The Ultimate Betrayal
Back of the Book
Lara is a successful, beautiful, charming, financier. She is also a total control freak, so whatever Lara wants, Lara makes sure she gets. Lara has a secret and is playing a dangerous game that might end up costing her everything she values…money and love.
Rachel is Lara’s fun loving, charming, irresistible wife. Her charisma is equal to her beauty, warmth, and compassion.
Sophia’s surprise visit to see Lara sets in motion a number of life changing events for them all. But just who is Sophia?
Add Joy, Sophia’s opinionated best friend, and you have the recipe for a fast paced romance complete with satisfying twists and turns.
Hell has no fury like a woman scorned.
The Ultimate Betrayal
© 2016 by Annette Mori
Affinity E-Book Press NZ LTD.
Canterbury, New Zealand
1
st
Edition
ISBN:
978-0-908351-82-4
All rights reserved.
No part of this eBook may be reproduced in any form without the express permission of the author and publisher. Please note that piracy of copyrighted materials violate the author’s rights and is illegal.
This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Editor: Nat Burns
Proof Editor: Alexis Smith
Cover Design: Irish Dragon Designs
Acknowledgments
A huge thank you to JM Dragon who helped tighten the first draft with her insightful feedback on how to improve the manuscript. Of course, I once again have to acknowledge Erin O’Reilly who helped me with the re-writes based on JM’s advice. Often a writer is so close to the work that a needed friend can help them see the light. Erin gives of her time freely, without the expectation of anything in return. I am honored to call her a friend and loved having a chance to meet her in person at GCLS.
I would also like to express my gratitude to Affinity Press and the wonderful trio (JM Dragon, Erin O'Reilly and Nancy Kaufman) who continue to support this new and somewhat unconventional writer. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities they give me to let my stories see the light of day.
On my journey, I elicited advice from my older sister, Val, who gave me valuable feedback that helped shape the final version of the story. She continues to be an incredible encouragement to me. My other beta readers include,
Sharlie
and favorite fan, Gail. Gail especially gave me feedback about my need to spruce up my sex scenes and with this novel, she noted that I’ve come a long way. My other family members who were also very supportive, include my nephew, Aaron and his wife, Chelsea, and my little sister, Kim. I always enjoy working with the beta editor and Kay Carney helped to improve my story.
Thanks to Nat Burns for her magic again as the final editor to tighten the story even further. Inevitably, there are those pesky final errors that slip through and I am thankful that the final proof editor, Alexis Smith, caught those before the book went to print.
Nancy Kaufman is a rock star with her covers. Nancy is also a promoter extraordinaire.
A huge thanks to all the other readers and fellow writers who have sent personal e-mails, written reviews, and posted nice things on Facebook (you know who you are). The Affinity authors are an especially supportive group and often share posts or send words of encouragement. Finally, my wife, Jody, continues her support even when it interferes with our weekend time.
Dedication
To all the fans, especially Gail, who continue to support my books. To my wife who I love dearly for her patience when I get in a groove and ignore her during "our" weekend time.
Also by Annette Mori
Locked Inside
Out of This World
Asset Management
The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Elves in Love
(Affinity 2014 Christmas Collection)
Love Forever, Live Forever
The True Story of Valentine’s Day
Vampire Pussy…Cat
Nicky’s Christmas Miracle X3
(It’s in Her Kiss Affinity’s Charity Anthology)
Table of Contents
Summer 2013
Lara Beck smiled as she watched Rachel Mathis walk along the rose petal strewn path leading to the intricate gardens where they’d decided to get married.
A flowing white dress clung to Rachel’s athletic body and there was no argument that Rachel made a stunning bride. Her hair fell in soft waves across her shoulders and shimmered in the sunshine as the highlights reflected the rays of the sun.
As Lara took Rachel’s hands in her own, she looked into sapphire eyes that reflected nothing but love. Lara felt like the luckiest woman in the world. Rachel had been difficult to ensnare, but she’d won her heart.
The only other time Lara had felt the same way toward a woman was eight years ago when she’d watched her first love walk down the aisle in New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Her emotions had been so intense then that she’d almost convinced herself she would be able to remain faithful. Lara couldn’t help thinking about her first marriage, today of all days.
Lara shook her head to bring herself back to the present and the beautiful woman in front of her, who was ready to say her vows. They both had written their own words and Lara was excited to hear what Rachel would say.
“Lara, I never thought someone would capture my heart until I met you. Your relentless pursuit and never-ending passion takes my breath away every time we come together. I cannot imagine ever growing tired of you. I’m afraid our combustible desire for one another will burn so brightly that it will leave nothing behind but blissful ashes, but I’m willing to take the chance at a love that I suspect I’ll never find again. Thank you for never giving up your pursuit. I love you. Now let’s do this,” Rachel said.
Lara laughed and started reciting her own vows. “The moment I met you, I knew I had to make you mine. You were worth every bit of energy I put into wooing you. I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman who sparked my interest quite like you. When we come together it is like poetry in motion—fiery poetry. I couldn’t resist circling your orbit because the gravitational pull was just too great. I love you, too, and will always celebrate the day I met you at that cheesy fundraiser.”
“Hey, I planned that event. There was nothing cheesy about it,” Rachel argued.
Lara chuckled. “Just teasing, hon. Can we get to the I do’s now, please?”
†
On the eve of her second marriage, Lara pondered what love, sex, and marriage meant to her. Of course, those thoughts didn’t make it into her vows.
Lara didn’t think there was anything wrong with using sex to further her business interests. In her opinion, too many people had hang-ups about sex. She’d been told that she was a lot like a man in her perspective, but to her, love and sex were not the same thing. She could have sex with someone and not love them. She was a healthy, sexually active woman who could appreciate that sometimes sex was just a means to an end or a physical release without the added complication of love. Of course, it was a bonus if you loved the person you were having sex with. She would concede to that point.
If there was one thing she despised, it was a double standard. It was 2015 and men no longer cornered the market on sex, power, and control.
Marriage, in her estimation, tended to suck the excitement out of sex, which is why men and women took mistresses. It was practically a requirement for ambitious, successful executives. Lara reasoned that, to maintain a healthy marriage, it might be necessary to venture outside the boundaries of matrimony and that had nothing to do with whether or not she loved her wife.
Deep down Lara adored her wife but humans were not designed to be monogamous. She’d listened to an anthropology professor lecture that only seventeen percent of human cultures were monogamous. That lecture stuck with her and helped justify her behavior.
She believed that if she had the stamina and the resources to keep multiple lovers satisfied, what would it hurt? Perhaps some might judge her and believe she had impulse control issues.
Fuck them
. She had the world at her feet and nothing would stop her from taking every bite out of life.