Page 73 of Kings of Desire
‘That’s a generous sum,’ she uttered, returning to put a pen to paper, signing the contract. ‘All claims solved,’ she smiled, pushing the papers back to me to also sign.
In reality, I regretted parting with her. Vanya may be tough, but at least she was one of the few people truly honest with me.
The papers were signed on both sides, eliminating all concerns regarding the termination.
‘If you ever want your old job back, you’ll always be welcomed to come and look for me.’ The door was still open, but even if it was the only place where I found solutions to my problems, I was certain that it would be the place that will totally break me if I was to ever return.
Ferris seemed to agree ‘She won’t return,’ he muttered, throwing her the coldest look he owned. I belonged to him now and there wasnothingthat could change that.
‘As you say. These are murky times. It’s better to have friends everywhere than enemies.’ Vanya was making sure to keep the connections, especially with a man of his worth.
And even Ferris seemed to take the diplomatic path, acknowledging Vanya’s hidden assets. She may not have his fortune, but information is power, and can sometimes be of greater value than a generous bank account ‘Yes indeed. It wasn’t meant as an offense. It was only a statement. Bea won’t need to return to The Pleasure Room.’
‘I’m always happy when one of my employees finds a better path,’ Vanya smiled, tilting her glass of wine as a small toast for the new life waiting for us. ‘I’ll be leaving you two to celebrate,’ she stood up to leave.
‘Thank you for everything you’ve done for me,’ I followed, to walk her out of the room, witnessing her make the most uncommon gesture.
Catching me into a parental hug, Vanya kissed both of my cheeks, drawing me closer to her chest ‘Be careful with him.’ A piece of advice that left me breathless, staring into the ground long after she left the room. She was by far the least likely person to ever do that, so the warning had all reasons to be heard as loud as it was intended to be.
I’ve always ignored my instincts when it came to Ferris, mostly because he had his special way of convincing me that it’s only a figment of my imagination, not with words, but with warm gestures. Or maybe I was just a sucker for affection after being deprived of any for so long. I didn’t even know any longer, even though I’ve always felt when it came to him that the darkness outshone his light.
Though who was to say that you can’t thrive in the dusk?
‘Is there something wrong?’ Coming from behind me, his warm lips fell to crash on my neck, leaving a long trail of goosebumps along their way.
‘Nothing,’ I turned to cast him a smile that I didn’t truly own, then leaned my forehead to be buried into his chest as he would catch me between his arms.
‘Bea,’ he held on to me to kiss the nape of my neck over and over again until he managed to make the world around us blur again. ‘Are you sure you’re ok?’ He whispered while setting a little distance to be able to properly see my reaction as I answer.
‘I guess I may be moredamagedthan you initially presumed,’ I answered while drowning in unknown sorrow.
‘If that is the case, I have the perfect remedy for that. Wine,’ he pressed the glass to my lips, making sure it remains glued there until I drained all of its content, following my gesture just so he could refill them seconds later. ‘Wine and good food,’ he took my hand, guiding me towards his room. ‘You don’t mind if we dine in, do you?’ He spoke in a delicious tone as soon as we reached the bedroom, showing me to a seat on the rug in front of the fireplace where an indoor picnic was elegantly laid out, waiting for us under a silver candlestick.
‘This looks delicious,’ I uttered, raising the lid from over the plates, and discovering the most appetizing dish, while at the same time my stomach was reminding me that I hadn’t eaten for who knows how long.
‘Coq au vinprepared by a Michelin star chef,’ he winked as if he just pulled out the heavy artillery.
‘Oh, more wine!?’ I giggled.
‘Wine is good for the soul in any combination. The more, the merrier,’ he tilted his glass, emptying it again in one sip, then waited for me to follow, even though the liquor didn’t seem to flow so smoothly down my throat as it did on his. And even with this, by the time we finished dinner I was on my fourth glass, feeling the hypnotic glow from the fireplace invading my whole body.
It was like I was burning from within, as the dress I was wearing seemed to be tightening on my breasts, making them ache to be set free.
As if sensing my anguish, Ferris spread his hand for me to join him, calling me to sit, stretching my feet in the opposite direction from his so that I could face him.
‘What else for tonight?’ I asked, not really wishing for a surprise, but for that mesmerizing feeling of knowing his body incredibly close to mine.
‘Whatever you desire,’ he tugged the dress over my shoulders, assuring himself of access to explore the new piece of lingerie I had on. ‘Whoever bought you this must have had excellent tastes,’ he whispered, leaning in to taste that swollen flesh right above the cup of my bra.
‘Tonight is my turn,’ I pushed him back, beginning to unbutton his shirt as a lust I never felt before was tormenting me. I wanted him. I wanted all of him in every way I ever thought humanly possible.
One by one, the buttons evaporated, setting free, a spectacular display of inked muscles, so appealing that my tongue couldn’t help itself but have a taste. There was something happening to me as desire was replacing all rational thought, living those moments only to take as much as he had to share with me- body and soul.
With perfect precision, his hand tangled itself between my locks as I was tracing each firm line of his chest only to boost that throbbing sensation that was dampening the zone between my thighs. Maybe it was from the alcohol, or maybe the alcohol was just a fuel to ignite my deepest cravings, but I was lacking all inhibitions, driven by his hitched breath to enjoy that taste of him for as long as I could.
Though something stopped me, almost waking me up from my beautiful delirium as I stumbled upon two scars that crushed my soul. Two circular wounds that lead directly to his heart made me instantly dampen them with crystal tears. Were those healed bullet wounds!?
‘What are these, Ferris?’ I asked with my voice drowned in sadness, thinking of all the misery he must have gone through.
