The Game: A Dark Taboo Romance

by LP Lovell

  We stop at Pod 3 and Tobias unlocks the door. I’ve barely made it inside before he directs me toward the leather sofa against the wall. “Sit, Ella.” I do as instructed, facing the bed with stage lights aimed at it. Tobias joins me just before a hidden panel pops out from the wall and two girls strut in, a blonde and a brunette, both in lingerie.

  The blonde’s gaze locks on Tobias as she crosses the room then lies on the bed. The brunette follows suit, but instead of lying on the mattress, she straddles the other girl. The two women kiss each other as they undress. Something tugs inside my stomach as I watch the brunette’s slender fingers trail over the rounded part of the blonde’s breasts; as I watch their tongues meet, aggressive yet delicate. It’s sensual, forbidden.

  “Does it make you uncomfortable, Ella?” Tobias drawls beside me.

  “No.”

  The dark-haired woman takes the blonde’s hand and places it between her thighs. A moan rustles through a speaker behind the couch. I shift in my seat, squeezing my thighs together to rid myself of the warming feeling there.

  “Do you want to be one of them?”

  “Why?” I ask, “Are you paying them a million dollars?”

  “Strike two.”

  I face away from him, clenching my jaw on a mumbled, “Fuck.”

  “Such a dirty mouth for such an innocent little thing.”

  “I'm not innocent,” I say.

  He grips my jaw and turns me to face him. “You're pretty when you blush.” Then he leans in close enough his lips almost touch mine. “And endearing when you try to lie. Now watch the show.”

  The dark-haired girl's face is now between the blonde's thighs. Each breath, each subtle beg is amplified next to my ear. My cheeks grow hot and I shift in the chair, repeatedly crossing and uncrossing my legs as a deep ache settles in my lower stomach. I want that. I want to feel the lash of her tongue, that euphoric bliss that the blonde woman is now feeling.

  “Don't touch yourself.” Tobias grabs the hand I wasn’t even aware was so dangerously high on my thigh and shoves it away. “Watch them,” he says, his fingers trailing along the inside of my thigh. I’m ashamed to say that I find myself shifting, spreading my legs a tiny bit more in the hopes he’ll touch me.

  “Tobias,” I almost whimper.

  “Do you need something, little lamb?” I know he's playing me. I know that this is all just another trick in his bottomless box, but I can’t help that I want him. “Well?” His fingers move inches from where I want them, then stop.

  “Please...” I shamelessly pull his hand toward me. Maybe it’s pathetic, but I know he can release the need building in me. “Please touch me.” .

  He fists my hair, yanking my head to the side as he brings his lips to my ear. “The second you want it is the second you've already lost, little lamb.” His touch creeps higher and higher. The warm pad of his finger brushes over my panties and my muscles clench.

  “Women are beautiful, aren't they?” he says, drawing circles over me through the lace. “So sensual. So soft.” He slides a finger along my seam and his lips quirk. I know he must be able to feel how wet I am through the material. “Imagine how she tastes, Ella. Imagine how it would feel to have her tender touch brush against you… Her long hair trailing over your naked body. Her supple breasts and hard nipples against yours.”

  And that pressure, that sinful heat builds and builds until I'm left aching and desperate. Without warning, Tobias shifts to his knees in front of me and spreads my legs wide. I nearly come unglued when he pushes the lace to the side. “So wet for them, Ella,” he says, leaning closer and closer until the heat of his breath blows across me. “So fucking wet.”

  He presses a single, long kiss to my clit. It’s just enough to coax a low moan from me, but then he pushes to his feet. “We should go.”

  Go? I’m wound so tight, the thought of getting myself off right here crosses my mind. But that would be against the rules, so instead, I ignore the throbbing need between my legs and I follow him out.

  With each step, I question myself, wondering what I'm allowing myself to become, certain that it's the anonymity of this arrangement that has me coming unhinged; wanting and needing this man in the most feral of ways.

  We make our way across the bar, through the series of doors that lead into the bare, nondescript foyer. And, as if on cue, the moment we step outside, a black car rolls to a stop at the curb.

  Tobias holds the door open for me. “Can't wait to see what state you're in by this evening.”

