But there was only the oppressive silence in the library as I sold myself to the devil with a handshake and he whispered three final words to me.
"Don't hurt her."
****
Chapter Eighteen
Present day
…
Skye
I got in the car with as much finesse as I could manage and smiled when Cole closed the door after me before rounding the car to get into the driver's seat. He had offered to drop me off at home after getting off work early since he had to get ready for his meeting that evening as well.
My men were so over-protective. I could drive just fine by myself. Although I wasn't going to complain because after the long hours I had spent on painting lessons, the last thing I wanted to do was get behind the wheel.
"Tell me you don't want more kids in the near future," I pleaded with my boyfriend, resting my head back and watching him as he weaved through the busy streets while the hot Italian sun beat down upon us. Even after a long workday, Cole looked energetic and handsome in his light blue button down shirt and black trousers. My mood began to lift as I openly admired him.
His hand was on my knee and he massaged it gently, saying, "Why didn't you tell me? That things were difficult for you. I would've told you the same thing Jasper did. That you don't have to face anything alone."
I sighed and closed my eyes, feeling comforted as he continued with the massage.
"I'm sorry, baby. Things are just so...stressful for us right now. You and Jasper are working harder than I am."
"Skye...I wish you would stop feeling like your problems are a burden for us. We're all in this together," he assured me, returning his hand to the wheel as the traffic flow increased. "Everything's going to be fine."
I thought of Jasper that morning. The way he had reacted when I had tried to talk about sex. It had been happening more and more lately. I couldn't believe that of Jasper. That he wouldn't want sex. Something was so very wrong and it felt as though both Cole and I were afraid to open a can of worms so we remained in denial.
I also thought of the way Jasper had opened his heart to me in the kitchen last night. That was my Jasper. That was the man I loved. His raw emotions and absolute conviction that we were everything to him. The Jasper from this morning, that man I didn't recognize.
"You didn't answer me about the children thing," I spoke wearily. An image of these two men breeding me year after year filled my head and I cringed at it.
Cole laughed a little. "Let's just handle this little one for now, okay." His hand drifted to my stomach and stayed there. I looked down at it and smiled before closing my fingers over it.
"I wasn't ready for this kid so soon, Skye. Jasper and I never even spoke of having a family. To be honest, when I first started dating him, I never expected it to last this long at all. But I want it all now."
I nodded dreamily. This unexpected pregnancy thing was intense but there were those beautiful moments when I imagined Jasper and Cole next to me and a little boy or girl playing in our laps. That child would be lucky too. Because three people would love and care for him or her so much.
I blinked back tears again just as Cole glanced at me and looked away with a smirk.
"I know now why you hate being pregnant so much," he murmured in amusement. "It makes the crying even worse."
"Now you sound like Jasper," I told him wryly, shaking my head.
He laughed again but then his expression sobered up as we reached our street, the honking and late afternoon noise outside growing much quieter in this area.
"I hate that I have to be busy later. Damned meeting," he cursed. "I'd cancel if it was a random thing but Armaan's going to be there as well and our project's wrapping up so we need to attend this."
"Sure. We get it. Just don't party later. Come back to us as soon as the dinner is over."
"Oh yeah," he drawled with a cheeky smile, his boyish features lighting up. "I'll make sure to skip dessert. Warm him up for me."
He sounded so breathless and excited. So hopeful. I didn't have the heart to tell him that maybe our mutual boyfriend wasn't as hyped up about our sexual plans later as we both were.
One significant thing I had learned regarding Cole Sawyer; he liked to live in a bubble sometimes until it suited him. If other people burst that bubble before he was well and truly ready, then the effects were even worse. That was when he retreated into a complete shell. Hard and uncompromising. Stubborn.
I loved Cole despite all of that. He was warm and kind, loyal and dependable. Had been like that with me from the start. I figured I could learn to live with his less appealing traits. Relationships weren't meant to be perfectly glorious after all.
