A/N: Things get really really intense here.
We stumbled into his bedroom about an hour later.
I had managed to bid goodbye to a very tired and drunk Rosalie after we were back on sweet, sweet land. Once I was alone, Reznick had lost no time in pulling me into his car.
It seemed to me like he was harder up than I realized. Coming on to me almost violently. I had had multiple experiences in my lifetime. Enough to tell that sex wasn't always about lust. Sometimes it was just about power, or the will to appear stronger. Maybe it gave Reznick some sadist pleasure to appeal to a young, struggling man. Maybe he simply wanted me so he could feel good about himself. Maybe he just wanted something that was not his. I couldn't quite tell, but at that moment it wasn't important.
It was time to shut off my feelings as I let him undress me. Trying hard not to seem too disinterested. I let him have his way with me, giving him little compliments and sighing in fake ecstasy.
I was shocked to see the similarities his bedroom seemed to have with Rosalie's. Apart from the warmer colour palette, everything else seemed strikingly the same. His seemed to have a vintage look, unlike Rosalie's sleek, modern one. For doing what I wanted to do, it was important to get him as inebriated as possible.
"Antonio," I crooned after a while.
"Mm?" he sighed against my neck. I was repulsed by the feeling of him and swallowed hard.
"Would you like to get a drink?" I struggled to keep my voice from trembling.
He leaned back and nodded. "Sure."
I slid out from under him, making my way to the drink cabinet. His eyes studied my naked body with shameless hunger. His irises glinted as I turned to glance at him. I gulped my revulsion down and pulled out a bottle of rum along with two glasses. I walked over to him, pouring him a drink and handed the glass to him. He sat on the bed, his fingers clasping my hand and making my skin crawl. I smiled softly at him.
He took a sip and sighed deeply. "This is good stuff."
I sat beside him and poured myself a drink, clinking my glass with his. I knew I just needed to push him a little. Just give him that tiny nudge till he would be spilling to me his darkest secrets. I turned to face him, leaning into him and kissing his cheek. I let my tongue trace upwards to his ear, nibbling it softly.
"Mason..."
"You have a lot of hidden talents, Reznick," I whispered breathlessly, sucking his neck which he eagerly exposed. "Apart from making truckloads of money."
He chuckled. "I would like to make you my sugar baby. I think you'd do nicely. Plus-" I almost flinched when his hand travelled down my body, squeezing roughly. "I would love to get a piece of this every day."
I rose to my feet, placing the drink on the bedside table and smiling seductively at him. He took another swig of the glass and I refilled it immediately.
"Really?" I asked softly. "What would you do to me?"
He growled, telling me in detail what he would do to me. I almost threw up on his face.
I straddled him, grinding slowly against his tiny erection. A relief for once. I knotted my fingers in his hair and licked his lips. "Let me spoil you, baby," I whispered, filling his glass again, even though it wasn't empty. "Drink up."
His breathing was ragged, his dark, lusty eyes fixed on me as he took another sip, finishing the drink with alarming speed. I poured him another glass. And another. His face was pink, his eyes glassy. It was time for the final touch.
I trailed my lips down his neck, his chest and lingered near his ample abdomen. He parted his legs eagerly as, swallowing all my instincts, I dipped my head between them.
I sucked. Licked. Nipped. Making him feel wanted. Desired. Urging him on. Worshipping him. Like I was starving for his taste.
He let out soft grunts as I pushed him closer towards his paradise. "No way you'd make me your sugar baby," I whispered, teasing him with my tongue. He gazed down at me, his eyes wild, cheeks ruddy with desire.
"Of course I would. I would give you a blank check. I have more money than you can imagine."
Disgusting.
"Yeah?" I whispered, trailing my tongue lower, till he was gasping desperately. "You know among the scandalous things I heard..." I sucked harder, speaking in between breathless gasps. "I heard that you have two hundred accounts."
He chuckled, "Two hundred and five. But they don't know about the last ones."
"Oh," I spoke with polite interest, planting open-mouthed kisses on his thighs. Tracing my lips ever so slightly on the delicate skin. "That's an insane amount. Are you just saying that to impress me?"
He shook his head, pushing my head lower as he grunted deeply. "No," he growled, "I have all of them right here. You could see if you want baby boy."
"They're not even here. You're fooling me," I smiled seductively up at him, trailing my tongue teasingly as he shuddered.
"They are...upstairs..." he came, his eyes rolling up in his head.
It took all my resilience to act like I enjoyed it.
