by Abby Angel
Sources were quick to point out additionally that both Carter Jeffries and Strong Capital were at the point where they were close to extending the full range of their credit facilities.
“I mean, there may not be much more left that either company can borrow to match the Government,” a banker close to the negotiations commented under anonymity. “There literally may not be enough money left in the marketplace to take on the level of risk that Ares Strong or Lucas Blake are proposing. And if there were, the interest rate on such loans would be astronomically high; it would make borrowing money prohibitive.”
No company in the history of organized takeovers has ever been valued at the level that Union Airlines is currently seeing. The highest to date prior to the buyout negotiations was Apple, and then Alibaba, which were both valued at $575 billion and $600 billion dollars. Both lost the market capitalization with normal downturns in the stock market.
Indeed the artificially high valuation of Union Airlines is due in part to the unique nature of the relationship between Ares Strong, Daphne Kane, and Lucas Blake. Two men, driven and focused on always getting what they want, have carved out respective kingdoms in different corners of Wall Street. But when they go head to head, neither man knows how to lose graciously. Complicating matters even more is a possible romantic entanglement between Ms. Kane and one or both of the gentlemen in question.
“Money and sex have never made for good criteria for making decisions,” the banker commented. “And in the case of these two men, with such powerful appetites and even more powerful egos who have literally never lost at anything, all it does is cause a situation where things get escalated until they explode.”
It remains to be seen how much farther the escalation will continue until the inevitable explosion.
19
Ares
Dirty Destiny—swear to God, this is the best fucking place in New York. It’s like my second home. And, really, can you fucking blame me? More hot girls per square meter than any other place on Earth, and every single one of them eager to get in my pants; it’s like Heaven on fucking Earth.
I stroll inside the place with my head held high, and a few of the girls nod my way as they see me come in. The club is packed (as it always is), almost every single table and booth taken, and there are three women up on the gigantic stage, each one of them dancing around a tall pole. Exactly the kind of show I fucking love.
I make a beeline toward the stairway that leads to the VIP floor, and the bouncer nods at me and pulls the red rope cordoning the stairs. I don’t even need to say a fucking word; everyone in here knows who I am, from the strippers to the bouncers and bartenders. If you think that’s worthy of note, think again; I’m a fucking billionaire, and one of the most eligible bachelors in the U.S.—of course everyone knows who Ares Strong is. Of course, the fact that I’m a regular helps matters considerably.
Climbing the stairs two at a time, I glance around the VIP floor, squinting my eyes as they try to adjust to the dim lights in here. Lucas is sitting in one of the spacious booths and, as soon as I see him, I start walking toward him.
“Punctual as always,” I grin, sitting down by his side on the leather couch that lines the wall and pulling the booth’s red curtain, sheltering us from prying eyes.
“And you… Late as always,” he says, a light frown on his face.
“That’s my modus operandi,” I shrug and, with a sigh, he allows an easy smile to replace his frown. Good.
You’re probably wondering what the two of us are doing together, right? And in a strip club, of all places. Well, I was the one suggesting Dirty Destiny as a place where we could meet (offices fucking bore me to death), and as to the reason why we’re meeting… Well, let’s just say that it’s time we bury the hatchet. I mean, after what happened in Daphne's’ office, it’s the logical thing to do, right? We’ve been holding a grudge for too fucking long, and I guess that we needed Daphne to act as a bridge between the two of us.
“So, you’ve heard,” he starts, forcing us to dive straight into business.
“I’ve heard,” I nod. I mean, who hasn’t fucking heard? Ever since that fucking asshole Seymour said that the government was willing to pony up a $1.1 trillion that the press has gone fucking bananas. No wonder, an offer of that size is completely fucking insane. It’s something completely unheard of.
“There’s no way we can top that.” Lucas leans back against the couch and crosses his legs, looking at me as if he expects me to have the fucking solution to all our problems. Well, lucky for him, I might have it; yeah, I’m fucking awesome like that.
