Waking up, I feel the bed moving. Marcus is next to me, his face serious.
"We should talk." Nodding, I sit up, and he hands me a plate with food.
"Last night was a mistake. You can't work for me. I can't risk this happening again." There it is, I have officially lost my job before I even start.
"It is fine, I understand. I will get ready and leave." My body turns to move and get off the bed, his hand grabbing mine and stopping me.
"Don't, Anaya. You don't understand. I don't usually do what I did last night. You somehow made me forget everything. Hell, I had sex in this bed, I never have sex in my own bed." Turning, I look at him confused.
"Then where the hell do you have sex?" He shakes his head back at me and rubs his forehead in frustration.
"Look, let's not get into that either right now. You can work for me, but I will have a call around and see if I can get you a permanent position elsewhere. I can't risk this happening again, not with a worker." Well, I guess for now I am safe, but last night was terrific, but apparently, it was a mistake and won't be happening again.
"Let's get to work." Nodding, I get up, looking at my dress. Yeah, I can't exactly even leave this place.
"Don't worry. Clothes are all sorted." He nods to a chair and walks out. Getting ready, I wonder if last night was a mistake or if he is just afraid of letting me in when he has given me a job.
"Ready?" I nod and turn to see him standing at the door. Getting up, we walk out together and to his car, driving in silence once again until we reach work. How are we going to sit in the same office together? We must, of course, but this is going to be bad. The day passes quickly, and I have to ask. I can't just pretend last night was nothing.
"Why? Why do you think this is such a big mistake? If it is me working here, I quit. And what did you mean by you never have sex in your bed?" He shakes his head clearly not wanting to answer. Sitting, I stare at him waiting.
"Okay fine, yes because you work here, but that is not the only reason Anaya. As I said, I don't usually do things like last night. Come on you saw the contract, you know exactly what I mean, so don’t play dumb, and that is exactly why I don't have sex in my own bed, now please stop."
His words are quick and sharp, I can't argue with him anymore. Giving in, I sit in silence, his phone ringing, my mind trying to keep me busy so I don't listen to his conversation. He is right though, I saw her name enough to know he doesn’t commit to anyone.
I know his Brats sleep in a separate room. I was a fool for thinking I could have last night more. He is right, me working for him is bad, it could lead to a lawsuit, not that I would do that. I can see why though. I want to say I regret it, part of me does yes, but a bigger part doesn’t.
It has been years since I had that, actually, I have never had that, the feeling of wanting and needing someone so much I didn’t care what they thought, or what the outcome was.
"Anaya." I turn and look up to him. A woman stood next to the desk.
"Your keys. They replaced the locks. Don't worry all covered for." Nodding I take the keys from the woman, and say goodbye for the day, unsure if I will even bother coming back tomorrow.
Walking home, my mind is screaming at me. I shouldn't have done that last night, but nothing can change it now. I won't go back and work for Marcus tomorrow, for some reason, I like him so going back will just make it harder. He doesn't want me, that was clear from the way he acted.
I open the door to my apartment and look around. Two weeks, that is all I have left. The truth is, I am hiding everything from everyone. In two weeks, I am going to be evicted. If I have no luck with a job by then, I am packing up what little clothing I have and going home. That should be fun, I can just imagine it now.
"Hey everyone guess what? I failed, I am home for good, you were right." Yeah, that sounds like something I would have to say. I don't want to go home so these next two weeks I won't sleep or eat until I find a job.
Sitting down, I open the laptop. Marcus is on my mind, and last night my fingers begin hitting the keys.
Dominant: Is someone having power and influence over others.
Synonyms: Presiding, ruling, governing, controlling, commanding, ascendant, supreme, authoritative, most influential, most powerful, superior.
So, is that what he is? He is a leader, and ruler anyway because of his business. I know little about the world he is in, but I feel compelled to find out more. Sitting, I tap my fingers on the table trying to think of something else I can search that I saw in his contract, the word brat popping into my mind. Typing it into G****e there are standard terms for the word brat, but not the meaning in BDSM. My fingers type again, including BDSM at the beginning, once again the first result telling me about it.
Brat: A type of BDSM label, in which a sub (in most cases) enjoys misbehaving to the (dom, caregiver, etc.) for attention and punishments.
I keep reading the sentence over and over, my finger clicking on the links in the text. I continue reading the new websites, clicking on more links and night falls, my apartment is now dark. The light from the sun has gone, I know I said no sleep or eating, but I need sleep.
