THE NEXT EVENING, Amara was picked up by Samuel’s fancy black car and taken to the same restaurant as before. He must not have been exaggerating when he said he loved the food. Amara couldn’t imagine why, but she had never been into those types of places—the ones that were so fancy they served you tiny portions of strange “delicacies” like octopus. That wasn’t her style. Nonetheless, Amara smiled and nodded, listening politely as Sam told her about Italy.
“So tell me again—what it was exactly that Courtney said to you?” he asked suddenly.
Amara had explained to him exactly what Courtney said. Twice. But she humored him again. “She said she couldn’t just leave Philip.”
“How did she look when she said it?”
Amara frowned, recalling her conversation with Courtney. “Sad. I guess she looked sad.”
Samuel’s jaw tightened as he nodded. “What else did she say?”
“That she didn’t expect you to understand her reasoning.”
“Anything else?” he asked, exhaling sharply.
“That she loves you.”
Samuel tore his eyes away from her and looked into the distance. Amara just watched him, giving him time to process the heartache she was sure he felt.
“Do you still want me to work on finding out about Philip?” Amara asked.
Samuel shook his head, narrowing his eyes. “I have a better idea.”
As usual, Amara found, Courtney was right. They ate the rest of their dinner, he got the check, made a call, and they headed to Méchant.
“You’ve never done this before then?” Samuel asked, glancing at her as they rode in the back of his car.
Amara shook her head. She felt her nervousness creeping in. She was really going to do this.
“Relax. Your nerves are showing. You’re Jasmine, remember? Not Amara.”
She gaped at him. “How do you—?“
“Anything Philip does, I know about. He called me when he left your father’s house that time... he was excited about you coming forth, to say the least. For a moment, I thought he was in love. Then I remembered myself, and that this was Philip,” Samuel said with a dark chuckle.
Amara suddenly felt disgusted by it all over again—disgusted with herself, Philip, her father, Samuel...
“Why are you here?” Samuel asked. “He didn’t give you a way out? I had forgotten about you until you got to Méchant and I saw the website. He took a long time, no?”
Amara nodded. There were tears threatening to fill her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away as she took a deep breath. “He didn’t give me an out.”
“And you just came? No fighting it?”
Amara shrugged. “I have my reasons. And it’s been a long time coming. The funny thing is, I didn’t regret saying that I would do whatever Philip wanted me to, until I came here.”
Sam laughed a little. “I’m sure you weren’t expecting this when you were a teenager.”
“Not at all. But still, I wouldn’t take it back. Every time I speak to my mother, I’m a little bit more okay with this. And the surgery she just had wouldn’t have been possible without Philip,” Amara said.
“So you’ll be okay with tonight?” Sam asked. “Having sex with me in front of Courtney? Knowing what we mean to each other?”
Amara felt her heart wedge in her throat before she swallowed. “I think I’ll be okay. For starters, Courtney prepared me for this scenario, and secondly, at least you’re good looking.”
Sam let out a loud, uninhibited laugh. Amara tried not to smile, but her mouth curved upward without permission.
“Women are such funny things,” Sam said, smiling. “You don’t care that I’m older. You didn’t question how many women I’ve been with sexually, or about my likes and dislikes, you only know that I have money and see that I am a good looking man, so you assume that I’ll be a good lay.”
He was still shaking his head in wonderment when Amara spoke.
“Or we assume that a good looking man that has money will at least buy us something nice... even if he’s a bad lay.” She shrugged.
“Is that what you want?” Sam asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
Amara’s smile faltered and she shook her head. “No. I just want you and Courtney to see each other.” Sam gave her a look, and Amara continued. “I have other reasons: Court said this would piss Philip off. And like I said, I’m going to have to do it at some point, so it might as well be with a dashing man like yourself.”
Sam rolled his eyes, but kept smiling. He grabbed Amara’s hand from her lap and brought it up to his lips, kissing it lightly. “You’re a good person. Don’t let Philip change that.”
