The Wives of Beverly Row 6: Lust Has a New Address

by Weeks, Abby

  This was it, this was her moment. Zola felt almost faint. She looked around the room. It was full of people who loved and supported her. She was so grateful to them all for coming. If they weren’t there, she’d never have had the courage to face up to Jake and she knew it.

  Even with them there it wasn’t easy. She stepped up to Jake. The frat boys held him firmly, his arms behind his back. He wasn’t going anywhere. He looked utterly defeated. There was no trace of the brash, cocky man she knew so well. This was a different Jake.

  “You listen to me very carefully, Jake Medeiros,” Zola said.

  Jake wasn’t happy but he was listening. Zola was grateful for that much.

  “I was never happy married to you. You treated me like a piece of property, someone you owned who you could treat like a complete slave. You gave me no respect. You let your friends,” she struggled to get the words out at this part, “you let your friends fuck me like a whore.”

  Jake held her eye. She felt as if she was getting through to him. The fact that so much of his money was on the line was no doubt responsible for that.

  She continued. “And why? Why did you do it? What did you get out of it? I can’t imagine the pleasure you got from humiliating me was worth the pain it caused. I can’t believe that.”

  Jake mumbled something but Zola couldn’t make out the words.

  “What was that?” she said.

  “You agreed to it,” Jake said.

  “I agreed to it because I was afraid of you,” Zola said. “I was terrified. And with good reason. I didn’t want to do the things you forced me to do. I didn’t want any of that. All I ever wanted was to be your wife and to be treated with love and respect, and you weren’t able to do that. You were never willing to give me the love I needed.”

  “So, what happens now?” Jake said. “You’re going to blackmail me for everything I’ve got?”

  “No,” Zola said. “Only for what is rightfully mine. I want our house, and I want enough money to live in it securely, and that’s it.”

  Jake looked around the room. She knew he could accept that. Given the fact that a single phone call from Ariel could cost him five million dollars, she knew that he would give her the house and a financial settlement that was fair. She wasn’t pushing her luck. She wasn’t asking for an unacceptable amount. She was playing it smart, asking for the precise limit to what Jake would agree to.

  Jake was a creature of opportunity, he was a pragmatist. He always took the best deal that was open to him at any given moment. The deal Zola was going to strike would end up costing Jake about two million dollars. All in all, once he got paid out by the museum, he was basically getting off for free. It was a good deal. He didn’t want to let Zola go, he liked to think that he owned her, but he liked his money more, and this was going to give her back her freedom while at the same time forcing Jake to do the one thing he could always be trusted to do, act in his own best financial interests.

  “I’ll have to talk it over with my lawyer,” Jake said.

  Hank had already had the divorce agreement legally drafted. He handed it to Jake. “Given the five million dollar bombshell that Ariel is holding over your head,” Hank said, “I think you and your lawyer will agree that this contract is fairly generous.”

  And that was it. Zola couldn’t believe it. She’d told Jake what she wanted. She’d faced up to him. Never in a million years had she ever imagined that she’d have the courage to stand up to him. Now it was already over! Even if she didn’t get a penny out of Jake, even if all she got out of this was her freedom, she would be grateful to Ariel and the rest of her friends as long as she lived.

  They watched Jake leave, carrying nothing but the divorce agreement. The frat boys escorted him down to the lobby. When he was gone, Zola burst into tears.

  “Thank you so much,” she said to Ariel and the others. She was so grateful to them, more grateful than they would ever know, more grateful than her words could even express. They’d just helped her stand up to a man who she thought of as a complete monster. Things would never be the same for her again. She knew that. No matter what happened, they’d shown her that it was possible to stand up to a bully and get him to see things the way you needed him to see them.

  She was going to be free!

  She hugged and kissed each and every one of her friends and couldn’t stop crying the whole time. This was the greatest gift that anyone ever could have given her and she knew it.

  XV

  EVERYTHING DIDN’T END THE MOMENT Jake Medeiros left the hotel room. There was still a lot of work to be done, most of it of a legal nature. Hank was kind enough to guide Zola through the legal and financial maze that was to follow. It took a lot of strength and drive from Hank and Zola and all of the others to see the job through. It was a long and arduous journey, but in the end it had gone the way that Ariel had always intended.

