“You know what I’m talking about, so I’m not going to beat-around-the bush, I know you want me, I’ve known it from the first time we met. I’m about to get married and if you think I’m going to sleep with you once I am, then you’re sadly mistaken.”
Jason couldn’t believe her twisted logic and duplicity. “Let me get this straight; you want to have sex with me hours before your wedding to my best friend, have I got that right Hope, and it has to be now as you don’t cheat. Is that it, feel free to jump in and correct me any time you like.”
Hope was so pleased Jason understood that the smile she was known for the world over shone across her face. “Yes, oh Jason yes, Aviva is busy and Steve will be gone for a while, it’s the perfect opportunity. I’ve always wanted you, God, have you seen you! You make my mouth water. I love Steve, yes I do, but you… I just want to get hold of you and fuck your brains out; you look so big and nasty. The things I wanna do to you would make your toes curl.”
Jason felt a cold anger settle over him as Hope finished her vocalizations of her feelings, and sat with distaste written across his face. She was so wrapped up in giving them their last opportunity to cheat on his best friend and her fiancée, she took his silence as consent and threw herself onto him, pressing her lips against his, grinding on his lap.
In one huge surge Jason rose to his feet dumping her on the couch he had just vacated. “Have you lost your mind?” He bellowed, so angry he knew he had to take a few moments to pull himself together as he began pacing around the room. Coming to a stop with his back towards Hope, he drew in a deep breath through his nose and released it through his mouth. He had to repeat the breathing exercise four times before he felt ready to speak without really losing his temper with her. With rage simmering just below the surface, he reached deep within to keep it in check – but it wasn’t easy. My God, this will kill Steve if he ever finds out Jason thought massaging his temples, frustrated at the situation.
“I want you to listen to me Hope, and hear me when I say, I have never felt anything for you other than friendship, and that's only because Steve loves you, heaven only knows why, if this is how you behave behind his back.” Shaking his head Jason laughed, in Hope’s face. “Lady, are you for real! Have you started believing the hype those idiots spout about you supermodels, that you can get anyone you like? Well I’m here to tell you, don’t believe the hype. I want you to believe what I am about to say, even if you never believe another word that passes my lips. Even if you were not going to marry the man I regard as my brother, I wouldn’t want you – because Lady, you’re just not my type, and you never will be!”
Throughout his denouncement of her, Hope sat in stunned disbelief. How could she have miscalculated so badly? Then it dawned on her, of course he had to make that speech, he and Steve were friends. “Oh Jason, you don’t have to worry, I won’t tell if you don’t.” Hope said rising to her feet, her smile once again in place; sure that Jason had not been serious in his rejection of her. “It will be our little secret, your wedding present to me, how does that sound?”
“This woman has got to be kidding” Jason mumbled under his breath. “Are you for real, did you hear anything I just said?”
“Come on Jason, it’s okay, I don’t mind working for it. As for your type darling, I know I’m your type. I am everybody’s type, and I’ve seen you with more models than the full count at Paris fashion week.”
Exasperated, he decided to spell it out to her one last time before he picked her up and tossed her out of his house. There was no way this woman was going to marry his friend; he wouldn’t wish this duplicitous witch on his worst enemy.
“Okay, Lady Dumb Ass, I’m going to say it one last time. I – do – not – want – you. I have not wanted you in the past, I don’t want you now and I will not want you in the future. Do you get it now?”
Hope blinked rapidly at what she was hearing, realization slowly seeping into her mind that she may have just gambled and lost. Fucking Jason would have been a blast but she had no intentions of losing Steve. To cover her back the bitch took over.
“I suppose next you’re going to tell me that you prefer someone like Aviva over me.”
“Yes ma’am, you would be completely right on that score.” Jason replied without hesitation.
