“Aggghhhhhh,” she folded up around him reacting to the pain of his entry, and desperately clawed at his back. His breath was hot on her neck and he looped his hands under her ass to lift her. He thrust in all the way despite her lack of stimulation, and lay along her, biting her nipples hard enough to make her twist and wriggle.
“Take it! Take it! Take ittttttt!” he snarled with every stroke, eventually pulling out and rolling her onto her belly. He entered her again and fucked her so hard she found her face pressed against the pillows and the headboard.
Howie held her neck and she was afraid, as his fucking became even more violent, that he would break it. “Nnnnnffffffff,” she grunted, hoping that he would realise how much he was hurting her. If he did, he didn’t care.
Sophie started to cry silently as he hammered into her over and over, trying to get to his release as quickly as possible. She wanted it to be done, so she tried to push back against him, but he wouldn’t let her move at all. Just as she started to lose consciousness, she felt him twitching inside and with an ear-splitting roar he came, holding himself deep, hot spouts of his seed coating her walls.
He continued to pound into her, sending his cum squelching onto the duvet, and Sophie tried not to cry but it was impossible. Howie clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and pulled out so fast his manhood brought gouts of his spunk spewing onto the growing wet patch.
The bed undulated around her again as he clambered off it and rearranged himself. “For fuck’s sake stop that noise. You got what you wanted, you’re a worthless slut. That is what you wanted Sophia. Now shut the fuck up and get yourself out of bed. Make dinner for four, as I said, I’ll probably bring a couple of mates home.”
He was almost out of the room when she heard him hesitate. “And wear something sexy, you’re going to have a long night.”
Sophie didn’t move until she heard the door close, and then all she could manage was to curl into a tight ball and give way to weeping. It wracked her small frame and through the mist of overwhelming desolation, she knew that she would have to raid her hidden store of booze again if she had any hope of getting through the torment to come.
*****
He was driving faster than he should because he knew Carys would be annoyed. The speed also reflected his mood, the way that conflicting feelings and thoughts were racing around inside. The sex with Mandy had been disturbingly close to love making again, it had started passionately enough but in the end, they had been kissing and grinding, eager to connect at every point.
In some ways it was very conventional, all missionary, no other positions, but it had been so powerful that Mandy had screamed when he finally allowed her to cum. He’d held her until she’d stopped shaking and kissed her face, drawing a radiant smile from her.
It hadn’t been easy to leave but he’d already tested Carys’ good will. Her reassurances that she’d meant what she’d said in the coffee shop had made his departure easier, and he reflected on how lucky he was to have her in his life. He could see a future with her, but he did need to work through what had happened with Sophie. Otherwise, it would always remain an unknown.
He wondered, as he hurtled through an orange traffic light, what she was doing and who she was with. If he’d known the truth about what had happened to his wife over the past few months, and what was about to happen to her again that night, he would never have believed it. He resolved to try and speak to her the next day, because he needed to gauge for himself whether what Mandy said was true.
Chapter 22: Revelation
“No, I haven’t seen her Jess, and no I haven’t heard from her either,” Kaelan was trying not to be annoyed with her, she was really worried about her friend and he was starting to think she might have reason.
There was an irritated sound on the other end of the line, and then she said: “I’ve been trying to ring her for weeks, her mobile is always engaged and her Mum hasn’t heard anything since she asked to move in with her a couple of weeks ago.”
That brought Kaelan up short, “you what?”
“She called her Mum and said she wanted to move in with her. Then she didn’t turn up. She hasn’t heard from her since. And did you know she was fired?”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “No, I didn’t have a clue. We haven’t communicated since, well, for a while. What happened, do you know?”
“No idea, but when I rang there to speak to her I was told she’d been ‘let go’, they wouldn’t say why. But the worst thing, is that I went over to Howie’s place to try and see her, and he chased me off.”
“Chased you off?”
There was a pause, which Kaelan interpreted as Jess trying to weigh up the validity of what she was saying, which was a rarity. “Welllllll I guess ‘chased off’ might be too strong, but he made it clear that she wasn’t around, and he implied…yes, implied is right…that she wouldn’t want to see me anyway. That isn’t Soap, Kael…” When he didn’t respond immediately, she prompted him, “is it?”
“Finnnnnn can you turn that down please?” he held his hand over the receiver, “No, no it’s not. I wonder what happened at work?” he said, half to himself.
“I don’t know, but none of this feels right. It’s like she’s cut herself off, but then why was she moving back in with her Mum? We should do something Kael. I know you aren’t happy with her at the moment, but she’s still your wife.”
That pissed him off, and he just about resisted the urge to tell her everything, all the things that she’d done to him. The pain she’d caused Carys. Everything. But he managed to hold his tongue.
“I’ll try to ring her and I’ll get back to you. I’m not going around there though Jess.” That would be a step too far, and he wasn’t going to be guilt-tripped into it. Even though he’d been thinking a lot about Sophie, she had done some terrible things that needed to be worked through, even to consider any meaningful long-term contact.