He fell asleep after he was done. I lay flat on my back, my chest hollow as I stared up at the high ceiling. I gazed sideways to where Reznick slept peacefully. His mouth open as he snored. And suddenly, white-hot revulsion ravaged my insides. I fished my phone out of my discarded trousers, feeling a sudden nausea overtaking me and sprang to my feet, making my way quickly over to the bathroom and shutting the door behind me.
I barely made it to the toilet bowl before I threw up. The phone clattered on the tiled bathroom floor. I took deep, shuddering breaths. I felt disgusted. Repulsed. By myself.
After a few minutes, I sat on the bathroom floor, my back against the cold tiles. I shut my eyes, it was hard to breathe. I couldn't understand why everything was suddenly so difficult.
Earlier I would have slept with someone and never thought about it. And now, all I could think about was Grayson.
I took ragged breaths, suddenly feeling like the walls were closing in on me. I imagined Grayson. His warm, gentle touch. His lips. His voice.
I was afraid I was going to break.
Whom was I lying to? I was little more than a tool. A man whore. Seduction and lies had been my truths. What was I doing falling for someone as pure as Grayson Shelby?
When I was tainted. Impure. Used.
I had to bite my lip as hot tears prickled the back of my eyeballs. I pulled my knees up to my chest.
Grayson. Grayson.
I needed him there. I was repulsed by Xavier. I hated his body. I hated his mind. But I knew Grayson wouldn't. He would be kind. He would hold me. He would touch me. He would care for me even when I couldn't.
As if on cue, the phone vibrated on the ground. I saw that it was him. My heart lurched painfully as the hollowness in my chest increased. I picked up the phone and put it soundlessly against my ear. I gazed at the exquisite tiles in front of me.
"Where are you?" his voice seemed to break through my drunken haze.
His breathing.
His breathing was enough to tear me apart.
I was quiet, listening to him intently. I tried to feel the warmth of his breath. Picturing the gentle rise and fall of his chest.
"Xavier, are you okay? Talk to me?"
I bit my trembling bottom lip.
He wanted to know if I was okay. He didn't want to know about the case. He wanted to know about Xavier.
"Xavier? Xavier..." his voice broke. "Hey, you're scaring me. If you're in a situation where you can't talk then wait I'll come to get you."
Even as he spoke, I heard the beeping of his car door and realized he had started on his way out of his apartment even before I had spoken.
I felt sharp claws squeezing my heart. Even after everything I had done, he was so kind to me. I didn't deserve it.
I gazed silently at the wall as the gentle rumbling of the engine sounded and I finally managed to speak.
"I'm here."
My voice was constricted. Agonized. I gazed at the shut door a few metres away from me. Picturing Reznick sleeping peacefully on the bed outside. Spent.
"Reznick's place."
He was quiet for a while before he continued, "Are you okay? Did he...hurt you?"
His voice was laced with anger. Low and dangerous.
"No." I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. I was afraid. Terrified. "Gray..." I spoke softly, trying hard to keep my voice steady. "Could you come...get me? I can't..." I shuddered. "-I need to get out of here."
"I am, Xavier. I am. Could you please tell me where are you?"
"I don't know," I whispered.
He was quiet again. I took the blissful moment to listen to the gentle hum of his breaths. When he spoke, his voice was urgent. "Okay. I'll get your location." Silence fell before he spoke again, "It'll take me about an hour to get there."
I didn't answer, closing my eyes. Even hearing his voice seemed to make everything better. Even for a little while.
"Xavier," he spoke softly, "did he hurt you?"
"No," I replied in a trembling voice.
"Xavier. You can tell me anything. Tell me if he hurt you. I'm going to fucking kill him. I don't care how fucking rich he is-'"
I chuckled suddenly, my laugh hoarse. Humourless. He fell silent.
"I've never heard you angry, Grayson. Except when I'm annoying you."
He sighed, "I'm serious, Xavier. I will get him arrested."
I took a deep shuddering breath. "I just need you to be here, Gray." I pushed the phone closer to my ear, as if trying to reduce the physical distance between us. I lay my head on my knees, my voice muffled as I spoke in a barely legible whisper. "I just need you here."
His voice trembled slightly when he answered, "I'll be there, Xavier. I promise okay? Just hold on."
I nodded before realising that he couldn't see me. "I'll hang up now."
"No," he said firmly. "Talk to me."
I sniffed, my voice strained when I answered, "I trust you, Gray. You'll get me out of this. You always do."
I hung up the phone, resting my head against the tiles. I needed to be strong. I needed to detach.
I still had a job to do. I wouldn't let my sacrifice be for nought.