This Darkest Man Read online

  I jumped as the doorbell rang, nearly falling in my heels. I took a deep breath. This was it. I grabbed my coat and securely belted it around my waist before opening the door. It was the same driver who had taken me home the night before. He nodded at me, and without a word turned to lead me out to where the car waited.

  My heart started to beat more rapidly the closer we got to the club and I felt a cold sweat come over me. What the hell was I doing? I should just jump out right now…

  The car came to a stop at a red light and my hand instantly went to the door handle and I pulled on it. But nothing happened. It was locked and I couldn’t figure out how to unlock it.

  “Is everything all right, ma’am?” the driver asked. My hands dropped from the door like it burned and I nodded. The light changed and we were moving again, and all I could do was stare out the window at the normal world passing me by.

  Once inside, I was escorted to Daniel’s office. The driver left me outside the door, before giving me a nod and walking away. I was almost sad to see him go and watched until he had disappeared from view. Then I swallowed, and nervously tapped on the door. I felt like a school girl about to be punished; which I was, I just didn’t know why.

  “Enter,” came the order from inside. I pushed the door open and stepped through. Daniel was at his desk working at something on his laptop and his eyes briefly flicked to me before returning to the screen. “Sit down.”

  I nervously sat in front of his desk; the chairs were large and I felt tiny in comparison. I imagined they were meant as some kind of psychological device to make Daniel’s associates feel small and powerless. They certainly had that effect on me.

  He continued with his work, completely ignoring me while anticipation and dread began to grow in me, along with anger that he was treating me as if I were no more important than—

  Than what? This was how everyone treated me. The anger died, and was replaced with a resigned sadness.

  “I told you to only wear what I sent. I didn’t say that you could wear a coat.”

  My eyes snapped to him as I realized that he was speaking to me.

  “But everyone would see me.”

  He shrugged and a small smile played on his lips. “Everyone’s going to see you anyway. Remove the coat.”

  I hugged myself and the security of the coat. “No. I’ll take it off when—”

  “You see this?” he interrupted. “You see this office, this club, this building…this is my world. I’m God here. The rules of the outside world don’t apply here. What other people want doesn’t apply here. Now take off the coat like a good girl, Mattie, or I’ll take it off for you.” His tone was so soft, but there was no mistaking the steel behind it. The way that he was staring at me made me feel like an animal, and I wondered if he wanted me to defy him so he could attack.

  I stood, and with shaky hands fumbled with my belt. It seemed to take forever to undo, but finally it fell free. I gripped onto the coat to remove it from me, but my body seemed to freeze and I couldn’t move. Taking off the coat and revealing myself would mean losing my last object of comfort, and I just couldn’t do it.

  But as it happened, I didn’t need to. Daniel stood and walked over to me, circling me before standing at my back. His hands pulled the coat from my shoulders and peeled it from me. He threw it onto a chair, before standing before me and appraising me. His eyes raked up and down, and I waited for him to say something. My heart hoped for the kind, flattering things that he had said to me at the farmhouse, but he said nothing. I had no idea what he was thinking.

  “Let’s go,” he said, taking my upper arm gently and pulling me along with him.

  “Wait! You haven’t answered my question!” I protested.

  “This has to happen first, Mattie.” He was unrelenting as he propelled me along to the lift, never releasing his grip as we descended down.

  “What will happen?” I asked desperately, sure that my heart would beat out of my chest. “What will you do?”

  The lift came to a halt and the doors opened. We stepped out and went down a narrow corridor that led to a small room where a variety of people in costume waited, and through that, I realized with dread, was the stage. A few half naked men wearing loincloths and headdresses that looked like animals — wolves perhaps— grinned at me.

  “Me? I won’t be doing anything,” Daniel said.

  “What do you mean?” I looked at him in alarm.

  “I just said that you had to cum on the stage. I didn’t say it would be me that would do anything. I’m a busy man, Mattie. I can’t play all the time.”

  I stared at him, open mouthed, but before I could say anything, an older, matronly looking woman came up to us. “Here’s the blindfold. It matches the outfit perfectly.” She smiled at me. “Sweetheart, you look gorgeous. You really do. Are you sure you want the blindfold? Don’t you want to see them all admiring you?”

  “Mattie feels safer in the dark.” Daniel took the blindfold and stepped behind me, drawing the soft item over my eyes.

  “Suit yourself. You’re on in one minute.” I heard footsteps as she walked away. A small amount of light peeked through the blindfold, but I couldn’t see anything or make out any figures.

  “I didn’t agree to this. I’ve changed my mind,” I breathed.

  “Too late,” he whispered in my ear, before pulling the hood up. “This nearly covers your face. No one will know who you are.” Then I heard his footsteps walk away and I was left in the dark.

  “This way, mind the step. Just walk forward when the announcer says. Don’t worry; the wolves won’t let you walk into anything or off the stage.” The older woman had taken my wrists and was gently guiding me.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” boomed a man’s voice through a microphone. “I give you Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolves.”

