Twisted Love by Summer Cooper
1
Keily
“Ihate you, Keily. I don’t know why I’m fucking you.”
The way he’d groaned those words a month ago still played in Keily’s mind like a song that she just couldn’t get out of her head. Not that she wanted to, not at all. They were the most sensual words she’d ever heard in her life and still thrilled some secret part of her that she hadn’t known existed.
He’d owned her in that moment, every single part of her, but she’d never tell him that. You didn’t tell a man like Logan Sinclair that you liked him. You smiled at him, flirted, fucked him, sure--at every possible moment--but you did not tell him you liked him.
She wasn’t that kind anyway, not anymore. Maybe she never really had been, she decided as she looked in the mirror on the back of her closet door. The dress was suitable for the evening, black lace over nude silk that fitted her curves perfectly and came down to her knees, with lace sleeves that trailed down to a point on her hand. It was a vintage dress, far too expensive for her, even when she was married to Joe. It was a dress that Logan paid for. Much like the long, black wool coat she’d put over it when she walked to the door.
With a faint smile creasing the corners of her lips, she applied lipstick, dabbed at a black spot of mascara that was deposited near the edge of her right eye, and noted the gray eyeshadow perfectly matched her eyes. Nice.
A spritz of the perfume Logan had ordered for her and she was ready. A slim hand smoothed the French twist that turned her hair into a silky sheet of gold as she left the bedroom of her apartment. The apartment Logan had decided she could stay in, even though she didn’t work for him anymore. At least not in the office. But definitely in the bedroom.
Her phone buzzed on the coffee table in the living room and she raced to pick it up. It would only be Logan, or Rosa perhaps. She and the other woman hadn’t stopped being friends when Keily quit her job and Rosa still came over and called as often as she used to.
Violet still didn’t call her and never sent text messages. That part of her life still stung, and she didn’t realize how much she’d come to love her niece until she stopped seeing the adorable little girl. Maybe she’d go and try to see Violet this weekend. If Logan didn’t take up all her time.
Are you going out with Logan tonight?Rosa’s text asked.
That smile twitched at the corner of her lips again as she saw the words. Rosa knew everything that was going on, how she’d quit her job, the fact that she and Logan were sleeping together, and that Logan had basically made her his trophy wife. He paid all of her bills, gave her an allowance, and had allowed her to keep the company car. The apartment he’d provided her became their love-nest and he spent more time with her than at his own home. They did go back to his place sometimes, but not often.
She swiped a few buttons and Rosa soon answered.
“I take it you are going out, then?” Rosa chuckled knowingly.
The call instead of a text reply gave her away. “Yes, we are.”
“Where are you going tonight?” Rosa sighed with good-natured envy.
For a moment, Keily wondered if there was a way to get Logan to invite Rosa along too, she was Keily’s friend after all. Maybe that dinner they were supposed to go to next week. Keily made a mental note to ask Logan about it and finally answered her friend. “To that Greek place. He’s meeting with some buyers and I’m needed to smile pretty and make the other men there jealous.”
“That is a job,” Rosa laughed before she continued, “and you could make any man envious of Logan. You’re beautiful, but you know that.”
“Well, I did win all those beauty pageants when I was a kid, but I’m not sure I’d win as many anymore.” Keily sighed, thinking of all those years she wasted on those pageants, and Joe.
“I’m sure you would. I’m going to get to bed early then and watch some Netflix. I hope you have a good evening.”
“Thanks, Rosa, I’ll call you tomorrow.” She hung up the phone once Rosa said her own goodbye and walked out to the door. She’d just heard Logan pull up.
She looked down at the shoes she had on, the ones that Logan still had a thing for, and hoped that the other pair she’d ordered as a backup came soon. These were starting to look a little worn. But they would, since he insisted that she put them on so often. That brought the smile back to her face while she threw her coat on. She picked up a delicate bag that carried only a compact, her lipstick, her phone, and a small wallet with some money and her ID in it. The bag was barely big enough to hold her phone, but the black lace and silk matched her dress, so she’d chosen it for the evening. The chain was so thin it was almost an illusion, but it held up as she put the bag over her shoulder.
