4 comments/ 9304 views/ 7 favorites The Seventh Commandment By: L_Britz The doorbell rings just as Tessa gets out of the shower. Shit! It's the plumber! Their guest toilet has been backed up for days while they've waited for this guy to make space for them in his schedule. Needless to say, the situation was fast becoming dire; they're now desperate for some help. So there's no way I can let him slip away now! Frantically she tries to hunt down her bathrobe but, typically, it's suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth. The second ringing of the doorbell calls for a quick decision so she hastily wraps a towel around her still-wet body and dashes down the stairs. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" Tessa yells when the doorbell rings a third time. Agitated and slightly out of breath, she jerks the door wide open and immediately starts apologising. "I'm so sorry I was in the—oh! It's you!" Standing in the doorway is not the plumber but rather James - life-long best friend to Matthew and comparatively recent friend to Tessa. For a moment they stand gaping at each other: Tessa because she's still expecting to see the plumber in front of her and hasn't yet fully realised that it's in fact James there instead, and James because Tessa is in a goddamn towel! As if this thought was spoken aloud, they simultaneously glance down at Tessa's state of undress, then hastily avert their gazes, both Tessa and James blushing a startled red. James is the first to stutter out a sentence. "S-so...er...hi Tess! Um... sorry if I came at a bad time! I could—er," he gestures vaguely behind him, "I could, you know, um...leave and come back later? Uh..." Tessa's mostly dormant hostess skills suddenly erupt to life, causing her to repeat several times that "no, no, it's no trouble, really", and "please do come in", until James finally acquiesces and crosses the threshold. In an effort to ignore it till it goes away, Tessa makes no move to change her attire, and James, seemingly of the same opinion, makes no move to suggest she should clothe herself in a more decent manner. So it is that the awkward pair enters the kitchen, saying many things without saying anything at all. For instance, James wasn't saying how the sight of Tessa in just a towel was driving him to almost disastrous distraction, and Tessa certainly wasn't saying just how much James' furtive, yet heated, glances, seen from the corner of her eye, were both unsettling and exciting her. "Would you like something to drink? We've got coffee – decaf or regular – and lots of tea: Earl Grey, chamomile, green tea, honeybush and ginger, pomegranate and raspberry—I guess you could say we really like tea!" she giggles nervously, then immediately resumes her panicky babbling whilst sticking her head in the fridge. "There's also Coke and lemonade, even some dry lemon if you fancy something different. Although I don't think there's any gin... but anyway, it's too early to drink in any case. I mean it's like, what, nine in the morning? Definitely not a good idea to start drinking this early, unless you're an alcoholic, of course!" Another uncomfortable laugh, this one erupting from inside the fridge, which ends very abruptly when Tess suddenly recalls that James's father was an abusive drunk. Slowly emerging from the fridge, her face contorts into a stricken mess and she finds herself desperately wringing her hands. Strangely, Tessa's discomfort inspires some confidence in James and he is able to dismiss her panicked chattering with a soft smile and a firm, but friendly, "I'll have some coffee, please. Regular, no sugar, a splash of milk." James's sudden calm helps to alleviate Tessa's panic, and with a far more composed air, she starts the kettle boiling for his coffee. James leans nonchalantly against the kitchen countertop, watching Tessa move about the kitchen. As is more normal for them, they start chatting and joking easily as Tessa putters about the kitchen preparing all the necessary bits and bobs for a mid-morning tea. The overwhelming awkwardness of moments before seems an almost laughable thing now, and all seems set for a calm, comfortable situation. That is, until Tessa's towel unexpectedly drops from her body while she's reaching for a coffee mug. Both bodies still in utter surprise and several seconds pass before either makes a move. Still rigid with shock, Tessa slowly turns to James, her eyes stretched impossibly wide. The thought of retrieving her towel never enters her blank mind. James, meanwhile, moves from the countertop towards Tessa. Her eyes stretch even further, and her mouth curls into a petite, startled 'o'. It is only as James nears that Tessa realises that he is not reaching for her, but for the towel draped around her feet. He grips the towel's edge with both hands and slowly unbends till he is face-to-face with Tessa, the towel the only barrier between him and her naked skin. The disaster seems yet avertible but once more Chance withdraws her favour and binds both bodies to an inevitable, yet wicked, path. It happens, almost accidently, when Tessa's fumbling grab for the towel results in her hands clamping down over James's fingers where they grip the towel. The skin-on-skin contact, normally such a minor thing, once again causes stillness in their bodies, and an almost involuntarily lifting of their gazes till eyes meet eyes and remain locked together. This time there's no ignoring what is said, so clearly, through these locked gazes. I can't stop looking at you. This is wrong! But if it's so wrong, why am I so excited? Why can't I look away from your eyes? All I want to do is rip this towel out of your hands and press myself against you. But the consequences! This will change everything...EVERYTHING! I don't know if I can live with the guilt of what's about to happen. Well I say, fuck it all. To hell with the rest. It doesn't matter. They don't matter! Only us, there is only us...Yes...only us... James's mouth is on hers, soft and warm and inviting. She can't help but react. She slides her arms around his neck and presses herself more closely against his body. Absently she notes that the towel is gone, but such practical thoughts soon leave her head when he starts kissing his way past her jaw and down her throat, coming to rest in the nook where her neck connects to her shoulder. Once there, James lifts his lips slightly and rests his nose less than a millimetre from her skin. He inhales slowly and deliberately. Once he is filled with her scent, James releases his breath in a contented sigh. The sudden rush of warm breath over that sensitive spot sends shivers racing down Tessa's body, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. James trails his fingers down her arms, tracing the goose bumps raising her skin. The soft, subtle touch leaves Tessa trembling with a sudden influx of scorching sensation. As if branded by flames, wherever James's fingers pass, Tessa feels their