Bedeviled

By Satyra O Kent

When Kiley met her fiancé she'd thought he was perfect. He was the first man she couldn't read, and the novelty gave her a break from the incessant noise of her gifts. But there was something off about the way he rushed the relationship, and she had the suspicion that her bookstore and its contents were m

• Language: English
• Publisher: Octopus Dog Press
• Release date: Sep 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088294291

Book preview

Bedeviled

A Tale From the Magic Bean

Satyra Kent

Copyright © 2022 Satyra Kent All rights reserved

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. The author prohibits the reproduction, distribution, or transmission of any part of this publication by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic methods without prior written permission, except for brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN-13:  9781088294291

Printed in the United States of America

ALSO BY SATYRA KENT

Books

Tales From the Magic Bean

Bespelled

Besotted

Belated

Bedeviled

Novellas

All the Rage

Hell is empty and all the devils are here.

William Shakespeare

Chapter 1

I Need a Vacation

It takes a certain type of person to run a successful business, and Kiley was sure she was not that person today. She felt off. Not that it was anything new, at least for the last few months. At first, she’d thought it was all the chaos surrounding her cousin Shane’s wedding and that kooky 18th century ghost. But once they’d married and moved in together, she’d felt the same way. Maybe she needed to jazz things up. Or maybe it was just the end of the quarter malaise because she had sent nothing to her accountant. She was hopelessly behind. If she were a witch who used her powers frivolously, she would come up with a spell to make paperwork go faster. Or supercharge her laptop. Although, the way she felt at the moment, she’d likely hex her computer back to dial up speeds. Her head pounded in a steady thudding rhythm, an echoing serenade of I don’t want to deal with this shit today. She’d woken up with the headache. Another fun new thing. She felt foggy and irritable, and David hadn’t noticed at all, going about his day as if he didn’t remember she was there. Typical. Since he’d moved in, he had two modes. Ignoring her existence or making a nuisance of himself because he cared. Oddly, he’d made himself scarce today. Which probably should bother her, but didn’t. Sighing, she stared blindly at the laptop’s screen and wondered how much trouble she would get in if she just didn’t do the tax thing this quarter. David had offered to help the night before, but she could tell he was just being nice, even if she couldn’t read him. No way was she trusting her books to anyone whose name wasn’t Kiley Kapule.

As if thinking about him was a summons, he walked into the kitchen, then loomed over her while holding his briefcase in one hand and his cell phone in the other.

She looked up, noting the faint look of irritation he gave her before he smiled and moved to set his briefcase down so he could speak. Then, being the needy bastard he was, he stood there looking down at her like an idiot. Maybe it was the headache, or the mound of work she had left, but the look on his face was setting her teeth on edge. Because it did and she seldom felt irritated with him, she decided he could wait. She pointedly looked back down at her screen and entered a few figures onto her spreadsheet, feeling the heavy weight of his anticipation like the dumbbells collecting dust in under her bed. Was he always like this, or was she just reacting because she was in a mood? Normally she found his habits endearing, but today it felt like he was waiting for her to acknowledge him and his perceived superiority in their relationship before he would deign to speak. Even if he was acting slightly superior, it didn’t really bother her. They hadn’t been together long enough for games. Sighing heavily, she spoke, keeping most of her irritation out of her voice.

So, how long are you going to be gone again? she asked, giving in to his need for her complete attention.

Just the weekend. I left my contact information at the resort for you on the desk in the kitchen, so if you need me, you can get in contact with me.

Kiley rubbed her temple, giving him a wan smile

I can do without you for three days. Do you want me to call if the package you were waiting for comes while you’re gone? she asked, for want of anything else to say, pointedly looking from him to her laptop, so he caught the hint. Maybe she should write ‘go away I need to work’ on a piece of paper and staple it to his forehead.

He smiled. Something about it raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Reflexively, Kiley reached out with her senses and felt a wall of blankness push back at her, making her head pound harder. She pulled back, clamping her mouth shut, so she didn’t moan. Her stomach twisted as she pasted a smile on her face, beaming back at him to give the impression that nothing was wrong, but alarm bells were sounding in her head. The same alarm bells that had been getting louder the past four weeks. Why else would his smile set her off? It wasn’t just that she had work to do. It just felt like he’d interrupted so he could feel important before he left. Something was triggering her intuition. He was up to something. She’d been in relationships with men who were being dishonest before. Even though she knew he wasn’t lying about the trip, he was lying about something. She’d bet on it.

No, it’s fine. If it comes, it can wait for me until I return. It’s sweet of you to think of it, he said. He smiled wider and leaned forward to brush a kiss on her forehead. Kiley shrank back from him, and his face tightened, anger clouding his expression before he smoothed it deliberately away. And it was deliberate. Kiley could see it plainly. How many times had she seen just that look and excused it in the last six months? What was wrong with her? She knew impatience and anger when she saw it, no matter what else she was or wasn’t feeling. Yet she’d gone along with him, put up with it and made excuses. Why? She picked up her glass and took a sip of her water, smiling at him with a blank look, as if she hadn’t just prevented him from touching her.

