Dark Room (Society X #1)

by L. P. Dover

  “In a way, I am,” he says.

  My stomach drops and I nod, pretending to be happy for him. I can’t get mad because I’m not exactly single either. It doesn’t matter anyway because it’ll never happen between us, no matter how much I fantasize about him.

  “That’s good. Maybe we could double date sometime.” The words come out of my mouth before I can stop the word vomit. What in the hell is my problem?

  Parker gets up and heads for the door, the tension so thick I could cut it with a knife. “I don’t think that’ll be such a great idea. But have fun tonight, and get some rest this weekend. We have another busy week coming up. I’ll see you on Monday.” He turns his back and heads out the door.

  “You too,” I whisper.

  Why is it that people always want what they can’t have? There was a time when I could’ve had Parker Ward, but I’d made a mistake. I chose the wrong man. How could I have ever been so stupid?

  Jared leads me to the dressing room later that night and shuts the door behind him. In his hands is a little black box. He holds it out to me and smiles. “This is for you.”

  I take the box and open it up, gasping when I see the diamond X glittering in the light. “Oh my God, is this real?”

  I pull it out and he takes it, clasping it around my neck. “Yes, it is. This was specially made for you.”

  “It must’ve cost a fortune.”

  He chuckles. “Something tells me, this guy can afford it. You’re officially Society X royalty now. He’s the one who had it made for you. No one else has one like it.”

  There’s a mirror beside me and I look at the jewels around my neck. “Who is this guy?” I mumble to myself.

  Jared grins and leaves me to undress. I know the drill. Taking off my clothes, I take a deep breath before finding my place in the dark room. The necklace feels foreign around my neck, especially since I know it has to have cost thousands of dollars. I’ve never owned a piece of jewelry that cost even near that amount.

  Instead of lying across the bed, I sit at the edge. My whole body is tense when the door to the other side of the room opens and he steps across the floor. They aren’t slow and deliberate footsteps like before; they’re fast and determined. The next thing I know, his hands are in my hair and he’s shoving me back on the bed. His lips are hard against mine, like a ravenous animal. It’s just what I need. How did he know?

  I open myself up to him, wrapping my legs around his waist. The sound of a wrapper opens and I feel him reach between my legs to slide the condom down on himself. Without wasting any time, he pushes into me in one hard thrust. I can’t control myself and a gasp escapes my lips. The sound spurs him on and he goes harder, the sound of our skin slapping together echoes loudly in the barren room.

  He pulls my head to the side and grazes his teeth along my neck, nipping my tender flesh. A satisfied growl rumbles in his chest when he feels the diamond necklace. He fingers the X, before gripping onto my hair.

  When he closes his mouth over my nipple, I almost lose control. Everything inside of me tightens as he licks and sucks my breasts. His thrusts are as hard as they are relentless, quickly sending me over the edge. I bite my lip to keep from screaming, but all I want to do is let it out. He grunts a few times and jerks as his cock pulsates inside of me.

  My heart races, but I’m nowhere near done. He lies on top of me, and I push against his chest, lifting my hips for him to move over. It’s like he knows what I want because he rolls off of me. I already miss him inside of me, but there’s something else I want.

  I move down his body and slide the condom off of his still hard arousal. He groans when I place my lips over the tip, gently sucking down his release. I want to taste him, to feel all of him. Crawling back on top of him, I take him inside me. His fingers dig into my hips as I ride him hard. I’m probably going to have bruises and bite marks all over my body, but I don’t care. It’s more pleasure than pain.

  My orgasm explodes from the inside out, but I keep on going, until I feel the heat of his release filling me. He sits up and holds me close against his chest, placing his lips to mine. A satisfied moan escapes his lips and I smile. My body aches, especially the spot between my legs, but it’s a good feeling. I trail my fingers down his back and kiss his shoulder. Hopefully, he’ll get my message. There are three words I trace against his skin.

  Until next time.

  I kiss him again before letting go, exiting the room like I’m supposed to. Safely on the other side of the door, I look down at my necklace, my heart racing out of control. “Who are you?”

