Into The Woods (Dark Fairy tales), page 35
Sutton smiled as she moved in closer to a puzzled Maddox. “Because rich bastards like you are dumb enough to pay for it. I called the shots and made thousands. I was in control of who and when, and in the end it was still my choice. So you were right, Maddox. You said one day I would have to stand up and let the world know that I appreciate their opinions, but it’s my fucking life. I make my own choices—and that’s what I’m doing. However, to answer your question exactly, I am different. I no longer fuck conceited, domineering assholes, present company included.”
“Sutton, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Jeremiah said, as he walked up and placed a gentle hand on Sutton’s back.
Maddox shook his head, as he snickered under his breath. “No darling, you still are. You just don’t know it yet.” He flashed Sutton another condescending smile, as he strolled to the other side of the party.
“Are you okay?” Jeremiah asked, as he gently caressed her back.
Sutton pulled away and downed her glass of champagne. “I’m fine,” she snapped, still amped up from her run in. She took a deep, calming breath. The only thing more awkward than seeing Maddox was being around Jeremiah. After her high from his touch wore off, she felt horrible for letting the idea of sleeping with him even come to her mind. For the past week she’d done everything in her power to avoid him. That, of course, was until she went downstairs to the limo Tavia had arranged for her, and found Jeremiah sitting inside drinking scotch.
Most of the night had been spent trying to avoid him. Now the rest would be spent avoiding him and Maddox. Sutton glanced over in Maddox’s direction and noticed that he was talking to Fiona. She quickly glanced to the other side of the room, but was met with the sight of Jarvis and his stunning date. Great, Sutton thought, as she snagged another drink from the server walking by. Is my grandmother here, too?
***
“I still don’t understand why you’re here,” Fiona said, as she sipped her drink. “You were free and you chose to come back. Why?”
Maddox looked over to Sutton and Jeremiah before turning back to Fiona. “It’s simple. I don’t plan to run from my problems.”
“So, you came back to be with her?” Fiona asked, her voice full of disgust.
“No, she doesn’t want me. I can’t fight love.”
“Love? That little girl doesn’t love Jeremiah.”
Maddox sipped his champagne, as he watched Sutton sneak glances at Jarvis. “I didn’t say she loved him.”
“Anyway, don’t you think it’s dumb to come back? What about Tavia? What about Jeremiah?”
“Tavia won’t stop, it doesn’t matter where I am. I’d rather be in my home than hiding from that bitch. Besides, I can’t protect my son if I’m away. If that bitch wants a fight, I’ll give it to her.”
“What about Jeremiah?”
Maddox laughed heartily, “ Come on, Fi, who’s afraid of the big bad Wolfe?”
***
“You’ve been avoiding me,” Jeremiah stated bluntly, between sips of champagne.
“If I were avoiding you then I wouldn’t have ridden in the limo with you.”
“Yes, the limo. That was quite the silent ride, don’t you think?” Jeremiah teased.
“What do you want me to say, Jeremiah? The other day was awkward, and I would like to avoid having to admit that my boss turned me on and that I wanted him. I have enough shit going on in my life,” Sutton fussed, as she sipped her drink and glanced over at Jarvis.
“I get it. I was a bit of an ass. I can’t help if I get off on…”
“Humiliation. You get off on humiliation. That just happens to be the one thing that turns me off.
“Sutton, don’t you look beautiful?” Tavia praised, as she walked up and kissed Sutton, then Jeremiah on the cheek.
“Thank you. You do, too.” Sutton looked over Tavia’s elaborate black and white gown. She always looked amazing.
“I hope you’re having a good time?”
“Wonderful, Tavia. Congrats on another great gala,” Jeremiah said. “If you ladies will excuse me, I’d like to bid on some of the items in the silent auction. Sutton, we’ll finish this later. “
Sutton rolled her eyes at the thought of continuing the awkward conversation. “This is a lovely gala. You did a great job,” Sutton said, trying to break the silence Jeremiah’s absence left.
“It certainly is. I know we are bound to make a small fortune for the scholarship fund. I’m also very happy to see you and Jerry spending time together. I think he’s an amazing guy.”
“Jeremiah… oh, he’s something,” Sutton replied, trying her best to hold back her sarcasm.
“You really could not do much better than Jeremiah. He’s quite the catch,” Tavia added, flashing Sutton a motherly smile.
“If you say so.”
Tavia placed a strong grip on Sutton’s arm. “I know so, darling. Trust me when I say that Jeremiah and Maddox Hunter are not even in the same league. Maddox Hunter is a disgusting excuse for a human being.”
Sutton was floored at her boss’s tenacity. “How did you know I dated Maddox Hunter? Did Jeremiah tell you?”
Tavia let go of Sutton and smiled. “Sutton, honey, Atlanta may seem big, but in our circles it’s the size of Mayberry. I don’t want to make choices for you, just let you know that if it’s a contest between Maddox and Jeremiah, well, Jerry will win hands down. You don’t know the kind of man Maddox really is. Trust me, it’s best you just stick with my Jerry.”