passage like a mark upon her flesh – hot and deep. She buries her fingers in his hair, nails clutching at his scalp as he heightens her senses with small, feather kisses across her shoulders, over her collarbones and, finally, on her breasts. A soft moan escapes her lips when James's questing mouth touches lightly, teasingly, on her nipple. Though Tessa arches her back to bring her breast more firmly against James's lips, he resists her movement by retreating from her skin. Tessa makes a disappointed sound, but is silenced by a flicking up James's gaze. His mouth twists in such a wicked grin that her breath catches for a moment. Spurred by the searing heat in her eyes, James straightens once more to bring his mouth to hers. No longer content with gentles kisses, James moulds his lips against hers, then sends his tongue along her lips till they open and allow him entrance to her mouth. Tessa cannot keep a groan of pleasure from her throat. Their kiss deepens, their hands clutching at each other as an almost desperate desire possesses them. Time passes – seconds, hours minutes, they know not – and still they remain locked in each other's arms. After an interminable time of fevered clutching and kissing, they part slightly, ragged breaths coming from their mouths as they lean their foreheads against each other. In this brief moment of rest, a sudden clarity returns to Tessa's thoughts. Before James can lean in for another kiss, Tessa grasps him by the shoulders and stops his motion. "James, wait." "What's wrong, Tess? Did I do something wrong?" "No, it's not that. It's just..." She hesitates, then tries again. "Jem," her eyes hold his with an imploring gaze, her voice soft and frightened. "Jem, this is wrong. You know it is. What if Lillian finds out? Or Matthew? Oh Jem, I don't know what I'd do..." She sounds almost close to tears, and James finds his heart contracting painfully at her tone. He gathers her in his arms and holds her tightly against his body. He runs a soothing hand over her hair as he gently rocks her trembling body. "Hush, Tess, hush. We can stop. We can stop right now. It's not too late. It's not too late, okay?" "But it is, Jem. I can't stop now. Not now." Her voice quiets to an almost reverent hush. "I want you too much," she whispers in his ear. "I've always wanted you. I wish... so often I wish..." "Wish what? Tell me, Tess, please." She inhales deeply, as if preparing for a deep plunge into dark, unknown waters. "I wish," she breathes softly, "that I'd met you first." Everything stops. Sound. Movement. Sensation. The world stops. Nothing seems important, or relevant, or real, after those words. James becomes absolutely blank and removed. Nothing penetrates the complete shock arresting his surroundings. "Jem? Jem?! James!" "Huh—what?" His eyes focus suddenly on Tess's concerned face. "Sorry... I..." "Are you okay?" "I... No. No, I'm not okay." He grasps her upper arms strongly. "How could you say that? Do you know what you've done—what you said! I can't believe..." Words elude him and he releases her arms suddenly to run his hands through his hair as his head lifts, a gesture that somehow seems as if he is imploring the heavens. "I don't understand. Jem, what's going on? Talk to me, please!" Again he grips her upper arms, shaking her as he does so this time. "How can you not understand, Tessa? How do you not know?" James's eyes bore into hers, pleading with her to understand. But she remains uncomprehending. "Tess, I have spent almost every day of the last five years wishing you were mine. Whenever you enter a room, I can't help but notice – even more so when you leave. What you wear, what you say, when you laugh – EVERYTHING!" He stops, breathing heavily. Tessa's eyes are wide and her mouth is hanging open slightly. It looks as if she wants to speak but before she can, James puts his finger to her mouth. "I will never forget the first time I met you. Do you remember?" Tessa nods mutely, and he continues. "Matt had been talking about you non-stop for weeks. Tessa this, Tessa that, Tessa Tessa Tessa. It was annoying the shit out of me. And then I met you. I don't have to tell you how stunning you looked – that's pretty obvious." He acknowledges her slight snort and rolling eyes with a half-smirk. "Anyway, your good looks weren't what broke me, though. There are plenty of pretty girls. But you, you were special. You were interesting, and clever, and amazing. This was the first time you were around this group of people and you just owned it." His eyes blaze at the memory, and his voice softens, becomes close and intimate. "I couldn't take my eyes off of you." His eyes darken suddenly, and the corners of his mouth drop perceptibly. "But it was too late. You were Matt's girl. Even if you'd broken up, like, a week later, you still would have been out of reach. But you didn't break up. Not even close. You got married," his voice breaks slightly. He closes his eyes quickly, gathers strength, then carries on. "After that, any possibility that might have existed before disappeared entirely. And I knew I had no choice but to live with that." James finally grows quiet, and feels suddenly very self-conscious of what he said. The silence lengthens and a sudden wish for the earth to open up and swallow him whole fills him. God, I'm such an idiot! He is just about to turn around and leave – never to return again, he vows to himself – but Tess starts talking before he moves. In fact, not only does she start talking, she also lunges desperately for him and embraces him. "I can't believe this! I can't believe this is true!" He looks down at her in confusion. This was not the reaction he was expecting. When she looks up, her eyes hold a strange combination of joy and abject sorrow. The latter he can understand, sort of, but the first confounds him entirely. "It's your turn to explain now, Tessie," he says, smiling slightly. She thrills at the nickname. It's one only he uses – or did, at the beginning, before things changed – and she loves that he's returned to it now. The thrill doesn't last long, though, when she works through the implications of his words and her feelings. The joy leaves her eyes, to be replaced by confusion, though the sorrow remains. He notices the change, and stills in anticipation of her next words. "But Jem, if...if this is how you felt—" "Feel," he stresses. "Okay, feel...then, why...well...how did you and Lilly happen?" Tessa sounds almost cautious to be asking, as if she's afraid of what he'll say. "I had to find someone, Tessie. Even if she could never match up to you, it's better than no one at all." He looks almost pitying when he answers. "Oh Jem, that's awful. I hate this, I hate this so much! If only we'd known before..." She's shaking her head, eyes closed and fists clenched. Something unsettling – surely not possible – was taking shape at the edge of his mind. It couldn't possibly— "Tessie, do you mean to tell me that...that..." he