He seemed to have stopped breathing for a second. Something, a flicker of a shadow, passed over his handsome features and his eyes grew shuttered. We didn't speak as we looked at each other for a while and the only sounds to be heard came from the bugs outside the kitchen window and random cars on the street.
"Skye. No matter what, you have to know that there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Or this baby," he gruffed out. "Whatever your concerns are regarding the pregnancy, however you're feeling, you have every right to share them. I don't ever want you to feel alone." His throat bobbed as he swallowed back some emotion. "I'd sell my soul to make sure you're always taken care of. You, this baby and Cole."
This time, I was the one who was rendered breathless. His words, the emotions behind them...it was too much. If someone had told me Jasper Wells would one day say these words to me when I had first met him in this very kitchen at this same time of the night almost a year ago, I would've laughed in their faces.
"Just when I was starting to feel a little left out, he goes and says something like that," Cole's sleepy voice spoke up from behind me.
I snapped out of my trance and managed to roll my eyes a little. "Yeah, what's new?" I asked in a voice choked up with emotion despite my teasing words. Cole feeling left out whenever Jasper and I bonded was a recurrent joke in our home now. Our home.
Jasper snorted a little and crooked his finger at Cole. "Come here, little boy," he ordered and it dragged out a giggle from somewhere within me. I loved these two so damn much.
And I didn't hesitate to tell them so as we all hugged each other close in that quiet kitchen. My fears may have been valid but one thing was quite clear to me in that moment. I was a very, very lucky woman.
****
Chapter Sixteen
Jasper
I was cleaning up the trash in the living room the next morning since my boyfriend had left for work and my girlfriend was in the shower, preparing to go to one of her client's houses to conduct a painting lesson. It was nine a.m, I was sort of exhausted from all the partying we had done last night and the only thing I could think about was taking a long nap after dropping Skye off at work.
She came out looking absolutely gorgeous in a white dress and black leggings, her hair tied up in a neat ponytail. There were dark circles under her eyes and as I gazed at her, a rush of compassion filled me along with a sense of pride that this beautiful woman who was carrying either mine or Cole's baby, got up each day and faced the music even with all the insecurities and doubts that plagued her as she continued her pregnancy.
God. I was a rotten man. I hated myself at that moment for what I was doing to her. And to Cole. Even if I justified my reasons for it, the fact remained that I was a cheater. A lying, cheating asshole.
"You don't have to go," I told her, my voice gruff with emotion and Skye gave me a surprised glance as she absently stuffed things inside her purse and gathered her art supplies.
"What do you mean? It's my job, Jasper. I can't just sit around all day. Pregnant women work all the time."
Reluctantly, I gathered my keys and picked up her art bag, not saying anything. I paused when she laid a small hand on my arm and forced me to look at her.
"I know it sucks. You just got home and both Cole and I have to be out all day." She wrapped her arms around my neck and tugged so that I could bend my head for her to kiss me properly. "We're going to have so much sex tonight, I swear," she murmured into my mouth. "Cole and I waited for you."
I jerked away from her as though she had burned me and for a second, that's exactly how it felt. Like I was burning inside. With guilt. And shame.
"You guys didn't have to do that," I snapped at her without thinking. "I didn't ask you to."
Skye frowned at me, hurt flashing across her features. "I know," she said softly and moistened her lips. "But we wanted to. I mean you were going without sex too so we just thought it'd be more special when we all finally-"
"You're getting late," I cut in sharply and walked towards the door. "Let's go, Madison."
....
Later, as I sat alone at home and thought about it, I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat. Skye had been quiet all throughout the ride to her client's house and I hadn't tried to strike up a conversation either before dropping her off and heading back home.
They had waited for me.
I had been in London for a fortnight and from all the calls and texts from both my partners, it was evident how much they had missed me. But I had simply assumed that they had been having sex with each other all this time.
Whenever I was with Jasmine, which was whenever I had gone to London on and off for the past six months, I didn't try to steer the conversation towards sex during my phone calls with Skye or Cole. Often, I tried not to even think about them. Pretending I wasn't in a relationship at all made it easier to do what I was doing. Made me feel like a different version of Jasper Wells. The dark, depraved version.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. This thing with Jasmine Khan. It had started as something mercenary, a desperate man's choice to do what he believed was best at the time. We hadn't even engaged in sexual intercourse until that night when she'd been waiting for me to finish work at the carnival. Before that, there had only been some heavy flirting and teasing touches between us. Mostly, we'd just been spending time together as friends.
But somewhere along the way, we had grown close. And now that I had actually slept with her, I found it very difficult to separate my involvement with her from my actual relationship. Everything was fucked up. And it had started six months ago when I had first kissed that other woman and then returned from Amira thinking I could put it behind me.
But five days after we arrived back in Milan, I heard the news from Cole. That Jasmine and Armaan had separated and she had moved to London. I didn't think much of it at the time. Those two seemed to have had deep, underlying issues even before the kiss happened.
But then I received an unexpected call from Armaan Qureshi the same day, asking me to meet him at his house because he needed to 'talk' to me.
