Behind the Secrets (Behind the Lives #4) (15 page)

Josie slapped his cheek as his eyes
closed. “Don’t you dare pass out on me.”

Saul kept them closed, too sleepy to
care.

“Saul. Saul.” Josie pushed his chest.
“Wake up.” She grunted. “Goddammit. I’m such a dumbarse. I shouldn’t have
bought you so many drinks.” She ran a hand down his face. “It’s just ... you’re
so damn fine, I wanted to at least have a chance with you.” A soft kiss brushed
his lips. “I haven’t wanted someone this much since that bastard Dante, and
that turned out shit. That lying arsehole made me think he wanted me, then totally
humiliated me. He told me I have a fat arse. I don’t have a fat arse. My arse
is peachy, not fat.”

Without opening his eyes, Saul mumbled,
“It’s not fat, it’s perfect.”

“You really think so?”

“Yes, it’s amazingly fuckable.”

She giggled. “Then prove it.”

Saul remained still, too drunk to prove
anything.

“Looks like I hafta get this party
started, then.” Josie unzipped his pants. “But first I needa get you hard
again.”

She pulled out his cock and wrapped her
lips around it. Despite his drunken haze, Saul groaned, his shaft waking up. He
opened his eyes and looked down his body, seeing Josie running her full lips up
and down his cock. Wanting her to deep-throat him, he placed a hand on her head
and pushed it further down his shaft.

She choked and pulled back, letting his
cock flop out of her mouth. “Saul! Don’t do that, you’re too big.”

Smiling at her, he reached out and
cupped her full breasts, giving them a squeeze.

A wide grin replaced her cross
expression, her hazel eyes now sparkling. “Oh, Mr. Policeman, what big hands
you have.”

She jumped off the bed and yanked her
top off, quickly stripping down to nothing. Climbing on top of him, she grabbed
his hands and placed them back on her tits, the only big thing about her, the
woman tiny in comparison to him. His mind went to what one of the guys had said
in the restroom, how he’d called Josie a pocket fuck. Instead of the comment
riling him again, he laughed, the alcohol damping down his normal thoughts.

“What are you laughing at?” she asked,
now looking worried.

He wanted to say
you
, but even in
his drunken state, something told him not to. “Nothing,” he said, giving her
breasts another squeeze. “You have gorgeous tits.”

Her smile returned, almost blinding him.
She leaned down and super-glued her lips to his. He placed a hand at the back
of her head and returned the kiss, enjoying the contact. For too long, life had
been hollow. Even though he had his friends, he had nobody to come home to, his
empty house a reminder of the love he’d lost. A sudden sadness took hold of him,
the memory of his wife causing him pain. It was why he always chose the bitches
– because he didn’t want to be happy with anyone like he had been with her, the
thought of loving another woman feeling like a betrayal.

Josie pulled back from the kiss,
shocking him out of his thoughts. He blinked rapidly, thinking he must be
hallucinating. Instead of Josie staring down at him, it was his wife. Mariella
was sitting on top of him, only her thick brown hair shielding her naked
breasts. Stunned, he lifted his hands and cupped her face, drinking in her
lovely features. She had almond-shaped eyes and a rich caramel complexion, her
Samoan heritage purer than his.

His hands began to shake. “Is it really
you?”

Mariella frowned at him. “What do ya
mean?”

He dropped his hands to her shoulders,
running his fingers down her arms. “I missed you so much.”

“Um ... are you all right, Saul?”

“I’m all right as long as you don’t
leave me again.”

“I haven’t left you to start with,
silly, but I’m more than happy to stay with you.”

“Good, because I’m not letting you out
of my sight again.” He grabbed her around the waist and rolled her onto her
back, making her squeal. He started kissing her, ecstatic to be with Mariella
again, Josie all but forgotten. He nudged Mariella’s legs apart and took hold
of his cock, wanting to be inside of his wife, needing to feel her love and
warmth again.

She jerked her head to the side, breaking
the kiss, but instead of his wife he saw Josie, Mariella gone in a flash. “Use
a condom!” Josie snapped.

He remained still, the sudden change
mind-fucking him. She reached out and opened the bedside drawer, rooting inside
for a condom. She pulled one out and thrust the golden packet in his face. “Put
it on.” He didn’t move, his mind still unable to process what was happening. She
mumbled something under her breath, then ripped the wrapper open with her teeth
and started rolling the condom over his cock. “Dammit, it’s too small.” A smile
lit up her face. “Nah, it’s only your knob that needs covering. It’ll be all
right.” She grabbed his cock and placed it at her entrance. Moving her hips
forward, she penetrated herself with it, groaning, “
Sooo
goood.” She grabbed
his arse and pulled him towards her, making him fall on top of her.