  I duck inside the limo and settle into the seat beside Preston. Before Tobias is fully in the vehicle, Preston’s hand is on my thigh, his mouth on my neck. Then suddenly, he drags me into his lap until I’m straddling him. “Undress me, Ella.”

  Without thought, I shove his jacket over his shoulders, scrambling to undo the buttons of the shirt beneath it as I press myself against his hardening length. He's too much—Too perfectly masculine, and while I know this is a game, at this exact moment, I don't care.

  I slam my lips over his, aware this is not my submission. I may have to allow Tobias to taunt me like some pet, but Preston is a different animal. Less tame, far more unpredictable. I yank at his belt, pushing onto my knees enough so I can shove his pants down.

  “You're so fucking sweet, Ella,” he murmurs against my lips when I reach between us and wrap my hand around his cock. I work over him for a few seconds, but he doesn’t make a move to touch me, and it’s driving me insane. They couldn’t keep their hands off me last night...

  Taking his free hand, I shove it between my legs, but still, he doesn’t touch me.

  “Make me come for you, sweet Ella.” He grabs onto my hand and guides it over his cock. Harder. Faster.

  “Come for me, Preston,” I say.

  He throws his head against the seat, groaning as stream after stream of thick, white come spurts over his stomach. When he's done, he drags a finger through the sticky mess, smiling as he raises it to my face. And like the obedient little toy I am, I open my mouth and allow him to slide his come-covered finger inside.

  “You make this hard,” Preston mumbles as he pulls a pack of tissues from a side compartment in the car door. He takes one out and cleans himself up, then yanks his pants up and buckles his belt.

  I've never felt so completely unhinged and desperate. A bone-deep longing for him to touch me incinerates me from the inside out. “Preston...” I start.

  He pulls me close and presses his lips to my forehead. “While I love the feel of your tight little pussy coming on my hand, that's not today's game. And don't ever forget that is all this is— a game. Because the second you do...” He leans in, bringing his lips to my ear as the car turns onto a highway. “You've already lost.”

  9

  The day goes on. Tobias leaves to tend to business and Preston continues to wind me up, never giving me release. By the time night rolls around I’m ashamed of how desperate I am. I slip into an evening dress and follow Preston into the limo, riding in silence to an impressive estate on the outskirts of the city. Three stories. Landscaping. A Bentley parked out front.

  We’re shown into a breathtaking marble foyer by a butler then led past the winding staircase and down a long hallway. Preston glances at me and smiles, but there's anticipation behind that smile. And that makes me nervous.

  We're shown to an ornate dining room. China and crystal have been set on the large banquet table which only has three people sitting at it. A man at the head, a dark-headed woman in a red dress to his left, and at his right sits Tobias.

  Both men stand when we enter the room. I feel so out of place, underdressed, and too low-class. The Butler pulls out the heavy wooden chair next to Tobias, and I take a seat.

  Tobias motions toward me as he takes his seat again. “This is Ella, Ella this is David McDonough, and Nadia, his wife.” He leans over my shoulder and places a hand on my thigh. “Isn't she lovely, Ella?”

  “Stunning...” Preston says as he takes his seat o
n the other side of me, and soon enough, the men are talking business. Trends in stock and advertisement inflations, and all the while Tobias's hand creeps farther and farther up my thigh. He squeezes, and I nervously glance at him. “Game two should prove very interesting. But there's a dilemma you may not like.”

  And then he’s right back to business. I sit, staring down at my dinner plate and wringing my hands beneath the table. What is the point in all of this? How can any of this be worth a million dollars to them? Honestly, I'd expected to fuck them for seven days straight, let them spank me and pull my hair, call me a whore. But I’m quickly learning that is not what this is. Inhaling, I close my eyes. What would I do for a million dollars? Isn't that turning out to be quite the question?

  Maybe this is just what happens to a man when he has everything he could possibly want. Perhaps screwing with people less fortunate than themselves is their drug of choice.

