by Sarah Stein
Chapter 8
Two fucking weeks she didn’t show for work. Delray paced around his office with worry. It wasn’t normal for Jolene to miss work in such a vast stretch. He ached to see the beauty that radiated from her.
All of his calls warranted no answers and he couldn’t shake the feeling that she wanted nothing to do with him. He wasn’t sure if she quit either, because she never asked for time away. He wouldn’t know what to do if she left the company.
She was one of the best secretaries he’d ever hired. She took care of everything when it came to his appointments with clients. He knew the struggle he’d have if the paperwork fell on his shoulders. He wasn’t suitable for taking care of the books. His life would be empty without her.
“Mr. Delray, I just received a call from Jolene,” his office intercom chimed, “she says she won’t be in for another two weeks.”
“Thank you, Trisha. Next time can you please route her call to my office phone,” he replied.
“I would have but she specifically stated she was busy and didn’t have much time to speak,” Trisha answered.
“Did she say if she were sick?” he questioned.
He was fuming at the thought of Jolene refusing to speak with him. The only thing he could think that would upset her would be not showing at Serenity Cavern. He wanted nothing more than to see her but honestly got cold feet. The last thing he sought was to feel less of a man strapped to any type of contraption.
“No sir. She stated it was personal reasons,” Trisha countered.
“Thank you again,” he acknowledged.
Personal reasons my ass.
He knew she didn’t have many family members and she needed a paycheck. She was avoiding him.
He was grinding his teeth at her evasion. He wanted to talk with her and knew he had to take drastic measures. He’d have to show up at her home. Unfortunately, the Knights of Sparta parade was rolling at six that evening. He rode in it every year but the minute the route was over, she was in for a rude awakening.
He had no time to seek her out due to the work that needed to be done before the parades rolled. The Robichaux’s were thrilled with the results.
His cock twitched at the thought of giving her a taste of her own medicine. She would know whom she was dealing with by the time he was done. He craved her soft skin beneath his. Images of her delectable body were constantly crossing his mind.
He relieved his throbbing cock every chance he had. His bulge tented the khaki brown dress pants he wore. Not waiting any longer, he unzipped them and grasped the tender flesh with his left fist.
“God damn. It feels so fucking good,” he muttered under his breath.
Reaching in the last drawer of his desk, he retrieved a small bottle of lotion before squirting it sparingly along his cock. As he rubbed the lotion in, his breath hitched causing his eyes to shudder closed.
He remembered how her body rode him as his cock delved into her pussy. Her perky breasts begged to be suckled and he obliged. Their bodies fit perfectly together.
He fisted his cock and lathered the lotion in an upward motion taking great care to swirl his fingertips around the head. Each swirl of his fingers caused his member to twitch. His balls tightened with the need for release. Moving his hand quicker to thoughts of pounding into Jolene, he grunted at the immense release. His seed spurted out hitting his desk.
His body relaxed as he emptied his sack but it didn’t stop his demand for Jolene. He took great care cleaning the mess he made and wiped down his phallus before tucking it in and zipping his pants.
“Trisha?” he questioned.
“Yes sir,” Trisha replied.
“I’m leaving. You can finish what you were doing and close up for the day. It’s Mardi Gras. Go and have fun,” he stated, “I’ll see you next week.”
“Will do. Have a good time Mr. Delray,” Trisha commented.
He could hear the excitement in her voice and wondered what she planned for the night. Not that it mattered since his focus was on one woman, Jolene. What he wouldn’t do to have her writhing underneath him. Just that one thought caused his cock to swell again.
Packing his briefcase, he moved with speed, as he couldn’t wait to start the weekend. He’d be damned if he had to stay one more minute at work knowing what awaited him.
Once he arrived home, he dialed Jolene’s number just to get sent to her voicemail. Damn her. Why would she avoid him? The thought of her purposely sending his calls to voicemail irked him.
Slamming the phone on the marble kitchen countertop before barging into his bathroom, he ran a hot shower. He tried hard not to think of her but couldn’t seem to stop. She invaded his whole being without realizing it. Damn him if he had to meet on her turf. He tried his best to avoid going back to that nightmare of a place, the dungeon where he almost lost himself.
Quickly showering before donning his Sparta costume and placing just a smidgen of black eyeliner to accentuate the look, he smirked with approval. The costume was intricate with red and gold cloths layering one another with a gold breastplate and red cape. His helmet was a bronze Corinthian style, which covered his cheeks and nose. He wasn’t fond of the helmet, but it made the outfit.
The best part of the outfit was having a sword. He decided to buy his own that was separate from the costume. It was a Greek Hoplite sword crafted from black carbon steel with a faux leather sheath positioned on his side.
The girls would be throwing themselves at him and his crew. Needless to say, he was pleased with the look. Each year he added a new item. It made it easier to save money for the objects he really wanted to highlight the Sparta look.
Glancing at the time on his cell phone, he grabbed his wallet and keys and left the house. The crew was gathering at the start of the parade route on Poydras Street and St. Charles Avenue. There was an after party being held after the parade that Delray wasn’t sure he’d attend.
