Colette's Confession PT 1 (Patreon)

The hum of angry voices interrupted Jasmine’s slumber. Someone said, “Shh,” and the voices briefly quieted before violent hissing commenced.

“Oh, Colette.”

Ariana’s choked voice made Jasmine open her eyes. Lying on her side with her hands stacked beneath her cheek, she saw her sisters, their husbands, and Roth gathered on the far side of the room. The curtains had been drawn back to reveal the stunning mountain views.

“How could you keep this from me?”

Lyle’s muted roar brought Jasmine’s attention back to the crowd. A glance told her all she needed to know. Colette had finally spilled about Warren. Lyle skin was flushed, his hands were balled into fists at his sides, and the veins in his neck were popping out. If she was standing near Ariana, she would have nudged her sister to get her to rearrange her appalled expression. Rami had taken off his glasses to scrub a hand down his face and Roth… He was looking at the view so she couldn’t see his reaction to the news.

“I can’t believe this,” Lyle ranted. “All these years, I’ve been shaking his hand, sitting across from him at meetings and parties, and he…” Lyle pounded his fist into his palm and exploded, “He was at our fucking wedding!”

Colette said nothing. She just stared at her husband with tears sliding down her face. Even from a distance, Jasmine could see she was shaking.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell Maximus?” Lyle demanded.

Colette’s lip trembled. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t.” He stepped back, staring at Colette with something close to betrayal in his eyes. “Who the hell did I marry?”

Lyle stalked away from their huddle. He didn’t glance at the bed or he would have seen Jasmine was awake. He wrenched the door open and stalked out, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

“He didn’t mean it. It’s just the shock,” Ariana said as she rubbed Colette’s back.

Rami looked to Roth. “What are we going to do?”

But Roth wasn’t looking at him. His eyes were on Jasmine. She rolled in the opposite direction and threw the covers back. Before she pushed herself to a sitting position, Colette was at her side.

“How are you feeling?” Colette said brightly, even as tears continued to slide down her face.

Jasmine reached out and squeezed Colette’s arm in silent support and solidarity. Colette helped her to her feet even though she didn’t need assistance. She wasn’t surprised when her sisters came with her into the bathroom. Colette staggered to a wood bench in front of the glass shower and crossed her arms over her chest before she folded at the waist. Ariana knelt in front of her and hugged her while Jasmine placed her hand on her quaking back. The force of her sister’s pain hammered at her.

“It’s going to be okay,” Ariana said, but she sounded considerably less certain than she had several hours ago.

**This is a raw draft of Bitter Sins. Please do not share or distribute.

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