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Paul and I stopped keeping separate rooms on the road - once I could go back to work. Even though we weren't together in the biblical sense, it was good to listen to him sleep and know that if we wanted to sleep together we could. I decided that I was not going to be controlled by fear of what Scott might do to me. Being afraid of him wasn't getting me anywhere and it was just a waste of time and emotions. My ankle and wrist healed completely in six eeks and I was back at work as soon as the casts came off. I also had a hearing date scheduled for the division of property.
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May 21, 2002
Stamford, Connecticut
Judge Carl Sanderson's Chambers
Janine and I sat nervously waiting in Judge Sanderson's chambers. He was going to tell me what I could and could not have of the joint property that Scott and I had accumulated during our marriage. I wasn't concerned with any of the joint property, but Janine told me that it was standard procedure - especially since I continued to work at CNN after WCW folded and was the sole supporting partner at the time. Creating the list of joint property was grueling.
Judge Sanderson gave us each a car - based on who drove it the most - and gave Scott the house in Detroit and I got the townhouse in Stamford. Every other item seemed to be divided according to a flip of a coin - he got the big screen TV and entertainment center, while I got the computer from the den. Scott got the boat and I got the jet skis. All in all it was pretty fair and with a court order I set out to collect my things from the house in Detroit before he was scheduled for release from jail in Arizona.
Paul came over to the townhouse for the first time after I had moved everything that was mine in (and moved all of Scott's stuff to his place). I offered to cook dinner for him and see where things had went from there. Judge Sanderson had also issued an official separation order at the property
hearing.
"So, this is officially your place, huh?" He asked when he walked in. "Does that mean I can sleep over?"
"I don't see why not." I said. "But I don't have much sleeping in mind for you if you stay."
"Aww, c'mon I'm a growing boy. I need my sleep." He said teasingly.
"Yeah, I'd like to see if I can get areas of you to grow." I said as I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively. "If you catch my drift."
"Oh, yeah I got it." He said as he leaned over the kitchen counter to steal a cherry tomato out of the salad I was making. "So, how sturdy is that kitchen table?"
"I have no idea." I said. "But I'd rather not try it out. The couch is much more comfortable."
"I see." He said as he slipped his arms around me from behind. "You know if you were just about three or four inches taller, I'd have a place to rest my chin when we stand like this."
"Yeah, but having a boob rest isn't so bad." I giggled. "Well, are you ready to eat?"
"Depends." He said. "What are you going to feed me?"
"Dinner - for now." I said as I pulled a pan of lasagna out of the oven. "Other things are negotiable for later."
"Sounds good to me." He said as he grabbed the salad bowl and carried it to the table.
We ate and laughed and talked like we'd never missed any time. And granted we'd been working together for almost four months again this time - but we hadn't moved our relationship beyond an occasional kiss or hug until this night. I felt the butterflies inside that were there the first time he and I were together, and the anticipation of what might happen was the best part of the whole thing. When my phone started ringing I wanted to ignore it - no one had a right to our time - and I wanted to pretend that the world only consisted of Paul and me at that particular moment.
"It might be important." He said as he pointed at the phone. "It could be Janine."
"Yeah, and I have Call Notes." I said.
"Just answer it and then we can get back to us." He said.
"Okay, I'll answer it and then I'm turning the fucker off." I said as I got up from the table. "Hello, yeah, he's here. Just a minute, Paul, it's Vince."
"Uh, hi, Vince, what's up?" He asked. "We're just having dinner. Oh, man can it wait?"
I snapped my attention back to Paul immediately as I saw anger flash across his face.
"Okay, Vince, I'll be there in an hour." He said. "Fuck, I got to go over to headquarters and re-take some photos for the cover of the new video."
"Are you going to come back here when you're finished?" I asked.
"I don't know when we're going to be finished." He said. "Why don't you come with me?"
"Sure." I said.
