by K T Grant
“The reason I never wanted Wyatt is because my heart belonged to someone else, years before you came into my life.”
“If not Wyatt, then whom?” Beau gave her a shake, his body as stiff as the walls surrounding them.
“Mary.” Lily’s voice broke. “Mary was one the one I was in love with, not Wyatt. She and I weren’t just close friends but lovers. She broke off our…affair when she became engaged to Wyatt. She wanted a husband and children and a simple life with no drama, which she would have if she stayed with me.” Lily fisted her hand into Beau’s jacket. “Now do you see why I was so close with the Ashford’s? I wanted to be near Mary. If she couldn’t be with me the way I wanted her to, I would remain her friend and live with the pain of her rejection. But then you came along and swept me off my—”
“Stop right there. I’ve heard enough.” Beau backed away, staring at her in shock. Sweat trickled down the side of his face and his mouth opened and closed. Lily wiped under her eyes as more tears fell from them.
“Beau.” She held out her hand in a plea.
“I had no idea.” Beau shook his head. “When you made love to me, lying naked in my arms, you wanted to be with Mary?”
“No! Never with you. You consumed my very soul. I felt alive with you after all the horrors I went through during the war, with Mama and Papa dying and losing my childhood home. I fell in love with you. I once was in love with Mary, but then that changed when I met you.”
“You loved a woman exactly like you would love a man?” Beau’s lip curled and his eyes grew dark.
“Y-yes. Mary and I were intimate as girls. We really only kissed and touched. I can count the number of times on my hand we were naked—”
Beau released a curse and pulled at his hair. He muttered something under his breath and when he looked back at her, a vein popped out from the side of his neck. “I can’t believe this. All the times you said you loved me and we made love, you pretended I was someone else.”
“Take that back, Beau Odell.” Lily pointed her finger in the air and her chest heaved with indignation. “My love for Mary was completely different from what I felt for you. You saved me from—”
“Shut your lying mouth.” Beau gritted his teeth and he lifted his fist as he paced in front of her. Lily’s hand shook as she laid her palm over her speeding heart.
“Why are you so upset? You threw me aside—”
“Why am I upset?” Beau bellowed and she jumped. “How did you think I would react to finding out my wife is a Sapphist?”
“What’s a Sapp-Sapphist?” she asked.
“A woman who fucks other women,” Beau spat, glowering at her in disgust.
Lily flinched. “I-I take offense to your crude words, sir. Apologize now.”
“Apologize? That’s rich coming from you.” Beau scanned her face coldly. “It’s no wonder you hated taking my cock into your mouth, but were more than willing to spread your legs for my tongue all over your cunny like a two-bit whore. If I’d known you’d like to get your face mucked up with a women’s honey, I would have paid one of Rose’s girls to join us. Oh wee, what a sight that would be to see you lap a woman’s puss right up while I took you from behind.”
As Beau laughed and squeezed the bridge of his nose, Lily went right up to him and slapped him hard against his cheek. He grabbed hold of her wrist as she lifted her other hand to pummel him.
“You cold hearted bastard. I hate you!” she yelled and struggled. Another cry left her as he squeezed her wrist harder.
“Beau, what in the hell are you doing?” Parker grabbed hold of Beau and pulled him away from Lily.
“You can only push me so far, Lily,” Beau hurled over Parker’s shoulder as he blocked Beau from coming back at her.
Lily held her pained wrist as Parker spoke low in Beau’s ear. Beau nodded, but his eyes stayed on her. She shivered from the undisguised loathing in them.
It’s truly over between us. Lily dropped her arms to the side and went to the desk to pick up her things. She grabbed her gloves and put them inside her reticule. When she turned back around, Beau sat on the couch with his head bowed and his forearms resting on his knees.
“Lily, are you well? Do I need to call for someone?” Parker asked kindly as he came over to her.
“Don’t concern yourself with little old me.” She patted Parker’s cheek lightly. Her lips trembled as she tried to smile. She failed and instead, tears filled her eyes.