****
Armaan
Fabiano and Adrian, our two bosses, finished drinking up some of my expensive wine and murmured their appreciation for the dinner I had cooked us all.
After spending a few days attending a friend's wedding in the States, I'd returned to Milan that evening, to conclude a meeting and also to celebrate the wrap-up of our latest project; the completion of a new hotel on the outskirts of the city. It was a magnificent structure and had earned the admiration of more than a few world-class wealthy clients. Already more offers were coming my way to design houses and hotels for other filthy rich Italians.
"What do you think of the offer to design my brother-in-law's villa in Prada Foundation?" Adrian was asking us. He was a tall, dark-haired American who had moved to Italy only a year ago and invested in a wide range of projects.
I took a sip of my pomegranate juice, already losing interest in this meeting and wishing it to be over. But it wasn't for my benefit.
"I'm going to be busy with some family commitments soon so I'll have to decline," I told him and his partner, Fabiano, regarded me thoughtfully. I gave them a winning smile, one that I knew worked on almost everyone I met. "But Cole would suit this job perfectly."
Cole glanced at me in surprise and Fabiano and Adrian exchanged a look as I carried on.
"He did most of the designing and work on this project. I was just there to supervise, remember?"
Adrian considered it for a while and then glanced questioningly at Cole Sawyer. "Well...we would love to hire you based on all the good work you have done and Armaan's recommendation. Do you think you'd be able to handle the project on your own?"
Cole nodded. "Yes. Yes, of course. I'd love to take it on."
Smiling, Adrian extended a hand towards Cole. "Great, then. We're happy to have you on board. My brother-in-law would be pleased to know we have hired one of the best."
Fabiano nodded in agreement and Cole thanked them with a pleased expression on his face. Later, as I asked the men to move to the living room where we could watch a soccer game on my huge flat-screen, Cole helped me to clear up the table.
"Hey, man, what you did back there," he said to me quietly. "Thanks for that. I really needed another project."
I placed the dishes in the dishwasher, deciding to see to them later.
"You deserve it," I told him and noticed that he kept looking towards the living room with a frown. "Everything okay?"
Cole smiled at me sheepishly. "Is there any chance I could skip the rest of this meeting?" he asked slowly. "Jasper just got home last night and we haven't really had any quality time-"
"Say no more," I interrupted him. "Dude, why didn't you tell me sooner? I would've asked them to postpone the meeting."
He shrugged. "I didn't want to postpone. I mean, it's good that we got it over with. Time to move on to bigger, better things."
I folded my arms and leaned against the counter. "Yeah, I understand. How is Skye?"
Cole smiled at me, his hands in his pocket. "Beautiful. And perfect," was his reply.
I felt a sharp sting in my heart at his tone. His words. Envy. What a bitch that was.
"Good to hear that. Off you go, then. Have a good night. I'll handle these two, don't worry."
He breathed out in reli
ef and picked up his phone and keys from the kitchen counter. "Thank you, Armaan. For everything. I know you don't need this next project but still, you've made things so much easier for me. It's a big help."
I tried not to let my confusion show. I hadn't declined Adrian's offer because I thought Cole needed the cash. I'd done it so that he could have more exposure and build a lucrative clientele. But his happiness and relief told me just how much he had been worried about what his next job would be. Which led me to think that he was worried about his finances. Which was odd because I'd already given his boyfriend more than a million euros six months ago. Why wasn't Jasper making use of those funds to do what needed to be done?
I followed Cole to the door as he departed and before walking out, he turned to look at me with concern. "We'll hang out soon. You know it's going to get crazy with the baby and all but I'll be in touch. You're doing okay, right?"
I laughed off the sympathy I detected in his tone. "Yeah, I'm doing just fine. Say hi to Skye for me." Turning on my heel, I left before I saw the puzzled expression on his face which I knew would come when he realised that was the second time I had refrained from asking about Jasper.
