The Psychopath's Prisoner Read online

  The Psychopath’s Prisoner

  Darla Lark

  Copyright © 2015 Darla Lark

  All rights Reserved

  ISBN-10: 1505622166

  ISBN-13: 1505622164

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to my grandparents, Dennis and Mary Lee, and my husband, Rob Lark. They were and are my inspirations in becoming a writer.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I would like to thank my husband, Rob, for being so supportive and patient when I’m writing. Also, I would like to thank my editors, Kathy Shollenberger and Bob Nailor for making this book possible by giving me great feedback.

  Chapter 1

  I watched Cheyenne Harrington walk toward the tall executive building and all I could contemplate was our future together. Today is your day of liberation. Soon you will be mine, the paperwork will be over. You deserved better. You deserve me. I silently rubbed my sweat-covered hands to dry them before grabbing the steering wheel and leaning forward to watch her disappear in the courthouse doors. Soon, baby. Very soon. I leaned back into the seat and began to the watchful wait.

  Chapter 2

  Facing each other across the table, Cheyenne and Tyler Harrington stared solemnly as their lawyers slid the papers across the table for them to sign. Cheyenne attempted to control her trembling hand as she signed. Today was the final chapter of the divorce and it broke Cheyenne’s heart—five years of marriage thrown into the swamp. She wondered why and how things had gotten this far. Was it her fault things went awry? Did she not try hard enough? Had she not been a good wife? Is that why Tyler had turned to another woman? She hadn’t been a good wife?

  “Well, it looks like we are all done here, Mr. O’Neill.” Her lawyer stood up to shake Tyler and his lawyer’s hands.

  Cheyenne sat there watching them before finally standing to stare out the sixth-floor’s panoramic view of the Seagate Convention Center and the Toledo Mudhen’s ball field with the Maumee River just beyond. Only five years of marriage and this is how it ends? Was it possible to love and hate someone at the same time?

  Mr. Michael O’Neill’s voice snapped her back to reality and she turned around to face the men. “Well, you got what you wanted. You should feel really great.” While Tyler and his attorney were whispering to each other, Mr. O’Neill nudged her and whispered, “You are free of him and his cheating ways. I’ve been there and done that. It’s never a good place to be.” He flashed a sympathetic smile. “Just don’t judge all men by one and I promise you will find the right one who will be faithful and love you.”

  Cheyenne grimaced, scrunching up her nose then sarcastically said, “Yeah. I feel really great. I’m only glad that there were no children or pets to divide up or figure out what to do with. It wouldn’t have been fair to any of them.”

  Before she could say anything else, Tyler walked over to where she was still seated. His eyes met hers, which made her heart pound almost out of her chest. How could she still want him after what he did? She wanted to throw herself into his arms, yet sock him in the face, too.

  “I’m sorry about everything I put you through, Chey. I really am.” He reached out and gently played a finger on her shoulder drawing a random pattern.

  She shrugged her shoulder, pulling away so his hand no longer touched her. She stood and replied, “If you were really sorry, it would’ve never happened in the first place, Ty. I gave you everything and you threw it all away for nothing.” She snatched her blazer from the chair and forced her arms quickly into its sleeves. Cheyenne added, “I can’t lie, Tyler. I still love you. However, it doesn’t mean that I’ll let you use me for special favors or anything else, because I know you and knowing how you are is why I say this. I hope things work out the way you want them to.” She turned her back to Tyler. Mr. O’Neill stepped back to allow her to exit. He smiled politely at Tyler, turned and followed his client out the door.

  “You are now a free woman, Mrs. Harrington. Er, Ms. Harrington,” Mr. O’Neill said as they walked away from the elevator to exit the building.

  Cheyenne shrugged. “Yeah. There’s no Mrs. to my name any longer. It’s over. It’s really over.”

  Mr. O’Neill watched her. “Look, Ms. Harrington, it’s not easy going through a divorce, but you will eventually pull your life together and come out stronger.” Gently grabbing her arms in his big hands, he forced her to look him in the eyes. “Things will get better. I promise you. I’ve been where you’re at.” He paused. “It’s always difficult at first, but it does get easier—especially when you realize you can make it on your own. Trust me.” He let go and waited.

  Tyler and his new very pregnant girlfriend, Elizabeth, walked out of the courthouse, arm in arm. Cheyenne watched, swallowed hard, and held back the tears. It hurt to see them together knowing they had been having an affair for the last year and a half. How could she have spent the last five years with a man she thought she knew? She was the one who was supposed to carry his children, not her. She didn’t know if she could move on, despite her lawyer’s encouraging words. What was she going to do now?

  Cheyenne forced a feeble smile. “I hope so, Mr. O’Neill. Thank you for the encouragement.” She shook his hand, turned and remained quiet and focused on getting to her car as she held her breath feeling O’Neill’s eyes on her as she walked away. Cheyenne didn’t want to break down, not yet, not in public. As soon as she slid into her seat and the door closed, the waterfall of tears turned on. Burying her face in her hands, she leaned into the steering wheel and let out what she had held in the entire course of the paper signing.

  A knock on the window made her jump. She sniffled and rolled the window down as she looked into the face of her attorney with a forced smile and asked, “Is there something else?”