  After dinner, Tobias pulls out my chair. He taps the face of his watch then threads his fingers through mine. “Excuse us for just one moment, Davide. I want to show Ella the Monet you have in the parlor.” And with that, he whisks me out of the dining area. The moment we turn the corner, he grabs me by the shoulders and pins me to the wall, and slowly wraps his fingers around my throat. Fear trickles through me when his grip tightens. I wonder if he lied before when he said he wouldn’t hurt me.

  “You are so tempting. So pliable.” The warmth of his tongue trails along my neck and sends a confusing want coursing through me. “Since we met, all I've wanted was to be inside you. And when I get that chance, I am going to fucking ruin you, little lamb.” He drops his hand from my throat and steps back, continuing to lead me down the hall.

  I fight the nerves buzzing around in my chest, and keep reminding myself that no matter what happens tonight, no one will ever know. How bad could it possibly be? Tobias leads me up the stairs, brushing hair from my shoulders when we reach the top. “And don't worry, Nadia and David don't mind at all. We've paid them nicely to use their guest room.”

  Why in the hell is he paying someone to use their spare room when he has a penthouse in the middle of Manhattan? It’s that thought that causes my stomach to knot because I don’t believe he’s taking me up here to fuck me. After last night, I know it’s not just about sex with him.

  When we reach the top of the stairs, Preston is waiting. The three of us head into one of the rooms at the far end of the hall. I’m barely inside when Tobias quickly closes the door without turning on the light. “I’m warning you now, Ella,” he says. “Whatever you do, don’t scream.”

  Preston’s warm hand covers my mouth and I jump. “Just a reminder to keep quiet.”

  Adrenaline fires through my body while anxiety sets in my gut. And then, the light turns on. I find myself clawing at Preston's hand, gasping against his palm as I stare at the gagged and bound naked girl tied to the four-poster bed.

  “It's fine, Ella. She's not hurt,” Preston says before releasing me.

  “Yet,” Tobias adds. “You remember Maria?”

  Of course, I remembered the woman who ruined my life. A surge of anger and jealousy mixes with a toxic sense of guilt. I’m not sure I want to know what this game entails, but whatever happens to her will be my fault. “I want to leave,” I whisper.

  “So Soon?” Tobias coos. “But, you don't even know what the game is, little lamb.”

  “I don't need to know. I'm sorry.” I move toward the door.

  “Did you forget you're homeless?”

  I stop. Maria fucked my boyfriend, took what was mine, and in a roundabout way put me here. This is my opportunity to get my life back. My chance at one million dollars. Am I really going to give it up for her? “Tell me then.” I slowly turn to face the two men. “What is the game?”

  Tobias thrusts his hands deep inside his pockets, an ominous smile lingering on his lips. “You have two choices. You can fuck her, or you can kill her.”

  “What?” The word leaves my lips in a rush. He can’t be serious. He wants me to murder someone...

  “I'm going to let that question slide. Chalk it up to shock.” Tobias glares at me.

  Preston moves to the side of the room, giving me an unobstructed view of Maria bound to the bed behind them. “It's a simple game of what do you want more, sweet Ella?”

  “We know you hate her for what she did to you.” Tobias’s smooth voice is like the devil luring me to hell. “For what she took from you…”

  Preston approaches me, trailing his fingers over my cheek when he stops next to me. “But we also know how painfully pent up you are.” His hand slides beneath my dress to cup my pussy, but only for a second. When he moves his hand away, I almost whimper at the loss of contact. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “You have two choices,” Tobias says. “Fuck her or kill her”

  Preston presses a finger beneath my chin and forces me to look at him. “Or walk away with nothing. Homeless. Alone. Unloved.” He kisses me gently, then steps back. “I would miss you, sweet Ella. So very much.”

  They can’t be serious. I glance at Maria. Tears roll down her cheeks as she fights against the restraints. I’m not killing her. Absolutely not killing another human.

  “If you walk away though,” Tobias says, dragging my attention to him as he inspects his cufflinks like this is nothing more than a business merger. “We kill her.”

  Preston laughs. “It's like Duck, Duck, Goose. Only...Die, Die, Fuck.”

  My stomach knots and kinks, bile rises in my throat.

