February Sucks - Linda's Choice Ch. 03

She was right.

***

The weekend we helped Dee move into her small apartment was the week Mark's move to California was made public. Our town fans, Jim included, all thought he had sold out. In their mind, he still had two years in his contract and expected him to honor it.

"He is just another selfish jock," Jim said as he turned the TV off. "I mean, I get it. The Niners offered him a ton of cash and a chance to be a coach. I would have taken that too. But no one is offering me millions for what I do."

He laughed at his own joke as I smiled back at him. But inwardly, I was ecstatic. Mark and his family were leaving. But soon, the piper would call, and I would have to pay the price for that.

"Maybe it's a good thing," Jim said, shaking me from my thoughts.

"What was that?" I replied. "Sorry, my mind drifted."

"I noticed," he snickered. "As I was saying. Maybe it's a good thing LaValierre is leaving."

To say that a cold chill went up my spine, would have been an understatement just then. I wanted to look away from Jim's grinning face.

"You know how he asked you to dance? And how he propositioned you?"

"How can I forget?" I said, knowing that if I looked away, he would see that as guilt. "But I said no."

"Well, apparently, Dee was not the only one to say yes. Unlike you, who resisted his magical magnetism..." he said that snidely and let it hang for a second too long. "Rumor has it that he had pulled that stunt before."

"It was crude," I replied about the night Mark had asked me to dance. "As soon as the slow dance began, he asked me to leave with him. Not wanting to make a scene, I was polite, but extremely nervous after."

"I noticed," Jim said confidently, still staring at me in the eye. "Were you tempted at all?"

I smiled at him then, as he grinned back.

"Of course," I feigned swooning. "After all, him being The Great Mark LaValliere! Gift to all women. Prince of all in his own mind. How could I NOT consider it?"

"And?" Jim asked, continuing to pin me with his eyes.

He was joining in the levity I was trying to interject in our conversation, but deep down, I knew he was interrogating me. Only he didn't have the facts he needed to pin me down.

"Well, I'm sure the evening of lust and debauchery he promised me would have been earthshattering and incredible. But also life-altering."

"How so?" he said, leaning forward and playing along with my brashness.

But while outwardly playful, inwardly, I was in turmoil.

"Had I gone, I would have been ruined, trashed. Used and then discarded. And not just by him, I may add. But also you. How could you take me back after another man soiled me?"

Jim shook his head, still grinning.

"I don't know, Linda," he contemplated with exaggeration, then turned back toward me. "I mean, IT IS Mark LaValliere! Right? I am but a mere mortal."

That... hurt me. Because it was precisely the term, Mark had used to talk of people beneath him. "The Mere Mortals."

"You're not mere anything," I said and went to sit on his lap. "You are my man. My husband. The father of our children. You are special to me."

"Am I, Linda?" he asked now seriously. "I know I... I failed you in the past... not trusted you. I should have."

"You had your reasons."

"I had reasons to be upset and to question what Snider was saying," Jim replied. "But I should have come to you. I just... I just couldn't. I let him get to me. To get in my head and manipulate me."

I pulled him closer, leaning my head on his chest. It was the most he had ever talked to me about it outside therapy.

"Did hearing the tape of him saying it was a lie help?" I asked, inwardly on edge and hoping it had.

It seemed like it had as we were more intimate and getting back to our sex habits before Tommie was born. But we had a way to go still.

"It did." He replied. "I was so angry at Snider, but then I got mad at myself. I still am a bit of both. Not only that, he would do that, but that I would let him get to me. But yes, knowing it was a lie... that is helping me. Mostly. I still have some issues."

"Like what?" I replied, looking up at him. "Anything I can help with?"

"The therapist told me that until we talked about it, it will linger. That it will be one more thing I didn't tell you about."

"OK, I'm listening," I replied, shifting on his lap.

Oh Gawd! He was hard. He bit his lip with a smirk. Classic Jim!

"Can it wait?" I asked. "You know... until we take care of this?"

"The kids..."

"The kids will be fine, Jim," I said, pulling him up. "I want you to fuck me in the bathroom."

"Upstairs?"

"No," I said, dragging him to the hallway. "The one down here."

"It's too small," he protested, referring to the size of the bathroom.

"No, it's not," I said, holding his hardon over his sweats.

"You hussy," he said as we entered and closed the door.