“Lily—”
“Please Parker, it’s better if I go now.”
“Be well, my dear,” Parker whispered and squeezed Lily’s shoulder.
Lily finally looked back at Beau. He hadn’t moved from his spot and was still silent.
“You’re a fool, Beau Odell. You’ll regret this day.” She curled her lip, sickened by the man she once worshiped. “You sir, can rot in hell for all I care.”
“You’ll join me there soon enough to pay for all your sins.” He lifted his head and gave her a bleak look.
“Perhaps so, but until then, I’m going to live life on my own terms. I’ve survived much worse. You haven’t broken me. Remember that when you go to sleep at night all alone.” Lily lifted her chin and with a wave at Parker, walked out of the office.
She had just opened the front door, when a loud crash came from within. Not bothering to stop and investigate, even when Beau’s angry voice bellowed, she closed the door behind her and went down the stairs.
And when she hailed a carriage and climbed inside, only then did she cry her eyes out.
Chapter Eight
It had been a good three months since Rose had been back to the Restoration Hotel. During the first year she and Margaret Anne were together, they used the same room for most of their trysts. The staff had turned a blind eye and never questioned why two women would need a room for a limited time and not an overnight stay. But then again, Margaret Anne’s husband owned a percentage of the hotel and she had slipped enough money to upper management to keep their silence.
As things progressed between them, Rose grew wearisome of their clandestine meetings and preferred Margaret Anne to stay in her bedroom at the Delights in case any emergencies occurred. But now with Lily living with her, she couldn’t invite Margaret Anne back there.
Thoughts of Lily made her stomach dip. She hated how tense things stood between them. And it made things even worse since Lily refused to hear her explanation. She only hoped Lily’s meeting with Beau had gone well and that he’d given her the funds she needed, not only to help her move on with her life, but for her to accomplish her dream.
Now she stood outside the room ready to knock. She inhaled through her nose and laid her palm against the smooth wood. This relationship with Margaret Anne had run its course and if she had any hope of a future with Lily, she needed to cut off all ties with her soon-to-be former lover.
Things between her and Margaret Anne would undeniably end badly, but she knew what she was doing the moment she cornered Margaret Anne at some public event and explained to her in graphic detail what she planned to do to her. She’d come to blame the amount of champagne she drank and the lustful stares Margaret Anne had given her that night. They left without saying their goodbyes and grabbed a carriage together, where they both fell upon one another in lust as they drove to the Restoration and up to this very room where she gave Margaret Anne her first orgasm with her mouth on her cunt. She would never do such a thing with another woman again, unless it was with Lily.
As soon as she finished here, she needed to see Lily, to make her listen. In the few days that had passed, she could barely sleep through the night knowing Lily was upset with her. She of all people had learned trusting and loving another person unconditionally ended in disillusionment and regret. But when it came to Lily, none of that mattered.
“Damn you Lily Odell for sneaking into my heart and damn myself for allowing it.” Rose shook her head and rapped her fist against her forehead, as if that would relieve the pressure building th
ere.
First deal with Margaret Anne and then Lily. Rose gave the door a knock with her knuckles. The door opened and Margaret Anne stood there with a happy grin and holding a glass of clear liquid.
Margaret Anne stroked her hand over her chest, her thumb dipping in her low cut cleavage. Rose could see a slip of a nipple peeking out from the short, almost transparent chemise she wore.
“Did you just wake up from a nap?” she asked as Margaret Anne stepped to the side to let her in.
“Why would I take a nap when I was expecting your arrival, sweetheart?”
Rose winced from the endearment given in a slurred tone. Margaret Anne gulped down her drink and swayed on her high heeled slippers as she went over to the table near the corner where bottles of alcohol had been laid out.
“You’re dressed for bed. What was I to think?” Rose replied in a casual manner and went over to the fireplace.
“How soon we forget I always dressed in easy to remove clothes, such as I’m wearing now.” Margaret Anne brought over two glasses and held out one for Rose to take. “Whiskey neat, the way you like.”