couldn't even voice his suspicion, it was so outlandish. "That I love you, Jem. I love you! I never knew you felt that way about me. If I had, I would never have kept dating Matt, never mind marrying him! Oh God, Jem! Why? Why?!" Again, James reels at this revelation. His mind is a jumble of emotions: superb joy – she feels the same! – But also the most intense regret – why didn't we figure this out earlier? Before it was too late... and underneath it all, barely a whisper of a thought, there is a small, flickering hope. Maybe, just maybe, there's something we can do... He latches on to that hope with an animal-like ferocity. They would do something about this. Things will be different. It's not too late! "It doesn't matter, Tessie! We know now, that's all that counts. And now that we know, we can do something about it. Right? We can do something." "Like what?" "Like this." He kisses her softly, slowly, lovingly. "I love you, Tessie. Always have, always will." She kisses him back, putting all her ardent love into the gesture. "Then what are we waiting for, Jem? We don't need to hold back anymore. Never,"—kiss—"again." Her words fan the flames burning in his veins to an almost unbearable heat. His hands tighten on her body as he buries his face in her neck once more. What was once a slow-burning craving, ever-present yet never imagined as attainable, now becomes an urgent need – irrational, unreasonable, almost unquenchable. Fuelled by his fervour, Tessa decides to abandon all pretence of control and, instead, sets to the task of parting James from his clothing. His shirt is easily pulled over his head but the button on his jeans proves more difficult and, in her haste, Tessa fumbles at it. With a growl of frustration – a sound that leaves him quietly amused – she finally yanks the damn button open and pulls the zipper down. No longer so constrained by the tough denim, the evidence of James's enthusiasm becomes immediately discernible through the thin fabric of his white boxer shorts. Tessa finds her body unconsciously responding to the sight, her inner thigh muscles clenching and unclenching sporadically. "Oh God, Jem! I can't remember the last time I felt this horny." She licks her lips invitingly as she looks back into his eyes. "Tell me what you're going to do to me. I want to hear you say it." Powerless to resist her demands, James bows his head till his lips lightly touch her earlobe. Deliberately, and precisely, he whispers into her ear. "I am going to push you against this wall, pull your thighs around my hips till you're wrapped around me. And then, I'm going to push my hard cock into your wet, warm pussy." She thrills at those words and tilts her head back while pushing her pelvis into him, a clear invitation for him to start fulfilling the promise of his intentions. But he is not quite done with her. He moves his grip from her hips around her body to her ass, pulling her even harder against him. As he speaks his next words, he grinds his erection against her groin, punctuating his words. "And then"—grind—"finally!"—another grind—"I'm going to fuck you hard till you cum shivering and hot around my cock." A long, slow grind accentuates his last word. Tessa imagines that once, long ago, when the infamous serpent whispered so to her of old – the original sinner – it too was in such gorgeously seductive tones. Tones that melt the soul and leave willpower and choice two quivering, useless things. She cannot but sympathise with she who defied divine mandate when confronted with such persuasion, since Tessa felt what little resolve might have been left her melt like salt in water at the words of a comparative novice. The "-ck" barely has time to leave Jem's mouth before Tessa once more claims his mouth, harshly and hungrily. Writhing in anticipation, her hands push urgently at Jem's jeans and boxer shorts, wanting them gone now! In no mood to wait either, Jem steps out of his shoes then helps Tessa to lower his remaining clothes until he can step out of them as well. Finally without any barrier between them, the lovers are free to roam each other's bodies with lips, limbs and hands. Although they revel in the novelty of this skin-on-skin intimacy, both their needs prove too great to linger on any form of foreplay. So, mere moments after undressing James, Tessa finds herself exactly where he promised her she would be: pushed against the kitchen wall, her bare legs wrapped around his hips, making it deliciously easy for him to slip – slowly, so, so slowly – into her waiting warmth. "Oh God! Jem, oh God! That feels amazing. Don't stop! Please, don't stop!" "I'm not going to stop," he breathes heavily against the skin of her neck, "till you are dripping down me." She clenches uncontrollably at his words, tightening her inner grip on his penis. The extra pressure shoots through James like an electric shock, making him gasp and shudder. He takes a moment to savour the sensation of being buried all the way in Tessa – Tessa!¬ – before withdrawing almost all the way. "You ready?" he asks, unnecessarily. She nods, words beyond her now. Hands gripping her ass, and chest pressed against her breasts, James starts thrusting incessantly into her welcoming wetness. Her hands on his shoulder blades grip ever more strongly, nails digging into his skin. Tessa's head is thrown back against the wall as she rides the building waves of blistering pleasure. It starts in the soles of her feet – an almost uncomfortable burning sensation – that builds up her body with every thrust of James's hips. Soon a second burning sensation starts in her fingertips, and, with every cusp of the wave, conspires to meet with that building heat spreading up her legs. At last they meet, these two searing forces, only to pool in the vee of her legs, a slow roiling mass of barely-contained combustion. The sensation grows too strong and, as she senses herself reaching her own cusp, Tessa starts bucking her hips at an arrhythmic pace. She is matched in movement by James's own rocking hips, as he too nears his own climax. Their desperate, enraptured moans intermingle as the driving of one body into another carries them to unimaginable heights. Almost in unison, they reach that delicious pinnacle that is almost more pleasurable than the plummet that follows. They hover mere moments in that almost-state but, inevitably, they climb the cusp and start plunging down the other side. Loud, earnest cries of hedonistic pleasure punctuate their fall, until they are both hoarse and trembling. James keeps Tessa against the wall a few moments more, enjoying the irregular spasms of her inner muscles around his spent cock. It's as if her body is stroking his in a most intimate manner, and he treasures it almost more than the act that preceded it. The Seventh Commandment Finally, the lovers prove too exhausted to keep their position. Instead they retire to the large sofa in the adjoining TV room. James lies down first then pulls Tessa