“No offense Tavia, but I really don’t feel comfortable discussing my love life with my boss.”
“So, I placed a bid on a week in Paris. Sutton, do you like Paris? Jeremiah asked, as he snuck up on Sutton and Tavia.
“Excuse me,” Sutton mumbled, before walking away.
“What was that? What did you say to her, Tavia?” Jeremiah asked, watching Sutton rush out the ballroom.
“Nothing that she didn’t already know.” Tavia took a long sip of her champagne. “Just making sure she knows what direction she should be heading.”
***
Sutton rushed outside and was hit with the cold December night air. She didn’t know which was worse, freezing outside or cooking under Tavia’s intense grilling. She wished the night was over, and that her ex, her ex-best-friend/lover, and her very pushy but sexy boss weren’t all in the same room. The night didn’t seem to be ending soon enough. Yet the thought of starting round two of her conversation with Jeremiah wasn’t that appealing either. This is the worst night of my life, Sutton thought sadly, as she ran her hands up and down her arms, trying her best to get warm.
“Aren’t you cold?” Jarvis asked, as he moved in closer to Sutton.
“A little, but I’ll live.” Sutton smiled at her friend. Even with the earlier drama, it was still nice to hear Jarvis’ voice.
Jarvis took off his coat and wrapped it around Sutton’s arms. “This should help.”
Sutton glanced over to her once-best friend. He still looked just as handsome as before, more so in his signature black suit, crisp white shirt, and skinny black tie. Always so casual, yet breathtaking, Sutton thought, as she forced her eyes from his. “Your date is lovely. Is she…I mean did you meet her at The Woods?”
“No. Oh, God, no. She works at the law firm. Her name is Jasmine.”
Sutton thought back to her many trips to Maddox’s office and instantly remembered the not-so-friendly receptionist. She looked a lot different with her hair done up and dressed in a ball gown. Sutton’s stomach clenched, as she thought about Jarvis starting a relationship with someone new. The thought made her feel uneasy.
“I thought you said you didn’t do relationships, because you didn’t want to cheat every night,” Sutton said, trying her best to fish for details on his relationship with Jasmine.
“I no longer work at The Woods.”
“When did you quit?” Sutton asked, completely shocked.
“After I heard back from NYU.”
“Oh my God you got in!” Sutton shouted excitedly.
“Nope. It’s cool—I have back ups. I just didn’t see the point of prolonging the inevitable. You can’t fuck for money forever.” Jarvis looked away. “It was time to move on.”
“Jarvis, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s cool. We don’t always get what we want in life.”
Sutton felt her heart drop as she took in Jarvis’ loaded statement. She looked at the man who, months earlier, was her best friend. The only man she’d let know all of her deep dark secrets. Sutton hated that her mistakes ruined the best friendship she’d ever had, and that her selfishness had taken such a great man out of her life.
“I miss you, Jarvis,” Sutton blurted out sadly. “I miss our friendship. I miss being with you. I miss you.”
Jarvis closed his eyes and took in Sutton’s confession. “I do, too,” he said in a pained whisper.
“I don’t see why we can’t be friends, Jarvis. I know what happen between us, but why can’t we put that past us and move on?”
“Sutton, you know why we can’t be friends.”
“I know J, but…”
“But nothing, Sutton,” Jarvis shouted, before quickly calming. “Sutton, the ball was in your court. You made us what we are.”
“Don’t you put this on me alone, Jarvis. I never could have imagined that you were secretly in love with me for months. How was I supposed to know?”
“It has nothing to do with me loving you, Sut. If you had said you didn’t want to be with me because you could never love me as more than a friend, I would have just dropped it and stayed your friend.”
“I told you that and you left.”
“No, you didn’t. You gave me a bullshit excuse about not being the same person you were when we met. Yet you were the same person I fell in love with. The person I wanted and cared for. Not The Woods Sutton, or Maddox’s Sutton, but just Sutton. Nothing ever changed except your priorities.”
“My priorities? I don’t get it. I told you why I couldn’t be with you.”
“That was a bullshit reason, and you know it Sutton. You wanted better. You wanted Mr. Wonderful in there,” Jarvis shouted, as he pointed toward the ballroom.
“You know I don’t want Maddox.”
“I was talking about Jeremiah. I saw you talking. I saw him put his arm around you. I see the way he looks at you. I get it.”
“That’s bullshit, Jarvis. You know why I couldn’t be with you.” Sutton felt her tears rush down her cheeks. She didn’t understand how the conversation turned so ugly so fast—or why Jarvis was so angry over something that simply wasn’t true.
“No, this game you’re playing is bullshit, this ‘you’re the sweet little girl who’s been wronged’ game is bullshit. I would have more respect for you if you would just say that I don’t make enough for your high class ass.”
Sutton slapped Jarvis hard across the face. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I get that you’re mad, but wanting to be with a rich man was not the reason I couldn’t be with you.”
Jarvis rubbed his sore face. “It’s cool, Sut, I don’t hate you for looking out for your best interest.”
“I’m not a gold-digger. I cared for you, Jarvis,” Sutton snapped.
“Just not enough to be with me. Sutton, I get it, baby, I do. This life is addictive. Where some get addicted to the sex, you got addicted to the luxury. You can’t tell me that eating fast food on the floor of your apartment with me was better than dining in five star restaurants with Maddox. I can’t afford you. Charlotte taught you well: never go for the broke ones. I just hope in the end, you aren’t left alone, or even worse, made some rich man’s whore.”
“You’re a bastard, Jarvis,” Sutton spat as she yanked off his jacket and threw it to the floor. She rushed back into the ballroom and quickly found Jeremiah. “I’m leaving, I’ll have the limo come back for you,” Sutton explained, as she tried her best to hold back tears.
“Nonsense, I’ll take you,” Jeremiah said, his voice full of concern.
“Fine. I just need to get out of here.” Sutton walked toward the exit, catching one last view of Jarvis before walking out the door.
***
Jeremiah punched in Sutton’s floor and then his own. “Do you want to talk about it?” Jeremiah asked, trying to break the silence between them.
Sutton didn’t say a word as she waited patiently for the elevator to reach her floor. She was so angry with Jarvis, and his unnecessarily cruel words. She understood he was angry, but she’d never thought he would treat her that way. After all, she’d warned him. She’d told him that she couldn’t give him more. In the end, no matter what she felt for him, it wasn’t enough.
Sutton thought back to her run-in with Maddox. Why were there so many people angry that in the end I can’t give them what they want, Sutton wondered, as she pushed back her tears. Everyone expected so much from her. She was expected to be completely obedient to her grandmother. Maddox wanted her to be stronger, but never question or surpass his authority. Then there was Jarvis. He wanted her to love him, when in all actuality she wasn’t sure if she could love anyone. She wasn’t sure if she knew how to love anyone.
Sutton sighed as she came to the conclusion that she was probably never going to be able to have a real relationship. She was unable to give the world what they wanted and still be true to herself and what she needed. When it was all said and done, she felt incapable of being everything to everyone. She very much feared she was incapable of being in love, and she now knew it for a fact.
Everything Fiona had told her was true. Love was just the romantic fantasy of a woman getting everything from one single man and never wanting more. It was a fantasy that Sutton could no longer believe. It was time to close the fairytale and stop living in a fantasy.
“You know what, Jeremiah?” Sutton said, angrily breaking the silence between them.
“What’s that?”
“Love is pointless. I don’t see the point of being in love when all it does is hurt you. From this moment on I want nothing more to do with love. Fuck love,” Sutton spat, thinking back on a very angry Jarvis.
Jeremiah let out a chuckle. “I’ve been saying that for years. Welcome to the club.”
“What, the ‘down with love’ club?”
“No, the people with common sense club. Why do you think I go to The Woods? Because all the unnecessary emotions that love causes are taken out of the equation, and you get to what’s important.”
Sutton turned and looked into Jeremiah’s piercing blue eyes. “And what’s important?”
Jeremiah brought his lips close to Sutton’s gently gracing hers. “Good old-fashioned sex. Nothing more, nothing less,” Jeremiah said, as he pressed his lips against Sutton’s, in a feverish lock.
The chime for the elevator brought Sutton out of Jeremiah’s kiss. She looked into his eyes and smiled. Pressing the close button, she sent the elevator back into motion. “I want to fuck you. That’s it. Can you handle that?” she said in a seductive purr, her eyes burning into his.
Jeremiah smirked, “I’ve been waiting to hear just that.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Jeremiah undressed and sat beside Sutton. “Play with yourself,” he ordered, as he ran his fingers over the tips of Sutton’s nipples. “I want you to play with yourself, but don’t come. I want to own every orgasm you have tonight.”
Sutton ran her fingers over her body before stopping on her sex. She gently rubbed her clit as Jeremiah caressed her nipples. The soft touch of his fingers sent sparks through her body as she quickened her speed. Sutton’s breathing became frantic, as her heart raced out of control. She knew she was coming and couldn’t wait for the sweet release that was seconds away.
“Stop!” Jeremiah shouted, as he pulled Sutton’s fingers away. He raised her wet fingertips to his mouth and sucked the sweet sticky juices from each one. “You taste better than I imagined,” Jeremiah groaned.
Sutton stood up and quickly dropped to her knees. She began to kiss his chest, working her way to his cock. She took in the tip gently, licking and sucking before taking the entire impressive length into her mouth. Jeremiah sat up and watched as Sutton went to town. He wrapped her hair into his fist and guided her sucking. Faster, she moved, eliciting moans of pleasure from a weakening Jeremiah. Then, with a thunderous roar, he came, hard.
Sutton wiped her lips and stood. She looked down at a panting Jeremiah and smiled. “No, honey, I want to own every orgasm you have.”
Jeremiah laughed, then pulled himself to his knees. “Okay, I guess I can relinquish power just this once, but don’t think this shit is going to fly every time,” Jeremiah said, as he began to lick Sutton’s clit.
