Temptation In Black

by Rice, Rachel E.

  Tears welled in her eyes. Alex rushed out of the elevator with her eyes lowered, past her secretary coming in for work, past the guards on the main floor. Through the perfect glass doors she scampered. The tears flowed down, and her face was drenched. With her head downcast from the sun and from her heartache, covering her red eyes with her hand, she ran to the apartment that had the sign of blackstone in bold letters. Everywhere she turned she saw Blackstone. She was so angry that she picked up a small rock and tossed it at the sign, and when that didn’t reach it, she took off one sneaker and hurled it with all her energy. It hit one of the lights, shattering the B and darkening it. Now the sign flashed lackstone. How can I get him out of my life? she thought.

  The elevator in the apartment seemed slow, and she hammered the button to the penthouse until finally it came. After entering the apartment, she fell in the corner of the foyer, holding her knees to her chest and rocking. Sitting on the cold marble floor, she found no warmth, but it gave her a new perspective on life. She stood and dried her tears with the sleeve of her white shirt and rushed to pack. She would go home to Seattle and see her parents and be with her son, Maxim.

  She would leave everything that had to do with Mr. Black—his car, his ring, his sexy body. Yes, the wonderful sex she enjoyed. Just thinking about him tore her apart.

  Alex had had enough; she wanted to be rid of Max. And she would wean herself off of that rich, handsome fuck, who drove her crazy with lust, if it took years. Then she could lessen his control over her and she would begin to start her life anew, she and her son. Those were her short-term plans. Long term, she hadn’t thought about that and now would not be the time.

  Whenever she thought of her son, Maxim, it was as her son. But he was Max’s son too, and it suddenly occurred to her that she would have him in her life forever. Max was a mistake. She could handle mistakes, but could she handle him? How would he take her leaving him? Where would she hide? There weren’t enough places in the world that he wouldn’t look.

  She paused for a few minutes and then walked, snatching her cheap dresses hidden in the back of her closet. She had known she would need them some day. That day had come, and sooner than she had planned. She still sobbed to herself, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think that it was all Max’s fault.

  It was her choice. She didn’t have to accept the job, especially since she knew some of the requirements—dirty talk and sex with Blackstone. I can handle that, she thought. The other stuff was far out of her expertise, yet she managed to learn what it took to keep that rich, beautiful fuck satisfied. “Was it worth it?” she questioned between trails of tears that fell though she continuously wiped them from her eyes. “He was worth every bit of it,” she mumbled as tears dripped into her mouth. He had taught her a lesson in life that her parents had said many times. Everything in life comes with a price, but the questions remains: Do you want to pay the price? “I love him and now he is unfaithful and I have no one. I don’t want anyone but him. What am I to do?”

  Some prices are higher than others, she thought.

  She gathered the expensive designer dresses in her arms and threw them on the floor. She wanted Max to see the depths of her anger because of his betrayal. Then she sank in the middle of the Vera Wang gown she had not seen. She looked at the label, and it said: To Alex for our wedding day. Alex pulled the dress to her face then buried herself in it, crying and laughing. What the fuck is this Max? Fuck you, Max! Fuck you! Alex tore the dress apart piece by piece with her hands, and then she found scissors and began cutting it. She had destroyed a thirty thousand dollar dress, her wedding gown, and she felt fine.

  Knowing that she wanted his cool, sexy ass and that she wanted him all to herself would command a lot of her time and life. But how did you claim a man like that without risking it all and then losing yourself in the mix? That was her dilemma, and she had no answers. She threw the pieces of the dress aside and stuffed her bag with her old clothes—a few sweaters, wool pants, a black leather jacket and cotton shorts, jeans and dresses.

  Standing and taking one last look, she asked herself, Where did he expect me to wear this? She held up a long black gown with the back cut out to the waist. He never invited me to any of his functions at his hotels or charity events, she mused.

  Her smartphone rang as she tossed her favorite designer dress in the pile.

  “Alex, sweetheart, I need you.”

