High Stakes (A Deal With The Devil)

CHAPTER NINE

Aiden

Laurie leads me upstairs towards the toilets. We bypass them, heading straight up to the terrace which is closed to the public tonight due to the event. She makes sure to close the doors behind us and we make our way to the wall, looking down at the busy streets below. “What’s so urgent, you have to fuck up my plans?”

“I text you yesterday and you didn’t reply.” She pouts before adding, “I think he’s having an affair.”

I roll my eyes in annoyance. “So are you, Laurie. ”

“That doesn’t mean he gets to. I’m sick of it. Besides, if he wasn’t busy shagging his side whores, I wouldn’t need to look elsewhere.”

“You interrupted me for this?” I snap. “I’m not your fucking agony aunt, Laurie. What happens in your messed up marriage is nothing to do with me.”

Her bottom lip protrudes slightly. “Don’t be cross with me, baby.” She gently places a hand to my cheek, kissing the other. I stare straight ahead, not daring to run my eyes over her body. She’s wearing red, my favourite colour.

“Look at me, Aiden,” she whispers, and I turn my head slightly.

She kisses the corner of my mouth, and I don’t move away, giving her the green light to take the kiss deeper. Her fingers rake through my hair, and she places herself between me and the wall. “I’m wearing red especially for you,” she whispers, pressing herself against my erection. “And I forgot my underwear,” she adds between kisses.

I lift her long red dress, bunching it around her waist. It’s an automatic action, like my hands have a mind of their own whenever she is around me.

I groan, hating how weak I am as I slide her dress up to her waist. She grins, running her hand over the bulge in my trousers. “I’m so wet for you,” she pants, tugging my button open, followed by my zipper. She pulls my cock free, and it stands proudly between us. I lift her onto the wall and press my erection to her opening. She’s so wet, I slip right in, and fuck , it feels good.

I pull the top of her dress down, exposing the perfectly perky tits her husband paid for, and tease her nipples as I slam into her. She runs her fingers under my shirt, raking her nails down my back. The sting adds to my pleasure, and I tug her head back by her hair and nip at her neck. She shudders, coming apart and I follow seconds later, growling as my body stiffens.

I press my face to her neck, taking a minute to get my breath back. She drops her legs back to the ground and tucks me back into my trousers, fastening my zipper and button.

“I think she likes to watch,” she whispers in my ear, slowly running her tongue up my neck. It takes a second to realise what she said, but when it clicks, my head shoots up and Bella is standing at the doors, glaring back at me.

“Fuck!”

Bella

“Fuck,” I hear him yell, as I turn and run back towards the stairs.

Tears trickle down my cheeks and it’s from the anger I have coursing through my body right now. How dare he mess up my date so he could bring me here, leave me, and fuck her. And yes, maybe a small piece of my heart is breaking. Just a small piece.

I shove the doors open, almost knocking into a doorman, and head for the tube. It begins to rain. “Marvelous,” I shout up towards the sky. I don’t even have my jacket, it’s in his car.

My phone buzzes in my bag and I stop to pull it out. Of course it’s Aiden, so I cancel the call, but it immediately lights up again. I shove it back in my bag and look around at my surroundings. I decide to go into a busy bar to get out of the rain, and once inside, I head straight for the bathroom. I pull out my phone to see five missed calls from Aiden and I snigger, he’s acting like a damn boyfriend who got caught cheating. It rings again and I sigh, connecting it.

“Bella, where are you? It’s raining, you don’t have a coat, let me come and get you.” He’s shouting to be heard over the sound of the rain and passing cars, which means he’s out there looking for me.

“Why did you do that to me tonight, Aiden?” I ask, hurt evident in my voice, “Why did you make me cancel on my date?”

He groans, “I’m a prick,” he yells, “I always fuck shit up. It’s what I do. Please let’s talk face to face, Bella. I’m sorry. ”

“I don’t want to see you right now,” I snap. “You humiliated me tonight and ruined my date with Luke.”