  It’s a shame I’ll never know.

  “Girl, it’s time to wake up,” Rachel shouts, jumping on my bed. “It’s eleven o’clock.”

  My head bounces against the pillow and I groan. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  She stops jumping and lies down beside me, propping her head on the pillow. I open an eye and glare at her. “It’s Saturday. I thought maybe we could get some sun and have a girls’ day. Maybe even a mani-pedi?” she asks, looking hopeful. “I made breakfast.”

  The smell of eggs and bacon wafts up to my room and my mouth waters. “Sometimes I hate knowing you have a key to my house, but I think I love you right now.”

  Laughing, she smacks me on the ass. “I’ve already eaten, so I’m going to head out to the backyard. The sun is perfect right now.” She bounces out of my room and the back door slams as she races outside.

  Ever so slowly, I get out of bed and slip into my light blue bikini. I don’t look at myself in the mirror because I know I look like a hot mess. Once in the kitchen, I eat the rest of the eggs and bacon and guzzle a glass of orange juice.

  Rachel has the music blaring outside, her head bobbing to the sound. She already has a towel ready for me on the ground. I quickly rub sunscreen over my body, so I don’t get burnt. Having alligator skin doesn’t exactly go with my designs.

  “It’s about time,” she says, as I open the door. Lifting her head, her mouth gapes. “What is that?” Tearing off her sunglasses, she jumps to her feet and races over. Her fingers grab the diamond X and that’s when I notice hers, just a simple silver X on a chain. It’s nothing like mine. “How did you get one like this?”

  I shrug. “Jared said my guy had it made for me.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll be damned. Why can’t I find a guy like that?” Her gaze finds something else and she gasps. “Care to tell me what happened there?”

  I look down and my eyes go wide. “Oh, wow. I didn’t realize it was so bad.” I knew I’d have marks from his bite, but I didn’t realize it was going to be so evident. What’s crazy is, I actually like it. “Things got a little hot and heavy last night.”

  Rachel laughs. “You think? I’m jealous now. I want to know who this guy is.”

  Sighing, I walk over to my towel and plop down. “You’re telling me. You have no idea how bad I wish I knew.”

  The scotch I poured when I arrived home from Society X still rests on my knee with my hand wrapped tightly around the glass. I don’t believe I’ve moved an inch since I sat down. In all my sexually active life, I have never gone bareback. Yet in a weakened moment, when she took me in, skin to skin, all I could do was dig my fingers into her flesh and encourage her to ride me until I emptied into her.

  I don’t know if it’s fear or dread that’s running through me. As I try to think about every worst-case scenario, I only come up with two: pregnancy and STDs. We had unprotected sex and I have no one to blame other than myself. I’m the walking adage for thinking with my dick instead of my brain.

  I hate that I don’t know anything about her. I do know one thing, however – we fuck well together. No, not well – fucking fantastic – the way she feels wrapped around my dick is like no other feeling ever.

  I need to know her.

  My eyes close the second the sun shines into my living room. I’m still dressed from the night before and wide-awake with thoughts of what the future might hold. If she were to
become pregnant from our time together, how would I find out? Is that something Christy will call and tell me?

  Running a hand over my face, I groan. My body aches from sitting for so long and I’m in need of a shower and a shave before I meet Bryce this morning. We’re meeting on the golf course to discuss business. It’s better there than at my office or his. I set my glass of scotch on the table and make my way into my bathroom, turning on the shower. I step in, forgetting that I’m fully clothed, and curse at myself for being so stuck in my head.

  “It’s not like you can do anything about it,” I tell myself as I undress. Once the cold water hits my skin, I wake up a little.

  Today is going to fucking suck. I feel like I have a massive hangover and I haven’t had a drop to drink. My memory is crystal clear and as much as I want to forget last night I know I’m never going to be able to. I have a sick obsession with her and I need to figure out a way to get over it. It’s not healthy for either of us. The initial thrill has died down and I still want more, but I don’t know how I go about breaking the rules to find out her name.