  Given Jake’s complete and utter greed and self-interest, it had gone the only way it ever could have gone. And that was Ariel’s genius.

  Jake had been so terrified of losing the five million dollar reward from the museum that he hadn’t given Zola much of a fight at all. He’d agreed to a generous divorce settlement, everything she’d asked for, and because of the way Ariel had planned things, it hadn’t even cost Jake that much money. That was the key to ensuring Zola’s safety. The five million from the museum went a long way toward ensuring that Jake didn’t cause Zola trouble after the divorce finalized.

  Ariel had gone to the public ceremony at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and watched Gabe return the painting in exchange for the five million dollar reward. Just as promised, she didn’t say a word. As far as she was concerned, the painting was authentic, and Jake was entitled to every penny of that reward. After all, between the millions he’d paid Gabe, and the millions he’d given to Zola in the divorce, all of it was spent already anyway.

  Ariel saw the painting take its original position on the museum wall and that it was amazing that something she’d created, her forgery, was being treated as such a treasure! She knew that the real treasure was the freedom that painting had bought for Zola.

  After that, none of them ever heard from Jake again. It wasn’t surprising. After the humiliation he’d suffered, he wouldn’t be looking for any of their company. There was also the fact that Ariel had the power to get Jake into serious legal difficulties simply by calling the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It was unlikely Ariel would ever do that given the fact that she was the one who’d forged the painting, but it was a possibility and the real financial repercussions would have fallen on Jake if she did. It was another little insurance they had that Jake wouldn’t create trouble.

  By the time the date of Zola’s annual barbecue arrived, the divorce had already gone through and Zola owned her house. Everyone knew the barbecue wouldn’t be anything like the year before. So much had changed in all of their lives.

  *

  “BECKY,” ARIEL CALLED DOWN THE STAIRS. “Can you get my bathing suit from the dryer. I don’t want a repeat of last year when we had to borrow Zola’s.”

  “I’m busy, Mom,” Becky called.

  “Busy doing what?”

  “I’m on the phone.”

  “With Kyle?”

  “Yes. He wants to know what we’re bringing.”

  “Same as last year, tell him. Ribs.”

  “I guess that’s tradition now,” Becky called up the stairs before getting back to Kyle on the phone.

  Ariel was pleased with the way Becky’s friendship with Kyle had developed. They’d become good friends to each other, and Kyle even helped Becky with her homework from time to time. He was still their neighbor. He lived with his mother and Matt now. Hank had ended up taking a job in New York and he had sold the house to Matt and Veronica. It had meant that there wasn’t any changes on the street.

  Veronica was still in her house, although with her new man. Not much had changed with Trudy. She was still Trudy, although she did seem to
be maturing a little. She didn’t spend quite as much time chasing college-aged boys as she used to. She spent more time with her friends, Ariel, Veronica and Zola.

  Zola’s life was completely different. In fact, her entire personality was different. Whereas before she’d been depressed and bullied by Jake, now she was her own independent woman. She was taking an interior design course at the local college and was hoping to start her own business in the fall. She was still single, but she’d recently received a very long and very sincere letter from Hank Roycroft. He’d written to her from New York and confessed that he’d always been massively attracted to her. He wanted her to come out to New York and experience the city with him. When Zola had told Veronica, Veronica was delighted for her.

  Gabe popped his head into the bedroom.

  “My gosh, Ariel, you look stunning.”

  Ariel smiled at him. It had been a pleasant year. In fact, one of the best periods of Ariel’s adult life. Gabe had moved back in with her and Becky in the spring and they were even talking about getting remarried.

  “You don’t look too bad yourself,” Ariel said.

  He came over and kissed her. She put her arms around his neck and let him lift her up.

  “Stop it you two!” Becky said, laughing. She handed Ariel her bathing suit.

  “Are we ready to get to this party?” Ariel said.

  *

  IT WAS SO NICE FOR Ariel to walk up to Zola’s front door with her family. She remembered back to the year before. She’d thought she’d lost Gabe for ever at that point. Now she had him back, she had her family back. Becky seemed so happy too.

  “Ariel!” Zola screamed when she opened the door.

  Ariel would never understand why women screamed so excitedly when they saw each other. She’d seen Zola two days ago! She’d spoken to her twice on the phone since. It was hardly the reunion of the century. Still, she was very happy to receive a hug from her friend. Zola went on to hug Becky and Gabe and then escorted them into the kitchen.

