Betrayed

Content warning: this book contains
adult situations, explicit sex scenes and strong language. This
book is intended for mature audiences only. All sexually active
participants are 18 or older.

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Alexia
Stark

Betrayed

Alexia Stark

All rights reserved. No part of this
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Betrayed

It was supposed to be the
happiest day of Caroline's life. Instead, she stood frozen,
studying the beautiful stranger in the upright oval mirror. The
antique frame fit in perfectly with her silk and lace, floor length
A-line dress. Over her pale, bared shoulder, she could see her step
father Dominic's face. His sharp, powerful features were softened
by a generous smile that lit his puppy brown
eyes.
 

"You look beautiful,
honey." At his kind words, she sucked in a deep breath. Since her
mother had died over a year prior, he'd been her stone, her
constant in an ever changing, terrifying world. Now she was going
to break his heart.
 

"I can't do it, Daddy,"
she said, smoothing her hands over her ivory lace clad
hips.

His smile widened,
revealing even, white teeth. "Pre wedding jitters are normal, love.
Take a few deep breaths and you'll be fine." his hand found her
shoulders and the pads of his thumbs worked easily over the tension
in her knotted muscles.
 

She shook her head,
knowing it was going to take more than that. "I know it's bad luck,
but I need to see him."

"I don't believe that
superstitious nonsense, do you?" Reassuring hands left her skin,
and he strode from the room with his typical lithe
grace.
 

She made her way toward the
door, holding her breath. What if the old legends were right? There
had to be a reason everyone followed those old rules. Her gaze
swept the great hall and the throngs of family that lined each side
of the isle. Though she'd wanted to get married on her family
estate near the water, she'd given in when Robert demanded they get
tie the knot in the church where his parents got
married.
 

A commotion drew her
attention, we well as the eyes of all two hundred fifty eight
guests. She stared in horror as her father drug her soon to be
husband out of a janitor's closet, followed by a tearful,
disheveled bridesmaid, June. Caroline could hear her father's
furious words over the sudden buzz of chatter and the hiss of
gasping that filled the cavernous room.
 

"You're going to march up
front, admit what you did in front of all your guests, and
apologize to my daughter. If you don't I'll snap your neck here and
now." She'd never heard her father, usually so calm and composed,
so very angry. Robert took a second to fix his messy slacks, and
suddenly, it all made sense to Caroline's disbelieving mind. Shock
gave way to blazing fury that flushed her neck, cheeks and chest
and tingled through her balling fists.
 

Robert made his way toward
the alter, his nervous hazel eyes scanning the crowd while crimson
color stained his cheeks and ears. "I know you all came to see a
wedding today," he began as the whispers and loud coughs slowly
faded to a dull hum. "I'm sorry that you won't get what you came
for."
 

"Why not?" her father
asked, crossing his arms with a deep stare of fiery hatred aimed at
the cheater standing in God’s house.
 

"Because I screwed up."
Robert refused to look at June, who glared at him with a dangerous
spite Caroline recognized from other times the woman had been
jilted.
 

Robert's glance swept back
as if seeking Caroline out, and she ducked back a few inches,
seconds too late. His eyes pleaded with her to forgive him, but she
didn't think she could, maybe ever. "I'm sorry, Caroline. You
deserve better."
 

Loud chatter followed his
words and people began to rise from their seats. Caroline saw her
father and Robert's parents step close and could tell from her
father's relaxed pose that he was happy with whatever was
transpiring. Before Robert could fight through the throng toward
her, she turned, lifted her skirts, and bolted for the doors,
escape the only thought in her turbulent mind.
 

Her heart slammed painfully
in her throat. The ache in her chest brought tears to her eyes, but
she ignored the pain. With fleet feet clad in heels, she sprinted
toward the horses that were staked out by the reception tables in
the large field overlooking the lake to the right of the church.
Without thought, she made her way to Whisper, the pretty white mare
daddy had bought just for her and planted a foot in the stirrup.
Tossing her leg up and over, she settled in the English saddle,
hiking her dress up her thighs.
 

Gathering the reins, she
caught sight of Robert following her out and turned her horse
round. Kicking the mare, she lowered her body and they raced
alongside the lake toward an unknown
destination.
 

When she glanced over her
shoulder, it wasn't Robert following her, but her father instead.
She slowed her mare to a walk, letting him ride up beside her. The
horses walked side by side, nodding their heads in unison as her
father glanced over at her.
 

"I love you," he said
simply, as if he knew she couldn't handle anything else at that
moment. For a while they rode in silence, though her mind raged at
the injustice of it all. The lake sparkled, crystal blue with white
whipped tops where the wind played on the surface. Fragrant crushed
grass scent lingered in the air while the horses stepped along,
nickering like old pals. The sun, high and bright but not too hot,
warmed her flesh but did nothing for her frozen
core.
 

Finally, the roar of her
thoughts burst out. "How could he?" the words were a near whisper,
but she could tell by her father's stiffening spine that he heard
her.
 

