I wanted to forget it. Forget the hurtful words we had hurled at each other yesterday, leave all the resentment behind. Just...start over. God, I loved this woman. We could survive this.
"Jas, I'm sorry," I said slowly and made my way over to her on the bed. "I'm really sorry, okay. You're right. I shouldn't have brought you back here so soon and I shouldn't have expected you to just fall in with my plans. I should've listened."
She studied me with those dark eyes and moistened her lips. "I'm sorry, too," she said gravely.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat. "How can I make it up to you?" I murmured and leaned in close to nuzzle her neck. "I'll do anything. Princess."
She shivered slightly and repeated, "Armaan, I really am sorry."
I kissed her sweet-scented skin again. "Forget it. It was my fault. I'll work on my behavior. Or...you could just...punish me...for being such a bad boy last night." I lowered my voice as I said those words but Jasmine sighed and pulled away, making me frown. "Come on, baby. Is it really that bad? No matter what, we've always been able to enjoy the sex. Don't turn me away like this. I love you."
My wife lifted her head and gave me a pointed look. I closed my eyes.
"Right. That's manipulative. Okay. Okay, sorry." I grinned at her. "Tell me when I start doing it and I promise to improve. Deal?"
She didn't smile and I felt lost. Why wasn't she responding? I was no good at relationships but the one thing I did have was my never-ending love for this girl and I always thought that would be enough. Why drag out a fight when you could just kiss away the pain?
She was the love of my life and I was going to make sure we found happiness together. It was just going to take some time.
"I kissed Jasper last night."
My face fell as I wrapped my brain around what she had just confessed.
Jasmine Khan, the girl I had given up so much for so that she would find me worthy of love, breathed out those words while staring right into my eyes and shattered my heart in the process.
****
End Of Part I...
Part II : The Heart Wants What It Wants
Chapter Eleven
London.
Six months later
…
Jasper
Infidelity. Such a strong word. It broke apart the most solid of relationships. Destroyed homes and families. Caused people to take lives in fits of jealousy and rage. And yet, sometimes, it had nothing to do with betrayal. And everything to do with satisfying some deep, primal urge which kept insisting that human beings just weren't meant to be...monogamous.
The carnival rides were fully in motion. Hundreds of people milled about, either lounging on the grass, standing around laughing in groups or waiting for their turns in long lines.
It was a cold night in London. Brisk, autumn air blew into my face, stinging my nose as lights from the carnival in a corner of Hyde Park flashed into my eyes. I stood alone, camera in hand, my gaze focused as I searched...searched for that one click that would perfectly capture the atmosphere of tonight. I had already taken a few shots during the first twenty minutes I had spent here. My latest freelance project. But something was missing.
I spotted her a minute later, dark hair flying in the wind, dressed in black from head to toe, her face turned up to the lights as she sat bracing her upper body with her hands spread behind her back. A posture of total abandonment and freedom. There was a special kind of peace in the solitude she represented.
Men openly stared at her as they passed by but none dared approach. Beneath that confident, compelling demeanor, there was a strong undercurrent of intimidation. I laughed to myself as I clicked away for a while and then walked over to her slowly. Damn. She was a crazy one. Her eyes were closed and she had her AirPods plugged in. No jacket. Just jeans and a t-shirt. Like no person and not even the elements could get to her. Hurt her.
"Jasmine," I spoke firmly and tapped her shoulder. She opened her eyes and pierced me with her dark gaze.
"Hello, Jasper." Her smile was barely there. Mocking. Not at all sweet.
Licking my chapped lips to moisten them, I removed one of her AirPods to plug it into my ear. She watched me with an amused expression and fished something out of her pocket to hand it to me. It was a cherry chap stick. I shrugged before smearing some on my lips as Laleh's Speaking of Truth flooded one of my eardrums from the AirPod.
"You done for the night?" Jasmine asked me, her eyes hooded.
"No, actually, I have to go cover another location," I lied. "Might take a while."
Her shrewd gaze studied me for a moment before she nodded. "Okay. I'm heading back to the hotel. It's been a long day for me."
Standing up, she brushed her jeans and then extended her hand for her things. I put the chapstick and the AirPod in her open palm and she gave me a mock salute.
"Hope you have fun, Jasper," she drawled as she started to walk away, dismissing me.
My brows drew together while I watched her go without even giving me a single glance over her shoulder and I asked myself the same question I had been asking for the past six months.
What the fuck was I doing?
****
Jasmine
After having ordered some champagne and chocolates for my room, I put down the phone and lit a joint. I hadn't been lying. It had been quite a day for me. Today was the day I had finally revealed my real name to the entire world. All this time, hiding behind the pseudonym of Crystal Reynolds, I had grown tired.
I no longer cared about being in the public eye as Jasmine Khan. I no longer cared if people scrutinised my background with a fine toothcomb and afforded me no privacy. I no longer had anything to hide.
I was a free woman now. Free as I had never been in my twenty four years of existence. Nothing could stop me from being who I wanted to be. No man. No religion.