We finished eating and headed over to the office for the photo shoot. Vince was standing there with one of the photographers and was anxiously waiting for us to show up. When we walked in together, Vince smiled.
"Well, that saves us some time." He said. "We don't need to call in another make up artist. Jan's not at home and Denise's husband is working late so she doesn't have someone to watch the kids. Unless you mind doing it, Kari?"
"Not at all." I said. "Where's my stuff?"
"Everything's in the little dressing area we set up for him over there." Vince said as he pointed to a little area of the room with a screen partition.
Paul and I walked over there for him to get ready for the shoot. There were several changes of clothes there for him to work with. The photographer had posted a list of what he was going to shoot first. I got Paul ready for the first setup - except for his clothes -and went over to wait for him to show up. I also decided that I like playing with his hair more when it's dry than when it's dripping wet.
We finally finished the shoot at midnight. Paul drove us back to my place. In the car, I did everything I could think of to get him turned on - well, just short of going down on him. He did everything to keep his attention glued to the road as he drove. When we got back to the house, I invited him in. He started to decline because of the time, but gave in when I promised to make his favorite breakfast.
"So, are we sharing a bed or what?" He asked as we walked in.
"I don't know, maybe." I giggled.
I walked through the house stripping off my clothes. Paul followed me - picking up things as he went. When we finally got upstairs to my bedroom, he
dropped everything in a pile at the foot of the bed. I turned to face him - wearing nothing but a smile. I looked him up and down and then pointed at his clothes. He shook his head.
"Please." I whimpered.
"No." He said.
"Why not?" I asked. "Don't you wanna play with me?"
"Not when you're acting like a spoiled brat." He said with a grin. "Why I ought to..."
"You ought to what?" I said - knowing I was pushing my luck.
"I ought to give you a spanking for the way you're behaving, Kari." He said, smiling from ear to ear.
"Well, I think you're all talk." I said before sticking my tongue out at him. "I'm gonna take a shower, see you in a few."
Before I could get to the bathroom, he'd grabbed me and tossed me over his shoulder. The weight of his hand felt good on the small of my back as he carried me back over to the bed. He put me down on the floor and then sat on the end of the bed. I realized how serious he was when he patted his lap. I shook my head and he gently grabbed my arm and pulled me across.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a brat." I said, trying to keep from giggling.
"Why don't I buy that?" He asked.
"Well, be gentle with me." I said. "I haven't gotten a spanking in close to twenty years."
Paul rubbed my bare ass as he lectured me on how my behavior in the car could've gotten us into a car accident. I nodded and felt my face burning hot from both how embarrassed I was to be in the position I was in and how badly I wanted him at this moment. He gave me five smacks to each cheek - not enough to hurt me, but they did sting - and let me up. I looked at him and then kissed his cheek after sincerely apologizing.
He pulled me down so that I was sitting on his lap and kissed me. I wiggled uncontrollably as my warm bottom rubbed against the rough fabric of
his jeans. I could feel his cock straining against his jeans as I sat there. We continued to kiss and rub against each other for a while. I finally tugged his shirt loose from his jeans and dropped it on the floor with my clothes. Nervously, I slid my hands down his chest to the front of his jeans. He grabbed my hands and wrapped my arms around his neck and lifted us both off of the bed.
He put me down on the bed and kicked his boots and socks off before he took his jeans off. When the denim slid down his legs, his hard on sprang forward. He told me to lie down and not move until he was on the bed. He started kissing me at the tops of my feet and worked north - until I thought I was going to explode from the feel of his tongue against my sex. After lavishing some attention down there, he worked his way up the rest of my body until he was lying on top of me. He laced his fingers between mine as he thrust into me. It had been so long since we'd been together and I realized that this time was truly two people in love having sex. And it was mind-blowing.
