Devereaux and Cassandra 10/03/2013

Devereaux and Cassandra sit in the living room relaxing after their meal.

Devereaux: So did you enjoy dinner?

Cassandra: It was absolutely fabulous and that chocolate mousse was to die for!

Devereaux: I’m so glad you liked it I had it flown in from that little place in Paris you love so much.

Cassandra: I can’t believe you did that! That was so sweet of you! (She says kissing his cheek) You know you spoil me.

Devereaux: There’s nothing I enjoy more. (He says kissing pushing her back against the sofa. His hands roam her body freely as she stifles a shutter of revulsion. He cups her breast pinching her nipple until she winces in pain. She pushes against hiding her nausea behind her smile. There was no way she was crawling between the sheets with him she needed to get to Rego) 

Cassandra: What do you say we have a little nightcap before we turn in?

Devereaux: Sure pour one for yourself! (Cassandra rises from the sofa and walks to the bar she reaches for the bottle of brandy and sets it on top then reaches for the glasses as well as the pill she’d hidden there. Devereaux watches amused as the look of panic steal across her face as she pats her hand under the counter looking for the pill she’d hidden there all the while trying to look the picture of happy serenity. He stands and walks to the bar to stand in front of her.) 

Devereaux: Something wrong darling?

Cassandra: No, not at all I was looking for that bottle of after dinner wine you bought back from California. (She says placing the brandy back under the counter giving her an excuse to bend and look under the counter)

Devereux: It’s there on the rack behind you. (He point to the wine frig behind her)

Cassandra: There it is! (She says turning back toward the bar and searching underneath again for the pill she’d hidden) Now I just need the corkscrew. (She bends searching under the bar top looking confused much to Devereaux’s amusement)

Devereaux: It’s in the drawer on your right. (He says smoothly thoroughly enjoying her inner frustration with her fruitless hunt for the pills he’d found earlier. Sadly for her, had she been home on time he’d have never found it) you seem anxious all of a sudden is something wrong?

Cassandra: No nothing what would make you say that? (She smiles nervously)

Devereaux: The way you practically jumped off the sofa your rooting around on the bar for things that already in their place. What exactly is wrong with you? (He glares at her watching the turmoil play across her face)

Cassandra: Nothing I said, (She says pushing the bottle and corkscrew towards him) here you open this.

Devereaux: I only asked because you seem so flustered. (He pushes the bottle to the side and stares at her his glare penetrating and cold)

Cassandra: What in the world are you talking about? (She laugh sounding more shrill than flippant as she comes from behind the bar watching him from the corner of her eye as he comes towards catching her arm in his iron grip)

Devereaux: You were looking for these weren’t you? (His growl menacing as he holds out his palm showing the crushed powder in the pharmacy vial)

Cassandra: What the hell are you talking about? (She looks from the vial to him fear gripping her heart)

Devereaux: I’m talking about this vial of crushed sleeping pills that you have been putting in my dink every night! (He bellows the back of his hand striking her across the face knocking her to the floor he kneels beside her grabbing her by the hair pulling her up on her feet like an over seized rag doll as he stands ignoring her screams off terror as tears streams down her bruised cheek) Do you take me for a fool?  

Cassandra: Please Devereaux I swear I don’t know what you’re talking about. (She stammers her ears ringing from he force of his blow, her neck feeling as if it would snap from the weight of her body as he dangles her above the floor her toes barley touching it)

Devereaux: You know exactly what I’m talking about! (His voice a primal growls his face just inches from hers his eye bore into hers shimmering with embers of hell behind them leaving Cassandra cold with fear) You’ve been drugging me and slithering out at night to spread your legs for that pompous bastard!

Cassandra: No! I swear I haven’t been with Rego since the day I moved in with you.

Devereaux: You just can’t stop lying! (His voice cracking with rage he shoves her to the floor the toe of his shoe catching her in the rib as he kicks her, her scream sounding like a muffled bark as the pain explodes through her side) All those trips to the hospital to visit your sister in-law was just so you could be with him! (He says kicking her again)

Cassandra: Please Devereaux! (She whimpers) I’m sorry Pleassse God I’m so sorry!

Devereaux: You’re nothing but whore! A selfish, unappreciative spoiled slut! (He says ripping her dress from her the sound of the fabric shredding bringing a new fear when just as suddenly he stops shoving her head on to the floor and walking to the closet)

Cassandra: Please Devereaux! (She cries the pain in her head making her almost ill her ribs throbbing)

Devereaux: You see this! LOOK AT ME! (He shouts from above her his face red with rage his nostrils flared knuckles white as his holds a long black.. unsure what it is as she tries desperately to focus through her tear swollen eyes) 

Cassandra: No! (Her voice almost a whisper her eyes filled with horror as he stands above her holding a leather-shaving strap)

Devereaux: This (He says snapping the leather as he comes towards her) was my father’s, every Sunday he would stand in the bathroom in his boxer cigarette dangeling from his mouth and sharpen his razor before shaving. When he wasn’t shaving he’d hang it on a nail next to the basement door and whenever he though I was getting out of hand or acting like a brat which seemed to be quiet often he would take it down and do to me just what I’m going to do to you! (He says slashing down at her with all his strength enjoying the whistle the strap makes as it cut through the air and even more the shriek she made as the leather struck her bare bottom. Cassandra curls into a ball as he strikes her again and again across her back and legs until her screams subsided replaced by muffled sobs. He leans down next to her his voice even and clam) You are mine do you understand MINE! This will be the very last warning I will give you. Do you understand?

Cassandra: Yes Devereaux (She whispers through her tears)

Devereaux: I didn’t hear you! (He reaches down jerking her head up to look at him)

Cassandra: Yes Devereaux. (She says louder as his mouth comes down to claim hers forcing her lips apart his tongue probing her mouth almost choking her)

Devereaux: I love you Cassandra. You should thank God for that. That is the only reason I was so lenient with you (He says stroking the bruise on her cheek then kissing it) if you ever do anything like this again I will kill you! (He cold, calm and succinct as if what he was saying was just a part of everyday conversation. He smiles pulling her to him and kisses her again this time tenderly forcing her back against the floor kissing the whelps and bruises his beating had left on her body enjoying how easily Cassandra yielded to him as he makes love to her. Her arms entwine around him pulling him close shuttering her ears to his murmuring tributes of love as he reaches the point of ecstasy. Never noticing the tears streaming down her cheeks, the fear and revulsion in her eyes or her lips moving in silent prayer)