My gut had argued against going to see him but curiosity had gotten the better of me. Also, I suspected why he wanted to see me and I was not going to cower away from it like some pussy. If the guy wanted to settle things face to face, I was man enough to handle it.
I hadn't expected things to turn out the way they did though. I hadn't realised that going to see him that day would set me down a dark path of betrayal and destruction.
~~~
Six months ago
…
I pulled up in front of the insanely huge mansion, my hands tightening at the wheel as irritation sparked through me. Some men worked hard their entire lives and couldn't even afford a quarter of such wealth and power. And then there were people like Armaan. Just born into money. Everything was handed to them since childhood.
Why did he even have to work?
Puffing out a breath, I got out of the car, squinting as the bright midday sun almost blinded me. Absently, my hands went to the lapels of my suit jacket. I had no idea why I was dressed so formally. It was not as though this was a business meeting.
I made my way towards the open front doors, frowning when I realised there was no security at all in this place. Anyone could just walk in and rob the guy and he didn't even seem to care. My phone rang as I paused at the entrance to his living room.
"Walk straight to the corridor ahead and then round the bend," Armaan told me curtly when I answered. "There's a large, black door which leads to my office."
Rolling my eyes, I disconnected the call and went to find him, feeling a little nettled because I hated being told what to do. Of course everything was large here. I almost wanted to ask if he was compensating for something. No wonder his wife wasn't....
No. I was not going to go there. That was a cheap shot, even for me.
Upon finding the door, I turned the knob and stepped inside a...I hate to say this but gigantic library
. There were thousands of books lined in shelves that extended from floor to ceiling in a circular pattern. My thoughts switched to Skye and Cole and how those two bookworms would feel absolutely at home here.
"Jasper Wells," a voice drawled from the other side of the room and I turned to see Armaan Qureshi lounging against a table. "If it isn't the man responsible for destroying my marriage..."
Okay. I resented that. Deeply. As though there were no other contributing factors that had prompted Jasmine's actions.
"It was kind of hard to say no. She wouldn't stop throwing herself at me," I replied casually.
He reacted so fast that I didn't have time to prepare myself and before I knew it, he had rushed at me and had me pinned to the door with his hand wrapped around my neck.
"Do you think it's funny?" he growled at me as he fisted my collar and slammed me hard against the door. "Going around kissing other peoples' wives."
I peered at him, breathing hard and knowing I was still in a position to throw a punch if I wanted to show this prick who was boss but something stopped me from retaliating.
There was pain in Armaan's eyes even as he glared at me. Pain I recognised all too well.
My lips twisted cynically. "Sucks, doesn't it? When the one person whom you love more than anything else suddenly starts to find somebody else fascinating. Enough to risk destroying what you've spent so much time building." He did not respond, his jaw tight and clenched but his grip slackened slightly. "But there's still hope for your marriage," I continued. "She loves you. I can tell she loves you. She's just losing herself."
Armaan kept his eyes narrowed at me for a long time and I wasn't sure if he was considering my words or considering breaking my nose. But then he blinked and removed his hand from my collar, turning away abruptly.
"Come. Sit, Jasper," he invited as though we were simply acquaintances instead of mortal enemies. "I have a proposition for you."
I didn't move from the spot for a long minute whereas Armaan walked over to the table and seated himself, waiting for me as though he had all the time in the world. Then, with equal amounts of reluctance and curiosity within me, I finally went over to join him.
"Your life hasn't been an easy one, has it, Jasper Wells?" he drawled as he glanced through something on his phone.
"Just Jasper is fine," I clipped and Armaan shrugged.
"Okay then, Just Jasper," he deliberately stressed, making me frown. The guy wanted to irritate the hell out of me it seemed. I let it go. I did kiss his wife.
"Cole talks about you a lot," Armaan continued in a lazy voice. "He told me how much he admires you for overcoming your struggles while growing up. And also how hard you work for a life where you can do something you're passionate about while providing for those you love." Pausing, he gave me a smile that could only be described as condescending. "But it's still not enough, is it?"
Like a slow burning fuse, my anger started to ignite as I sat there listening to him. What, did he expect me to be ashamed of the fact that I had come from a poor family? That I didn't have things handed to me all the time? His next words threw me off completely.
"Tell me, what would you do if I offered you a million euros to continue doing to my wife what you did to her in Amira?"
****
Chapter Seventeen
Jasper
My jaw went slack at his words. What the actual fuck?
I let out a short bark of laughter which had nothing to do with humour and everything to do with shock. I was not even sure if I had heard the guy properly. A million euros...
"You almost punched me just now because I kissed her and you're offering me money to do it over and over again?" I scoffed, wondering what game he was playing with me.
He pursed his lips, opened up a file to remove some papers from it and then looked up at me calmly. "That was because you did it without my permission. Now you won't be. And not just kiss, Jasper. That's not what the money is for," he said, pushing two sets of papers in front of me.
I stared at them, my eyes skimming through the print. An NDA and a contract. Slowly, I met his eyes and scowled at him fiercely.
