by HC Michaels
He hoped she never saw those messages. He’d have to claim innocence if she did and remind her how thick men are. They didn’t realise when women were coming onto them. She’d believe that. He didn’t actually say anything incriminating. It was more that he didn’t put a stop to the things Elle was saying.
Some friend Elle turned out to be, cracking onto her friend’s husband like that. He’d have to try to warn Skye to stay away from her. She had enough going on in her life at the moment. She didn’t need someone like Elle hanging around.
He picked up the phone and called George’s home number.
Sophie answered.
“How’s Skye?” she asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
“That’s what I’m calling about actually. Are you busy Thursday morning? I was wondering if you could pick her up from hospital for me?” He drummed his fingers on his desk. It wasn’t normal for him to ask a favour of Sophie, but nothing about life was exactly normal right now.
“I thought George said her friend was collecting her.” There was a hesitation in her voice that made Theo wince. He knew Skye wasn’t exactly her favourite person, but he’d thought she might be able to put that aside in a time like this.
“I’d feel better if it was you,” he said, trying to sound just a little desperate.
Sophie let out a gentle sigh. “Sure, as long as you think Skye would be happy with that.”
“Of course, she will,” he said, fairly certain the opposite would be the case, but not caring in the slightest.
He gave her the details, said goodbye and leant back in his chair with his hands behind his head. Skye was better off with Sophie, even if they’d never gotten along particularly well.
He wished George and Sophie had embraced his relationship with Skye like they had when he was with Rin. They’d loved her. Sophie and Rin were still friends. They had a lot in common. Such as the fact he’d screwed them both, and not just in the bedroom.
He knew he’d been a bastard with women in the past. That was just one of the reasons he was so determined to stick by Skye through her illness. He needed to convince the world he was a changed man. Skye had changed him. She’d tamed the wild beast.
He pictured her in a lion tamer’s outfit, the buttons of her shirt undone to her waist, her magnificent breasts spilling out of a leopard skin bra as she cracked a whip in the air.
His wife was hot. He saw the way other men looked at her and he liked it. He, himself, had looked at her like that when they first met. It was love at first sight. Lust was a kind of love, wasn’t it? He’d had to have her.
All of her.
Finding out she was recently widowed had come as both good news and bad. It meant she was available but might also mean she wouldn’t be ready to move on.
As it turned out, she was more than ready. They’d chatted over dinner for hours on their first date. It was possibly the longest conversation they’d ever had. He’d made up some flimsy excuse about wanting to show her the Charles Blackman hanging over his fireplace and found her more than willing to play along.
He never ended up showing her his painting that night. He had other assets he was far more eager to show her and by the way she undid his belt the moment they walked through the front door, it was clear she was just as keen to see them.
Despite the pathetic performance he put on in the bedroom last night, his feelings for her hadn’t changed. When he thought of her, he still got turned on, but when she was there in front of him, all he could see was the cancer.
He shook these thoughts from his head and clicked onto the trail of messages he’d sent to Elle.
It was time to get this woman to back off.
Theo Manis 6.40pm
Sorry, Elle. I just spoke to George’s wife, Sophie, and she’s insisting on picking up Skye on Thursday. She feels bad that she hasn’t had any family there with her. Skye will call you when she’s settled back in at home. Thanks again for all your help. I appreciate it.
Elle Thomas 6.40pm
I am family! Skye and I are like sisters. Tell Sophie not to worry. I’ve already made plans to collect her.
Theo Manis 6.41pm
Really, Elle, there’s no need. I’ll visit her tomorrow and then Sophie will be there Thursday morning to bring her home. She wants to do it. She’s not the kind of woman you argue with.
Elle Thomas 6.41pm
Neither am I! LOL
Theo Manis 6.41pm
Sorry, Elle. I really do appreciate your help but I have a lot to do and can’t argue about this. Sophie will collect Skye. Thanks.
There were no replies after that, so he got on with his work, pleased it would be Sophie collecting Skye and not Elle.
He really did miss his wife. He didn’t need the attention of some chick in a green bikini, no matter how hot she was. He thought about Skye in a bikini. Then he thought about her not in a bikini and felt a shot of energy in his groin.
If only he could bottle this feeling and take it home to bed when Skye got back from hospital.
Maybe he’d feel differently now the cancer had been cut away. But there was still chemotherapy to come. When she lost her hair, she’d not only just be sick, but she’d look sick.
“Sorry, old fella,” he said, adjusting his crotch. Like it or not, his cock was going on holiday for a while.
He reminded himself that the best part about going on holiday was coming home. And when Skye was better, he intended to come home many times a night.
41 Days Before The Break
Rin kissed Sophie on the cheek and slid into the chair on the opposite side of the table.
“I’ve got exactly thirty-seven minutes before I have to pick up Rory. Start talking.”
She knew her hair was a mess and the pathetic attempt she’d made at putting on make-up was sliding down her face, but that was nothing new. She didn’t have spare hours to fuss over her appearance like Skye. She considered herself lucky if she got to pee without an audience.
