The Charade (7 page)

I fought off his seduction – just barely. I pushed him away. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? Anybody can deny it. You always see these rich powerful men on the news in some type of scandal with escorts and madams.”

“Do you think someone who looks like
me
needs to pay a woman for sex?” Damn, his arrogance made him more enticing. I hated conceited men, but Victor was the exception. His ego made him seem bigger than life. It made me want him even more.

I felt so stupid. I wanted to leave, but stayed. I would see him, wanting to tell him that I’m done and he ended up between my legs. All of the emotions held me captive. One thing was for sure, sex with him changed me inside of me. I couldn’t define it, but it felt ravenous. I wanted him to quell the feeling, but sex with him deepened the spell.

Whenever he looked at me, I was his. And that moment was no different. He grabbed me by the hand and led me to the bedroom. In a flash, we were sweaty and naked, tearing each other apart like two wayward, rabid dogs. He pinned my writs back over my head on the pillow, his grip was iron-clad. I couldn’t free my hands no matter how hard I tried.

The lamp next to the bed shook; the light flickering off and on. “You’re going to come aren’t you?” he asked. His face wrinkled in satisfaction. He was right, my pussy pulsated and a zenith of bliss poured over me. “You’re not done are you? You need another one.”

He sat up on his knees and grabbed my ankles, lifting my feet into the air. My pussy stretched out, able to take more of his length. He smirked and impaled me with one long, deep stroke. He fucked me so hard, by boobs flew all over the place. I cupped them and pinched my nipples. He stroked so fast, his stamina shocked me.

Just when I was able to adjust to his frenzied pace, he slowed down, only pumping the tip of his penis inside of my wetness. The man brutally teased me. I grabbed a clump of bed sheets and squirmed in his clutches. I couldn’t take the joyful uneasiness. “Victor, fuck me now.” My breath was jagged.

He smiled and continued to slightly push into me. He said nothing – just smiled.

My voice grew louder, more demanding. My pussy was near another seizure. “I need it.” I placed a fingertip in between my teeth. He eased another inch in, but still teased me in and out. “Please! Victor, please!” I shook my head back and forth. My hair stuck to my face from the sweat.

“I love it when you beg,” he said. He grabbed my ankles and guided my body to rest on my side. His cock still penetrated me and from this position he gorged me deeper. He pushed my knees up a little and my pussy opened wider for his cock. He grabbed the top of my hip with one hand and the other grabbed my breast. In one motion he thrusted deep into me, kissing my g-spot.

He pummeled into me, brushing the ridges of my pussy surging me to another blistering orgasm. “I knew you weren’t done,” he said.

“Faster,” I said, feeling another convulsion wasn’t far behind. His fingernails sank into me and beat his dick into me. The headboard shook, the nightstand squeaked and both of our breathing was stilted.

“I’m going to come,” we both shouted concurrently. Our sweaty bodies contorted from the rapture. We caught each other’s gaze as shockwaves strummed throughout our body.

I couldn’t explain the look he gave me. He wanted to say something, but held back. This time felt different. He didn’t get up to flush the condom. He collapsed on top of me and held me tightly. Small damp breaths of relief expelled from our mouths. We said nothing, he just held me.

Victor’s mask slipped.

***

It was the crack of dawn and I lay wide awake. I still couldn’t tell if he lied to me or not. A man lying to my face was a normal occurrence. It’s always left me jaded. I rolled over, pulling a lot of sheets with me. Vic’s eyes cracked open slightly. He glanced at my face – full of distress. “What’s wrong?” he asked – his voice groggy.

“Can I be honest?” I brushed the hair in my face behind my shoulder.

He cleared his throat. “Please. By all means.” He sat up in the bed. His torso straightened and he poked his chest out, bracing himself for what I was about to say. I just knew he rarely received blows to his ego.

“I’m still sort of shaken by the whole prostitute thing.” My voice became more confident. “I thought you would have more integrity than that.”

“Is that what you think?”