“No. There’s no way we can afford a price tag like that.”
Except we can. And that’s why I decided to meet with Lucas.
“What’s on your mind, Ares?”
“It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? We have to work together,” I tell him, and my heart starts racing the moment the words leave my fucking mouth. I can’t believe I’m actually suggesting we work together. I mean, just few days ago we were willing to almost kill each other over Daphne, and now… Now Daphne has turned the chessboard upside down, and now we’re all playing in the same fucking team.
Besides, how can I hate him after what happened between the three of us? Because, fuck it, it wasn’t just about sex (although it was the best fucking sex I’ve ever had). No, I’m not about to turn into some fucking pansy and start writing poems and love songs and shit, but I gotta tell you, what happened between us forged a connection. Or, more than that, it brought to light a connection that was already there.
“Me and you, working together,” he muses, a slight smile on his face. “Now that’s something I wasn’t expecting to hear from you…”
“Why? Is it that fucking surreal? We used to be friends, Lucas. We used to trust each other.” I lower my voice then, memories of long ago flashing behind my eyelids. Memories that I’ve tried to bury for years.
“That was a long time ago, Ares… And you remember what happened then,” he says, sorrow tainting his words.
“Of course I remember. How could I ever forget?” I whisper and, holding my breath, I reach for him and place my hand on top of his. “But it’s time we move on. It’s time we trust again.” I squeeze his fingers in mine, my eyes locked on his. “Trust me.”
He squeezes my hand, and I can almost feel the air around us growing warmer. My eyes fall down to his lips and my heart starts kicking fast against my ribcage, a sudden urge to just fucking kiss him taking over me.
Fuck, why do I feel like this? Why am I holding his fucking hand? I’m not gay, bisexual, or whatever is the right fucking label for this… God, I just hate fucking labels; why do you have to put a name to everything? That’s bullshit. It doesn’t matter what I am; all that matters is that I’ve missed Lucas for too long and now, after we crossed paths with Daphne, that longing I felt for him turned into something more. Something I can’t control … something I don’t want to control.
“I trust you,” he finally whispers to me, placing his free hand on my knee. His touch makes my blood boil, a high voltage current running through my muscles. I can’t even think straight right now.
“I’ve missed you,” I say, the words fucking escaping my lips before I can do anything about it.
“I’ve missed you too,” he replies without a moment’s hesitation.
Leaning in, I close my eyes and kiss him.
And, fuck it, it feels perfect.
20
Lucas
“What the fuck are we doing…?” Ares asks me as he pulls back, the taste of his lips still lingering on mine. I look into his eyes, not knowing what to say, but fully understanding that his question is a rhetorical one. He doesn’t want an answer and, really, neither do I.
“Does it even matter?” I ask him, hot blood rushing toward my cock and making it pulse in a kind of frantic anxiety. The memories of what happened between the two of us and Daphne well up in my mind, and that does it for me; there’s nothing I can do but
to surrender to my instincts. And my instincts demand the man right in front of me.
“No, I guess it doesn’t.” With that, he leans into me again, his lips looking for mine. We kiss in abandonment, our tongues dancing softly around one another as the madness of lust takes over us.
Resting one hand on my knee, Ares lets his fingertips slowly trail all the way up to my crotch; I hold my breath as he flattens the palm of his hand between my thighs, my cock hardening fast. Rubbing his hand back and forth, he drives me to the point of insanity, and I realize that there’s definitely no going back now. This is a one-way road.
He curls his fingers around the bulging shape in my pants and squeezes it; pulling back from our kiss, he looks into my eyes with an expression of pure hunger. I look back at him and, for a moment, it’s as if time has stopped around us. Only now do I realize (or accept) what has been the truth for a long time now; I want Ares. No, more than want him—I need him.