Have a good time hon, I have a ton to do. End of the quarter and all. You know how it is when you own a business. There’s always something to do, she said, and shrugged, looking back down at her computer screen as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

Alright then. See you soon. I’ll text when I arrive, he said, walking toward the door. Kiley sighed, frowning at her screen, then paused, looking toward the entrance. Normally, if she didn’t jump up to walk him to the door, he forced her to. It was almost a ritual with them, even when she was busy as she was now. It was kind of romantic. The way he pulled her away from wherever she was to shower her with kisses and tell her he would miss her. Kiley waited for a beat, then stood, following him silently down the hall and keeping out of sight.

David had his phone pressed to his ear and was smiling as he listened to whoever was on the other end. A genuine smile, not the one he’d just given her. Seeing it made her angry, clearing a bit of the fog from her mind.

Yes, I am leaving now. I should be there in three hours, maybe less, he said, and listened again. This time, his smile became almost feline. She knew that look, although she’d yet to see him direct it at her. It was the look of a man thinking of his lover.

Of course. You know she doesn’t get the real me. There’s only one person who has my heart, and it isn’t her. I can’t wait until I get there because we’re not leaving the room until it’s time for the meeting, he purred, his voice lowering an octave. Kiley froze, unable to believe what she was hearing. The asshole was cheating on her. She listened as he said a few more things and hung up, walking out the door to his car without once looking back.

Unbelievable. Kiley ran back into the kitchen, anger crowding out the headache and leaving her head clearer with every passing moment. Snatching up her cell phone, she dialed her best friend’s number and waited impatiently as it rang.

He’s cheating on me! she said instead of a greeting.

You’re kidding, Genn said, not needing more explanation because she knew her so well.

NO! she shouted, then let out a heaving breath. How could I be so stupid, Genn? Clearly, something was up. I couldn’t read him. I told you being with him was such a relief I didn’t think, I didn’t think, she said and sighed.

Stop it. You’re not stupid or gullible or at fault. You gave your trust and heart to him. Or at least tried to. You told me you were worried he was rushing things, so I knew your heart wasn’t fully in this, Genn said, and Kiley sighed.

I overheard him making plans to have sex with someone at the hotel he is going to for his work meeting, Kiley said, sitting in the kitchen chair and jamming her fingers into her hair. Her customary hairdo of two messy braids was not up to the action and came unraveled, leaving her with one side a mass of tangled black hair.

So, what are you going to do? Genn asked, and Kiley sighed again. No way could she let him get away with this. She looked down at the ring he’d all but forced her to take. It sat like a lead weight on her finger. With an angry jerk, she yanked it off and tossed it across the room. Then thought better of it and walked over to pick it up. She’d throw the damn thing at him the next time she saw him. She could hardly wait for him to get back, so she could tell him it was over.

When he comes back, I am going to tell him to go to hell, Kiley said, feeling better about the situation. Her head was hurting less, and she felt steady. She felt good.

Why wait? Call him now, tell him it is over, Genn said, and Kiley pursed her lips in thought. If she called him while he was on the road, he would know she was eavesdropping. Somehow, the idea of him knowing she’d eavesdropped unsettled her. Something akin to fear seized her, and she felt sick to her stomach. Which was ridiculous. Since when was she scared to say anything to anyone? She sighed. So much felt wrong. She felt wrong. Love is supposed to feel good. If you are going to marry someone, you should be able to trust them enough to speak up and address any difficulty, without hesitation. Especially something as big as this. Kiley sighed again, and Genn laughed in her ear.

I can hear the wheels turning in your head. What is going on over there? Do I need to come over? Genn asked, and Kiley smiled.

No. I was just realizing that I’m afraid to confront him, Kiley said, and Genn scoffed.

No way, that’s not you, Kiley. What is going on here, really?

I don’t know. Something about him throws me off, makes me feel unsure of myself. I realized this morning that I don’t like it. Then when we were talking, it felt like something was up. That’s why I followed him to the door. Some part of me knew, even though I can’t read him, Kiley said, and Gen made a low noise of derision.

Seems to me that the fact that you couldn’t read him should have been the clue, but it’s pointless to have that argument again. What are you thinking? Are you going to call him or what? Genn asked and Kiley shook her head, remembered she was on the phone, and sighed.

No. I am going to put on some makeup and clean clothes and get in my car and drive to the hotel. Since he so helpfully left me the address and his contact information, I can go there and give him back his ring in person, Kiley said, and Genn hooted in her ear.

Girl! FaceTime me so I can see the look on his face when you throw that piece of shit ring back at him, Genn said, and Kiley let out a bitter laugh.

I promise to give you the blow by blow after. I got a feeling that this is going to get ugly quick. Good thing I have an ace up my sleeve. I never let on just what I could do. He is going to get a rude awakening. I don’t need to read him to put him on his ass, Kiley said, and Genn laughed uproariously.

That’s my girl. Give him hell. And then afterward come over here so we can toast your freedom. That man is nothing but dead weight. You’re going to be so much better without him, Genn said, and Kiley sighed.

You never did like him. It worried me a lot that none of the people in my life liked the man I was going to marry.

"You didn’t want to marry him! He skipped from ‘hey can you find me a book’ to ‘honey, I’m moving in.’ I don’t get it. It’s not like you’re rich or an heiress or something. He obviously had an angle," Genn said, and Kiley snorted.

Gee thanks. Wanna give me a paper cut and squeeze a lemon wedge over it? Maybe paint an L on my forehead for loser, Kiley said, and Genn made a sympathetic noise.

"No way am I implying that you aren’t awesome or worthy of love, cuz. You know that,