  “You always need me for your kinky sex. I’m not…”

  “Listen for once?” His voice was commanding and dark.

  Alex calmed. “I’m listening.”

  “Will you accompany me to a fundraiser for the protection of the environment?”

  “Oh that is special; the very man who spoils the environment is now protecting it.”

  “Is that a yes or no?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “The limousine will pick you up at seven p.m. Friday. Wear one of the long dresses I selected for you, the black one. You’ll know it when you see it, and don’t wear any panties.”

  “What is it, a fundraiser or an orgy?”

  “Please, Alex, do as I ask for once.”

  “If I go with you, I need you to answer some questions. Remember I’m only going with you under certain conditions, and then I’m done.”

  “What do you mean ‘done’? Done with what and whom?”

  “I’ll answer that when I look into your eyes. We will start with what I saw in your office.”

  “What did you see?” He can’t be serious. I guess he’s going to say I imagined everything.

  “I’m not going to continue this conversation until I see you.” And she dropped his call.

  * * *

  Alex had a day to prepare. She had never been to any social functions with Max. They spent their days and nights hidden away in her penthouse apartment, which he had kept for her and for him to slip in and out when his dick was hard, and that was every day and night.

  She called Joshua. “I need your help.”

  “What? Putting a stake in Blackstone’s heart?”

  “Be serious. Can you suggest a place where I can get my hair cut and styled?”

  “I can probably do it for you along with the psychiatric duties.”

  “Are we going to act like adults? I have a date with Max for an environmental fundraiser and I need some expert help with my hair and makeup.”

  “You know that I was invited to his event and all of San Francisco is likely to be there, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in his intentions. With that murder hanging over his head, I bet it’s a publicity stunt.”

  “Well, you really know how to rain on a girl’s parade.”

  “When you’re caught in a downpour, what’s a few more raindrops?” Joshua chuckled. “I think I can help. I’ll make you an appointment with a hairstylist I’ve been seeing on and off.”

  “Fucking.”

  “You sound surprised. Or is it jealousy I detect?”

  “Neither, Joshua. I knew you wouldn’t wait for me forever. You’re a great guy.”

  “I would wait forever. Through Blackstone and children if I thought I had a chance with you.”

  “Don’t get so dramatic, Josh.” Joshua’s emotions spilled out like water from a crack in a dam. He regained his composure, but Alex could hear in his voice the longing and desperation of someone in love, or someone who wanted to be in love. She recognized it because that was how she felt about Max.

  “Go to Blackstone’s Omni hotel and ask for Sheila. She’ll hook you up.”

  “Thanks, Josh.”

  “No problem. I have to go. Some of us have to work for a living.”

  Alex dressed and drove to the hotel. It was the same hotel that Max had asked her to marry him in. She walked to the desk and asked for Sheila. She was led to the spa and, thanks to Joshua, Sheila gave her the works. A haircut and color, with highlights to lighten her auburn hair. She looked attractive and dazzling. It became more apparent when men tur
ned to stare. One man walked near her and whispered, “Beautiful.”

  Feeling sexy and emboldened by confidence, she decided to take a leisurely walk through the hotel and window shop. She needed makeup and maybe a pair of shoes. Alex spotted Manolo Blahnik’s shoe boutique and hurried in its direction. As she approached the door, she spotted Max walking out of the Chanel boutique with Corday attached to his arm. They had bags from Chanel and a small blue bag from Tiffany’s, which clearly showed that they had been on a woman’s shopping spree.

  Alex stopped in her tracks and glared at him. His gaze found her and locked on her eyes. She swirled around and ran in the direction of the taxi stand, and her tears fell hard. She forgot that she had parked her Mercedes with the attendant. Jumping into the nearest cab, she spotted Max’s silver Bugatti parked on the side entrance to the hotel. “That does it. Enough of the crying, do you hear?” she said aloud, talking to give herself courage to do what she knew she should have done all along.