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I'm sure that there are some people who don't understand how I can let Paul
spank me but I won't stay with Scott after everything else. I really have no intention of explaining the difference between safe and consensual (albeit kinky) adult activities and abuse to anyone who can't tell the difference. I also admit that I deserved and enjoyed that spanking because I was being a brat and he did tell me to stop what I was doing several times on the ride home - I chose to ignore him and I willingly paid the consequences.
Paul and I also realized how much we needed to be together at this time. We were comfortable and we figured out how to accept our history together and apart to make us stronger together. I love him more and more everyday for that.
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June 3, 2002
Stamford, Connecticut
The divorce proceedings finally moved into the courtroom in June. I was granted a leave of absence until everything was done. The testimony was pretty traumatic at times. I had to recount every incident of abuse from the first time Scott hit me to the time he threw me from the stage in Phoenix. I lost count of how many boxes of Kleenex were used in the courtroom. John Mathis, Scott's attorney, tried to paint me as nothing more than a gold-digging whore. It might have worked until Paul took the stand to testify for me.
"Please state your full name for the court." The bailiff ordered.
"Paul Michael Levesque." He answered.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help you God?" The bailiff continued.
"I will." He said before taking his seat.
I nervously watched as Janine got up to begin questioning Paul. She stood at the table for a few moments in almost unbearable silence.
"Mr. Levesque, when did you first meet my client?" She asked.
"Uh, I would have to say around April of 1994. She was hired as a make up artist for WCW while I was a wrestler there." He answered.
"And the nature of your relationship at that time?" She asked.
"We were co-workers and friends." He said.
"Is it true, though that the two of you dated?" Janine asked.
"Yes, ma'am. We dated for about four or five months." He said. "From December of 1994 to about March of 1995."
"So, you broke off the relationship with Kari at that time?" She asked.
"No, actually I wanted to continue seeing her, but she called off the relationship." He answered.
"And why, if you know, would she do that?" Janine asked.
"Because she was scared." He answered. "The first time we slept together she
got pregnant. I had told her that I wasn't ready to be married and have a family - she was scared of how I would react to her being pregnant. She miscarried the baby in a car accident."
"When did you and Kari meet again?" She asked.
"This past February." He replied. "She and Scott were going to be joining the WWF."
"No further questions." Janine said as she came back over to the table.
Scott's attorney started to not ask Paul any questions, but then he changed his mind after Scott whispered something to him.
"Mr. Levesque, is it true that you have been having an affair with Mrs. Steiner for the past few months since she started working with you again?" He asked.
"No, we didn't start an affair immediately after she started working for the WWF." Paul replied.
"But the two of you are involved currently?" Mr. Mathis questioned.
"We began seeing each other again after Kari got the official separation order from the court." Paul answered.
"But the two of you were seen going to dinner together as early as March, is that true?" Mr. Mathis asked.
"Yes, we went to dinner together as friends only on March 17." Paul replied. "We ate and I walked her back to the door of her hotel room. We said goodnight and then I returned to my room."
"No further questions at this time, your honor, but I would like to reserve the right to recall this witness later." Mr. Mathis stated.
"I have no problem with this, your honor." Janine said.
"Very well, Ms. Kirkpatrick, call your next witness." The judge proceeded.
"Yes, I would like to call Debra Williams to the stand." Janine asked.
I had to admit as the parade of the WWF roster continued to go to and from the witness stand, I felt less certain of how the divorce would go. I mean I wanted to move on with my life - Paul and I were already making plans for what we were going to do with our second chance and everything seemed to be in a state of limbo. And that truly sucked.
Finally, Janine called me to the stand. I was sworn in and then began to answer Janine's questions. Her questions were pretty straight forward -she asked about my reasons for petitioning the court for the divorce in the first place and then she went on to introduce my medical records to the court as evidence of the alleged abuse. Janine rested her case and then Mr. Mathis came up to question me.
"So, Mrs. Steiner, why didn't you choose to leave your husband after the first instance of abuse - the time you allege that he pushed you down the stairs of your home resulting in a miscarriage?" Mr. Mathis asked.