I pulled one leg of my yoga pants off, leaving the other dangling. Jim stared as he pulled his sweats down. Having it free to touch, I reached for his hard cock. Fuck if he didn't look menacing with it. He had been shaving his pubic hair like I had lately, and it looked... eatable.

Falling on my knees, I took him in my mouth. Not a word said. Not a word was needed. All that mattered was what he had to offer. The familiar shape of Jim's cock felt so perfect in my hands and mouth. Something about sucking the man that was mine aroused me in a way it had not for some time. I felt closer to him than I had in years. I had my friend back, my friend with benefits; my everything.

Tears of joy ran down my face when I felt his hands on my head, and he began face-fucking me. Jim hadn't been so forceful with me in ages. The more he shoved his cock between my lips, over my tongue, and in my throat, the happier I was. I had wanted him to fuck me, but if Jim wanted to drop his load in my throat, I was OK with that. I was OK with anything he wanted of me. So long as he wanted me. So long as he loved me.

When I looked up, I saw he was lost in the moment of pleasure, grimacing with eyes near closed. He was breathing faster and faster. And then he just stopped and pulled away.

"You wanted a fuck?" he said, yanking me to my feet, "you're going to get one."

It took all my self-control not to yell, groan or squeal as Jim proceeded to fuck me for the next ten minutes. Inside the small bathroom, the sounds of his hips smacking my ass reverberated, accented only by my gasps and his groans. Occasionally he would lean into my ear as I watched his reflection.

All I needed was the sound of his breath and the feel of it on my neck. My mind drifted to a pleasant erotic memory of better years. As his thick shaft rampaged in my wetness, I was reminded of our time at the nude beach. How we had fucked standing in a group of people. How we women held on to the boardwalk railing, while our men railed on us from behind. There had been a chorus of body smacking sounds, moans, and cries of passion. The men had made a show of cumming on our asses. Then we women made a show of working their cum in our skin as if it was sun lotion. We were all so young and carefree. No rules and no judgment.

"Do you remember the beach? The group fuck at the railing?" I whispered.

"I'll never forget it," he said, still fucking me hard.

"Cum all over my ass Jim," I hissed, staring into the reflection of his eyes in the mirror.

And in minutes, he did just that. I made a show of rubbing it all over my ass and even in my crack.

"Fucken, awesome!" Jim said as he pulled up his sweats.

Did I say I leaned down and sucked his cock clean first?

***

B-fit

The exact next Monday after Mark's deal was announced, I was sent a packet of information at my job. In it were brochures for Bella's company, some legal documents and a letter from her.

"Dear Linda,

You made the right choice as I had hoped you would. And true to my word, I am going to do as I promised. Tomorrow morning, I need you to come to the B-fit location at 9 am sharp."

There was only one at that time. There are four now. All four, I helped start and set in operation. All four are profitable and doing well, thanks to my excellent staff and managers. But where were we?

"There will be meetings with our lawyers, staff, and the modeling agent that will be handling you. Be prepared to be there all day, Linda. So get ready for the next phase of your life. Oh yes, and bring your husband. I want to meet him. He only needs to be there for a few minutes while we all get acquainted. Then he can go to work. Make it happen, Linda.

Bella."

***

"Honey, we need to talk," I said when I saw Jim that night.

Jim stiffened. No man wants to hear that phrase from his wife. Jim was no exception.

"Do I need a drink for this?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not yet," I replied. "Maybe later."

It was therapy night, so the kids were over at my parents. We took advantage of that to make dinner as we talk.

"So... what's up?" he asked.

"Well, remember how I signed up with a headhunter agency in mid-March?"

That had been a ruse. A cover. I had signed with the head hunter shop at Bella's instructions. As soon as I did, my file had been sent to only one of their customers: Bella LaValliere. CEO of B-fit.

"Sure. Have they found something for you?"

"Actually, they did. Have you heard of a company called B-fit?"

"Sounds familiar, but... just tell me."

"The company founder likes what I have to offer and wants me, us, to go in tomorrow to meet us. You only need to stay a bit, but I will be doing the whole day."

"Is this serious?" he asked.

"Between running the location, planning for expansion, and other stuff, we are talking a starting salary of $100,000 plus a thirty thousand signing bonus and a car."

"Excuse me?" Jim said as his jaw dropped. "That's like almost twice more than you make a year now!"

"I know," I said with a smile. "Jim, we can do so much with that kind of money. Start a college fund for the kids. Get a better house. Get you a new truck?"

