Mirage: Veiled Love Duet: Book One

by Radcliff, C. M.

  And now, at thirty-nine, he gets to sit at the head of that table.

  Jasper never came home last night, which isn’t unusual since he spends more time working than he does here. Surprisingly, he was here first thing this morning, locked away in his office.

  In typical fashion, I avoided him and stayed hidden for most of the morning. When he is home, I stay out of sight as much as possible, but a house is only so big, and you eventually run out of hiding places.

  One day, I’ll get away from here, but today is not that day.

  ♦♦♦

  Blocking out the sun with my eyes closed, my mind quiets as I begin to drift into a light sleep. I’m quickly awoken and startled with the sound of footsteps moving across the concrete floor. My body still as I keep my eyes glued shut and attempt to keep my breathing even as if I’m simply asleep.

  The sound stops as I feel him come to a stop beside my lounge chair. Jasper only comes out here for me if he wants something and I have no desire to know why he’s here. Time slows and the anticipation builds inside me as I wait for him to announce his presence.

  “Excuse me,” my visitor who isn’t Jasper interrupts my thoughts. His deep, raspy voice catches me off guard. The sound is unfamiliar, but it vibrates through my body.

  My eyelids flash open and I’m at eye level with the bulge in his black basketball shorts that fall at his knees. Through the material, I can see his toned thighs that trail down to his equally muscular calves. Slowly sitting up, my eyes follow up his firm torso that’s visible through his beater. I take the time to admire how sculpted his body is before my gaze finds his face. His facial features are symmetrically defined, and he looks like he stepped off the cover of a GQ magazine featuring bad boys.

  Drawing my bottom lip between my teeth, I bite down, letting the unfamiliar effect that he has on me take over. And then he clears his throat, drawing my attention to his eyes that are as blue as the ocean. The heat creeps up my neck and spreads across my cheeks, and it’s not from the heat of the sun. Even with a bikini on, it feels like I’m trapped in a hot sauna.

  Quickly releasing my lip, I adjust how I’m sitting as his eyes slowly travel over my body and a ghost of a smile plays on his lips. “Can I help you?” My voice is hoarse as I try to shake off the feelings that have flooded my senses.

  His eyes meet mine. “I’m here to see Jasper.” An unwarranted warmth spreads through my body at the sound of his husky voice.

  How can my fiancé’s name on another man’s lips sound so sexy?

  Pushing the thoughts from my head, I clear my throat as I attempt to regain my composure.

  He’s here to see your fiancé.

  “Of course you are,” I mutter in annoyance. “He’s in his office, so feel free to go in and find him.”

  The mystery man glances over at our house that looks more like a palace before looking back at me. “I can wait out here for him,” he declares.

  “You’ll be waiting all day.”

  “I have no problem waiting here for him.”

  Rolling my eyes in annoyance, I grab my phone from underneath the lounge chair and dial Jasper’s number.

  “I’m fucking busy, Jaslyn,” Jasper barks through the phone. “What do you want?”

  “Some guy is here to see you.”

  The sound of papers rustling around comes through the phone as Jasper mutters a string of curse words under his breath.

  “Make sure he doesn’t go anywhere,” he barks. “I’ll be out as soon as I’m done in here.”

  Jasper ends the call without another word and leaves me sitting here with Mr. No Name.

  Setting my phone back down, I look up at him as he waits with an expectant look on his face.

  “Jasper should be out here soon. He just had a few things that he needed to finish up for work.”

  The man nods. “I can wait.” He pauses as he sits down on the lounge chair next to mine. “What’s your name?”

  I eye him suspiciously as he waits patiently, with no ill intent detected in his eyes.

  Chill out… he’s just making small talk.

  “Jaslyn.”

  The man slowly nods his head and his eyes soften. “So, are you Jasper’s sister?”

  A harsh laugh slips from my lips and his brow furrows in confusion.

  “I wish,” I scoff as my face falls. “I’m his fiancée.”

