Serenity (Inevitable Book 5)

by Janet Nissenson

  Sasha had plenty of other students who both needed and welcomed her assistance and suggestions, and she was kept so busy for the duration of the class that she didn’t give the hostile woman a second thought. It wasn’t until the class was over, and students began to roll up their mats and filter out of the studio that Sasha paid her much heed. There was still this niggling little thought at the back of her head that she knew this woman from somewhere, or had at least seen a photo of her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it - at least until the woman came right up to her, smiling smugly.

  “So we meet at last,” the woman began lazily, her green eyes reminding Sasha of a feral cat that Linda had adopted once - a cat that had hissed and spit and scratched if you got too close.

  Sasha regarded her curiously. “You do look familiar. Have you attended my class before?”

  The woman looked disdainful. “No, and I certainly won’t be back. I’m actually not a yoga fan, I much prefer Pilates.”

  Sasha’s spine stiffened, for Hayley had once said something similar. “You’re Lindsey,” she acknowledged, her voice sounding much calmer than she felt. “I see the resemblance to your daughter now. That’s why you looked familiar.”

  Lindsey smiled smugly. “Most people think Hayley and I are sisters.”

  “Hmm. Well, once Hayley’s baby is born, I’m guessing that won’t be the case any longer. And let me wish you congratulations in advance. You must be so pleased at the thought of becoming a grandmother.”

  The smiled stiffened on Lindsey’s face, and Sasha silently congratulated herself for thinking up such a pointed dig on the spur of the moment. She could picture both Julio and Elena giving her an enthusiastic high-five for so thoroughly putting Lindsey in her place.

  “You think you’re so fucking superior, don’t you?” hissed Lindsey, her green eyes narrowing dangerously. “But don’t forget, bitch, that I’m the one Matt’s living with now, and the one who’s still wearing his ring.” She waggled the obscenely large diamond in Sasha’s face. “He got tired of slumming it with you, and is back where he belongs - with his family. So your little scheme to steal him away has backfired big time.”

  “Steal him?” Sasha arched a brow in disbelief. “Just to clarify, when Matthew and I first started seeing each other the two of you had been legally separated for a few months already. And he also told me exactly why he’s divorcing you. So I fail to see how I could have stolen him from you when he’d already been long gone.”

  Lindsey’s otherwise pretty face looked ugly now, given the way her features had contorted with rage. “That’s all in the past now,” she snarled. “And the divorce isn’t happening. Matt’s back with his wife and children now, so hah hah - you lose.”

  Sasha gave her a sad smile. “Is that what you think this is, Lindsey - a game or a contest? There are no winners and losers here as far as I’m concerned. And if Matthew is happy, then that’s all that really matters to me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to do some preparations for my next class. Oh, and speaking of classes - if you do decide to give yoga a try again, I’d strongly suggest you start with a beginners class. My classes are very advanced, and you’re obviously not ready for anything that difficult.”

  She walked out the door gracefully, unhurried, though she was half afraid that Lindsey would hurl one of the yoga blocks at her head, or simply unleash a string of curse words at her. It wasn’t until she reached the small studio and closed the door behind her that she expelled the breath she’d been holding for long seconds.

  ‘Well, as Julio would say, that really sucked,’ she thought to herself, even as she began to focus on her breathing, forcing herself to regain her composure and calm down.

  Once again, Sasha turned to her personal yoga practice to find solace, to retreat to a place deep within her psyche where no one could touch her. By the end of an hour, she was sweaty and sore, but infinitely more serene, and she felt confident that she’d be able to put the ugly episode with Lindsey out of her head.

  Her confidence was short-lived, however, as the co-owner of the studio – Serge - approached her with a puzzled expression on his face a few minutes later. Sasha had been chatting with Willow at the front desk when her boss walked up, scratching his round, balding head in bewilderment.

  “Hey, Sasha. You got a minute or do you have an appointment coming up?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Not for almost an hour. What’s going on?”

  Serge swept a hand towards the back of the studio. “Let’s chat for a minute in my office.”

  Sasha followed him down the hallway into his office, not at all sure what he wanted to discuss, and equally unsure if she should be concerned at this unusual summons.

  “I’ll make this quick,” began Serge. “One of your students - must be someone new, since I’ve never seen her before - complained about you. Said you were rude and disrespectful, and that your class was just about the worst one she’s ever attended. I asked her three times if we were talking about the same person, and she insisted that it was you. So - talk to me. What the hell happened?”

  Sasha pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, willing away the dull headache that was beginning to make itself known. “Was this woman petite and dark haired? Around forty years old?”

  Serge nodded. “Yup. And with tits out to here.” He cupped his hands in front of his chest, mimicking the size of Lindsey’s breasts. “Fake as a three dollar bill, of course, but she makes damned sure you notice them.”

  Sasha heaved a sigh. “That’s Lindsey Bennett. Matthew’s ex - well, not so ex-wife nowadays. I didn’t know who she was until the end of class when she approached me to gloat about the situation. And I might have gotten a little testy with her about some things, but not during class.”

