SUNSET NOIR

The knock at his door barely managed to pull Anthony's focus out of the mountains of paperwork on his desk. A grumble under his breath and a quick look at his watch told him it was much later than he thought, and as always, time seemed to pass in a blur when he was this deep in research. He had an appointment with a new colleague, a fellow in the Humanities department whose own work warranted enough interest that the chair insisted they join forces. Not one to work well with others, he barely spared the stranger a glance, muttering a cold ''Come in,'' and gesturing to the seat before his desk. ''Whatever the Chair of this faculty has told you, I'm not sharing my work with anyone,. Sorry you wasted your time coming here,'' he announced, even before lifting his head. The sight before him threatened to steal his breath, the brunette's eyes so piercing he felt his frown deepen with annoyance.

like  any  woman  would  brynn  researched  anthony  before  she  was  due  to  meet  him.  in  fact  the  fellowship  had  already  done  a  deep  dive  on  the  scholar  and  had  warned  the  lark  to  beware  and  mindful  around  him.  but  that  went  without  question  when  it  came  to  the  brute  sex.  she  knew  it  was  foolish  to  ever  fully  trust  a  man.

the  cold  welcome  drew  her  into  his  office  without  a  fuss.  completely  unbothered  the  woman  in  a  short  business  style  skirt,  fitted  blouse,  and  covered  with  a  shape  accentuating  blazer  approached  and  stood  opposite  his  desk.  he  was  big,  a  thick  and  formidable  figure  that  looked  out  of  place  in  this  profession.  still,  brynn  wore  a  faint  smile,  one  that  didn't  falter  when  his  gorgeous  eyes  reached  hers  and  she  got  a  full  view  of  his  handsome  face  in  person.

clearly  her  recent  scholarly  achievements  hadn't  fazed  him,  at  least  not  by  the  way  he  spoke.  but  her  short,  tight  skirt  still  seemed  to  work  like  a  charm.  "no,  they  were  correct  .  .  .  labeling  you  a  stick  in  the  mud.  uncompromising  as  well.  what  was  it,  that  exact  word  they  used,"  the  brunette  tapped  her  chin  playfully  with  a  finger,  "oh,  right  .  .  .  dull."

the  intention  to  come  in  swinging  hadn't  been  her  game  plan  but  the  guy  was  rigid  as  hell.  "it's  not  been  a  waste  for  me.  i  got  some  material  needed  from  one  of  your  too  kind  and  too  accommodating  colleagues.  i've  already  been  through  your  entire  manuscript  library."  the  skirt  was  really  killing  it  today.  "you're  just  my  last  stop  on  the  tour  before  i  head  back  to  my  hotel.  which,  do  you  have  an  batteries  by  chance?  that  was  a  long  way  to  travel  and  a  girl  could  unwind,  you  know?"

He'd been watching her for some time now. Milo knew exactly how she would lift the fork to her lips, expected the frown slowly etching itself on her pretty face, and walked slowly towards her until he stood right before her table. ''Everything to your liking, Miss?'' he demanded in a feigned polite tone that would make his friends point and laugh at him. This was necessary, as necessary as his hazing when he entered the Mob, as vital as everything else he'd ever done for the group he considered his family. He kept reminding himself while he avoided her stare, focusing on a freckle under her eye. The stunning brunette sat there confused, chewing through the too-hard piece of steak he'd burned on purpose, her posture straight despite the disgust she attempted to hide on her face.

the  diplomat's  daughter  sat  alone  quietly.  stuck  in  the  middle  of  her  parents  war  of  her  future  ⸻  her  mother  working  diligently  to  find  her  next  quality  suitor  so  she  could  get  married  and  start  providing  grandchildren  and  heirs  to  the  throne  and  her  father  who  never  thought  any  man  was  good  enough  to  take  his  daughter's  hand  ⸻  reyhan  relished  the  break  from  the  tension  and  constant  nagging.

it  wasn't  far  though,  her  father's  driver  had  dropped  the  brunette  here  at  the  restaurant  while  he  met  with  friends.  otherwise  considered  the  top  political  figures  in  the  city,  state,  and  even  at  the  federal  level.