to his side and cradles her against him. With her free arm, Tessa pulls the afghan draped over the back of the sofa over her and James. Once covered, she snuggles contentedly into James's warm body. For that precious moment, all is perfect. The Seventh Commandment Pt. 02 Author's Note: Please take note that this instalment involves non-consensual sex, which certain readers may find disturbing. Please do not read further if this genre of writing is distasteful to you. To my regular readers, this part of the story is really dark and gritty, but be assured that it gets better so stick around for the happy ending ;) * * * What have you done? Tessa stares into her wardrobe mirror. Although it's difficult, she meets her reflection's gaze and holds it. In this gaze she sees a world of accusations and reprimands. What seemed so right and logical yesterday is glaringly wrong in the light of a new morning. She would cry but her conscience allows her no such respite. What happened with him is her mistake, her fault, her burden. You don't deserve the luxury of tears. She flinches at these words, but can't deny their truth. Tears belong to the betrayed, not the betrayer. And she is unequivocally the latter. Her eyes narrow in hatred of herself as she contemplates her actions. Betrayer... Adulterer... Judas. Every word wrenches her heart and magnifies her guilt. But even guilt is a scapegoat, and her suffering an undeserved relief. In punishing herself she might move towards forgiveness. To be punished for one's wrongs implies that penitence can occur and, eventually, forgiveness can be attained. But Tessa is wholly undeserving of forgiveness. She can never atone for this act. She's not sure if she should even try... What have you become? With increasing sorrow, Tessa realises she cannot answer herself. * * * For what feels like the hundredth time that day, James dials Tessa's mobile. As with every preceding call, it rings exactly twelve times then shunts him into voicemail. He doesn't bother leaving a message; he's already left about six and gave up about four calls ago. He knows it won't make a difference. Although he's been trying to deny it since the seventh call, it is glaringly obvious that Tessa is ignoring him. He tries, again, to cling to delusions, to deny another obvious conclusion, but after this last call he has to face another truth: Tessa regrets yesterday. Even the mild denial that he didn't expect this is a lie. He knows Tessa like the inside of his heart - for she is that very inside - and being thus informed, he knew the moment they had given in to their base desires that this would not end well. Perhaps her most alluring trait, more than her wit and her humour, is Tessa's goodness. In a world full of cynics and liars, she has managed to stay relatively pure. Although she too falls prey to the uglier side of human nature, it happens so rarely that James could probably count it on his fingers. Not one of the many people who love and admire Tessa - friends and family - would ever expect her of any kind of betrayal, least of all the most terrible kind: adultery. And yet, yesterday happened. And now, I have made Tessa into exactly the villain that none would expect her to be. I have desecrated something sacred, spoiled a precious gift, and robbed the world of a rare purity. James hangs his head in his hands as he sinks into his sofa. Most of the day, he'd been able to separate his greater consciousness from that niggling piece of guilt growing in the corner of his mind. He'd been able to lull himself into believing that his deeds had been right. He and Tessa love each other, really love each other, and what they did yesterday was a result of this love. Surely that meant it wasn't wrong... I've been such a fool! He's finally realised that he'd been feeding himself the lies he needed to hear to validate what they'd done yesterday. Now, with the shield of lies removed, James finally admits that he has made a terrible mistake. They have made a terrible mistake. And because of their thoughtless, selfish act, they have created the potential for a wide-reaching destruction of bonds and friendships. This truly will change everything. What have we done... * * * "Honey, I'm home!" What started out as a joke between them - a sign of their shared love for corny American TV sitcoms - is now routine. Whenever Matthew walks through the door to his home, and knows that his wife is there and not working late or running errands, he bellows out this greeting in a terrible American accent that never fails to get an adorable little giggle out of Tessa. Today is different, though. She's in the kitchen, as she often is when she's home before him, but she isn't busy preparing dinner as she would under these circumstances. Although they had no hard and fast routine concerning food-making and such, the general agreement was that whoever got home first rustled up a meal, unless a prior plan had been made. So it's with no small amount of surprise that Matthew approaches his wife where she stands leaning over the sink, manifestly not making dinner. "Hey, butterbuns—" another American-inspired private joke "—what's wrong?" She doesn't respond. Worried now, Matthew gently grips her shoulders and turns her to face him. Once she's turned around, he realises she's quietly crying. His worry quickly becomes alarm when he notices her tears. "Hey now, what's this?" he asks rhetorically while running his thumb softly over cheeks. "Did the mean TV producers threaten to discontinue the reruns of Dallas again?" Usually this would at least make her smile, even if only a little, but her face remains stricken and tear-stained. His joking manner is swiftly replaced with real concern. He cups her face and bends slightly till they are eye to eye. "Tess, please tell me what's wrong? You're scaring me." A small sob escapes her lips and she throws her arms around Matthew's neck, and then nestles into his chest. He automatically holds her tightly while muttering soft words of comfort and love. Her sobbing becomes more pronounced as he speaks. Her body begins to tremble violently. Matthew is truly terrified now. What could've happened to make Tess so sad? I've never seen her cry like this before. Oh God, what has happened? "Tess, please," he insists, "please tell me what's wrong. I can't handle seeing you like this. Please tell me, darling, please. I want to help you." He gently pulls her arms from around his neck and stands back a little until they are once more face to face. He stares earnestly into her eyes, willing her to speak. He's sure that once he knows what the matter is, he'll be able to fix it. Whatever's bothering his Tess, he'll fix it. Anything for her. Staring into her husband's eyes, despair written across her face like a neon sign, she starts to speak. "Matt, I need to tell you something. I don't want to. At all. I've been trying to convince myself all day that I shouldn't tell you, that it'll only makes