by Roxy Sloane
Jase stops, right there in the lobby. He cradles my cheek in his hand. “We don’t have to go in,” he says, with surprising tenderness in his eyes. “Just say the word and we’ll ditch this place.”
“No, it’s OK,” I tell him, touched. “That’s in the past. I want to see them. Ballet means a lot to me, and it’s time I move on.”
“Alright. But just say the word,” he insists, leaning closer to murmur in my ear. “We can go fuck in the bathrooms any time you choose.”
I laugh and playfully push him away. “Down boy.” I grin, but I’m relieved by his teasing. Jase is here for me, whatever I need.
*
We take our seats, and the lights dim for the first act. It’s Sleeping Beauty, one of my favorite ballets. As soon as the corps de ballet glide on stage, I’m transported. I once danced these steps, and it feels like I’m right there with them—but instead of agonizing over my footwork or waiting, sick with nerves backstage, I just get to enjoy the beautiful music and light, romantic dance.
I’ve missed this.
When the lights go up for intermission, I find I’m holding Jase’s hand tightly. “Wasn’t that incredible?” I turn to him, unable to keep the smile from my face.
He chuckles. “I don’t know much about ballet, but I can tell you’re impressed.”
“Those solo jetés were amazing,” I gush, as we make our way into the lobby. “I could never leap that high.”
“You trained for a long time, didn’t you?” Jase asks casually.
I pause, trying to remember when I told him about it. Then I realize. “You researched everything about me, didn’t you?”
He gives me a rueful smile. “Sorry, love.”
I feel a shiver of panic. “Did you snoop around into everything?”
He pauses. “Not too far back, no. There wasn’t much from when you were in Chicago. I was going to dig deeper, but then Max blew the whole thing, so the case was closed. Why?”
I let out a secret sigh of relief. “No reason.” I smile up at him. “And yes, I trained day and night for years. Ballet was my whole life.”
“Do you miss it?” he asks.
“Sometimes,” I admit. “Like watching those dancers just now. They were so passionate, so dedicated, it was amazing. Part of me wonders if I’d stuck with it, would I be dancing the lead roles by now? But I don’t miss the stress,” I add, remembering the dark side. “All the competition and back-stabbing. It was my whole world: no friends, no life outside ballet. It wasn’t good for me. I’m happier now.”
“Good.” Jase squeezes my hand. “And for the record, I think you’re passionate as hell. There’s definitely a parking attendant downtown who would agree.” He gives me a look that curls my stomach into a knot of pure desire.
“You think someone saw?” I gasp, thinking back to that dark garage.
He smirks. “Would it turn you on if I said yes?”
I bite my lip. “Maybe just a little.”
“That’s my dirty girl.” He grins. “Hold that thought. You want a drink?”
“Sure,” I say, flushing happily.
“Don’t go anywhere.” Jase cuts through the crowd, and I watch every woman’s head turn as he passes by. There’s no denying it, he’s the hottest guy here. All that muscle wrapped up in an irresistible package—one I get to unwrap later tonight.
Lucky me.
“Chloe, is that you?”
I freeze. In an instant, my blood runs cold. It can’t be.
Nononono.
But it is.
I turn to find Aleksander standing there in front of me. Aleksander, my former ballet instructor. The man who taught me, and mentored me—and seduced me when I was just a teenager.
The man who molded my naïve obsession until I was just a puppet dancing on the end of his strings. I would have done anything for him—and I did.
The past crashes around me, and in an instant, I’m sixteen again.
“Chloe.” He smiles broadly, leaning in to kiss me on both cheeks. “Look at you, as beautiful as ever.”
I’m frozen in place. I can’t believe it. I haven’t seen him in years, I thought the past was behind me. But here he is: tall and lithe, his blonde hair threaded with grey. He must be forty years old now.
And there’s still a wedding band on his finger.
“I always wondered if I’d run into you,” he continues, smiling. “Are you still dancing? I hoped you wouldn’t let that hiccup in Chicago hold you back.”
Hiccup?