"I see how you are; go past sex and get a man where he lives, his vehicle."

We giggled as he shook his head.

"Just exactly what does other stuff mean?" he asked apprehensively.

"Some occasional travel to San Francisco where the company headquarters is going to be. But not often. But, the part I need to ask you about is the modeling."

"You mean modeling the store? What?" Jim asked like a typical engineer.

"No, Jim, I mean modeling. As in me being a model."

"Linda," he said with a grin. "Run this past me again. Part of your job is to be a model?"

"Yes. It's part of the company's marketing strategy. The CEO and some of the company executives do modeling. The idea is that the company heads live the lifestyle, not just pitch it and collect the member dues."

"Lifestyle?"

"Yeah, exercise at B-fit, buy your fit-ware at B-fit, buy your supplements at B-fit, go to nutrition classes at B-fit... get the picture?"

"Sure. So, like what kind of modeling?"

"I'll find out more tomorrow, but I think it's the fit-wear the company sells. Also, some non-company related modeling for the image."

"Like for a magazine or something?"

"Yes."

"Hun, don't get me wrong. I think you look great, but don't they hire starved, barely twenty-year-old women to do that kind of work?"

"No. Modeling is often age-targeted. There are models in their sixties."

"Wow, Linda! I don't know what to say."

"How about you say you are on my side and will go with me tomorrow."

"One hour or so late?" he asked.

"Give or take.'

After Jim called his boss, he smiled at me.

"So I married a model?"

I think I squealed and jumped on his lap. We had another quickie before therapy, and the therapist told us we could cut back to once a month since we were doing better. The kids stayed over at my parents that night. Mom and Dad were happy to help. I was on my back as Jim fucked me into the mattress. I was happy.

The next morning I had to prepare my husband.

"Jim, you need to know who my boss will be."

"I'm meeting her, aren't I?" he said, doing his tie-knot.

I had picked both his suit, shirt, and tie. Jim looked good in suits and everything else with the whole running and gym thing he had going on. But he had little fashion sense. He's an engineer. Need I say more?

"You need to know who she is and be careful what you say. I don't want to lose this gig, Jim."

"I promise not to leave my zipper down," he replied with a mischievous smirk.

"It's not that. It's who my new boss is." I said, seeing a puzzled look on his face. "And who her husband is."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Linda, spit it out. The kids are going to go to college by the time you tell me. We have to be there in an hour."

"Her name is Bella... Bella LaValliere."

Jim stared at me with a blank stare... at first. Then a hint of a smile appeared as his mouth opened, and the corners of his mouth rose. By the time he out and out smiled, he chuckled. Then... then burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"Jim, it's not funny..." I managed to say before he fell back on the bed, laughing harder.

By then, the stress of it all and the nervousness got to me, and I laughed with him.

We laughed a lot. We stopped once, then lost control and laughed again.

On the way to the interview, we started giggling and... hell, you've all been there.

Beware the giggle-loop.

***

"Hi, I'm Bella," she said, extending her hand to me first, then Jim.

I noticed her giving my husband the once over in his suit and tie. She stared a bit too long for my taste, then smiled at us as we sat in front of her desk.

"I won't beat about the bush," she said, closing the folder in front of her. "The position is yours if you want it, Linda."

That was for Jim's benefit. I had already accepted my deal with the devil. What Bella had on me was pictures and a video with her husband during "the" act. If she gave that to Jim, I was toast, done. I assumed her husband would be as well. It was the deal she had made with me. And I had agreed to it.

"Mr. Johnson," Bella said, turning on the charm while facing him.

Once again, I wondered how any man could resist and cheat on Bella? I wasn't a man and found myself attracted to her. So I watched politely as Bella LaValliere, the wife of my former lover, shamelessly flirted with my husband and finally offered him a signing bonus of season's tickets in a private box.

Oh, God, no! Our group of now four couples and families would be there each football game from pre-season to playoffs. If that ever happened again with Mark gone.

"Oh, You are so gracious," Jim replied, giving her a smile that I thought was only for me before he turned to smile at me as well. "Linda, you ARE taking this job, right?"

"How can I resist?" I replied.

"You can't," Bella cut in with a smile and cold eyes reminding me of our pact.

"Then I'm in," I said to who for a second seemed like the devil in Prada.