things worse if I do. But I can't. I can't pretend, not even for a day..." she trails off. Instead of relieving his worry, every word Tessa speaks winds him tighter and tighter. Even though he has no clue what she's talking about, the sorrow and—strangest of all—guilt in her tone of voice has him fearing for the worst. Almost unconsciously, he braces himself as if for a blow. "First of all, before I say anything else, you have to know that this wasn't planned. It happened by accident. Completely by accident. You know I would never even think about doing something like that. I love you so much, Matt. You have to believe that. And what happened doesn't change that at all. You must know that!" She's staring into his eyes still, although she's sorely tempted to confess her sin to the walls instead. Because she's staring into his eyes, she knows immediately when the slightest suspicion of what may have happened creeps into his mind. He's still disbelieving. He still thinks it must be something else. She wishes with her whole heart that she could avoid turning that disbelief into an awful certainty. But she can't. Opening her mouth, Tessa releases the words that will damn her, irrevocably, and change her life—their life—forever. "Yesterday, while you were with Thom and Will, Jem came over unexpectedly. I thought it was the plumber so I was surprised but determined to answer the door, even though I'd just gotten out the shower. Normally I wouldn't prance around in a towel, but you know how desperate we are for that damn plumber to fix the toilet..." she trails off, waiting for his confirmation. He nods once, eyes becoming increasingly wary. "Well, it wasn't the plumber, as I said. It was Jem. I invited him in, because you know, it's Jem. Everything was alright and normal. I started making coffee and we were chatting happily as always. I thought this would just be one of those times that we'd look back on and laugh about. You know: There was Tess, absolutely starkers except for a towel!" She smiles slightly, expecting Matthew to mirror her small expression. But he remains immobile, in body and in face. The look in his eyes is no longer speculative. It is slowly distilling into a chilling certainty. Tessa stops. She doesn't want to continue. She doesn't want to confess. She wants desperately to pretend it never happened. She almost convinces herself to change the story, to make the ending happier, to keep them all from plummeting into the abyss. But Matthew removes that possibility when he says roughly, "What happened then, Tess?" She hesitates. "What. Happened. Then." His voice is hard, his eyes like flint. She's never seen him like this before. He knows. He knows. She doesn't need to tell him; he already knows. But at his words, she tells him what he knows anyway. "Jem and I... we slept together." * * * That's it! I can't carry on like this. I have to see her. James has been prowling around his house the whole day. Several times he's tried to sit down and divert his attention somehow, but nothing works. He's picked up several books, only to discard each one within five minutes of picking them up. He's tried to watch TV—sport, series, movies, anything—but nothing could occupy his mind for more than a few minutes. He's even tried finishing all the little DIY projects that need attention around the house. Maybe if I do something productive, I'll think of something else for a while. But even that failed, although he managed to finish every task on the list. Finally, he decided to go jogging. He kept running, on and on, as if he could run away from what was bothering him, but the thoughts stayed. In fact, the more he ran, the more malignant they became. So he swiftly returned home, showered, and started pacing again, thoughts brooding and dark. Luckily Lillian is out of town this week, touring with the exhibition. He wouldn't have been able to hide his agitated state from her for very long, and he has no idea what he would've said had she been there to remark on it. So James is free to pace and prowl and mumble under his breath. Just before he goes completely out his mind, James makes the decision to go see Tessa. We have to discuss this before it gets out of hand. And since she's not answering her phone, I'm forced to go see her. There's no other way. James jumps into his car, starts the engine and backs out of the garage. Checking that the street is clear of other cars, he turns his car left and roars down the street. His face is a mask of grim determination and his knuckles are bone-white where they are clenched around the steering wheel in a death-grip. * * * Matthew sucks in a sharp breath and bends his body inwards, as if a powerful blow has just struck his abdomen. His eyes pinch closed and his face becomes a grimace of pain. Body bent, he turns towards the island counter and rests his clenched fists on its countertop, head hung low. Tessa slowly becomes aware that Matthew is shaking all over. Oh God, he's crying! She walks forward and rests her hand on his shoulder in comfort; it is an automatic reaction to his pain, one she doesn't even think about. Only once her hand rests on his shoulder does she wonder for a fleeting instance whether this is a wise move. But it is too late to stop the gesture. Besides, perhaps it will do some small good in this horrible situation. It is only when Matthew's hand strikes hers, fiercely, from his shoulder that she realises this is not the case. "Don't touch me." His voice is foreign and strange. She's never heard this tone of voice come from him before. At first she cannot make sense of the sounds; they are too outlandish, too other. It is with a sudden clarity that she realises what lies in his voice is a bitterly cold rage. There is no heat in his voice. Instead, he sounds menacing in his quiet, frozen rage. A killing rage... For the first time in her life, Tessa knows the touch of true terror. She makes to step away, place any kind of distance between herself and this terrifying voice, but his head snaps up at the movement and his eyes zero in on hers. Matthew's look is blistering as liquid nitrogen; it burns as it freezes. Tessa finds herself catching her own breath at that look. "Matt, please. Can't we just—" "Shut up!" he hisses through his clenched teeth. He straightens his bent body and strides towards her. Instead of stopping before her, he keeps walking, forcing her to retreat backwards until her back hits the kitchen wall. Once there, Matthew raises his arms to her shoulders, placing his flat palms to either side of her body on the wall, caging her between his arms. He leans down, close to her face, and glares at her with narrowed eyes. He is still trembling fiercely, and Tessa now knows it is with uncontrollable anger. "I don't want to hear your empty excuses or listen to your empty apologies. Nothing you say will change the fact that you are a back-stabbing whore!" He bellows the last words into her face, loudly and filled