after  finally  setting  her  phone  aside,  reyhan  having  took  too  much  time  figuring  the  right  wording  to  reject  her  mother's  next  bachelor  proposal,  she'd  cut  into  the  ribeye  she'd  ordered.  he  was  handsome  in  the  photo  but  the  princess  craved  something  so  much  more  than  someone  that  looked  good  on  paper.  chemistry  was  everything,  stats  were  simply  that  .  .  .  a  resumé.  that  didn't  mean  one  was  suitable  for  the  job.

a  few  chews  in,  her  jaw  feeling  the  toughness,  reyhan  glanced  back  down  at  the  meat.  she  poked  it  with  her  fork  and  examined  it.  was  this  even  a  ribeye  cut?  if  she'd  been  paying  attention  when  the  waiter  had  delivered  it  then  the  brunette  might've  noticed  it  was  burnt  and  therefore  dried  out.  what  a  crime  against  this  particular  cut.

then  she  looked  up  at  the  smooth  voice  belonging  to  a  tall,  lean  frame  she  hadn't  heard  approach.  reyhan  struggled  but  swallowed  the  bite  down.  blond,  chiseled  features,  carved  like  the  david  .  .  .  she  was  sure  she  might've  blushed.  his  blue  gaze  was  intense  and  piercing.  "umm,"  the  brunette  chuckled  so  softly,  "i  think  i  might've  received  the  wrong  plate."  reyhan's  pulse  betrayed  her,  kicking  up  to  the  point  she  could  hear  the  whoosh  in  her  ears.  instant  attraction.

"you're  not  my  waiter  though  .  .  .  i'm  sorry,"  a  little  smirk  appeared,  her  turkish  accent  wasn't  as  strong  after  nearly  a  decade  living  in  miami  but  still  decorated  her  speech.  "i  think  i  owe  someone  a  dinner  for  trying  to  eat  this."  the  plate  was  eased  away  from  her.

You're not out of energy yet? The sentence looped in her mind, hazy from the buzz of the joint she was pulling from, a smirk already tugging at her lips. Beatriz was far from tired. If anything, she felt more revigorated than she had been all day while prepping for the feast and enjoying it with friends. ''You wish,'' she replied, but it didn't carry much of the sass she was used to. The in-between was where she thrived, silent moments stolen only to herself exactly as she was now, swaying to the beat and promptly ignoring the too-large presence of Cash in the other room. There were so many reasons why this was dangerous. His staying behind wasn't unexpected, but it felt different tonight in the aftermath of the party, an intimate, secluded setting like it had been carved just for them. She felt him walk up behind her and let herself be spun around. Cash flicked the joint out of her mouth and pressed his lips against hers, and suddenly the buzzing of her mind was welcome solace. Beatriz felt her entire body give under his grip, melting into him like there wasn't anywhere else she'd rather be. He parted only long enough for a quirky line, so typical of his careless youth, making a giggle bubble within her. She'd spent so long restraining herself, hours coaching him while attempting to avoid the magnetic pull of his baby blues, keeping a distance for all the eyes that constantly followed them. This was a reprieve, a moment she could let herself enjoy, consequences be damned. ''We shouldn't do this,'' she still heard herself mumble against his lips, despite her own hands reaching up to tangle in his mess of blond hair, pulling him tighter against her body. Her teeth grazes and finally caught his bottom lip, stifling a moan when his hand gripped her breast. ''There are so, so many reasons why this is a bad idea.''

