by Belle Ami
She lifted her wet face, hopefully. “Together we’ll find a way, we always do.”
Now that the two parties had come to an agreement, the court proceedings went quickly. Custody was awarded jointly, with the children’s main residency granted to Adelia. Miles’s attorney had questioned when a suitable home would be ready for the children to live in and had been stunned to learn that Adelia had already purchased a home just a few miles away from Green Way Farms. The home had been readied to accommodate the children. Miles looked morose when the judge ordered the children to be turned over to Adelia the following day.
When Adelia exited the courtroom and walked to where David was waiting, Miles’s eyes followed her. He couldn’t see her beaming face, but David was acutely aware of him watching. Instead of taking her in his arms to hug and congratulate her as he was inclined to do, he shook her hand in a friendly manner. There was no need to incite Miles’s jealousy. There would be plenty of time to hug her later.
While Adelia, Bradley, and Seth discussed tomorrow’s procedure for picking up Fallyn and Liam, David observed the siblings. Whatever words Miles whispered in Karolin’s ear when he exited the courtroom elicited a stiffening of her body and caused her to turn toward Adelia, radiating malevolence. It was all Miles could do to restrain Karolin from some adverse aggression toward Adelia. David was an expert in reading body language, and he perceived in Karolin a potential for violence—not just any kind of violence, but the kind that was the most worrisome, impulsive violent behavior. There was a disconnect in her eyes that David had seen many times before, a disregard for anyone or anything that got in the way of a psychopath’s need. It was something that most murderers shared in common. On the other hand, Miles seemed to act only after careful deliberation. He was calculating and exacting, a man who knew he may have lost this round, but also knew that he would rise to fight another day.
As David observed Karolin’s volatile behavior, it occurred to him that he had failed in his investigation. David reproached himself for missing, perhaps the most relevant clue. In all of his analysis and investigation of Miles and Green Way Capital, he had never envisioned Karolin as a possible suspect in Lars and Faye’s murder or, for that matter, Adelia’s drugging, rape, and blackmailing. This was a new wrinkle that had to be pursued. What was evident was that Karolin was desperately upset by the custody decision, so much so that she was capable of violence. What he didn’t understand was why she was more upset than Miles was.
The Indian summer evening carried the heavy scent of fall blooms: blue gentians, mistflower, white and blue asters, and the fragile goldenrods that were native to Bucks County. David sipped his beer and turned the steaks on the barbecue, enjoying the domesticity of home life and the feeling of companionship, both of which he had not felt in a long time. Adelia exited the screened door with a bowl of salad in one hand and a bottle of red wine in the other. She smiled at David. “Remember, not too well done, please.”
“No worries. They’ll be pink and juicy.” He watched her place the wine and salad on the table, which was set with flowers and candles. Adelia had wanted to celebrate not only tomorrow’s reunion with her children, but their last night alone. After the weekend, David had to return to Santa Barbara and his life as a police detective. He didn’t want to think about the loneliness that was sure to come. Right now, filling his sight with her, the tilt of her head when she tried to puzzle him out was enough. The perfume that lingered in the air, reminding him that she had been there, the occasional brush of her fingertips on his arm—all of these memories he would savor when he returned to California and the police force and the long, empty, days without her.
After his shower, he had come downstairs and been surprised to see her specially dressed for him. He knew that she had made an effort with her appearance. She wore a short, cotton voile wisp of a dress that revealed her long, golden legs. The yellow color brought out the gold flecks in her blue eyes and the sun-bleached highlights in her dark hair. He found her so beautiful that, at times, it was difficult for him even to look at her, and he would make a great effort to look anywhere but at her. Tonight, however, was different. Tonight he wanted to remember everything. “The steaks look done, don’t they?”
“Perfectly! We’ll let them rest while we start with the salad.”
After dinner, a comfortable silence hung in the air as the sun set below the tree line and evening approached. The candles illuminated Adelia’s and David’s faces as they drank the heavy Tuscan red wine that Adelia had chosen especially for the meal.
“It’s lovely outside right now, but before long, winter will be here, and I will be bundling Fallyn and Liam up to face the elements. I still can’t believe that we did it…that we actually turned the tables on Miles and that the children will live with me starting tomorrow. It wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you, David.” She reached across the table for his hand.
He took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing it. “You’re a good mother, Adelia. You deserve to raise them. It was wrong of Miles to blackmail you.” He held fast to her hand, his thumb unconsciously caressing it. Two feet of table was all that separated them. If he dared, he could have taken her in his arms, put his mouth on her lips. He ached to touch her, but he knew the time wasn’t right. She didn’t need confusion in her life.
She could see his mind working as he stared at her hand in his. “A penny for your thoughts, Detective?”
When he raised his eyes to hers, she knew without question that he wanted her. Maybe it was a combination of the thrill of victory and the wine, or maybe it was knowing that this was their last night together. Whatever the reason, they both felt freer to reveal themselves. She jumped up and grabbed his hand. “Come dance with me.” She tilted her head flirtatiously.