  “Off you go,” whispered the woman, giving me a tiny push so I had no choice but to walk forward blindly. There were catcalls and cheers as I began to stumble around the stage, with no idea where I was going or what I was supposed to do.

  Something furry brushed against me and I jumped, gasping in surprise. The audience laughed. And then something behind me touched me and I jumped again, breathing heavily. Then it was constant, light touches that made me whirl around in confusion, completely surrounded.

  “Look out, Red Riding Hood. The wolves are about to eat you up,” boomed the voice.

  Panicked, I tried to run but was caught by strong hands and carried backward until I was deposited into something that must have been a chair. A light kiss started on my neck, while a hand ran down my stocking clad-inner thigh. Someone else slipped off my shoe and began to kiss at my foot. Slowly, my stocking was peeled from me, just like my dignity. I felt my toe sucked into a hot wet mouth, while the hand that had been stroking my inner thigh slowly moved upward to lightly stroke against my panties.

  That caused a slight wail of surprise to come from my mouth, but I was silenced by a mouth coming down on mine. That mouth began to kiss me seductively, as if trying to seduce me by tongue alone and I found myself kissing back. I felt hands tug my bra down so that my breasts sprang free. I tried to raise my own hands to pull it back up again but they were held together in a strong grip. My nipples began to be pinched as I arched my back in response. I moaned into that mouth that was on mine.

  My panties began to be pulled down, and I struggled for a moment but someone whispered to me, “Just relax. You’ll enjoy this, I promise. He says you have to cum. We can’t let you go until you do.” Then a tongue began to lap at me, teasingly and lightly at first, running over my folds and circling my clit. I couldn’t help but arch myself up toward that delicious mouth.

  I heard laughter and my face must have flamed, but I couldn’t help it. I needed that mouth on me. It had moved away now, and I whimpered.

  “Horny Red Riding Hood,” whispered that same voice. “He said you were shy and inhibited, but right now you’re acting like the dirtiest, hottest wom
an.”

  The mouth returned to me with gusto. Sucking and licking at me, and I felt myself begin to shake, not with nerves this time, but with lust as I felt myself begin to build. I tried to fight it. I couldn’t cum with all these people watching, I just couldn’t. But that mouth kept kissing me, my breasts kept being squeezed, and the guy between my legs kept expertly eating me out.

  I had no choice.

  I shook and whimpered, shaking my head in denial, but I came all the same. My body jerked uncontrollably, moans rang from me as the audience laughed and jeered. When there was no more left in me, the hands and mouths left me and I heard them walking away. I lay there, legs spread, panties down, breasts exposed, juices running down my legs, and my mouth slack.

  “Who knew Little Red Riding Hood was so dirty,” mocked the announcer, and everyone laughed. I tried to move, dying to be away from the prying eyes, but I couldn’t seem to get my limbs to work or my brain to form a coherent thought. Would they close the curtains? Would they cover me or just leave me here like a wanton, shamed spectacle. I was too scared to remove the blindfold, because this would make everything seem all the more real.

  Chapter Twelve

  I heard a mechanism, and it must have been the curtains drawing closed. I let out a sigh of relief, and hands were pulling me up. The blindfold was removed and I saw the older woman smiling down at me kindly.

  “Let’s get you in the shower.”

  I was guided off the stage and into a bathroom. I was deposited onto a stool and just watched helplessly as the woman turned on the shower and waited for it to get to temperature. Then she turned to me and began to remove the garments that sat on me in disarray. I didn’t even care that I was naked in front of her.

  “There you go. There’s a robe and towel on the rail. Take your time, dear.” Then she left me alone in the room with my mind racing.

  Had that really just happened? Had I really just humiliated myself like that? Came like that? Had I enjoyed it? I stood under the hot spray of the shower for a long time, unable to comprehend what had just happened. I let my hand creep down between my legs and stroked myself gently, remembering how it had felt to have those mouths and hands intruding on every part of me. I closed my eyes and imagined one of them was there right then. I began to move against my hand, gasping at the sensations that immediately over took me. I had to steady myself with a hand against the wall as I wasn’t sure that my legs would be able to keep me standing. My orgasm rippled through me, leaving me just as breathless as before and I panted, a lazy smile on my face.

  “Are you done?”

  My eyes snapped open to see Daniel staring at me through the glass of the cubicle.

  “I just—uh…”

  “I could see perfectly well what you were doing.” He held up the towel for me, and I dipped my head down and turned off the water before stepping out. He wrapped the thick white towel around me and taking my hand, led me from the room. I clutched at the towel with my free hand, scared that it would fall. Soon we were in the privacy of his office again.

  He sat behind the desk and I sat in one of the chairs before him. I was even more vulnerable now that I was clad only in the towel, even though it covered far more than the Little Red Riding Hood set did. The card that I had written sat on the desk. My simple Why? staring out at me. At least I would get some answers now.

  He picked up the card and showed it clearly to me. “That’s not very precise.”

  I lifted my chin. “I want all the answers.”

  He smiled slightly. “Sorry, the deal was one answer to one question. Since you weren’t clear on a question, I’ll pick it for you.”