I still wasn't sure if Cole knew that Jasper had kissed my wife all those months ago and I wasn't interested in telling him if he didn't. But he was aware that Jasmine and I had separated because things hadn't worked out for quite a while.
For a minute, as I walked back into the living room, I wished I was Cole. Not exactly in his position but to be going home to loved ones and having a wonderful night. But nope, here I was stuck with entertaining. Usually, I didn't mind. Adrian and Fabiano were long-term acquaintances and we got along well enough. Also, entertaining and hosting had always been my forte.
But not tonight. I wasn't in the mood tonight.
Jasper wasn't in London anymore. Which meant...she was alone over there. He texted me once a fortnight on the regular just to let me know that she wasn't seeing anybody but him and that he was working on getting her back to me.
It killed me. I had adopted such dark, dirty methods to ensure Jasmine got what her heart desired. On that awful day when Jasper Wells had accepted my offer, I had felt the ground slipping out from under my feet and had tried not to let it show. How fucked up I was feeling inside.
What it did to me to hand her over to him like that...
My wife. The woman I loved.
In all my life, I had never hated a human being so much as I hated Jasper fucking Wells. Not even my own brother, Hamza, who had been Jasmine's lover even though he was married and years older than her. The man who had taken advantage of her craving to belong somewhere at the young age of nineteen right after she had lost her parents.
No. Hamza, I had wanted to hurt, be angry with and take revenge on as I snatched Jasmine away from him through any means necessary. But he was regretful of his actions and I knew that now.
But Jasper...
Fuck...I hated that guy with a passion. Because there was not a damned thing I could do about him. He was Cole's partner and he wasn't the type to take advantage of anyone. That much I had learned from all my talks with Cole as he gushed on and on about the great Jasper Wells.
There was...honour in him. It was twisted, the situation he had agreed to be in for his family's sake and I was twisted for coercing him into it. But deep down I knew, he would never leave Cole and Skye for Jasmine. Never take her from me. And Jasmine would never fall for someone like him, a committed man, after that whole disaster with Hamza.
That was why Jasper Wells was the safest bet. If she wanted to indulge in the fantasy of another man which didn't include the husband she had been manipulated into marrying, the one who had taken her virginity when he had known damn well she was too drunk to think clearly, the one who had seduced and wormed his way into her bed wishing to own her body and soul whether she was ready for it or not, then I was going to fulfill her wish through Jasper.
And I didn't care about collateral damage at all in the process. Jasmine Khan would always come first for me. Because once I had given her my word that there was nothing in this world I wouldn't do for her. And I hadn't been joking.
****
Chapter Nineteen
Skye
I timed finishing up my nightly routine of dinner and shower until it was almost nine p.m. Cole would be home soon. He had already texted me that he was on his way, thanks to Armaan letting him off the hook. I got dressed in what was now the guest bedroom, soon to be nursery. We hadn't gotten around to doing any shopping yet. But that was a matter for another day.
Tonight, I stood in front of the mirror and as usual, spent a good deal of time studying my body from every angle. I wasn't that heavy, I guess. More like, filled out or rounded in all the places that had been on the slim side before. I was wearing black lingerie meant for pregnant women which Cole had bought for me a week ago. It hugged me where it mattered and allowed me a lot of breathing room as well. 'Jasper likes black', Cole had said to me that day.
Wow. What a long way he had come from the guy who used to sulk if Jasper and I so much as looked at each other funny during those days when I had first started dating Cole. I smiled as I rubbed some lemon-scented moisturiser on my legs. That had been a gift from Jasper. He had noticed how the vanilla scent made me nauseous during the early months of pregnancy and had bought some new ones for me to try to see which one appealed to my senses.
Secretly, I think he was relieved because he wasn't a fan of vanilla. And I'm not just talking about the moisturiser.
