Authors: Vera Roberts
He decided right then at the airport when they got back to L.A., he was going to take Mariana ring shopping. Knowing her, she was going to find the biggest rock and Scott dreaded thinking about the cost. He soon shrugged off the silly notion. If Mariana wanted a million-dollar ring, he would buy it for her. It would just cost her a lot of blow jobs in exchange.
If only I could get rid of this feeling…
Scott felt someone or something staring at him from behind. He couldn’t shake the feeling. He’d had it since he left for Decatur, but he thought he was going crazy. He had just had a great vacation and he was about to propose to the love of his life. Why would he think anything would go wrong?
Because something always does.
Scott pulled the newspaper down from his face and folded it. He got up and straightened out his shirt and jeans. He turned around.
I knew it.
He should’ve been surprised to see her, but he wasn’t. If he hadn’t known any better, he would have sworn she had been following him for a while.
Caprina. Was she really before him? She perused the magazine stand and didn’t directly look at Scott but he knew it was her. He could recognize her manipulative ass anywhere. She wasn’t on as many magazine covers as she used to be, but her shape remained the same. No matter how many disguises she wore, it couldn’t change the shape of her face.
There were times when the seven years felt like a lifetime. There were times where it felt like the day before. It had been seven years since they were in the same vicinity as each other, let alone the same room. They hadn’t crossed paths in years, despite being tightly intertwined with the industry. He never avoided her but didn’t take great pains to see her when he knew she might be at an event. He simply just didn’t care.
Scott stared at her for a long while and contemplated his options. Whatever she was planning, it had been in motion for
months
already. He knew it had been. There was no way she could’ve just run into him at the airport in his hometown. She knew he was going to be there. She also knew, dare he thought, Mariana was with him.
“I got your hot chocolate, honey,” Mariana stood next to him as she shoveled money in her pocket. “Man, the line at Starbucks was forever long but I did ask them to put some extra whip on yours.”
“Yeah, sure, that’s great.” Scott turned Mariana around, “let’s go. We need to board now.” He rushed her to the front of the line.
Caprina watched Scott and Mariana board the plane. She took off her sunglasses and crossed her arms. “That’s it, Scotty. Run with your little girlfriend. We both know you saw me, and guess what? You’ll be seeing me a whole lot more very soon.”
Caprina smiled as her plan worked out perfectly. She took out her notepad and crossed off the first item on the list.
1. Fuck with his head.
****
Scott and Mariana sat down in their first-class seats and got settled. Mariana briefly talked about how she couldn’t wait to get home and get back into her own bed. Scott was distracted by other thoughts. He believed in coincidences, but seeing Caprina wasn’t one of them. This was pure methodical planning.
Caprina being at Hartsfield-Jackson airport only meant she was going to show up in L.A. eventually. Scott silently counted the number of days he would have before Caprina made her “surprise” visit at his office. He only had a few days, and that was nowhere near enough time.
She was planning something big, and whatever it was, Scott was ready. If she dared to cross him, however, he had something for that ass.
B
OOK
III
—
C
APRINA
“She lacks confidence, she craves admiration insatiably. She lives on the reflections of herself in the eyes of others. She does not care to be herself.”— Anaïs Nin
O
NE
Caprina waited for Sarah to arrive at the restaurant. She had promised the young model she would meet with her upon her return from Atlanta, but Caprina had all she needed to know about Scott and Mariana, and she struggled to find a reason to meet with her.
To humor her,
Caprina reasoned. She no longer had a use for Sarah.
But she couldn’t tell her that. For all Sarah knew, Caprina was helping
her
get Scott.
Silly girl.
Still, Caprina would follow up with her plan to put Sarah as far away from Scott as possible. There was no way Scott was going to slip out of her hands, especially when she was so close.
Guess would be meeting with McCormick and Sheppard that week, and she was going to make her appearance in Scott’s office a day before the meeting. She wondered what outfit she would choose. The tight red Herve Leger dress? The sharp black business suit? Or the blue sundress? It didn’t matter what her final choice was. Whatever she wore, Scott would never forget her appearance—and that was the main point.