“At this point, I’m not sure what I believe. But after getting to know you a little, I expected different from you. Surprisingly, I was right all along.”

“Natasha, I didn’t lie to you. Like I said, I was only at the auction as a favor. That’s all. Co-hosting with Barbara was the favor I owed him.”

“You expect me to believe that?” I folded my arms, unfazed by his attempt to cover his tracks.

“My word is my bond. I’d never lie to you. I’ve never been with a prostitute, call girl, escort or whatever it is you want to call it.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and rubbed it gently. “When I meet a woman, I want things to be genuine, not gauged by currency. That’s shallow.” His voice became unconfident. It took me my surprise. I nearly became used to his brashness. He grabbed my hand. “Unfortunately, it’s rare to meet a woman like you.”

“So it was just a favor?” His finger slowly traced circles on top of my hand.

“Just a favor.” His finger ran across my chin. “I want you be able to trust me – to able to let go any preconceived notions about who or what I am.” He looked down at me, his eyes stuck on mine. I drank in the connection he and I were having. He finally let the mask slip. He was human – not this icy, shrewd business man who ruled the boardroom with an iron fist.

“I trust you.” He had me on a string. I was in too deep – much deeper than I ever thought I would be. Much deeper that I
wanted
to be. It scared me, yet made me feel alive in one stroke.

He planted a deep, wet kiss onto my lips. “Good.” He slowly nodded. His eyes smoldered. If at that moment, Victor asked me to venture to the fiery gates of hell, I would have done so. I would’ve thrown everything in my life away and ran away with him.

“I feel like this is a blank, clean slate now.”

“It truly is.” His fingers graced the nape of my neck and guided me closer to his lips. He paused and gazed deeply in my eyes, making me drown further in his web. The heat of our humid breaths intertwined. He grabbed my hand placing it on his cock. “It truly is.”

The next hour was filled with twisted limbs, frantic gasps of air, and scorching orgasms. He rolled over from on top of me and cuddled me tightly. We both laughed in delight from the rush. Like last night, something was different. We lay in the sweet scent our bodies made - silent. His sweat mixed with mine. Our skin stayed meshed together. His thumb gently swayed up and down my arm like a pendulum.

His chest pressed against the concave of my back. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew his look was one of reassurance. It allowed me to release the emotional tension inside of me. The way he made love to me calmed me, but I hated the aftermath with him. Him opening and closing my legs like a business transaction. Him leaving suddenly. He held me tightly as he listened to me blabber on about non-sensical post-coital, womanly gobbledygook. Orgasms made me a very talkative woman. I finally felt somewhat comfortable around him.

I turned over to face him to waste time blabbering about what my favorite trashy blog gossiped about, but he stopped me mid sentence. “I don’t know how to say this,” he said. His eyes darted all over the room, struggling to find the words.

“Then just say it.” The time had come. The moment of bliss concluded. At least I got a
few
moments out of him. The bottom was about to fall out – finally. I hated filibustering – especially when it came to bad news. Just get to it. Put me out my misery. Take me out back, cock the hammer, aim between my eyes and pull the trigger. My jaws clenched – preparing for the death blow.

“I’m addicted to you, Natasha.” My body jolted. Addicted? I didn’t know what to say. Words were lodged in my windpipe. “I know we spoke of an arrangement – strictly sex. Nothing else. Your sex…it hooked me. Then something happened. Your touch. The way you look at me. It
does
something to me. The days you’re not in my presence, it drives me up the wall. I’m a total wreck. I can’t focus on anything.”

My rapid breathing made my throat dry. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say one word. I just want you – all to myself.” I didn’t know what he meant by it. I was too afraid to ask. The mere fact that he of all people would be addicted astounded me. I wished I could stay suspended in the moment.

I nodded. This was it. I was in –
deep.
Could I trust him? I’ve heard all of these lines before - as a young girl and as a grown - and all of them worked. And as much as I hated to admit it, I fell for Victor’s lines. Stupid old me.

