The Temptress

by C. J. Fallowfield

  ‘You have pictures of my son,’ I shrugged, aiming for casual indifference. ‘I don’t see what benefit that will be of to you. I hardly keep him a closely guarded secret.’

  ‘Ah but you do, from the person who has the most to gain from this news. You have the most unusual coloured eyes, how odd that your son has those dark brown ones of his father, not to mention an uncanny resemblance to him.’ She smiled as I tried not to let the utter devastation I felt at her comment show on my face. She knew. How the hell did she know? ‘I suspect that my husband is not aware of his existence, yet. You are keeping this from him. How angry do you think he’ll be to learn of this information in the news? If you refuse to comply with my demands, I will be forced to add this little titbit to the news of your betrayal of me in the press. How much more convincing, an affair with the woman who had his secret love child, that he comes to London to visit every week, staying only a stone’s throw from where his lover lives. No one will believe otherwise. My husband is not a forgiving man either. I am sure that when he discovers he has a son and you have failed to be honest with him about this fact, he will be furious with you. O yes,’ she laughed, as I blinked up at her, unsure of what to say. This I’d not expected at all. ‘This is the face I wanted to see. I wish I had a camera to take a snapshot for prosperity, this would be a picture that I would keep in my wallet. I will let you peruse the rest of the documents, all of which are obviously copies, while you come to the inevitable conclusion that you must comply with my demands. I must avail myself of your ladies facilities. Where are they?’

  I pointed at the door to my bedroom in a daze. Trying to blackmail me and my reputation was one thing, bringing Tristan into this was unacceptable. I’d not been followed all week, I was sure of it. The next photo was me holding Tristan’s hand as we left the house to get into my car. Damn it! She’d already found us and taken these before I even realised she was watching. That’s why I hadn’t spotted anyone, she didn’t need to follow me anymore, she already had what she needed. I’d been prepared to let her try and smear me, her picture of me kissing Luc was clear enough to show my face, but definitely not his. Even if she had stills or footage of us from the camera in the bar, I could have got out of it, but this? I didn’t want to be forced into telling Luc about Tristan, I needed to do it in my own time, but she was only giving me two weeks if I didn’t do as she asked. Shit! I sifted through the other documents, a copy of his birth certificate with father unknown listed, but the date of birth highlighted. Copies of the hotel records showing I was in Paris at a time conducive to conception. This was going to prove difficult to fight. She was right, with him being so close to me every weekend, rarely seen out of his suite, it would look as if we’d continued a secret affair. I covered my mouth in horror as I saw a mock-up of the newspaper headline she planned to have released and it was dated next week, not the end of the month.

  ‘So,’ came her smug voice. ‘You will see that I am serious. But you no longer have two weeks, I demand your compliance within one. The ball is in your court, Miss McQueen. His reputation, or yours.’

  ‘I need two weeks,’ I replied without looking up at her.

  ‘Non! I have been patient enough and you have no leverage to bargain with here. You either fuck him, like the putain you are, for the fee of two million pounds, or I ruin both of you with this press release.’

  ‘I won’t accept your money,’ I snapped, as I rose up to face her. ‘I don’t want a penny from you, what you’re doing is disgusting and despicable.’

  ‘Too late. I have already paid a twenty-five percent deposit to your client holding funds, as requested in your contract that your insolent receptionist sent to me when I requested the booking. It was paid the same day. £500,000. So you cannot argue that you refused to take the case, for you have sat on these funds for two weeks now without attempting to return them or cancel our agreement. What is it to be? Fucking or your son’s pictures on the front page?’

  ‘He’s a little boy. Surely you’re not so heartless as to hurt a young child who has never even met his own father through no fault of his own? This is something that needs to happen gradually, forcing this on him could have untold psychological effects.’

  ‘Not my problem,’ she smirked.

  ‘It’s not his fault,’ I pleaded, battling tears that were building up, threatening to burst from my eyes with force.

  ‘Then you have no choice but to accept the rest of my money and sleep with my husband. Trust me, it will hardly be a chore.’

  ‘You must really love him to want to tear him down this badly and hurt my son in the process,’ I uttered, shaking my head.