I notice he’s gone quiet, and I pull the mobile back to check we’re still connected. The bathroom door opens, slamming back against the wall. I stare open mouthed, surprised he found me. He’s still holding his mobile to his ear and he’s dripping wet from the rain, it’s hot as hell. We stare at one another in silence. There’s pain behind his eyes, which only confuses me more. “I’m sorry,” he whispers into the phone. His eyes still fixed to mine.

I cancel the call without breaking the contact. “You hurt my feelings tonight, don’t ever do that again.”

He stuffs his phone in his pocket holds his hand out to me. “Let’s go home.”

I cross my arms over my chest, marching past him. “I’m not touching you when you’ve been touching her.” I head out into the rain with him hot on my heels.

Aiden

We get back to Tremos and Bella marches straight for the elevator to the apartment. She didn’t speak a word all the way back, and for the first time in a long time, I feel guilty which is ridiculous when we’re not even a thing.

I head for the bar, noting how quiet the place is, probably due to it being a Monday. JP fixes me with a glare, “ What did you do now?” Raff also comes over and I fill them in on the disastrous night.

“Jesus Aiden, what is it with you and that stuck up bitch?” snaps JP, slamming his hands on the bar.

“I fucked up, what do you want me to say?” I ask, grabbing a bottle of Jack and unscrewing the cap. I take a large gulp and relax slightly. Tonight was supposed to be about Drake meeting Bella, and I completed that task.

“Did you at least convince Drake you’re making progress?” asks Raff.

I nod, “Yeah, he met her but then Laurie interrupted us, and I left them to talk.”

“Wait,” snaps JP, “So you left her with him? What if she told him you’ve only just met and it’s all bullshit?”

“Yeah,” agrees Raff looking equally concerned. “I had a job convincing him you’d moved so fast.”

“Relax, Bella knew it was important she lie for me.”

JP frowns, “You told her?”

“Of course I didn’t,” I snap, tired of him assuming I’m so stupid. “I got her there on the pretence she pretended we were dating. I told her she owed me one.”

“And she didn’t think that was weird?” asks Raff.

“Probably but she didn’t object so who cares. I got the job done.”

“No,” snaps JP, “You left the job half done so you could fuck that bitch. You’re gonna blow this if you don’t start acting like Bella is the only damn thing you see, Aiden.”

“He’s right,” Raff agrees. “Laurie is in the past, leave her there. She made her choice the second she left you for that rich fucker.

I take another gulp. “This is all Jakes fault,” I hiss angrily. “The entire thing is fucked up. I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Give up then,” says JP, shrugging, “Prove him right. You’ve always been a selfish bastard, why should we expect anything different?” He throws his cloth on the bar top and storms into the back office, slamming the door.

“It’s not hard, Aiden. Just fuck the virgin. Most men would kill for that challenge,” mutters Raff in annoyance.

“But it’s not that simple. She’s hard work and how the fuck will I get proof. This whole thing feels like it’s set up to fail. And why her? Why did Jake specifically pick Bella? I can’t even ask her if she knew him because of his stupid fucking rules.”

“There’s no obvious connection between them,” admits Raff. “I’ve asked myself the same questions over, but it makes no difference. The deal is you take her virginity. So, take it and we can all move on.”

Bell a

Aria glances back from where she’s perched in the window to fill the display cabinets of this morning’s bakes. “I don’t see the problem, Bells. You aren’t together,” she states matter of fact.

She’s right and I can’t even explain why I feel so gutted by the entire thing. I’ve avoided Aiden since we got home last night. I even got up earlier and came to work at five a.m. just so I didn’t risk bumping into him going for his early morning run.

“I guess I just feel disappointed,” I mutter with a shrug.

“That it wasn’t you he had up against the wall?” she asks, smirking.

I narrow my eyes, “No, of course not. But he made me cancel my date. Why didn’t he just take her as his date? It makes no sense.”

“Have you asked him?”

“No. I’ve been avoiding him.”

She laughs, climbing from the window and turning to me. “Seriously, you can’t be a weirdo about this, he’ll run a mile.”

“I don’t care. I’m not trying to catch him.”

“Sure,” she says, her voice full of sarcasm.