  “That’s not fair. I met my end of the bargain.” I forgot to hold the towel and instead bundled my hands into fists as fury built in me.

  “Life’s rarely fair, Mattie. You should know that by now.”

  “I know that it’s not fair when people like you are involved in it,” I told him through clenched teeth. “You didn’t need to sell the house and the land. The debt wasn’t that big, and you didn’t have to sell it at such a low price. I ended up with nothing. Why did you do that?”

  He regarded me for a moment. “That’s not the question I’m going to answer. You had your chance to pick one, and now that time has passed.” He leaned forward slightly. “Instead, I’m going to tell you why I had your puppy dog Josh bring you to the club all those months ago.”

  “You had him bring me?” I said in disbelief, my voice rising.

  Daniel nodded. “He’s doesn’t exactly have the status or money of most of my patrons. It shouldn’t surprise you.”

  “So why?” I felt like scoring my nails down his smug smiling face.

  “To humiliate you. His invitation was subject to him bringing you and having a threesome. He didn’t even blink an eye at having to force you out of your comfort zone. Even when you were crying and begging him not to make you, he still wouldn’t have stopped if I hadn’t directed my men to interfere.”

  I stared at him; open mouthed and feeling like vomiting. “How did you know that?” my voice croaked.

  He indicated to the screens behind him. “Nothing is private to me here. Not even the private rooms.”

  I shook my head at him. “You’re a psychopath. Why would you want to humiliate me? Why do want to ruin my life and—”

  He straightened. “Those are questions for another time. If you want, I would be happy to make another deal with you on the same terms as before.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I got to my feet. “You really are a sick snake, you know that? I’m leaving.” I hurried to the door.

  “Oh, Mattie. I’d like my towel back.”

  I spun back around to face him, seeing my coat on the chair where he had left it earlier. I put it on and once covered, let the towel fall from underneath me. He laughed as I began to leave. “Why so modest all of a sudden?”

  I didn’t answer him and let the door slam shut behind me. What a sick bastard. I was still fuming as the driver escorted me to the car. I wanted to refuse his offer of a ride, but I was naked beneath my coat and had no desire to walk like that through the city. I sat silently in the back of the car, watching the world pass me by, but inside my head, all I saw were three wolves all over me, and a snake looming over us all and pulling all the strings. I had to wait until the driver opened my door for me, and then I ran from the car and sprinted up the stairs of my apartment, barely breathing until I had that door closed behind me.

  My apartment was cold and dark. I fumbled for the light switch and turned it on, and when I did, I ceased to breathe. There, in the center of the coffee table sat a single blood red rose. Someone had been in my apartment. My eyes darted around me as if expecting a knife-wielding attacker to jump out at me. But it was plainly obvious that I was alone.

  I stepped toward the rose and picked up the card that lay beside it.

  What’s your next question? It read. I let it drop to the floor in disgust. That prick had been in my apartment, or at the very least had sent someone else to break in. He really did think he was a god. I let my coat drop to the floor beside the card, and slid into bed, naked and mad.

  I slept in the next morning. But I didn’t rush to work, instead I took my time getting ready, not really caring. I even stopped for coffee on the way even though there was a long wait. My name was called out and I made my way to the counter to collect it. The barista was a handsome boy of about my age with ice blue eyes and spiky blonde hair. There was something about him that looked familiar but I couldn’t quite place him, not until he passed my coffee and whispered in my ear.

  “Hey, Red Riding Hood.”

  I spilled the coffee. Cloth in hand he quickly began to mop it up. “Sorry, I thought you recognized me.”

  “Recognized you?” I said dumbly, still in shock.

  “Yeah.” He looked around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in and said, “I was the one with my mouth on your pussy.”

 
“Oh. God, this is embarrassing,” I muttered and turned to leave, but he stopped me with a gentle touch on my wrist.

  “Sorry. That wasn’t my intention. It was pretty frigging hot, right? Me and the other guys were relieved that you were so attractive. Sometimes the women are old and not so pretty, if you know what I mean? I guess they’re the only ones who can afford to stage fee.”

  “Stage fee? They have to pay to go on stage?” I said in disbelief.

  “Hell, yeah. They’re all debauched as fuck and exhibitionists. Everyone wants to get up on stage in front of everyone and do their stuff.”

  I frowned. “So is that like you’re job or something?”

  He grinned. “It pays well, and I’m good at it, but you know that already.” He winked at me, and for a second I forgot that I was absolutely mortified and let out a laugh at his arrogance. He held out a hand to me. “My name’s Colt.”

  I shook his hand. “Matilda.”

  “I hope to work with you again, Matilda.” He winked at me once last time before moving away to serve other customers. I managed to collect myself and my thoughts before leaving.

  By the time I actually got to work, I was two hours late. The office manager gave me a stern dressing down in front of everyone that had me turning bright red in embarrassment. I had always hated being told off, that was why I was always such a good girl at school. When she had finally finished, I slunk to my desk and hid in my cubicle, hoping that my heated face would cool and hating myself for reacting like that.