by Helen Cooper
“Oh?”
“There’s a lot he would do to keep that secret.”
“Maybe you’re overthinking things.” Sophie swallowed, trying to forget the feel of the senator’s fingers on her clit, rough and quick.
“No I don’t think I am.” He sighed. “I’m going to need to talk to Alexis.”
“Why?” she cried out upset. “It’s not our fault.”
“Alexis was my girl at the club, I have the baby. I’m the one that can make things difficult for Frank.”
“So wouldn’t he just ask you nicely to keep it quiet?”
“That’s not how he works.” Max sighed. “He’ll want something over me.”
“Oh.” Sophie felt faint.
“Are you okay, my love?” Max looked at her in concern. “Don’t worry. He can’t harm me. All my business dealings are above board.”
“So then everything is fine then?” Sophie asked hopefully and looked at Max who was thinking carefully.
“I don’t know.” Max stared at her intently. “Frank plays dirty. If business is fine, he’ll come after my family next.”
“Oh no.” Sophie gulped and clutched the table next to her. “What would he do?”
“I don’t know.” Max frowned. “But we can’t go back to ‘The Games’ I’m afraid.”
“That’s okay.” She squeezed his hand. “I don’t need to go back.”
“It wasn’t too bad, was it? When Gina blindfolded you?”
“No, it wasn’t too bad.” She smiled at him briefly.
“I didn’t intend for that to happen you know.” He kissed her cheek. “I don’t need those clubs; I hope you know that, Sophie. I just want you.”
“I know.” She stared into his eyes. “I’m sorry for making you take me.”
“It’s okay. You wanted to know what its like and now you do.” He stroked her hair and hugged her. “That’s not a good place for a princess like you. I don’t want to drag you to such depraved places anymore.”
“I’m not going to break, Max. I enjoyed myself.” She spoke softly.
“I’m glad.” He laughed. “And thank God, we got out without Gina trying to pull any crazy stunts.
“Yes. That was good.” She smiled weakly and turned around. “I think I’m going to go walk to Whole Foods now. Do you want anything?”
“Ooh maybe get some dumplings.” He grinned. “If you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.” Sophie went and got her purse. “I’ll be back soon.” And with that, Sophie hurried out of the door. She couldn’t stand to be around Max with her guilty feelings. She needed to talk to someone. She thought about calling Ella but wasn’t sure she would know how to tell her friend what had happened. She didn’t think Ella would judge her but she knew that her friend would look at her differently.
She decided to go and sit in the park for a bit. Let the air clear her head. She smiled as she walked to her usual bench and saw Nick there. Part of her had hoped that she would see him again. She had resolved that there was nothing wrong having a friend who was a male, she loved Max and was never going to cheat on him.
“Hi Nick.” She smiled widely at him as she approached the bench. He looked up surprised to see her.
“Hi Sophie.” He tucked his phone in his pocket and stood up and hugged her. “It’s nice to see you.”
“You too.” She looked around. “Are you here by yourself?”
“Yes.” He smiled briefly. “Well, I was here with someone but they had to go home.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, a first date that didn’t go so well.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“So, how are you and your fiancé?” He looked at her kindly, changing the subject.
“Good.” She smiled sweetly at him, studying his face. He looked anxious and she felt like at this time he was the one who needed a friend. “Are you okay Nick, you look preoccupied.”
“I’m fine.” He rubbed his temple. “It’s been a long day and my boss is asking demands of me that I’m not sure I can complete in time.”
“Oh, can you tell him that?” she inquired. “He’ll surely understand?”
“No.” He laughed. “He doesn’t want to hear any excuses.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She frowned and rubbed his shoulder.
“It’s okay.” He smiled at her. “I’m glad to see your lovely face. You’ve brightened my day.”
“Tell me about your date.” She leaned into him. “What happened?”
He sighed and then grinned at her. “You women really love the details, huh?”
“Duh.” She grinned at him. “Let’s hear it.”
“She just wasn’t my type really?”
“Oh?”
“She was beautiful.” He paused. “But I’d prefer a girl like you.”
Sophie made a face, “What do you mean by that—ugly?” She laughed.
“No.” He groaned. “I mean, a downhome, genuine normal pretty girl.” He picked up her hand. “With normal nails, normal clothes, normal hair. I want a good girl that doesn’t need all the extras.”
“I certainly don’t need all the extras,” she laughed.
“I bet. What does your fiancé do?” He looked at her. “Let me guess? He’s a teacher?”
“How’d you know?” Sophie lied. She didn’t want to disappoint Nick by letting him know she was engaged to one of the richest men in New York.
“Because you are the type of woman who appreciates a good hardworking man. I bet you wouldn’t have sex in the park on a first date either.”
“No I wouldn’t.” She paused and stared at him. “No way, you did not have sex.”
“No, no. Of course not.” He laughed and looked away. “But you know there are some women who would.”
“I guess.” She looked at his side-profile and continued. “Though you can’t judge a woman for that, there was a man who did it with her. If she’s a slut, so is he.”
“Oh he’s a slut alright.” He laughed and then turned towards her. “But maybe he doesn’t want to be anymore.”
