Page 29 of Scandalously Yours

“We may never know the answer to that. All I do know is that she has only ever been with me for my money, and now that she’s at a risk of losing the lifestyle she’s become accustomed to, Hayley is growing more unhinged. I need to protect you, so promise me that you’ll no longer contact me through my regular number, and that you’ll keep your distance from me.”

It wasn’t a lot to ask, and he did still want to see me, but the one thing I was having trouble wrapping my head around was all the subterfuge. I had read, and heard, about men who faked marital issues so they could have one or more mistresses on the side. They wanted their cake and to eat it, too. Was the man I had fallen so hard for one of those men? Anyone that followed the Titans like I now did, knew how these men were, and how they’d been for generations. It wouldn’t be surprising for him to follow their lead, but when I looked into his eyes and saw his pain, I knew he felt what I did.

I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. “Whatever you need, I got you.”

His hand tangled in my hair, and he held my head immobile as he slammed his mouth back down on mine once more. I gripped a bicep with one hand and wrapped the other around the back of his head as I tried to show him how much I loved him with just my kiss. It wasn’t long before my back hit the wall behind us. I had been so wrapped up in him that I hadn’t even realized he had moved us until that moment.

His hand moved back between my legs, then wasted no time making me come. His wicked fingers attacked that one spot inside of me, and he stroked me from one orgasm into another. The release was bittersweet and hollow, but I held nothing back from him regardless. Eventually, he did pull away from me again, and I watched as he brought his glistening fingers to his mouth. They disappeared inside as he licked every drop of my release from them. He then kissed me one last time, allowing me to taste myself on his tongue, which had been his intention. This one was briefer than the others, but no less devastating to my psyche, or control.

“I never planned for any of this to happen. There’s nothing I want more than to remove this nightgown and spend the entire night making love to you, but I can’t. You deserve so much better than this... than me. I—”

“Shhh,” I told him. “Part of loving someone is putting your own needs aside for theirs. I’m here, and will be when this is all over. So what if we have to talk to each other on secret phones while steering clear of one another? It’s not permanent; I can do it.”

“God, I don’t deserve you,” he murmured as he cradled my face between his palms. “I have to go before anyone becomes suspicious. Just remember what I told you.”

I nodded my head and managed to stay strong until he walked out of the door. Moving to it, I placed the lock in place, then turned as I realized despite what we wanted and felt, there was a very real possibility this goodbye was a permanent one, anyway.

The earlier tears returned, and I slid down the door. When my ass hit the floor, I drew my legs up to my face, then dropped my head and allowed myself to cry for everything. Staying strong in front of Kristopher had been one thing, but I’d known the façade would crumble once I was alone. It was now, and it would continue to do so. All track of time was lost as I stayed in that position, but eventually a persistent knocking had me scrambling to my feet.

“Kris,” I breathed, then flung open the door.

“Close enough,” a blonde remarked.

One look at this woman and I knew exactly who she was, and I could also guess why she was here. I steeled my shoulders and stood tall as she looked me over with disinterest. “My husband,” she told me, drawing extra emphasis to the title before continuing, “must’ve been circling the bottom of the drain in order to find someone like you.”

“What the hell do you want?” I asked, not in the mood to be insulted by her of all people.

“I want you to stay away from Kristopher.”

“And, if I choose not to?” I shouldn’t have been provoking her, but since I had already lost Kristopher, potentially for good, I wasn’t in the mood to be cordial.

“You will regret it,” she answered.

Something struck me as off and I realized see was trying to look over my shoulder, as if she was possibly looking for him. She wouldn’t find him here, and while I could’ve showed her, I wouldn’t. She had no right to be there, and I didn’t take kindly to threats. When my father found out that I had accepted a scholarship to study in New York City, he’d made me take weeks’ worth of self-defense classes, so no matter what this bitch thought she could throw at me, I was unafraid. Kristopher was obviously worried about something, however, so I swallowed my own pride.

“Threats aren’t necessary because we ended things this evening. Now, if you don’t mind, I—”

“Is that right?” she asked, and I could see her extreme satisfaction as it spread across her face. Her smile widened, and there was an arrogance flashing in her cold, blue eyes.

I continued to look at the woman who had captured Kristopher’s heart all those years ago. She was everything I wasn’t. Hayley was beautiful, although I knew it was merely skin deep. For those that didn’t know her, she looked like one of those silver screen starlets. Her hair was pinned properly upon her head, and the dress she wore didn’t have a thread out of place. Tall, thin, and draped in diamonds, she was everything I had never wanted to be, but the perfect depiction of what a high society princess looked like in this day and age.

“It is, so if you don’t mind...” I had stopped and hoped she would take the hint before I had to physically throw her out.

“You make sure it stays that way or else I’ll ruin your life in ways you couldn’t imagine. I—”

“Get out, and take your fucking threats with you.”

“I’m leaving, but just know you’ve dodged a bullet I wasn’t as fortunate to dodge myself. I’m sure he seems like Prince Charming, but he has secrets he’ll never tell you.”

“Secrets?” I asked, pretty sure she was grasping at straws while trying to scare me.

“He almost sent one woman plummeting to her death, and since then has left a trail of destruction with others. That doesn’t even include what he’s done to me. Consider yourself lucky to have escaped with nothing more than a torn gown and useless tears.” She brought her hand to the large diamond choker, and moved it enough for me to see the bruising underneath. “Some of us will wear more permanent scars.”

With that, she walked out and left me staring there with a dumbfounded look. She had shown me bruising on her neck, and as I closed the door, I remembered the way he had wrapped his hand around my throat multiple times. Hayley was trying to make me think he was abusive. Kristopher could never... As soon as I tried to remind myself of that, I thought about his anger.

I wouldn’t go there, so I forced those thoughts aside, then closed the door, making sure to lock it again. She definitely knew who I was, and where I lived. I now understood why Kristopher wanted us to pretend as if we were over. With my pain so real at the moment, hopefully she bought it.