I never imagined that the thought of another man’s naked body would leave me in such a state, but that’s how it is. I take a deep breath, remembering the perfect curves of Ares’ body as he fucked Daphne, his huge cock sliding in and out of her wet pussy. The way he moved, the way he sighed in ecstasy ... and more than all that, I remember how it felt to have his cock in my hand, my body pressed against his… This is madness, sweet madness.
“I… want you,” I breathe out, brushing my thumb over his full lips. “I want that mouth of yours. I want to feel it on me.”
Without a single word, he peels his fingers off my cock and, without breaking eye contact, pops off the top button on my pants. “I never thought I’d say this,” he whispers, slowly working on my belt and unbuckling it, “but I need that cock. And I need it right now.” His words are heavy, his tone one of crazed lust and anticipation.
“It’s yours,” I exhale sharply, and he flattens his hand once more against my cock, the fabric of my boxer briefs the only barrier between us. Raising my hips, I push my pants down to my knees and then lean back against the leather couch, throwing my head back and closing my eyes.
Using only his index finger, he starts brushing it over my hard shaft, moving it up and down gently. I’m breathing hard now, a burning need to feel his lips wrapped around my cock completely overwhelming me.
Still teasing me, he uses his free hand to grab at the hem of my boxer briefs and, with maddening patience, he pulls them and reveals my cock, doing it inch by slow inch. I grit my teeth as my shaft brushes against his knuckles, and I almost grab him by the wrist so that I can force him to start stroking me. I control myself somehow, though, submitting to his pace.
Teasing me mercilessly, he pulls my boxer briefs down to my knees and then runs both his hands up my legs. He reaches for my cock with the tip of his fingers, brushing them along the length of my shaft before finally grabbing it. I breathe out heavily as I feel the pressure of his fingers on me, a shiver going up my spine as I realize that this is one of the sweetest moments of my entire life.
More than pleasure, this is about acceptance. I’ve been living in denial for so long … and now, my body burning under his touch, I’ve finally surrendered to something that runs deep in my veins. A vicious craving, a feeling of lust intertwined with passion. All that, and then some more.
With his body pressed against mine, Ares starts moving his hand up and down the length of my member, stroking it and building a rhythm with that maddening patience of his. We kiss once more, our mouths drawn to each other, and I take my hand to his crotch and press down on the shape tenting his pants.
The moment I do it, his cock pulsing under the palm of my hand, Ares pulls back from my kiss and groans; he starts stroking me faster too, the movements of his hand growing more erratic and wild. More genuine and unpredictable.
“Now we’re talking,” I whisper, nibbling at his lower lip and curling my fingers around the hard shape between his thighs. Turning my body toward him, I take both my hands to his belt and unbuckle it; without waiting a second, I pull his zipper down and slide my hand under his boxer briefs, grabbing his cock right away.
His warmness throbs against my skin with a kind of abrupt eagerness, and I feel flames dancing around my mind and turning all conscious thought into ashes. Right now, only our bodies matter.
“I never thought… Fuck, I never thought your cock would feel this good in my hand,” I tell him, and there’s a gleam of wickedness in his eyes. Returning his gaze, I start stroking him; I go fast right from the beginning, though, no patience left in me to tease him. My body demands it, and I can’t help but to cave to these demands.
“Fuck… And I never thought your cock would feel this good in my hand,” he replies, pushing the words out from between his gritted teeth. The lines around his eyes seem to deepen as an expression of pure bliss takes over his face, and I smile at the sight.
Moving fast, I let go of his cock, but that only so that I can tug on his pants and boxers. I send it all down to his knees, and his cock springs free and into my hand, his body anxious for more.
I go as fast as I can, my fist just a blur as I handle his cock, doing it as if I were stroking myself. That’s the beauty of being with another man; I already know what he wants and what he needs, no guess work to what I’m doing in here.
We stroke each other for God knows how long, mirroring each other’s rhythm and floating down the river of time without a care in the world.