with pain. Such is his volume and ferocity that Tessa is forced to turn her face away and close her eyes. Immediately his hand takes painful hold of her chin and forces her face back to his. "Don't you dare look away. You will face this! You will suffer like I do! You will feel pain like I do! Like you deserve, you fucking slut!" His hand digs deeper into her chin, nails gouging her skin till blood is drawn. She yelps at the pain and automatically tries to pull away, but he only strengthens his grip and pulls her back. Matthew's eyes are no longer cold with rage, but rather burn with a kind of feral madness. He seems almost beast-like, robbed of rational thought or behaviour. Tessa's heart starts to pound in her chest as adrenaline floods her system. Her fight-or-flight instinct is urging her to run away, but she is powerless to move. So instead, when Matthew presses a savage kiss on her mouth and bites into her bottom lip hard enough to draw yet more blood, Tessa doesn't try to flee but rather starts screaming and hitting him instead. Her blows are completely ineffectual, however; Matthew is so much bigger and stronger than her that her struggling barely registers for him. When Tessa swings for his face, he quickly grabs her hands in both of his, then wraps one of his big hands around her slender wrists and pins her arms against the wall above her head. He returns his other hand to her chin while a purely savage smirk spreads across his face. "Oh so you want to fight, do you? You want it rough then?" he digs his nails even more cruelly into her skin till she whimpers pitifully. "Is that how he likes it? When that son of a bitch fucked my wife, did he treat you rough, huh? Did he fuck you hard and rough, Tessa?" his hand around her wrists tightens further, grinding the small bones together painfully. "Answer me, you filthy bitch! ANSWER ME!" Tessa starts crying. She can't form words. She's shocked and terrified and in pain. She never imagined her loving husband could become this. Instead of engendering sympathy, her tears only anger Matthew further. Staring at her tear-stained face, his blood boils hotter and he starts to see red. She's not allowed to cry! I'm the victim! I'm the one who's been fucking betrayed! "Stop crying, whore! You don't deserve to cry! You deserve to hurt, to suffer, to be punished!" he stops for a moment, a speculative look entering his eyes for a moment, before being replaced by a bloody glee. "In fact, that's exactly what I'm going to do. Punish you. You'll even enjoy it, little slut. Since sex is all you can think about, all you can do, then that's what we'll do. And then you can tell me who's better, your loving husband—" sarcasm drips bitterly from his words "—or that piece of shit." Tessa's eyes stretch with terror at his words, and she starts struggling and screaming in earnest, desperate to get away. Again her efforts prove fruitless. Matthew merely grunts slightly, then moves his hands to her shoulder. Once there, he grips her tightly then throws her to the floor with enough force that her head bounces off the floor. Momentarily stunned, Tessa can do nothing but lie there as Matthew stretches his large body on top of hers, pinning her down. He takes her wrists once more into a grip with his left hand while his right hand starts tugging down her sweatpants and underwear. Her head finally clear, Tessa starts bucking wildly in an effort to get Matthew off of her but he barely budges an inch. The more she screams and pleads with him to stop, the more forceful his gestures become. Tears of helplessness stream down the sides of Tessa's face into her hair as she understands she cannot escape this terror. Her husband is going to rape her, and there is nothing she can do to stop him. * * * It's only when James is about to pull into the driveway, next to Matthew's car, that he realises the folly of his actions. Of course I can't talk to her now. Not while Matt is home. Tess and I will never get the privacy we need to discuss this. Not without making Matt suspicious, anyway. I'll have to make another plan. He starts turning the key to start the engine up again when he stops suddenly at a strange noise. Funny...I swear that sounded like a scream... He stills completely and listens carefully. The sound comes again. That was definitely a scream. James quickly exits his car. Once outside the vehicle, he can hear the screaming far more clearly; it is then that he recognises that it's coming from inside the house. What the fuck?! That sounds like Tessa! Needing no other motivation than that, James sprints to the front door, whips it open, and runs into the house, heading in the direction of the increasingly louder screaming. * * * Oh God! Oh please God, don't let this happen! Please don't let this happen! I can't... Oh God, I can't survive this... Please... Please... Tessa's throat is hoarse from her loud protests. She can no longer make a noise much louder than a despairing, grating whimpering. She's long since stopped appealing to Matthew's reason, and instead is repeating desperate supplications, begging Matthew to stop. But he remains deaf to her pleas. Tessa steadily loses hope of salvation. With her decreasing morale, she abandons her attempts to escape and instead lies crying, resigned to her fate. Matthew laughs harshly when Tessa stops bucking and struggling. "See, you want this. Can't say no to sex for long, can you Tess? Eventually, your inner whore takes over and you give up. Isn't that right, my slutty little wife?" He laughs again, a cruel, cutting sound. "Now lie still while I give you what you want so much, you fucking whore." The Seventh Commandment Pt. 03 Slowly her eyes slide open, flinching slightly at the bright sunlight flooding the room. Slightly dazed and still foggy with sleep, she allows her gaze to roam the room. The space is not immediately familiar. She realises, slowly, that she ought to recognise the place. She realises, too, that she ought to know how she came to be here. Casting back, she finds she cannot clearly recall the previous evening. Somewhere in her mind there is the feeling that she ought to be concerned, but this small notion is soon overwhelmed by the dominating emptiness. A small thought floats up from the murky depths of her mind, a thought that says: It is best not to remember. Do not remember; it will only hurt. All too easily she submits to this idea, and remains empty of thought and feeling. This is better. * * * James finds himself pacing again. As much as things have changed - and changed drastically! - since yesterday, it seems almost the same in its bare bones; he is still fraught with worry; he still desperately needs to talk to Tessa; he still does not know how to resolve the situation. An added worry is that Lilly is set to arrive home from the tour this evening. Somehow he needs to make some progress with Tessa and the situation before then. If only she'd come out of her room. He once more glances