Climbing in my bed, I close my mind, Marcus is there in my vision his smile perfect, the memory of him ripping my dress and underwear off me, making me moan. My eyes finally close as I drift into a deep slumber, Marcus following me, plaguing my dreams like a disease that is burned into my mind, never leaving me alone.
Waking up it is 6 AM, I got two hours of sleep, but I don't have time to waste. Getting ready, I go out and begin the search for a job. Each day that follows I do the same. The next two weeks fly by, and everyone refuses me a job, the ones who offered me a position mentioned Marcus, so I turned them down. It doesn't feel right to get the job because he has told them to give it to me.
Tomorrow is officially the day I have to leave here and go back to my hometown. The last rejection comes from a small, simple law firm. Leaving, I walk straight home.
Two weeks. After two weeks of running from business to business, living on less than one meal a day, less than five hours of sleep, and still no job to show for it. Tomorrow they will post that awful red "Evicted" sign on the door, and I will leave. So, now I have to suck up my pride and admit I failed; opening my phone, I find Ivy's number and message her.
Okay, I quit, you were right. Can you please come to collect me tomorrow at around four? I am coming home.
I place my phone down and wait for her reply, what will she reply? Will it be, 'I told you so?' It doesn't matter really; I know she will come and drive me home. My phone buzzes picking it up; her text is a simple one-worded response.
Sure.
Well, that is that sorted, climbing in my bed I close my eyes. I wish my dad had not passed; he would have known what to do. I would love to speak to Ivy about Marcus and get advice, but she does not even know about him. I don't see the point in telling her, it was a one-night stand that shouldn't have happened. It wouldn't have happened if I didn't lock my keys in here. My mind can't fall asleep, not at all.
I know what I am going back to, a small town to work in a cafe and be a waiter. I didn't want that for my life, but what choice do I have? Lying in bed, I watch as the sun rises, hardly moving at all. Just processing the thoughts of how much I have failed.
My tears begin to fall as reality sets in, I really do have to go back and listen to everyone saying 'I told you so.'
Having to listen to their version of my life, of how things were before I left. The worse thing will be listening to them telling me that I was so busy trying to chase a stupid dream I never saw my dad in his last months. That is something I will regret my whole life; I was so busy with university during my dad's last months, I saw him maybe six times.
I should have been there more; I missed those final moments. I can't stop crying, damn this world, and damn all the companies in this city for making it hard for me. My doorbell rings, I can only guess Ivy is here. Time to let the fun begin, walking over I lift the phone.
"Come up, Ivy." I press the button and turn to grab the only two bags I have and get ready to say goodbye.
"Anaya." My body stiffens, my hands wiping away the tears as I turn to face Marcus. He shouldn't be here, not at all."What the hell are you doing? You honestly turned down every job I secured for you? Why?" He looks angry, but he shouldn't be."Because I don't want anything from you Marcus, you shouldn't even be here and like it matters now anyway, I am moving back to Gosnold today, that was the life I was meant to live." I turn messing with my bags, any excuse not to look at him."Anaya, just accept one of the jobs, stop being so stubborn, you don't have to go back to a tiny town and work on a checkout for the rest of your life." I laugh at his words; he has no idea."Actually, I am going to be a waiter, not that it has anything to do with you, Marcus. You made it clear that night was a mistake, now can you leave, please, I am waiting for someone to pick me up." My words get louder until I am shouting. What is it with men? He can't have me, but doesn't want me to leave the city? Wel
I need to know about him."Marcus, what about you? You know why I am here, about my family and past, what about you? And why are you so afraid of me?" Okay, I missed out a lot, he smiles softly his hand grabbing mine."I was in the Navy, and I had a wife, we ended badly, my dad left when I was young, and my mum raised me. I inherited money from my father, and my brother hates me."I don't feel he is telling me everything, I wait, and he senses I am, and seems to give in and begin to talk more."I have a son, things were complicated with that. You remind me..No, how I feel reminds me of his mum. That ended badly multiple times, I gave up being safe for her. I ruined her life and my own, you make me want to forget, like before. That is why I am scared because that will end badly."I feel I need to know more, about his son's mum. I sense he loves her, but won't admit it. I read that contract, I know this isn't a relationship, even if my mind tries to make me think it is. We're not a coup
Next, begin to go through things I never tried what I am willing to try and what I won't"Safe word? You need one" He looks at me and waits."Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." I sit and smile, and he shakes his head, clearly not amused by my attitude right now."Seriously, take this seriously." He looks at me clearly wanting a safe word, but this is just too much fun."Super-cali-fragilistic-expiali-docious, maybe I should say it twice?" I say it in a taunting way, slowly. He moves, his hands grabbing me and throwing me over the table, his hand sliding up the inside of my thighs, slowly lifting my skirt to expose my arse."Okay, smartass, now try to say it while I spank this pretty arse of yours, if you manage to say it before five, then you can use it. Oh, and you have to count each spank as well."My mind is telling me I am crazy, but surely I can do it. I scream and jump as the sting of his hand hits."Count," His voice is low, and my mind trying to find the number to say."One.