He couldn’t get Jolene off his mind. It would be easy to lure some bimbo to fuck but he couldn’t. The woman he wanted wasn’t available but he had a tiny clue where she might be. The one place he didn’t want to visit, Serenity Cavern.
Shaking free of his thoughts, he observed the massive crowd gathered along the parade route. They all looked to be in separate cliques along sections of the road, having a good time. Every person he spotted had some sort of alcoholic beverage in their hand while music blared from car stereo speakers.
He could honestly say Mardi Gras was one of his favorite holidays when he could cut loose and enjoy his time.
Once he reached the gathering of his crew, they handed him a beer and the festivities began.
He watched as the driver for their float pulled his truck around to latch it together. The float was Greek-themed, which matched their costumes, and edged with a large helmet on the front. Each rider had his own seat with space to hang beads and trinkets to throw during the parade.
They usually stored their things the day before so there was less stuff to carry to the float. His excitement was profound. There was no denying he couldn’t wait for them to start rolling.
“Hey man,” a fellow Spartan greeted.
They weren’t dressed the same. The other guy wore black and gray layering with the same color for his helmet. Delray liked the red and gold more because it looked legit.
“How’s it going, Wyatt?” he replied.
“Did you see those hot chicks hanging out by the coffee shop?” Wyatt questioned, “They wouldn’t let me get past them on my way here.”
“How come?” he quizzed.
“Not sure, but if I had to guess, they wanted to role play,” Wyatt answered and hooted in laughter, “My costume’s perfect for it.”
Delray wasn’t surprised at his responses. Wyatt was a character. He was only twenty-two and the girls threw themselves at him. He knew their reaction to him and played along. If only Delray had that kind of mentality.
With Wyatt’s comment, Delray was curious if he was into the BDSM
lifestyle like Jolene. He’d never noticed it before but could only assume. Besides, he didn’t notice if Wyatt was at the dungeon. He could be a member of another one he didn’t know about.
“Time to get your stations ready. We’ll be rolling in about ten minutes,” the head of the crew announced.
The leader was a short brawny man. Not Spartan material but the women still desired him.
They followed one another up the stairs of the float before continuing their beers for the final ten minutes they had to spare. The other men aboard were already feeling the effects of their beverage while Delray decided to nurse his. He didn’t want to get wasted because he intended to seek out Jolene once the parade ended.
Music blared as the tires started rolling with the pull of the truck. His eyes glinted with the excitement of the upcoming ride. He felt like he belonged on the floats during Mardi Gras season.
Their route would end close to Serenity Cavern. It made finding Jolene simple because he wouldn’t have to go searching for her unless of course she was somewhere else. Delray hoped she wasn’t hiding where he couldn’t find her.
“Throw me something, Mister,” the crowd yelled.
It caused his thoughts to diminish so he could focus on the task at hand. Retrieving a yellow rose from his station, he located a beautiful blonde and beckoned for her to take it. Oh yeah, he was used to that type of attention. Just because he didn’t want sex from random women didn’t mean he couldn’t flirt.
The blonde blushed before reaching up and seizing the stem of the rose. He knew that minor detail made her entire night.
Just as he was opening another beer, his gaze landed on a familiar figure. Her black hair flowed in streams down her back and she wore a black leather corset dress with two thick ruby red strings looped through the holes. Her bosom seemed to hold the dress in place since there were no straps. There were no stockings that graced her legs, only ruby red heels that were strapped along the entire length from ankle to right below the knee.
He wasn’t sure how she could stand in those heels but she did flawlessly. She was breathtaking. On her face sat a mask that matched the outfit. There were white feathers that stuck out the corner of the mask, which was odd since it didn’t match anything she wore.
He wasn’t sure who it was until the moment she looked smack at his float. Jolene. She wasn’t going crazy like the other women begging for beads. From what Delray could tell, she had her own party going on and it didn’t involve him.
There were men dressed in similar leather stationed all around her and other women were standing nearby. She was smiling and seemed to be having a good time yet his blood boiled.
He couldn’t believe she shunned him for those assholes.
Chapter 9
“Not now or I’m going to spank you,” Jolene threatened.
She wasn’t in the mood whatsoever. Her mind strayed toward Delray with every second that ticked by. How could one man consume her conscience? She craved to show Delray how much she wanted to mark his luscious tanned skin even if it meant scaring him away. He must learn to accept her and her needs or allow her mind peace from him. He would have to let her go even if it meant quitting her job.
Sure, she’d find another place to work but it would take her much longer to work up from her hired position. She didn’t care. She wished the pain from not having Delray would cease. Being this long away from him sucked because she longed to be near him with each second.
At least tonight, she’d do everything in her power to forget about him. There were more than enough men to assist with her needs. Jolene couldn’t wait to unleash her craving for tinged flesh.
“How’re you holding up?” Elijah questioned sincerely.
“I’m good,” Jolene quickly affirmed.
The last thing she wanted was her friend noticing minuscule changes to her attitude.
“That’s good. You looked a bit spaced out. We’ll be ending the party at Serenity Cavern,” Elijah informed, “you coming along?”