Rose’s nose twitched from the fumes pouring out of Margaret Anne’s mouth. She took the glass but didn’t drink. Margaret Anne lifted the glass to her lips and smiled drowsily against the rim.
“You’re drunk,” Rose said in a flat tone and shook her head.
“I’ve been celebratin’!” Margaret Anne hiccupped and raised her glass. “To us and our future together.”
Rose placed her glass on the mantel and crossed her arms. “We have no future together. I came to break things off with you for good.”
“You still can’t be upset at me for the way I acted in your garden.” Margaret Anne lifted up one of Rose’s curls, rubbing the tuft between her fingers.
“You’ve become too possessive. We discussed from the beginning how our relationship meant no long term promises. I gave you a year of my life. That should be good enough.”
Margaret Anne dropped her hand away until it landed on Rose’s shoulder. She wet her lips as she played with the edge of Rose’s bodice, inching her way down until Rose took hold of her hand.
“Stop it, Margaret,” she ordered and shoved Margaret Anne away as she crossed the room toward the door. Before she could get there, arms came around her and Margaret’s Anne heavy breath brushed over the back of her neck.
“Call me Anne like you did the last time we were in bed together.”
Rose clenched her teeth. “We must go our separate ways.”
“How can you be so cruel to me? I’ve…fallen in love with you. You can’t leave me like this. I’ll die without you,” Margaret whispered, rubbing her mouth across Rose’s nape.
Rose rolled her eyes and tapped her foot. Fucking Margaret Anne Bourdieu had been the biggest mistake of her life.
“You need to stop this. I’ve moved on—”
Margaret Anne released a yell and Rose stumbled as Margaret Anne pushed her away. By the time she had spun around, Margaret Anne had picked up her glass and thrown it against the wall. The sounds of breaking glass reverberated and the wall became stained from the liquid.
“I’m the one to decide when it’s over between us! I won’t lose you to that spoiled pathetic bitch who all of Charleston can’t stand.”
Rose touched her brow. How had she never noticed Margaret Anne’s uncontrollable mood swings until now? “You think by threatening me and throwing insults around about Lily Odell I’ll want to stay with you? You’re delusional.”
“I’ll ruin you. One word to my husband—”
“And what? You’ll tell your husband how you’ve been fucking another woman who made you come more times than he has during your ten year marriage?” Rose laughed. “That should go over well. Unlike you, I have nothing to lose. You’re grasping at thin air, sweetheart. We’re finished. Get that through your pretty head and the next time you even try to contact me, I’ll pay a little visit to your husband at his bank,” Rose snarled and made her way over to the door.
Margaret Anne grabbed hold of her by the arm and as Rose tried to push her away, Margaret Anne wrapped her arms around her neck and smashed her mouth against her firm one. She bit down hard on Rose’s bottom lip and Rose seized her by the back of her hair.
“Enough!” Rose shouted and licked away the blood on her cut mouth. Margaret Anne laughed in glee and rubbed against her.
“You’re aroused. I can feel it. Punish me, I deserve it.” Margaret Anne went to kiss Rose again, but Rose flung her away.
With a swipe of her hand over her mouth, Rose stared down at her blood staining her fingers. When she glanced back up, Margaret Anne had pulled down her bodice and was tweaking her nipples while her other hand was in between her legs. “I want you so badly.”
“You need help,” Rose said with no emotion and backed away. She had just reached behind her for the door knob when Margaret Anne rushed her. Before she could open the door, Margaret Anne grabbed her by her hair and tugged.
“Let me go, you crazy bitch!” Rose struggled as Margaret Anne dug her nails into her neck and dragged her over to the bed.
“Not until we have our bed play,” Margaret Anne sneered and kicked her leg in between Rose’s, making her fall.
Rose went down on her knees and Margaret Anne lunged toward her. Rose broke her fall with her elbow and cried out when Margaret Anne squeezed her breasts.