Upon her arrival, Thelma whisked Amara to her room as Samuel was escorted to the lounge. Courtney walked in shortly after Amara had begun undressing.
“Are you ready?” she asked. She was chewing on her lip as she eyed Amara’s barely clothed body. She was unusually nervous, for Courtney.
Amara shrugged, trying to contain her own nervousness. “You’ll be there, so I guess I am. I’m not thrilled about seeing Sam naked, to be honest.”
Courtney laughed. “He’s going to fuck you, Amara. His dick will be inside of you! You worry about the oddest things!”
“So you’ve said. Why are you nervous?”
“I haven’t seen him in a while. It’s been a while since...” she let her whispered words hang, then shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s going to happen, so there’s no use being nervous about it.”
Courtney was wearing a silk robe that reached her ankles, with her hair up in a bun. She told Amara to do the same and wait on the bed.
“Sam will come in before I do.” She turned and dimmed the lights of the room, leaving without another word.
Amara’s hands shook as she sat on the edge of the bed. She rubbed them on the cotton sheets below her, trying to wipe away the itchy feeling that was crawling under her skin. Her eyes were glued to the doorknob, and still she sat up straighter and clutched on to the bedspread when she saw it move. Samuel stepped inside and closed the door behind him, looking around before his eyes met Amara’s.
“Nervous?” he asked.
She watched the turmoil inside the short glass he held, as the amber liquid swished around the ice with each step he took toward her.
“A little,” she said.
“Have some,” he said, placing the glass close to her lips.
She swallowed when the smell of the strong brandy hit her nostrils. “I’m not allowed.”
“Two drinks,” he said. “You’re allowed two. I’m asking you to take one sip.”
Amara had never been a strong drinker, save for the occasional beer at a party. She took a courageous gulp anyway, coughing and slapping her chest after the drink burned its way down her throat.
“Okay?” Samuel asked. There was a hint of concern in his voice. He was so different from Philip.
Amara nodded, still coughing. “Yeah,” she croaked. “Went down the wrong pipe.”
Samuel chuckled. “That was my excuse the first time I had this.”
Amara tried to smile, but she was still sputtering.
“More?” he asked once she was settled.
She took a deep breath. “One more.”
The second time, she sipped it and didn’t cough. He set the glass down on an end table once she was finished.
Amara didn’t know how to start or what to do. She’d only been with Courtney, and before then, she’d been sleeping with Colin for so long, she couldn’t remember what people did before actually taking off their clothes. Should she kiss Samuel? Should she wait for him to make the move? Maybe that would be best. She didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes.
He slid his shoes and socks off as he looked at her. “You’re very beautiful,” he said.
She blushed under his scrutiny. It was a compliment she’d heard a lot, but it only seemed to hold real meaning when certain people said it.
“Thank you.”
; Samuel smiled. He shrugged off his suit jacket and unbuckled his belt as he walked over to her. He really was a handsome man, and he had a determined walk that made you want to look at him. Amara felt her body humming from the brandy and began to relax as she watched him. Samuel caressed her face and tilted her head up as he stood between her legs. He looked at her for a long moment as his thumb stroked her cheek, and Amara wondered when he would kiss her. They held that position as the door opened again. Both their heads turned to Courtney as she walked in and closed the door, her back pressed against it as she watched them. Courtney’s eyes took in the way Sam’s hand touched Amara, but Amara didn’t see any jealousy or anger in them. It was as if Courtney was used to it and enjoyed it. She smiled at Amara but still hadn’t looked at Samuel.
“Nice of you to join us,” Samuel said, barely containing the longing in his voice. His fingers pressed into Amara’s face a little harder as he looked at Courtney, and Amara knew he was fighting his reflex to touch her.