The moment she waited for, yet did she really want to go there again? Last time she was at Serenity Cavern, she was stood up. It seemed petty but Jolene couldn’t help still feeling upset about it.
Oh, how she wanted to go. The need to let loose on someone willing set heavily but was weary. The last few days had caught up with her. Trying to force Delray out of her mind and possibly her heart.
“Nah. I’ll head home after the parade. Just a little tired,” Jolene replied.
“That’s cool. Let me know if you need someone to relieve the itch you’re craving,” Elijah provided with a wink.
“Ha. I’ll be sure to call you first.” Jolene laughed.
Like that would ever happen. Although he never quite announced it, she was pretty sure her friend preferred men to women. She had seen the occasional woman grace his chambers but none stayed. Only the men ever stuck around.
He was a great guy, but definitely someone she wasn’t attracted to.
“Mind taking my sub back with you? I won’t be needing him for the night,” Jolene questioned.
Eyeing him from head to toe, Elijah replied, “I might keep him for myself.”
“I’m sure he’d love that,” Jolene quipped.
Her sub’s reaction to Elijah was all the confirmation she needed. Before saying her goodbyes to the crew, she glanced up to witness the Krewe of Sparta passing. Though she wouldn’t particularly give a shit which float was rolling, this one caught her eye. She would admit that the men garbed in Sparta costumes were alluring.
Oh, the things she was thinking of doing to those men, men of steel, dominant and not willing to submit to anyone much less a woman.
That’s where the hot factor came in. The fact that Jolene wanted nothing more than to break a strong man sexually. She didn’t mind a dominant streak outside of the bedroom as long as he knew it ended once they stepped over the threshold.
If she didn’t walk away now, she wouldn’t be able to leave once the float rolled next to her. It was too late. The float slowly halted beside her before she witnessed possibly the sexiest Sparta aboard it handing a yellow rose to a big-bosomed blond woman. Her face lit up from the attention the male gave her.
What wouldn’t Jolene do to gain that much attention? She yearned for a connection with someone and thought Delray would’ve been that person.
The last thing she needed was to feel depressed over the turn of events. So instead, she squared her shoulders and took a step toward the direction of her home. In that instant her eyes connected with the Sparta who’d delivered the rose. A spark of recognition hit Jolene. Was it Delray? She couldn’t tell because the helmet hid most of his face yet his eyes were the same color.
She needed to get a grip. She refused to allow him to run her life even if he didn’t realize the impact he’d had on it.
She was angry with herself for allowing such strong feelings for Delray to take over. She didn’t need a man who was against her sexual tastes considering sex was a large part of a relationship. At least that’s how Jolene felt. Her mind was in turmoil.
Focus. Left foot then right foot; walk away and don’t think about the resemblance of Delray to that hot sexy Spartan.
Maybe she shouldn’t have turned Elijah down. This was proof that she needed to ease her mind by using her subs. She was sure to find Neal there. He’d been waiting for her to use him again but she hadn’t had the ache of filling that void knowing Delray might’ve been available.
Switching direction, her feet scrambled as quickly as they could muster to Serenity Cavern. The one place she felt she shouldn’t be but knew the need wouldn’t diminish even by using her favorite stimulators at home. She wanted the feeling of losing herself before letting go in an orgasmic rush. Neal could provide that feeling and she knew that’s why her feet almost floated the rest of the way to the Cavern.
The place was practically deserted when she reached it. She wondered where everyone was. It was dark and ominous but she refused to let it st
op her entrance. She had a one-track mind.
Right before opening the front door, it burst open with the presence of Elijah.
“Whoa,” Jolene exhaled, “You almost hit me. What are you in a rush for?”
Panting heavily, Elijah replied, “I was heading out to look for you. I called but figured you were still walking home. You might want to get away from here, though.”
“Why?” she questioned, “You didn’t have a problem with me coming here earlier.”
She was wounded. Elijah shunning her wasn’t normal and it hurt.
“Delray’s here looking all over for you. I told him you weren’t around but he doesn’t believe me. Clearly, he saw you heading this way,” Elijah stated, “We had a long talk about why I introduced him to this place.”
That explained his asshole attitude toward her. It also ruined pursuing Neal for a great night. Why did Delray have to fuck up everything? He didn’t want her yet stopped her from seeking other men. He was constantly on her mind and when he wasn’t, he magically showed up where she was.
The time for game playing was over unless it was on her terms. She was truly tired of being fucked over by the one man whom she couldn’t seem to get away from.
“Don’t worry. I can handle anything Delray dishes out, but he might not be able to handle me,” she responded.
“You’re one tough cookie,” Elijah replied, “He seems really mad right now. Just make sure he doesn’t fuck up my place or else I’d have to have him escorted off the premises for good. Oh, and we talked quite a bit about the BDSM lifestyle. Between you, and me he seems real interested. Hope it works out for you.”
Jolene inhaled deeply before assuring Elijah that Delray would be as good as calm once she got her hands on him. All she needed was a way past his defenses.
Once she walked inside the large building, her gaze landed on the Spartan from earlier. The “ah hah” moment hit her so hard once she realized they were the same person. She knew it deep down.