“Saul!” she squealed.

Placing his elbows on either side of her
head, he pulled back enough so as not to squash her, groaning as his cock slid
out to its knob. Josie angled her hips and lifted her arse up again, pushing
his cock back inside of her, the feeling so fucking tight. Wanting more, he closed
his eyes and started fucking her, pretending she was Mariella.

“Yeah, Saul, yee
aaah
,” she said,
sounding like Beth.

Saul opened his eyes. Josie was still
lying beneath him, looking like she was in ecstasy, her big breasts jiggling
about as he fucked her. She started keening, making his cock twitch inside of
her. He stared at her face, again seeing similarities between her and Beth.
Although she had a different complexion, the line of her nose was the same,
along with her high cheekbones.

“Faster, Saul, faster,” she panted.

He picked up speed, pumping in and out
of her, his need to come enveloping his mind, blanking out his confusion, an
empty pleasure taking over. Josie’s keening kicked up a notch, sounding like
she was close to coming. It set him off, his cock exploding inside of her, his
orgasm hitting him out of the blue. Josie cried out, sounding like she was
coming too, then a loud scream drowned it out, jolting Saul, the scream not
coming from Josie. He turned his head towards the sound, finding ... Beth standing
in the bedroom doorway, staring at him in disbelief and horror.

12

Beth

Beth charged at Saul, knocking him off
Josie, horrified at seeing him on top of her cousin.

“Run, Josie!” she yelled.

Josie jumped off the bed, but instead of
taking off, she shoved Beth away from Saul, making her stumble back. “What the
hell are you doin’, you crazy bitch?!” Josie hollered. “Have you gone mad? Get
outta my room!”

Beth blinked, Josie’s defence of Saul
taking her by surprise. “But ... he wuz raping you.”

“He wuz not! If anything,
I
wuz
takin’ advantage of him. He’s totally off his face drunk.”

Beth’s eyes moved to Saul, who was zipping
up his pants. He looked distressed, but she didn’t care how he was feeling. The
memory of him ripping her blouse open returned, along with the way he’d stuck
his hand down her pants, his fingers entering her body.

Beth pointed at him. “He sexually
assaulted me at Craven’s house. I want him outta here!”

Saul’s head shot up, both guilt and
worry colouring his handsome face. “That was a misunderstanding,” he slurred. “I
didn’t realise you didn’t want it.”

“Liar! I screamed when you did it.”

“Not at first.”

“Only cos you covered my mouth!”

“I pulled back when I realised you
didn’t want it.”

“You still tried to force me. And you
ripped my clothes off the next day.”

“I wasn’t given a choice, it was an
order. If I hadn’t done it, someone else would’ve, likely hurting you—”

“Bullshit! You just wanted to touch me,
you pervert!”

“It wasn’t like that.” He rubbed his
face roughly, looking even more distressed. “And the other time, I thought you were
attracted to me. The way you acted confused me.”

“Are you delusional? I didn’t act any way.
I bet that’s an excuse you use when women reject you!”

He grimaced. “No, I’ve never done
anything like that before.”

Beth pointed at the door. “Just get out
before I call the cops!”

“I am a cop.”

“A dirty cop, who deserves to be in jail
for what you did to me. I should report you.”

 He held out his hands. “Please don’t,
my job is all I have. I honestly didn’t mean to upset you, I just misread you,
and if you report me, you’ll weaken the case against Torres.” He stepped closer.

Beth backed up fast, not wanting him anywhere
near her. “Get out!”

“I’m so sorry.” He went for the door.

Josie grabbed his arm. “No, you’re
staying. Beth will leave.”

Beth blinked at her cousin, taken aback
by her words.

Josie glared at her. “Go on,
leave
.”

“He assaulted me, yet you tell
me
to
leave?” Beth said.

“He said it wuz a misunderstanding, and
look what you did when you pushed him off me.” Josie reached up, wiping the
blood off his scratched neck. “You hurt him.”

“He did far worse to me!”

“I never know when you’re tellin’ the
truth. You’re a liar, Beth, always have been.”

“I am not! And you’re just sayin’ that cos
you’re hot for him.”

