The Ultimate Betrayal (5 page)
Two seconds after the Tesla came to a complete stop in the garage, Rachel unbuckled her seat belt, jumped out of the car, and grabbed Espresso.
Lara oozed out of the driver’s side and followed her wife’s path to the door.
After tossing Espresso in the door, Rachel clutched Lara’s silk shirt, dragging her into the house. Pushing her against the wall, Rachel crushed her mouth against Lara’s. She didn’t waste any time tugging on the zipper of Lara’s skirt, unzipping her in seconds and pushing the skirt to the floor.
Espresso ran to his favorite daybed and settled in, watching his two moms perform their favorite coming home ritual.
“If I don’t taste you right this instant, I’m sure I’ll die of starvation,” Rachel exclaimed.
Lara stepped out of her skirt, tossed her purse on the floor, and gently pushed Rachel’s head between her legs. “We can’t have that, now, can we?”
Rachel urged Lara’s legs apart and covered her sex with her mouth—licking and sucking while she penetrated her with her middle and index fingers.
Lara threw her head back and moaned. “Ooh. So good. So fucking good. Remind me to insure that tongue of yours.” When her orgasm finally crested, the pulsations and quivers that ran up and down her body created an out of body experience.
Rachel pulled her fingers from inside Lara and slowly licked each one clean. “
Mmm
, finger
lickin
’ good. Better than Kentucky Fried Chicken, and I loves me some fried chicken,” Rachel exclaimed in a poor imitation of a southern lady.
Lara chuckled. “That is a horrible southern accent, darling.” Lara clasped Rachel’s hand and began leading her to the bedroom. “I seem to be the only one partially dressed here. You and me. Naked. Now. I’ve brought home a few presents, but we seem to have left them in the trunk in our haste to finish what you started in the car.”
“Ooh, presents. I like the sound of that, but I’d rather leave the bag until later. I left the silk ties on the bed. I’m in the mood for some extended playtime and excruciating delay of pleasure. Tie me up and tease away, my talented lover. I won’t even try to escape,” Rachel exclaimed.
“Now where’s the fun in that? I’ll have you squirming and begging in no time,” Lara taunted.
†
Lara peeked at the neon green light flashing ominously in the dark. Damn it was midnight already. Rachel had been insatiable for two hours as they brought one another to the height of pleasure multiple times. Rachel was lightly snoring now as Lara slipped from their bed to send her text.
Creeping quietly into the mudroom where she left both her purse and her phone, Lara muttered, “Shit, she’s probably biting off her toenails now with worry.” Digging into her purse, Lara retrieved her phone and walked quietly into the living room. She jabbed at the phone in irritation, forming the quick text. Fortunately, it was late and she wouldn’t expect a phone call. Only a text, letting her know she’d arrived safely.
Lara smiled as she thought of her soft brown eyes and the way they watered when she’d left her standing in the doorway. She was a vision of loveliness—a classic Italian beauty from the southern regions of Italy. Lara could never give her up. She was Lara’s first true love.
Lara felt a ping of guilt that she quickly stuffed down deep into her black soul. Her justifications for the decisions made in her life were always completely logical. No one was really getting hurt. She cared deeply for both of them. Didn’t she make sure they both had everything they could ever want or need? She spared no expense to ensure that she took good care of both of them.
The little voice in Lara’s head kept shouting at her that she wasn’t being fair. She’d only made love to her once during the visit. She would have to rectify that the next time they were together. Their lovemaking was so different from what she had with Rachel. No less satisfying—just different. Rachel was adventurous and creative. Her other lover was sensuous and passionate. She needed both in her life—what she liked to refer to as her sexual yin and yang.
“Lara? Where are you?” Rachel’s sleepy voice called out.
Lara rushed back to the master bedroom and a rush of arousal hit her as she looked at Rachel’s tousled blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Rachel was a natural beauty. Without any effort, she turned both male and female heads the minute she entered a room. She had a kind of casual sexiness about her and could make a pair of jeans come to life on her body.