How long would they be in the same room without touching one another? Courtney walked over to them, shrugging off her robe on her way, and Samuel finally dropped his hand and gave her his full attention. Courtney’s eyes were still on Amara as she strutted over, wearing nothing but red heels. Amara looked away from her and back at Samuel, whose jaw was practically on the floor as he watched Courtney. His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed, and he closed his mouth as he turned back to Amara.
“Grab a chair, Sam,” Courtney said. She was using her demanding, Chloe voice.
Sam gave a nod and fetched a chair; positioning it right in front of the bed, close enough to touch Amara, although he didn’t.
“Ceiling or door?” Sam asked.
“Ceiling,” Courtney responded.
Amara threw her head back to look at the ceiling and squirmed when she felt Courtney’s lips behind her ear.
“Philip,” she said as explanation.
Courtney’s words made her nervous, so she closed her eyes. The cool air hit her naked chest as Courtney unraveled her robe and parted it. She began to work her way down from Amara’s throat to her pebbled nipples, licking them as she went, and placing open-mouthed kisses on her stomach.
“Get on the bed,” Samuel said. Courtney’s mouth paused where she was, and did as she was told.
Samuel took over where Courtney left off. He didn’t waste any time before his tongue began to work between Amara’s legs as Courtney played with her breasts. As Amara’s orgasm exploded through her, Samuel drove two fingers inside of her, making her back arch and her breasts push into Courtney’s mouth. Amara was overwhelmed from the different sensations. Samuel’s thick fingers played inside of her while Courtney’s mouth sucked and teased her nipples, nipping at her breasts and throat. Sam’s fingers left her suddenly, as did Courtney’s lips, and Amara groaned in the absence of their touch. Her eyes were still closed, but she could hear Samuel stepping out of his pants as she felt Courtney shift on the bed beside her.
As much as she wanted to see what was going on, Amara refused to open her eyes. She might as well have been blindfolded. She could hear the packet of a condom opening, could picture Samuel covering himself with it.
“Jasmine,” Samuel said, his voice hoarse, as his weight settled over her.
She didn’t open her eyes. “Hmm?”
“Do you want to keep your eyes closed? I’m going to fuck you now.”
Before she could think—before she could react—Samuel thrust into her sharply. Her eyes popped open as she yelped from the fullness inside of her. She hadn’t been with a man since Colin, and unlike Samuel; he usually prepped her and eased into her.
“Oh God,” Courtney moaned beside her.
Amara turned her head and looked at her, gasping as Samuel pushed into her deeper. Courtney’s eyes were glazed over as she watched Samuel fuck Amara. One hand rubbed her breasts while the other slid up and down between her legs as she bit her lip and moaned in ecstasy. Courtney leaned up and placed her mouth over Amara’s nipple, teasing it as Samuel knelt between Amara’s thighs, pushing them wider apart. His eyes were half-mast as he drove into Amara, but his eyes were drinking in Courtney’s actions. And even though Amara was the one getting fucked, she felt like a spectator. As Samuel’s thrusts began to match Courtney’s fingers on her clit, it dawned on Amara that this was the only way they could have sex—through her.
“I’m going to finish you off,” Samuel said in a groan. He tore his eyes away from Courtney for a moment to look at Amara, and she wished he hadn’t. She closed her eyes again, not wanting to look at him when he made her come. She pictured Colin above her as Samuel rubbed her clit and circled his hips against her, crying out as a wave of pleasure swooshed through her.
“Fuck it,” Samuel said, pulling out of so quickly, that Amara cringed and squealed in pain. Her eyes shot open to see Sam take off his condom and throw it behind him. He pulled Courtney by the ankles until she was on the edge of the bed. He grabbed her hands and pinned them above her on the bed and buried his face in her neck. Amara scooted away from them to the other side of the bed, but she couldn’t keep from watching.
“Sam!” Courtney’s cry was cut short by his mouth descending on hers. He kissed her with the ardor of a starving man, and when his lips let go of hers, his gaze remained.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he pushed himself inside her. “I promise I’ll make it right.”