  A conflicted expression forms on his face and a storm brews in his eyes. His reaction throws me off guard and I match his torment with my own confusion.

  “What did you say your name was?” I ask, quickly changing the subject.

  “I didn’t,” he deadpans.

  A smile plays at the corner of my lips, another unfamiliar thing that he brings out of me. Raising my eyebrows, I give him a look and he answers without me saying another word.

  “Axel.”

  The deep sound of his voice rattles throughout my body as his name rings in my head.

  Axel.

  “So, Axel.” I smile as his name rolls off my tongue. “Why exactly are you here to see Jasper?”

  Axel cracks his knuckles subconsciously and he gives me a blank stare. “I came to talk to him about a job offer.”

  My lips part as I go to question him, not remembering any job openings that we currently have, but he quickly interjects and dismisses any talk of him and Jasper.

  “So, Jaslyn, tell me something about you.”

  His words take me by surprise. Why would he want to know anything about me when he’s here to see Jasper?

  He’s just making small talk.

  I shrug indifferently and give him a small smile. “There’s not much to tell, as you can see.” I motion around the pool, to the only place I frequently visit, but I omit that confession. “I’m a fairly boring person.”

  Axel looks me up and down before his eyes meet mine. “I highly doubt that.”

  “Well, unfortunately, it’s the truth,” I mumble as I nervously run my hands through my wet, tangled hair. His gaze leaves me feeling exposed as he studies every inch of my body. If he could see what lies beneath the surface, his eyes would never stray my way again.

  “Aren’t you here to talk to Jasper and not me?”

  His jaw clenches as a storm brews within his eyes. “Right now, I don’t give two fucks about your fiancé,” he growls angrily. His unwarranted anger throws me off and confusion runs through me.

  A door slams from the back of the house and I hear Jasper’s loud footsteps as he walks across the patio. “Maybe you should,” I warn him in a hushed voice.

  Axel narrows his eyes at me as he mulls over my words in his head.

  “Axel!” Jasper calls out with a hint of surprise laced within his words. “I see you decided to come sit down with me. A very smart move on your part.”

  His eyes don’t leave mine as Jasper walks over to us. I immediately stand, knowing what’s expected of me and quickly grab the towel from my lounge chair and wrap it tightly around my body.

  Jasper cuts his eyes at me with a threatening glare. He looks over at Axel who remains silent as he watches him intently.

  Wrapping his arm around my waist, I cringe as Jasper pulls me tightly against his side. His body language is possessive and he’s showing Axel that I’m his tree to piss on.

  “I apologize for you having to wait for me. I had some business that I needed to take care of,” he explains to Axel with an apologetic smile. There’s no sincere apology behind the superficial expressions of a manipulator.

  “I didn’t mind waiting,” Axel admits and his eyes flash to mine briefly.

  Jasper laughs out loud and he subtly tightens his grip on my waist, digging his fingertips into my skin. “I hope she didn’t bore you too much.”

  Axel cracks his knuckles and takes a deep breath before his lips part. His words are cut off as Jasper’s phone begins to ring in his pocket. Pulling it out, he keeps it close to his side and the screen out of my line of sight so I can’t see it.

 
“Shit,” he mutters, releasing me quickly. “I need to take this call.” He cuts his eyes to mine. “I’ll be right back.”

  Lifting his phone up to his ear, Jasper wanders out into the yard, leaving me alone with Axel.

  Turning to him, my eyes meet Axel’s as he watches me intently with a heated gaze. The way he stares at me stirs something deep inside of me, in a way that I’ve never felt before.

  Shit.

  Chapter Three

  Axel

  FIRST IMPRESSIONS are supposed to be extremely important, especially when it comes to business. Jasper doesn’t give off any impression because it’s blatantly obvious that he’s an asshole. He’s a narcissist and a manipulator and he wears it like a badge of honor.