“You look positively delicious, but we both need to get some rest if I’m going to survive the office tomorrow,” Lara tossed out.
“Can’t you just call in sick or go in late, for once?” Rachel asked.
“No. I have a full day and I need to follow up on a possible lead. I met Chelsea Martin on the flight back to Seattle. I can’t wait to get my hands on her billions. I believe she is in need of some expert financial planning. She gave me her card to call and arrange a lunch meeting. I’m not going to let the grass grow on this one. She’ll be my largest client to date.”
“That’s great honey. I’m sure that your good looks and charm won’t hurt one bit. I heard she’s a shameless flirt. Not too shabby looking for an old lady either.” Rachel laughed.
“Hey. You better not consider forty old because my fortieth is just around the corner you know and I would hate to think you believe I’m over the hill or something,” Lara joked.
“Not a chance, especially the way you acted tonight. God, Lara, you tired me out and I’m ten years your junior. I better start taking vitamins if I hope to keep up with you in our golden years.”
“No worries. I’ll just trade you in for a younger model when you grow old and gray.” Lara chuckled.
“Fine, then I’ll take every last cent of those millions you’ve amassed and get my own hot Latin lover.” Rachel grinned.
Lara set her phone on the nightstand and climbed into bed with her wife. She was thankful that Rachel was still a little groggy from sleep and hadn’t asked any questions about why she had her phone with her. Lara thought that in many ways Rachel was young and naïve. She knew that Rachel would never suspect anything. It was one of the things she loved most—her trusting nature. Lara remembered Rachel telling her once that it was always better to
assume good intentions.
With Rachel curled up in her arms, Lara fell into a deep, satisfying sleep.
†
Rachel absently stroked Lara’s stomach. She could feel Lara’s slow even breathing as she entered dreamland. Rachel was now wide-awake after noticing that her wife was not in bed after calling out to her.
Rachel watched Lara saunter back into their bedroom with the moonlight spotlighting her beautiful naked form. Rachel thought Lara was one of the most exquisite women she’d ever met and the first time she’d laid eyes on her, she knew she had to have her. Their sexual chemistry was explosive. Lara was one of the few women who could keep up with her heightened need for physical intimacy. It didn’t escape Rachel’s keen observation skills when Lara set her cell phone on the nightstand.
Rachel wondered who Lara was texting or e-mailing in the middle of the night. She didn’t hear her speaking to anyone on the phone, so she assumed that when she came back into the bedroom and laid the phone on the dresser, that she was checking e-mails or texting someone. That damn phone was tethered to her hand. Sometimes Rachel got irritated with Lara’s laser-like focus on business which stressed their relationship. It was her only irritation with their marriage.
Finally, Rachel would have Lara all to herself for a full month. She was delighted that the Seattle office required her attention for that amount of time. It would be the longest timespan that Lara remained in Seattle before returning to New York since their honeymoon two years ago. Rachel intended on making the most of this time and was quite pleased with her plans for Lara’s fortieth birthday party. It would be a night to remember.
Rachel had been extra careful not to let the cat out of the bag. She hoped that Lara would appreciate the surprise party she’d planned.
Rachel settled into Lara’s protective embrace and nodded off to sleep with a contented smile on her face. Dreaming of the fancy black tie affair she had planned, she sighed and did not move until the annoying alarm startled her awake at six-thirty.
†
The song,
It’s A Beautiful Day
, blared from the speaker of the tablet setting on the nightstand closest to Lara.
“Jesus, Lara, do you have to program that to blare,
It’s A Beautiful Day
, so fucking loud that my grandmother can hear it from her grave,” Rachel grumbled.
Lara kissed Rachel on the lips and sat up, stretching her arms above her head. “Well, good morning to you, too, little Miss Sunshine.”
“Now that I’m awake, I might as well send you off with a little motivation to return quickly.” Rachel pulled her lover back to bed and quickly flipped her on her back while straddling her body.
