Dark Room (Society X #1)

by L. P. Dover

  “You want the room again.”

  This is why he’s in the business. He knows how to meet the needs of people who don’t even know they have needs to be met. Bryce is doing this with so much discretion and class, he’s cornering the market on prostitution. I’m a fucking prostitute and it doesn’t bother me.

  “Yeah, but same chick.”

  There’s a brief silence on his end. “Same chick? You know I have plenty of others who are looking for hook-ups, right?”

  “Same chick,” I growl.

  “All right, bro. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thank you.” I feel my fried nerves relaxing.

  “By the way, you don’t have to call me. Text the number on Christy’s card and she’ll set you up. Our texting system is highly confidential and her phone never leaves the club. If she’s not working, a text is sent to her private phone and she’ll still take care of you.”

  Fucking hell, he has this all figured out. “Right. Tell me, Bryce, do you pay the escorts well?”

  He chuckles. “If you had read the financials, you would see they’re paid very well. In fact, my turnover rate is almost non-existent and I have a number of applicants on a waiting list.”

  “Please have Christy text me,” I say as I hang up. I don’t know when I’ll get the text, but I do know that standing around in my bathroom naked, isn’t going to get any work done in my office.

  Regardless of how I’m feeling, work has to get done. When I arrive at my building, the hustle and bustle of the day is in full force. Ward Enterprises is in a high rise in downtown Portland and occupies two floors. The rest of the floors are leased out to other businesses.

  My daily routine is fairly consistent. I spend time looking at business profiles of potential takeovers or partnerships, and attend an endless stream of meetings. There are companies to buy and sell, and money to be made. Personally, I like to make more than I spend on any given day.

  Opportunities come to me in various ways. Some companies reach out for help, while other times one of my headhunters hears a rumor of a troubled company and does research—when their stock drops, we’re in front of their board that day with an offer to buy.

  When the companies reach out, we buy with the intent to sell back; helping them and gaining a profit in return. If they’re not salvageable, we sell off pieces to other corporations in the same industry.

  The first profile I pick up is for the high-end clothing manufacturer, Les Belle. They make their own designer label clothing for women. It appears they’re hitting the right markets, but aren’t selling. It’s the owner who sought my company out, but without saying what they’re interested in. I don’t know if they’re looking for us to simply invest, or to buy. One thing is for certain, I don’t know jack shit about designing clothes.

  But I do know someone who does.

  I call my assistant. “Mrs. Jones, please make an appointment for me to tour Les Belle, and make sure the CEO is available to meet while I’m there.”

  “Yes, Mr. Ward.”

  Our line disconnects and I contemplate calling Mia to see if she’d be interested in going to this meeting. It’d be a smart business move to show them I’m serious, and can bring something to the table other than money.

  I pick up my phone to call her and scroll through my contacts, until I land on the picture I took of her before she started dating the supreme douche-nugget. It had been almost two years ago, at the Hudson family reunion. I’d taken her out on my boat because Andrew had been giving her shit about not tubing. When we got on the boat, she asked me not to take it easy on her. I didn’t, and it was the last time I’d truly seen her smile.

  Thinking about her brings the image of her mouth wrapped around my cock to mind. It was her face that made me blow my load this morning. And the only reason she popped into my head is because I saw her at the grocery store stroking a banana.

  Stroking a fucking banana.

  My pants become tight with the swelling of my cock. I close my eyes and push away any impure thoughts about my best friend’s little sister. “God, what the fuck is wrong with me?”

  I need to get laid, that’s what. I need to be back in that room with the vixen I was with the other night, listening to her moan while I bury my dick inside her. I want to feel her fingernails digging into my back, raking across my skin as her orgasm builds. I welcome the pain, the exhilaration of knowing I’m doing that to her.

  “Mr. Ward?” My secretary’s voice brings me back to the here and now.

  “Yes,” I croak, clearing my throat.

  “Mr. Wainright is free tomorrow at noon. Shall I confirm?”