“Fuck, I wish Daphne was here,” Ares groans, and I start going even faster than before. Just to hear Daphne’s name … I don’t know, that woman does something to me. The way she looks at us, the way her body seems to scream out our names… And the way she kisses, sucks, and fucks. Perfection has a name, and it’s Daphne Kane.
“Me too,” I admit, throwing my head back and trying to control my breathing. Ares is stroking me viciously now, and I already feel that sweet pressure mounting inside of me, ecstasy clawing at my mind.
Lucky for me, ecstasy takes Ares by surprise before the same happens to me. His stroking motion grows erratic; he goes slow and then fast, and then just does it again before he finally stops jerking me altogether. He just takes his hand off of my cock and throws his head back, both his hands balled into fists as his body tenses up, his ripped muscles becoming diamond hard.
“I’m gonna … I’m gonna fucking cum,” he groans, his eyes closed as his cock spasms against my fingers.
“Then do it,” I whisper back at him, still working on his cock. I take my free hand to between his legs and cup his balls, rolling them over my outstretched fingers and giving him a gentle push off the cliff of pleasure. He tumbles down into his orgasm a fraction of a second later: his cock throbs violently against my hand and then a long rope of cum shoots out from its tip. Thick and white, his cum jumps up into the air like an elastic band; it comes down in an arch, falling over the sleeve of my white shirt, but I just keep on stroking him.
He keeps on shooting for a long time, gushing his load up into the air like a fountain; his semen falls back down on top of his cock and my hand, acting as a lubricant as I jerk him off. By the time he finally stops cumming, both his cock and my hand (not to mention the sleeve of my shirt) are drenched in cum.
I peel my fingers off his cock and, moving fast, Ares reaches for me and grabs me by the wrist. He guides my hand toward his mouth and, grinning at me, he licks my fingers, scooping his own cum with the tip of his tongue. I watch him do it as if I’m hypnotized, his tongue tracing gentle lines down my fingers and dancing over the palm of my hand.
I see a strand of cum dangling from his lower lip and, before I even know what I’m doing, I push him back against the couch and lean into him. I lick his lips softly, taking that strand of cum into my mouth, and then I kiss him again. I close my eyes as I feel his salty seed on his lips and tongue, and that’s when the urge to fill his mouth with my own cum overtakes me.
“You took yours … now take mine,” I tell him, tangling my fingers in his hair and pulling his he
ad back. He looks at me with a smile on his lips, decoding my words, and then he takes his hand to his own cock. Taking some of the cum coating his shaft, he then reaches for me and grabs my cock.
“Gladly,” he whispers, working my shaft while his seed acts as lubricant. I lean back against the couch, legs spread wide as I let him do all the work and simply enjoy the moment. Going faster with each passing second, it doesn’t take him long to work himself up into a frenzy. His hand flies up and down the length of my shaft, and I have to take deep breaths to stop myself from cumming right away.
“Don’t cum, not yet,” he tells me, slowing down his stroking motion and looking into my eyes as a dangerous wickedness dances on his lips. “I want you to do it … in my mouth,” he continues, and that almost does it for me. Just to hear him say something like that is almost enough to make my cock explode. Thankfully, I somehow manage to stop that from happening. God knows how.
Leaning into me, Ares brushes his lips against my neck, and then just bends over and parts his lips. Reaching for the tip of my cock with his tongue, he laps at my flesh with controlled eagerness, tracing soft circles around my girth.
Then, opening up his hand and freeing my shaft, he slides his tongue down my twelve inches until his lips are on my balls. He kisses them, one at a time, and then opens his mouth wide and sucks my right one into his mouth.
“Oh, fuck, that’s … that’s so fucking good,” I groan as he presses on it with his tongue, and then moves to the left one. He does the same there, and then just opens his mouth even wider and sucks both my balls in. I place my hands on the top of his head by instinct, almost too desperate for him to start sucking; reading that eagerness on me, he pulls back, allowing my balls to pop out from his mouth, and then slides his tongue all the way up my shaft, flicking it at my tip.