  Serge looked incredibly relieved at this news. “Ah, that explains a lot. The jealous ex, the hot young girlfriend. Sounds like she came here to check out the competition, and cause some trouble for you in the process.”

  “I’m hardly competition anymore, Serge,” she replied sadly. “After all, Matthew’s with her now, not me.”

  “Baloney.” Serge waved a hand in dismissal. “He’s with his kids, not his ex, from what you’ve told me. And while Mrs. Bennett is definitely hot, she’s also a stark raving bitch. I’m guessing Matthew is hating his life right about now, and wishing he’d made a different choice.” He enfolded Sasha in an affectionate embrace. “You’re one in a million, kiddo, and Matthew knows it. He’ll figure it out sooner than later, and beg you to take him back.”

  She shrugged. “I’m not convinced of that, Serge. And even if he did, I’m not so sure I’d want him back. I’m the complete opposite of my mother in almost every way except for one - I’m not a very forgiving person at times.”

  Serge patted her on the back. “But you’re also a softie. So I’m pretty sure that you’d take Matthew back under the right circumstances. In the meanwhile, I’m glad you told me about his wife. I knew there had to be a reasonable explanation for her complaint, given that the only complaints I ever get about you or your class are about how tough it is to actually get into a class. I’m also going to tell Willow that Lindsey Bennet isn’t welcome in this studio in the future. No one’s allowed to insult the best yoga teacher I’ve ever known, and the most beloved one at this studio.”

  Sasha hugged her boss. “You and Morgana are like family to me, you know. And your faith in me makes up for that nasty encounter with Lindsey. Thanks, Serge.”

  “Anytime, kiddo. Especially since keeping you happy is very, very important to my business. I’m well aware that you could get a job at any other studio in the city just by walking in the door. So don’t let that jealous bitch ruin your day, okay?”

  But Serge’s words did little to reassure Sasha, or make her forget the ugly scene with Lindsey. She was still shuddering over the encounter as she readied the massage room for her first client.

  Her p
hone buzzed with an incoming call, and she glanced at the caller ID out of curiosity, given that she rarely got calls at this time of the day. The fact that it was her aunt Linda calling was even more unusual, since they typically communicated via email or text.

  “I hope I’m not bothering you, niná,” began Linda. “But I just heard some really shocking news and I needed to tell you before you read it somewhere else. It’s - well, about Riley Cullen.”

  Sasha froze, not sure that she had heard Linda correctly, but unwilling to ask because hearing that name mentioned again just might send her a little over the edge.

  “What about him?” she asked in a hollow voice. “I thought you and I agreed to never bring him up again.”

  “I know. And believe me, I wouldn’t have mentioned him except for what I’ve just learned about him and both of his parents. Sasha, you know that old saying about how bad things happen in threes?” inquired Linda.

  “I do. Just a superstition, though. One of many my mother believes in.”

  “Well, in this case, Katya would have been right. I just left Mill Valley, had to pick up some supplies at the pet store for my little zoo here, and it seems like the whole town is abuzz with what’s been going on. Riley was arrested almost two weeks ago for embezzlement and tax fraud, and he’s already been fired from the investment firm he was working for. His father has been relieved of his duties as chief of police pending an investigation into charges of corruption. And Mrs. Cullen is in danger of being suspended from the State Bar for something or other. What makes all of this so shocking is how it happened to all three of them at practically the same time.”

  Sasha knew without ever having to ask that this was no coincidence. And she was convinced that somehow Matthew had made all of this happen, just as he’d promised her. What was it exactly he’d said that night after she had tearfully confessed about being date raped by the vile Riley Cullen - “I’m going to ruin him, one way or the other”. Somehow Matthew had discovered the identity of her attacker, likely using the clue that Riley’s father had been the chief of police. It would have been a simple enough matter at that point to figure out who Riley was. What Sasha couldn’t figure out, though, was how Matthew had brought all this about, how he had exacted revenge on the boy who’d destroyed her innocence and caused her so many nightmares over the years.

  “That - that’s weird, all right,” acknowledged Sasha faintly, not daring to share her suspicions that Matthew had somehow been the catalyst behind the Cullen family downfall.

  “Well, I suppose that hardly matters, does it? What’s important here, Sasha, is that justice is finally going to get served. That bastard unfortunately got away with what he did to you, but one way or the other he’s going to answer for his evildoing. And I’m sorry I had to drag all this up again, or even mention his name. But I thought you deserved to know.”

  Sasha thanked her aunt for telling her, then chatted about other matters for a few minutes until it was nearly time for her client to arrive. She continued to stare at her cell phone for long seconds after telling Linda good-by, wondering if she had the nerve to make another quick call, or whether she should send a text or email instead. Impulsively, before she could change her mind or lose her nerve, she pressed the call button.

  He answered immediately. “Sasha. God, I’m so glad you’re calling. Where are you?”

  “At the studio. And I’ve got a client coming in any second, so I can’t talk long. But, well, I just heard about the - the Cullens. And I have to know, Matthew. Was it you?” she asked, her voice trembling.