"Because Scott promised that he'd never hit me again." I said.
"But he did hit you again, didn't he?" He asked.
"Yes, sir." I answered.
"And you still stayed with him?" He asked. "Wouldn't most women turn and run from a man who beats them like you claim your husband did?"
"Possibly, but I was afraid of him." I answered. "I was afraid that he would kill me if I ever left."
"Mrs. Steiner, why then, after you began working with your former boyfriend, did you finally find the strength to risk you life as you put it to file for divorce?" He asked.
"Because I decided that my life and career meant more to me than Scott's threats." I said.
"Or is it that you wanted to clear the path to rekindle your affair with Paul Levesque?" He questioned hatefully.
"No, until I got the separation order last month Paul and I were only friends. He understood what I was going through and he has been very supportive of every decision I've made." I said.
"But the two of you have been rooming together on the road since before you were officially separated from you husband, have you not." He asked.
"Yes, but we were not having an affair then." I said. "Besides, I was only on the road for two weeks before my separation due to injuries sustained from Scott throwing me off of a twelve-foot high stage."
"No further questions." He said.
The judge instructed me to take my seat again as he then called for the court to be in recess until the following Monday. Janine and I walked down the block from the courthouse to her office. I was worried that everyone would think that I was lying about my relationship with Paul.
"Janine, I know you warned me that they were going to throw this at me, but why does it seem like I should be ashamed of my relationship with Paul?" I asked.
"Don't worry about John's questions. It's standard fare." She said. "You did fine. No one would hold it against you even if you did cheat on Scott - I mean he's had how many affairs, including the one that you walked in on with Stephanie McMahon, right? And he's beaten you almost to the point
that you were crippled, right?"
"Yeah." I said. "But I still don't like having everyone I care about drug through the mud so Scott can cover his own ass."
"Why don't you go on home and I will see you Monday before we go into court, okay?" Janine asked.
"Okay, see you Monday." I said as I walked out of her office.
I drove home and was slightly surprised to see Paul's hummer in the driveway. I walked in to the house. He was sitting on the couch watching Sports Center. I kicked my shoes off and stretched out on the couch beside
him. I fell asleep with my head on his lap a short time later and pretty much stayed that way until he woke me at 8:30.
"Baby, do you want to go get something to eat?" He asked.
"No, I'm not really hungry." I said. "But if you want something, go ahead."
"Do you have anything here, then?" He asked.
"Yeah, help yourself to whatever's in the fridge." I said. "I'm going upstairs to change for bed. I'll see you later."
I got to the bedroom and stripped off the suit and hose that I'd worn for court and tossed them in the bag with the other stuff I needed to take to the dry cleaner. I took the clip out of my hair and brushed it out as I sat down on the edge of the bed. I grabbed my nightshirt from under my pillow and slipped it on. I had just started to turn the light off when I heard glass break downstairs.
"Paul, is everything alright?" I asked nervously.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine." He said. "I'll be up there in a minute."
I settled under the covers and turned the light off. I was not prepared for what happened next. The lights were turned on and I barely had time to see what was happening before Scott pounced on me. I glanced around and noticed that Scott wasn't alone as two guys that were with him were tying Paul to a chair in the corner.
"Let's see what we have here." Scott sneered as he pulled the blankets off of me. "Oh, Kari, you aren't wearing panties under your night gown. What a nice surprise."
"Scotty, what do you want?" I asked, fearfully.
"I want you, my dear." He said.
"Then let Paul go, this is between us." I said.
"No, Kari, I want him to see everything." Scott said. "I want him to know just how much of a conniving little whore the woman he's sleeping with is. I want him to see you act like a bitch in heat."
"Go to hell." I spat angrily. "Just go to fucking hell."
"Not so fast, Kari." He said. "I brought my friends with me to help you teach Paulie here a lesson in how to control you. Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my lovely little wife."