“Then he doesn’t have to be,” she said softly.
“So you and your fiancé are good?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a pity.” He laughed. “I’d like to find a girl like you, Sophie.”
“You will.” She laughed uncomfortably. “Plus, I’m not that great.”
“Yeah?” He looked at her curiously. “What’s the worst thing you’ve done? Burnt some cookies?”
“Something like that.” She laughed lightly. She was too ashamed to voice out her dirty deed. Actually no Nick, I let another man play with my pussy while my fiancé fucked me at a sex club. How could she tell him that? How could she tell anyone that?
“Are you okay, Sophie?” He looked at her carefully. “Your face seems very white.”
“That must mean I need to go tanning soon.” She stood up and laughed. “But I better be going. I need to go to Whole Foods and get back home before it gets too dark.”
“Let me walk you to the store.” He stood up and latched his arm through hers. “I enjoyed our hot chocolate the other evening.”
“Yes. That was fun.” She smiled at him and as she gazed into his warm brown eyes she felt a sense of calm. “Let me give you my number. Call me if you ever want to talk or hang out.”
“Are you sure?” He looked at her in surprise. “I didn’t think you wanted to be friends?”
“I’d love to be friends, Nick. I just need to let my fiancé know that I have a new friend who’s a man. Maybe introduce you two so that you guys can be friends as well.”
“If you think that would work.” He smiled at her warmly. “And if you think he won’t mind that I have a crush on his fiancée.”
“Oh Nick.” She giggled and wrote down her number on a piece of paper. “Here you go.”
“I’ll look after this piece of paper very carefully.” He grinned. “Thank you for trusting me, Sophie.”
“Not a problem, Nick.” She beamed at him. “I think we’re going to be good friends.”
“Me too.” He smiled at her.
“Oh and Nick.” She poked his arm. “I have a best friend that I think you will really like. If you’re lucky I will introduce you.”
“If she’s anything like you then I will be a very happy man.” He smiled at her and gave her a hug. “I’m so glad there are women like you in the city, Sophie,” he whispered into her ear.
“Thank you, Nick.” She held him close and closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his warm body close to hers. “I’ll see you later.” She pulled away from him and walked away.
“Bye, Sophie.” Nick called out to her and turned around with a smile on his face. He walked back to the park and debated between going on a run and going back to the office. He hadn’t been lying when he had said his boss had a hard task for him. The biggest problem was he didn’t know how far he was willing to go to ensure that his boss got what he wanted. He already felt bad for how his date had turned out today. He hadn’t told Sophie the complete truth, he had thought the girl was attractive, nice even and she seemed receptive to his kinkier ways. She hadn’t balked when he slapped her. But she was everything he didn’t want in a woman: rich, spoiled, loose. He couldn’t afford to get emotionally connected to her. He’d fuck her again if he had to but once he got the information he needed, he’d disappear. He didn’t want people like her in his life. He wanted a Sophie. He wondered if her fiancé knew how lucky he was. He wondered if he told Sophie that he made a lot more money than a teacher, if she would leave her fiancé for him. He knew the answer as he walked back through the park. And that was why he wanted her. She seemed like a unique innocent angel and that is why he was willing to just be her friend. Maybe she would bring him the internal peace he needed.
***
Sophie smiled as she crossed the street. She was happy that she had seen Nick. He had reinforced in her that she was a good girl, she knew that but she had slipped up. She couldn’t allow what had happened to her to weigh her down. It wouldn’t be fair to her or to the baby. She had an appointment with the doctor the next day and she was praying that the baby was okay. She also wanted to know the gender of the child, she was secretly hoping for a girl, so that Jacob wouldn’t have to compete with another boy for his father’s love. Though she was beginning to doubt that Max was Jacob’s dad, not after seeing the senator. She was thinking so hard that she heard Alexis’s voice before she saw her.
“Please, let me come and see you.” She was begging into a phone. Sophie stopped and stood next to a pole so that she could listen without being obvious.
“I need to see you. I can make trouble for you.” Alexis’s voice turned spiteful. “Tomorrow? I can do tomorrow.” Her voice lit up. “I love you.”
Sophie felt her heart racing, was Max going to meet her the next day?
“You know you’ve always been the one for me. Leave her.” Alexis’s voice was urgent. “Leave her. You’ll see, it will be okay. We’ll have each other.” Alexis stopped talking for a moment and laughed. “Yes. I know.” She giggled. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow at the same place as last time. I love you.” Alexis hung up and Sophie peeked behind her to see Alexis walking down the street with a huge smile on her face. Sophie paled and grabbed her phone to call Maxwell but he didn’t answer. She wasn’t sure what to do. All of her resolve and confidence came crashing down. Max was going to meet Alexis at their regular place? Had they met there recently? Was he cheating on her? She felt queasy and walked quickly to a park bench to sit down. She put her head in her lap and sobbed, this was her payback for letting another man do things to her. She knew it. She was cursed to have an unhappy life. She grabbed her phone as she heard a beep and read the text message eagerly. It was nice seeing you again and finally getting your number, Sophie. I hope to see you soon. Xoxo Nicholas. She stared at the message and wondered if this wasn’t a sign as well. Maybe she was meant to end up with Nick. Her heart’s desire was Max but maybe she wasn’t going to be one of those lucky people who got their true loves.