Satisfied with my appearance, I made my way over to our bedroom. Yes, I slept with both my boyfriends but sharing a room with two men was...well frankly, it drove me crazy at times. They were too tidy for my tastes. Especially Jasper. He got this look on his face whenever I left my things lying around and made a mess.
I rolled my eyes at the thought. The third time he had made that face, I had announced that I would be using the spare room for everything except sleeping. And that was that. A girl needed her space. They had known better than to argue with a pregnant woman.
Pausing on the doorway to the bedroom, I waited for Jasper to look up and notice me. Say something about the new lingerie. Eat me alive. But he kept his head down, holding one of his cameras in his lap as he sat on the bed with one leg folded and the other foot touching the floor while he fiddled with his equipment.
My temperature was rising. And the guy wasn't even naked. Or even shirtless. Damn it. I was tired of trying to figure out what his deal was. My brain worked overtime dealing with personal issues and I was sick of allowing all these doubts to sour all the amazing moments I could have in this relationship.
When we had arrived home in the afternoon, he had been taking a nap up until the moment Cole left for his meeting. During dinner, he had been quiet as well, allowing me to go do my thing while he cleaned up in the kitchen. I wasn't having it anymore. Sure, I loved him and would do whatever I could to make sure this relationship only got stronger with time but right now, at that moment, I just wanted to have sex.
My hormones were all over the place. I hadn't been masturbating or having sex with Cole though we had been sorely tempted and when I finally tell this guy that Cole and I were looking forward to breaking that dry spell with him, he gets...mad? I mean, what the fuck?
"Jasper," I called softly.
He looked up with a distracted frown. And then he really looked, his hands going still on the camera.
I gave him a seductive half smile. "You look busy. Anything I can help with?"
His chest expanded as he took a deep breath, not removing his gaze from me as it feasted on whatever I had on display. Okay. So he was definitely in the mood. I knew when Jasper Wells got that look on his face, it meant I was in trouble. In a deliciously wicked way.
"I'm not sure," he finally spoke up, his voice deep and husky. "What do you know about cameras? I'm trying to get this part fixed but I'm a little confused."
Assuming a thoughtful e
xpression, I walked over to him slowly and sat down as close to him as possible, near that folded leg. The heat of his body warmed up mine, his closeness spiking up my heartbeats. I was wet already but I refrained from throwing myself at him.
"Maybe if you tried it this way," I murmured, brushing my hands over his and pretending to fix the camera while I shifted closer.
Jasper cleared his throat. "You should have gotten dressed properly before coming to see me."
I gave him an innocent look. "Why? Do you not like what I'm wearing?" I questioned in a breathy voice.
He ran his eyes over me again and licked his lips. "It's really nice but also very provocative."
"This old thing?" I murmured, deliberately lowering a tiny black strap down one shoulder. His eyes darkened even more at the action. "I came to you hoping you could take some pictures of me for my modelling portfolio."
"Yeah?" He placed that faulty camera away and narrowed his eyes at me. "We already did that last month, remember. You still haven't paid me for that."
Moisture gathered even more at the core of me at his suggestive tone. I climbed up on the bed and faced him, trying to remain in the role even though I was so close to losing my control. "I don't have anything to pay you with," I managed to say softly.
Jasper grazed my entire body with his eyes once more and slowly, in a heart-stopping manner, his large hand burned the skin of my thigh as he rubbed it tantalizingly. "Maybe if you let me do other things to you instead of just taking pictures..." He trailed off, leaving his hand exactly where it was.
I didn't speak as I slipped my thumb underneath the other strap on my shoulder and lowered that as well, not taking my eyes off him. I pushed it down my arms and my breasts and then sucked in an embarrassed breath as the dress clung to my pregnant belly. Shit. I should've removed it the other way, slid it over my head instead. This was awkward.
But then he smiled a little and gently took hold of the fabric, tugging it down while I helped him along, blushing harder than ever as I finally lay before him, completely bare and unbearably aroused.
Once A Cheater Page 9