Serenity (Inevitable #5)(127)

Sasha pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, willing away the dull headache that was beginning to make itself known. "Was this woman petite and dark haired? Around forty years old?"

Serge nodded. "Yup. And with tits out to here." He cupped his hands in front of his chest, mimicking the size of Lindsey's breasts. "Fake as a three dollar bill, of course, but she makes damned sure you notice them."

Sasha heaved a sigh. "That's Lindsey Bennett. Matthew's ex - well, not so ex-wife nowadays. I didn't know who she was until the end of class when she approached me to gloat about the situation. And I might have gotten a little testy with her about some things, but not during class."

Serge looked incredibly relieved at this news. "Ah, that explains a lot. The jealous ex, the hot young girlfriend. Sounds like she came here to check out the competition, and cause some trouble for you in the process."

"I'm hardly competition anymore, Serge," she replied sadly. "After all, Matthew's with her now, not me."

"Baloney." Serge waved a hand in dismissal. "He's with his kids, not his ex, from what you've told me. And while Mrs. Bennett is definitely hot, she's also a stark raving bitch. I'm guessing Matthew is hating his life right about now, and wishing he'd made a different choice." He enfolded Sasha in an affectionate embrace. "You're one in a million, kiddo, and Matthew knows it. He'll figure it out sooner than later, and beg you to take him back." 

She shrugged. "I'm not convinced of that, Serge. And even if he did, I'm not so sure I'd want him back. I'm the complete opposite of my mother in almost every way except for one - I'm not a very forgiving person at times."

Serge patted her on the back. "But you're also a softie. So I'm pretty sure that you'd take Matthew back under the right circumstances. In the meanwhile, I'm glad you told me about his wife. I knew there had to be a reasonable explanation for her complaint, given that the only complaints I ever get about you or your class are about how tough it is to actually get into a class. I'm also going to tell Willow that Lindsey Bennet isn't welcome in this studio in the future. No one's allowed to insult the best yoga teacher I've ever known, and the most beloved one at this studio."

Sasha hugged her boss. "You and Morgana are like family to me, you know. And your faith in me makes up for that nasty encounter with Lindsey. Thanks, Serge."

"Anytime, kiddo. Especially since keeping you happy is very, very important to my business. I'm well aware that you could get a job at any other studio in the city just by walking in the door. So don't let that jealous bitch ruin your day, okay?"

But Serge's words did little to reassure Sasha, or make her forget the ugly scene with Lindsey. She was still shuddering over the encounter as she readied the massage room for her first client.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming call, and she glanced at the caller ID out of curiosity, given that she rarely got calls at this time of the day. The fact that it was her aunt Linda calling was even more unusual, since they typically communicated via email or text.

"I hope I'm not bothering you, niná," began Linda. "But I just heard some really shocking news and I needed to tell you before you read it somewhere else. It's - well, about Riley Cullen."

Sasha froze, not sure that she had heard Linda correctly, but unwilling to ask because hearing that name mentioned again just might send her a little over the edge.

"What about him?" she asked in a hollow voice. "I thought you and I agreed to never bring him up again."

"I know. And believe me, I wouldn't have mentioned him except for what I've just learned about him and both of his parents. Sasha, you know that old saying about how bad things happen in threes?" inquired Linda.

"I do. Just a superstition, though. One of many my mother believes in."

"Well, in this case, Katya would have been right. I just left Mill Valley, had to pick up some supplies at the pet store for my little zoo here, and it seems like the whole town is abuzz with what's been going on. Riley was arrested almost two weeks ago for embezzlement and tax fraud, and he's already been fired from the investment firm he was working for. His father has been relieved of his duties as chief of police pending an investigation into charges of corruption. And Mrs. Cullen is in danger of being suspended from the State Bar for something or other. What makes all of this so shocking is how it happened to all three of them at practically the same time."

Sasha knew without ever having to ask that this was no coincidence. And she was convinced that somehow Matthew had made all of this happen, just as he'd promised her. What was it exactly he'd said that night after she had tearfully confessed about being date raped by the vile Riley Cullen - "I'm going to ruin him, one way or the other". Somehow Matthew had discovered the identity of her attacker, likely using the clue that Riley's father had been the chief of police. It would have been a simple enough matter at that point to figure out who Riley was. What Sasha couldn't figure out, though, was how Matthew had brought all this about, how he had exacted revenge on the boy who'd destroyed her innocence and caused her so many nightmares over the years.