Black Mark Series Book 1: Black Mark's Resistance

by Ebony Olson

  Though, it was more than that. There was something about this man that was so familiar, as if I’d known him my entire life and woke up this morning in the wrong place. It’d been that way since the first time we met. With a deep breath, I put those thoughts out of my mind. He was my boss. Only my boss.

  ***

  “You’re up late,” Darius spoke quietly from the walkway through the reception room.

  It was Thursday night, one day after I’d given my boss a massage in his office. Twelve hours after Jasper confirmed my suspicions. I was sprawled in front of the fire place, my laptop open, a cord running across to the corner to keep it powered. My research was spread around me like angel wings.

  I held up a hand not looking at him. “Wait.” I clicked the mouse. “Save and Submit.” I waited for the confirmation to appear on the screen. It took a full fifteen seconds. I counted. I saved a copy of the receipt and exhaled.

  I rolled onto my back, stretched long, held it for a good ten seconds, and then went limp. I let my head loll to the side and smiled up at Darius. He looked gorgeous as usual.

  Darius stood, hands in the pockets of his suit pants, jacket open, white dress shirt open at the collar, bow tie hanging loose. He smiled and that little devil inside me started doing somersaults in my stomach.

  “What’s that smile for?” he asked, his eyes running over me like they so often did, making me feel naked.

  I wasn’t. I wore a pair of lounge pants and a singlet with inbuilt bra, but under those glazed eyes, I felt naked. I studied his eyes harder. “You’ve been drinking.”

  Darius’s smile grew a little larger. He shrugged out of his jacket and sank into the reading chair by my feet. “My mentor from college and I catch up for dinner occasionally. Sometimes the drinking gets a little out of hand.” Darius looked at the mess I’d made of the smaller lounge area on my bedroom’s side of the fire place in the reception room. “Working on your project?”

  “Yes. I just finalized it.” I stayed there smiling at him. I couldn’t look away.

  Darius sat straighter. “Already? Did you want me to read it over for you?”

  “I just submitted it. Sophie and Jasper read it through for me.”

  Darius’s eyes lost some of their glaze at the mention of Jasper’s name. His eyes traveled over me again and I had to bite my lip when my pelvic muscles tightened in longing. I couldn’t stop myself from squirming. Darius’s eyes shot straight back to meet mine. Damn it. He knew exactly what my body just did.

  He frowned. “How long since you have seen Mr. Jones? I noticed you have been around the last few weekends.”

  I thought about when I last stayed at his place. “Three weeks. Between work, getting my project done, and Jasper’s trips back to Dorchester to see his family, it’s been three weeks.”

  As soon as I admitted how long it had been, that devil inside me started causing a riot in my nether regions. I bit my lip harder and squeezed my thighs tight.

  Darius watched me intently. “That is a long time for you to go without, isn’t it?”

  “You have no idea.” My eyes traveled over him.

  “You need to stop looking at me like that, Mora,” he warned. “I have consumed enough liquor tonight to take the invitation you are giving me with those eyes.”

  “About that.” My foot slipped under the base of his pants and rubbed the bare skin of his leg. Damn it, the devil was going to win tonight. “If I was to suck your cock right now, on the scale of one to ten—ten being I’m fired and homeless—how exactly would that affect our working relationship?”

  Darius grabbed my ankle, pulling my foot free of his trouser leg. He dropped to the floor and crawled himself over me. My breathing picked up at his proximity. I didn’t dare move. Darius hovered over me. His mouth over mine. He breathed out purposefully and I pulled back from the skank on his breath. “What have you been drinking?”

  He smiled. “Cunt. Slutty cunt.” Darius watched me. “Still want to suck my cock, Mora?”

  I met his eyes unflinching. “That all depends. Did your cock fuck that slutty cunt?”

  Darius smiled at me. After a minute, he reached over shutting my laptop. “Go to bed, Mora. Think about that guy you lost your virginity to and take care of your urges. Then tomorrow night, go see your boyfriend.”

