With an exhale, he dumped them into the box with the pillows and blankets. He’d store them for another time, when he could remember without so much pain. On to the last and hardest chore. From the upper cabinet of his closet, he took down a large duffel. First, he took the framed portrait he had done off the wall and placed it on the bottom of the bag. Then he threw her clothes on the bed and began to fold them neatly.

Here was the black dress he had given her when they went to the lounge to meet Mike Badger and company. Her body had been smoking hot, but her face was still bruised. He had done her makeup to soften the impact of the beating she had taken. She had cried tears of joy when she saw how beautiful she looked, had kissed him like she meant it.

Here was the black dress she had worn for his Labor Day party, when he had raped her and sodomized her in one of the brothel rooms. He knew it was an idiotic thing to do, but he couldn’t stop himself. She was so gorgeous—a magnet for the men at the affair—and he was burning with lust and jealousy. Afterward, when they went back to the bedroom, he was drunk and said horrible things to her. Still, she had helped him through his DTs, but not without looking at him with contempt. She felt sorry for him, but equally she despised him. It killed him, almost as bad as when she turned down his advances. All he wanted was to make up, but he wouldn’t apologize. Not that she would have forgiven him right away. That kind of sadistic thing wasn’t immediately forgivable.

Here was the red dress he’d bought for her for his end-of-summer party in his office. It took a while, but finally, she did forgive him. The makeup sex was mind-blowing. He was so turned on and in love with her, his body filled with coursing hormones and pheromones. He had wanted to consume her.

Here was the cream-colored Chanel suit that she had worn for their wedding ceremony. She had bought the outfit with Guy’s wife while he and his ex-brother-in-law had done business that had taken up the entire afternoon. Then the four of them had gone out for dinner and a show. By the time Terry and he had returned to the hotel suite, it was after eleven. She was tired, but he was wired. She had taken one look at his face and had asked him what he wanted.