  He is clearly enjoying his mornings and afternoons, she thought. Maybe that was how he said thank you to Corday for fucking her. He’d tied her up, let her beat him, and now he topped it off by taking that slut shopping. It’s a good job if you can get it. Fumbling for her smartphone, she dialed Joshua’s number.

  “Josh, I need you to do something for me.”

  “Anything, Alex.”

  “Take me to Max’s charity event.”

  “Sheila will be angry, secretly she won’t mind.”

  Her next call went to Max. “Maximilian, I can’t go with you. I’ll meet you at your event.” She didn’t want to hear any explanations. She dropped his call, and her thoughts settled on her son.

  * * *

  She wasn’t sure how and when she arrived at the apartment and into her bed. Those were lost days.

  Alex lumbered out of bed and into the shower. She had not heard from Max that Thursday to explain his walking arm in arm with Corday. She expected that he would at least call to apologize and explain. But it was not in his DNA to explain or apologize to anyone about his actions, and she knew it. He had asked her to marry him. Was that one of his diabolical plots? Indeed he was secretive about everything. What more could he be hiding?

  At 7:00 p.m. the doorman notified Alex that a limo was waiting at the entrance to her apartment. She called Josh, and he answered.

  “I’m already in the limo; get your ass in gear. I don’t want to be late. You know I work for the guy.” Alex had dressed and was ready to walk out when a loud ring came from her phone. She slid the phone out of her small, jeweled purse and peeked at the number. It was Max. No way would she answer that call. She put it on vibrate.

  Josh stood by the open limo door. Slipping into the car, she noticed that Mr. Shu was driving. “Why is he here?”

  “This is Blackstone’s limo. I work for him, remember?”

  “Does your job include being his flunky, Josh?”

  “That hurts, Alex, but I’ll overlook it this time. You have been so bitchy lately that I don’t recognize you.”

  “And you have been such a traitor. Why didn’t you tell me that he sent this car?”

  “I don’t know what’s going on with you two—you hate him, you love him. You’re driving me crazy.”

  “I’m sorry, Josh.” Alex reached for Josh’s hand and pulled him close and gave him a kiss on the lips.

  “You look stunning,” Josh said, raising an eyebrow. “I have been seeing you in those god-awful black clothes, and I didn’t know that you were hiding all of that. You were right not to date me. You deserve so much more. You could marry a prince. You don’t need to put up with any of Blackstone’s bullshit.”

  “It’s too late to tell me that. I’m in love with him and I should’ve walked away from him many times and I didn’t. I couldn’t. I’m hopelessly in love with him, but I will never tell him.”

  Joshua and Alex rode holding each other’s hands. For Josh it was sheer bliss, but for Alex the gesture was comforting and reassuring that she at least had a friend who she could depend on when times got rough, and they were about to get rough. She knew that she could not handle Max alone, especially if she decided to walk out of his life with his child.

  “There he is driving that Bugatti. I would kill…” Josh paused, craned his neck, and squinted. “He has a woman in the car with him.”

  “Does she have dark hair?”

  “Yes. She looks like you. Alex, you can’t go in there the way you feel about him. I could lose my job if I decked him.”

  “You would do that for me, Josh?” Alex slid her hand across Josh’s cheek. “Don’t worry, you won’t have to lose your job.” They exited the limo with cameras flashing all around. The hotel was a showcase, one of his starship hotels. It was covered with LED lighting, which fit in with Max’s green causes. The only thing out of place was that Bugatti and that woman on his arm, Alex noted, walking into the lobby.

  “It has become necessary that I speak to you,” Max said in a whisper in her ear.

  Alex turned, and her blue eyes glared at him. “You have nothing to say to me.”

  “You look beautiful. I could take you in the back and fuck you. Meet me in conference room B in thirty minutes.”

  “A slap in front of the cameras would make for a good story. They could put it right next to the one about the strangulation of the debutante.”

  “Meet me, please. I’ll explain.” Max’s voice held quiet desperation in every word.