She had very little in common with her ex-husband’s new wife, but then again there was just as little to compare between Theo and Jeff. Had their marriage really been that bad they’d both had to go for the complete opposite the second time around?
“I ordered you a coffee to save time,” said Sophie.
“You’re a saint.” Rin blew Sophie a kiss across the table. “Thanks.”
“God, it’s been ages.” Sophie smiled warmly and Rin was struck by how much she loved her ex-sister-in-law. They’d bonded back in the days when Rin was married to Theo. They’d had to, given the amount of time Theo and George spent together. It’d been strange for Rin to begin with, knowing that Sophie had once dated her husband, but when she saw how much she was in love with George she found any feelings of jealousy easy to set aside.
“You look beautiful, Soph.” She meant it. Theo should’ve married her while he had the chance, instead of letting George get his hands on her. Still, she was happy for Sophie. George loved her more than Theo ever would have.
Sophie screwed up her face and ran her hands over her recently cropped hair. “I wish. I swear this haircut’s never going to grow out.”
“Just be glad you don’t have my hair. I don’t think Amber’s ever going to forgive me for passing it onto her.” Rin tried to smooth down her curls only for them to bounce back up.
“Your hair’s amazing. Don’t you ever say that! Amber’s lucky to have it. How is she, by the way?” Sophie sat forward in her chair. “We haven’t even talked about what’s been happening.”
“Isn’t it terrible?” Rin shook her head. “I could never have imagined. Poor Skye.”
“I know,” Sophie agreed.
A silence hung in the air as they let the chatter and hum of the cafe take over. Normally they enjoyed making fun of Skye. It’d become almost a sport as they’d giggle over what nonsense she’d been writing online. The way she wrote about Theo made him sound like some kind of saint. If anyone knew how untrue that was, it was them.
/> But mocking Skye didn’t seem right today. She had cancer. They couldn’t pay out on her.
“How bad is it?” asked Rin. She’d only heard snippets about Skye’s condition from Amber. Depending on a sixteen-year-old to convey medical information was more than a little unreliable.
“It sounds pretty bad. She’s just had both her ovaries removed.” Sophie pulled her face into a pained expression. “Theo’s asked me if I can pick her up tomorrow.”
“You’re picking her up? Oh my god.” This was surprising. It was no secret Skye and Sophie had never been the best of friends. Rin had always hoped it was due to Sophie’s loyalty to her, but suspected it might also have something to do with her own former relationship with Theo. Sophie had been able to accept Rin as Theo’s partner because they were friends, but accepting that the man she once loved was with such a bimbo couldn’t be easy. She knew that better than anyone.
Theo was a difficult man to let go. It didn’t matter how much of a bastard he was, he had that certain something about him that just made you want to be by his side.
Although she loved Jeff, there were days she felt an ache deep in her bones for Theo. Being married to him had been exciting, every day unpredictable and charged with an energy she’d never felt since. On those days she had to remind herself of all the negatives that came with that excitement. The constant disappointment at being let down, the nagging suspicions about what he was doing and who he was doing it with and the never-ending fiery arguments.
Her life with Jeff had none of those things—the plusses or the minuses. Life with Jeff was calm and predictable. He looked at her in a way Theo never had, like she was the most beautiful and fascinating woman in the world. He didn’t run out on her when their babies were young. She doubted he’d run out on her when their babies were grown either. That was a better way to live. Wasn’t it? At any rate, it didn’t matter. She had three kids with Jeff now and wasn’t going anywhere.
She snapped back to attention, realising Sophie had been talking about her plans to collect Skye from hospital. She was glad it wasn’t her.
“You’re a good sister-in-law,” said Rin. “Trust me. I know. Skye’s very lucky.”
“You were the good sister-in-law.” Sophie reached for Rin’s hand and squeezed it. “You still are. In my mind, nothing’s changed. Sisters for life.”
The waiter brought two coffees to the table.
“Coffee for the sisters,” he said, grinning.
Sophie’s family was from the northern part of Greece and her blue eyes and milky skin were an enormous contrast to Rin’s dark Mauritian tan.
“You bet we’re sisters. I’ve just spent more time in the sun,” said Rin, running her fingers up and down her bare arms.
The waiter looked panicked for a moment, not sure whether he was allowed to laugh at such a comment.
“Coffee smells great,” said Sophie, letting him off the hook.
“Enjoy.” He backed away from the table and any potential offence.
“Men these days have no balls,” said Rin.
Sophie laughed and they both took a sip of their coffee.
“So how is Amber?” asked Sophie. “We got distracted.”
Rin was used to having conversations that jumped around like they were taking place on a pogo stick. That was one of the challenges of having children. Quality time for uninterrupted conversation seemed like something that only existed in fantasy novels.
“She’s okay, thanks. I mean, she’s so busy with school, I don’t think it’s affected her that much.” Rin really hoped this was true. “It’s not like she’s close to Skye and she knows she can come and hang out with me and the kids if things get too intense.”
“It still hurts, doesn’t it?” Sophie asked cautiously.