  Mr. O’Neill bent down to eye level. “It seems you left your purse on the table. My secretary ran it down to me and I wanted to catch you before you left.” He flashed a smile and offered the purse.

  She stared absently at the purse before finally accepting it with a smile. “Thank you. For everything.”

  “It’s what I do, but you’re welcome.” He turned to go, but stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “I wish you the best of luck, Ms. Harrington.” He walked away.

  She turned the key in the ignition and whispered, “Yeah, me too.”

  ~

  She pulled into the driveway of the house she had once shared with Tyler on Bancroft near the University of Toledo. Cheyenne began to feel a sense of dread wash over her. So much packing to get done over the next few days. At least she would have the house to herself since Tyler had already moved out. It was really sad that they were selling the house. Even though she would get half of the profit from the sale, it was still home. Now, she had to move into an apartment and start all over.

  Cheyenne parked, opened the car door, and stepped out. As soon as she did, Mrs. Warner, their neighbor for the last five years came over. She and Cheyenne had become close friends over the course of those years.

  “Hello, Cheyenne, my dear girl.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Warner.” She quickly wiped a tear away with a finger.

  Mrs. Warner hugged her. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.”

  Cheyenne cried on Mrs. Warner’s shoulder. She thought about Tyler, his unborn child, and her uncertain future. Not to mention, her broken heart.

  “You’ll be all right. You’re a strong woman. It’ll take time, but you’ll eventually get on your feet again. You are going to have to prove it to yourself that you can do it. I know you can.” Mrs. Warner pulled back and held Cheyenne at arm’s length while she looked her in the eyes. “I’m here for you. You know that, right?”

  Cheyenne wiped the tears away with her palms and nodd
ed. “Yeah. I know. Thank you and sorry about this. Didn’t mean to fall apart like that.”

  “Oh, honey, it’s all right. I took one look at you and knew you were about to, whether I was here or not.” She shrugged and sighed. “It’s what friends are for. Would you like to come over for a glass of tea or two?”

  “Sure.” Cheyenne smiled warmly at Mrs. Warner. “Give me a few minutes to freshen up and I’ll be right over.”

  Mrs. Warner walked away and Cheyenne turned her attention to the house. She started up the pathway and ascended the steps. Her heart sank at the thought of leaving this place she and Tyler had made their home. She unlocked the door and an ocean of memories hit her like a tsunami. From the moment they had found this house, to him carrying her over the threshold, to all the parties they held, to the unfortunate moment she had caught him with Elizabeth in their bed. So many good memories, yet the bad one was fresh in her mind.

  Cheyenne inhaled deeply and stepped inside. She flipped the switch and the lights came on. All she could do was shake her head. Her life had become no more than a bunch of boxes and memories.

  Once more an array of emotions began to overwhelm her. She rubbed her temples to ward off the oncoming headache. “Well, I guess I’ll head over to Mrs. Warner’s. I just can’t do this right now.” She knew she had to finish packing and load her car, but she needed the break. She headed over to Mrs. Warner’s.

  ~

  “So, what are you planning on doing with your life now?”

  “I don’t know yet. The only thing I can do is to take some time for myself and figure things out.”

  “I see.” Mrs. Warner cleared her throat and asked, “Do you think you’ll get married again?”

  Cheyenne looked over at Mrs. Warner with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t know. Haven’t really thought about it. Why?”

  Pursing her lips, she said, “Just wondering.”

  “Uh huh. Sure. What’s on your mind? Don’t say ‘nothing.’ I know you better than that, Mrs. Warner.”

  “Okay. You got me.” With a smile, she went on. “I would like it if you met my son on a more personal level. He’s a good boy. I’m so very proud of him. He’s been a successful attorney and is a very handsome boy.”

  “I know he is.”

  “Well,” she reached across the table and patted Cheyenne’s hand, “I think you would hit it off quite nicely with him if you met up on a non-divorce related meeting.”

  “Mrs. Warner, I just finalized my divorce. I’m not really interested in dating anyone quite yet.”

  “Honey, you’re back on the market.”

  “Actually, I won’t be ‘on the market’ until I’m ready to be, which won’t be for a while. You know, I keep wondering why Tyler had the affair. I tried to be everything to him. I tried to be the best wife I could be and gave him all my love. Did I not take care of him very well or something? Even though he cheated, I still love him. Is that sad and pathetic of me?” She stared at her glass of tea as she kept turning it between her hands. “I am so confused and don’t know what to do. What am I supposed to do without Tyler?”

  Mrs. Warner sighed, looked down at her glass, and said, “Let me tell you something. Just between us girls.”

  Cheyenne stared at her curiously. “What is it?”

  “I was once where you are now. Only I had a small child and one on the way. My ex-husband cheated on me, too. It hurt a lot because I loved him like you do Tyler.”

  “I didn’t know you had been divorced. I thought you and Mr. Warner had always been together.”

  “Nope. My first husband met someone else, had an affair, and filed for divorce. I might’ve ended everything if it hadn’t been for my children.” She looked up and smiled at Cheyenne. “Yes, I was that depressed. If it hadn’t been for my babies, I probably would’ve ended my life. Throw in Mr. Warner who raised my sons as if they were his own. He’s a wonderful man because he took on responsibilities he didn’t have to.”