Hope had seen the budding attraction between them, anyone with eyes could see the way he had been all over Aviva at the party last night, and they had left together. After looking in her room and being unable to find her a feeling of vexation had assailed her to the point of wanting to rush into Jason’s room and demand that Aviva couldn’t have him. She was on her way to do just that when Steve had appeared and asked her what she was doing. She told him she was going to check with Jason if Aviva was okay. Steve had given her an odd look and told her to leave them alone. Realizing that insisting would only raise suspicion on Steve’s part; she had reluctantly retraced her steps towards her room, keeping her back to him as the jealousy running through her was still clearly written on her face. By the time she reached her room the jealousy still remained, but her face was now a mask of serenity. Turning to Steve she had bid him goodnight with a light kiss to his lips. She had had the forethought of getting his consent to spend their last night before their wedding in separate rooms under the pretense of tradition. Steve had said he understood, hence his bid of goodnight at her room and not his suite. Kissing her lips one last time, he had left.
Hope had made sure she would not be spending the night with Steve as she had every intention of spending it with Jason. It now looked as though that was not going to happen. However she had to be sure. Hope had waited for ten minutes then made her way back to Jason’s suite. Opening the door she had silently made her way across the sitting room to his bedroom door and turned the handle. There she had seen them lying together asleep, Jason curled spoon fashion around Aviva’s body. Silently she had withdrawn the sleeping figures never knowing of her intrusion. Back in her room she had given vent to her anger by ripping apart the three-thousand dollar outfit she had bought to begin her honeymoon.
Returning to the present and still in bitch mode, Hope concluded she had to do something to ensure Jason remained quiet about what had just taken place. Deciding within the space of one breath that if Jason King loved Steve Blackman so much, then he couldn’t have him, she would sever their bond if it was the last thing she did. “I’m going to tell Steve you made a pass at me, and when I rebuffed you, you tried to rape me.”
Jason was so enraged at her words a deadly calm settled over him. Holding on to his anger by a sheer force of will, he spoke through clenched teeth. “Pack your bags and get out of my house – now!”
“Oh I’ll go, but I’m taking Steve with me – your brother but not for much longer,” Hope scoffed derisively. “When I get through with you, Mr big bad Jason King is going to be all alone. As for little Aviva, well she’s my friend, she only met you yesterday, who do you think she’s going to believe, you or me?” Hope laughed at the look of Jason’s disbelief. She winked at him and smiled. Contorting her face, Hope closed her eyes for two seconds, when they reopened; they were filled with tears that spilled over, running down her face in perfect rivulets.
Before Jason could say another word, Hope wrenched open the door, and rushed out screaming. “…no Jason, I said no, I’m marrying your best friend, don’t you care about anyone but yourself?” Having taken no more than two steps through the door Hope collided with Aviva.
“My God Hope, what’s that matter, what’s going on?” Aviva asked as Hope flung herself into her arms.
Perfect, “I have to get away from him, please...please take me upstairs…I need to phone Steve…I need to speak to Steve.”
“Hope what is it sweetie, come on now, you’re frightening me. What happened to you?” Aviva asked again as she held her friend who seemed as on the verge of a hysterical breakdown. Her question only seemed to work her up even more. In her most soothing voice she murmured words meant to give com
fort. “It’s okay darling, it’s going to be okay, please don’t cry, it’s gonna be alright, come on now. I’ll take you to your room and we can call Steve.”
As she maneuvered Hope away from what she thought was Jason’s office, he appeared in the doorway. Aviva thought he was about to say something and hesitated to give him time to articulate his thoughts. At her hesitation and the direction of her glance, Hope clutched her tighter, her sobs growing in volume. Pulling her gaze from Jason, Aviva supported her friend as she helped her to the stairs.
Seeing the look of uncertainty written across Aviva’s face, Jason knew once Hope finished spilling her venomous lies, she would never believe, or want to hear anything he had to say. She hadn’t known him long enough to realize that he would never hurt a woman, even a lying scheming bitch like Hope.
When the women had disappeared up the stairs, Jason slowly closed his office door and pressed his forehead against the wooden panel, once again alone, anger and disbelief pulsing through his body, his mind racing with possibilities of how to rectify a situation that had completely gone to hell. Although he had chosen to ignore the fact that Hope harbored some form of attraction towards him, he had never encouraged her in any way. He had done his best to keep their relationship friendly, for Steve’s sake; managing never be alone with her after their initial meeting, when he realized she had been sizing him up. He had wanted to tell Steve about his suspicions of the type of woman Hope might be, but had remained silent. He now wished he had voiced those suspicions, maybe they wouldn’t be in this mess if he had followed his gut instincts. Turning away from the door, Jason came to a sudden stop; Steve was standing behind him framed by the patio doors, tears in his eyes.