  When I met him last night, I knew that he was a rich sack of shit. Since I’ve met his fiancée, he’s become nothing more than a fucking fraud. That blonde on his arm last night isn’t the same woman that wears his ring on her finger.

  I wonder if she knows that she’s not the only one.

  The way she reacted to his touch; the way she flinched when he was near and how she winced when his hands were on her says more than words ever could. She doesn’t care that she’s not the only one because she doesn’t even want to be the one. It’s as clear as the bright blue sky above us that there’s no attraction or love between them.

  There’s something between them, something that I don’t understand, but I intend on finding out exactly what it is.

  Jaslyn adjusts the towel wrapped around her and sits back down on the lounge chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

  She’s on edge and defensive.

  “Do you mind if I sit?” I ask gently and motion to the chair beside her.

  She glances across the yard nervously as she looks for Jasper. It’s clear that he has instilled a level of fear within her. Her eyes find him pacing in the grass, completely consumed by his phone call.

  Jaslyn looks back at me with her deep brown eyes and nods slightly. She watches me hesitantly as I sit down and fold my hands in my lap.

  “So, you’re here to talk to Jasper about a job?” Her voice is soft as she questions me.

  If she wasn’t at the fight with him last night, does she even know anything about that?

  Does she know about anything beyond the walls of the palace that she lives in?

  “Um—” I pause and swallow hard, unsure of how to answer. I want to give her the truth, but perhaps the truth will do more harm than good. Perhaps it’s best that she doesn’t know the truth about me.

  My mind wanders back to the business card he gave me, for where he works. The medical device company.

  “He said there was a position that opened up at the company he works for and he wanted to talk to me about it.”

  Jaslyn narrows her eyes and slightly tilts her head to the side. “Hmm.” She stares at me, not believing a word I said. “Considering I own the company, I’m surprised that this is the first I’m hearing of this.”

  My eyes widen slightly, and I swallow as I quickly try to recover from her catching me in a possible lie.

  She owns the fucking company?

  What the hell?

  “Did he tell you what the position was?” she inquires with a mild curiosity in her tone. She’s not stupid; she knows that there is no position.

  “He didn’t say,” I continue with the lie. I can’t go back on it now, so it’s best I ride it out and hope for the best. “He said that we would discuss it today.”

  “And where did you say you met him?”

  I didn’t… did I?

  Fuck.

  “At the hospital.”

  Jaslyn smiles and nods as she gives me a knowing look. She knows that I’m lying, but she leaves it at that.

  Am I supposed to tell her the truth? That I’m some poor, low life piece of shit street fighter? Or do I tell her how nothing in my life is one hundred percent legal? How about her future husband making some extra money from my illegal indiscretions?

  She doesn’t need to know the truth, just like she doesn’t need to know me.

  Jasper walks back toward the pool, tucking his phone into his pocket. Jaslyn quickly rises to her feet and I follow suit as Jasper stops in front of us.

  “Sorry about that.” He rolls his eyes. “Just another idiot fucking up their job.”

  I give him a curt nod and he directs his eyes to Jaslyn with a hardened look. “Go inside, Jaslyn,” he orders her. “We have business to discuss that doesn’t concern you.”

  “Yes, of course,” Jaslyn replies quietly as she collects her things.

  “It was nice meeting you,” I interject awkwardly and jam my hands into my front pockets. Jasper raises an eyebrow at me and Jaslyn smiles at me.

  “Likewise.” Her smile is sweet, but her lips are toxic from the venom laced in her words.

  Excusing herself, she cowers as she inches past Jasper, but her footsteps falter as she passes me.

  “You’re a terrible liar.” Her voice is barely audible, and her words are spoken for only me to hear. I’m frozen in place as she leaves me shook with her asshole fiancé, knowing that I’m a fraud.

  Fuck me.

  Jasper sits down on the chair that Jaslyn was occupying and motions for me to sit as well. “I apologize for her. Her immaturity tends to interfere with remembering her place.”