  Darius stood up and grabbed his jacket from the chair. I exhaled and rolled onto my stomach. “I won’t be seeing Jasper this weekend. I have a family thing to go to.” I knelt back and started gathering my research together, piling it on my laptop. “I can take a hint. I’ll stay at Alex’s for the weekend.”

  Darius ran his hand through his hair. “I did not mean...”

  “Yes, you did.” I stood up and turned to face him. “And you are right to. I shouldn’t have behaved like that. I apologize.” I gathered my stuff and made my way up the stairs to my room.

  After packing everything away I changed and climbed into bed. I lay there replaying what just happened downstairs. I was sure he wanted me. He all but said he did. I hadn’t misheard that. Exhaling, I picked up my phone and dialed my best friend.

  “Hey, hon. All ready for tomorrow night?” Sophie chirped.

  “Hopefully. I’ve got my outfit packed in a bag and my dress packed so I can change at work.” I looked to where the garment bag hung from the wardrobe door. “I submitted my project.”

  “Really?” Sophie squawked. “Does that mean you are finished?”

  “It does. Presuming I pass.”

  “As if you won’t. We will have to celebrate doubly tomorrow night. Did you do shots with your house mates tonight to celebrate?”

  “I tried to give my boss a blow job. He turned me down.”

  “He what?” Sophie sounded offended. “That guy is insane. I would let you go down on me.”

  I smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind when I’m gegging for it tomorrow night.”

  “No, seriously, what is his damage?”

  “He’d actually just come home from getting his rocks off. Plus, there is the fact that I work for him,” I excused.

  “That just makes you easy access, especially in his house.”

  “That also makes things rather more complicated than a random blow job off an employee in the mail room,” I justified.

  “True,” Sophie sympathized. “How are things with Jasper?”

  “How are things with Alex?” I countered.

  “Going to be like that, are we?” Sophie grumbled. “He is still happy to have fun with me, but nothing else. I just cannot find the time for him these last couple of weeks.”

  “Hoping he’ll realize what he’s giving up?” I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t see Alex being the sort of guy to be manipulated so easily.

  “Just giving him a taste of his own medicine. I am sick of it always being his choice when we hook up.” Sophie typed into a computer on the other side. “Speaking of which, Dean is back in the country. Do you mind if I invite him tomorrow?”

  Dean was Sophie’s older brother. He was twenty-six and a pilot for the air force. He liked to come out with us when he was home.

  “Sure. I’ll leave your names at the door. It feels like he’s been away for years this time.” I slipped my legs beneath the quilt and snuggled down. “It will be good to see him.”

  “Yeah, it does. You going to sleep now?” Sophie knew my sleepy voice well.

  “Yes.”

  “Okay.” Sophie paused. “So, do you think your sexy boss will sneak into bed with you later?”

  “Soph. Don’t put that shit in my head before I sleep. I’ll end up dreaming about him.”

  “As if you don’t already.” Sophie laughed. “Night, hon. And happy birthday.”

  I looked at the clock. It was in fact past midnight. “Thanks, Soph.” I put down the phone and settled into bed.

  I woke at three in the morning from a dream about Darius and I that involved his office desk and his head under my skirt. I groane
d, rolling over to collect my vibrator from the bedside table. I didn’t bother with foreplay. I was riled up from the dream already and good to go. I went fast. My back arched off the bed, free hand clawing at the sheets beneath me as I came voicelessly, pretending it was Darius pounding into me.

  As I caught my breath and fell limp on the bed, I looked at the ceiling and swore. Fantasizing about the boss wasn’t a good idea for my mental well-being. I lay there awake scolding myself. When next I looked at the clock it was four in the morning and I decided to get an early start to my day.

  Showering, I packed my bags for the weekend, grabbed my work bag and garment bag, and headed for the front door. I learned a while ago there was no sneaking past Steffen, not even at ungodly hours in the morning.

  “Good morning, Miss Ellis.” Steffen already dressed, took one of my bags and handed me a thermos as I stepped into the foyer. “Hot chocolate for the ride into work.”