"What the fuck do you think I am, Qureshi? Are you even hearing yourself right now? You want me to whore myself out to your wife? And you actually think this is okay?"
Of all the depraved things...
Armaan just smiled tightly. "What my wife wants my wife gets," he murmured as though we were discussing the weather. "This way, I can make sure it's not with some random dude who could hurt her or take her away from me. She can get that itch to fuck another man out of her system and come back to me safe and sound."
I swallowed due to the dryness in my mouth and maybe he sensed it because he got up to pour me some scotch.
"Sorry for not offering earlier. I was a little pissed when I saw your smug face right in front of me," he told me and set the glass of alcohol beside the papers.
I didn't touch the drink. A million euros to sleep with his wife. And he was completely serious.
"I think I should go," I said, pushing back my chair.
"Wasn't it your idea for your parents to take out a huge loan last year to purchase their very first home which you offered to help pay off? Only now, they are seriously in debt because you fell behind on your payments. Oh and let's not forget your sweet, baby sister who can't get on with her normal life due to the knee surgery she cannot afford. I've heard those doctors at NHS keep dragging out her therapy instead."
I could only stare at him as he spoke, stunned that he had all that information about my family.
"Both Cole and you have car and house payments piling up and it got so much harder because you weren't working during your stroke." He paused, his long fingers gently pushing the glass closer towards me.
"And now you have an unexpected baby on the way. You need a bigger place, less debts and financial stress since you have two partners, one of whom you'd prefer did not have to struggle with her painting gigs so she can have a peaceful pregnancy at home. It's a win-win, Jasper. You get to fuck my gorgeous wife and become filthy rich overnight." He leaned against the table and looked down at me, his arms folded in front of him in the most casual stance. "Sign the contract."
I swallowed again and then gulped down the scotch in one shot. "How did you get all this information?" I asked tightly. Even Cole was not aware of all the details pertaining to the extent of my family's financial problems in London. He never questioned me about how I spent my money either.
"I have my ways," was his reply. "Anyway, it's not forever. She'll get tired of you soon. Give it a few months. Jasmine has always had this self-destructive urge in her. Does stuff she knows is forbidden because of the allure, how it makes her feel like she isn't trapped by her circumstances. She enjoys feeling powerful."
He shifted and then more scotch poured into my glass as he kept talking.
"I'm confident she will come back to me after that forbidden aspect is removed from this situation. She's a stubborn little thing, you know. Telling her she can't have something only makes her want it more."
I downed the second shot and looked up at him. "I was right about you, all along," I said. "Beneath all that charm and superficial beauty, you're just a sorry excuse for a human being."
Armaan bit his lip and his brow furrowed. "Do you accept the offer?"
"No. I don't," I replied roughly. "You're fucked up, you know that. I have two people in my life whom I love very much and who trust me implicitly. Just because your marriage is messed up, doesn't give you the right to play with other people's relationships." I stood up abruptly. "Find another way to get her back."
"Two million," Armaan said as I turned my back and I froze.
Two million euros? He was truly insane.
"Don't think of it as cheating. Think of it as a job. You're doing it for them. For your child. Imagine that. No more debts, no more struggling, Cole could even have his own firm and Skye could have her own gallery."
My fists cl
enched at my sides. That was Skye's dream. A place where she could exhibit her work and conduct her art lessons. And Cole wouldn't have to keep proving himself, running around after projects. My family in London. My baby.
Shit. What the fuck was I doing? Of course I couldn't accept his deal. This was absurd. I could end up losing them.
"People don't get offered two million every day, Jasper," Armaan spoke up quietly from behind me as though he could sense me weakening. "And it wouldn't be a chore. The alternative could be so much worse. I mean, what if…you had another stroke and left them all to deal with the devastating consequences all by themselves?"
I shook my head as anger surged through me. "You're sick," I muttered. He hadn't threatened me with anything. But the soft trace of warning in his voice had me on alert. He was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Milan. What else was he capable of if he could suggest this kind of arrangement and not even feel ashamed of himself?
I didn't trust him at all. He said he was Cole's friend but to me, he seemed more than capable of tearing my family apart if he wanted. I exhaled slowly as I cleared the frown off my forehead and turned to face him. I could be him. Powerful. Untouchable. Capable of anything. The likes of him would never be able to make me feel helpless again.
"One year," I stated, narrowing my eyes. "Three million euros. And you have to sign the NDA as well. I'll make sure she comes back to you. I guarantee it."
Armaan studied me for a while and my heart pumped wildly as I tried to push down the voice in my head warning me not to do this. This was a bad idea. I had more to lose. Either way.
Finally, he held out his hand. "I'll revise the terms of the contract. You get half the money now and the rest when I get her back." He smiled at me pleasantly despite the ugliness of the situation. "Pleasure doing business with you, Jasper."
I almost expected Cole to step out from behind one of the shelves and stare at me with accusation and hurt in his eyes or even a camera crew that yelled, 'You've been punked!'
Once A Cheater Page 8
