Take Cover (3 page)

It was midday when I finally woke up, and my body was in dire need of a massage. Though the imported carpeting appeared comfortable enough, it was far from enjoyable.

Stretching out my now sore muscles, I scanned the room for the tyrant. I had promised her a chance last night, but nothing about this
new
arrangement was enjoyable. I still couldn’t trust the woman, as far as I could throw her, but one thing was for sure, last night had been a sobering one. Charlette opened my eyes to the hard truths of reality. We were both cut from the same stained cloth. Maybe she was what I deserved and not Emily, since she had no misgivings about breaking my heart time and time again.

Charlette must have woken up early since there were no signs of her. I couldn’t say I wasn’t pleased that she hadn’t been here when I awoke, but I knew that I couldn’t leave her estate without first speaking to her. She would no doubt take my absence as a sign that I was, once again, leaving her.

Releasing a sigh, I made my way through the rather large estate. I remembered how I fled this place, not too long ago, mortified that I had bedded the aggravating woman and defiled my relationship with Emily.

When I reached the top of the double bridal staircase, I initially thought to go to the bathroom, but the tapping of keys led me in the opposite direction. Reaching a glass door, encased in a white wood frame left slightly ajar, I softly knocked. I couldn’t see her through the glass door from my angle, but the tapping immediately ceased. I heard her shift in her seat once and then heard nothing.

When she appeared in front of the door, her breath noticeably caught in her throat.
Had she expected something else?

She opened the door reluctantly, which further confused me. I wasn’t sure what she was playing at, but Charlette was far from a shy, demure woman. I raised an eyebrow when I took in her appearance. She was dressed in a simple white sundress, something I would have never imagined she would be caught dead in. Charlette was a woman of high class, with a wardrobe costing, well into, the thousands. This sundress was far from the lavish couture, which often graced her body.

Feeling uneasy, I walked inside the lavish, all white office, accented only with the gray of the drapes, pillows, and rug. Leaving her at the door, I took a seat on the leather armchair opposite her white wooden desk. The top was glass, which actually went well with the doors and floor to ceiling windows behind her desk. Judging by the quality of the room, I could tell Charlette spent a great deal of time here. She had it designed to reflect her taste completely, which deeply contrasted the simple sundress she adorned now.

“I thought we should talk,” I said, as I leaned back against the comfortable chair and stared at her, noticing her unease. Was she really this afraid of me? Or, as I was more inclined to believe, was she baiting me for something?

“Of course. We should.” She took a seat behind her desk instead of an open seat by my side, instantly placing me in a less authoritative position, or so she thought.

“As I stated last night, Charlette, I am willing to give you a fair shot, but in return I do require one thing of you,” I began.

When she simply nodded her head, I forged on. “You are never going near Ms. Emily, again. Is that clear?” I asked, however, there was no room for question. I wanted Charlette completely out of Emily’s life. Emily may not have chosen to continue our relationship, but I would never allow harm to come to her, especially at the hands of Charlette. She had done enough damage to both Emily and I. Anything further would be inexcusable.

“I have no intentions of harming your precious Emily,” she stated in her kindest tone, but the malice was still evident.

“Fine, then I don’t see anything else left for us to discuss,” I stated coldly, not bothering to wait for her response. I lifted to my feet and strode to the door, never looking back. Just before my fingers gripped the doorknob, I paused and added, “And Charlette, you are referring to me as, Sir, from now on, or you will be punished,” I finished and exited.

If it is me she wanted, she would get me. I just hoped she understood that Emily was my humanity. Having lost her, what was left was a cold man.

The coldness in Jules tone was one I never had witnessed before. Not in all the years I had known him. It left me completely beside myself with worry. Had I made the right choice agreeing to this new arrangement with him? It didn’t seem as though I even knew the man who sat in my office and demanded I refer to him as, Sir.
Sir? As if I am a peasant here to bid his will.

I had been too shocked to respond at the time. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to march through the house, find him, and give him a piece of my mind.
Did he know who he was talking to? I am Charlette Delacroix, not his whore!

I wanted to scream at him, slap him, even, but my body hadn’t been able to move a single inch since he waltzed out of my office. I couldn’t understand why, but I just remained there staring at the door, wondering what was to come of this arrangement of ours.

The buzzing of my phone pulled me out of my frightened trance. Grabbing the cellular off of my desk, I glared down at the sender before hitting the open button.

Jules: “Meet me in the master bedroom, in five minutes, in only your panties.”

I wasn’t sure if I should feel any excitement at the prospect of being intimate with Jules again, or terrified after his coldness earlier, but my body had already made its decision. My skin became flushed and my nipples hardened at his command.

I wondered if the countless women, Jules had entertained, responded to his words with the same immediate need. There was no doubt that Jules was a man accustomed to receiving everything he wanted, so I would imagine that this was also the case with the women he bedded.

Releasing a breath, I gently placed the cell phone down against the cool glass desk and rose to my feet. It sounded again and I gasped.

Picking it up, I read another message from Jules.