And yet, he hadn’t finalized the divorce. Things hadn’t developed any further with Mandy because of her insistence that he still loved Sophie. Jess sighed.
“I’ll try to ring her, okay?”
Another sigh, “okay, but tell me how it goes. I’m losing sleep over her. She’s my best friend and I bloody well miss her.”
“As soon as I know anything, I’ll let you know. Bye Jess.” Kaelan cut her off before she could respond.
Immediately he rang Sophie’s number and prepared, with a dry mouth, to speak to her for the first time in months. It rang four times and the engaged tone kicked in. He put his mobile down and stared out of the window. Jess was right, something was off, no, more than that, there was something terribly wrong.
*****
Sophie felt lifeless and broken. Howie insisted that they needed to go to the mall, but all she wanted was to crawl back into bed and sleep. Only when she was drunk or unconscious was her life endurable.
She’d showered for over an hour, not only to energise herself, but also to try to cleanse away the previous night’s debauchery. He’d brought home a client and offered her up as a sweetener for a deal he was brokering. In the past, Sophie might have enjoyed it. He ‘d been a good-looking man, tall and athletic, older and confident. A silver fox of the best kind, but it was totally tawdry and demeaning.
Howie had pulled up a chair and watched as the man, Leo, arranged and used her like a doll. At one point, he’d lifted her into his arms, legs spread wide and pounded into her like a jackhammer. In spite of herself, she’d been surprised by his strength and stamina. When he’d cum, they’d left her alone like a discarded toy.
Sophie’s blonde hair had been matted with sweat and semen, her body bruised and sore, and when Leo had left, sometime in the early hours, she’d been too exhausted to move. Neither man had said anything to her, Leo merely thanking Howie for his hospitality. Once he’d been shown out, Howie hadn’t come near her again.
She’d become a possession, a thing, to be used and put away. A discarded toy.
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“Hurry up!” Howie snapped, bring her back to the present, “I want to get in there before the fucking plebs swamp the place. We’re on a water meter here too, next time don’t spend so long in that shower. A quick wash and out. Understand?”
Sophie nodded meekly, he wouldn’t brook an argument and she had little capacity left to resist.
“Good,” he said bluntly, “Now get your ass moving.”
He strode out of the guest room, flicking his thick chestnut hair in the way that had been so attractive to Sophie before. Now she despised it, she hated everything about him. She chose a short leather skirt and a snug tank top, because he always wanted her to look like a hooker when they went out. She smoothed down the skirt, did a half twirl and thought that she looked good enough, though her face was drawn and pale.
Who the hell was she? Looking at her haggard reflection, she really couldn’t answer that.
*****
“Hey!” Elliot shouted as he jogged up to Kaelan.
“Hello mate!” they man-hugged, with plenty of back slapping and then pulled away embarrassed. No one was really taking any notice of them though, they were all far too busy ether shopping or eating.
“So, how’ve you been? It feels like forever since I saw you?”
Kaelan rubbed the back of his neck, he felt guilty for neglecting his friend, but he’d been spending a lot of time with Mandy. “I’ve been good, look I’m sorry Ell’s it’s been so manic lately…”
“Don’t be a div, I haven’t contacted you much either, have I? Liza’s been cracking the whip over the wedding. Come on, I’ll get the first round in, and we can wait for Cilla.”
“Cilla?”
“Yeah, she wants to help with some of the planning, and when I told her I was meeting you she was really excited. Apparently, you’ve been neglecting her even more than me.” It was said with a smile that told Kaelan that Elliot was only teasing.
It was great catching up, and it was clear that Elliot was deeply in love with Liza. Whenever he talked about her he shone, it was gratifying to see.
“So, enough about me. How have things been with you? Have you seen Sophie? How about this Mandy? You seem to like her?”
These were subjects Kaelan didn’t really want to get into, he was thoroughly confused about his feelings and, although he loved and trusted Elliot, he wasn’t sure he was ready to discuss things with anyone.
Luckily, he was saved from going into any detail by a pregnant woman. “Hellooooooo fancy seeing you two here!” Cilla had managed to sneak up on them, and Kaelan leapt out of his seat to hug and kiss her. Cilla shot him a warning glance, Elliot didn’t know about their relationship, wherever that now stood, and neither of them wanted that to change.
She wasn’t showing yet, but she was glowing, and Kaelan felt strangely protective. He pulled her chair out and she giggled. “Why thank you, kind sir.”
Elliot had noticed something, Kaelan could tell, but he wasn’t going to bring it up. He was grateful. His friend always knew when to tease and when to leave things alone.
“You’re looking really well on it, how are things with you?” Elliot asked her, as she settled in, and Kaelan went off to get her a drink. Her presence was unexpected, but it was surprisingly welcome, because Cilla was the same as always and continuity was something he desperately needed.