I connected my phone to the bluetooth sound bar available in my hotel room, the one I had been occupying for the past six months and smiled as I smoked away with Laleh's inspiring voice filling up the room.
The world could go to shit for all I cared.
There was a buzz on my door and reluctantly, I got up to answer it. A young waiter stood there with a trolley containing my order. I gave him a flirtatious smile to which he blushed before tipping him generously and grabbing the champagne and chocolates.
Five minutes later, I was interrupted again when my phone rang.
"Oh for fuck's sake," I groaned and was about to turn it off when I saw Jasper's name flashing across my screen. I smirked at that as I swiped right.
"Jasper. How can I help you?" I purred and he was quiet for a bit before he cleared his throat.
"I'm done with my other gig," he told me and I rolled my eyes. I knew he was lying. Stalling the inevitable.
"Congratulations?" I offered lightly. He went silent again for a few seconds while I nibbled on some chocolate.
If he wanted me to beg, the guy was in for a long wait.
"I'm coming over," he finally said.
I sucked the chocolate from my fingers and pushed the tray aside. "I'll let reception know," was my reply. "Oh and I don't have any condoms here."
Another brief pause. "So?"
I held back my smile. "Just letting you know."
****
Chapter Twelve
Cole
I sighed for the dozenth time that night as my call to Jasper went to voicemail. Five hours. No answer. No calls or texts from him. Nothing on his social media. I didn't dare contact his family in London. The last thing I wanted was for them to worry about him as well.
One last time. I was going to try one last time and then I would head off to bed. The dim lighting coming in from outside the kitchen window barely illuminated my surroundings as I dialled his number from my position on top of the counter. He answered after the fifth ring.
"Hey, Cole."
A rush of relief flooded through me upon hearing his gruff voice. "Wells," I breathed. "Hey, I know you
're super busy over there but I've been trying to reach you for hours."
"I'm sorry, baby, it's been really crazy today. I was just about to give you a call though."
"Really?" My tone was flat and he chuckled at it.
"How have you been? And how's Skye? Is she there?"
"She's sleeping," I replied.
"You should be too," he reminded me. "Don't you have an early morning meeting?"
I nodded to nobody in particular. "I've just been missing you," I murmured. "Are you okay? What're you doing?"
"I...just...got in bed. I'm really tired," he answered in a low voice. "Been all over London today."
"Oh, yeah?" I smiled. "Wish I could be there. Wish we both could be there."
I heard the rustle of sheets on his side and my breath hitched a little. He had gone to London two weeks ago. Two weeks without him and so little contact due to our work schedules.
"I really missed you," I told him again, my voice dropping to a murmur. "How tired are you?"
Jasper was quiet. I waited for what seemed like an eternity. Then I heard him sigh. "Baby, I've been up since six. Fuck, I wish I could but-"
"Okay. It's okay," I interrupted quickly. "Get some rest. And please, remember to call Skye tomorrow."
He yawned audibly on the other side. "I will," he promised. "I love you. Give her a kiss from me too."
"Yeah," I whispered. "Good night."
After ending the call, I held the phone limply in my hand while I glanced around the kitchen, not really seeing anything. A cool hand brushed my back and my heart gave a jump as I twisted around.
"Skye," I gasped slightly. "You scared me. I thought you were asleep."
She rubbed my shirtless back and then took my hand between hers. "I was thirsty," she informed me in a sleepy voice. "You were on the phone so I didn't want to interrupt."
"Oh okay." I jumped off the counter to fill up a glass with cool water. "I was just talking to Jasper."
She hummed something as she took the glass from me and drank.
"He sends his love and promised to call tomorrow," I told her. "And he's really busy with work but he misses us a lot." As I finished saying those words, my voice cracked a little.
Skye finished drinking and then crooked a finger at me. Frowning, I stepped closer and she took my face in her hands to give me a sweet kiss. When she drew back, I smiled at her.
"Come back to bed, Cole," she said softly and turned away. She walked to the bedroom slowly, her stomach no longer toned as the pregnancy started to show.
"I'll be right there," I murmured after her and looked at my phone again. The feeling of having something valuable slipping through my fingers overcame me and not for the first time, I wondered if I was the one who had set this in motion six months ago when I had refused to let Jasper tell Skye the truth about the kiss he had shared with Jasmine. I had been the one who had given him the impression that lying was okay in our relationship if it protected someone's feelings.
When Skye had stood there staring at us after she overheard my last sentence that morning in Amira, she had demanded to know what was going on. I had seen Jasper open his mouth and he had been about to confess but instead, I was the one who had blurted out the next words.
'I'm not sure I'm ready to become a father.'
Oh boy. What a disaster that had been. She had given me a hurtful look and simply disappeared into the bathroom while Jasper had frowned at me in reproach.
We had gone over my declaration later once we had returned to Milan but at least, I hadn't lied. Just told her a different truth.
And now...she still had no clue but...my instincts told me that she was no longer the only one left in the dark as to what Jasper was up to. It was wrong to doubt him. He loved us too much. I knew that. But...he wasn't behaving like his normal self. And it scared me.