  “Oh, come on. It can’t be that hard.” Tobias moves toward the bed. “She steals your boyfriend, then you lose your job, and because you are all alone, you lose your home.” He ticks off each horrible detail on his fingers, one by one. “You lose everything until you are in such a piss-poor situation, you land in our laps.” A wicked smile crosses his face. “I'd kill her.”

  “I'd fuck her,” Preston counters.

  It’s like a devil and angel on my shoulder situation, only my angel left me with two devils.

  They told me I could leave at any time when I signed that contract, but I have a feeling there will always be stipulations to that agreement. Freedom is such a vague term. I walk away and they kill her. “I'm not free to leave then,” I whisper.

  Tobias quirks a brow. “Is that a question?”

  “No.

  “Then, by all means...” Tobias gestures towards the door with a jerk of his head.

  “I leave, and you kill her. My freedom is hinged upon stipulations, so I'm not free.”

  “Ah, sweet, innocent Ella.” Preston smiles. “You should be more concerned for yourself.” He glances at Tobias as both men move toward me. “There is something quite appealing about that innocence though, isn't there?”

  Tobias drags a finger down my chest, zigzagging across my stomach. “She won't be innocent by the time we're done with her.” He slaps my pussy before moving to the side of the bed. “Tick-tock, Ella…” Then he leans over Maria and removes the gag. “What do you think, Maria? Would you rather Ella fuck you, or would you rather one of us kill you?”

  “Fuck me, please. Just fuck me. Don't let me die.” A sob breaks through her lips. “Please...”

  “Aw, she's begging you, sweet Ella,” Preston murmurs as he circles me like the bleeding prey I am. “Does it make you wet?”

  Tobias throws the gag to the floor and holds out his arms. “She'd rather not die tonight, so what shall it be Ella? What decision can you live with?”

  Bang. Bang. Bang. My heart echoes in my ears. Time seems to slow, possibly stop…

  “Come on, Ella.” Tobias snaps his finger. “It's not that hard of a decision, surely? She ruined your life...” On a sadistic smile, Tobias taps his finger over his chin as though he's pondering some philosophical prose. “So why not ruin hers?”

  “Or just take away her dignity as she stripped away yours,” Preston’s hand slips between my thighs again, caressing, stroking. “Take it away. Little b
y little. Have her grovel. Make her pay just enough to never forget who you are. Every time she closes her eyes, she will remember you. You'll haunt her dreams like I'm certain she's haunted yours.”

  No matter how much I hate her, I can’t let her die. My stomach churns as I slip out of my dress and panties. When I bend to take off my heels, Tobias stops me. “Leave the shoes.”

  And so, I do. I take a few unsteady steps toward the bed, then halt. How the hell am I supposed to do this? I crawl onto the bed, glancing at the ropes holding her in place. “I'd like her untied.”

  “Don't think so,” Preston says. “And we almost forgot, if you want her to live, it has to be believable, Ella. Sexy and hot and dirty.”

  I grit my teeth. I want to scream at them both for being so sick and cruel.

  Tobias moves around the bed, stopping beside me. “Here, allow me to help you.” He takes my hand and rubs it over her thigh before he forces it between her legs. “Isn’t she smooth and warm?” I can hear the amusement in his voice. He takes my finger and swipes it over her pussy. And she's wet. What the fuck?

  I scrunch my brow. Tobias must notice because he laughs. “Fear can be quite the aphrodisiac. Now. Fuck her,” he orders as he steps away.

  This is the woman that Sawyer left me for. My hand travels over the flair of her hip, the curve of her waist. The woman he fucks every night. I brush my hand over her breast, her nipple hard beneath my palm. I should hate this. I do hate this but, at the same time, an odd sense of power thrashes inside me. She'll die without me fucking her. What sick monster am I to find the slightest bit of satisfaction in this?

  Her eyes lock with mine. “Please,” she whispers, and suddenly she no longer seems afraid. She bites down on her lip and thrusts her hips toward me, her warm pussy grazing my stomach.

  “Fuck her, Ella,” Preston whispers from the side of the bed.

  “Please, fuck me, sweet Ella,” she says. “Touch me. Feel how wet I am for you.” I freeze in place. What the hell is going on? “Make me come,” she moans.