“It’s not what you think, Steve, please let me explain, come on man, I would never do anything to deliberately hurt you. You know that right?” Jason spoke quickly, urgency tearing at his chest, his heart pounding at how much of the conversation Steve had heard.
“Why man, why?” Steve cried.
“Come on Steve, you know me...you know me, you know I would never do anything to hurt you. She’s lying…” Jason trailed off as Steve shook his head unable to comprehend what he had just witnessed.
Jason broke out in a cold sweat, If Steve didn’t believe him and they had known each other nearly all their lives, he didn’t stand a chance of Aviva being willing to listen to what he had to say. Hope had been right, it seemed the deck was stacked against him and he held the losing hand in her game.
For one moment despair settled onto Jason’s large shoulders and he bent his head. Almost as quickly as the feeling descended, he pushed it back, squared his shoulders, ready to fight, there was no way he was going down like this. That lying, two-timing bitch was not about to best him. He was unprepared to lose the friendship that had taken a lifetime to build. Steve was the one person in his life he trusted without reservation, he had thought Steve felt the same way. Never a man of many words, Jason now desperately sought for the right thing to say, something that would convince Steve to believe in him – but Steve spoke first.
“I thought she loved me man.” Steve muttered, as though speaking to himself, tears running down his face. “I really, thought she loved me. She told me she loved me and I believed her. Who’s the fool now?!” Although looking in Jason’s direction, Steve appeared to be speaking to himself. As his eyes regained focus, he noticed the worry etched across Jason’s face.
“It’s okay, man, I heard everything. I just got back from the jewelers, picking up this big ass diamond for Hope. I wanted to show it to you, you know, to see what you thought, and I heard everything.” Wiping his face with his hands Steve stood up straighter, braced his shoulders, walking towards the door. Coming abreast with Jason, he stopped, putting his hand on his shoulder, he squeezed. “I know you man, and for the record, even if I hadn’t heard the whole thing, I would never believe that of you.”
Jason closed his eyes, relief washing over him. “What are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna wring her neck, although nothing would give me more pleasure. I’m just gonna put out the trash.” Steve’s eyes glinted with a look that Jason could only describe as determination, heaven help the dumb bitch.
~~~~~~~~~~
Aviva assisted Hope to her room and helped her to the bed. Hope threw herself face down, sobs continuing to wreck her slim body. Tears pooled in Aviva’s eyes as she witnessed her friends anguish.
“It’s okay sweetie, don’t cry, everything is going be alright,” she whispered rubbing Hope’s back, offering what comfort she could. “I’m here… I’m here… please try to tell me what happened.” Aviva had heard Hope’s shout as she exited Jason’s office; but the look on Jason’s face was at odds with the thoughts running through her mind. Something very bad must have happened to cause Hope such distress, but until her friend was in a fit state to vocalize what that was, Aviva strove to hold off the thought that Jason may have hurt her friend sexually.
Aviva told herself that she didn’t really know Jason; she had only just met him. Yet somehow she found it difficult to reconcile the man she had come to know and like with the monster that would attack her friend. As that thought ran through her mind, she felt ashamed of herself. She had known Hope for years, yes she could be a self-centered jealous brat, but those traits would not explain her current distress. At a loss as how to comfort her friend, she continued to rub her back and murmur words of support. Aviva decided she needed to call Steve as a matter of urgency, maybe he could get through to Hope, discover what had taken place in Jason’s office. About to ask Hope for her phone, she looked up to see Steve standing on the threshold of the room.
Relieved, she jumped to her feet and rushed towards him. “Oh thank God! Steve I don’t know what to do. Something dreadful happened, but I can’t get her to speak to me. You try, please, you try; she just keeps sobbing.”