Tears began to spill from Courtney’s eyes as she watched him over her. She wiggled her arms, and he let go of them as Samuel switched his movements to slow, long thrusts. Courtney’s hands flew to fist in his dark hair as she pulled his face to hers, kissing him once more, and gasping when he pushed even deeper into her heat.
“I missed you so much,” Courtney said to his ear.
“I’ve been counting the minutes to this moment,” Samuel responded in a guttural moan.
Amara continued to watch them for a moment before putting on her robe. Would Philip be upset? Amara looked at the bathroom door, but didn’t walk to it. If she left the room, she knew Philip would be upset. She sat down on one of the chairs and closed her eyes. From the ceiling it would look as though she was watching. Courtney and Samuel continued their hushed conversation as they made love, and despite her efforts, their words were something Amara couldn’t shut out. She felt sad for them, for herself, for Colin, and even for Nolan.
“I don’t want to let you go,” Samuel whispered.
“You have to,” Courtney said.
Their cries escalated as they reached their peak, and when Amara opened her eyes again, all she saw was an entanglement of passion and love. Amara gave them a moment together and went to the bathroom. When she returned, both Sam and Courtney were standing up, gathering their clothing.
Samuel dressed slowly, as if he didn’t want to let go of the moment, and Courtney watched him as she tried to fix her golden hair into a loose bun. Amara stood off to the side, her feet tapping the foot of the chair, as she waited for direction. She was glad the lights were still dim in the room, giving them each a little privacy. The door opened suddenly, slamming into the wall with a thud, and all three of them jumped as they turned their heads to find Philip in the doorway. His face was contoured in anger as he glared at Samuel.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he asked.
“Getting my money’s worth,” Samuel said.
“She’s off limits,” Philip said, pointing at Courtney.
“It was a threesome,” Samuel said.
“She. Is. Off. Limits.”
“She is mine!” Samuel said, marching forward until he was directly in front of Philip.
Samuel was taller, but still Amara held her breath in dread. She could tell Courtney was doing the same.
“It was my fault,” Courtney said, her voice a whisper.
“Stay out of this,” Samuel said.
“She is not yours. She was never yours!” Philip said. Every time he shouted, Amara and Courtney shru
nk back and closer to each other. Philip took a deep breath that seemed to calm him down before he spoke again. “I hope you enjoyed yourself, monsieur. That was the last time.”
“You’re an arrogant prick, and you know that statement goes both ways, so you may want to watch your mouth,” Sam said.
Philip’s eyes widened for a shocking moment, before he schooled his features. “I wonder what would happen to your companies if you took a holiday?”
Courtney began to shake beside Amara. “No!” she shrieked. “No! Please!” She ran to Philip’s side and kneeled beside him, holding his hand in both of hers. “Please, I’ll do anything,” she said, as fat tears began to drip down her face.
“Get up, Courtney,” Samuel said.
“Sam, please stop talking. Just go,” Courtney said, it was a shuddered plea.
Philip tilted his head and studied Sam. “I think it’s best you do as she says, old friend.”
“I’m going to bury you,” Samuel said. He crouched down and wiped Courtney’s face as he kissed her. “This isn’t over.”
“Not if I bury you first,” Philip said as Samuel walked out of the room.
Samuel stopped and turned around. He shook his head as he looked around the room until his eyes found Amara’s wide gaze. “If you think everything you need is inside of this room, your foresight isn’t as good as you think.”
And with that, Sam turned and walked away, leaving a shaky Amara and a sobbing Courtney in the company of Philip.
THE SMELL OF bacon circulating through the house reminded Amara that she hadn’t eaten dinner the night before. She stretched her sore limbs and climbed out of bed before walking toward the dining room, expecting to find Courtney eating. Instead, she saw Philip. Amara shivered involuntarily as his cold gaze swept her from head to toe.
The Devil's Contract Page 14