"go  on  and  name  one  of  them,"  cash  instigated,  hardly  letting  a  beat  pass  before  he  argued  against  her  willpower.  this  wasn't  something  he'd  thought  he'd  read  wrong.  the  wheelman  was  sure  she  felt  this  thing  between  them  just  as  much  as  he  had.  it  was  more  than  lust,  this  pull,  something  deeper  than  the  physical  laid  between  them  and  had  been  begging  for  attention  for  some  time  now.  his  lips  pressed  to  hers  again,  easily  roped  in  by  the  tug  of  her  bite.

the  slightly  sweet  taste  of  the  weed  was  on  her  tongue  but  so  was  the  richness  of  the  wine.  the  brunette's  breast  didn't  fill  his  large  hand  but  he  smirked  into  the  kiss  he  stole  and  deepened  at  the  feel  of  her  warm  flesh  in  his  palm.  cash  was  careful  with  his  strength,  squeezing  and  kneading  just  enough,  then  brushing  her  nipple  with  his  fingers.  soon,  right  as  he  broke  the  liplock  and  breathed  against  her  wet  and  swollen  mouth,  his  other  hand  had  traveled  from  the  grip  on  her  ass  to  cover  her  other  breast.

"i  didn't  take  you  for  a  woman  that  allowed  someone  else  to  control  her,"  the  blond  criminal  taunted.  of  course  he  knew  she  had  people  to  answer  to.  everyone  did  in  one  way  or  another.  but  cash  was  pressing  her  to  throw  caution  to  the  wind  and  give  into  the  heat  between  them.  it'd  become  so  palpable  recently  that  it'd  been  hard  to  breathe  around  her.  his  hands  pushed  further  north,  the  goal  having  been  to  cop  a  feel  but  also  push  her  shirt  up  and  over  her  head.  the  fabric  was  tossed  aside  and  his  grip  returned  to  her  hips,  pulling  her  firmly  against  him  and  the  want  for  her  beatriz  could  surely  feel.

it  was  indeed  a  bad  idea  to  fuck  his  boss.  this  wasn't  just  playing  with  fire,  the  match  had  been  lit  and  the  proverbial  building  was  already  ablaze  .  .  .  this  would  change  the  nature  of  their  relationship.

his  mouth  traveled  along  her  jaw.  lips,  tongue,  teeth  grazing  her  flesh  down  the  curve  of  her  neck.  one  hand  reached  up  and  took  a  fistful  of  hair  to  pull  her  head  back  a  bit  and  expose  more  of  her  throat  where  his  tour  of  taste  had  moved  to  next.  the  remaining  hand  gripping  her  hip  moved  to  the  button  of  her  pants  and  popped  it  open.  "you  can  tell  me  to  stop  anytime,  and  .  .  ."  breaths  ragged  with  desire  beat  against  her  throat.  "i'll  walk  away  and  pretend  this  never  happened."

but  his  fingers  had  stopped  their  journey  from  slipping  inside  of  her  clothing,  into  her  panties,  and  past  her  mons  to  slip  between  her  folds  and  connect  with  the  bundle  of  nerves  his  fingers  rubbed  against.

She blushed under his praise, knowing the flush would spread over her exposed chest, noticeable even in the dim light of his office. It was ironic how she made a living off of dancing naked for strangers, but was rendered a shy thing under Samuel's piercing gaze. ''Why, thank you,'' she replied with a mock curtsy. He didn't miss anything, examining her Christmas-themed outfit with a heated gaze she knew would stay burned in her mind. She brought the glass to her lips and sipped on the overly-sweet drink, if only to give herself something to do. ''As usual,'' she shrugged, thinking back to the brave few who came to drown their holiday sadness with the sight of sparkles and flesh. It wasn't a bad gig, but Devon felt better being up here with him, away from the unmerriment. Like he'd read her mind, Samuel hand-guided her to sit on his lap, and the world shifted, narrowing to the large hand that gripped her thigh, the other smoothing down her back and making obvious gooseflesh prickle on her skin. She felt her nipples pebble under the sheer material of her bra and hoped she wasn't too obvious in her desire. ''Well, let's see,'' she settled further into him, refusing to question the propriety of their actions and giving herself wholly into this little play they'd introduced. ''A new car, a penthouse,'' she began listing, counting down her fingers and feigning deep thoughts as she chose her gifts. ''A million dollars, if only to spend it at Agent Provocateur,'' she added, legs shifting so they were slightly spread further onto his lap, her center already heating at the friction. ''Is there some Christmas magic you can work to make it happen?''