anxiously up the stairs at the closed door at its summit. Neither sound nor movement has come from that room since he laid Tessa to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Considering all that Tessa has suffered in the past twenty-four hours, he is loath to wake her before she is ready, and yet they need to reach some kind of resolution. Again he huffs impatiently, grasps his hair with both hands, and continues pacing. I'm going to go insane if she doesn't come out soon! * * * Tessa wakes a second time. The light has dimmed considerably; the bright light of the early morning has given way to dusk's sombre shades. Still feeling disorientated and slightly confused, she wonders what has woken her. As if in answer to her question, a soft knocking comes again from the bedroom door. Tessa is tempted to ignore it - to feign an endless sleep - but her previously lacking sense of responsibility finally reasserts itself, and she realises that she can no longer avoid the waking world. "C—," her throat hitches on the word, and she tries to clear it. She refuses to remember why her throat is raw and pained; she clears it a second time instead, and tries again. "Come in." The door eases open and, as she expected, James's worried face peers through the gap. At the sight of his expression, a helpless sob escapes Tessa. Immediately James rushes into the room and sits next to Tessa, folding his arms around her trembling body. Tessa sobs inconsolably as unwanted memories of the previous evening crash through her mind. Oh God! Oh God, that really happened! I can't believe that really happened! Despite her best attempts to deny the memories and the aches in her body, the truth rings true in her mind. Tessa cries with a desolate abandonment that sears James's soul and harrows his heart. He imagines that he has never before heard such pain and suffering in another creature, and it breaks him apart that it is issuing from the woman he loves. "Sshh, Tess, sshh. It's over now. You're safe. Don't worry, you're safe. I'll never let anything bad happen to you ever again. I promise. I promise." James maintains his litany of loving, comforting words for an immeasurable amount of time, until it becomes almost nonsensical, but somehow the words don't matter; it's the ardent love in his tone and body that finally reaches Tessa and allows her to rise somewhat out of the depths of her misery. As her tears finally dry, Tessa looks up into James's eyes, and the love she sees there helps to make her stronger, and more capable of facing what has happened. Sensing this shift in her - this small move towards recovery - James smiles softly at the wonder that is this woman in his arms. Unable to resist his love for her, James dips his head slowly and places a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. Tessa sighs against his lips as she melts into the contact. Somewhere deep inside, she realises that recovery will be possible as long as this man is with her every step of the way, and she is utterly certain that he will be. A calm she thought impossible settles over her, and the slightest hope flares to flame in her heart. "Thank you, Jem. Thank you for everything. I would never have made it without you. I can never repay you for what you've done for me." His eyes soften further at her sincere words, and his reply is gruff with emotion. "Oh Tessie, you know you don't need to thank me. It is as natural as breathing to me to protect you, and care for you. I know no other way. And the only repayment I would every want is your love and your heart. If you still feel the same, that is." Tessa smiles slightly at the sudden uncertainty in his tone - the sort of uncertainty associated with teenage boys approaching their crush for the first time. In response she cups his face gently in her hands, and stares deeply into his eyes. Thusly placed, she replies, "James Morrison, you have always had, and will always have, my love and my heart. There are none but you, and there will never be another but you. I love you, my Jem." Joy overflows in James's heart to hear these words. Once more, he dips his head to place a kiss on her soft lips. She replies in kind with a stronger kiss on his lips. Unexpectedly, a raw passion blooms in Tessa; there is a need to erase the pain of the previous evening with the love of this man. In reaction to this need, she wraps her arms around his neck and presses herself more firmly against his warm body. James makes a small sound of surprise, but soon has his arms similarly wrapped around Tessa's body, pressing their bodies together even more firmly. Needing to feel more of him held against her, Tessa gently lies back - allowing James to untangle his arms so that he can brace himself against the bed - until the length of their bodies are flush with each other as they lie on the bed. Tessa pulls James against her even more tightly, until he fears he may crush her with his weight, but somehow she seems happy to carry his body on top of hers. Thus situated, it is impossible for Tessa not to notice James's arousal, but unlike the evening before it fills her with a matching excitement and not dread. No, stop thinking about that! This is different, completely different. James would never hurt me like that. I can trust him. So soothed by her thoughts, Tessa easily ignores any and all reminders of the previous night, and loses herself in the moment with James. His mouth on hers is a hot brand that further stokes the flames of her passion. James moans softly as Tessa threads her hands through his hair, dragging her nails against his scalp. He starts moving against her, needing to soothe the ache in his body. She starts moving in sync with him, until their bodies are being dragged together in a sweet rhythm. Suddenly, James stills and rests his face in the nook of Tessa's neck. His ragged breath skates across her skin, sending delicious goosebumps down the length of her body. She stills too, wondering what has caused James to stop. "Jem, what's wrong?" "Tessie, I don't know if I can do this. I don't want to hurt you, and it's so soon after last night... I feel ashamed that I want you this much when you must still be in such pain, emotionally and physically. I'm sorry, Tessie." "No Jem, please. I need this. I need to forget, and this will help me do that. Please help me forget, Jem. Please." Her fevered entreaty has the desired effect on James, and he resumes his passionate kissing. Anything to keep that pain from her voice. If I can help, I will. No longer ashamed of his need for her, James continues with greater purpose; his fingers find the edge of her shirt and start pulling it up her body. Tessa lifts her body slightly from the bed so that her shirt can slip over her head. She also grabs hold of James's shirt, and similarly slips it over his head. Tessa delights in the feel of his warm skin as she runs her fingers over his bare chest and back. James shivers slightly at her soft