  I look down at my phone, about to pull up my calendar, before realizing Mrs. Jones would’ve never agreed if I were busy. Mia’s face is staring back at me from my cell, her green eyes sparkling in the sun and her blonde hair wet from being dumped on the tube.

  “Yes, for lunch, and I’ll have a guest with me.” I have no choice but to take a date now, and it needs to be Mia. It’ll be purely business.

  “Thank you, Mr. Ward.” She hangs up, leaving me with my wandering thoughts.

  My phone chimes and Christy’s name pops up.

  Christy: Hello, Mr. Parker. I’m sorry to inform you, but the woman from your first encounter has decided not to submit an application.

  I re-read Christy’s text. My temper rises and I pound a fist down on my desk. She’s the one I want. She’s the one who makes me feel like I’ve never felt before.

  Me: Why not?

  She gave me a fucking ten, why wouldn’t she want to do this again? We’d created magic; completely owning each other’s bodies.

  Christy: According to her escort, it was for financial reasons.

  Well, fuck a duck. I have to remedy this situation, and fast.

  Between classes at the gym, I take a fifteen minute break and fetch my purse out of Andrew’s desk, seeing four missed text messages. My breath catches when I see who the first one’s from.

  Parker: I need your help. Are you free for a lunch meeting tomorrow? Let me know and I’ll have a driver come get you.

  Instead of texting him back, I call. He’s never asked for my help before.

  His voice is silky and deep when he greets me. “Thanks for calling me back. Can you get away for about two hours tomorrow?”

  “You said you needed my help. Is everything okay?”

  He chuckles. “I have a meeting tomorrow with the owner of Les Belle. I’m thinking of buying out his company, but I don’t know anything about the product. I was hoping you could advise me on whether it would be a good investment or not.”

  Eyes wide, I lean against the desk, my heart thumping wildly. I’ve been in the Les Belle stores a gazillion times. Their line of clothing is amazing. “I’d be happy to. What time do you need me?”

  “Noon. I’ll have Stanley come and pick you up at eleven-thirty. Will you be at the gym?”

  I really want to ask him why he’s not picking me up, but decide it’s best not to. The last thing I need is to get close to him again. We weren’t in high school anymore. Besides, he’s part of the elite crowd, just like Zac. He wouldn’t want anything to do with me now.

  “Mia?”

  “Sorry, I’m still here. And yes, I’ll be at the gym. I don’t have a class until later in the afternoon, so I’m good.”

  “All right, I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for doing this for me.”

  I smile. “Any time.”

  I don’t really want to get off the phone, but I click the end button and blow out a long breath. I was nervous, but why? Being around him hadn’t bothered me since before Zac came into the picture, back when I thought things were changing between us.

  “Stop it,” I grumble under my breath. He’s a player who’s moved onto bigger and better things. It isn’t high school anymore. Tomorrow I have to make sure to keep things on a professional level . . . no flirting, and absolutely no touching.

  Sighing, I look down at my phone and crin
ge when I see two messages from Zac, demanding I speak to him.

  “Sorry, dickface.” I hit delete. He seriously must think I’m naïve enough to believe his sorry ass has changed. I just hate it took me two years to see through his bullshit. I fully expect the last text message to be from Rachel, but it’s not.

  Jared: Hi, Mia. There have been some new developments regarding your account. I’d appreciate if you could give me a call. Thanks!

  New developments? What in the hell does that mean? Glancing out the two-way mirror, I see Andrew is still working with his client, so I have time to make a quick call. Shutting the door to his office, I dial Jared. The last thing I want is for someone to overhear the conversation. My heart races as I wait for him to pick up the phone.

  “Mia, thanks for calling me back.”

  I laugh nervously. “You’re welcome. What’s this new development with my account? Do I owe money or something?”

  He barks out a laugh. “On the contrary. I know you said you can’t be a member due to financial reasons, but what would you say if that was taken care of?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When the gentleman you were with found out you weren’t returning, he asked if he could pay for your membership.”