“I’m sorry I’m late!” Sarah rushed over to Caprina. She had been sick all morning and the only thing that saved her was ginger ale and saltines. “I was a little ill this morning, but I’m better now.”
“That’s fine, lovie,” Caprina’s eyes sparkled like there were little stars in them. “I understand.”
“So…” Sarah clasped her hands. She had been eagerly waiting for Caprina to come back from Atlanta so they could go over strategy. Her pussy was sore from masturbating about Scott. “What do you want to know? I can give you whatever you need.”
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about, lovie,” Caprina smiled, “I wouldn’t need your services any longer.”
“What? We were just getting started.” Sarah was confused.
“I know we were, but I decide to go in a different direction on how I want to pursue Scott. I’ll let you know on the progress,” Caprina replied.
Sarah tried to mask her disappointment but it still showed on her face. “Okay.”
“But as a nice consolation prize, I did make some calls and got you a meeting with Elite!” Caprina smiled. “They’re eager to meet with you this week, if possible.”
Sarah’s mood soon turned up. “Really? You did that for me? That’s great!”
“You should be getting a phone call from them within the day so be on the lookout for that. I told them you would be a perfect fit, and they’re anxious to see the newest model on the scene!” Caprina wasn’t lying. She had sold Sarah to Elite as if she were next big thing and showed them her portfolio. “They’ll probably fly you to New York to meet with you personally, depending on how your phone interview goes.”
Sarah had been anxiously awaiting the day when she’d sign with a high-profile modeling agency, and no one was bigger than Elite. Her dreams of becoming an international model were slowly coming true. “I…I…I don’t know what to say, Caprina! Thank you so much!”
Anything to get you out of the picture. Consider it done.
“Not a problem.”
T
WO
Scott came back from his morning workout and found Mariana’s car gone from the driveway. He figured she had probably gone to get breakfast and didn’t think too much of it. He pulled into the garage, parked his Maserati, and headed inside to take a shower. They had arrived back from Atlanta two nights prior, and Scott spent most of his time playing catch-up with work e-mails and voicemails.
He was also trying to figure out a plan.
Although Scott didn’t know it nor did he have concrete proof, he had a feeling Caprina was already in Los Angeles, setting up shop. She’d be in his office sometime soon, possibly that week.
Caprina. He had fallen in love with her hard and fast, a flurry of emotions confounding his heart and mind to the point that she was all he thought about. Every time they made love, she brought him to new heights with her tongue, mouth, and hands. Scott didn’t care what anyone thought—not his mother, his sister, Jeff…all he wanted and loved was Caprina.
There were many signs he should’ve paid attention to. Her flippant attitude towards the wedding. The way she dismissed him in front of others as if his opinions didn’t mean anything. She withheld sex from him not to punish him, but so she wouldn’t have to sleep with him and Elliott at the same time, a fact Scott discovered later.
And then there was the infamous threesome. No, it wasn’t a threesome. Caprina had wanted Scott to watch her fuck another man and he had sat in the corner like a child being punished as he watched. Scott should’ve left that night, but his pride and obsession for the woman wouldn’t let him. He convinced himself things would change once they got married. She would be different. She was just acting out before the big day, but everything was going to be perfect.
The big day turned into the wedding that never was. He would never forget the devastation, feeling like he had just lost everything that mattered. He spent the week in a drunken stupor, bordering between insanity and confusion. The only person who saved him was Sanora.
Scott let the water pour on his head as he rubbed his face, determining the best plan of action. Eventually the two of them would have to work together on same level, and Scott knew he couldn’t go the rest of his life completely avoiding her. He had spent many years erasing her from his life, dating a string of loose women and not getting emotionally attached to anyone. For a long while he didn’t care and didn’t think too much of it.
That was before Mariana.
Scott only wanted to make her happy and tend to her needs. He wanted to marry her, father her children, and carry on the Reed legacy. Caprina’s timing could not have come at worse time for him.