Rachel’s libido was wide-awake now as the hairs on her pussy mingled with Lara’s. If she wiggled a little more into position, she might be able to rub her clit against Lara’s. She was sure it wouldn’t take long to experience a synchronized orgasm.
Lara chuckled. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time. I have to be in the office by seven thirty this morning. Besides, don’t you need to get up and get going?”
“Nope, I told my staff that I would be fucking you long into the night and wouldn’t be in until later this morning. They completely understood,” Rachel joked.
“You did not, you big liar.”
“Well, I might not have used those exact words, but they did know you were coming in last night and assumed I would be in later,” Rachel clarified.
“Must be nice to be the boss and have an understanding CEO.”
“Um, you are the CEO of your company, so you get to make all the rules. That means you can go in late today,” Rachel pleaded.
“Sorry, hon, no can do. I set up a meeting with my staff for seven thirty. I have a lot to go through before I approach Chelsea. I might even be able to set up the lunch for today and I need to be prepared,” Lara answered.
Rachel shifted and was able to rub her aroused bud against Lara’s. “Two minutes. I can feel your wetness beneath me.”
“Oh, God,” Lara moaned. “You are a temptress. You win.” Lara wrapped her flexible legs around Rachel and positioned herself in such a way that her center of arousal was easy for Rachel to stimulate.
As they rocked and rubbed against one another, Rachel cried out. “So good, yeah, that’s it. Come with me, Lara.”
The two women cried out together in ecstasy as their combined orgasm hit simultaneously sending shivers of pleasure throughout their bodies.
Rachel collapsed on top of Lara and captured her lips in a sensuous kiss.
Lara rolled Rachel and pecked her forehead, “Uh, uh, uh, do not start anything. I really do have to get ready now.” Lara jumped from the bed.
Rachel groaned as Lara’s ass swayed seductively while she entered the master bath. “Now who’s the temptress,” Rachel called out before Lara shut the door.
Lara climbed into her silver Porsche with a satisfied smile on her face. Life was good. Even the morning traffic could not shake her from her good mood.
As she eased into her parking space in the garage under her suite of offices in downtown Seattle, she began to mentally prepare for the day.
A brief meeting with her vice presidents would bring her up to speed on the pending accounts. She expected to hear that, in her absence, the sales force had successfully secured those accounts. Failure was not an option if you worked at Fortified Financials. She had personally set those accounts in motion and all her staff had to do was close the deal. If any one of them went sideways, someone would lose their job. This was business and business took no prisoners.
The click of her heels on the marble floor tiles announced her arrival at the office.
“Good morning, Ms. Beck. Welcome back. The VPs are all in the conference room waiting for your arrival. I arranged for a light breakfast.”
Lara had handpicked the receptionist and her efficiency had pleasantly surprised her. Not only was Chandra efficient, but she was very easy on the eyes. She was the perfect front person to represent Fortified Financials. Lara made sure that her salary was at least ten percent above any possible competitor. Although she was a tough businesswoman, Lara justly rewarded competence.
“Good morning, Chandra. Thank you for making those arrangements. I swear you are a mind reader.” Lara winked at Chandra.
Chandra blushed. “My pleasure, Ms. Beck.”
“You know, Chandra, you can call me Lara now. I think you’ve worked here long enough for us to be on a first name basis. Don’t you?”
Lara knew that the young woman had a crush on her and she thought it was charming, but she wasn’t about to dip her pen in the company ink well. However, a little flirting here and there would ensure that this competent young woman would remain loyal to her.
“Okay… um… yeah. I can do that,” Chandra stuttered.
Lara strode confidently into the conference room and narrowed her eyes at the only man on her senior leadership team. She’d heard rumors that he was planning to branch out and start his own financial planning firm. She planned on rooting out this traitor and crushing him like a bug.
Too bad
, he was a brilliant strategist and a visionary, but she would not allow for any competition—especially from a former employee.
“Jason, would you mind getting me a cup of coffee, please?” Lara directed her predatory smile at him.
Yolanda, the VP of marketing, raised her eyebrow and coughed to cover up a chuckle.