“No, I’m sayin’ it cos everything that
comes outta your mouth are lies, and if you dare report Saul, I’ll tell the
police you’re a chronic liar.”

“You’d betray your own cousin for a man
you hardly know?”

“No, I just don’t believe you. Saul
explained himself, yet you keep ranting at him. He’s a cop, not some
weak-willed prick like Dante, who you can patronise and walk all over. Not only
that, you should be nice to him. After all, he did save your ungrateful arse,
along with Corey’s.”

“He tried to rape me!”

“Like I said, I don’t believe you.”

Beth’s eyes moved to Saul. “Tell her.”

Saul kept quiet.

“Tell her, you bastard!”

“It was a misunderstanding.”

“Liar!” she screamed. “Get out, get out,
get out!”

Saul yanked his arm free from Josie and
headed past Beth.

Still naked, Josie raced after him, the
two entering the hallway. “No, Saul, you don’t hafta go, plus you can’t drive
home, you’ve had too much to drink.” Josie grabbed his arm as he opened the
front door. “Saul, stop it. I believe you. Beth lies all the time.”

“She’s not lying,” he said, turning to
face Josie. “It was just a misunderstanding. I didn’t mean to upset her.”

“I know you didn’t, and she won’t cause
you any trouble at your work.” Josie glanced back at Beth. “
Will
you,
Beth?”

“I will do what is right, unlike you,
who cares more ’bout men than family.”

“Don’t be a hypocrite,” Josie spat. “You
spout on ’bout what Saul did, yet you don’t give a shit what Dante did to me.
He led me on, pretending he wanted me. He made me strip in front of him, then
totally humiliated and insulted me.”

“He told me ’bout that. You insulted him
first, so he paid you back by making you look like a fool. It’s pathetic how
you tripped over yourself to get him when you thought you had a chance.”

“So, you condone what he did to me?”

“No, but you fell for his trick, willing
to fuck him behind my back. That’s low. You’re so desperate to get a man, you’d
do anything. You need to learn to respect yourself, Josie, cos no one will do
it for you.”

Josie waved a hand at Beth’s stomach.
“No, what’s low is you tryna keep Dante by gettin’ pregnant. That Kara woman came
here and told me everything.”

“She came here?” Beth said, shocked.

“Yes, and she said that Dante is only
with you cos you’re pregnant with his baby. That’s why he went to the mental
hospital: cos he doesn’t want the baby
or
you. He wants that Kara woman,
and I don’t blame him, she’s gorgeous and you’re not.”

“You’re horrible.”

“Then leave.” Her eyes went to Saul as
he went to step outside. “No, Saul, she’s goin’, you can stay.”

He shook his head. “You should take her
side, not mine.”

“But I told you she’s a liar.”

“She’s still your cousin. I hardly know
you, yet you side with me? It’s wrong.”

“How many times do I hafta say it?
She’s. A. Liar! She ruins lives. She took a picture of Dante naked while he wuz
passed out drunk and texted it to everyone.”

“I only did that cos he slept with
another woman,” Beth cut in.

“He wuzn’t even your boyfriend at the
time, so you had no right to do it.”

Beth grimaced, knowing Josie was right.
She was just grateful Dante had forgiven her for it.

Josie continued, “People treated him
like a man-whore after that. Yeah, he might be one, but you still shamed him. I
don’t want you ruining Saul’s life too, especially with your malicious lies.”

“I told you she didn’t lie,” Saul reiterated.
“I did what she said, I just didn’t realise she didn’t want it. I got carried
away because I wanted her.”

Josie turned to him. “I believe you, so go
back to bed.”

He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have
fucked you, I’m sorry, this is all wrong.” He turned and headed out the door.

“No!” Josie spun around, shooting a vicious
glare at Beth. “Look what you’ve done! You know I wanted him. Just get out. Get
out!”

Beth ran for her room, grabbing her
suitcase from under her bed. Needing to get away from Josie as fast as possible,
she started stuffing her clothes into it, jamming in anything she could get her
hands on. Once done, she zipped the suitcase up and headed out of the room,
dragging it behind her. Now wearing a dressing gown, Josie followed her to the
front door, yelling at Beth that she always ruined everything. Beth walked
through the doorway, relieved that Saul wasn’t there, although his car was. She
looked across the road, spotting the female officer helping him into the police
car.

Beth turned to Josie, unable to hold back
her tears. She’d known Josie all her life, yet her cousin had taken Saul’s
side. Yeah, she’d lied about some things, but she wasn’t a chronic liar like
Josie had said, her cousin always exaggerating.

