The-Adonis Read online

  The-Adonis

  Incurably Wicked: Book 2

  Charity Parkerson

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  -–WARNING--THIS BOOK IS INTENDED FOR READERS OVER THE AGE OF 18

  Copyright © 2012 Charity Parkerson

  EDITOR: HERCULES

  All rights reserved.

  Cover art: curaphotography

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  TITLE

  COPYRIGHT

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  THE STORY

  AUTHOR BOOKSHELF

  AUTHOR BIO

  About the story:

  Grecian Fantasies hosts one of the hottest balls in town, a naughty Nobody-Knows-Your-Name masquerade that is not only exclusive, but is also not for the faint of heart.

  Pleasure, fantasy, fetish, and vice are all on the menu at this ball. The only thing not up for grabs is the notorious woman behind its creation, but that is about to change.

  *****

  Thea watched a myriad of emotions pass over her husband’s features. She had just confronted him about his late nights and the lies in which she kept catching him. Her heart pounded in her chest and a roar began inside her ears. The bleak look on Owen’s face said more than words ever could and she wondered if he would own up to the transgressions. There was still a tiny spark of hope inside her it was not another woman, there must be some other explanation. She waited, but no words came. She could tell by the set of his chin and the muscle ticked in his jaw she waited in vain. She would never hear the words from him. Her throat constricted and a tingle began in her nose as tears pricked at the back of her eyes. With the debate settled in her mind, she was no longer able to hold his gaze, and her eyes shifted to his best friend, Rob, who seemed to be attempting to melt into the wall behind him. Even though he was obviously uncomfortable, he held her stare boldly and for some reason she couldn’t explain, his piercing blue eyes gave her the strength she needed to do what she must. Finding her voice, her words came out sounding calm, surprising even her. “I was offered a promotion today. It’s a huge step up from my current position, as long as I’m willing to move to Tennessee.” She paused, wondering if she possessed the courage to continue. “I’ve decided to accept.”

  “You know I can’t relocate. I’m stationed here,” Owen argued.

  Swallowing down her pain, she held tightly to the one thing left to her: pride. “I don’t want you to go with me.” Owen did not argue with her, or try to beg. Instead, he gave a sharp nod of assent, and just like that, her marriage was over.

  *****

  5 years later…

  As far as jobs went, Smith Security Service was a gravy one. Rob spent more time watching rich people drink than anything else, and compared to the Marines it was almost boring. Tonight was a bit of an exception, considering he was bare-assed and on the clock. Since Smith Security dealt in private hire jobs, they were known for accepting some unusual gigs. As long as a client was willing to pay their astronomical fee and they had an employee willing to do it, then they were there. His boss, Shannon Smith, had barely kept a straight face while asking Rob if he was open to working an event known as the Adonis Fantasy Masquerade Ball which took place every year on Christmas night.

  After laughing heartily at the suggestion, he had been quoted a price that settled an age-old question in his mind. It turned out he, Rob Souza, could in fact, be bought. Part of his agreement with the company running the ball, Grecian Fantasies, was his signature on a carefully worded contract he admittedly only scanned, gleaning the basics. There was some shit about how if a person chose to take away his ribbon, some yellow girlie crap he had to wear, then he would be their master for the evening, but he didn’t really give a fuck about that. He figured if anyone wanted it, then he would not be forced to wear it any longer, and he could tell them to fuck off, thus leaving himself free from the burden of it for the rest of the evening.

  He had been expecting a lot of dick swinging and naked asses everywhere since Grecian Fantasies was best known for their famous naughty Nobody-Knows-Your-Name parties. He hadn’t been overly concerned by the fact, since he assumed men’s locker room averted-eyes etiquette would be in place, and it would not be a big deal. After all, Rob saw dick every day, since he had one. However, he hadn’t taken into account what those dicks would be doing or there would be an equal amount of bare tits present. So, here he was naked as the day he was born, wearing only a scowl, a stupid yellow ribbon tied around his upper arm, and sporting a hard-on so big he couldn’t believe he hadn’t put someone’s eye out yet. It was not intentional on his part, but hey, he was a guy and there were people having sex everywhere he looked. He couldn’t keep his gaze averted since he was there to ensure there was no trouble, but damn. There was a woman on the bar getting her pussy eaten by another woman who had a guy fucking her from behind. That shit was hot as hell and he was only human.

  His cock twitched and he cast a frantic glance around the room in a last-ditch effort to control his lust. His eyes landed on a beautiful woman seated primly on a nearby barstool. Her knees were together, her spine straight, and her hands lightly clasped in her lap as if she were at an afternoon tea instead of a hardcore orgy. A white Venetian mask with a bright yellow feather curling out at the temple covered a majority of her face.