“I’m not,” I cry, annoyed she’d think differently. “Especially now I’ve seen what a whore he is. ”

“You can’t comment because you’ve never had sex. He’s free and single, he can shag whoever he wants.”

“I know that, but he can’t ruin my plans.”

She sighs, placing her hands on the counter and fixing me with a stern stare. “Just fuck him.”

“God no,” I screech.

“He’s not going to turn you down is he. Get him out your system.”

“I don’t want to sleep with him.”

“Then stop freaking out when he’s with other women. It’s none of your business.”

I roll my eyes and begin to rearrange the cakes in the counter. “Was it hot?” she adds, and I glance up to see her smirk firmly in place.

“You are disgusting.”

“It was, wasn’t it.” I bite my lip to stop the smile threatening to break through. She laughs, “I knew it. He’s way too hot to be a crap lay.”

When I get home, the apartment is quiet. There’re candles on the dining table and flowers. Oh great, just what I need. Trapped in my room all night listening to his bloody date night .

I kick off my shoes and drop my bag and as I shrug out of my jacket, Aiden comes through holding a bottle of wine. I scan my eyes over the jeans and t-shirt he’s wearing. It’s the most casual I’ve seen him so far but it’s sexy as hell.

“Good day?” he asks. I nod. “Great. I hope you haven’t eaten.”

I stare at the table, realising this is all for me. I’m part relieved, at least I don’t have to listen to him shmoozing some woman, or worse, the blond from last night. “I haven’t,” I confirm.

“I thought I could at least try and make up for ruining your date night.”

“Is Luke here?” I tease and he rolls his eyes. “Look, you really have nothing to make up for. I overreacted.”

“You didn’t. I was out of order, and it was disrespectful. Please let me say sorry and eat with me.” He lifts the lid on the pot in the center of the table. Steam billows out and I peer closer. “It’s homemade soup,” he tells me. “I can’t take the credit; my mum helped me out.”

I smile, lowering into my seat. “I love leek and potato, it’s one of my favourites.”

“My mum is the best cook,” he says, sitting opposite me and using the ladle to scoop the soup up before pouring some into my bowl .

I inhale deeply, closing my eyes in appreciation. “You can’t beat homemade.” I open my eyes, and Aiden is staring at me. I smile and it breaks his trance. He gives his head a shake and pour some soup into his own bowl.

“Go ahead,” he encourages, nodding at my bowl. “Try it, I want to know what you think.”

I take a mouthful and groan in pleasure. “Oh my god, that’s amazing.”

He smiles, almost looking proud. “I’ll let her know.” He shifts nervously. “This might surprise you,” he begins. “But I’ve never taken a woman on a date.”

I laugh, easing any tension. “That really doesn’t surprise me, Aiden.” I take another scoop of soup. “Not even the blond from last night?” I ask, trying to sound as casual as possible.

“Laurie,” he tells me. “And no, we haven’t been on an actual date.”

I arch a brow. “Wow, aren’t you lucky to have women like her that will just drop their knickers for you wherever they are, and you haven’t even had to pay for a date.”

A serious expression replaces the smirk, and he sits straighter. “I loved Laurie,” he announces, and the sentence surprises me. “From the beginning she intrigued me. We were fire together and in case you didn’t know, that’s never a good thing.” He sighs, “We would fight so bad, and she’d purposely do shit to bring out my jealous side, which wasn’t hard to be honest. At first, I loved that. The chemistry we had was the best high I’d ever experienced. But the lows,” he gives his head a shake, “The lows were depressing and consuming. And then she left me for someone richer,” he adds a laugh, “Married him too.”

“Is she divorced now?”

He laughs again and gives his head a slight shake. “On her wedding day, I fucked her ten minutes before she walked down the aisle. I went there to ask her not to do it, but then I saw her in her fancy dress, and I couldn’t bring myself to be a selfish prick. The next thing I know, she’s got me pressed up against the wall and we’re kissing . . .” He scrubs his hands over his face, and I get the impression this is the most he’s ever told anyone. I like he’s confiding in me. He scoffs, “And then I sat in the church and watched her promise to love him forever.” He slides his bowl away despite hardly touching it. “And the worst part is, I didn’t feel remorse,” he admits, “It turned me on to know I’d fucked her, that she’s been screaming my name on her wedding day. How messed up is that?”