For a moment Rin thought Sophie was asking about her feelings for Theo, but it wouldn’t be like her to ask a question like that. Although they liked to criticise him, the topic of any remnants of their feelings for him was one they left alone. It was a topic lined with danger.
“What still hurts?” Rin picked up her teaspoon and scooped up some froth from her coffee, enjoying the sweet taste on her tongue.
“Amber living with Theo,” Sophie explained.
Rin breathed a sigh. “Of course, it hurts. Who knows what the hell goes on in that place. But she’s a good kid and it’s not like I don’t see her all the time. What can I do? Her school’s practically around the corner from Theo. It doesn’t make sense for her to live with me.”
“I know.” Sophie smiled warmly. “I just can’t imagine Lukas or Beth sleeping under another roof.”
Rin brushed off the sting of this comment knowing Sophie didn’t mean to hurt her. One of the reasons their friendship was so solid was because of how honest they were with each other.
“This is why instead of complaining about our blokes, we go home and cook them dinner,” said Rin. “There’s no way I’m letting anyone take my kids away from me again. It was hard enough losing one. I’m not losing the other three.”
“You love Jeff, though, don’t you?” Sophie took a big sip of coffee and patted her lips with a paper napkin.
“Of course, I love him.” Rin set down her spoon and looked Sophie in the eye, wanting to be certain she believed her. “What’s not to love? He treats me better than anyone ever has. I’d be lost without him.”
“I’m glad. He’s a good man. I wish George would put Theo’s crap aside and just be mates with him.” Sophie shook her head and sighed. “It’s not like you left Theo. He’s the one who did the wrong thing.”
“It goes both ways, you know that,” said Rin. “Jeff’s not too keen on having a friendship with George either. He looks too much like Theo, I suppose.”
That’s the way it was with them. The women were sisters and the men were strangers. Amber was the only glue that floated between all parties with ease. It was a lot of pressure for a sixteen-year-old.
“Every family has its issues,” said Sophie, smiling.
“True.” Rin rolled her eyes. “Some are just worse than others.”
“Hey, it’s not so bad.” Sophie’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “None of us have killed each other yet.”
“Give it time,” laughed Rin.
Sophie shook her head. “You’re evil.”
“Thanks. That’s why you love me, isn’t it?” Rin tilted her head innocently.
“Actually, it is,” said Sophie.
“Shit!” Rin glanced at her watch. “I’ve only got twenty-three minutes left.”
The two unlikely sisters bent their heads together and spent the next twenty-three minutes solving half the world’s problems before promising to get together again soon to solve the rest of them.
Skye shifted uneasily in the hard bed. She missed her bed at home. Who knew how many people had slept on this mattress? Or died on it. It was a horrible thought.
She was sore, but happy the surgery was over. One more night and she’d be home with Theo.
Her Kronos.
He felt so bad about not being with her at the hospital, but really it was fine. She wasn’t one of those wives who just said it was okay then brought it up in an argument five years later. She understood. Theo’s job was important. He made the difference between people being able to return to live normal lives with their families or having to spend years behind bars. He was practically a saint.
Assuming his clients were all innocent, of course.
She knew that couldn’t be possible but liked to think it was. It was so much more romantic to think of her husband as a knight in shining armour rescuing the innocent than a monster who manipulated the truth to ensure the guilty went free.
Besides, everyone deserved the right to a fair trial whether they were guilty or innocent. If Skye ever found herself charged with a crime, she’d want someone like Theo on her side. She certainly wouldn’t want her lawyer running off to visit his wife in hospital in the middle of her trial.
There was pl
enty of time for Theo to take care of her when she returned home. And she still had all the chemo to come. There was no rush for him to transform himself into Florence Nightingale. She pictured him in an old-fashioned nursing hat and giggled. These painkillers must be stronger than she’d thought.
Maybe she should be the one to put on the nurse’s uniform? A bit of dressing up in the bedroom might be just what her bull needed to get him bucking again. If she could dress like somebody else, he might be able to forget for a moment that she was sick.
She knew it was wrong to once again be thinking about sex. But that’s how it was between her and Theo. Sex wasn’t just about a physical need, it was about power. Her power over him as a younger woman. His power over her as a wealthy man. It equalised them. If she lost her power, then ... She could not lose her power. She’d rather die first.
Theo was driving to the hospital feeling pumped after a particularly arduous session at the gym to make up for calling it quits early last time. This time, he’d successfully channelled his anger and frustration at Skye’s cancer into the weights, resulting in him doing dozens more reps than he’d usually manage.
The hot water of the shower afterwards had felt good. He was going to be sore tomorrow.
“No pain, no gain,” he said aloud, lifting his hands from the steering wheel and pumping his fists in the air.
His mobile phone rang, making him jump as his palms instinctively landed back on the wheel. It was Bruno Martini, the leader of a gang of notorious thugs. Theo had represented him and his associates in court too many times to count.
“Theo Manis speaking,” he said, answering the call.
“Mate, it’s Bruno.”
He could hear noise in the background, male voices, chinking glasses and a TV with some kind of sport being commentated in a droning voice.