Lara suspected that Yolanda knew what was coming. She’d worked the longest with Yolanda and, if she were so inclined to place her trust in anyone, it would be Yolanda.
Jason frowned, but got up and walked to the table where Chandra had laid out the breakfast and coffee. “Cream and sugar?”
“Yes, please.” Lara smiled sweetly.
You little
pissant
, you know exactly how I take my coffee.
Yolanda looked at the other three women in the room and they all smiled in return. Lara suspected the rest of her team might also know what was coming. Lara was usually not so overt with her power plays.
Lara sat at the head of the table and accepted the coffee from Jason. “Thank you, Jason, now please sit so that we can get the meeting started. I’d like a report on the pending accounts first.”
Selena, the VP of sales, began her report. “Everything is a go. I met with Mr. Tanner on Friday and all we had to do was finalize the contracts and obtain the authorizing signatures.”
“Did you have to adjust the fee structure in any way to close the deal for any of them?” Lara asked.
Selena grinned. “Nope. In fact, I took a chance and increased our commission by one percent on the most lucrative contract. I got a gut feeling about that one and it paid off.”
Lara nodded and smiled at Selena. She was glad she had hired this aggressive woman. Her instincts on business deals were always right on the mark. Lara wasn’t worried about her loyalty. The previous company that Selena worked for did not appreciate her bold approach and as a result, the conservative firm had wasted her talents.
Selena confessed to Lara one evening, when they were celebrating an enormous account closure, that she was eternally grateful Lara had given her a chance. She told her that she would follow her to the ends of hell, if needed.
“Excellent job, Selena.” Lara touched her index finger to her forehead. “I see a big bonus in your future. Yes, that’s what the crystal ball in my head says.” Lara turned her attention to the unassuming woman on her right. “Is everything ready for National Retirement Planning Week?”
“Yes, my staff has everything set. We have an event planned for every day. The employees really appreciate the recognition for good work. They love seeing you and the rest of this team let down our hair and have a good time at the bar-b-que. Some of them swear you do a better job grilling than their husbands.”
“Thanks, Robin. I know it’s not only your team, but that you have personally put a great deal of work into the week-long celebration and I appreciate it,” Lara said.
Lara flipped open the binder with the quarterly financial report. “Jason, these numbers seem a little incomplete. Can you please share with me why the financial projections do not include the new accounts that Selena and her team did such a wonderful job securing?”
“We just closed those deals this past week. My team did not have enough time to prepare the numbers for this meeting,” Jason said defensively.
“Selena, you provided the preliminary contracts to Jason, correct?” Lara asked.
“Yes. I e-mailed them to him two weeks ago and then sent a follow-up e-mail on Monday stating that I should have final signature copies by Wednesday. They signed them on Tuesday evening and the final contracts were on his desk at five o’clock that evening,” Selena responded.
“I see.” Lara turned her penetrating gaze to Jason. “Well?”
“It takes a bit of time to prepare those projections,” Jason replied.
“Really? I thought you had models that allow you to plug in the appropriate numbers. How hard can it be to prepare a statement once you have the information—which it appears you received in plenty of time to arrange for a full report?” Lara’s quietly controlled voice hung heavily in the air.
Twenty seconds passed before Lara interrupted the awkward silence. ”Jason? I’m waiting for a viable explanation.”
“Um, I guess I don’t have any excuse to provide to you. The report will be on your desk by noon today.” Jason lowered his gaze and stared at the papers in front of him.
“Don’t bother. I went to your senior accountant and she was delighted to prepare a thorough report for me. I suspected you wouldn’t have time while exploring rental options in the city for your new company. She was excited about her promotion to chief financial officer. Good luck with the development of the new company, because you’re going to need it. Now, get the hell out of my sight. You will not be receiving a severance.”
“Fuck you, Lara. One of these days you will get your just desserts and I hope I get to see it when it happens. I don’t need you. Chelsea Martin is due to become my first client and that should be enough to get my firm started,” Jason shouted.
