Dark Room (Society X #1)

by L. P. Dover

  Parker growls and reaches for the files, opening them up. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. These are the files to a new account I just opened.”

  Officer Mitchell gets to his feet and marches over to them. He takes a look at the files and lifts a brow. “Why did you have these in your purse, Ms. Brewer?”

  Zac meets my stare and I glare at him, hoping the day for him to pay has finally come.

  “I don’t know,” Tonya answers, her voice shaky and scared.

  “You don’t know?” Officer Mitchell asks incredulously. “Surely you know something, or they wouldn’t be in your bag. This is a criminal offense Ms. Brewer. You and Mr. Haggart will be facing jail time for this.”

  Her head snaps up and she turns to Zac. Lips set in a firm line, he glares at her and shakes his head, but she bursts out crying and points at him. “It’s his fault. He’s the one who put them in there, hoping he could sabotage one of Parker’s deals.”

  “You stupid cunt!” Zac yells, lunging for her. One of the cops holds him back, but he tries to fight him off. “She’s nothing but a fucking liar and a whore who’s a lousy lay. Do you even know who I am?”

  Officer Mitchell rushes over to help, and slaps a set of handcuffs around Zac’s wrists. “I don’t give a shit who you are. Right now, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and may be used against you in the court of law.” The officer finishes the Miranda rights as they pull him up to a standing position.

  Tonya is put in handcuffs and read her rights as well, and they are both hauled into the elevator. Before the doors close, Zac glares at me. I smile wide and wave my hand. Justice has been served. The medics say a few words to Officer Mitchell before they leave.

  “If we have any more questions, I’ll be in touch,” Officer Mitchell explains to us. “Do you have reason to believe they’ve done this before? Have any of your other files gone missing?”

  Parker rubs a hand through his hair and sighs. “I don’t think so, but I’m pretty sure they’ve been in my office more than once. Mia can tell you more about that one.”

  Officer Mitchell turns to me and I explain about the noises I heard coming from his office a few Sundays back. When I’m done, he faces Parker again. “And you can testify it wasn’t you in there with her at that time?” he asks.

  Parker snorts. “I’ll be glad to. Tonya already admitted to me and my executive assistant that she lied to Mia and said it was me in there with her. That’s why I fired her. Neither one of us knew at the time that she and Mr. Haggart were working with each other.”

  Officer Mitchell shakes his hand and glances at us both. “Looks like we have a solid case then. If you find any of your files missing, I’ll have their homes searched.”

  “Thanks, Officer Mitchell,” Parker mentions appreciatively.

  Once he leaves, we sit there alone, in complete silence. I don’t even know where to begin. I can still see the look on his face when I threw the Society X necklace at him and said those mean, accusatory words.

  “Mia,” he whispers, coming up behind me. I can feel the heat of his body against my back. “We need to talk.”

  “That’s an understatement.” His hands snake around my waist and rest on my stomach, making me shiver. I look down at them and sigh. “But first, we need to clean you up. Do you have a first aid kit here?”

  He turns me around and I look up into his serious gaze. “No, but I do at my place. We can go there.”

  Heart pounding, I suck in a silent breath. I haven’t been inside his penthouse in years. “What about your office? Don’t we need to straighten it up?”

  “It’ll still be here tomorrow. I don’t want to spend tonight worrying about it. Right now, you’re what’s more important to me.” Letting me go, he shuts his office door and jots down a quick note that he puts on Mrs. Jones’ desk. “You ready?” he asks, approaching me cautiously. By the look on his face, he’s afraid I’m going to run.

  Not this time.

  I nod. “I’m ready.”

  We ride the elevator in silence and once we’re in the parking garage, I follow him to his car. He only lives a few blocks away, in one of the most upscale living establishments in downtown Portland. The ride to his penthouse goes by in a flash and I find myself walking through his door. The last time I was there was at a Christmas party a few years ago, when he had just moved in. Everything looks the same, all masculine in grays and blacks. I walk to the windows and look out at the twinkling lights below while Parker disappears to the back.