But it was perfect timing for her,
Scott thought. He wondered how long Caprina had followed him. He mistakenly thought it was only a few days but he knew better. Caprina had probably been following him for a few
years.
He was certain she followed him to his hotel as well.
Scott turned off the shower and quickly dried himself off. He would deal with Caprina when the time came. For now, he was going to focus on proposing to Mariana. He had an appointment set up with Alan later that day and was going to bring Mariana with him.
He just didn’t want a repeat of the last visit.
****
Mariana opened the front door and kicked off her shoes. She grabbed her Chanel bag and tip-toed through the foyer. “Good! He’s in the shower!” She bounced with excitement. She set her items down and pulled out the small golden puppy from her purse. “You didn’t pee in my purse, did you?” She spoke to the puppy. “I hope you didn’t! That’s one expensive purse!”
“Honey, I’m home!” Mariana called out.
“I’m in the bedroom,” Scott answered.
“I have a surprise for you, but you have to close your eyes!” Mariana yelled.
“A surprise?” Scott answered back.
“Yes, a surprise! Now enough questions already!” Mariana was getting impatient. “I’ll bring it to you!” She walked back into their bedroom and found Scott half-dressed and sitting on their bed and his hands covering his eyes. “Merry Christmas, honey!” She placed the golden Labrador on Scott’s lap.
Scott opened his eyes and smiled brightly. He laughed as the puppy crawled onto his chest and licked his face. He never thought he would settle down enough to have both a woman and a dog. “I love it!”
“I hope you didn’t mind,” Mariana nervously grinned, “I took the liberty of naming him.”
“Sure, I don’t mind,” Scott played with the puppy, “what’s his name?”
“Master,” Mariana smiled.
Scott smirked. “Of course it is.”
“See, he even comes when you call him! Come here, Master! Come here, boy!” Mariana clapped her hands and Master ran to her.
“You know you’re gonna pay for that,” Scott smiled.
“Yeah, I know,” Mariana shrugged as she held Master, “but look at him! Isn’t he so cute?”
“Well, I have a surprise for you today,” Scott began.
“You do?” Mariana asked as she played with Master.
“I want to take you out shopping today.”
“Okay,” Mariana got up from bed and headed to the bathroom. She began to freshen up. “What are we going shopping for?”
“Your ring,” He replied.
Mariana walked out of the bathroom with a face full of Noxzema and wide eyes. “My what?”
“Your ring,” Scott repeated as he petted Master.
Mariana leaned back against the wall to steady her breath. The moment she had been waiting for was finally happening. She was nervous, scared, happy, and delirious. “My what?”
Scott smiled. “We don’t have to go shopping for it today if you don’t want to, baby?”
Mariana quickly ran back into the bathroom to rinse her face off and came back out. She was drying her face as she spoke. “No, no, no, no…it’s not that, it’s just…you’re serious about this.”
“I was never joking,” Scott clarified, “I want you to have my last name. Now hurry up and get dressed. Don’t forget your mantras.”
“Yes…” Mariana struggled to call her Dom another name. “Yes…”
“Lord,” Scott smiled, “you will refer to me as your Lord. You didn’t think you were getting off that easy, did you?”
T
HREE
Sarah was so excited about her upcoming phone call with Elite. Oh, the possibilities! Was she going to be on the cover of Vogue? What about a fashion layout with Carolina Herrera? Or was she going to model the latest designs from the upcoming designers?
She had little time to prepare for her interview so the moment she arrived home, she went online and searched Elite’s website. She was amazed at the familiar faces and patiently wondered if she would one day be highlighted like they were. Curiosity got the best of her, and Sarah searched Caprina’s name. Various news stories and pictures were shown and Sarah smiled. The best in the business was recommending her to the best. What could be better than that? All she needed was Scott on her arm…
Wait a minute.
Sarah noticed a picture of Caprina with a guy who looked awfully similar to Scott. She clicked on the picture and when it blew up to a bigger size, Sarah was stunned. She was looking at an old picture of Caprina and Scott.
2004,
Sarah read,
this was eight years ago.
Sarah did a quick search for Scott and Caprina and gasped at the information she found.