“How about this,” he said,
not looking her direction. He gazed over the lake instead, his warm
features oddly at ease. “why don’t you go on your
honeymoon?”

She shook her head.
“Everything will be set up for two. I’ll be all alone, and feel
stupid.”

“So take
someone with you.”

She wondered how
everything was always so easy to him. Didn’t he see the problems
with his plan? “The only person I think I can face right now is
you. I mean, June was my friend.” She paused, the words sinking in.
“Well, I thought she was my friend.”

“It’s
understandable your trust is shaken. Trust me, getting away would
be good for you. Time and space heals all.” He flashed her a quick
smile, and she stifled the question bubbling up within her.
Has time and space healed you?
She knew he missed her mother dearly.

“Why
does everything have to be so hard?” she whimpered, tears filling
her eyes. Before she knew what was happening, he pulled his
stallion up next to her and gathered her in his arms. She let him
drag her onto his horse in front of him. Winding her arms around
his neck, she pressed her forehead to the hollow at the base of his
throat while he took the reins of her mare. Whisper walked
alongside, bombproof and docile as could be. He held her tight, his
lips near her ear.

“I could
have handled things better. I’m sorry.” His soft voice filled with
regret, but she shook her head, a grin fighting through her
tears.

“No way.
You were great. I swear, every girl needs a daddy who’ll threaten
to snap a guy’s neck for being a douche.”

His chest rumbled with
laughter, and she curled into him, loving the comfort of his
embrace. Though she sat sidesaddle, her fear of falling was oddly
absent. Daddy would never let anything bad happen to
her.

As if he heard her
thoughts, he pressed a kiss to her hair. His chest lifted as he
inhaled, his words startling in their simplicity. “How about I go
with you?” He pulled back, looking into her eyes. “I mean, I’d like
the chance to catch up. You’ve been so busy.” He jerked a shoulder
up, and hurt crashed through her. The wedding had occupied all her
time and energy, and he’d suffered for it.

“No
tears.” His quiet intensity increased as his hot chocolate eyes met
hers.

She nodded, hardly
trusting her words. “I’d like that.”

He shifted, the subtle
motion making her cling harder. She pressed her cheek to his chest
as he chuckled. “I won’t let you fall, hun. Hold on.”

The horses turned about
and his arm tightened around her ribs. Drawing a deep breath, she
inhaled his scent, mouthwatering cologne, hay, horses and musky
male warmth. Home. He smelled like home. A glitter peeking from
under his white collar caught her eye, and she reached up to snag
the looped chain. He didn’t move as she pulled it from around his
chest. It popped free and she gasped.

“Do you…
have you been wearing this all along?” she asked in her most
demanding voice.

“Yes.”
She studied his onyx ring, the one her mother had slipped on his
finger all those years ago.

Part of her wanted to tell
him it was okay to move on, but part of her understood. She gasped.
“Did you get mom’s ring for me?” She glanced down at her hand where
the large ice blue sapphire engagement band rested. The day Robert
had asked daddy for her hand, he’d given him her mother’s
set.
Dominic
had
excellent taste in jewelry.

He reached into his breast
pocket and she caught sight of the wedding band, pale sapphires and
diamonds alternating on the pretty white gold setting. He didn’t
seem to think before taking her hand in his warm fingers. She froze
as he slid the band on her ring finger. Her breath caught in her
throat as he brought her hand to his lips, glancing down at her
while the stallion slowed to a stop where he’d been tethered
originally.

Shock and some odd
sensation tangled in her belly while she gazed up into his suddenly
molten eyes.

“It’s
his loss,” he whispered over her hand. He pulled free of her grasp
and dismounted. When he reached his arms up, she put her hands on
his shoulders. Powerful fingers gripped her ribs, the ripple of
muscle under her hands brought a warm rush to her head, leaving her
lightheaded as he let her slide down slowly, her body pinned
between him and the stallion’s solid shoulder.

Glad to have her feet on
solid ground, she entwined her fingers with his. He led her across
the lawn toward the parking lot before stopping short. “Damn it,”
he said, startling her. He spun to face her. “I brought the crotch
rocket, not my car.”

She grinned at his words.
“Bring it on.” She walked past him toward the bike. Robert entered
her field of vision and she struggled to pull in a deep breath
around the tight bodice of her dress. Aware of the emphasis it put
on her breasts, she still couldn’t help the surge of fury filling
her when he stared at her tits.

He stopped before her, the
apology already spilling from him in a jumble she didn’t want to
hear. “Just leave me alone. If I ever see you again, it’s too
soon.” She tried to walk around him, but he back peddled, still
talking.

“Look,
just hear me out. It wasn’t what it looked like. I
love
you.” His
face echoed his genuine tone, but her lips twisted in a
sneer.

“So you
weren’t fucking my friend at our wedding? Leave me alone.” Her
steps sped up, but his hand caught her wrist. She turned in time to
see her father land a mean hook to Robert’s jaw. The sickening
crunch of bone on bone turned her stomach even as satisfaction rose
up in her.