****
Skye
I got in bed slowly, pulling up the sheets and staring blankly at one wall of the bedroom which I shared with Jasper and Cole. We had switched the double bed for a king-sized one a few months ago to better accommodate us. Blindly, I fumbled for my phone amongst the pillows and unlocked the screen. No notifications. I connected to the Wi-Fi and opened up Instagram, going straight to Jasper's profile.
Three photos. Posted one minute ago. He was currently over there working on a people and events photography series titled London at Night. Tonight, there had been some carnival in Hyde Park and the first picture was of the rides and surroundings, the second captured a bunch of teenagers laughing and taking selfies together and the third was a black and white shot of a female from the side, her face hidden because of the angle. You could never guess who that woman was.
Unless you stalked her online every spare hour you had.
I went to Jasmine Khan's profile again to check out the latest post, following the one where she had revealed her real name to the world this morning. London at night was her caption. The post was a selfie. Black outfit with a festive background.
Turning off my phone, I placed it slowly on the nightstand and shifted on my side. A tear rolled down from my eye, reaching my ear. I didn't bother to wipe it.
When Cole entered the room a minute later and called my name softly, I pretended to be asleep.
****
Chapter Thirteen
Jasmine
I tapped away on my laptop, inspired beyond measure at two a.m on a cold London morning in my hotel room. It smelled like sex, champagne and chocolates in here. As it should. Pausing, my eyes scanned the words I had already written so far, trying to figure out if I could somehow make it more perfect. More...impactful.
"Do you ever slow down?" A sleepy, gruff male voice asked from somewhere between my sheets.
I smiled a bit but didn't glance at him. "I try but my brain won't let me." I edited out an entire paragraph and then started typing again.
He chuckled a little and I felt him shift. After a second, there was a tiny nip on my exposed shoulder. The only thing I was wearing was a sheet wrapped around me.
I groaned as I typed new sentences that my mind commanded me to. "You're blowing my concentration," I said.
His answer was to slide his arms around my waist and pull me back into him. "You should've thought of that before you invited me over to your room," he murmured, his teeth grazing my earlobe while his hands went to my breasts.
I scoffed and held back a moan as he kneaded them roughly, snapping shut my laptop. "You're mean. And I didn't invite you over. You just couldn't help yourself."
He gripped my jaw and turned my face so that his mouth could ravage mine while his other hand slid down to my pussy. "So you don't want me to fuck you again?" he asked me between kisses.
I gasped as his fingers brushed me there. "Oh, just like that," I whispered involuntarily as he began to rub my clit with a thumb using the moisture my body produced as lubrication.
"You made me do this, Jasmine," he rasped in my ear as his rubbing grew more insistent and I moved my hips in response. "What is it about you? I can't stay away."
I grabbed his hair and kissed him harder on that sinful mouth of his as lust overtook me. "We've already established that I am a depraved human being," I said breathlessly. His fingers then plunged inside me and I cried out at the sensation. "Fuck, yes."
He laughed a low, dark laugh as he fucked me with his fingers. "How depraved?" Jasper asked me while I moaned and there was a challenge in his tone. "Open your legs wider," he commanded.
I did and he lifted me so that my ass now rested on his lap.
"Jasper-" I tried to twist but his arms held me firmly.
"Have you ever done anal?"
I shuddered a little as I grew wetter still at his fingering and his words, the heat of his big, muscled body pressing into me, the ache in my breasts increasing.
"No," I answered him and he kissed my neck gently.
"Do you want to try it?"
My breaths came out heavy and fast as I writhed against him.
>
"Yes," I whispered, causing him to stop fingering me for a second.
I groaned with frustration, needing him to continue but also wanting to prolong this as much as possible and squeeze every bit of pleasure from it.
"Are you sure?" he asked me slowly and released me so that I could turn and look him in the eye.
I nodded. I was sure. I wanted this. I knew Jasper would make it good for me.
He read the conviction in my eyes and reached for the bottle of lube I kept on the nightstand. I swallowed a little as excitement spread through me.
"You're not missing your girlfriend’s or boyfriend's ass, are you?" I joked and he narrowed his eyes at me as he opened the bottle of lube.
"That's not funny," he said to me in a serious tone. "You're about to let me in your ass for the first time. I don't think you want to start by pissing me off."
He was trying to scare me. Trying to dominate. I just smirked at him.
"Do your worst," I said and pushed my laptop aside so I could lie back down on the bed.
His gaze shifted to focus on something beside me and I realised my phone screen had lit up with a notification. Quickly, I pressed the power button and tossed it away. I turned to find Jasper studying me with his lips pursed.
"How does it feel looking at your screensaver and then looking back at me knowing I'm going to give it to you better than he ever did?"
This time, I cut him a look of barely restrained anger. "We're not talking about him," I bit out. "I don't care if it's two a.m, one more word and I swear I will throw you out of this room."
It was his turn to smirk at me. "And now you know how it feels," he murmured, giving me a pointed look. Yeah. I knew. No talking about girlfriends, boyfriends or husbands.
Once A Cheater Page 6