“It’s okay Aviva, calm down, don’t worry, I’m here now. I’ll take care of everything.” Steve walked slowly to the bed and sat down beside a still weeping Hope. “Hope, tell me what happened, why are you crying like this?”
Throwing herself into his arms, Hope held him in a death grip. She was so caught up in her role as victim, she never realized that Steve’s arms remained at his sides. With her face buried in his chest, she cried for a few more seconds; with her eyes pooled with unshed tears, she looked up at Steve. “Jason...he tried to force himself on me. Oh Steve, it was so horrible, I kept telling him no, that he is supposed to be your friend, but he wouldn’t listen to me. He just kept kissing me and touching me – oh God, I feel so dirty…so dirty.” Hope broke off on another sob.
Hope’s whispered confession broke Aviva’s heart, even as her anger towards Jason rose to fever pitch. What kind of man was he, how could she have been so wrong about someone. Surely a man capable of attacking a woman in so calculating a way, his best friend’s fiancé, had to be a monster. Surely Steve must have seen some evidence of this in the past, how could he not know the type of man Jason was? Lost in her thoughts of disbelief and shock Aviva almost missed Steve’s soft comment.
“It’s alright Hope, you don’t have to worry; I’ll take care of everything.”
Thankful Steve would take care of Hope, the situation allowed Aviva’s simmering anger to reach boiling point. How dare Jason treat her friend or any woman in such a disgusting manner! Rushing from the room, she broke into a run, her quick steps taking her along the hallway, down the stairs, tears of outrage obscuring her vision. She came to a stop outside the closed door of where she had last seen Jason. Without bothering to knock, she entered the room all guns blazing, ready to confront Jason who stood by the patio doors looking out onto the sweeping lawn.
At the sound of the door reverberating with its connection against the wall, Jason spun around. “How dare you! How dare you treat her like that! My God, what kind of a monster are you? I’ll tell you what kind, the worst kind. You prance around in your expensive clothes and live in
your million dollar mansion, and think the trappings of wealth somehow give you the right to take whatever you like. Well it doesn’t! Do you hear me, it doesn't!” Aviva screamed at Jason who, after a moment’s hesitation of shocked disbelief at her verbal assault, took a step toward her.
Jason felt an urgency to assure her that what she thought, what Hope had told her could not be further from the truth, but she had blind-sided him with her tirade. He knew Steve had gone to Hope and had thought Aviva was still with her. But by the sounds of her angry shouts she was still unaware of Hope’s lies. “Didn’t Steve explain what happened?”
“He’s taking care of Hope, she – explained everything. Answer me Jason, how could you do something so disgusting?”
About to respond to her accusation, they heard a commotion on the stairs. Dragging her eyes from Jason, Aviva hurried into the hall. Looking towards the stairs they saw Steve pulling a screaming Hope by the arm, his free hand carrying a closed suitcase, clothes hanging out of its sides.
“He’s a liar Steve, you have to believe me. He tried to rape me; please you have to believe me.” Steve didn’t break his stride or appear to be listening to her plea. Reaching the last stair, Hope grabbed onto the banister with both hands in an attempt to slow their progress. She knew if she couldn’t convince him, by the time they reached the front door she would have lost this dangerous game she had started such a short time ago.
“Steve you must believe me. Aviva you saw him didn’t you, you tell him what you saw.” Hope screamed.
Aviva hesitated, unsure of what was going on. She desperately wanted to go to the aid of her friend, but she couldn’t tell the people standing in the hall that she had seen Jason attack her when, in fact, that had not been the case. What the hell was going on here.
By now, members of the household staff who had also heard the commotion had come to investigate. Her emotions still heightened, Aviva grew angry as Steve relentlessly pulled at a struggling Hope. The only thing Aviva was clear about in the swirling melee was there was no way she was about to stand back and watch a grown ass man manhandle her friend. She may be small but she'd be damned if she'd let Hope be treated this way. “Steve stop it, you’re hurting her. If you don’t stop pulling her, right this minute, I’m going to brain you.” Aviva cried removing her shoe.
Abandoned but Not Alone Page 8