I stand looking at myself in the mirror, glistening silver grown flows over my body, the slit up the side exposes my leg. With Marcus, finding a dress was quick. He picked which I am grateful for because I am not comfortable with the price. I knew the moment we walked in the shop, one or two of each dress at the most, champaign in glasses. I knew the dresses would cost too much, and I felt uneasy choosing knowing he was paying.So, when he walked in picked up the dress and said this is perfect, I looked and agreed, because well I guess I do. The dress is perfect what more can I say? Nothing really can I when that is the truth. The truth though, had I gone alone I wouldn't have even looked at that shop."Thinking hard there aren't you." My body jumps at the sound of his voice as he slowly stalks towards me, his eyes taking in the sight of my body in the gown."Now, I don't like to gloat, but damn I made one hell of a good choice with this." He rubs his hand against my exposed legs, sto
I stand staring at him, what is he doing? Alena looks at us both confused."Would you ever leave Jackson for me, Alena?" She looks at him shocked and shakes her head,"You know full well I would never choose you over Jackson." Her face shows she means it but at the same time she is sad, she has clearly hurt him by saying that."Right, and have you begged me before to come back and get back into the same arrangement as before?" She looks at me, and it is like a lightbulb moment."Yes, and you refused totally, Anaya, you have nothing to worry about, I have lost Marcus and it is something I am learning to live with, and I will never leave Jackson for him." Jackson is simply standing there watching and listening."Here it is Alena, and you, Jackson. From now I will not join you again, ever. If Anaya walks out and leave,s I still won't. The whole point of this was to distance myself, to get my own life and one day walk away, and today is that day."Alena's eyes spark with hurt, then she lo
Waking up I smile, sweet and tempting memories of last night flooding my mind. Rolling over my arm reaches out, Marcus is no longer by my side, I continue smiling though. He stayed until I was asleep clearly before going to his own room, something I'll get used to quickly.It is part of the contract, one I'm sticking to although something inside me is telling me soon that will change.Sitting up I look around at the room, it is beautiful, elegant and the erotic paintings somehow don't appear to be only okay for adults to see. Getting up I walk into the shower, my mind on last night, Alena flashing in briefly before I push her away. The sound of the door opening makes me turn to look where Marcus stands. The shower door blocks my view. I'm just about to see his outline."I thought I heard movement, we have business to deal with today kitten, so once you're ready we will make our way." Smiling at him I nod, no idea why when he can't see me. My mouth opens to reply then I remember someth
Standing up I grab a bag and pack some clothes, walking out of the room I can hear Marcus talking, sitting on the top step I listen."Everything, I told her everything well nearly." There is a pause while someone replies."I know, but I had to tell her how could I not? I don't even know the woman, yet I feel like I'm losing her like I lost Alena, it hurts." My head lowers as she is clearly replying."I don't know, I just felt like I needed her, something about her, just like Alena had me falling for her. I've lost her. As I said, everyone, I love leaves or chooses someone else." His words make me look up, he loves me?"No, I don't think even you talking to her would help, I'll pop by tonight once she leaves and see MJ at least he can't leave me, not yet anyway." Standing up I walk back to my room, I feel stuck. Anyone in their right mind would run, and fast and not look back, yet I can't."I'll drive you where you need to go," his voice full of hurt, standing I turn to look at him. W
Waking up in Marcus's arms, it feels strange. My eyes glance down seeing his tattoos, I never really took time to look at him. Of course, I noticed the tattoos, his muscles and the scar on his face but I never took time to see them.The dragon going down his arm looks amazing, the feel of him shifting behind me alerting me he was awake. His arm wraps around me tighter, pulling me closer to him."Good morning kitten" his voice soft against my ear.The water holds meUntil I can't breathe at allAs my heart believes it's lost againWaiting for you to walk out that doorThen the sun shined downYour beauty burning meAs you decide not to walk out that doorYet stay here with me forever moreMy heart can love once more.Marcus speaks quietly the poem within my ear, my heart understanding his pain. We don't say anything, just lay together in silence as time passes by, I know today I'll have to tell him everything. The sound of his phone ringing ends our moment. He rolls over and answers, m