  ‘Love, you speak of love as if it means something. Power and money are what grease the cogs of life, love is insignificant, love forces people to make foolish decisions and they have to live with the consequences. Love means nothing.’

  ‘Because you have never given or received it. You speak of love as if you know its meaning. You don’t. I thought your heart was frozen when I first met you, but now I realise that you don’t even have a heart at all. I’d rather have a life with the love I feel for my son and his in return and no money or power, than to spend even a minute in your shoes,’ I retorted. ‘I want you to leave, get out, before I do something I’ll really regret.’

  ‘I think you did that the moment you let my husband stick his unprotected cock inside you.’

  ‘I’ll never regret that,’ I hissed.

  ‘Regardless, you have made your bed and now you must suffer the consequences. Fuck him again.’

  ‘What guarantee do I have that if I do this, you won’t release that story anyway?’

  ‘None,’ she smiled, as she reached up and smoothed her bun. ‘You’ll just have to trust me, much as I trusted my dear husband to stay faithful. How shocked I will be when pictures of him in your bed are splashed across the tabloids. It’s truly been a pleasure. I’m looking forward to our meeting next week.’ She licked the tip of her finger and slowly smoothed her brow before turning to walk away. I grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop and look back over her shoulder at me.

  ‘Give me the two weeks, please.’ If she knew about Luc’s bank meetings she could really screw with his plans, he’d need more time.

  ‘I do like this look on you, the look of defeat and compliance. Evidence in my hands next week or you will suffer the consequences. Goodbye, Miss McQueen,’ she retorted as she yanked her arm away and stalked out of my office. I sank onto the sofa and put my head in my hands. I’d gone from feeling totally in control of this meeting to being placed in this awful position. I wiped a wet patch on my trousers, wondering what I’d spilt and realised I had tears streaming down my face. I quickly got up and ran through to my en-suite and blew my nose, dabbing under my lashes to dry my tears as I forced myself to breathe slowly. I still had a week to try and fix this. Two weeks would have been better, but a week was better than nothing. I shook myself down and walked out and gasped in horror at the sight on my bed. Violet had laid out my outfit for tonight, my designer dress and the expensive lingerie, but it was in tatters. It had all been shredded, ripped apart at the seams. It looked like a wild animal had savaged it with sharp teeth and claws.

  ‘O my God. She did this?’ gasped Violet behind me. I nodded and burst into uncontrollable tears. I hated Myrtille Le Grand with a passion. Violet quickly put her arms around me and hugged me tightly. ‘I’m so sorry, this is my fault, I shouldn’t have taunted her.’

  ‘No, it’s not your fault. I did the same, I thought I’d covered every angle, that she had no hold over me but I was wrong. She knows about Tristan.’

  ‘O God,’ Violet sighed. ‘Surely she’s not using him in her tactics?’

  ‘Yes,’ I mumbled as I tried to wipe my tears.

  ‘What a bitch. We still have two weeks to fix this right?’

  ‘One, she’s reduced it to one,’ I replied, as I straightened up and blew my nose again, angry with myself for letting her get to me and for not
seeing her moves in advance.

  ‘Go and have a hot shower to de-stress and start with your hair and makeup, you have a date tonight, you can’t be going looking all tearful. Leave an alternative outfit with me and I’ll get you some coffee and chocolate for when you come out.’

  ‘Thanks, Mum,’ I smiled, gently bumping shoulders with her.

  ‘I’ve never seen you cry, it’s upsetting me, go before I start,’ she ordered.

  I felt better when I’d freshened up and made a few calls. This was like any other situation I had to face, there was always a solution if you took the time to assess and plan a comeback strategy. I finished my hair and some light makeup, going for fresh and radiant and stepped out into my bedroom. Violet had laid out a black silk shirt with a gold laser cut belt and my original shoes with the silk ties to wind up my calves. It was definitely a hot and sexy look, showing off my long legs and a substantial portion of my thighs, but just long enough to be decent, provided I didn’t bend over. I cocked my head as I looked at two black boxes on the bed next to it and carefully lifted up the lid of the one to see a small typed card.