  I gasp and slap a hand over my mouth. “Holy shit, are you serious? Why would he do that?”

  “Looks like he didn’t get enough the first time around. He wants to be with you again tonight if you’re available.”

  Knees weak, I fall into Andrew’s chair, completely in shock. “I don’t know what to say. Does this sort of thing happen a lot?”

  “No.” He laughs. “I have to say, even I’m intrigued. Do you need some time to think about it?”

  Inside, I’m jumping up and down, ready to say yes, but the logical part of me has its reservations. I couldn’t help but feel like a whore. It’s not like the money is being put in my hands, but technically he was paying to have sex with me. Did he really think I was that good?

  “Mia, you still there?”

  “Yes,” I reply breathlessly. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes. “I think I’m going to do this.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes. Just tell me what time to be there.”

  His fingers tap on the keyboard. “Can you be here at eight?”

  I’m supposed to close the gym tonight, but there’s no way I’m missing this appointment. “I’ll be there.”

  We hang up, and my stomach flutters. I can’t believe I’m doing this again.

  “Hello?” I answer my phone, pulling into the parking lot of Society X.

  It’s Rachel. Her loud voice booms through the phone. “Girl, where you at? I go to the gym and you’re not there. Drew says you had somewhere to go.”

  Laughing, I find a space at the edge of the parking lot. “I was going to tell you once I got back home. You’re never going to believe this.”

  “What happened?” she asks excitedly.

  I turn off my car and lean my head back against the seat. “I got a call from Jared. He said the mystery guy wants to pay for my membership.”

  She gasps. “Holy shit! That’s insane. What did you say?”

  “I said yes. He wants to see me again tonight. You don’t think I’m stupid, do you?”

  “Hell no, this is awesome. Are you there now?”

  Taking a deep breath, I glance out the window at the club. “Yep. Wish me luck, I gotta go.”

  “Good luck.” She giggles and hangs up the phone.

  Jared is waiting on me, dressed to his usual perfection. He takes me to the dressing room connected to the dark room and shuts the door, only this time, he’s in here with me. It’s strange, knowing my mystery guy is just one room over, waiting for me to enter.

  “Before I leave you, I want to go over a couple of things,” Jared mentions, stopping in front of me. “Now that you’re a registered member, you’ll get all the perks of the club. You’re more than welcome to try out the other rooms and explore all of the possibilities. Also, the next time you come in, we’ll give you your Society X necklace. Sound good?”

  I nod in reply, completely at a loss for words. This place is like a whole new world. When he leaves the room, I change into a set of sexy, red lingerie and enter the dark room. It’s not like it matters what I’m wearing, but I don’t want to walk in there naked. For just a brief second, I’m given a shred of light to find my way to the bed. Once it shuts off, I wait.

  My breath hitches when his door opens and I hear him entering the room. He’s not given a light, but his steps sound confident. I want to speak, to ask him why he chose me, but I can’t. Even if I could find the right words, it’s against the rules. Maybe it’s a good thing I don’t know who he is. It’s easier to fantasize about him being anyone I choose.

  He’s close now, nearing the edge of the bed. When the mattress dips down, his fingers slide up my bare legs. A rumble of satisfaction sounds in his chest, and I can’t help but smile. How can someone I don’t even know make me feel so good? He moves up my body and places his knee between my legs, nudging them apart. I wrap them around his waist, smiling when I feel his bare backside; he’s already naked.

  I have to bite my lip to keep from talking. It doesn’t matter anyway because his lips close down on mine, his tongue forcing its way inside. Moaning, I give in and fist my hands in his hair. The cologne he wears smells familiar and the first person I envision is Parker. My underwear grows damp between my legs. I can’t stop from imagining his scent all around me . . . that it’s him about to take me in the dark.