  His reflection shows up in the window a few minutes later, a first aid kit in his hands and dressed in clean clothes. He sets the kit down on the coffee table, keeping his gaze on my back. All I want to do is run into his arms, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Not until I have all the answers I need.

  “I guess now you know the truth,” he murmurs.

  Turning around, my eyes burn and I nod. “I am so sorry for everything I said and did.”

  He shakes his head and sits down on the couch. “You didn’t know, and the evidence was stacked against me. I can’t blame you for that.”

  “Still,” I say, taking the space beside him, “I shouldn’t have done it.” I open the first aid kit and grab the alcohol wipes. Taking Parker’s hand, I dab them onto his cuts and he tenses, but doesn’t say a word. “I will say this though. Watching Zac fall on his ass was funny as hell.”

  Parker chuckles but there’s no humor in it. “I wanted to kill him, for everything he’s done to you, Mia. It just made me so goddamn furious. I’ve been dying to kick his ass for years.”

  “And now you can say you’ve done it. It’s over.” Once I’m done cleaning the wounds on his hands, I sit back on the couch and face him. He moves closer and leans back with me, our legs touching. “I don’t know where to start,” I whisper.

  “How about the beginning? We have to be honest with each other. Just tell me what you want to know.”

  “How long have you been a member of Society X?” I ask. What I really want to know is how many women he’s slept with since he’s been there.

  Sighing, he looks straight into my eyes. “About two months now.”

  I gasp. “Are you serious?”

  “Did you expect it to be longer?”

  “I guess I did. But that means you started paying for my membership around the same time you joined.”

  His gaze narrows. “And I’m assuming you want to know how many women I fucked while I was there?”

  I swallow hard, not knowing if I really want to hear the answer to that question. Instead of answering, I nod and close my eyes.

  “Look at me,” he commands, and I comply. “You were the only woman I ever slept with there. In fact, you’re the only woman I’ve slept with since our first night together. I haven’t been able to think about anyone else, I’m an addict for you. That’s why I had to make sure I got you again.”

  “Is that why you paid for my membership?”

  He nods. “When I found out you weren’t coming back, I had to do something.”

  “Why would someone like you want to be a part of a sex club anyway? I did it as a liberation type of thing after Zac and I broke up, and even then, only planned on doing it once. But you can have any woman you want, at any given time. You don’t have to pay for sex.”

  “No, I don’t. The only reason I used the dark room in the first place is because I’m a silent investor. The owner is a good friend of mine from college. He thought I should try out my investment.”

  “Do you have plans on going back?”

  A small smile spreads across his face. “Only if my partner agrees to go back as well.”

  The heat rises to my cheeks and my heart accelerates. “I think I’m retired. Besides, the allure of it’s gone. We know who we are now. It wouldn’t be the same.”

  Shaking his head, he grasps my face with his hands. “You’re wrong. Every time we’re together, I feel the connection. I feel it even now. All I wanted was for it to be
you in that damn room. Your face was all I saw when we were in there. When I touched you, I imagined it was your body wrapped around mine. Fuck, Mia. I’ve wanted you for way too damn long.”

  He moves closer and I suck in a breath. “Why didn’t you tell me you had feelings for me? Things would be so different now.”

  “I don’t know,” he says, his lips so close to mine. “But I’m telling you now. I’m in love with you. And now that you’re here, I’m not letting you go. I don’t think I can.”

  “Then don’t.”

  He wastes no time and claims my mouth, kissing me hard as he tangles his hands in my hair. I moan against his lips and pull back, resting my forehead to his. “I love you too, Parker. I always have.”

  Lifting me in his arms, he kisses me again and carries me down the hall. He pushes the door to his bedroom open, and sets me down on his bed. Ridding ourselves of our clothes, I don’t even have to think about what we’re doing next because I know it’s right.