“I think of you constantly. Not just sex either. Although the sex is…insane.” A grin sparkled on my face. The cold, emotionless exterior had finally cracked. I don’t know what happened while he left, but the shell finally broke. So had mine.

“Really?” He reeled me in big-time. I practically felt woozy from his disclosures. “I think about you too.” A smile streamed off my face.

“You have youthfulness that’s missing in my life. It’s like you’re aloof from the troubles of the world – in a good way. My world is x’s and o’s. Devoid of color sometimes.” He took my hand and wove our fingers together. “I have enough money for dozens of lifetimes, but it doesn’t bring happiness.” He tickled his soft lips on the top of my hand. “Whatever it is you have, I need it with me – always. I’m not letting you slip away from me.”

***

That afternoon, while Victor surveyed locations for commercial property in the Chicago area, I hit the Magnificent Mile and did some shopping - or window shopping to say the least. I wandered in and out of plush boutiques wishing I could afford the price tags on the purses and dresses. As soon as the image of Victor and I waltzing down Michigan Avenue, hand in hand, him spoiling me with luxurious items and lavish trinkets entered my head, I caught myself for thinking of something so stupid. I knew exactly how things were going to end, but his claws were in me too tight. I couldn’t ever recall enjoying the impending doom of getting dumped.

The sugar plums dancing in my head were violently put to a halt when my phone vibrated. It was Chandra. I let it go to voicemail. I had no words for her. Well, I had a lot of words for her; I just didn’t feel like getting into it with her for all the public to see. I couldn’t believe she lied to me. I sat down on a bench in front of a children’s toy store fuming. I pulled out my phone and called her back.

When she answered, she felt my fury. “How could you not tell me you’re a prostitute!?” Tourists walked by and greeted with me a dirty look.

“Wow. No hello, how are you. None of that huh?” she asked. Somehow she didn’t seem defensive. I heard no tinge of remorse in her voice.

“Why didn’t you tell me? You used to tell me everything.” I clutched my phone tighter.

“I didn’t know how. I was going to. I haven’t done it for long. I didn’t know how you were going to react.”

“What is it? You needed the money? You have a good job already. I don’t understand. What the hell is wrong with you?” I hoped I didn’t sound like her mother lecturing her, but this was out of the realm for Chandra. “I don’t know if I’m more upset about you doing this or the fact that I found out from a total stranger.”

“Who are you my mom? I really don’t appreciate this
tone
you have. Like I let you down or something. I am a grown woman, you know?”

“I’m just disappointed you kept this from me.” I did sound like her mother. She never had a good relationship with her either.

“I said I was going to tell you.”

“Like when? When you’re plastered on the front page of some tabloid with some politician?”

“This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you. All you do is judge.” I swear I heard her clenching her teeth through the phone. I chewed my thumbnail down to the skin. “You have no right to judge when you’re flying around the country with some man you don’t even know.” That sent me over the edge. “Yeah, I saw your status update on Facebook. You’re in Chicago at some swanky hotel.”

“You know what? Since you’re the queen of secret-keeping, you don’t
need
to know where the hell I am. You got some nerve.” I pressed the end button on my phone so hard I hurt my thumb. The nerve of her!

***

I sat at the hotel bar contemplating the mess I fell into. Between sips of a dirty martini, regret swirled in my mind. I didn’t know how the hell I got there. I thought about using the little bit of money I had left in my bank account and catching a train back home, but a part of me wanted to see this through to the end. It’s not every day that I can say I had an affair with a billionaire. But
was
it an affair at this point? I hated it
and
loved it. He said he didn’t want me to slip away, but did that mean?

Victor texted to meet him back at the room at nine for a surprise. My life had never had this many twists and turns. I found it exciting. Call me a glutton for punishment.

It’s like watching a train wreck. As horrific as any crash may be and no matter how tight you have your hands over your eyes, you still can’t resist peeking through them to witness the damage.