Scott tore my gown off my body and then pulled me off the bed by my hair. After shoving me down in front of the other men, he then walked over and stood next to Paul. The first guy grabbed my breasts and then slapped me
to the floor when I tried to fight back. The second one wrapped his belt around my neck and tightened it until I could barely breathe. The more I struggled the tighter it got. Then using some of the same tape that they'd used to tie Paul to the chair with, they bound my arms behind me. They then forced me onto my knees in front of them.
I started remembering them as blue and black - based on the color of their pants because I don't remember seeing anymore of than their pants. Well, while Black held me down on my knees, Blue unfastened his pants. He slapped my face repeatedly until I opened my mouth enough for him to stuff his dick inside. The other guy began rubbing my crotch with the toe of his shoe as I was forced to give the other guy head. I closed my eyes tightly as tears rolled down my face. In my mind I could see the hurt look on Paul's face and I couldn't stand to see it. I coughed and actually vomited on the floor when the guy's load started to enter my mouth. I just couldn't swallow it.
I just barely had enough time to catch my breath when Black drug my to my feet by the belt that was around my neck. He shoved me face first on the bed and then Blue rolled me over onto my back. The pulled my legs toward
the bedposts and taped my ankles to them. They put tape over my mouth so I
wouldn't scream. I looked over at Paul - our eyes met briefly before Black
thrust into me. I thrashed about on the bed as best I could until he finished.
"That will be all, gentlemen." Scott said as he walked over to the bed. "Now, let's see, Paul, would you like to watch her fuck her husband one last time?"
Paul was shaking his head "no" as Scott removed the tape from my ankles. He
flipped me over onto my stomach and then shoved one of his fingers into my
ass.
"You know, Kari, you really have a lovely ass." Scott said as he continued to stretch the tight opening. "It's always so tight and so hot. Paul, have you fucked Kari's ass, yet?"
Paul tried to look away, but Scott continued taunting him to the point he couldn't. Scott gripped my buttocks roughly and spread them before he forced
his way inside of me. He pounded against me for what seemed like an eternity. I looked at the clock when he finished. It was 11:15.
"Okay, Kari." Scott said as he got up and dressed. "I'll see you in court again on Monday."
Scott then left. I was still bound, as was Paul. We remained that way for about three hours. One of the neighborhood patrols noticed that the front door was open and they came in to check on us. They called an ambulance and additional police officers to the house. On the way to the hospital, Paul called Janine to tell her what happened.
"Janine, can you meet us at the hospital?" He asked. "It's very important."
We were at the hospital approximately an hour when a police officer came into the emergency room to speak with me. He had some photos for me to look at.
"Mrs. Steiner, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" Officer Montgomery said as he entered the room I was in.
"I don't guess, why?" I asked.
"Well, we want to see if you can identify the man in the photographs. He was checked into a hotel about three miles from your home under your husband's name." The officer continued.
"Okay." I said.
The officer handed me a stack of the most gruesome pictures you could ever
imagine. He then asked me if the man on the floor was Scott. Tearfully, I said that it was.
"In that case, Mrs. Steiner, we regret to inform you that your husband was found dead of what appears to be a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head." Officer Montgomery said.
I was crying and shaking all over when Paul walked into the room I was in. The doctor asked him to see if he could calm me down enough for the
examination so they wouldn't have to sedate me.
"Baby, what's the matter?" He asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Don't worry, Scott will pay for this. I promise you that."
"No, it's over." I said. "Scott killed himself a little while ago."
"What are you talking about?" Paul asked.
"That's what the cops were just in here for." I choked out. "They wanted me to identify him from a crime scene photo."
"Oh, baby, it's going to be okay." He said as he held me tighter. "We will get through this."
Janine walked into the room as if on cue. She looked at us both and could tell that we'd been through hell already. She came over to the bed and took my hand.
"What's going on?" She asked. "I thought the rough part was over."
"Scott killed himself." Paul whispered.
"Oh, my God." She said, stunned.
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