christmastime  wasn't  usually  a  big  deal  for  a  man  like  samuel  persson.  business  still  had  to  be  run  and  he  didn't  truly  have  any  family  or  close  friends  to  celebrate  with.  just  superficial  ones  that  enjoyed  proximity  to  power.  not  only  was  he  filthy  rich  but  he  was  someone  that  possessed  far  more  reach  and  control  than  anyone  truly  knew.  that  created  a  bit  of  a  lone  wolf  lifestyle,  but  the  large  6'5''  strip  club  owner  didn't  mind  it.

a  typical  scandianvian  he  enjoyed  quiet  and  solitude,  only  allowing  for  his  peace  to  be  disrupted  for  something  of  quality.

that  something  happened  to  settle  nicely  into  his  lap.  the  perky  blonde  was  small,  slight  and  he  enjoyed  the  way  his  hand  covered  and  easily  wrapped  the  entire  breadth  of  her  thigh.  sam's  sharp  blue  gaze  traveled  from  her  dazzling  smile  to  the  way  her  body  reacted  to  his  hand  moving  along  her  spine,  particularly  zeroing  in  on  the  way  her  nipples  had  hardened.

when  she  responded  to  him  his  eyes  drifted  up  to  meet  the  green  peering  into  him.  the  dancer  seemed  nervous  yet  giddy.  was  it  the  eggnog  or  was  it  him?  "a  million  dollars,"  he  parroted,  some  amusement  in  his  tone.  a  corner  of  his  mouth  had  been  hooked  and  his  gaze  had  a  certain  mirth  within  it  just  before  it  dipped  to  the  slight  parting  of  her  slender  legs.  instinctively  his  hand  smoothed  a  little  higher  up  her  thigh,  thumb  dipping  lower  and  grazing  the  sensitive  inner  flesh.

"i  suppose  it  depends,"  samuel  answered  with  his  attention  still  on  the  fabric  that  covered  the  apex  of  her  thighs.  devon's  shift  turned  his  eyes  up  to  then  meet  hers  and  he  knew  then  she  was  getting  a  feel  for  him  under  her.  the  bulk  of  him  hardening  just  over  the  beautiful  blonde  alone,  but  also  aided  with  the  instinctual  knowledge  that  she  herself  was  getting  aroused.  those  shifts  were  less  to  size  him  up,  even  less  for  comfort,  but  to  alleviate  the  stir  under  the  thin  piece  of  fabric.  "what're  you  willing  to  do  for  it?"

The world spun as she was being turned around in the stranger's arms, and when she finally locked eyes with him, everything else momentarily faded. It was unsettling how sobering the sight of River was, making everything in her body still, caught, trapped in his arms. What were the chances, she thought briefly, though she wouldn't admit that even drunk, blind and left to her own devices, her body would always find its way back to him. She ignored the pang in her heart at his words, her lips stretching instead into a devious smile, settling further in his arms. ''You, obviously,'' she replied with a nod at their current position, promptly disregarding how inappropriate it might have been for them to embrace as they did now. At the mention of water and fresh air, she suddenly felt queasy, the dizziness of alcohol rushing back in an unpleasant lancing through her body. ''Get me out of here, baby, please,'' was all she managed before burrowing her face into his neck, clinging to him like her last solace. Sober thoughts would have her remark that he was here for her yet again, saving her when she didn't deserve it, and she began mumbling drunk apologies in the crook of his neck, hoping he would believe them.

it  was  wild  to  the  tall  blond  how  his  ex  seemed  to  be  everywhere  now  that  they  weren't  together.  the  world  seemed  to  be  torturing  him,  not  allowing  him  to  move  on  from  the  girl  that'd  broken  his  heart.  river  had  let  the  heiress  in,  something  he  rarely  did,  and  the  entrepreneur  paid  the  price  for  it.  this  felt  akin  to  being  haunted  and  if  he  wanted  to  think  about  things  and  question  why  any  further  than  he'd  already  done  then  he  wouldn't  have  been  drinking.

the  more  she  pressed  into  him  he  could  feel  some  of  his  resolve  cracking.  the  french  blonde  was  drunk,  it  wasn't  likely  she'd  remember  this  tomorrow,  so  he  wasn't  seeing  the  need  to  be  cruel  and  push  her  away.  despite  the  fact  that  the  sting  of  knowing  she'd  used  him  still  lurked  in  his  chest.