I stare at him in disbelief. He tore my life apart and sent me spiraling into a darkness I thought I’d never escape. It took me years to recover, to escape from the guilt and shame, and he’s talking about it like I sprained my fucking ankle?
“Alex, did you meet—” We’re joined by a slim, dark-haired woman. She looks at me politely. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Not at all.” Alex slips an arm around her waist. “I want you to meet a former student of mine, Chloe Archer. Chloe, I don’t think you ever met my wife, Adelaide.”
Wife.
My mouth goes dry.
“How lovely to meet you.” She smiles at me, completely oblivious. “What a nice coincidence. It’s always so much fun meeting Alex’s students. Tell me, was he a terror?” she laughs.
“Now, now,” Aleksander chuckles. “If I pushed her, it was only for her own good.”
I feel sick. I can’t believe he’s just standing there, smiling, with his arm around the wife we betrayed. I’ve never forgiven myself for being the “other woman,” no matter how blinded I was by love. He told me that their marriage was dead, that she couldn’t understand him like I did.
And me? I ate up every word. I told myself that she didn’t deserve him, and that we were destined to be together. It was fate, that’s what he said. I was saving him from a loveless marriage.
I could give him things she never would.
I can’t keep from shuddering at the memory, all the things I’ve pushed down into the darkest corners of my mind.
“Are you alright?” Adelaide is looking at me curiously.
Before I can reply, there’s a hand on my back, and then Jase is there beside me. “Hey, baby,” he says. “Who are your friends?”
I gulp. I don’t know what to say. But Aleksander doesn’t skip a beat, he reaches to shake Jase’s hand and introduces himself, chatting about our old history in common, and how nice it is to run into me again.
“But the ballet world is a small one.” He smiles, all charm. “We’re just one big family. A ruthlessly competitive family, but still.”
He laughs, and his wife laughs right along with him. All I can do is stand there, numb, wishing with everything I had that I could just get away.
“Well, we better get back to our seats,” Jase says, even. “Good to meet you both.”
I nod and smile, and let Jase steer me away into the crowd. It’s not until we’re down a hallway that I realize my whole body is shaking.
“Who was that guy?” Jase asks, looking at me intently.
I shake my head, holding back tears. “You’re the investigator,” I say bitterly. “You tell me.”
“Chloe?” Jase pulls me out of the flow of people heading to their seats. In an alcove, he looks down at me with those all-seeing blue eyes, and I can’t keep pretending anymore. I finally collapse into tears, sobbing with the pain and guilt I’ve been pushing down for years now.
“He’s the worst mistake I ever made,” I admit, feeling the crushing shame all over again. “I thought I’d put it all behind me, but I guess I can’t outrun the past.”
It’ll follow me to my grave.
10.
JASE
Now I know what she’s been hiding all this time.
Or rather, who.
That fucker with the smug grin who looked at her like he was the king of the goddamn castle. I’ve half a mind to charge back out there and show him how it feels to meet the business e
nd of my fist. But Chloe is in no state to be left alone.
I need to get her out of here, and fast.
I see an emergency exit up ahead, so I hustle her out—ignoring the alarm that sounds when I open the door. Chloe lets me steer her down the side street without a word. She’s totally shut down, doing her best to choke back her tears.
What the hell did he do to her?
And when can I make the bastard pay?
I put her gently into the passenger seat of my car and get behind the wheel. Chloe barely glances out the window. She’s in some kind of shock, lost to memories of the past, I guess, but I’m flying blind here.
For the first time, I don’t know everything about the situation, and it’s driving me crazy. I think of that memory stick Logan gave me, and wish I’d taken a look when I had the chance. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so useless right now, trying to think of the right words to say to take her pain away.
I pull into my garage and carefully steer her to the elevator. Upstairs, I go straight to my bar and pour a shot of whiskey. I down it in one, then pour another, and offer her the glass.
She shakes her head. “No, I’m fine.”
“Bullshit,” I say, wrapping her hand around the glass. “You look like you just saw a ghost, and I’m guessing you thought he was dead and buried. Drink.”