Logan had a scowl on his face as she walked out the door, but it soon turned into a smile when she got into the car. “Hi.”
“Hi back. You ready to go?” He asked as she buckled in, his brown eyes watching her until she’d snapped the buckle in.
“Yes, you can go now.” She liked the fact that he waited until he knew she was secure in her seat before he ever moved the car. A small thing, but important.
“How was your day?” He asked absently, his head moving around as he backed out of the spot in front of her apartment.
“Fine, same as usual.” She looked out of her window as the other apartments passed her by, her thoughts on what the night would bring. “How was yours?”
“Well, the grandmother the temp agency sent me as your replacement broke her hip last night, so I went to visit her in the hospital and then went back to the office to find out who they’d sent to replace her. Rosa said she might have someone permanent instead, which would be a good thing.” He could be an utter asshole sometimes, but he could surprise her and be utterly sweet too.
“That’s kind of you.” She looked back at him, noted the strong jawline and how his hair now covered his ears. “You need a haircut. It’s getting long.”
“I thought you’d like it that way.” He turned his face just enough to wink at her before turning it back to the road.
“I do, actually.” She said thoughtfully. She did like the boyish look it gave him. A sudden need to touch him took over and she leaned over to place her hand intimately high on his leg. “I really do.”
The words were whispered into his ear seductively, as a mistress would, but Keily didn’t think of herself that way. She was his partner. Not his girlfriend, not really a trophy wife even, though she felt like one. She was part of the reason men found him charismatic and easy to deal with. They envied Logan the woman that accompanied him, and that brought more money to the company because they wanted a little bit of the success he had.
They hadn’t talked about what they were, but it wasn’t necessary. Not to her. She knew what she was, and it wasn’t a mistress. Mistresses were kept out of the light, hidden away, not displayed and part of a strategy. Although, if she was honest with herself, they’d never talked about a strategy for these dinner meetings either. They were usually too busy getting each other naked when they were alone to talk about anything.
“You know I don’t like it when you try to play while I’m driving, Keily.” He brushed her hand away but stroked her cheek with the same hand before he put it back on the wheel. “Accidents do happen.”
“Sorry.” She muttered but she wasn’t. It was all part of the tease, the runup to what would happen later when they walked in through her apartment door.
“It’s alright.” He turned the radio on then, putting an end to the conversation.
Just before they pulled up to the restaurant Logan turned the radio down.
“I’ve been thinking we need a nice warm vacation somewhere. Have you been to Hawaii?”
“Yes, I have.” She answered quickly but didn’t fill him in on the fact that it was a prize she’d won in one of those beauty pageants back when she was in high school, working the pageants for all she was worth.
Her mom had started her off in them on a whim when Keily was a baby and continued when she figured out that she could sell the prizes Keily won or turn them into cash. That had fueled a drug addiction that Keily still didn’t want to admit her mother had. It was another reason her parents moved away; her dad hoped a change of scenery would help her mom get clean. So far, it hadn’t worked. Keily still had no clue what happened to most of the prizes and had a feeling she’d never know. Explaining anything about the pageants might lead her to reveal too much though, so she kept it simple and sweet.
“I see.” Logan shook his head and smiled at her before he pulled into the parking lot. “Well, think of something. If we need our passports let me know.”
“Sure.” She answered, kind of pleased that he wanted to take her away on a vacation. She needed to get through this dinner before she could think about vacations, though. She checked herself in the mirror on the back of her visor and then got out of the car. Logan pulled his overcoat out of the car and put it on before he headed over to her.
They walked into the restaurant together, their hands linked. Logan gave his name to the woman at the hostess stand blocking their entrance into the restaurant. Keily noticed the way the woman’s eyes ate Logan up and how she smiled as if she’d seen the most delicious thing on the planet. The woman very well might have, but he was Keily’s. At least for now.
She had no illusions that he would keep her around forever. She hoped he would, but Logan was the kind of man that didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep. After the woman seated them at a large round table, Keily sat down next to Logan. Four other chairs ringed the table but she wanted to be by his side. That was her role now.
The waiter came and they ordered their drinks. Logan asked the waiter to hold the menus until their guests arrived. A few minutes later three men and a woman came in and were brought to their table. Two of the men were in their thirties, full of cocky self-assuredness. The one in a tailored black suit with a shimmery silver cotton shirt looked Keily over before he looked at Logan with a speculative look.
Keily knew what he was thinking, it had happened before. Was Keily part of the deal? Logan’s lips tightened and his stare turned steely. The man’s eyes went up for a second but then he smiled. “Logan, great to see you again.”
“Nice to see you too, Allen. How’s the wife?” Logan asked the man with black hair styled to within an inch of its life. The man opened the buttons of his suit jacket before he sat down as did the man in a gray suit beside him.
“She’s great, Logan, thanks. I haven’t been here before, have you Bill?” Allen asked the other young man.
Keily looked at the man in the gray suit, noted his blond hair was cut professionally but lacked the layers of styling products that Allen’s sported. He also wore a wedding band, and he didn’t look at Keily like a hungry wolf. She smiled politely as the man named Bill nodded.
“Yes, I’ve brought Lisa here before. Logan, this is my wife, Lisa, and I guess you know Shane.” Bill held his hand in the direction of the older man, around fifty, Keily guessed and smiled up at them all.
Lisa sat down beside Keily, a friendly smile on her face. Kiely liked her taste in fashion, the red Armani fitted dress showcased Lisa assets perfectly. She also liked Lisa’s smile and calmness. “Hi, I’m Keily.”
“Nice to meet you, Keily.” The woman with black hair and dark brown eyes put out her hand for Keily to shake.
Yes, she seemed like she’d be a good companion for the evening. If only Logan wasn’t so distracting.
“What are you having?” Lisa asked as she looked around the restaurant.
“I think I’ll have the steak. It’s hard to go wrong with a steak.” Keily answered. She’d need the energy for the hours later when Logan would show her just how high he could make her climb.
She glanced over at him as Lisa went quiet while she studied the menu. He was as handsome as ever, smiling confidently at Shane as they discussed something Keily couldn’t hear. Logan laughed, a real laugh, not one of those fake ones he usually gave clients. He liked Shane then.
The waiter came to take their orders and they relaxed together as they waited. A bottle of wine was brought to the table and Keily poured it expertly. Logan watched with approval, his eyes on her hands as she held the bottle. She knew what he was thinking about from the way his nostrils flared: Her hands wrapped around his neck as she rode him into oblivion. She caught his eyes when he glanced up and her cheeks went pink. Yes, she’d need that steak and maybe dessert too.
Logan caught Lisa’s attention when he started to tell a story about one of his company’s products: a self-defense device, and how it had saved someone’s life. Keily’s thoughts drifted, she knew the story, and she thought about that vacation he’d mentioned he wanted to take her on. He’d suggested Hawaii but she’d been there before.
Maybe one of the islands, or somewhere cold where they could cuddle in front of a fire. It was a hard decision when a man offered to take you wherever you wanted to go. She’d ask him to take her to Europe, but everybody went to Europe when they got the chance. Where could she go in America? she wondered. Alaska maybe, with wild secluded nights in the woods.
In the end, though, she knew it wouldn’t matter. Wherever she went with Logan, she would end up in his arms. She loved this life he’d given to her, and she planned on keeping it. She’d destroy anyone that tried to change that.
“Another glass of wine?” Lisa asked and distracted her from her thoughts. The pretty woman wiggled the bottle left and right, her eyebrows raised in question.
“Sure, let’s drink to a good night and happy lives.” Keily took the glass of red wine with a smile that reached all the way to her gray eyes. “To us.”
Everyone else raised their glass to join the toast and Keily’s smile grew wider. She had them all under her spell, just as she always did. Life couldn’t get any better.