  The hair piled on top of her head was a riot of blonde curls. Her body was a delicious mixture of soft and firm in all in the right places. Gold bands encircled her upper arms and she looked like a queen overseeing her court. He was so distracted by the sight of her when the ribbon was pulled from his arm, it caught him off-guard, and he was rendered momentarily speechless as he stared at the man who was twirling it between his fingers. His medium build and average looks were nothing to write home about and certainly not enough to cause Rob any desire to change teams. However, the mischievous smile curling the man’s lips left no doubt in Rob’s mind that was exactly the dude’s plan. When the haze lifted from his mind, his first reaction was to plant his fist in the center of the guy’s overly obnoxious purple and gold Mardi Gras mask, but his good sense quickly returned. Rob was the master now and it did not matter what the man’s intentions were.

  “I’m Weston,” he said as he wound Rob’s ribbon around his neck, tying it in a neat bow, and making himself appear as a giant unwanted Christmas present. “What’s your desire?” Rob started to tell Weston he desired for him to go away, but a bright yellow feather caught his eye once more, and his gaze found the Goddess across the room.

  “I need you to fetch someone,” Rob answered, deciding to use the awkward situation to his advantage.

  “Oh, yay, a threesome,” Weston cheered. “May I suggest Mike over there,” he said, pointing to a gigantic man wearing a plain black mask. “He has lumberjack hands,” Weston added cheerfully.

  Rob paused. Lumberjack hands? No, he was not going to ask. “What are lumberjack hands?”
/>   “You know, he can wield his . . .” Weston began before Rob waved his hand, cutting him off.

  “Never mind, I get the picture.” And he did, too. He would never be able to wash this moment from his mind. Getting back on track before things got out of hand, Rob pointed across the room. “Bring her to me,” he ordered.

  Weston’s face fell as he caught sight of the woman to which Rob referred. “I cannot,” he stammered, sounding horrified.

  “What the hell? I thought you were supposed to fulfill my desires or some shit?”

  Weston seemed honestly distraught over Rob’s aggravation. “I’m sorry. If you ask me to fetch anyone else for a bit of fun, then I am at your service, any service,” he added, raking Rob’s body with his eyes. “However, that is Theadonis and I cannot do as you command.”

  “The Adonis,” Rob repeated, sounding ridiculous even to his own ears. “I thought Adonis was a man. That is no man.” As the words left Rob’s mouth, he found himself tilting his head to one side and studying the woman closer just in case he was wrong.

  Weston rolled his eyes. “Not ‘the Adonis.’ Theadonis. That’s her name. She is the owner of Grecian Fantasies.”

  That explained his earlier feeling about her overseeing her court. “Would you be willing to introduce me to her?”

  A smile lit Weston’s face. “That is one wish I can grant.”

  *****

  Thea attempted to analyze this year’s party using a clinical eye, but for some reason it was not as easy this time as it had been in the past. Something felt off; perhaps she was restless. The sight of her friend Lisa and the couple Thea had chosen for her for the evening making love on the bar was pulling at her heartstrings. Most people would take one look at the three of them in such an intimate position and see a stolen moment of ecstasy they would forget or regret shortly after leaving this place. Thea saw something more happening. It was an awakening. There was not a single person in the building who would view the world the same way after leaving here. People learned things about themselves on nights such as these. Tearing her eyes away, Thea tried to focus on something else before she lost herself to one of her black moods. They seemed to visit her more and more often lately. Happiness is great deal more elusive than people think. Lost in her own thoughts, as she was, it took her a moment to notice the pair of men moving in her direction. Weston was easy to spot in spite of the purple and gold Mardi gras mask covering the majority of his face. Although he might seem unremarkable to most people, she knew he was a kind soul and that was a bigger asset than all the good looks he could have been born with. The second man moved with a panther-like grace. His dark skin, black mask, and short-cropped brown hair were causing a stir amongst the crowd as each person turned in his direction as he passed. His gorgeous, sleek muscles and full bottom lip would have been enough to ensnare her, but the detail truly capturing her attention was that she knew him.

  He stopped a few feet from her and the sight of his piercing blue eyes left no doubt in her mind it could be anyone else. She had only been twenty-five the last time she had seen Rob Souza. She wondered if he would recognize her now five years had passed. Time wrought many changes in her, but it seemed as if he hadn’t aged a day. He looked exactly the same now as the day she had confronted Owen on his cheating ways.

  “Theadonis,” Weston cried cheerfully. “This sexy beast of a man would love to make your acquaintance.”

  Despite the situation, Thea laughed heartily at the horrified look passing across Rob’s face over another man describing him as a sexy beast.

  “Does this sexy beast have a name?” she asked, hoping against hope she could brazen this out.

  Weston’s entire body seemed to freeze. “You know, I have no idea,” he admitted as he turned his attention back to Rob. Fortunately, Rob stepped closer and saved Weston from further embarrassment.

  “I’m Rob,” he answered, holding his hand out for her. When she clasped his hand, instead of shaking it as she had been expecting, he lifted it to his mouth and brushed a light kiss across her knuckles.

  Damn, she had forgotten the slight accent his deep voice held and hearing it again made her thankful she was already sitting. It would not do at all for him to see her weak at the knees.