Jules: “Don’t keep me waiting.”

I wouldn’t dream of it, Dear Husband
, I thought, as I made my way out of the office and down the hallway to the closed bedroom door. I had been waiting for this for too long to be fashionably late.

As I entered my bedroom, I couldn’t help but feel completely out of place. This was my home, my bedroom, and yet, Jules had managed to take control over the entire estate with his presence, even while I stood in the bedroom completely alone.

Making my way to the center of the suite to the beige, king-sized platform bed, adorned with imported European cotton and silk bedding, I slowly removed my sundress. I allowed the thin material to fall to my feet before stepping out.

I looked down at my black lace panties and thought to change to white ones. I decided against it, not wanting Jules to be disappointed, should I not be ready for him in time. I quickly freed myself of the matching black bra and gently placed it on the nightstand.

It was quite silly how nervous I felt as I stood next to the bed, shifting from foot to foot. Jules hadn’t been specific as to where he wanted me to be, so I wasn’t sure if I should be laying down on the bed or standing. A part of me hated that I lost all confidence around the man. It was also what I loved most about him; his ability to exert control over anything and everyone, without so much as a single word.

When Jules and I met initially, it infuriated me to no end, how he’d demand control of me. I’d fought tooth and nail to never let on, just how much he affected me. Thinking about it now, maybe that was the reason why he’d never considered an actual relationship with me.

“Lay on your stomach,” I heard him say, pulling me completely out of my own thoughts. I was painfully aware of his strong, solid, beautiful frame at the door across the room.

I did as he asked; positioning myself on my stomach with my head tilted to the right.

“You disobeyed my orders, Charlette,” he hissed, as his voice became closer.

“Jules, sweetheart, I did exactly what you requested,” I whispered, hating the unsureness evident in my voice.

“At no point, did I tell you to leave your heels on,” he stated blankly, and I cursed myself for not removing them earlier. I had believed he would expect me in them and thought nothing of leaving them on. Apparently, I had been wrong.

“My apologies, Jules,” I again said, barely audible.

“You will refer to me as, Sir,” he commanded, as he stalked toward the bed and stalled at the foot of it.

I gulped and shook my head, “ Sir...”

Never before had a man commanded me this way. A small part of me questioned my sanity for allowing him to treat me this way, but another part... the part now throbbing in between my legs with a desperate need for him, enjoyed pleasing his commands.

“Come up on all fours and place your hands above your head,” he ordered sharply. I did as he asked, arching my back so my backside was propped up, waiting his touch.

He moved to the side of the bed before speaking again. “You are a stubborn woman, Charlette. I intend on showing you, your place in this arrangement,” he hissed. His hand trailed softly from my shoulder, slowly down the small of my back, causing me shiver under his touch.

His fingers lingered just above my backside, and I moaned with delight. My panties were soaked and drenched with need for him. My breathing was labored with the simple caress.

“Hmm... You seem to like that, don’t you?” he whispered, as he gripped my ass tightly, causing me to release yet another moan.

“Yes, Sir, I do,” I responded breathlessly.

He groaned as he removed his pants, allowing them to fall to his feet. He slowly climbed into the bed, gripping my hips once he was directly behind me. I exhaled when his cock nestled between my legs. It barely grazed my drenched panties, but it was enough to make me want to yank off my panties and plunge myself backward onto his thick, delicious shaft.

“Bring your hands behind you,” he ordered. I did what he asked, and squealed once he pulled on my arms and caused my upper body to be upright, his lips now at my ear. “You want this, don’t you?” he asked softly.

I couldn’t answer him, as his lips trailed soft electric filled kisses down from my ear to my shoulder.

“Look at how wanton you are, so ready for me to fuck you,” he growled, before gripping my long blonde hair in his hands and pulling my head back.

Our lips touched and the heat between my legs instantly grew to a smoldering fire. We hadn’t been together since the night of the ball. I was more than ready to feel him again.

“Hmm... Love it when you wear black lace for me. It always turns me on,” he whispered in my ear, before trailing kisses down my neck.

Panic immediately flooded my senses, and my body noticeably tensed as the reality of his words hit me. “Jules. I didn’t wear black lace when we were last together,” I hissed, before jerking myself out of his hold and scurrying off the bed. I grabbed my sundress, frantically pulling it on.
I had been a fool.

Once again, Jules had reduced me to a foolish blabbering idiot. I didn’t need to guess who he had been referring to. It seems Ms. Emily had a thing with black lace. Jules, being a weak man, couldn’t forget her long enough to give me what I wanted from him.

“Charlette.”

I didn’t bother looking up at him. There was no point. He would never forget that woman. I would only be placing myself in the position to be humiliated. No more!

“Get out, Jules! Out of my room. Out of my life,” I shrieked, as tears streamed down my face. “Just... leave me alone.”

The last thing I heard before he collected his pants and strolled out of the room was, “Désolé.”
Sorry
.

The closing of the door behind him was my undoing. I allowed the deep sorrow in my heart to take over. Jules would never be mine.