“I knew you’d discover my one weakness. They never taught me to dance at the yeshiva, except the hora, and we only danced with men.”
“Then I’ll teach you.” She pulled him into the house, through the kitchen, and into the living room. She turned on the CD player and inserted a disc. When the music came up, he recognized the Peter Gabriel song “Don’t Give Up” that he had brought to her at the ranch in San Ynez to cheer her up, only this was a different, haunting version by P!nk and John Legend, slow and sexy. Moving to him, she placed his hands on her waist, wrapped her arms around his neck, and began to move to the rhythm as she looked into his eyes. “See? You can dance. You just needed the right woman to teach you.”
“Let’s hope I don’t step on the right woman’s feet.”
“You won’t.” She snuggled closer into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. She could feel his heart beating rapidly against her own. His arms encircled her, pulling her closer into their warmth and strength. They danced for a long time, letting the music and words fill the silence as the song repeated. After the third time through, Adelia looked up into his face, which was only inches from hers. “David, please kiss me?”
He bent his head and gently brushed her lips with his. She pressed herself against him as they swayed to the music. It was almost more than he could bear. He didn’t want to take from her more than she was offering, but her lips sought his, and he was powerless to resist. Kissing her was like sinking below the waves of the ocean and holding one’s breath. He couldn’t even hear the music anymore. There were only her lips pressed against his and their tongues discovering one another. He felt time hold still.
When he came up for air, he could hear her sigh. It was more than he could have possibly hoped for, but as much as he wanted her, he knew that he had to stop. “Adelia, I want you to listen carefully to what I have to say.” He didn’t pull away from her but held her as close as he could.
Opening her eyes, she searched his face. “Don’t you care for me, David?”
“More than you know and for longer than you can imagine. But I’m getting on a plane, and tomorrow you are welcoming your children
into their new home. I think it would be best if we save whatever it is we are feeling until we’ve both had time to think about what we want. When you’re ready, we can see where this will take us.”
“David, promise me you won’t disappear from my life like you did with that girl in Los Angeles.”
He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ve pretended to myself for a long time that I didn’t want you. I told myself that it wouldn’t be right to muddy the waters of our business relationship and that we had a case to solve. I used any excuse I could find to keep my distance and drive you from my thoughts. You belonged to someone else, and I’d been down that road before. There was nothing I could do. But you were persistent. You invaded my dreams, waking and sleeping. Now that you are free, everything has changed. I have every intention of fighting for you, Adelia. If there’s even the slightest chance, I will take it.”
Every word he said was true; she had always known how he felt about her. She, too, had pretended it was only about the case, but the reality was, she felt safe with him. She didn’t know if she would ever find the kind of sexual fulfillment or passion that she had shared with Miles. David was a different kind of man and, she assumed, a different kind of lover. It bothered her that he could control his need for her so effortlessly. If he really wanted her, why didn’t he act on it now? Relaxing into his powerful arms, she leaned into him, feeling his hardness against her. Her head fell back, and she opened herself to him. “David, one more kiss? Please?” Her hands reached up to cup his face, drawing his mouth to hers. If she had her way, this would not be the last kiss.
As the Range Rover drove through the lion-flanked gates of Green Way Farms, Adelia felt her heart contract and her pulse quicken. The last time she had been there was the last time that she had seen her children and the day her world had come crashing down. The memory of her confrontation with Miles and the sodomy he had forced upon her was enough to make her sick. Instead, she tried to remember the first time Miles had whisked her away on his private jet to show her what would soon be her home. Her eyes filled with tears. The magic of that time seemed like a dream to her now, and just like a dream it had come to an end. They had been so in love and excited for the future, and now look at them. How had she misread him so completely? Have I learned anything from this debacle? She wondered.
Adelia glanced at David, who was driving, and the firm set of his jaw. It really is annoying, she thought as she remembered last night and David’s uncanny ability to resist her, even when she was clearly determined to seduce him. Perhaps he’s right and now isn’t the time; however, the next time we meet, there won’t be any restrictions. The important thing is that he was here to see me through this day.
David felt her eyes on him; he reached for her hand, squeezing it. “Are you OK?”
She looked out the window and took a deep breath. She released it, and with it, she let go of the past. “Yes, I’m going to be fine.”
They stopped in the circular driveway and waited. Adelia stared at the door, willing it to open. Two minutes later, Gwyneth exited, holding the hands of Liam and Fallyn. Adelia gasped, jumped from the car, and ran to them. They were beautiful. Fallyn was the spitting image of Faye, green eyes and all; and blue-eyed Liam, whose hair had lightened to a sandy blond, was a clear throwback to his grandfather Lars. The twins looked shyly at the woman who came bounding toward them.
She slowed, not wanting to overwhelm them. She heard Gwyneth say, “It’s your mommy, Fallyn and Liam. She’s come to take you to your new home.”
Adelia squatted to the ground and opened her arms, smiling as tears slipped down her face. Cautiously, the brother and sister inched toward her, until finally she could touch them. She took first Liam’s and then Fallyn’s small hands and kissed them. “Mommy is so happy to see you. We are going to have such a wonderful day. I have ponies that want to meet you. I don’t want you to worry or be afraid. Gwyneth is coming with us and you can see your daddy anytime you want. I promise.”
