“Do you like that?” I asked, studying her face for any signs of discomfort. She nodded distractedly as she rotated her hips in a silent request for more. I groaned at the sensation, the tingle in the base of my spine warning me that it may be over too soon. I needed her to come, needed to make sure she reached her climax.
“You’re doing so well, pretty girl. You can take it. You’re doing so well for me.” She moaned at the praise, her movements becoming uncoordinated as she reached for her orgasm. Wanting to see her come, dying to see her unravel around me, I kept talking.
“You like this? I can hardly wait for you to experience me taking your ass.” She gasped before grinding harder against both my hand and my cock. Suddenly, her entire body clamped around mine, her pussy sucking me in and holding me in place as she whimpered in my arms. I gave her a minute, enjoying the ripples of her orgasm running through her.
Then it was my turn. Hooking my arms under her legs, I held her open as I resumed my thrusts. Unable to move, all Sophie could do was take what I was giving her. A tingle at the base of my spine was the only warning I had before I started coming. I slowed my body, my forehead pressed against the wall over Sophie’s shoulder, her breaths coming out in short puffs.
“Holy shit,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and her hands shaky as she gripped my shoulders. Dropping her legs, we both moaned as I left her body. Seeing her standing there, her hair andmakeup a mess, I felt my blood heating again.
“Holy shit is right. Get ready for round two,” I told her right before I lifted her over my shoulder. She gasped, then giggled at the sudden change in position. With renewed fervor, I carried her up to the bedroom so we could start all over again.
Chapter 15
Natalia
It was the annual VIPS Gala, and Maxwell was on the board. Appearances were more important than ever since our family would be under more scrutiny than usual. As much as I hated it, this was why having Sophie and Eloise come was so important. People seemed in awe of Sophie’s ability to “co-parent” with Max.
Rolling my eyes, I felt bitter as I realized just how many lies we constantly surrounded ourselves with. Manipulation and fabrication were the ties that held us together, wrapped around us like a gossamer life preserver that kept us afloat, alive. But it wasn’t sustainable.
One night a few weeks before, Max came storming home, drunk and in a rage. He wouldn’t tell me what had happened, but the next day, I heard him on the phone with his lawyer, asking about the custody arrangements for Eloise.
Max didn’t pay attention to his daughter. I honestly didn’t think he knew much about her. Eloise’s birthday was marked on the calendar. His secretary coordinated the presents, just as she did for Christmas and any other holidays or events.
So I didn’t know how to feel about Max’s sudden interest in parenting Eloise. It was the first time we had seen either of them since Sophie had started dating that new man, and each time he was mentioned, it was like nails on a chalkboard. It set me on edge, and there was a knot forming in the pit of my stomach.
“And then Mommy took me to the firehouse to see Linc, and I got to meet everyone! Even the captain!” Eloise had been talkingnonstop. It felt like she was desperate to tell everyone and anyone about Linc, much to my dismay. From the thundering expression on his face, it was souring Max’s night as well.
And Sophie… Well, I hated her more than ever. She looked amazing. Everyone at the party had commented on it. There was a glow about her. Sophie walked around like she knew a secret no one else did. Like she was above us all.
The people in our social circle—the ones I’d spent all my life mirroring and trying to gain the interest of—flocked to her. Employees from years earlier ran up to greet her like long-lost friends. Walter’s friends and acquaintances looked at her like she was Mother Teresa.
Despite Max’s earlier protests, I had a feeling we were both keeping tabs on the new man in Sophie’s life. It had been nearly four months since that first photo at the carnival, and just like I had dreaded, the large man had become a regular presence in her life, or so it seemed from afar. Sophie didn’t post on social media often, but when she did, I studied the images for hours—days, even. Looking for something—anything—that would show me she was suffering or that she wasn’t the saint everyone thought she was.
“And then Linc took us bowling, and we got a strike! Nat, do you know what a strike is? I knocked ALL the pins down. It was so cool!” I looked down at Eloise. Her hair had slipped out of the braid it had been styled in, the bow slightly tilted. She was all worked up and was starting to look disheveled.
“Where’s your mom?” I asked, trying to find Sophie, only to spot her in a corner, alone with Max.
“Daddy pulled her away and said they had to talk. He told me to go and find you.” I looked down at the girl and sighed. A feeling of deep unease crawled down my spine. That knot in my stomach doubled in size as I saw Max’s furious face as he confronted Sophie, who just looked bored. I looked down at Eloise with frustration. Seeing Deidra, Max’s secretary, I pulled Eloise over to her.
“Deidra. Eloise’s hair is a mess. She looks unkempt. Can youtake her into the bathroom and fix it?” The older woman smiled sweetly at Eloise, who looked as if she were about to cry for some reason. Deidra took her by the hand and steered her out of the ballroom, giving me the freedom to try to find out what Max and Sophie were discussing.
Slinking around the back of the party, weaving between servers and guests, I couldn’t help the growing feeling of doom that was expanding through me. No one noticed me. No one was looking for me. Parties used to be my specialty. I held everyone’s attention and always made a big entrance. Whispers followed in my wake…Where did she get that dress? I heard those earrings belonged to Jackie O…
I still had the best of everything—the height of haute couture—but somehow, it didn’t matter anymore. I had spent the entire morning at the spa, making sure I looked flawless. I’d been waxed and buffed to a high shine before the layers of war paint were carefully applied. My hair was styled, my nails painted bloodred, my makeup done by a professional. And yet, instead of standing out, I had never blended in more.
It was Sophie in her simple navy dress, her hair loose and carefree, who held everyone’s attention. Even from far away, her green eyes looked huge, a natural flush to her face. Glossed lips in a neutral color, she looked effortlessly beautiful. The only piece of jewelry she wore was a heavy necklace that looked familiar.
As I finally approached the bickering couple, I had to stop short, dizziness hitting me. That necklace was the Townsends’ most prized heirloom. It had belonged to Walter’s wife, Eloise. I had only ever seen it in pictures. It was something Helen had told me about when Max and I first started dating; how Walter kept it locked away, and wouldn’t even let Helen wear it on her wedding day.
Yet there Sophie was, not even at the biggest event of the season, wearing the necklace like an afterthought. The depth to which Walter truly supported her hit me hard in that moment, especially with the new knowledge that he had harbored resentmenttoward me throughout my entire marriage. I needed to figure out what exactly he had seen.
How can I repair this fracture that no one else seems to care about? What else is Max hiding from me?
I needed to know everything, and I was unable to trust him to give me the full story. Knowledge was power, and it was time to hear whatever was going on between my husband and that woman.
Maxwell
“Do you have no shame?” I asked Sophie, who had the audacity to roll her eyes at me. This was the first time I had seen her since the night I saw her out with that man. It hurt to look at her; she was radiant. There was no other word for it. She looked relaxed and happy, and I hated it. To make it worse, since the moment they had arrived, Eloise wouldn’t shut up about that oaf.
