The Mogul (5 page)

She climbed out of the shower and had just dried herself when her cell phone rang. She almost twisted her ankle diving for the phone on the bed. She took a second to catch her breath.

“Hello?” She did her best to sound bored.

“Candace? This is Esther. We met last night at the party.” She was talking like they’d been buddy-buddy all night. Weird.

“Oh sure. How are you Esther?”

“Not too bad. Listen, I’d like for us to have dinner together and talk about a few things.”

“That sounds great. Where would you like me to meet you?”

“You heard of
Jackson
’s Barbecue Shack?”

Candace brought up the Internet on her phone and typed in the name. It came up immediately with directions. “No, but I’m sure I can find it.”

“Good. I’ll meet you there in one hour.”

* * * *

Esther was seated in the rear of the restaurant and had already ordered some barbecue short ribs and a large plate of coleslaw. She was dressed in a long, loose-fitting black-and-turquoise dress. Her neck was adorned with several colorful necklaces. Candace took a seat and ordered the same special as Esther.

The singer tore a paper towel off the provided roll and wiped her hands. “Thank you for coming to meet me on such short notice.”

Candace smiled. “You’re welcome, but I’m kind of curious what this is all about.”

Esther shook her head as though Candace was someone to be pitied. “He’s using you, girl.”

Candace sipped her iced tea. “Who’s using me?”

“That dog, Markus. He’s using you to get to me.”

“Why would he want to get to you?”

“To be in his damn movie,” Esther said as her voice rose in indignation. “Where the hell have you been, girl? Surely you
must
know that man’s been after me for a year to make that hopeless
Chicago
movie.”

Candace’s food arrived, and she dug in to one of the ribs. She hadn’t realized how ravenous she was until right this moment. “He’s given up on that movie,” she said between bites.

“He told you that? I don’t believe that lying snake for a second.” She watched Candace eat for a few minutes. “What else did he say?”

Candace shrugged and tore off a paper towel to clean her face. “He said that the movie couldn’t sell without you, so he gave up.”

Esther leaned across the table and grabbed Candace’s hand with as much earnestness as a doomsday preacher. “He really say that to you?”

“Yes, he did.”

Esther leaned back and frowned. She appeared deep in thought. “I didn’t like some of the stuff in the script.”

“Maybe they’d be willing to change it.”

The singer fixed her gaze at a faraway point behind Candace’s head. She looked like she was giving the idea some new consideration. She suddenly seemed to remember Candace was there. “Do you think I should do it?”

“Esther, I can’t tell you what projects to pick. That’s a job for your agent. But it might be something worth considering to push your name back out into the public eye.”

“I
do
have a new album coming out next fall.” She smiled, and that simple act made her look ten years younger. Candace was happy she’d broken through that tough exterior. Esther stood up and threw a hundred on the table. “Dinner is on me. I’ll be in touch.” Then she rushed out the door, leaving a bewildered Candace behind to finish her food.

She pulled out her cell phone and texted Mark:
Looks like you might have Esther as your star after all. See you soon. Candy.

Chapter Eight

Mark had gotten a call from Esther’s agent just as he was about to sell off the
Chicago
script to another producer. The agent simply said that after having dinner with Candace, Esther changed her mind about being in the film. She wanted to seal the deal in the next few days. Even more surprising was the agent said Esther was willing to do the film for even
less
than they originally offered her.

Sitting in a restaurant called The Tiki Room, he called Candace on the phone to tell her the good news.

“Hello?” Her lovely voice came on the line, and his cock grew painfully erect. He needed to be with her again soon.

“How’d you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Get Esther to agree to be in the film again?”

Candace laughed. “Don’t blame me. She came to that decision all on her own.”

“No matter how it happened, it’s great news. I’ve already called the director, and he’s thrilled. Now all I’ve got to do is secure the funding from the studio.”

“Is that hard to do?”

“Not usually, but I’m dealing with a real cagey studio exec who has been jerking me along all evening. Our meal already came, but he’s spent most of the night chatting up these bimbos at the bar. He’s really starting to piss me off.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

He glared toward the bar where the studio executive, Glen Meyer, was sipping a martini and buying drinks for any women who paid attention to him. “As a matter of fact, there is. Can you call me back in two minutes? It appears I’m going to have to play a game with Mr. Meyer to get his attention.”

“Sure,” Candace said and hung up.

Mark put on his best worried face and joined Glen at the bar. “Listen, Glen, I know you’re having fun, but could we finish up our meeting?”