A predatory grin spread across Lara’s face as she turned around, picked up the receiver, and pressed a button on the conference room phone. “Yes, this is Lara, can you please send up security to escort Mr. Delgado out. His services are no longer needed at this company. Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Can you please send Ms. Rice into the conference room? She just became our new CFO. Thank you, Chandra.”
Jason collected the papers in front of him and stood up. His face was bright red and Lara thought he might have a stroke in front of her.
“Leave the papers, Jason, they are the property of Fortified Financials. I would hate to call in the police and have you arrested for theft,” Lara said.
“You are a bitch, Lara.”
Lara shrugged.
Two very large men in security uniforms entered the conference room and Lara pointed to Jason. “Please make sure Mr. Delgado safely exits our premises and that the only items he leaves with are his personal belongings. Make sure he does not possess any thumb drives or any other items that belong to Fortified Financials. Frisk him if you need to.”
After the men left and a stunning redhead entered the conference room, Lara resumed the meeting. “I’m sure you’ve all met Carrie Rice. Please welcome her to our team. I anticipate good things from Carrie and I believe she will fit right in.” Lara pointed to the seat that Jason had recently vacated. “Now, where were we?”
†
Lara sighed as she sat down in her leather chair. The solid cherry desk placed a barrier between her and any prospective employee or client, which was why she rarely conducted business in her office. Firing Jason wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it was a satisfying end to her one big mistake. She never should have hired the little weasel.
Lara plucked the business card Chelsea had given her from her purse and turned it in her hand, grinning at the prized possession. Punching the numbers on the card into the phone on her desk, she waited for Chelsea to answer.
“Good morning. Yes. May I please speak to Ms. Martin? She is expecting my call. Good morning, Ms. Martin, this is Lara Beck. We met on the flight back from New York yesterday. Why, thank you for remembering me and please call me Lara, as well. Yes, I was hoping you were free for lunch today or tomorrow—my treat of course. I can make arrangements at the Canlis for twelve or twelve thirty, whichever time fits your schedule. I hope that wasn’t too presumptuous of me. Excellent. Shall I meet you there or would you like me to pick you up at your office around eleven forty five? Perfect, then I will see you tomorrow. I’ll clear my calendar for the rest of the day so that I can provide you with my undivided attention. Yes, I look forward to seeing you again as well.”
Lara hung up the phone and wondered if Chelsea would require her more personalized service or if the reputation of her company would be enough to seal the deal. There was no way she would let that little Benedict Arnold steal her potential client. Lara would do whatever was required to make sure Chelsea Martin was a new client by the end of the day. That would teach that little bastard never to screw with Lara Beck. He was way out of his league if he thought he would ever put one over on her.
Unfortunately, she might have to let Rachel know that she would be late again tomorrow night but Rachel would understand. She always did.
Lara pulled her cell phone from her purse and called Rachel’s direct line at Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Hey, babe. You sound out of breath. Still recovering from this morning?” Lara teased. “Same old, same old. I finally canned Jason today. The little bastard was trying to start his own company on the sly. Look, I know I just got home, but I might have to work late tomorrow night. I need to make sure everything is copasetic after my big move today. Jason unfortunately did have his own loyal minions. No, I don’t anticipate huge issues, but I may need to smooth a few ruffled feathers and ensure his staff that no one else is on the chopping block. Yes, I hired Carrie to take his place.”
Lara laughed. “Is that jealousy I detect in your voice? Ooh, so you like my choice. Just don’t make your ogling noticeable. She may or may not swing both ways, but I don’t want to compromise our working relationship. She’s a bright and shining star that will only shine more brightly as she’s given additional responsibility. I wish I’d have met her before hiring Jason. Since I’ll have to attend to most everything tomorrow, I can make tonight an early night and I’ll be home as soon as I can. I love you, too.”
Lara pushed the button on her phone to end the call and leaned back in her chair. She hadn’t exactly lied. Jason did have his loyal followers and she would need to keep her eyes open for any dissent in the ranks, but she could easily do that in the next couple of weeks. Chelsea Martin would be her main focus tomorrow.