Page 12 of Dark Seduction

“What would you consider a man in his fifties?”

“My father,” he said with a closed smile. “And let’s not bring up fathers, especially mine. I haven’t had any fun since I’ve been back from that filming in the jungle. Don’t ever become an actor. It’s not as glamorous as they portray it to be. It’s hard fucking work. You work all times of the day or night. The weather dictates a lot of that, and if you’re in a location where the weather is miserable, the men are straight, then you would be unhappy like me and want to break your contract.” Now that was the real reason why he wanted to break his contract.

“Those straight dudes want to fuck and lead a guy on, and after he gets what he wants because he’s miles away from home, he looks for the nearest hole to drop his hard cock into.” Charlie seemed sad when he spoke about this. Perhaps he’d fallen in love with the wrong man.

I suspected he needed someone to talk to and I was a listener, therefore, he was able to lure me into his place. “I’ve been working since I was six and non-stop. Do you know what that does to you?”

“Makes you a rich asshole by twenty-one, and want to kill yourself.” Charles laughed because he knew I was right. He’d turned into a rich young thrill-seeking sex addict. Addicted to having rough sex with no one to take care of him. “What about your father?”

“I said I don’t want to discuss him.” He sauntered over to the bar where he raised a bottle of vodka, and asked, “Care to drink along with me?”

“You don’t have to go to work tomorrow, but I do, so I’ll pass on that for now. Besides, I have to leave shortly. It’s getting late and my boyfriend is cooking for me.”

“I’m sure he’s secure in your relationship, and you shouldn’t leave me alone to drink myself silly and maybe overdrink, and... anything can happen to me, and what would Max say?” He knew how to get to me. Threatened my job. “Everyone knew you and I came up in the elevator together. I could say anything.” He glanced down at me with two shot glasses between his fingers, and placed the bottle down in front of me.

My eyes wavered up at him and I tightened my jaw. “Are you trying to blackmail me?”

Charles had invaded my personal space by sitting too close . He draped his tattoo arm on my shoulder, leaned over and leered at me. “You smell good. You’ll have to tell me what you’re wearing.”

“Aftershave and deodorant. You should try some. And a shower.”

“I wouldn’t call it that. Blackmail is such an odd word between friends.”

“I’m not your friend, Charles. We just met. It’s not an odd word if you’re trying to control me. I’d say it is the perfect word, but if you’re interested, I don’t let anyone control me.”

“That’s not what I heard from Max. You have been dancing to his music for two years, and now you’ve signed on for a few more. Why do you think he stopped at your office instead of the dudes on the higher floors. They don’t give a shit because they’re as rich as Max, but you, you’ve just begun to make the big bucks, and he could take that away at any time, and he used me to do it.”

“That’s a dirty business,” I whispered, then locked eyes with Charles.

“It is, isn’t it? But I love it. Entertainment. Where else can you make so much money and live the life I’m living? Look around. If you take care of me, then you can be here too.” I glanced around. It was a beautiful place, but it didn’t have Daniel in it, and it didn’t fit into our friends and lifestyle.

“I don’t need all of this, I have what I want, and I don’t need to blackmail anyone into being my lover, or friend. I’m happy the way I am, and I think I’ll leave on that note.”

Rising from the love seat Charles had intruded by sitting too close, and because he leaned over and touched my inner thigh, it was well past time to get the hell out of that place.

When I stepped into a cab it was near 11 p.m. When the cab pulled up to Daniel’s apartment building, it was much later. I stood outside the door with my key poised to enter the lock trying to come up with an excuse when the door opened.

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