  “So, you’re saying that since I don’t have children, I should end it all?”

  “Absolutely not! I’m saying that your life is too precious to die like that. You’ll find someone else who will truly love you and be faithful.” She flashed a mischievous smile, which Cheyenne knew the implications of it. “A reason to want to live. You just have to wait it out.”

  “I never said I wanted to commit suicide.”

  “No, but I know you and that look. It was the same one I had when I went through my divorce. So, don’t even think about it.”

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  “You better not. Sweetheart, you will figure things out, but you do need to go out and have fun too. Don’t let the divorce stop you from living.”

  Cheyenne shrugged and groaned. “I don’t know what to do right now. But,” she paused, pointing her finger, “I refuse to take my own life.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear that.” She paused and looked at Cheyenne to reemphasize. “Well, when you’re ready, I would like to have a little get-together with my son. As you know, he’s a decent, respectable young man.”

  Cheyenne ignored her comment. “I like him. Thanks for recommending him. He was amazing. A pit bull in the courtroom.” She tilted her head with a furrowed brow and asked, “How come I’ve never seen him around here? I’ve lived here for five years.”

  “He’s a busy kid being a lawyer and all,” she began. “Therefore, he doesn’t come around very much, but we are really close and he calls every day. When he does come over, it’s usually in the evenings around dinner time.” She shook her head with sadness in her eyes. “Since his divorce, he’s buried in his work.”

  Cheyenne sipped her tea before responding. “He must’ve loved her very much.”

  “Yes he did and I believe he still does even though he says he doesn’t.” Realizing what she just said, Mrs. Warner added, “But I think he would like to fall in love again and start a family with a nice girl. His love for his ex isn’t as strong as it used to be, but it’s there nonetheless. If he met you on a more personal level…”

  “How long has it been since his divorce?”

  “Three years.” Then she added cheerfully, “But if he met the right girl, things could change for him and if you met the right guy…”

  “I’m not ready for that yet! I need time. A LOT of time. I’m sure he’ll eventually meet someone. I’m pretty sure it won’t be me.”

  “I’m just saying…”

  “You know, maybe divorce isn’t the best topic right now.” Cheyenne closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was desperate to change the subject.

  “Anyway, I hope you still come over when you’re settled in your new place. Don’t stop visiting. I enjoy our girl time.”

  “No worries. I’ll still visit. I enjoy our talks as well. You’re like a second mom to me.”

  “You’re the daughter I never had.”

  Cheyenne glanced at her watch. An hour! “I’ve got to get going, Mrs. Warner. I’ve taken up too much of your time with my problems, but I promise I’ll stop in to visit again real soon.”

  ~

  Cheyenne closed the door to her apartment and exhaustion set in. She looked around her apartment and felt even more exhausted. Boxes and boxes everywhere and there were more to come. She sighed. Her life, condensed down to a bunch of boxes. It was depressing and overwhelming. Most of it would be going into storage.

  She thought about all the unpacking she had to do and all the boxes still at the house for her to pick up. It was more of a pain to move than to have accepted the deal to keep the house, but, she didn’t want to remain in the house where she had caught them and deal with it on a day-to-day basis. She had determined that it was much better for her to move out and start over than live with the pain. Tyler had decided not to live there either, but for other reasons, Cheyenne believed. It wasn’t because he was hurting as he had told her.

  Cheyenne squeezed through the mess that was her apartment, toward the bedroom. As soon as
she saw her empty bed, there was no stopping. She flung herself onto it. It felt so good. The bedroom was the only room even remotely put together, but that was more out of necessity.

  “At least all the work will keep my mind off of things for a while. I hope.” She was startled when her cell phone rang. Cheyenne got up and began looking for it. “Where the heck is my phone? I just had the damn thing. This place is so disorganized. I can’t wait until things are put away.”

  By the time she found her phone in the living room, it had quit ringing. “Damn it! Why does that always happen?” She looked to see who had called and groaned. “Raina. Go figure.”

  Cheyenne stood there, debating whether or not to call her back. She knew how her sister could be and decided to make the call. It rang a couple of times before Raina answered.

  “Hey sis!”

  “Hello Raina. What’s up?”

  “I wanted to check on you.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Uhhh…yeah. Okay. Didn’t you finalize your divorce today?”

  “Yeah. So?”

  “Well, I know how you still feel about Tyler. I didn’t call you right away because for one, you might’ve had to take care of things with your lawyer and two, I knew you needed some space.”

  “Thanks. I went to the house today after court.” Cheyenne removed an earring.

  “Oh yeah? How’d that go? Are you okay? You should’ve called me. I would’ve gone with you.”

  Cheyenne took a deep breath after the volley of questions from her sister. “Really, I’m fine and, yes, it was awkward, but I did get to sit and talk with Mrs. Warner. I got a few more boxes out of the house. I just got back to my apartment and was about to take a little nap. I’m exhausted!”

  “Okay. Okay. I get the point. But I had to call and check on my little sister.”