  Ariel put the ribs on the table with the other food. It seemed everyone else was already there. Veronica was there with Matt, sitting by the pool, watching Kyle on the diving board. Trudy was at the patio table, sipping a glass of champagne. There was a man sitting with her, a handsome fellow and to Ariel’s pleasure, he seemed to be close to Trudy’s age! What a surprise! Not that Ariel had anything against women going for younger men, it was just, she’d always had a feeling that Trudy would have a better chance of finding happiness in her life if she went for someone who she could have more than just a sexual relationship with. The man she was sitting with was good-looking and mature and he seemed interested in whatever it was that Trudy was saying.

  Ariel went over to introduce herself.

  “I know you,” she said to the man when she got close enough to see his face.

  “We’ve met before,” the man said. “I’m Jeff Harkness. Matt’s brother.”

  “Of course,” Ariel said.

  Veronica spoke up from over by the pool. “I tried my hand at a little matchmaking,” she said. “I figured if Matt was so great, his brother couldn’t be too bad either.”

  “I see,” Ariel said, giving Trudy a meaningful glance. “So how’s it going so far?” she said to Trudy.

  Trudy laughed. “Pretty good,” she said.

  “I’ll say,” Ariel said, eyeing Jeff’s muscular torso.

  Becky was over by the diving board.

  “Go for it, Kyle,” she said.

  Kyle looked back at her and grinned before diving into the pool and making as large a splash as he could. Becky got up on the board and dived in after him.

  Ariel looked over at the kitchen. Zola was bringing out a tray of fresh lemonade. Ariel watched her work. She seemed so much happier, so much more content than she had been before when Jake was bullying her and taking advantage of her. Ariel was proud that she’d played a part in making that change happen for Zola.

  She walked over to her.

  “So,” Ariel said, “are you excited about going to New York?”

  “Very excited,” Zola said.

  “Good,” Ariel said. “I’m happy for you.”

  “It’s not like we’re engaged or anything.”

  “No, I know, but it’s nice that Hank wants to see you.”

  “You should hear the things he’s said to me,” Zola said. “Such nice things.”

  “Have you showed the letter to Veronica?”

  “Of course she has,” Veronica said, joining them.

  “And?”

  “And what? I think it’s great.”

  “Did Hank ever say the same things to you, Veronica?” Ariel said.

  Zola put her hand on Veronica’s arm. “Oh, don’t answer. I’d die if he did.”

  “Don’t worry,” Veronica said. “I can safely confirm that Hank never spoke to me like that when we were together.”

  “It’s just me then?” Zola said.

  Ariel looked at Veronica. They could both see how much hope Zola was already investing in Hank. It was cute, adorable even.

  “It’s just you,” Veronica said.

  “How would you feel if Hank was back on Beverly Row?” Ariel said to Veronica.

  “I think it would be super,” Veronica said. “He and Matt are actually still friends, despite what happened.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing,” Ariel said.

  “I know. And I’m grateful for it because it makes things so much easier for me.”

  Trudy came over. “So girls, what are we talking about?”

  “We were talking about me and Hank,” Zola said, “but I think you and Jeff make an even more interesting topic.”

  Trudy laughed. She looked back at Jeff.

  “What do you think?” Veronica said. “Will it stick?”

  “It could,” Trudy said. “I really like him.”

  “Well good,” Veronica said, “because Matt tells me he really likes you too.”

  “Come on,” Ariel said.

  She pulled Zola and Trudy and Veronica by their arms.

  “What?” Zola said.

  “Let’s show Becky and Kyle how it’s done.”

  Ariel ran over to the side of the pool and without hesitating or stopping to think about her hair or makeup, she jumped into the water. Veronica, Trudy and Zola all looked at each other. Then, without exchanging a word, the three of them all ran for the pool and jumped.

  SIGN UP FOR PERSONAL MESSAGES

  Thank you for reading The Wives of Beverly Row. It is an exciting and realistic exploration of the sexual lives of a group of Californian women. I hope you stay with me as I continue to explore the kinks and lusts that fuel the fantasies of the women in this series.

  You can email me at abby@type-writer.net. If you send me a link to your review I will send you another of my books absolutely free.

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  I look forward to hearing from you.

  Abby Weeks

  2014

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