Slowly, Chloe raises the glass to her lips and swallows down a sip. “I never thought I’d see him again,” she whispers.
Fuck, she looks so young. Vulnerable. I reach out and gently touch her shoulder, and she flinches back.
“Sorry,” I mutter, feeling like an ass.
She blinks, like she’s just realizing where she is. “No, don’t be. Crap, I’m the one who should be sorry. Having some kind of breakdown like that. It’s nothing,” she insists, forcing a bright voice. “I’m fine.”
“You’re a terrible liar,” I say, and get a faint smile.
“I guess I am.”
There’s silence. I want to ask more, but I don’t want to push her. Fuck. I don’t know what to do. I’ve never been in a situation like this before. The sum total of conversation with the girls I screw is, “See you around, darlin’.” I don’t get involved, and we sure as hell don’t sit around sharing all the deep, dark secrets from our past.
But this time, I want to know what’s brought the pain to her soulful brown eyes.
I want to help her kill those shadows dead, once and for all.
“Tell me what you need,” I ask, feeling weirdly exposed. “What can I do right now? Do you want me to call your roommate? Or take you home? I could go back to the ballet and knock that fucker out,” I add, deadly serious.
“No.” Chloe shakes her head quickly. She rests a hand on my arm. “Don’t. Please. It wouldn’t solve anything. It’s like you said, he’s just a ghost.”
“A ghost that can make you break down and cry.”
Chloe looks away. “I just want to forget him. I want to forget all of it.” She lifts her eyes back to me, pleading and full of pain. “Make me forget, Jase. That’s what I need right now. Please, take it all away.”
Chloe reaches up and presses her lips to mine in a desperate kiss. I pull back, but she locks her arms around my neck and kisses me again. And fuck, it’s a taste of heaven, every time.
Sweet and hungry and too damn tempting. A better man would push her away and take her home right now. Tuck her up in bed or deliver her to a friend, keep his distance when she’s so clearly dealing with shit that’s way out of my league.
But I’m not a better man.
I want her. And fuck, if this is what she needs from me, then I’ll give it to her, alright. I’ll fuck the pain right out of those heartbroken eyes until there’s nothing but pleasure left. I’ll take every sad word from her gorgeous lips until she’s screaming my name.
I kiss her back, slow and deep. Making her pant for it, trailing my hands over her gorgeous body, teasing and soft.
Yeah, that’s right, baby. Moan for me.
But Chloe grabs at me, impatient. “I don’t want it soft,” she tells me, straight on. “I mean it, Jase. Fuck me hard, the way you want to. The way you’ve been promising me all along. Unless you really are all talk. A one-trick pony, is that it?”
There’s challenge in her eyes. I know what she’s doing, pushing me like this, but fuck it, I’ll take the bait.
“You haven’t seen half my tricks, baby.” I step back. “I’ve been imagining that red mouth sliding over my cock all night. So get on your knees.”
My voice is stern, but she hesitates.
“I’m not going to tell you again,” I say softly. There’s steel in my voice. “You want me to take control? This is what it looks like, baby. You don’t get to pick and choose. You do what I say, when I say it. And if you’re a good girl and suck my cock real nice, then maybe, just maybe, I’ll give that sweet ass of yours the attention it deserves.”
I see the shock and desire flash in her eyes. “That’s right.” I smirk. “I know how you want it. All those secret, naughty dreams. You want to know how it feels, don’t you?” I reach for her and slide my hand over that round, peachy curve. She shivers to my touch, and I let my fingers roam. Gliding over the silky fabric, teasing down her crease.
I smirk. “No panties. Good girl.”
I give her a swift spank, hard enough to make her gasp. Then I pop my fly and stand back, my cock jutting straight up. Hard and ready for her sweet little mouth.
This time, Chloe doesn’t wait. I see the relief and eagerness flash in her eyes before she sinks to the floor right there in the middle of the room.
“Hands behind your back,” I order her. “Now open wide, yeah, that’s right.”
She parts those red, wet lips, and I thrust inside.
Fuck.