“Stop this!” she shouted in alarm by Margaret Anne’s strength. Her skirt was hastily lifted and her bodice ripped as Margaret Anne went to kiss her. Rose twisted her head as Margaret Anne pressed her leg over her thighs to stop her struggling.
“You’ll be begging me to stop soon enough.” Margaret Anne bit down on the side of Rose’s neck and slid her hand up against the inside of her leg.
When Margaret Anne prodded a finger against Rose’s pussy, Rose kicked out and swiped her nails across Margaret Anne’s cheek. A scream of pain came from Margaret Anne and as she cursed, Rose pulled back her fist and pummeled the side of Margaret Anne’s head. Margaret Anne fell away to the side, clutching her face and sobbing. Rose crawled away, standing slowly on shaking legs as she ran over to the door.
Margaret Anne cried out her name. Rose ran down the hall, clutching her bodice and holding back her hair. Doors opened and people came out to investigate the commotion. She continued running until she flew down the step, hitting the main level and finally out into the street.
Rose ran as if the demons of hell were after her until she hid into a side alley and caught her breath. Tremors overtook her body as she fell to the dirty ground and cried into her palms.
Only when the shakes had subsided did Rose rise to her feet. She pulled her hair into some semblance of order and held her bodice together as she walked away. Some people who passed her gave her stares, but she ignored them. She had to make it back to the Delights in one piece without having a breakdown. Then she would ask for a bath and soak her aches and the terror away. No one would ever find out about this recent scrape.
Never again would she place herself in such a precarious situation.
Chapter Nine
“I don’t like this. I should go up and see how she’s doing,” Jo said to Clara the cook as she finished stirring the soup she planned on serving for dinner tonight.
“Madam said she didn’t want to be disturbed,” the stocky woman stated as she began peeling potatoes.
“Rose has never been like this before. She always lets me see her, even when she’s taking a bath. I don’t understand why she didn’t want me to help her this time,” Jo grumbled, stung by the rejection.
“Madam can do things herself like running a bath. She doesn’t need you to scrub her back all the time.”
Jo stuck out her tongue. “I guess breaking up with a current lover can make anyone moody, even Rose. Do you think it didn’t go well? No one will tell me a thing.”
“Stop your complaining.” Clara pointed the knife at her. “Everyone else is busy getting r
eady for tonight. Shouldn’t you help your sister look her very best?”
“Alene has stopped taking clients. She’s packing up her room. Tomorrow she wants to go pick out furniture and decorations for her new house Mr. Addison has bought her.”
“I’ll miss Alene. She’s a lovely girl.” Cook grinned. “You must be pleased to be leaving this place and only have to take care of Alene from now on.”
Jo nodded. “It’s all happening so fast. It will be nice to live in a house where there’s not so many people underfoot or coming face to face with strange men sneaking back home to their unknowing wives.”
“You’ll only have to put up with one man this time,” Cook stated and went back over to the stove.
Jo stood and jiggled her leg. Rubbing her knee, she winced. Back to work. “I need to check the second floor rooms before tonight. Maybe then I can visit Rose and see if she’s well enough to watch over things tonight.”
Cook gave her a non-committal response as she walked out of the kitchen and slowly climbed up the stairs to the first level. The sounds of feminine laughter echoed around her as she walked down the hall. Her chest tightened over the idea of leaving. It had been the only place she ever called home, not counting her childhood where her grandmother had taken care of her and Alene before she had died. The years after had been dark ones until they met Rose and she took them in. Now she was off to the unknown, leaving everyone she trusted behind. But she had to be strong for Alene, who had a man willing to give her so much, where the only thing he asked for in return was the sole use of her body.
Jo glanced at her reflection in the mirror on the wall and pushed her braid over her shoulder. Would she ever feel a man’s naked body against her own in passion? A grimace filled her face. Only in her dreams a man wouldn’t be disgusted by her ruined leg.
The sounds of a piano met her ears. She changed direction and went toward the back to one of the salons. Clinton sat at the piano. The arms of his shirt were rolled up under his elbows and his jacket discarded over a chair. He ran his fingers across the keys, his head down in concentration.