"Lovely," she replied. "Linda, you will be a great spokesperson for the company. And seeing Jim and you together, I think you and he need to make some public appearances once you become more publicly noticed. I may even have an article done by my good friend Sabine Day at the Post."

Sabine Day!

She knew that witch! That woman had destroyed as many people as her articles had made. Bella WAS the devil. Of course, she would know Sabine Day. By the time she was through with me, we would have to move.

Only it didn't work that way. Sabine wrote a puff piece about Jim and me as an up and coming power couple in the city scene. I wondered what secrets Bella had on the hot journalist. But, I'm sure you guessed it. Mark had almost ruined Sabine's marriage, as well. And now Sabine was as much a cog in the Bella wheel as I was.

"Oh, we'll talk more shop later, Linda," she said. "Now I need you to go with Glenn Spier, our lawyer, to sign some papers. I'll keep Jim entertained until he leaves and then rejoin you."

Leave the demon with my husband! What chance did Jim stand against her?

"Now kissy-kissy goodbye and be on your way, Linda. Fame and fortune await you."

The bitch did that on purpose. I spent the rest of the day wondering what she did to Jim, with Jim, ON Jim... after he and I kissed goodbye. I felt like I was kissing him for the last time.

And as she walked me to the door, she leaned in close to my ear and whispered.

"I will never rest until I seduce your yummy husband. If it takes me forever, I will have my pound of flesh, and you will stand by as I do it. Now turn one last time, smile at him, and go."

I looked at her in fear before doing as she asked. Before I turned, she whispered again.

"Now, you know how it feels. Do as I told you."

And like the good Stepford Wife I had become, I gave my husband my number one smile, hoping he did not notice my fear, jealousy, and trepidation. In my mind, I wished him luck, wondering how long it would take before the witch sunk her claws into him.

And there was little to nothing I could do, as my fate was sealed. Later that day, the demon Bella let me know that she would expose me if I warned Jim and she found out. Checkmate, and game over.

***

Fame and Torture

Just as Bella promised, I became the IT girl of B-fit for the twenty-eight to thirty-seven crowd. She had a young girl of eighteen named Cindy Niles who did the eighteen to twenty-seven image. While Gwen Ruiz, at forty-one, handled the thirty-nine to forty-seven age group. Finally, he stunning Gloria Bash, a gorgeous black woman with short white hair and perfect body, dealt with the forty-eight and above image.

By the time all four of us met for a company photoshoot and a live Internet promotional event, I had been modeling for a year. I was more toned than I had ever been in my life. And Jim and I were seen everywhere in town together. Clubs, restaurants, and even the Mayor and his wife wanted us to show our face with them.

What Bella did with Jim alone that day, I never found out. I asked politely, and he smiled, saying that he felt like a trapped butterfly in a spider web. He was so correct at that. And Bella, the spider was circling.

We didn't see her often, but when she visited town or we traveled to San Francisco, it was the same routine. Bella would meet us and send me off to do errands or to meetings as she entertained Jim. Unlike couples where one travels and the other stays home, we had sitters and nannies available if needed, so Jim would always be on Bella's beck and call when I had to travel to Frisco.

"Linda," Jim said that night at the Hyatt Regency. "Do you know why Bella likes to show me off when she visits or when we are here?"

"You mean take pictures with you for the media and have you be her escort?" I asked, trying to act like it was normal.

"Don't you think it's over the top?" he asked.

"It's all part of the image Jim," I replied as I changed.

"She has a husband," Jim finally said. "Why doesn't she..."

"Exactly why, Jim. Neither of them wants to put out an image of the faithful married couple. People can find out that they are married if they try. But their press agents have put the word out that the LaVallieres want to exude a European couple image. So when he is seen with women and she with you, it's seen as very cosmopolitan. Women still think he is available, and they watch any commercial he makes, imagining they have a shot at him. And men think she is available, and they have a shot at her. It's an advertising subconscious notion thing. Or so the marketing people tell me."

"Agents come up with that shit?"

"They get paid more than I am to do so," I replied.

Jim said nothing, but I saw his jaw clench at the mention of my compensation by B-fit. By this point, I was paid more than $250,000 annually. Tossing in the perks of family vacations to Europe, the Lexus for me, and the fully loaded truck for Jim, we were bringing in much more than the 250 grand. Not to mention the large home in the best upper-middle-class school district in town. It was ridiculous what Bella spent on us.