The toddlers looked at each other, and a secret communication passed between them. Fallyn lifted her hand and touched Adelia’s hair.
Laughing at what she immediately understood to be Fallyn’s meaning, she explained, “Yes, baby, Mommy cut her hair. How smart of you to notice. Do you like it?”
The bright eyed little girl smiled and nodded yes.
“Mrs. Bremen, I’ll run and get the suitcases. You’ll be fine with them now.”
“Yes, Gwyneth, thank you.”
In the car, David wiped the tears from his eyes as he watched the emotional reunion of mother and children. It was impossible not to be moved. The children were so young, yet they seemed so composed and thoughtful. It was obvious that they remembered and missed their mother.
David looked up, surveying the second story of the house. He spotted Miles watching Adelia and the children’s reunion. David knew that Miles couldn’t see him through the tinted glass of the Range Rover, so he took full advantage of this moment to observe his adversary. Miles’s face reflected anguish and loss. Then, suddenly, he saw Miles turn, as if reacting to something. He ran from the window.
David searched the upper-story windows, and then he saw her. Karolin was screaming and sobbing hysterically, pounding on a window pane as she watched the children warm to Adelia. Miles ran in, and David could see him grab Karolin and subdue her as she sank limply against his chest. He led her away from the window, but not without a final, ominous look at his ex-wife. What David saw sent a chill through him. Adelia might have won the custody battle, but there could be no doubt that a war was coming.
David got out of the car to help load the luggage and thought about what he had witnessed. Adelia was unaware of the drama taking place in the house; she was only conscious of the ecstasy of holding her babies and being reunited with them. She kept up a constant stream of gentle chatter as she lifted Fallyn into a car seat and fastened the belt. Gwyneth slipped into the middle seat while David picked up Liam and handed him to her. Adelia got in the car, and David closed her door.
He took one last look at the upper-story windows. This time he and Miles could see one another, and there was no doubt as to the malicious look that emanated from Miles’s eyes. In some way, David could understand the hatred. It must look to Miles as if David had taken his place, not only as his ex-wife’s lover, but also as a potential father to his children. He would have to speak to Adelia about hiring a bodyguard and beefing up the security at the house. As far as Karolin was concerned, he would see what he could find on the Bremens’ elusive past. There had to be something relevant that would be indicative of her strange behavior. He drove the Range Rover down the driveway, contemplating the possibilities as Green Way Farms receded in the distance.
The One and More, the continuing saga of Miles, Adelia, and David was released in June, 2014.
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The One and More
Chapter 1
The emotional roller coaster of divorce had ripped Miles apart. Even the certitude and success of his professional life, the beacon of his accomplishments, no longer filled the empty void that losing Adelia had exposed. The first couple of months he had hardly worked. Instead, he remained in the house where their marriage had begun and had played itself out. Every room haunted him with memories of their time together. Over and over again, like a broken record, he replayed the highlights of their marriage. In bed, he was consumed with her imagery and the passion that had fired their relationship. It had taken a year for the initial shock to wear off. Lately, he had begun to spend the bulk of his time in New York, where the newly remodeled apartment held no imprint from his former life or the wife that had jilted him.
Inside, the glamorous Trump Tower apartment shimmered with the incandescent lig
ht of dozens of candles that reflected off the ultra-modern sleek surfaces. Outside the floor to ceiling windows, the fairytale façade of the Plaza Hotel glittered. Beyond that the black expanse of Central Park and the twinkling lights of the Westside blinked in the dead of night. If you followed the trail of clothing that had been hastily discarded on the living room floor to the sounds of heavy breathing and moans that emanated from the master bedroom, you would find a man and a woman, their bodies shiny with sweat, fully engaged in pulse pounding sex.
The dark-haired woman was magnificent with curves and a body that could arouse any man that wasn’t dead. Her nipples were hard and extended with excitement; her heavy breasts shook in response to the pounding that wracked her body. Her arms were around the man who forcefully fucked her as she groaned in pleasure. “Oh yeah, baby, you make me feel so good. You love your hard cock inside of me, don’t you?” She licked her lips. “Baby you’re the best I’ve ever had…ah…that’s it, macho man, fuck me harder.”
Miles was slick with sweat; his pectorals bulged with his exertion. If he closed his eyes just right, she almost looked like Adelia. Her breasts were large and heavy; they swayed in response to his pummeling. She was young and fuckable and hotter than hell. He had gone so long without sex that he could have rammed her all night. He had lost count of her orgasms. They had been at it for hours, if you counted the foreplay, and he was nowhere close to ejaculation. He pulled out of her.
“No,” she screamed. “Don’t stop. What are you doing?”
His eyes grew steely; he enjoyed torturing her. “Relax, baby, I’m going to fuck you even better from behind. You’re so hot and wet, sugar; you know you want what I’m going to do to you. Besides, I want to feel that round, hard dancer’s ass of yours.”