  Alex and Joshua sauntered through the steel and glass doors. Blackstone and his guest slid through the doors behind them. Max proceeded to the center table below the stage, and Alex and Joshua found their seats behind his table. The girl turned and eyed Alex with an expression that was hard for Alex to figure out. Josh pulled out a chair for Alex at the same time Max pulled out a chair for the girl who was a bad copy of Alex.

  Joshua whispered, “She looks nothing like you. Not even close. She can’t hold a candle to you. But as usual he found some young girl to fuck.”

  “Stop it, Josh. I’m OK with it.” Alex was OK until the announcer introduced Max’s mother and father.

  “I thought they were dead,” Alex said.

  “Those people were his wards when he was a child,” Josh whispered, leaning closer to her and draping his hand around her chair. “What have you been doing lately? You haven’t read a thing on your iPad. You know you can Google him.”

  “I like surprises.” No sooner had those words left Alex’s lips than the commentator introduced Max. He sauntered up the steps and onto the stage, confident and smiling. He spoke about how the environment had suffered from the overproduction of oil and the lack of wind power, and how important it was to save the wilderness and wildlife habitats for animals.

  “He’s wonderful.” But he’s dangerous because he is such a…

  “Don’t get too carried away.” Josh interrupted her thoughts. “He’s sitting with a woman who’s trying to take your place.” Josh jarred Alex into reality. She was overcome by Max’s humanitarian efforts to save the environment.

  “Advocating saving the environment while polluting it—what a contradiction,” Josh whispered.

  She looked at her phone to check the time. She wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to see Max. Raising her gown, she stood. “Joshua, I have to go to the ladies’ room.” Max’s speech came to an end and the guests stood and he received rounds of applause.

  Alex found room B and sat waiting. She checked the time on her smartphone; she had been waiting for him for half an hour. Thinking he would not show, she headed for the double doors, when he came strutting through the side entrance.

  “How has my lovely Alex been?” He stood in his black European-cut suit with a black shirt and tie, and a jacket that showed off his supremely exciting, well-toned body and long legs.

  “Alex, you look fuckable, and I could eat you now if you commanded me.”

  “Now you’re allowing me to be the Dom. That’s typical of you.”
r />   “I have to apologize for the pain I’ve caused you.”

  “You can’t even begin to know what I’ve been through. But if you would just explain, then we can go forward.” Max moved closer, and his lips breezed lightly across hers. Alex swayed back, and Max caught her and laid her on the large brown leather sofa.

  “What is it, Alex? What’s wrong?”

  “I just need you to…” Max’s hand pulled up the gown and grabbed her red thong, easing it down in a second as if stripping a mannequin of her clothes for the next window dressing. His chest was moving, his breathing strong, and there was fire in his cool green eyes. She could not stop him if she wanted to, and she did not want him to stop. She inhaled and exhaled in large gasps.

  Her body vibrated. Max placed his hand on her stomach, feeling the rhythm of her body. That rhythm he knew so well. He anticipated her desire for him as he passed his hand over her naked skin, stroking it with his familiar, smooth hands.

  Alex’s eyes went out of focus as if in a trance as his hand wrapped around one leg and then the other. He carefully opened her legs wide, gazing between then, then he raised her legs to his shoulders and went to his knees. Looking at her vagina, he placed his finger in slowly and turned it in a circle. “You are wet. Tell me who is making you so wet.” He pulled out his finger and extended his tongue, licking her folds one at a time.

  “Only you, Max. Only you can make me hot and wasted.”

  Pleasure rested on Alex’s face and body. She forgot about Corday lying on the couch with her legs open as wide and as inviting as she has made herself at Max’s insistence. She forgot about the shopping spree. She was no longer uptight and needy because she was being filled. Her need was being satisfied by Max. The man she wanted and would do anything to keep.

  Is this the price I’ll pay? Pretending that nothing ever happened? Is this the price I will pay all my life until I lose myself? she thought.

  “Come for me, Alex. Come on my tongue. You’re mine. There is nothing sexual we can’t do together. I want all of you and I’m going to give you all of me. Now give me that orgasm.”