  Narrowing my eyes at him, I shake my head. “There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”

  Jasper waves his hand and sighs. “Enough about her.” He clasps his hands and his lips curl upward into a wicked grin. “We’re here to talk about you.”

  “Okay.”

  “I want you to fight for me and only me. The pool house has a full apartment which would be yours, along with a car of your choice. You won’t be responsible for paying a cent for anything. Anything you need, it is all paid for. One million dollars, free and clear for the first year. Anything I make from the fights, you’ll get ten percent of that.”

  You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. There is no way that this could be a legitimate offer.

  Unless you eat, sleep, and breathe green like this rich asshole.

  We sit in silence as I mull over what he just threw on the table. It’s borderline unbelievable, but the look on his face tells me that he’s dead ass serious.

  “That’s one hell of an offer,” I tell him honestly. Only a fool would turn something like that down. “I need some time to think about it before I make any moves.”

  “Spoken like a true businessman.” Jasper smiles as he stands up. I stand up with him and shake his hand. “Don’t take too long, Axel. Offers like that don’t linger forever.”

  “I’ll be in touch.” I nod before turning my back on him. Walking across the yard, I make my way down the driveway and pause as I reach the gate.

  Glancing over my shoulder, I look back at the fortress behind me and I see her. My eyes are drawn to her instantly as she stands by a window from the third floor. Her eyes penetrate mine as she stares at me from above. The front door opens, and I look down as Jasper slams the door behind him.

  When I look back up at the window, she’s gone. I wait for her to reappear, but she doesn’t. Turning back around, I walk out through the gate and onto the sidewalk.

  The farther I walk away from her, the more appealing his offer becomes.

  Only a fool would turn down an offer like that… but only a fool would accept an offer like that, with temptation lurking around every corner.

  I’m a fool no matter what I do.

  Chapter Four

  Jaslyn

  THE HEATED marble floor warms my feet as I step out of the shower and grab a plush towel to wrap around my waist. Drops of water fall to the floor as my hair hangs down my back. The thick, wet strands stick to my skin as I try to shake out the excess water.

  Stopping in front of the full-length mirror, I pull my hair into a topknot and let the towel fall to the floor. My eyes start at my dainty feet and slowly travel up the rest of m
y body. The bruises that adorn my skin has become somewhat of a permanent fixture. Old and new, and yellow, green and blue… they’ve become a part of me.

  Jasper is careful with where he leaves his marks. Most times they can easily be hidden by clothing, but lately, he’s been slipping up more than usual. He takes it too far and gets too carried away.

  Walking over to the vanity, I reach into one of the drawers and pull out a tube. Focusing on the mirror, I apply the coverup makeup to the scattered bruises. I never seem to run out, as another appears as soon as I’m running low. I know that it’s Jasper. He has an image to hold and an empire that he longs to control.

  He needs me alive and under his thumb for now. As soon as we’re married, it all becomes his. And as soon as we’re married, he won’t hesitate to kill me.

  He’s taking me out to dinner tonight, which he only does when he wants something. Spreading my thighs, I rub the cream on the skin between my legs.

  ‘No’ isn’t a word in his personal dictionary. Jasper takes what he wants, whenever he wants it. I used to fight him, but he’d eventually knock me out and take what he wanted anyway. I’ve become submissive and let him have his way with me, even though his way is borderline homicide.

  He thinks I don’t know about the other women. I’ve always known, I’ve just never cared. He only fucks me when he’s actually home and he’s drunk or angry.

  Nothing in life is permanent, everything is temporary. This will eventually end, and I’ll be free to live my life.

  It has to.

  But, until then, I’ll continue to cover up my bruises and let him use my body however he pleases.

  I’ll make it out of here alive, whether I’m in one piece or not.

  ♦♦♦

  Leaving my hair naturally straight, I put on my makeup and slip into a long lilac dress. The shoulder straps are thin, leaving my collarbone exposed and it dips low in the back. With a plunging neckline, my full breasts threaten to spill out.