  “How do you always know, Steffen? Do you have a monitor in your room that alarms whenever I try to sneak out?”

  Steffen walked to the lift ignoring my question. “I will meet you in the garage. I am on my way to the market so I will drop you at the office on the way.” He pressed the elevator button, the doors opened and he stepped inside.

  I turned around to close the apartment door. Darius stood at the other end of the entry foyer, just his jeans pulled on, hair still messed from sleep. His eyes were hard, unreadable. I cleared my throat. “I’ll see you at the office, boss.”

  Chapter Nine

  The phone was ringing as I came out of the bathroom. I didn’t have my shoes on yet, so ran to my desk and picked it up. “Darius Rafal’s office.”

  “It’s Warren. Is he nearly ready to go?”

  I looked at the clock. “He should be. He was in the shower when I went to change.” I looked at the phone and saw the line in his office lit up. “He’s on the phone.”

  “Get him off. The car is about to pull up out front. This is the one event each year he insists on overseeing himself. He cannot run late.”

  “Where are you?” I asked slipping into my shoes.

  “I was held up. I am closer to home now so I will change there and meet him at the event.” Warren paused. “Are you sure you will not ditch the family thing and come? It is a pretty great evening.”

  I smiled. Warren asked me to be his date for the event. “Sorry, Warren. Family first. We are going to Hesitate to party tonight if you want to join us after.”

  “That sounds good. Text me when you are on your way and we will meet you there.”

  “Good. I’ll go round our boss up.”

  “Thanks, Mora. Have a good night.”

  “You too.” I hung up and walked through the side door into Darius’s office. He stood at his desk on the phone, still only half-dressed. “Shit.”

  I walked into the wardrobe, grabbing the emerald green shirt and black tie he’d chosen for the night and moved into his office. Since I’d started working for him, I’d seen Darius once without his shirt before today. The night I’d slept in his arms. Now I’d seen him half-dressed twice in one day.

  Darius turned to face me as I walked toward him holding out the shirt for him to slip into. He took one look at the clock and turned, sliding his arms in. When he turned back toward me, I fastened the buttons.

  Without blinking, I unzipped his fly and tucked his shirt in before zipping him back up. I ignored when my hand brushed his junk, twice. I threaded the tie around his neck, popped his collar and tied a tidy knot before setting his collar right. All while avoiding eye contact.

  Moving back into the wardrobe I came back with his shoes and socks. With a hand on his chest I pushed him down into his chair. He sat; I knelt and slipped his socks on. When I picked up the first shoe I glanced up. Darius was watching me with wide eyes. I dropped my gaze and slipped his feet into his shoes, tying the laces for him.

  I was trying very hard to read nothing into this, but there was something highly erotic about dressing this man. I would be lying if I said I tied those laces as fast as possible. I didn’t. I took my time and enjoyed the heat of his gaze on me.

  Once finished, I stood and fetched his jacket and cuff links from his wardrobe. By the time I stepped back into the office proper, Darius was off the phone. I held his jacket for him. He slid it on.

  “Your car is waiting downstairs. You are now officially late.” I handed him the cuff links. “Do the rest in the car on the way.”

  Darius turned to look at me. His hand slid along my neck, and palmed my face. My eyes went wide and I held my breath when his face descended. He kissed my cheek. “Thank you, Mora. Enjoy your weekend.”

  He grabbed his tablet and walked out the door, grabbing his thicker winter jacket from the coat rack as he passed.

  With a deep breath, I locked out his computer and shut the office up for the weekend. I heard the elevator and grabbed up my bags. Alex materialized at my desk with a broad grin and a small birthday present.

  “Happy birthday, Mora.” He handed me the present. I pulled him into a hug. “You will have to open it in the car. We do not want to keep Marshall waiting.”

  “Thanks, Alex.”

  Alex took my bag and frowned. “What’s the bag for?”

  “Do you mind if I crash at your pad for the weekend?”

  “You’re not staying with Jasper?” Alex asked pushing open the door to the stairs.

