He was a man. He had a new love, a new wife. He did not need to listen to the soft songs that reminded him of his mothers voice.

He changed to an old country song he used to sing with his father on the old acoustic guitar.

The song was about love, but it was about love lost. A man sang the song to the woman who had destroyed his love, and though she stood in front of him, she was no longer the beautiful bride he had married. He had no more use for her, because he had found love again with his new wife-to-be. Only this time, she was completely different.

He wiped his eyes. He was being foolish. A good man should forget such things and focus on what was important.

And right now, the only important thing was getting rid of his ex-bride.

And he knew just the place.

A home away from home...

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Nicky's heart fell to the floor.