  I peeled back the delicate, embossed lingerie tissue paper and gasped to see the most beautiful, and expensive, gold lace underwear. A small V-string, with cut out details at the back and a stunning corset, with white embroidery on the front. I quickly got dressed in the matching items and did a spin. These little knickers were very sexy and cheeky, in more ways than one. The corset fitted perfectly, lifting my breasts as high as they could be. I wondered if they were from Luc and opened the second box, nearly bursting into tears as I saw the contents. A cream Chanel hat, leather gloves and a black cashmere scarf. An exact match to the ones he’d purchased me in Paris on our date. Surely these couldn’t be the same ones? He couldn’t have kept them all this time? But if he hadn’t, how had he remembered what they looked like, or got these items which would have been discontinued by now? I cursed as I looked at the time and quickly did up my shoes, buttoned the shirt and buckled the belt. A spritz of perfume and some chunky silver bangles, courtesy of Coco and I was done. I packed my phone and some nude gloss in my clutch, along with some tissues and headed out to reception, only to receive a whistle from Mike and approving nod from Violet.

  ‘Looking good,’ Mike nodded.

  ‘Thank you,’ I blushed.

  ‘You got your presents from Mr. Le Grand then?’ grinned Violet.

  ‘I certainly did,’ I nodded, wondering how he knew my size, both items fitted me perfectly. I saw Violet giggle and quickly rearrange the papers on her desk.

  ‘You!’ I laughed. ‘You sorted these?’

  ‘No, but I may have assisted with leaking your sizes. It was all him, they arrived at lunch time and I kept them to the last minute to surprise you with. What was in the other box?’

  ‘Some things he gave me when we first met, that I left with him. It seems he kept them.’

  ‘Wow, that’s so romantic,’ she sighed. ‘Holding onto the memories of you until he had you again.’

  ‘Love sick,’ coughed Mike under his breath, earning himself a scowl from both of us. Violet was right, it was so romantic.

  ‘So, where are you going tonight?’ Vi asked.

  ‘To pick him up from the hotel, Mike’s sure he can lose any tail, but Luc won’t tell me where we’re going.’

  ‘Well we’d better leave now in case I need to take any measures, the limo isn’t as fast as the Merc,’ Mike confirmed. ‘Otherwise we’ll be late.’

  ‘Can’t have that,’ I replied with a shake of my head. ‘He’s a stickler for punctuality.’

  ‘Have an amazing time and don’t worry if you need some time out this week, I can cover. You never take a break and you have a lot on your plate.’ Violet smiled at me as she came around to give me a hug.

  ‘Well if you’re sure, I could do with taking a day out tomorrow and maybe Friday?’

  ‘Consider annual leave granted,’ she winked, making me laugh. ‘See you Wednesday then, but I expect a call with all the salacious details.’

  ‘That’s you, Coco and Dom then, I definitely need a day off,’ I replied with a roll of my eyes.

  ‘Details for me too,’ suggested Mike with a cheeky smile.

  ‘Dream on!’ I laughed.

  The closer we got to The Domville the more nervous I felt. I still had anxiety rolling around in my stomach from my run in with Myrtille this afternoon, which didn’t help, but Luc was expecting sex tonight and I felt all this pressure. I hadn’t had good sex in six years. What if it didn’t live up to expectations, for either of us? What if we’d had our quota of amazing sex in that one unbelievable night and it was never going to compare again? I shook my head, I was being ridiculous, no one with chemistry like we had could have bad sex. Even just holding his hand did things to my body, Christ, just thinking about him now had me totally aroused. I could feel the dull ache in my heavy breasts, the tingle in my stiffening nipples, the throb of my clit and how swollen and wet I felt.

  ‘We’re nearly there,’ Mike announced over his shoulder. ‘I’ll put up the privacy screen. You know the button to press if you need my attention.’

  ‘Thanks, Mike, I really appreciate you doing this for me,’ I confirmed.

  ‘No problem, I enjoy it. Not quite as exhilarating as my former career, but far less risky.’

