Free Betrayed by Alexia Stark

Content warning: this book contains
adult situations, explicit sex scenes and strong language. This
book is intended for mature audiences only. All sexually active
participants are 18 or older.
     
    Smashwords Edition
    Copyright 2013 Alexia
Stark
     
    Betrayed
     
    Alexia Stark
     
    All rights reserved. No part of this
book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic,
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any
informational storage retrieval system without prior written
permission of the publisher except in the brief quotations embodied
in critical articles and reviews.
     
    Betrayed
     
     
    It was supposed to be the
happiest day of Caroline's life. Instead, she stood frozen,
studying the beautiful stranger in the upright oval mirror. The
antique frame fit in perfectly with her silk and lace, floor length
A-line dress. Over her pale, bared shoulder, she could see her step
father Dominic's face. His sharp, powerful features were softened
by a generous smile that lit his puppy brown
eyes.  
    "You look beautiful,
honey." At his kind words, she sucked in a deep breath. Since her
mother had died over a year prior, he'd been her stone, her
constant in an ever changing, terrifying world. Now she was going
to break his heart.  
    "I can't do it, Daddy,"
she said, smoothing her hands over her ivory lace clad
hips.
    His smile widened,
revealing even, white teeth. "Pre wedding jitters are normal, love.
Take a few deep breaths and you'll be fine." his hand found her
shoulders and the pads of his thumbs worked easily over the tension
in her knotted muscles.  
    She shook her head,
knowing it was going to take more than that. "I know it's bad luck,
but I need to see him."
    "I don't believe that
superstitious nonsense, do you?" Reassuring hands left her skin,
and he strode from the room with his typical lithe
grace.  
    She made her way toward the
door, holding her breath. What if the old legends were right? There
had to be a reason everyone followed those old rules. Her gaze
swept the great hall and the throngs of family that lined each side
of the isle. Though she'd wanted to get married on her family
estate near the water, she'd given in when Robert demanded they get
tie the knot in the church where his parents got
married.  
    A commotion drew her
attention, we well as the eyes of all two hundred fifty eight
guests. She stared in horror as her father drug her soon to be
husband out of a janitor's closet, followed by a tearful,
disheveled bridesmaid, June. Caroline could hear her father's
furious words over the sudden buzz of chatter and the hiss of
gasping that filled the cavernous room.  
    "You're going to march up
front, admit what you did in front of all your guests, and
apologize to my daughter. If you don't I'll snap your neck here and
now." She'd never heard her father, usually so calm and composed,
so very angry. Robert took a second to fix his messy slacks, and
suddenly, it all made sense to Caroline's disbelieving mind. Shock
gave way to blazing fury that flushed her neck, cheeks and chest
and tingled through her balling fists.  
    Robert made his way toward
the alter, his nervous hazel eyes scanning the crowd while crimson
color stained his cheeks and ears. "I know you all came to see a
wedding today," he began as the whispers and loud coughs slowly
faded to a dull hum. "I'm sorry that you won't get what you came
for."  
    "Why not?" her father
asked, crossing his arms with a deep stare of fiery hatred aimed at
the cheater standing in God’s house.  
    "Because I screwed up."
Robert refused to look at June, who glared at him with a dangerous
spite Caroline recognized from other times the woman had been
jilted.  
    Robert's glance swept back
as if seeking Caroline out, and she ducked back a few inches,
seconds too late. His eyes pleaded with her to forgive him, but she
didn't think she could, maybe ever. "I'm sorry, Caroline. You
deserve better."  
    Loud chatter followed his
words and