PROLOGUE 

 

Welcome back my little heartbreakers, did you miss me? Cupidity here to bring you the newest tale of “love” and my favorite word, heartbreak. Allow me to introduce the Brannings, a couple with a perfect romance. You might be thinking, Cupidity, perfect romances are a thing of fairy tales and we know you don’t like happily ever after stories. Oh sweeties, fear not, I won’t disappoint you.  

          Join me as I take you on a “love” journey that spans the ages, well, a few centuries at least. You know what the best part is? I get to tease you the only way I know how, and that is by giving you pieces of the story at a time. I know, aren’t I cruel. So pour a glass of wine, sit back and get ready to slip through time. 

 

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          Nicole Branning stepped into the brilliant morning sun with a cup of vanilla cream coffee held tightly in one hand and her cell phone in the other. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, she reached back and shut the solid white door of her million dollar home. She peered out at the sprawling green grass of the front lawn as the wind blew her long red t-shirt against her twenty five year old frame. Brushing the bleach blond hair away from her thin face, Nicole walked across the porch, took a seat on a wooden swing, and gazed up on the crystal blue sky with her brown eyes. She took to a sip of her coffee and crossed her legs.  

          The sound of heavy footsteps on the porch broke her from her revere. A thin man leaned over and gave her a kiss on top of her head. She gazed up at him, pushing his round glasses back up his nose. She could tell he’d been rushed this morning due to his scruffy brown hair, his dress shirt half tucked in his black slacks and his red tie sitting loosely around his neck. He rested his hands on her shoulder and shot her a pleasing smile. 

          "Morning, sweetheart,” he beamed.

        At fifty seven, Daniel believed he found his true love. He found himself blessed that the amazing woman who sat before him, despite the age difference, loved him not for his money, but for himself. At times he found it hard to comprehend how a knock out of a woman would find him, an older geek,  attractive, but yet, here she was. Daniel rubbed his tired eyes under his glasses as their five year wedding anniversary night of sex had left him drained.

          “Good morning,” Nicole responded, setting her coffee down on the porch.

          “I think last night topped any other anniversary,” he said.

         Nicole cupped her hand behind Daniel's neck and pulled him down. “I would have to agree.” She planted her soft lips on his and briefly slid her tongue in his mouth. Brushing his hair to the side with her hand, she gave him a wink. “We may have to continue tonight.”

          “It may be a late one,” he said.

          Nicole's shoulders slumped. “Really?”

          “Yeah, I’m working on something big.”

       This wouldn't be the first time she’d heard those words come from him. In the six years Nicole had known Daniel, he’d kept his  job a secret, something she understood. It didn’t matter, as long as it gave them a very comfortable lifestyle. 

Nicole gave him one last kiss before adjusting his tie and tucking in the rest of his shirt. “I’ll wait up.”

He headed down the steps and raced to his red BMW. He turned and blew her a kiss before entering the car. He sped down the long, narrow driveway, past the iron gate, and out onto the street. Nicole watched the gate slowly close and lifted her phone. With a press of the screen, she lifted it up to her ear.

          “He’s gone.” Her face lit with the response from the other end. “I’ll be waiting.”

          She sprinted back into the house and towards the back room which contained the security cameras and controls. She pulled the rolling chair from underneath the desk and sat. Her fingers dashed across the keyboard, stopping the recording of the front gate. Time dragged on waiting in anticipation for her visitor to arrive. Her mouth spread as a blue Mercedes pulled up to the gate. She entered the code, opening the gate. The Mercedes crept past the gate and up the driveway.  

          She shot from the chair and sprang across the hardwood floor and back outside. Dashing off the porch, she sprinted across the lush grass and greeted the waiting Mercedes. Nicole didn’t wait for the occupant to open the door, she flung it open and pulled the person out. She wrapped her arms around a burly man standing roughly at six foot two. His black shirt clung to his defined, brooding chest. His bulging biceps stretched the shirt to its limits. 

          She flipped his sunglasses up onto his short, well groomed blond hair, exposing his dazzling blue eyes. Nicole didn’t hesitate, she placed her lips on his and forced her tongue into his mouth. Her hands roamed slowly down his muscular back, taking time to feel every muscle she could. 

          “What took you?” she said, breaking the kiss.

          “Why was he late leaving,” the man replied.

      “I can’t shove him away Gregory or he’d get suspicious.” She planted him with another quick kiss. “Besides. Good things come to those who wait.”

          Gregory hoisted her up, keeping a firm hold on her ass. Nicole wrapped her legs around his hips and started pecking at his neck. Gregory peered over Nicole’s shoulder absorbing Nicole's kisses as he carried her towards her home. Breaking his hold with one hand, he reached into his pocket, found the car starter, and pressed the automatic lock button. He peeked back over his shoulder to assure that the Mercedes lights flashed before looking down to see where they were going. 

          The moment they entered, Nicole swung the door shut with her foot. Promptly lifted off her shirt, she tossed it to the floor and shoved Gregory’s face to her chest. Blinded by Nicole's chest, Gregory moved until they bumped into a long table sitting underneath a painting of Nicole and Daniel. 

          Gregory set Nicole on the table, knocking down rows of photos of the happy couple. With a sweep of her hand, Nicole pushed the pictures away, sending them to the floor in a shattering crash, and making sure his mouth never left her flesh. Fire burned inside and within a matter of seconds, she’d dropped his pants and pulled his briefs down. She pulled her thong to the side and invited him in. 

         Their breathing intensified with every sound of the table slamming into the wall. Her moans grew louder the deeper and harder he went. Gregory gazed up at the painting above Nicole and stared straight into Daniel’s painted eyes. 

          “Fuck you,” he mumbled under his breath. 

          “Yes,” Nicole screamed. “Fuck me.”

          Gregory winked at the painting and continued his pounding of Daniel’s wife who’d begun screaming Gregory’s name. 

          “Who do you love?” Gregory asked.

          “You,” Nicole replied.

          “Say my name,” Gregory ordered.

          “Gregory,” Nicole yelled as she reached ecstasy. 

          “You better.”

          Gregory moaned and came to a halt. Panting heavily, they rested their heads on each other's shoulders. He graciously ran his fingers through Nicole’s silky hair and took a deep breath. “You fucking wore me out.”

          Nicole pushed him away and hopped down from the table, stepping on a frame. Without feeling, she kicked the picture to the side and took Gregory’s hand. “Come with me. I’ll give you a massage you’ll never forget.”

 

CUPIDITY EPILOGUE 

 

          Aren’t they a cute couple? Which one you ask? Eh, it really doesn’t matter, does it? As long as everyone is happy and getting what they want the world couldn’t be a better place. I have to hand it to Nicole, she’s playing her cards perfectly, playing the King while keeping an Ace in her back pocket. 

          Well my lovelies, that’s part uno. Until next time, keep your hearts close to the ones you love or I’ll find you and give you a dose of splintered love.