“I know we’ve had our differences,
Josie, but you’ve gone too far this time. This is why women don’t speak out
when they’ve been assaulted—cos of the fear of not bein’ believed.” Beth wiped
her eyes, still bewildered her cousin could be so heartless. “I don’t ever wanna
see you again, and if you turn up to family functions, I will leave. I can’t
forgive you for this.” She turned and ran for her car, stuffing her suitcase
into the boot.

“But you’ve lied before,” a soft voice
said behind her.

Beth spun around, finally seeing
something on Josie’s face akin to doubt. “Not ’bout sumpthin’ this serious. I
told you what had happened at Craven’s house—”

“Only in regards to Dante. You didn’t
mention anything ’bout what wuz done to you.”

“I did! Just before, but you yelled at
me, calling me a liar. You saw the newspaper articles ’bout the debauchery at
Craven’s house. Do you think I wuz somehow left unscathed? That I managed not
to have anything done to me?”

“I didn’t think.”

“That’s your problem, you don’t ever
think. You’re more concerned with hooking up than bein’ loyal to your family.
Are you so desperate to get a man that you ignore what they’re really like,
more concerned with their face and body than their soul?”

“You can’t talk; you’re with Dante only cos
he’s gorgeous.”

“I’m with him cos I love him! I’m in
love with everything about him, even his flaws, which I know are numerous. And
if I wuz only concerned ’bout looks I wouldn’t have cheated on Ash with Dante, cos
they basically look the same.”

“Dante’s nasty! He abused
me, yet
you don’t believe me.”

“Again, he told me everything that
happened, every sordid detail, even though he knew I would get mad, while you
hid it until I confronted you. You even tried to deny it at the beginning. He
may have led you on to teach you a lesson, but you stripped and threw yourself
at him, even though you knew he wuz my boyfriend. Plus, you’re only sour at him
cos he turned you down, and now you’re taking your anger out on me. You need to
stop this, Josie. Stop choosing men on their looks and get some self-respect.”

Josie’s face turned angry. “I respect
myself! And Saul’s a cop; he wouldn’t do what you said.”

“Every time you get angry, you throw out
accusations and insults instead of thinking ’bout what comes outta your stupid mouth.
Cops can be dirty, and Saul is the dirtiest. He stripped me naked in front of
other people, then threw me over his shoulder and took me to the Russian roulette
game, where people watched me and Kara take turns pulling the trigger.”

Josie’s eyes went round. “I read ’bout
that in the newspaper. I didn’t realise it wuz you and that blonde woman. Why
didn’t you tell me?”

“Cos I just wanna forget ’bout it, yet
no one will let me.” Beth walked around to the other side of the car, needing
to get away from Josie. All she wanted was to see her father, the one person
who wouldn’t question her.

“Beth.”

Beth looked over at Josie. “What?”

“Did Saul truly assault you?”

“I already told you he did.”

“No, say it again, I’m finally
listening.”

“He forced me against a wall and finger-fucked
me while he had a hand over my mouth, telling me not to be afraid, that he
would make me come like Dante did. He then tried to stick his cock into me. I
screamed so loud it hurt my throat. That wuz when he let go.”

“He put his fingers inside of you?”

Beth nodded.

“That
is
rape.”

Beth went quiet, realising for the first
time that Saul had done more than assault her. She’d always thought rape involved
the cock, but Josie was right. It was still a penetration.

“What are you gonna do ’bout Saul?”
Josie asked.

“I’m considering reporting him.”

“Do ya think they’ll believe you? He’s a
cop.”

“I don’t know, but I hafta do sumpthin’,
especially since he won’t stay outta my life. Why wuz he even here?”

“He wanted to speak to you ’bout the
Torres case. Since you weren’t here, I asked him out.”

Beth rubbed her temples, feeling an
enormous headache coming on. “If he returns, don’t answer the door. He’s more
dangerous than he lets on. He acts remorseful, then does the opposite. Don’t go
near him again.”

Josie nodded, her expression now
worried. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. Guys always dupe me. If you wanna
stay, you can.”

Beth shook her head. “I need my dad, he
makes me feel safe.”

“That’s understandable, but you’re still
welcome back. And again, I’m sorry.”

Beth nodded and got into the car, her
heart still heavy. Josie’s turnaround made her feel fractionally better, but
her cousin’s initial words still plagued her. The police probably wouldn’t
believe her either, especially since Saul was one of them.