The Ultimate Betrayal (27 page)
“Absolutely, you will be the only one calling out my name from this day forward.” Rachel moaned as Sophia started to kiss her neck and collarbone as she worked her way down. If anything, Rachel felt worshipped by Sophia. However, she had no doubt she would begin screaming in delight as she experienced Sophia’s slow ministrations to her body.
†
Lara walked back into the kitchen with the bottle of wine in her hand and looked around. She wondered where Sophia had gone. The two cell phones lay side by side on the counter with their black screens ominously shining. She had a sudden image that they were passing silent judgement on her.
“Sophia?” Lara called into the empty room. Her voice echoed in the cavernous space. It was a premonition to the sudden loneliness she felt. Her face scrunched up in bewilderment, but deep inside she knew.
She picked up her cell phone, pressed the button as the eerie glow of the text message mocked her. She’d fucked up for the last time and the verdict was swift. Justice would sentence her to a lifetime of meaningless sex—devoid of love, compassion, tenderness, or acceptance. She’d made her lonely bed and now she had to lie in it.
Her earlier realization that Sophia was the love of her life hadn’t been enough to offset her sick addiction. Power, control, sex had all overpowered the sliver of love and humanity buried inside.
For the first time in her life, Lara sobbed as the pain of her loss registered in her mind. She remained bent with her head in her hands as the river of grief flowed freely.
Six months later.
The rain fell lightly as Sophia watched the boats sway in the harbor. A storm was kicking up, but she didn’t care, because in a few hours she was to marry the love of her life. This time she was sure her choice was rock solid.
The only regret she had when she left New York that day was leaving behind her beloved cat, Fawn. In a last minute gesture of compassion, she’d decided she wouldn’t take Fawn away as well, because that would leave Lara with nothing. The only consolation was that Espresso glommed onto Sophia right away.
When Lara attempted to call, Rachel made it clear that if she failed to sign the divorce papers in a reasonable amount of time, she would make her threat of turning Lara in to the authorities a promise. Sophia heard Rachel declare that it wasn’t her first choice, but if Lara gave her no other option, she wouldn’t hesitate to take that step.
Lara had finally given up and she’d heard somewhere that she was dating Chelsea Martin. The two were a perfect pair. She was surprised that the news hadn’t upset her more.
She felt Rachel’s arm wrap around her and her body got that same tingling feeling she always got when she felt Rachel’s touch. Since that very first night when she’d showed up on Rachel’s doorstep and declared her love, she knew the difference when making love with your soulmate. Rachel took her to a whole new dimension of intimacy.
“Remind me why we decided to get married in dreary December?” Rachel asked.
“Joy couldn’t get away until then, Dad needed a bit more time to recover, we needed to make sure my divorce was final, and
you
didn’t want to wait any longer.”
“Oh yeah, it’s coming back to me now. You keep distracting me with your sexy ways. I never know if I’m coming or going anymore.” Rachel turned her around and kissed her bride to be.
“Joy and Marie are going to have a joint hissy fit, you know. Tradition says we aren’t supposed to see one another until the ceremony on the day of our wedding.”
“Since when did we ever pay attention to tradition or convention? My God, you do know you’re marrying your ex-wife’s, secret wife? It doesn’t get any more non-traditional than that. I suppose I should thank Lara.”
“What the hell for?” Sophia asked.
“Well, I never would have met the love of my life is she wasn’t such a two-timing lesbian bigamist.”
“True. Let’s stir things up tonight and toast her,” Sophia joked.
“You are positively evil.” Rachel laughed.
“Yes, but I’m your evil,” Sophia quipped.
“Yes, you are and I plan to keep it that way. Let’s go poke the bears and find Marie and Joy.”
Sophia and Rachel walked arm in arm back into the Empress Hotel, laughing loudly.
Annette Mori
Annette is a health care executive living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her new wife (got to love Washington State) and their five furry kids. Well, actually, it might be more than five, but they do not count the ones they only feed. Annette is fifty-six years old and believes it is not too late to try something new. As an avid reader, she is pleased there are thousands of good books to choose from, and hopes that one day hers will be one of the many for readers to consider. She reads at least three to four books a week, so please, keep them coming. She has a habit to feed, after all.
No matter if you loved it or hated it, I would love your comments. Feel free to e-mail me at
[email protected]
. I will always be a WIP (work in progress—just learned that) so feedback is a gift.
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