  As the water cascades down my body, my mind replays the moment my mouth touched the necklace I designed for her. I needed her to have something that stands out from every other woman in Society X. I wanted to be the one to slip it around her neck, to see her expression when the cool platinum caressed the skin that my lips know well. I have never, in my life, been so smitten with someone that I don’t even know.

  Once I’m done in the shower, I forgo shaving and dress quickly in khakis and a pullover. I shoot off a quick text to Mrs. Jones as I head to my car, letting her know I’m heading straight to my lunch meeting and to cancel any meetings that I have today, only to realize after I’ve hit sent that it’s Saturday. I’m afraid I'm not going to be able to function by mid-afternoon and the last thing I need is to enter into some deal that I can’t get out of.

  I contemplate texting Mia to tell her to take the weekend off. I know she’s working hard and if I know her like I think I do, she has her work spread out on her table with a cup of coffee in her hand and pencils in her hair. As much as I hate to admit it, I made a mistake hiring her. Not because she’s not qualified, she’s overly so. It’s because of how I feel about her.

  I’ve turned women down who have worked for me in the past and fired people for dating co-workers. Workplace romances affect the company and the team’s morale. There’s no way I can ask Mia out as anything more than a friend while she’s working for me. In my fantasy world, she has money stashed away and can purchase Les Belle from me at a reasonable price.

  Or, I can just give it to her.

  I have no doubt in my mind she’s the one that got away. When I had the opportunity, I didn’t make a move out of respect for Andrew. That was my mistake because before I knew it, she was in the arms of that ass-licker, Zac. I saw the way she looked at him and realized I couldn’t compete.

  Bryce is getting his clubs out of his car when I pull in. As luck would have it, there’s a spot next to him I claim.

  “You look like shit,” he says as I get out of the car.

  I press the button that opens my trunk and flip him off. That’s the most professional greeting I can muster for the moment. My appearance is his fault. If he hadn’t asked me to invest, I would’ve never known about the dark room. Or had the best sex of my life. It’s a double-edged sword, no matter which way I drive the knife in. I think at this point, I could live without the sex. I’d rather take my chances and meet her on the street somewhere.

  Except she’s at the club for a reason, and it gives me pause, wondering why she chose the dark room. What is she hiding? For me, it’s a safe way to keep my identity hidden and avoid the instant cling-on, who only wants to be with me for status.

  “Your appearance is a little unlike you,” he says, reminding me that I look like shit.

  “Couldn’t sleep last night.” I don’t really care to elaborate, so I change the subject. “How’s business?”

  “Good, numbers are solid and memberships are up.”

  It dawns on me he must know I paid for two memberships, and it makes me wonder if he’ll say anything. Although, being discreet is what he’s best at. “That’s good. What are your plans for expansion?”

  We arrive at the first tee and have to wait for the party in front of us to finish. They’re laughing and carrying on, already a few sheets to the wind. I spot a Bloody Mary and crave one. Even though I don’t have a hangover, my body feels like it does.

  A mechanical laugh catches my attention, causing me to lean out of the cart to get a better look. It’s Peter Fields, and his arm is wrapped around some woman. I see red, remembering how he’d asked Mia out just yesterday. I knew he was a no good piece of shit.

  “I’m thinking Tampa or Miami. The scene is hot down there,” I hear Bryce say.

  I nod, pretending I’m interested. I should be, considering it’s some of my money he’s using. But truth be told, my mind is elsewhere.

  Peter and his crew get in their cars and head to the next tee. I motion for the people behind us to go ahead. I won’t make it through the day if I have to follow that sleazeball around for a round of golf. My foot may accidentally fall asleep on the gas pedal and cause us to chase him into the pond.

  “Are you sure you want to golf?”

  “Yeah, why?” I ask, getting out of the cart and pulling my driver out.

  “You seem . . . off.” Bryce hesitates before finishing.