  Stalking up my body, he keeps his gaze on mine as he kisses his way up to my thighs, spreading me wide. “I want to see your face when I kiss you like this,” he says, closing his lips over my center. He thrusts his tongue inside of me and I moan as he fucks me with his mouth.

  The sensation is amazing, but it’s made even better now that I can watch him devour me. Parker Ward is sucking on my clit. I cry out his name and run my hands through his hair.

  He lifts up and covers me with his body, a wide grin on his face. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited to hear my name cross your lips in ecstasy?”

  “Probably as long as I’ve craved seeing your cock plunge into me,” I whisper back.

  He growls at my admission and pushes the tip of his dick against my opening and buries himself, inch by inch. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he murmurs, moving his body against mine. Our lips connect, and never once does he close his eyes while making love to me.

  Raking my nails down his back, I cry out as he thrusts harder, his breaths growing shallow and more sporadic. Everything feels like it’s going to explode, and when he drives me over the edge, I scream out. He grunts a few more times, then releases inside me, his cock pulsating as I milk him clean.

  Breathing in a contented sigh, he lifts up on his elbows, his raw gaze penetrating into mine. “I think I just broke my number one rule.”

  Shaking my head, I lean up and kiss him. “No, you didn’t.”

  “What do you mean?”

  I cup his face in my hands. “I’m resigning from Ward Enterprises. My resignation letter is on my desk with yesterday’s date on it. So technically, you can say I’m not your employee.”

  His smile fades. “You’re quitting?”

  “I don’t want to, but we both know it’s for the best. Just because I’m quitting doesn’t mean I’m giving up on what we’ve started. I know you have your policies to uphold. We don’t want any of your employees thinking the rules are only a suggestion.” His smile returns and I squeeze my legs around his waist, pushing my body up into his.

  Groaning, he holds me tight. “I don’t know what I’m going to do not being able to see you at work every day.”

  “You can see me any day you want. You know where I live and I know how to find you. Besides, I’m sure I can visit the office for a little afternoon delight on special occasions.”

  He chuckles, and then his gaze turns serious. “Does this mean you’re officially mine?”

  “Is that what you want?”

  “You have no fucking idea. All you have to do is say yes.”

  I don’t have to think twice. “Yes, Parker. I’m yours. I always have been.”

  Aside from having a sore hand and a slightly bruised jaw, I’ve had the best weekend of my life. It’s not because Mia and I finally got together, or the fact her brother knows I’m in love with her. It’s not even the fact that I know she’s never been with anyone but me in the dark room, or that I got to kick Zac’s ass.

  It’s because she knows I’m in love with her.

  And she loves me.

  The one woman, who has had me wrapped around her finger for as long as I can remember, is in love with me. Knowing she feels the same way makes me the luckiest man in the world. It’s a cliché, I know, but it’s the truth. Mia is my better half, my soul mate, and I’m going to spend every chance I get telling her how much she means to me.

  The cleaning company had spent an entire day taking care of the blood and filth that was left behind by Zac and Tonya. I also had them replace the carpet, furniture, and burn the desk. There was no way in hell I’d ever sit near or even touch that thing ever again; and it really pisses me off because it belonged to my grandfather.

  I spend extra time getting ready today because I’m going to do something unprecedented during the board meeting. In fact, when people say men do stupid things out of love, this will be on the list.

  Even though Mia put her letter of resignation on my desk on Friday, I haven’t accepted it. I refused to acknowledge what she was telling me over the weekend. It would’ve been the easiest thing to do, but honestly, she’s worked far too hard to rebuild Les Belle in such a little amount of time. What she’s done in weeks, Wainright couldn’t do in years.

  Instead, I’m torturing myself by expecting her at the board meeting today, where as with any other employee, her letter can be submitted. I’ve always prided myself on having a good relationship with my team and want her accolades known to the rest of the group. I’ll leave out the bit about our new relationship.