  “No. We aren’t seeing each other anymore,” I confided.

  Alex looked astounded. “What happened?”

  I shrugged. “He’s met someone else. He’s in the midst of moving out of London so he can be closer to her and still have a reasonable commute to work each day.”

  We walked into the foyer and found Zander standing by the front doors. Zander’s eyes popped open when he saw me. The off-the-shoulder bodice of my dress was stretch-black velvet, the skirt was a river of black silk. There was a belt of black lace sewn around the join of skirt and bodice which matched the soft lace of the long sleeves. It definitely cost more than a week’s pay, but I could afford it now.

  “You look stunning.” Zander smiled brightly. His eyes fell on the birthday present I was carrying. “Is it a birthday party you are going too?”

  “Yes, Zander.” I smiled shyly.

  Zander looked down at the gift and saw my name on the envelope. He frowned. “It is your birthday?”

  “Yes, Zander. Good night.”

  Alex held the door for me and I followed him out to the waiting car. He waited till we were safely in the car before looking back at Zander. I followed his gaze and saw Zander on the phone.

  “They did not know it was your birthday?” Alex asked carefully.

  I shook my head. “They’ve got a major event on tonight. They were too busy to notice.”

  Alex took my hand in his. “What is going on, Mora? You have your walls up.”

  I looked up to Alex. “I actually don’t know, Alex.” I took a deep breath and forced a smile. “But, I do know it’s my twenty-third birthday, Halloween, and that I submitted my final project last night.”

  Alex smiled. “Congratulations, Mora. Looks like we have a lot to celebrate tonight.”

  I swallowed. “Leila isn’t coming, is she?”

  Alex’s eyes popped. “God, no. I’m not putting her anywhere near Marshall. Why?”

  “Because Sophie will be here tonight.”

  “Mora...” Alex started to growl.

  “Not what you think bad wolf.” I pretend smacked his nose. “You know we do aerial together.” Alex nodded. “Well, this year she’s one of the performers. So she will be at the event and then will join us at Hesitate afterwards.”

  Alex took a deep breath. “She is not returning my calls right now.”

  “I know.” I patted his hand. “She’s stepping aside, Alex. She was never the mistress type. It’s time she gave you up and focused on finding someone who can make her th
e primary in his life.”

  Alex sighed. “I’ve heard this happens to women around this age. Is that what is happening with you and Jasper?”

  I squeezed his hand and took it back. “He’s had two years of me, Alex. It’s time to move on for both of us.”

  The car pulled up at the event. A valet opened the door and Alex slid out before turning and giving me his hand. Once on the side walk, the valet shut the door and the car pulled away. Alex took my arm in his and escorted me up the roped off entranceway. Photographers on either side took photos of the guests arriving, hoping to catch a celebrity or someone equally important. No one really wanted to know about us which I was happy about.

  “You know. If they take our photo and put it on the social pages, Leila will flip her lid,” I murmured to Alex.

  “She will flip her lid if she knows you stayed at my place this weekend,” he whispered back.

  I looked at him worried. “I can stay at Dad’s or Sophie’s.”

  Alex patted my hand. “Would you mind? I don’t need any more girl trouble right now.”

  I smiled. “Of course I don’t. I totally forgot about Leila when I asked. Don’t worry about it.”

  We stepped inside where we were marked off the guest list by Arthur King.

  “Mora, I did not realize you were someone who would have her own personal invite to this event.” A.K. looked at the invitation I handed him then marked mine and Alex’s name off the list. “Both of you were able to bring a plus one.” He frowned. I understood why. It would throw their numbers out.

  “Oh, we are. They are coming separately. Their names should be on the list. Sophie and Dean Trent are our plus ones.”

  Arthur checked the list and smiled when he saw the names. “Excellent. Thanks, Mora. Have a good night.”

  “You too, A.K.”

  We moved farther in to where our jackets were taken.

  “How the hell did you pull that off at the last minute?” Alex chuckled. “I didn’t even know Dean was back.”