  The harder we kiss, the more my mind scrambles to see the man, which ends up being Parker’s face. As much as I want to deny it, I’ve often thought about what it’d be like to be with him.

  Trailing his lips past my neck, he flicks his tongue across a nipple and bites it through the fabric. I suck in a breath and he chuckles lightly, the sound of it bringing a smile to my face. He slides my underwear down and kisses his way to my sweet spot. The second his tongue slides across my clit, I arch my back off the bed, moaning.

  Not wasting any time, he plunges in deep, tongue fucking me with force. I move my body against his face, trying so damn hard to keep my cries to myself. Gripping the sheets, I’m close to losing control when he stops and joins me on the bed, pulling me on top of him. I hear the sound of a wrapper opening, and move to grab his hands and take the condom from him. I slide it down his arousal slowly, loving how long and thick he feels in my hand.

  I want the pain, the ache of feeling him stretching me wide. Lifting my lingerie, he tosses it on the floor and wraps his arms around me to grab his cock and align it with my center. Slapping his tip against my opening, he jams it in and holds me down as he thrusts upward.

  His hands are everywhere, squeezing and massaging as his lips close around my sensitive nipples. He sucks them hard, pulling them with his teeth. My hips slam against his, my body close to losing control. Grabbing a handful of my hair, he pulls my head back and sucks on the sensitive column of my neck.

  All too soon, I let go and scream out in release. My whole body is trembling when I feel his cock pulsating inside me, as he too is taken over the edge.

  Collapsing on his body, I lay there while I catch my breath. He traces his fingers along my spine and it feels so good, but I know I can’t stay. When I slide off of him, he grabs me around the waist and doesn’t let go. Grinning from ear to ear, I lay down as he guides me onto the bed, holding me from behind. I can hear him slide his condom off and drop it on the floor. Rolling back to hold me close, his slick cock rubs against my ass. Pushing back into him, I rub along the length of his arousal.

  He places a hand on my thigh and traces lines on my skin. It takes me a minute to realize what he’s doing. He’s sending a message.

  I want more.

  The words are branded on my skin. I want more too, so much more. Taking my hand, I reach back and slide a finger across his leg, giving him my answer.

  So do I.
r />   A deep growl vibrates in his chest and I can feel my body tighten. He opens another wrapper and I can hear him rolling it down into place. Pulling me against his body, he lifts my leg, sliding one of his between mine. It gives him the opening he needs to push inside from behind.

  Kissing the back of my neck, he clutches his arm around my chest, rolling my nipples between his fingers. He palms me with his other hand and rubs my clit as he thrusts inside. The faster he goes, the harder my release pounds into me from the inside out. He grunts a few more times and deepens himself inside of me as he jerks and spasms, coming hard.

  If I could stay in that position all night, I would, but I know I can’t. When he pulls out, I reluctantly sit up and so does he. He feels around for my face and clasps his hands on both sides, pulling me to him. His lips are soft yet hard against my own. He nips my bottom lip and I moan.

  On his back, I trace the words, see you soon. Sliding off the bed, I pad over to my door, hitting the button to exit. Once I’m dressed and out the dressing room door, Jared smiles at me and escorts me to the exit. I’m at a loss for words and can only manage a smile in return, hoping like hell I don’t look like an idiot.

  “Have a good rest of the night,” he says as I walk out.

  “You too.” He shuts the door and I get in my car. It’s not until I get all the way home when I realize my mistake. I left my lingerie on the floor.

  “Hello, Mr. Ward.”

  “Hello.” I look around the crowded elevator, hoping no one can hear her on the other line. I don’t know why I’m trying to be coy, it’s not like people know Christy’s my escort from Society X.

  “I’m calling to let you know everything is set for your consort. She’ll be receiving her Society X necklace the next time she comes in.”

  I try to recall the necklace Bryce showed me the first day I was there, and come up blank. To me, that means it’s plain and doesn’t belong on her neck. “Actually, I’m going to drop one off for her. This is a unique situation.”