  ‘Yes, well best we don’t mention that,’ I smiled, catching his eye in the rear view mirror. He grinned and the black glass screen rose up to separate us. Getaway driver, honestly, I thought. It was a good job I hadn’t been aware, or I’d never have hired him, but he was too good to let go. I checked my watch as Mike pulled up in front of The Domville’s revolving doors. Dead on time, he was good. I sent Luc a quick text to let him know we were waiting and less than sixty seconds later I saw him striding from the direction of the bar and through the lobby. I gulped to see him. He cut such a commanding presence with his six foot two muscular frame. His dark hair had that just got out of bed sexy mussed up style that I loved so much and he looked more relaxed than he had since he’d inadvertently fallen back into my life. I was dreading the conversation I needed to have with him about his wife, he wasn’t going to be happy. He nodded to the doorman as he exited via the side door and reached up to undo the button on his tailored charcoal suit. He was tieless, his crisp white shirt had a few buttons undone at the neck, exposing a little of that broad chest of his. God he was so beautiful. I’d instructed Mike to stay in the car, in case Myrtille had anyone watching and recognised him as my employee, so Luc stepped off the curb and let himself inside. I took a deep calming breath as his delicious scent invaded my nostrils when he reached over to close the door behind him and Mike immediately pulled away.

  I felt my cheeks turn a deep shade of puce as I looked around at him through my lashes, to see his chest heaving, orange flames of desire burning in his eyes and before I knew what was happening, my seat belt had been undone and I was straddling his lap, his forceful and demanding tongue plunging deeply into my mouth. His hands were straight up my shirt, slipping up to cup my bottom, his fingers kneading my flesh hard, mine tangling in his hair, pulling it to keep his mouth on mine. The temperature in the limo had shot up several degrees in seconds, my heart was pumping at flat out sprint pace and a bellyful of arousal pooled between my thighs, not to mention how fast his cock unfurled, pressing through the few bits of material separating our aching groins. I released his hair, reaching down to unzip his trousers. He moved to bite my neck, kissing in the spot he’d discovered all those years ago, as if he’d memorised it, making me moan. He grunted as my fingers slid through the gap in his boxers, grasping his erection. I didn’t dare look down at it, had he really been this large or had he grown?

  “Every time you have sex and you lie there wondering if his tiny prick is even inside you, you’ll question what it would have been like to have this inside you.” That’s what Luc had said to me when he’d walked away that first night in Paris, sensing my hesitation. He
was right, none of the men I’d been with, before or since, had anything on what I was holding in my hand right now. I felt his finger pluck the material of the string, sliding it to the side as he groaned to feel how swollen and wet I was for him. I shifted my hips slightly, to position him at my clenching entrance.

  ‘Tell me you’re on the pill,’ he uttered, with me thinking it was a bit late to be worrying about that given we already had a child, but this time I was, I’d been careful ever since that moment of madness.

  ‘Yes,’ I confirmed, then screamed as he grasped my hips and forced them downwards, slamming himself up inside me. My whole body trembled as my muscles tried to adjust to the size of him inside me, every nerve ending that he touched sizzling, burning with pleasure. I rippled around him as we both breathed heavily, while he gave me a moment to try to catch my breath, then before I knew it his mouth was on mine, claiming it possessively, as he used his powerful arms to lift me up and down on his cock, which I swear was still growing.

  ‘Merde,’ he mumbled into my mouth as my fingers locked behind his neck. I broke our lip lock as my head dropped back, cries of pleasure bursting from my mouth, incoherent garbles. I used my thighs to push myself down onto him harder, before he lifted me again, over and over. Had I ever felt this full or satisfied since him? Even without an orgasm yet? I sincerely doubted it, but I was already building towards the precipice of a fall so steep I wasn’t sure I’d survive it.

  ‘Luc,’ I moaned, my body starting to stiffen as a tingle raced up my spine and into my head.

  ‘Lulu,’ he groaned in return. ‘It’s been too long, I need … mon Dieu, I need to … come. Tell me you’re close?’ he demanded. I tried to reply, but it was too late, all my focus was centred on the feeling of indescribable pleasure blossoming out from my core. I spasmed against him, his hands quickly moving up to my shoulders to support me. I felt tears of happiness rolling down my cheeks as he roared and I felt a warmth spreading inside me, as I slumped forwards onto his shoulder gasping for air, the noise of his groans filling my ears. ‘Ma belle, tu es incroyable, still incredible. Are you ok?’