“Sounds toxic,” I mutter.

“That was just one of the many fucked up things I’ve done involving Laurie. Jake hated her. He said she had too much of a hold over me,” he looks me in the eye, “I guess she still does.”

“You just have to say no,” I tell him, and a smile spreads over his face.

“You’re right.”

“I know it’s not that simple,” I add. “Not when feelings are involved.”

“I think she’s just a bad habit I’m struggling to break.”

“Every time she calls, think about Jake and what he’d say,” I suggest.

His smile fades again and pain shines through. “Good idea,” he almost whispers.

“I think the best medicine would be finish this delicious soup and watch a movie?”

He groans playfully. “The last movie you made me watch, made me sick.”

“Love Actually is a classic,” I argue.

“No, Bells, The Goonies is a classic. Back to the Future is a classic. Love Actually is trash.”

We’re halfway through an action that Aiden insisted on, when his mobile phone lights up, buzzing on the coffee table with Laurie’s name as the caller id. He glances at me, smirks, then goes back to watching the film. She instantly calls back twice more. “She doesn’t take a hint,” I mutter.

“This is what she does. She’ll get more and more persistent.”

“Stalker much.”

He snatches it up, sighing heavily. “Maybe you could answer it?”

I laugh, “No way. She already hates me.”

“She doesn’t know you.”

“I’m on her radar, Aiden. She followed me into the bathroom last night, making sure to stamp her territory.”

He frowns, “She did?”

“Just tell her you can’t talk right now.”

He stares at her name flashing on the screen for the fourth time. “She’ll sweet talk me.”

I shake my head in exasperation, snatching his mobile. “You’re weak,” I whisper hiss, accepting the call.

“Hello?”

“Put him on,” she snaps.

“Aiden’s busy.”

“Does he know you’re screening his calls?”

“I’ll let him know you called.”

“Listen to me,” she hisses angrily, “If he finds out I called and you didn’t get him, he’ll be pissed. I’m saving you from a dressing down.”

Her rudeness only annoys me, and I give Aiden a wicked smile. “He’s currently in the shower waiting for me to join him,” I say smugly. “And it was him that asked me to answer your call and get rid of you because he’s occupied with me. So, stop with the constant calls and go fuck your husband.” I disconnect, letting out a small gleeful giggle. “Holy shit, I can’t believe I just said all that.”

Aiden

Bella throws the phone at me, and I catch it with one hand, making sure the call has been disconnected before laughing with her. I’m so hard for her right now that I have to sit forward to hide the evidence. “She’s so rude,” she adds, “What the hell do you see in her.”

“I think she’s just rude to you,” I tell her, smirking. “Jealousy can do that to a person.”

She leans a little closer, her hand on my chest, “Seriously, you can do better.”

“Yeah?”

“One hundred percent.”

I kiss her. Gently to the side of her mouth, lingering to gage her reaction. She’s surprised, her eyes are wide with shock but as my hand glides along her jaw, I feel her relax a little. “Do you want me to stop?” I whisper against her lips. She gives a slight headshake, and it’s all the permission I need to kiss her properly. She tastes sweet and fresh, and my cock strains in my jeans. Her eyes flutter closed, and her hands grip my t-shirt, tugging me closer. I pull back slightly, still cupping her face in my hands. I study her for a second, her blue eyes are shining, and her cheeks are flushed. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” I whisper.

Bella’s mobile phone begins to ring, and she inhales sharply, dragging her eyes from me to reach for it. She accepts the call, clearing her throat before saying, “Hey, Luke.”

My eyes widen in shock. She fucking answered his call after what just happened . “Really?” I hiss.

She turns slightly to avoid my glare. “Yes, that’d be great. See you then.” The she disconnects.

“You’re seeing him?” I ask, clenching my jaw in irritation.