"where  do  you  wanna  go,  ilo?"  his  hazel  gaze  was  fixed  on  his  associate  that'd  taken  up  the  seat  beside  him  at  the  bar.  silent  communication  that  he  was  likely  dipping  out  as  his  large  hand  smoothed  up  the  heiress's  spine.  the  scent  of  her,  the  warmth  of  her  figure  pressed  against  river  was  a  sense  memory  he  didn't  want  but  couldn't  fight.  his  heart  was  tripping  up  on  nostalgia  and  only  made  worse  by  her  hot  breath  against  the  curve  of  his  neck.

unsure  he'd  even  get  a  comprehendible  answer  the  blond  got  to  his  feet  still  allowing  his  ex  to  cling  to  him,  an  arm  still  securing  her  in  place.  "c'mon,"  river  mumbled  into  her  hair  just  above  her  ear.  ilona  had  been  shifted  to  his  side  where  he  cradled  the  drunk  woman  into  him  as  he  moved  her  through  the  crowd  of  the  club.  there  was  a  slight  lift,  her  toes  grazed  the  floor,  allowing  ilona  to  motion  along  with  her  feet,  but  river  hadn't  trusted  her  to  walk  properly.  outside  with  the  cooler  night  air  hitting  them  he  felt  some  relief  and  his  car  was  already  being  pulled  up  by  a  valet.

once  he'd  aided  her  into  the  passenger  seat  of  his  supercar,  the  latest  porsche  with  all  the  features  river  got  behind  the  wheel  and  took  them  down  the  boulevard.  "why  are  you  getting  so  drunk  you're  letting  strange  men  hang  all  over  you?"  he  glanced  her  way  as  the  lights  of  the  strip  illuminated  their  faces.

It was all too much. Ethan couldn't exactly pinpoint what did it, whether it was the sight of her in the dim light, a state of undress that had him reeling, the offending image of her good-for-nothing boyfriend's shirt making her the perfect temptation. She marched over to him, swiped his drink away, and in the face of all that restrained rage, he felt his own patience snap. It happened too fast, though there was no restraining him now. Setting be damned, their own partners sleeping on the floor above them, parents who would have no qualms causing a scene if they were caught, but Ethan had waited too long, and Bianca knew exactly how to press his buttons. He moved quickly, standing over her, making sure the glass would tumble onto the sofa lest it make more noise than needed. He felt his figure tower over her, eyes locking into her pretty brown ones, but it wasn't enough. He needed to make a point, needed her to understand exactly who she was poking, what she was unleashing in him, and so he threw the last of his caution to the wind and moved into her, marching them until she was caged between the wall and his arms. ''You don't know what the fuck you're asking,'' he growled, low enough that he could feel it reverberate into her, satisfaction coursing through him. A large hand lifted to settle on her throat, not yet gripping but possessive enough to make a point. ''I treat you like a child, because you're not ready for how I treat women, little bunny.'' His other hand moved to lock her hips against him, aware that she would feel the bulge of him on her stomach, how desperately hard he already was for her. ''Be careful what you wish for. If I decide to fuck you the way I want to right now, I'll send you limping back to that piece of shit sleeping upstairs.'' The hand around her neck tightened ever so slightly, so tempted to leave his imprint like a collar on her skin. His head dropped until his lips were hovering just above the shell of her ear, tongue darting to trace a slow path down to the lobe. ''This is your last warning. Still wanna play?''

a  small  gasp  escaped  bianca  at  his  quick,  reflexive  reaction.  the  moment  between  them  had  escalated  quickly  with  her  back  against  the  wall  and  her  small  figure  pinned  by  the  tall,  strong  force  of  the  fighter.  the  brunette  squirmed  a  little,  heart  racing  and  adrenaline  questioning  what  she'd  instigated.  had  this  been  her  doing,  or  had  ethan  forced  her  to  snap  first?