  “I haven’t slept in a day or so.” The second the words are out of my mouth, I regret them. I know Bryce, but not like Andrew. He’s not my buddy in that sense. As soon as the couple in front of us walks down the fairway, I move toward the tee and take a few practice swings, hoping to avoid further conversation on the matter.

  “What’s her name?” I pause and that’s enough time for him to shake his head. “What you’re doing in the dark room is unconventional at best.”

  “Christy told you?”

  Bryce nods. “She needed my permission. We’ve never had anyone keep the same partner, or give them their own necklace. Do you know her?”

  I bend to put my ball on the wooden tee. When I stand, Bryce is looking at me with the most serious expression I have ever seen. I shake my head, knowing he’s waiting for a verbal answer.

  “I don’t, but she’s . . . I can’t explain it.” I take a deep breath and look out over the lush green grass of the fairway. “From the moment I touched her, I had to know her. And I’m not just talking about sex. I do nothing but think about her.” And imagine another woman’s face because I’m sick and twisted like that.

  I step up to my ball and dig my spikes into the soft ground. Pulling my driver back, I swing through the hips, and watch my ball fly through the sky. Bryce pats me on the shoulder and I step aside so he can take his hit. He takes more time than I do, studying the grass and the wind. When he finally swings, his ball flies farther than mine, instantly souring my already horrible mood.

  “Nice one,” I tell him as we get back into the cart.

  “I have a virtual golf game at home. I’ve been practicing.”

  “Figures,” I mutter as we pull up to my ball.

  “So tell me about her,” he says from behind me.

  “Nothing to tell.” What I want to say is, she fucks like a champ and her pussy is made of fucking gold, but I can’t. Even though I don’t know her, I can’t disrespect her that way. It’s bad enough we screw in pure darkness and don’t even know each other’s names. “I’d have to know her in order to tell you something. If I did, I’d probably be fucking her in my bed and not yours.”

  “That’s probably true,” he says with a smirk.

  I know it’s true. If I knew who she was, I’d be with her every available minute. It has to be some sort of sign that I feel this connected to a woman I haven’t shared a conversation with, or even a glance. I hope that if I ever meet her on the street, I’ll know it’s her, because letting her go and never know
ing who she is, is going to be the hardest thing I’ll ever have to go through.

  The perks of owning your own company is the hours you keep. The downfall is that everything you missed today has to be made up tomorrow. After my golf game with Bryce, I bailed on a liquid lunch with him and came home. The first thing I did was strip down to nothing, pull my blackout curtains closed, and crawl into bed.

  When I woke from what I’d consider a less than stellar nap, I made the mistake of turning my phone on. It was a full ten minutes before the alerts stopped, leaving me with no desire to return any messages or texts. Instead, I buried my head deeper into my pillow, until Mia's ringtone, Eric Clapton’s Beautiful Tonight, echoes in my room. For some reason, the song reminds me of her. I don’t know if it’s because she’s off limits that I hope to one day have a chance, or if it’s simply because she’s beautiful.

  I clear my throat in a lame attempt to sound more awake, but it doesn’t work. Halfway through saying “Hello,” my voice cracks and I sound like a frog.

  “Are you sick? Do you need me to bring some soup?”

  This is a loaded question. Would I like Mia to come over? Yes. Do I want soup from her? No. I’d be happier than a pig in shit if I could rest my head on her lap and tell her how crazy I’ve made my life. She wouldn’t understand the whole paying for sex thing, though.

  “I think I'm just a bit run down. I’ll be fine by Monday,” I say, sitting up. I pull my phone away quickly to see the time and realize it’s just after nine. I’ve slept the day away and probably won’t be able to sleep tonight. “How was your day?”

  “Eh, it was boring for the most part. I didn’t do any work.”

  I laugh, knowing that any day with her isn’t boring, and knowing full well she worked her ass off today. It’s in her nature. “You know, I wish that were true, the part about you not working.”

  “I tried.” She sighs, which causes an instant stirring beneath my sheets. How can an action as simple as breathing be the reason a cock wakes up? No wonder women think we’re imbeciles.