“Yes, tomorrow,” she mutters.

“But we just kissed,” I snap.

“I know,” she almost whispers, “And we shouldn’t have. We’re friends, Aiden, and friends don’t do that.”

I roll my eyes and push to my feet. “Fuck you, Bella,” I spit. Humiliation burns me as I grab my car keys.

“Where are you going?” she asks, also standing and following me to the door. “Aiden?”

“To see Laurie,” I hiss.

I arrive at the hotel and approach the desk. The ma?tre d’ gives me a nod, which means she’s alone. I slip him a twenty and head straight up to her room. I know I shouldn’t be here and ignoring Laurie’s calls felt good. Being with Bella felt good. I groan, raising my hand and knocking once. At least Laurie can calm the rage within me.

The door swings open and Laurie glares at me with her hands on her hips. I smirk, wrapping my hand around her throat loosely and pushing her further inside before kicking the door closed. Her eyes narrow in that way they do right before she tries to piss me off, “Don’t think you can have me after leaving her bed.”

I scoff, “We both know that isn’t true.” My head is full of Bella, damn it. She’s all I can see. I give it a shake and focus on Laurie. I grip her silk nightdress and tug it hard, letting it pool to her feet.

“Are you serious about her, Aiden?” she demands. I lean in, trying to kiss her but she turns her head, shoving me back.

“Why do you care, Laurie?” I snap, “I’m here, aren’t I? That should tell you all you need to know.” I take her hands, pinning them above her head. “Besides, I don’t fuck virgins, I like my women with a little more experience.”

“Bullshit,” she spits, cupping my chin tightly and forcing eye contact. “I see it,” she adds, digging her nails into my skin. “You want her so badly it’s killing you.”

I force a grin, “You think you know me so well.” I wrap her hair around my fist and tip her head back, kissing along her jaw and down her neck. “Now, you called me several times today and I know it wasn’t to talk about Isabella.”

She smirks, gripping onto my shoulders and forcing me to my knees. “We have the entire night,” she says, raising her leg and slipping it over my broad shoulder.

I grin as her scent consumes me. “We’d better make the most of it.”

I pull my jeans up, hardly able to look Laurie in the eye. She steps in front of me and places her hand against my face, pulling it away to show me blood where she’d dug her nails into my chin. “Opps.” She smirks. It’s not the first time either of us have come away with injuries. We fight and fuck, loving the adrenaline it gives us. It’s unhealthy and toxic, but somehow, I can’t walk away .

I go into the bathroom, taking a breath before staring at my reflection in the mirror. It’s the first time I’ve felt weird about fucking Laurie, like I’m ashamed of myself. Bella’s got into my head . I touch the scratches and then notice marks on my neck where she’s sucked too hard on my skin. I have no doubt that was done on purpose.

I groan out loud then splash my face with cold water. I’ve got to get Bella out of my head. The sooner this is all over, the sooner I can go back to my normal life. Fucking Laurie and anyone else I want, without feeling guilty.

There’s a tap on the door and Laurie enters, still naked. She has red marks around her neck and bruises to her hips where I gripped her too hard. She stands in front of me so that she’s leaning against the sink and hands me a bottle of whisky and places my mobile phone on the countertop. She watches me carefully as I swig straight from the bottle.

“I haven’t seen you this distracted in a while,” she muses running her fingernail down my front. I take another swig. “Who is this girl, anyway?” she asks, licking up the side of my neck seductively.

She rubs her hand over my cock, through my jeans. “I’m helping her out with a place to stay.”

“She’s living with you?” she queries, halting her movements. I cover her hand with my own and encourage her to continue .

“It’s not a permanent thing, she’s in the spare room.” I groan, my cock stiffening again.

“And she’s a virgin?” she asks. I nod, rubbing my hands across her breasts.

“Why haven’t you fucked her?”

“Long story,” I mutter.

“I wanna know,” she pushes.

I have no intention of telling Laurie the truth, so I shrug, “Cos’ I want a woman that can handle me, not some virgin that has this ridiculous notion of love and saving herself. She’s just after a free ride.”