"you're  not  gonna  hurt  me,"  she  said  boldly  through  a  tone  that  betrayed  bravery  for  stubbornness.  to  date,  the  blond  had  always  protected  her.  even  with  the  rough  handling  somewhat  recently  when  she'd  ended  up  at  one  of  his  fights  and  he'd  carried  her  off,  ethan  didn't  put  a  single  bruise  on  her  delicate  flesh.  and  bianca  had  seen  what  the  man  was  capable  of.

"so  you  admit  it,"  pride  swelled  through  the  petite  brunette  and  her  body  arched  into  him,  "you  wanna  fuck  me."  there  was  a  taunt  in  her  doe  eyes.  as  though  she  were  claiming  victory  at  the  culmination  of  a  long  fought  war.  which,  it  kind  of  had  been,  right?  the  little  bookshop  girl  hadn't  mistaken  the  way  he  looked  at  her,  his  hatred  for  her  boyfriend,  or  the  fact  that  he  let  no  man  wander  into  her  sphere  when  he  was  around.  "or  is  this  just  more  of  you  being  all  talk?  because  i'm  starting  to  think  that's  all  you  are  .  .  .  a  big  talker."  a  little  grunt  slipped  past  her  lips  as  bianca  adjust  between  the  press  of  him  against  the  wall.  the  feeling  of  his  arousal  pressing  into  her  belly  was  making  her  wet  with  need.  "i  think  you're  scared  .  .  .  of  me."

the  flex  of  his  hand  against  her  slender  throat,  the  way  it  nearly  wrapped  around  her  entirely,  was  a  reminder  of  the  power  he  had  over  her  if  he  chose  to  use  it.  the  brunette  tilted  her  chin  up  a  little.  defiant,  but  also  encouraging.  she  knew  he  could  feel  her  slight  tremble.  fear,  anticipation,  want,  adrenaline,  desire,  and  worst  of  all  .  .  .  self-destruction.

briefly  her  lids  fell  shut  over  her  brown  eyes  when  the  heat  of  his  breath  crashed  against  her  ear,  and  the  softest  little  moan  sounded  in  her  throat  when  she  felt  the  fighter's  tongue.  her  small  hands  moved  up  his  chest  until  she  was  able  to  grip  his  shoulders.  somehow  she  shifted  onto  her  toes  and  used  her  grasp  to  pull  herself  further  against  his  tall  frame.  high  enough  bianca  wrapped  her  arms  around  his  neck,  her  body  flush  against  his  and  her  legs  settling  around  his  hips.  the  heat  of  her  pressed  against  the  bulge  of  him.

forbidden  fruit  had  no  longer  been  a  thought  in  her  head.  the  bookshop  clerk  had  let  guilt  and  conscience  slip  away.  this  man  belonged  to  her  older  sister  but  bianca  had  long  been  a  sinner  coveting  ethan  and  the  brunette  had  reached  the  point  of  needing  to  know  or  walking  away  entirely.  either  option  felt  like  ruination.  "this  is  your  last  chance,  e.  if  you  don't  fuck  me  now  i  walk  away  from  you  forever.  i  can't  do  this  anymore  .  .  .  being  held  in  limbo  by  you,  and  you'll  have  to  wonder  for  the  rest  of  your  life  what  it  would've  been  like  to  be  inside  me."

at  that  point  her  mouth  hovered  dangerously  close  to  his.  "i  could  worship  you.  but  you  have  to  stop  playing  with  me  now.  or  any  cock  that'll  know  my  mouth  and  my  body  will  be  anyone  but  yours.  can  you  live  with  that?"  because  she  couldn't.  bianca's  full,  soft  lips  pressed  to  his.  she  kissed  the  hard  tension  of  his  mouth.  "maybe  i  want  you  to  ruin  me."

ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD