"My Mother's Wife"
Rated M for Mature.
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I chose Angel but we're still doing this thing. What are we doing Maya? What are we doing…
Angel POV
Marcus walks into Will's hospital room. I get up to greet him.
"I'm glad you came," I say.
"Family," he says and sits down to stay with me.
And I sit too. And we sit without trying to speak the words…
Chapter 8: Loose Ends
Maya POV
Alison stays with me tonight or at least until she has enough time to get home before Max realizes she's missing. She rolls on top of me with her beautiful blondness and sultry tanned body and for the moment she seems more real than Emily…
"Maya?"
"Mmm."
"Do you think I'm the kind of girl you would bring home to mommy?"
I'm surprised by her vulnerability.
"Umm, she's kind of old-fashioned, with you having a husband and all."
She looks at me and smiles kissing my shoulder before getting up to sit on the edge of the bed with her back to me. She starts getting dressed.
"Alison."
"What," she snaps. "It's late he's not going to stay out until dawn."
I get up sitting behind her sensing her disappointment with my answer. My lips move against her temple, "Hey." I just hold her from behind.
She lets me comfort her, "Are you scared?"
I move slightly away from her and say, "Sometimes. Aren't you?"
She whispers back, "All the time."
I exhale, "Do you want to stop? We could just walk away. It's not too late."
A tear forms in her eye, "It isn't?"
Angel POV
I have a meeting in my office with my lawyer and the news isn't so good.
"I can't hold off the bank another day," he informs me.
"All right, tell them I'll be by at noon."
"You've got the monthly, all of it?"
"Noon Phil."
He gives me an 'I hope so look' and walks out wiping the sweat from his upper lip. The money isn't going to last. I open the safe in my office taking out some of the cash leaving me with not a lot to put back. I place stacks of money on the desk and lock away the rest. I fill a briefcase and head to the bank. After depositing the money I draw a bank check in the amount of $50,000 to pay last month's loan amount due. I'm still behind for this month and I'm not sure how I'll find enough to pay the bank. I can't ask for any more money from Max DiLaurentis so the only person I can turn to who has that kind of money is Marcus.
Oh Emily, I hope you'll understand that I need to do this…
Emily POV
"I'm sorry Lily we can't. You have PSAT prep today," I say as we walk through the lobby to the valet.
"Emily you promised," she sighs.
"Look, I told you we'd go shopping before the party on Saturday."
"Friday, god, it's on Friday. You're the one who organized it how come you don't know that?" She says all annoyed.
"Friday, right, okay." Where is my head? Oh right, Maya.
"We can. We'll go Friday."
"I hate all this extra school work," she says getting into the car.
"Oh, but I love you," I say and I really do mean it which is another reason I'm trying so hard with Angel.
"My father would have never made me go," she says sadly.
I feel for her because she never got the chance to really know him. In her memories of him, he gave her anything she wanted and not making her go is one more thing she thinks he would have backed her up on.
"Lily."
"Come on. We'll be late," she says indicating she's done with this conversation.
I put the car in drive and off we go in silence...
Alison POV
I think back on how he is manipulating my time with Maya…
I was swimming in our glorious pool when his hand grabbed my hair just as I reached the ledge. He yanked it down, keeping me under then he yanked it up as I gasped for breath choking on the water. He pulled me out of the pool with his arm around my neck. With my back to him he kept a choke hold on me, "You hurt my feelings." He threw me onto my stomach holding my head between his hands forcing me to look at the pictures laid out on the pool deck. They're me and Maya. "Fucking the help? Hmm? You're dead. I'm going to kill both of you. I'm going to rip your skin off with my bare hands! She's a goddamn bartender!"
He smacked me hard with the back of his hand and I fell away from him screaming.
He stood over me feeling so powerful but I'm about to take that power from him!
In a rasp I said, "She fucked me Max. I couldn't get enough. She fucked me till I couldn't walk, then I crawled to her naked on all fucking fours and I begged her to fuck me some more!"
He grabbed my face and again I screamed!
He lifted me from the pool deck still with his hands clamped around my face!
"She fucked me in your car! We did it in your car. Slipping all over those leather seats, baby. We were sliding around those leather seats. You were driving around sitting on the juices from our wet, hot cunts!"
Max then kissed me hard. He went down on his knees ripping my bikini top off. His teeth grabbed my nipple. He pulled and rested his teeth against it and said, "Did she suck you?"
When I said, "She sucked me." Max took my breast in his mouth while listening to all the dirty things Maya did to me. "She bit me."
"Tell me more. How'd she do it?"
I fell to my knees and I said to Max, "I know what you like, baby. I know. I can do it. Let me give it to you. I can make it good for you."
That's when I got on all fours, he pulled my bottoms off and he fucked me from behind with those pictures beneath us. He grunted with every thrust taking one of the pictures in his hand crushing it in his fist while he banged the shit out of me.
And that's when I knew a deal had been made. I get Maya in my bed. Max gets off on it. And Maya and I stay alive.
I hold the SIM card in my hand. I'm to let Maya find it. I'm not to tell her I know he saw them. It will be what Max holds over my head. I don't have a choice. When Maya is here, he will be watching. We'll fuck in front of him without her knowledge. It's the only way to keep us from death…
And now I'm betting on Maya finding that SIM card and thinking no one saw those pictures. Because it appears the thief's bail was posted and wouldn't you know it, soon after, he drives his car into a tree dying on impact…
Angel POV
"Maya we got the guy who did this to Will. And he got what he deserved. I doubt we have anything to worry about."
"I know that Angel but I want to see his locker and his personal belongings. I need to make sure the police didn't miss anything."
"Okay. If you think you can help by all means help."
"Is everything okay with you because that sounded like a tone."
"Maya, are you giving Emily some sort of signal that you're interested in her?"
"What? Why?"
"The other night, the two of you seemed rather close."
"It was loud. We were talking."
"Is that all?"
"Maybe you should be talking to Emily. I know who I am and what I want. But I'm not going to cross a line just for the sake of crossing it."
"I hope so Maya, I really do."
Maya POV
I head down to the employee locker room and go through his stuff with a fine tooth comb. I check everything I see but nothing. I put my hands on my hips getting angrier and angrier. I slam the damn door and when it crashes against the metal locker something falls free. I open it and low and behold there it is—my SIM card. Relief splashes over me. The pictures will never be discovered. But I have to wonder why only my SIM card was taken and not my whole phone. Did he know what he was looking for? Were Alison and I not careful at some point? And then New Year's Eve comes to mind. He probably wasn't close enough to get a good picture and figured he'd find something in my phone. We were careless assuming everyone was at the party. But it's whatever now. I slip the card into my phone and click on the photo app deleting every single picture of Alison and me with Alison…
Angel POV
I have a meeting with Marcus' attorneys concerning his buyout of the 49% of The Edgemont. He has them digging and digging to find out whom currently owns those shares, a bit of information I'm refusing to offer them.
"You have this current partner hidden so deeply behind manufactured corporations, more than this firm has ever seen. What or who are you hiding Ms. St. Germain?"
"Do you know who owns controlling interest of The Edgemont?"
"You do."
"Right. And accordingly have I shown a profit every year since I took over?"
"You have."
"Is the price I am suggesting to buy 49% of the greatest resort property on the east coast a fair market value by any estimate?"
"On its face value."
"Then I suggest you take your notes and shove them up your ass. You tell Marcus you blew the deal. The Edgemont is off the table."
I get up to leave but before I do the lead attorney speaks up, "Ms. St. Germain, wait, please. Don't you think Marcus St. Germain has the right to know who he's buying his shares of the hotel from?"
"No. Kim Jong-un could be holding the minority position. All Marcus St. Germain needs to know is that his ten million dollars buys him 49% of my hotel. He has the right to know that Angel St. Germain is his controlling partner. And no one manages the hotel better than I do. He has the right to know that I always make my partners money. And finally he has the right to know that you fucking zombies screwed this deal."
And I walk out. Oh fuck! What have I done! Did my ego just fuck me from getting rid of Max DiLaurentis? Marcus, you have to come back with an offer. You have to!
Marcus St. Germain POV
I walk in from the next room having heard everything.
"That went well."
"Obviously we do not advise you to proceed with this investment."
"Obviously."
"Do you agree?"
"That you gentleman are fucking zombies? No, of course not. Look I like The Edgemont. I have a childhood attachment to the property. Angel does make money. If the rest worries you then keep digging. Find out what you need to know, that's your job. I'll handle Angel.
Emily POV
I'm dressed in a very see through negligee when Angel comes up behind me on the balcony.
"I see you've started without me," she eyes my glass of Champagne.
We clink glasses and she asks, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I mean it's just been kind of a wild ride as of late."
"What happened?"
"Um, nothing, you know, just life," I look to the ocean and back at Angel.
"But everything's all right?"
"Yeah, I think it will be. And you?" I raise my glass to my lips.
"I'm good."
"Angel, tell me about the first time you saw me."
"You're sure everything's all right?"
"Just tell me, okay?"
"It was Spring of 2013. I was in Nevada for a hotel conference. So I'm sitting there at the MGM Grand. I was bored. Then the lights went down. I looked up and there you were with your eyes like the ocean at night. I knew I saw it all. You um, you were wearing black pants and a tight white button down shirt that revealed your breasts spilling from your bra."
I smile looking at the night sky and back at her.
"I remember."
"You were so graceful, the way you carried yourself and all of those drinks and always with a smile. Never letting what people said to you interfere with their good time. You bounced from table to table with those crazy long legs of yours."
"I'm not that girl anymore. I lost her."
"You're a better version of that girl, aren't you?"
"I don't know. Am I?"
"We love each other. Isn't that what matters here? Everything is going to be okay. I promise."
And I feel like I need to show her that everything's okay.
I reach for her blouse attempting to unbutton it, "Lily is over at Lauren's and, um, the rest of the staff has been sent home."
I caress her face and kiss her.
"You taste like Champagne," she says.
"Do I? Let's see," I place my glass down on the ledge kissing her again.
I take her hand leading her into the bedroom. I need to be her lover not just her wife. I need to prove that I can make love to Angel, not Maya…
"You have such a strong heart," I say thumping my hand lightly against her chest.
"I'm showing my age, you're killing me woman," Angel breathes heavily.
"It's not a bad way to go," I laugh and so does she.
The phone rings and rings.
"Ugh, the phone, Emily can you get it."
"Hello? Sure. Hold on. It's for you."
She takes the phone from me and I get up.
"Where are you going?"
But I don't respond. I grab my robe walking naked onto the balcony letting the moon light my figure before covering myself. I lean against the railing half listening to the call, the other half wondering if I can honestly make this work.
I hear Angel say, "This better be good." And then, "Shit."
"What is it?"
"Nothing. I have to go take care of something."
"Take care of what?"
"No need to worry your pretty little head about it."
"Why are you being condescending to me? I'm offering to help you Angel. I know a lot of people from those conferences in Nevada. I learned a lot."
"What are you offering me? I don't want you using your feminine wiles to help."
I'm taken aback.
"You are my wife. You are the queen of The Edgemont. You do not bat your eyelashes and wear barely buttoned blouses anymore Emily."
"I'm so much more than that. At least that's what I thought. I didn't know you only fell in love with my boobs!"
"That's not true Emily. I love all of you, even this feisty you. I'm asking you not to get involved. Now is not the time. I need to dig out from some things. All right? We'll talk later. Please, for me."
"Okay."
But it's not okay because I'm not the same girl…
Hours pass and she doesn't return. I get out of bed, the sun barely coming up and I smile. I walk across the sandy beach dropping my robe. I continue into the cold ocean water naked but alive. I swim underwater and rise with the beginning light of day behind me looking at the hotel, looking at a suite in the hotel, only it's not my suite…
I decide I need to relax so I prepare a bubble bath for my muscles to unwind and my thoughts to unravel this mystery called Maya. I drop my robe dipping a toe into the water making sure it's the exact right temperature and it is. I sit back with my hair up soaking in the lavender with my eyes closed and my body feeling rather naughty. I open my eyes just to be sure there's no one lurking about and then I close them finding the best position to give me the highest of releases. I block everything out as I massage myself and it feels sooo good as my fingers draw a slight moan from my breath then I hear, "Ahem." Shit!
My hand moves away quickly splashing as I make sure the bubbles and my arms are keeping me covered and my knees are up and together. When I look, who should be standing above me but the only person I can't get out of my head, Maya…
"Looks like someone needed a hand this morning?"
"Maya, what are you doing here?" I actually find myself smiling because I like that she's so near.
"The auction and Lily's party is this weekend. So I thought we should go over some final details," she scans the shrinking bubbles.
"Right now?"
She sits on the edge of the tub facing me. My heart is doing triple flips. She doesn't say anything but she does stick her hand in the water letting her fingertips gently climb up my calf making me "Huh…" What is she going to do? And then she lifts her hand out of the water having gathered some suds into her palm and blows them out into the air, the whole time her eyes never leave me. Fuck! I think I might have a heart attack!
She stands back up and says, "You can step out of the tub and towel off then we can talk. Need any help?" Her eyebrow snaps up.
I smile a bashful yet pleasing smile, "Thanks for the offer but I think I'll wash my hair in the shower and then I'll be ready to go over things."
"No need to get dressed. I have no problem talking to you while you're naked," she licks her lips.
"Maya. Stop."
"I would if I thought you didn't like it. But something tells me I'd be wrong. Am I wrong Emily?"
"Maya."
"I'll be on the balcony."
"Thank you."
I don't know what comes over me. I forget to wait for her to be outside when I stand up. It's then that I realize she's looking over her shoulder at me, at my naked body with the suds from the bath barely covering me. But that doesn't stop me from stepping out of the tub. And it doesn't stop me from stepping into the shower. It only makes me want her to watch me and memorize me. I want her to think about me the way I think about her…
When I'm dressed in a respectable skirt and blouse, I join her outside. There's a nice ocean breeze blowing her hair gently. She looks so peaceful. She's not heavily flirting and she's not ignoring me, something I've grown accustomed to over the past several weeks.
"I thought you were mad at me," I say.
"I was. But I'm not anymore."
"How come?"
"Emily, I'm not going to make you end your marriage for me. Family is important to you and I respect that. I saw you with Lily. I know you love her like a daughter. But you and I, we're not family. We're something different. I'll leave you alone but the flirting is just a part of me," she says keeping her focus on the ocean waves.
"You are an amazing woman. Do you know that?"
She turns her gaze to me, "I do now."
I start to feel like I won't be able to control what happens next so I ask, "Are there any loose ends we need to discuss?"
"There are plenty of loose ends Emily," she pops a brow. "But let's just go over everything a few times so we know we covered it all."
"Okay. Where should we start?"
She walks towards me and I swear she's going to kiss me and I want her to but instead she brushes past me. I follow her into the sitting area. She gets comfortable on the couch and pulls out her laptop. I sit next to her and we go through all the details with a fine tooth comb but I can't stop thinking about all those loose ends…
What am I to do…
Angel POV
I need to replace the money Max gave me which means I need to see Marcus…
I get right to it, "I need some operating cash to bridge me until the fall and I'm willing to sell some of my shares to get it—sell them to you." Only because I won't give up Max's identity.
I shouldn't have gone into business with a man like him in the first place. But paying back that cash I borrowed is the first step. The 49% can come later…
"To me?" He looks at me trying to find my angle, "What do you want Angel?"
"Two million in cash for fifteen percent of my majority stake."
"Why me?"
"You can afford it and you do love that beach. Why not you?"
"I have no interest in buying my way back into your lives."
"Trust me, you get to know us and you'll spend big money to get out of our lives."
He laughs.
"Leave the terms here. I'll talk to my lawyers. No promises."
"This has to happen soon though, okay?"
"Are you in trouble Angel?"
"I am in business Marcus."
I look around the new decor.
"I spent a very scary night in this room. I sat right there while Michael told his parents he was going to wed the cabana girl and he asked his parents for their blessing."
"How'd that go?"
"We were married weren't we?"
We smile.
"Well, once again you're leaving unscathed."
I lean towards him and kiss his cheek.
"Take care, cabana girl," he says.
We chuckle and I walk away leaving my future and that of The Edgemont's in my ex-brother-in-laws hands…
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To Be Continued…
Angel's secretiveness is pushing Emily right into Maya's arms. But will Emily allow herself to be pushed there? I'm guessing yes!