  I step out of my office just as Mia steps out of hers. Our eyes meet and my heart swells. Every fantasy I’ve had about her is about to come true after today. I hate that I won’t see her every day at work, but on the flipside, I’ll definitely be tasting – I mean meeting – her for lunch.

  “After you,” I say, swinging my arm out for her to walk in front of me. As soon as I step in behind her, she sways her hips a bit more, enticing me with her backside. At least now I won’t have to go home and jack off to thoughts of her, she’ll be there to help me out.

  One day and I am already a goner. Deep down I think I knew this would happen, and once I had her, I’d never be able to let her go. I adjust myself discreetly before I enter the conference room. All seats are filled and I notice a few odd stares being sent my way. No doubt they’ve heard about the break-in this weekend, which I’ll have to address.

  “Good morning,” I say as I sit down. Everyone is looking my way as I take the helm. “Let me start by squashing any rumors. Over the weekend I encountered two thieves in my office and the male and I had an altercation. One was a former employee and within the hour you’ll have the names of both people involved, in the event you need to report seeing them lurking around.

  “Also, as of this morning, Ward Enterprises no longer owns Les Belle.” I immediately seek out Mia’s eyes as they widen in shock. Maybe I should’ve told her earlier, but I wanted it to be a surprise.

  I’m tongue-tied as I see the look of disappointment spread across her face. We didn’t discuss her plans for employment after she told me about her resignation, and I quickly realize we probably should have.

  I clear my throat and break eye contact with her. “It came to my attention that we’re not fit for the fashion industry and this is a move that is best for the company.”

  Opening my folder I pull out the purchase and sales agreement I had drawn up late last night. I’ll lose an incredible amount of money, but it’s worth it.

  Mia is sitting three chairs away from me, and looking down at the table. I lean over and slide the papers in front of her. Her fingers toy with the edge of the paper until she reads the top of it and glances at me in disbelief.

  “After lengthy consideration, allow me to introduce you to the new owner of Les Belle, Ms. Mia Hudson. I know you are all with me as I congratulate her on her next adventure.”

  Everyone starts clapping as I sit back and pray that no one has seen through my bullshit. There was absol
utely no consideration whatsoever. I can’t have her quit and the account go down the tank, and I don’t want her going back to the gym. She’s far too good for that. Mia needs to be designing clothes that make women feel sexy and make men weak at their knees.

  Once everyone has gone over their reports I stand to take my leave. I was hoping to speak to Mia, but her now former co-workers are keeping her occupied with their congratulatory praises. I wink at her before leaving the room to let her bask in the glory of owning her own company. It’s a pretty surreal thing.

  “Mrs. Jones, can you please have these signed by Ms. Hudson when she returns, and have her sign a check for the total transaction amount.” I give her the paperwork and her eyes go wide at the final sales amount of one dollar.

  “You gave her the company?”

  I look around to see if anyone is lurking before I nod. “It makes the most sense. She was going to quit today and I can’t lose her and the account.”

  “Does she know you’re in love with her?”

  This time I can’t help but smile. If this had been last week, or even two days ago, I would’ve frowned and denied it. Never again. “She knows.”

  “And she loves you?” Mrs. Jones asks in a motherly tone.

  “She does. We’re going to give us a try and see where it goes.”

  “It better go to church for the wedding,” she mumbles as she walks by me with the papers in hand.

  I shake my head, thinking instantly that marriage isn’t in our future, but I’d be lying to myself. I have no doubt in my mind that Mia is who I’m meant to be with.

  As soon as I enter my newly furnished office, I sit in my new chair and spin toward the window. The morning sun is shining through, doing its best to warm me. I close my eyes and soak in the rays, only to be startled by a hand on my shoulder. I turn quickly, bumping my knees into Mia.

  “Hey, why are you crying?”

  Mia’s eyes are red and her cheeks are flushed. “Because no one has ever believed in me like you. And no one has ever done something like this for me. I love you, but I can’t accept it, Parker. I don’t have the money to pay for it.”