She sucks me eagerly, taking me all the way to the back of her throat. Goddamn, she’s a sight to see: her mouth working overtime, sliding up and down my shaft with her hands still behind her back and her tits swaying under their silk.
I groan and grab a fistful of her hair. Guiding her mouth faster, thrusting now in time with her sucks. Deep. Deeper. Oh yeah, now I’m hitting the back of her throat, embedding myself in that tight channel until she’s almost choking. But Chloe doesn’t stop. She’s whimpering around my cock, eager to take every last inch.
“That’s my girl,” I growl, pistoning my hips to fuck that gorgeous, wet mouth. “This is what you came for, isn’t it? This is what you’ve dreamed about late at night. Your fingers working in that sweet, slick cunt.”
Chloe moans, muffled by my cock. I smile. “You want to touch yourself now, don’t you, baby? You’re already wet. Aching for a good hard fuck.”
She moans again and moves one hand around to slip between her thighs, but I snap my fingers. She jolts, looking up again.
“No touching,” I order her. “Nobody touches that sweet pussy unless it’s me. You don’t touch yourself, you don’t even come until I say the goddamn word.”
She flushes, excited. “Yes, Jase.”
“Yes, sir,” I correct her, enjoying the rush of power. “Now, suck me off until I come, and don’t you dare stop until you’ve swallowed every last drop.”
I sit back in a chair and let the sensation of her sweet tongue on my dick take over. Damn, but she’s got a skilled mouth. Sucking and licking, taking it all so eagerly. I’ve half a mind to throw her down and fuck her right here, but I know there’s a long night ahead of us, and I’m going to need every last ounce of self-control for what I have in store.
Which is why I let my eyes roll back as she takes me over the edge, fuck, until my climax rips through me and I unleash a torrent of hot, dripping cum into that sweet mouth. Chloe does as she’s told and swallows it all down, licking eagerly at my cock until there’s nothing left.
Goddamn.
I lift my head and smile at her. “Now that’s what I call following orders.”
Chloe flushes and looks away. Then I see what she’s been hiding
. Just out of sight between her knees, one hand is buried in the silk of her gown.
“What did I tell you?” I grab her arm and lift her to her feet. “I thought I made myself clear. This pussy belongs to me now, and you just trespassed on private property.”
Chloe bites her lip. “Sorry, sir,” she says, cheeky.
She thinks we’re still playing. She doesn’t understand, when I demand obedience, you better damn well believe I’m going to get it.
In one move, I pull her over my lap, face-down with her ass in the air. Chloe yelps in surprise as I hike up her gown and land a stinging slap on her bare ass.
“Oww!”
“This is for disobeying me,” I tell her, spanking her hard again. Damn, her ass is perfect: peachy, round, and just begging for my handprint. “You seem to think this is just a game. Well, baby, does it feel like I’m playing?”
“No,” she gasps, as I drop another sharp slap on her reddening skin. She gasps again and grabs onto the couch cushions for balance. “No, I’m sorry!”
“And?” I prompt with another spank.
“I won’t disobey you again. I promise.”
I spank her one final time, then smooth over the red skin. Soft. Caressing. In an instant, she’s wriggling against me for a whole other reason. I dip my fingers down between her thighs and swipe her pussy.
God, she’s dripping wet.
“You like that, don’t you?” I tease, running my fingertip back up along the crease of her ass cheeks. “This sweet virgin asshole wants to have some fun. Well, it’s your lucky night,” I murmur, flipping her over so I can see the lust written all over her face. “Because once I’m through with you, you won’t want it any other way.”
Chloe inhales a trembling breath. “Yes, sir,” she whispers, and I grin.
“Now you’re learning.”
I glide my hand over her body. She’s lying in my lap like a Christmas present: all wrapped up and ready for me to enjoy.
And I will. Over and over until she can’t walk for days.
I stroke her breast and watch her pupils dilate. She shivers and writhes in my lap, her hands curling into fists to keep from touching. Damn, she’s already so turned on, she can’t take it. “Go to my bedroom and take off your dress,” I tell her. “Then wait for me on the bed.”