  “Theadonis,” she said in return, since she found she was unable to conjure up anything more intelligent to say.

  A quick smile touched his lips as he allowed her to pull her hand away. There was not a single hint of recognition in his eyes. With an inner sigh of relief, she turned her attention to Weston.

  “Why aren’t you over there with Mike? He hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you all night.”

  “Really?” Weston bubbled, but then his face fell and he cast his mournful gaze at Rob.

  Thankfully, Rob was as quick-witted as ever and did not miss a beat. “Weston, go play with Mike,” he ordered, and Weston was gone before he could finish speaking, leaving them alone.

  “I’m only here to work security,” Rob said, capturing her attention with his slightly disapproving tone, and ruffling her feathers a bit. She did not remember him being this judgmental back when he held her ex-husband’s secrets.

  “See how happy Weston is now that he has his lumberjack,” Thea said, nodding in Weston’s direction.

  Rob glanced over at Weston before quickly looking away. She wanted to laugh. He was also a bit more prudish than she remembered. “I see everyone knows about Mike’s hands,” Rob said dryly, before asking, “Do you equate happiness with sexual pleasure?”

  Instead of answering his question, Thea decided to turn it around on him. “Do you equate unhappiness with the lack of sexual pleasure?”

  “Absolutely,” he answered immediately, surprising a bark of laughter from her.

  “Would you like to be really happy, right now?” she offered, knowing he would not indulge.

  “I’m not really the sex-in-public-places kind of guy, and I’m on the clock,” he reminded her.

  “That’s too bad,” Thea sighed as she slid from her stool. “I’m the kind of crazy you would never forget,” she added before slipping away into the crowd with her heart racing wildly in her chest, and with the heat of his gaze burning into her back as she made her escape.

  *****

  Rob’s quiet presence was a constant in her home and Thea was not surprised to find him watching her as she packed. His strong, steady attendance was the one thing on which she could always depend. With one muscular shoulder braced against the doorframe, his blue eyes followed her movements as she placed each item in her bag.

  “He’ll regret it,” he said, finally breaking the silence. “I know it doesn’t make things any easier, but he feels like shit.”

  Thea’s fingers tightened around the make-up case in her hand. “You’re right, it doesn’t make things any easier.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt like shit for snapping at him when he was only trying to make her feel better. “I’m sorry. Why would he regret anything? Because he said he would? I have to tell you—he has said a lot of things that weren’t true.”

  Rob continued to hold her gaze. “Only an idiot would risk losing you, so how could he not regret it,” he told her quietly before leaving her staring at the empty spot where he had been.

  The alley behind the Grand Hotel where ball employees parked for the evening froze solid with ice. An icy snow mixture had covered every surface, sometime between when Rob arrived and when he was, finally, able to make his way gingerly down the slick steps outside the back exit. Scraping the ice from his car windows, Rob cursed long and loud. “Stupid fucking cold weather. Who the hell plans a nudey party in the middle of the goddamn winter?”

  The slamming of the hotel’s metal back door ended Rob’s litany. He watched as a tiny figure, huddled deep within a huge, red woolen coat, stepped off the top step before ungracefully tumbling down the final three. A tiny cry rent the air, followed by a terrifying silence. Despite the slick ground, Rob was kneeling at her side in a m
atter of seconds. He sent up a small prayer of thanks when he realized she was still conscious.

  “Is anything broken?” he asked, as he lifted her upper body onto his lap.

  “My head hurts,” she answered, and he pushed back the hood of her coat, using the light from the nearby streetlamp to check for wounds. A mass of soft blonde curls tumbled out and he ran his fingers over her scalp, finding a huge lump near her temple.

  He opened his mouth to suggest a trip to the emergency room, but when his eyes met hers, the words froze on his lips.

  Rob stared down at the woman in his arms, realizing three things simultaneously: the woman he was holding was Theadonis, unmasked she was even more beautiful than he imagined, and he was an ass. How had he not recognized Thea right away?

  She did not protest as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to his car. Even as he snapped her seat belt in place, securing her in the passenger seat, she did not make a sound. It was not until he was pulling away from the curb that she broke the silence.

  “Where are we going?”

  “My apartment,” he barked, and she winced against the sound. She did not demand he turn the car around or stop to let her out. She stared straight ahead and he switched his gaze between her and the road as he drove. Her hair was a shade lighter and longer than he remembered, but not much else about her appearance had changed. Inside, he was seething. Fucking Theadonis, why had he never questioned what Thea stood for? She had been his best friend’s wife, and his biggest regret. He hated himself for remaining quiet as Owen ran around behind her back, and it pissed him off that he did nothing the day she left, but he was the worst sort of bastard because through it all he hadn’t been able to stop wanting her for himself.

  “What happened to Owen?”

  “He went out for a bit,” Rob answered, hoping Thea would not press for more details.

  Thankfully, she only flashed a bright smile. “Well, I guess it’s just you and me tonight, so what shall we do?”