  There was silence on the other end for long seconds before Matthew replied. “I vowed to you that the man who hurt you would pay for his sins. And I always fulfill my promises, Sasha. Especially the ones I make to you.”

  She closed her eyes, her hand gripping the edge of the massage table for support as her legs began to shake. “I normally don’t believe in revenge,” she whispered. “I prefer to leave that sort of thing to my mother. But in this case - thank you, Matthew. For chasing away a monster that’s been lurking in the back of my closet for too many years to count.”

  She ended the call abruptly, not trusting herself to remain on the line a second longer. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to stop herself from telling him how much she still loved him. And, as his wife had so cruelly pointed out a little while ago, loving Matthew wasn’t Sasha’s right any longer.

  Chapter Twenty

  Early August

  “Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Fogerty! I’ll see you at practice tomorrow, Blake. Hopefully it doesn’t get cut short again because of the heat.”

  Casey waved good-bye to his friend and his mother who’d offered him a ride home. When today’s baseball practice had been halted before noon because of the ninety-plus degree temperatures, Casey had started to call his mother so she could come and pick him up. But Blake had forestalled him, assuring Casey that his mom would be happy to drop him off since they only lived two blocks away.

  It was just as well, thought Casey as he let himself in the house, since the likelihood that his mother would have actually been the one to pick him up was practically nonexistent. Lindsey would have insisted that their housekeeper Maribel picked him up, even though that wasn’t one of her duties. Poor, good-natured Maribel, though, had a difficult time saying no to anything that Lindsey and Hayley asked of her, and ended up doing lots of little things outside of her regular responsibilities. The situation had only become worse since Matthew had set his foot down about employing a nanny for Casey and Hayley, insisting that they were both well past the age where they needed that sort of help.

  Casey had agreed wholeheartedly, especially since he’d endured all sorts of teasing from his friends whenever he had been dropped off or picked up at school or other events by whoever the current nanny had been. And since he and Hayley were at school all day, the nanny had had very little to do most of the time, and precious little even when they were at home. Hayley had treated the succession of nannies like her personal attendants, asking them to get her a snack or tidy up her room or even do her homework for her.

  He showered, changed into cargo shorts and a T-shirt, and then made his way downstairs to the kitchen. Not wanting to bother Maribel, whom he’d spied dusting in the living room, Casey made himself a sandwich. Unlike his high-maintenance mother and sister - both of whom insisted on being waited on practically hand and foot - Casey’s needs were much simpler, and he had always been self-sufficient, even as a little boy.

  After putting his dishes in the dishwasher, he ambled outside to see how hot it really was. A swim in the pool sounded awfully good, and he wondered how long he’d need to wait to digest his lunch. As he began to walk around the side of the house towards the pool, however, he froze in his tracks at the sound of raised voices. Unsurprisingly, his mother and sister were arguing again, something they seemed to do on a regular basis. Normally, Casey would have just ignored them and continued on his way, but his ears perked up in surprise at what his mother was saying to his sister.

  “Hayley, for God’s sake. How many times do I have to tell you? You can’t just lounge around in a bikini anymore. You’re supposed to be almost five months pregnant, and you won’t fool anyone this way. Especially since that bikini doesn’t cover very much.”

  Hayley’s voice floated around the corner, sounding both irritated and bored. “Relax, Mom. You and I are the only ones here right now. Casey won’t be back until close to dinnertime, and Dad’s still away on his business trip. Nobody is going to walk by and notice that I haven’t gained a pound. In fact,” she added happily, “I’ve actually dropped five pounds. My size 00 jeans fit perfectly now.”

  “You stupid girl!” hissed Lindsey. “No one is going to believe for a second that you’re pregnant if you intentionally keep losing weight! Don’t you dare wear those jeans around the house when your father’s here. He’s already too suspicious for my liking.”

  “Yeah, tell me a
bout it,” groused Hayley. “Before he left on his trip the other night, he cornered me for almost an hour asking a bunch of questions. And while I realize that Dad is a big nerd, making a two page list of stuff to ask me takes nerdiness to a whole new low. I thought I was going to faint or have a panic attack or something equally gross the whole time.”

  “Well, I hope like hell that you answered all his questions correctly,” replied Lindsey in a threatening tone. “We’re too close now to risk you screwing this up. What sorts of things was he asking you anyway?”

  Hayley emitted a long-suffering sigh. “God, what didn’t he ask me? He wanted to know what brand of pre-natal vitamins I was taking - thank God you bought me some, because he insisted on reading the label. Then he was pushing me to register for something called Lamaze classes, and offering to go with me to be my birth coach or some such crap. Eww, even if I really was pregnant, there is no way I’d want my father to be in the delivery room with me. How embarrassing and pathetic would that be? I mean, all the doctors and nurses would think I was some sort of loser, having my dad there instead of the baby’s father.”

  “Hayley. Focus, for fuck’s sake, will you?” chastised Lindsey. “That last part is sort of a moot point, isn’t it? Since you aren’t actually pregnant, that is. But you’ve got to keep this little act up for just a few more weeks. I’m getting closer and closer to convincing your father to call off the divorce. I just need to make sure he stays close by a bit longer.”