Chapter 14
Max
Max studied little Jacob’s face and his heart ached for the baby whose short life had already caused so much turmoil. He was pretty certain that the baby was Frank’s. Ever since their Harvard days, Frank had been jealous of him and had wanted whatever he had. When he and Alexis had started frequenting The X Club, Frank had wooed Alexis and done everything to make sure that he was her swap partner of choice. He had thought he had something over on Max, that he was hurting him. But he hadn’t counted on the fact that Max didn’t care about Alexis, let alone love her. In fact, he had rarely reached orgasm with Alexis, and he always used protection with her. In fact Sophie was the only woman that he had never used protection with. His beautiful and sweet Sophie. He thought back to the previous evening. It had been crazy, though he had to admit that it had been exhilarating to share that moment with Sophie. Not that he needed to do it again.
He heard his phone ringing and he saw it was Ella. He answered the phone with trepidation. She rarely called him and he didn’t think that she was about to start with the courtesy calls. “Everything okay, Ella?”
“No,” she sobbed into the phone.
“What’s wrong?” he asked anxiously. “It’s not Joseph again, is it?”
“I don’t know,” she cried. “I had a date today, it’s a long story but basically I think some guy named Frank Phillips is trying to harm you, Max.”
“Did you say Frank Phillips?” He sat down with a sigh.
“Yes.” She hiccupped. “Do you know him?”
“He’s an old acquaintance from Harvard. He’s a senator in Delaware now.”
“Oh, does he want to harm you, Max?”
“Maybe.” He sighed. “I think he wants to make sure certain information doesn’t get out.”
“What information?”
“That he’s Jacob’s dad.”
“What?” Ella exclaimed.
“It’s a long story.” Max sighed. “Hey, can you come over and look after Jacob. There’s something I need to do.”
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “I’ll be over in fifteen minutes.”
“Ella?”
“Yes?”
“Did this man, your date, do anything to hurt you?”
“No.” She laughed uncontrollably. “He didn’t.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it. I was a fool. I will likely never hear from him again. I just made a mistake.”
“I’m sorry, Ella. You deserve better than these schmucks.”
“Well, we all can’t be as lucky as Sophie, dear brother.”
“Oh Ella, I’m not the best catch in the world.” Max laughed. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.” He hung up the phone and sent a quick text. I need to see you. I’ll be at your office in thirty minutes. He went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth while he waited for Ella. He thought about leaving Sophie a note but decided against it, he didn’t want her to worry. She and the baby had to be protected, at all costs.
***
Max ran out of the building as soon as Ella arrived. She had looked awful but he didn’t have time for pleasantries. He needed to sort a couple of things out. As he walked he called Alexis.
“Why hello there.” She sounded happy to hear from him.
“Hey, we need to talk.”
“Well you know I’m always available.” She smirked.
“I need to know whose name is on the birth certificate.”
“Yours of course,” she scoffed.
“I know he’s not mine, Alexis.” His voice was short and she was silent. “I’ll keep him though. I just need to make sure that legally he is mine. I want you to sign away all rights.”
“What about me?” Her tone was sharp.
“You’ll be taken care of.”
“We can take care of it tomorrow.” Her voice was
light.
“That sounds like a plan.” He was happy that she was being so accommodating.
“Just bring the papers.”
“Thank you, Alexis.”
“Yeah, whatever.” She sighed. “You might as well know that—”
“That what?”
“Look I have to go,” she exclaimed excitedly. “I’ll see you tomorrow. At our place.”
“Okay.” He hung up as he reached the building and checked in at the front desk. “I’m here to see Dr. Spencer.”
“He’s expecting you, Mr. Van Harkel. You can go right up.” The receptionist smiled at him and he walked briskly to the elevator.
“Max.” Dr. Spencer stood up. “It’s good to see you. Is everything okay?”
“No.” He paused. “It’s not okay.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” Max paced the room. “I think someone is trying to come after me.”
“Oh?” Dr. Spencer swallowed. “Who?”
“That’s not important.” Max walked over to the window. “I just don’t want to do something I’ll regret.”
“Like?”
“I don’t know—beating someone up, having them killed.”
“Oh.” Dr. Spencer felt his face going white. “We don’t want you to do that, do we?”
Max turned around and faced him. “I’m having a baby. I want to be there for my child and my wife. I want to get married.”
“So you can do that.” Dr. Spencer nodded. “I know what it’s like to love someone with all your heart.” He paused. “I never thought I’d be one to admit it but I do believe in love at first sight now, Max. And with love comes a virtue of emotions, Max. You can be a better man. You can be there for your wife and child.”
“Not if I kill someone!” Max shouted.
“Do you need some meds, Max?”
“No.” Max sighed. “I’m fine. I’m just angry. Really angry. And I needed to talk to someone before S. came home.”
“Who’s looking after the baby?” Dr. Spencer questioned.
“My sister.”
“Oh.” Dr. Spencer looked at him furtively. “And how is she?”