Glen narrowed his eyes like a schoolyard bully getting ready to punch someone out. He squeezed Mark’s arm. “What’s your hurry, buddy? We have all night.” He turned to leer at the woman he’d been drinking with.

Right on cue, Mark’s phone rang. He turned away from Glen and answered it.

“It’s me,” Candace said.

“What’s that?” Mark said, responding to an imaginary conversation he was having with her. “No, no, that’s great news! I can’t wait to tell the director. Let me get out of here, and I’ll call you back in the car.” He hung up and turned back to a suspicious-looking Glen.

“What was that all about?” Glen asked.

“Listen, I’d love to stay, but something has come up. Don’t worry about dinner. I’ll pay the check on my way out.” He held out his hand to shake. Glen took it, stunned, and gave him a limp handshake. “I’ll see you around.”

Glen downed his drink. The bartender offered him another, but he shook his head. “Hold on a minute. I thought you wanted to get this
Chicago
film made. What’s going on?”

“Oh, that damned thing. Don’t worry about that,” Mark said, slapping Glen on the back. “We’ve pretty much got that picture all sewed up.”

* * * *

Once in the car, he called Candace back. “You were fantastic.”

“Thank you.”

“Where are you?” he asked.

“I’m home at my apartment.”

“Good. Let me ask you something. Do you like Batman?”

There was a pause. “What do you mean, like Batman and Robin in comic books and at the movies?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not much of a comic book fan, but he’s okay.”

“Would you like him to come by and pay you a visit at your apartment? Would you like to get fucked by a superhero?”

A seductive laugh tickled his ear. “Um . . . sure, why not? It is going to be you in that costume, right?”

“Most definitely.”

“Well okay then. See you soon.”

Chapter Nine

Candace wasn’t much for kinky sex, but the Batman thing sounded fun. She went into the bathroom to freshen up. While there, she took her birth control pill, then came out to her closet and dug out a sexy nightgown. It was a stunning blue with spaghetti straps, and lace over the bosom. She went to the full-length mirror to examine how she looked. She smiled. Even a superhero shouldn’t be able to resist her.

Her phone buzzed with a text message on the bureau. The text was from Mark. He told her to unlock her door and go sit on the couch to watch TV.

A few minutes later, Candace heard someone let themselves in and lock the door behind them. She kept her attention riveted to the TV and didn’t turn around. Heavy steps moved through the apartment. From the corner of her eye, she could see Mark in his black Batman costume as he moved toward her. A secret thrill quickened her blood, but she resisted the urge to look at him directly.

He prowled in front of the TV, turning it off as he passed. She’d never even seen him touch the button. She dared to look up at him now. His black costume was impressive and very well made. The chest piece showcased a massive chest and detailed abdominal muscles. His medium-length black cape hung behind massive shoulders and made him look even bigger and taller than he was.

“I’ve heard you were in trouble,” he whispered in a deep, hungry voice.

She gave him an impish smile and moved her hand just under her nightgown. “Oh, I am. I have an ache right here.”

He moved over to the couch and gently eased her back onto the cushions. His black-gloved hands moved over the fabric of her gown. They glided slowly, gently until he reached her electric blue panties. He rubbed her pussy on the outside of her underwear. “Here?”

She leaned her head back. “Mmmm . . . yes, that feels a little better.”

Big, strong hands slipped her panties off her hips. His pink tongue darted out from his black sculptured mask. Then he lowered his head and tickled her sex with his lips and tongue.

Candace let out a long, excited moan. Everything about this was arousing and exciting her, the sight of him in that dark, imposing costume, the gravelly sound of his voice, the teasing way he touched her all over with those gloves. It was like the real world had melted away and been replaced with a sexy and playful fantasyland.

His tongue worked magic on her pussy. It danced and explored, running up the delicate folds and probing her depth. Then he shifted his attention to lifting up her nightgown and massaging kisses along her breasts.

Her body felt like it had caught fire. A feverish lust had been coaxed to raging life within her, and she desperately needed it quenched. But Mark was in no hurry. He stripped her with measured care and worked every nerve to wild fulfillment. His tongue played with her tender clit, licking her through two thrilling orgasms. But what Candace really wanted was his cock inside her.

Candace wrapped her arms around him and kissed him with every ounce of passion storming inside her. She broke the kiss and stared into his lustful eyes. “Make love to me.”

Mark removed only the utility belt and worked his cock free. It was long and thick and looked strangely vulnerable against the backdrop of his superhero uniform. He positioned himself on his back on the ground and stroked the shaft a few times. “Mount me,” he commanded.

Candace straddled his hips and lowered her body onto him. She crouched over him, bouncing down cautiously to allow only the tip inside her.