touch, somehow growing even more aroused. The sight of her naked breasts is a singular joy, and he finds himself helpless to resist the lure of her uncovered body. He trails kisses down her neck and onto her chest; once there, he licks his way to her right nipple and savours the sensation as it puckers at the touch of his tongue. He takes the tight nub into his mouth and sucks gently. At Tessa's urging, he increases the pressure until she's writhing in pleasure beneath him. Before moving to the other breast, James nips none too gently at Tessa's right nipple, and is rewarded with a sharp moan from her. Hiding his smug smile against her skin, he licks his way to her other nipple and takes the tightened nub into his mouth; he suckles contentedly at her breast, riding her writhing body as she bucks beneath him. Before she can remove his mouth from her body, he takes her nipple between his teeth and bites down with measured force. Again, Tessa gives a sharp moan at the delicious feeling sparking down her body to the vee of her legs. As if following the path of that feeling, James trails kisses further down her body, until his lips meet the line of her panties. He changes his path to follow the line of her underwear until his lips meet her left hip. While softly nibbling at the skin there, he runs his fingertips up the outside of her legs until they meet the top of her underclothes; he curls his fingers under the piece of clothing and smoothly slides it down her legs and over her feet, discarding it on the floor. Now completely naked, Tessa trembles in anticipation of what is to come; she revels in the sweetness of the situation - so much softer, and so much more loving, than their first time together. As if echoing her thoughts, James continues to leave small, delicate kisses on her skin as he moves down her left leg and over to her right leg, deliberately skirting the vee of her legs. Tessa finds herself arching her hips into his kisses, desperate for the touch of his mouth on her most sensitive of areas. Instead, James deliberately teases her by kissing all around the area. Only when Tessa groans loudly does he looks up with that same wicked grin that sets her heart racing even more, before purposely licking his tongue up her wet slit to her clit. Tessa moans loudly at having his mouth - finally! - where she wanted it. At her soft, mewling urging, he sets his tongue to work on her sensitive nub. Soon Tessa feels the familiar heat building in her body, and she cries out her pleasure in tandem with the growing waves of sensation. In due course Tessa feels herself near the pinnacle, but just as she's set to reach her climax James withdraws from her clit. "Oh God! Jem! Why did you stop?" She can't stop the plaintive note in her tone at being denied that particular pleasure so close to its realisation. James flashes her that devilish smile yet again, then proceeds to unbutton his jeans. Understanding his intention, Tessa's enthusiasm and anticipation is renewed. She reaches to help him remove his remaining clothing, but James's firm but gentle shake of the head has her lying back down again. Not surprisingly she is equally happy to lie back and watch him as he reveals the rest of his body to her hungry gaze. Once he is fully naked, James returns to her aching pussy and slides two of his fingers inside of her. There is a slight stinging that has Tessa hissing through her teeth; James quickly glances up, concern written across his face, but before he can remove his fingers Tessa grasps his wrist and stops the motion. "It's okay, Jem. I want this." "Are you sure? Doesn't it hurt too much?" "Not as much as it will hurt if you stop now. Please, I really need this." Again her sincere urging has the desired effect, and James sets to his task with renewed enthusiasm. With diligent care, he starts to stroke inside of her with his fingers, allowing her body to become gently accustomed to the sensation. Soon the sharp stinging subsides and Tessa resumes her summit to her climax. Once James is assured of her comfort, he removes his fingers - fighting a self-satisfied smirk at her disappointed noise - and positions his body between her legs, not quite touching her groin. He enjoys a last look at her feverish face, her lips plump with desire and her cheeks flushed with passion, before sliding his cock slowly into her warm wetness. At the sensation, Tessa arches her back and cries out in pleasure. For a small moment it is uncomfortable, but soon she adapts to the feeling and can once more surrender to the moment. James starts rocking his hips, driving in and out of her at a measured pace. As the pleasure starts to build, their breaths rush in and out of their bodies, often exhaling on moans of desire and passion. The pressure builds with every stroke, and soon James is rocking into Tessa with greater strength and urgency. Tessa reciprocates his energy with the rocking of her own hips, increasing the force of their meeting hips. The pace increases, until their crashing bodies almost hurt each other on impact. With every grind, the lovers ascend the climb, until the climax beckons. Breaths gasping and moans ringing, they plummet from the pinnacle in a mess of flaming nerves and shaking bodies. James collapses onto Tessa, breathless and sweaty from their lovemaking. Tessa lifts her arms and wraps them around his heaving chest, her own breast falling and rising rapidly with her spent breath. For a few precious moments, she enjoys the heavy comfort of his body on top of hers, and the delicious warmth of his skin pressed against hers. I could stay here forever. James seems similarly unwilling to move as he lies still on her. Slowly their breaths calm and their bodies cool. Only when James feels Tessa shivering slightly does he make to move from on top of her. Though slightly chilled, Tessa mourns his moving and the loss of his loving body held to hers. Now lying next to her, James reaches out to cup her cheek with his hand, and stares lovingly into her eyes. "I could do that every day, all day," he murmurs. Tessa laughs delightedly. "Although I appreciate the sentiment, Jem," she replies with a smile still spread around her lips, "I doubt either of us would survive that!" His lips stretch into a mischievous smile as he says in his husky voice, "Challenge accepted." Despite their recent climax, Tessa feels her body thrill at the roughness in his voice and the promise in his words. Unconsciously, her eyes darken with passion and her lips plump up with desire. Fully aware of her reaction, James leans forward to take her lips with his mouth and feed on her passion. Before he can complete the move, the distinctive sound of the garage door opening breaks the moment to pieces. "Shit!" James explodes. "What is it?" Tessa asks, entirely confused. James looks to the door, anxiety spread across his face, then fixes Tessa with a despairing gaze. "Lilly is home." Tessa feels a sharp sinking in her chest. "Shit."