*****
“Get your ass moving,” Howie snarled, “I want to get out of here.”
Sophie trailed behind him, carrying the bags of designer clothes he’d bought. The people passed in a blur, she was overwhelmed. It was like she was seeing everything through frosted glass, hearing through cotton wool. As he harangued her, she stumbled, and he grabbed her arm roughly hauling her through the central square.
“I’m…I’m sorry…” her hand went to her face as if to shield herself from a blow. It made Howie glance about, obviously anxious that her reaction might be noticed by those around them.
“it’s fine Sophia,” he boomed with false humour, “just stop dawdling, there’s a love.” he held her upper arm and continued to direct her, whispering: “wait ‘til I get you home. And tonight, I’ve got something very special for you. You’ll love it. Well, maybe not, but I will Sophia, I assure you, I will.”
Her stomach roiled, and Sophie crawled into that mental space she had created for when things became intolerable. It was the only way to survive.
*****
“Dave is like an old mother hen,” Cilla cackled, “really, it’s almost too much at times. You wait Ells, this is coming your way and I just hope you don’t smother Liza when it does.”
Elliot grimaced, “I don’t want to think about that just yet, this seems a big enough step to me.”
“Yeah, give him some time Cill, he doesn’t want to get into fatherhood too soon. It’s a bloody minefield! I’m just amazed a woman would take him on, nerds have all the luck. She’s far too good for him.”
The teasing picked up and Kaelan was enjoying himself. He wondered why they hadn’t done this more, Cilla fit with them perfectly. He was just about to point out that it was Elliot’s turn to get the drinks, when he saw Sophie.
She was being marched along by Howie. The look on his face was thunderous and Kaelan couldn’t help sitting forward in his seat. He wasn’t sure if he wanted his wife to see him or not. As he watched, they came to a stop outside the sports shop directly opposite. He could see her properly for the first time, and it shocked him.
Her face was pale and thin, and she had dark rings around her eyes. Her usually glowing blonde hair was lifeless and greasy, she was a shadow of the woman he’d known and lived with.
Howie took both of her upper arms and shook her, he was saying something with such aggression that Kaelan could almost see the saliva spraying her face. He was so distracted that he didn’t notice Elliot leave to get the next round.
“You know, Dave and I have been talking, and we wondered whether you’d want to fuck a pregnant woman…” Cilla stopped, realizing that he wasn’t listening. She followed his gaze.
“Wait a minute, isn’t that Sophie?” she didn’t wait for confirmation, “Christ it is! She looks terrible!” Cilla shot a hand out and laid it on Kaelan’s forearm, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine, she does look terrible. That asshole, if he doesn’t stop shaking her and yelling I’m going out there and putting him down.” His fists bunched.
“Howard Law?” Kaelan started at Cilla’s use of his name, “Sophie left you for Howard law?” The incredulity in her voice was startling, but what struck Kaelan hardest was that she knew him.
“You know him?”
“Yeah, he’s only the biggest asshole I’ve ever met, or one of them,” as they watched, Howie dragged Sophie into the store. She hesitated, expecting a question, but when it didn’t come, she continued: “he used to be a part of a swinger set we belonged to a while ago, until Dave discovered that he preferred to watch and we left it. He was aggressive, possessive, he and his friend Doug and their wives were asked to leave. A pair of peas in a pod those two…”
“Wait, did you say Doug?”
She nodded and finished off her lemonade, “yeah, I think he’s called Doug Fennick? Why?”
Kaelan felt sick. Doug Fennick worked at Sophie’s workplace, her former workplace. Why had she never mentioned his friendship with Howie? He remembered that she didn’t like him, that she’d often called him a sleaze, but surely, she would have talked about him if she’d known about the connection? Maybe she hadn’t known it about it before? Something smelled bad.
“…K? Are you still with me?”
“What? Yeah, I’m sorry Cill, I was just thinking?”
She squeezed his arm, “about my offer?” her beautiful face dimpled cheekily, “I know Dave would love to see us together as my belly swells.”
He stifled his annoyance, “no, I was thinking about Howie…Howard and his friend Doug. He worked with Sophie. I didn’t know they were friends.”
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br /> “Well take my advice, if you still care about Sophie you’ll get her away from him. He’s bad news. His poor wife Anna, he almost destroyed her. She left and had to get a restraining order to keep him away.”
Kaelan still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Here we go,” Elliot announced putting the tray down, “what did I miss?”
Howie and Sophie reappeared in the shop doorway, they exchanged a few sharp words and then he led her away. She was carrying the bags like a slave. The way she slouched made Kaelan’s heart ache. They disappeared into the crowd of consumers.
“I’m sorry guys, I have to go… Mate, let’s meet up again next week to talk through the wedding.” Without waiting for a reply, Kaelan dashed out of the coffee shop and into the blinding lights of the mall’s central square.
A Shared Wife Stolen Page 20