"Lust's Passion will be served; it demands, it militates, it tyrannizes."

- Marquis de Sade

Adrienne's POV

I was such a dumbass to fall for Xavier's stupid deal, but the contract was at stake and his bold irritating ass felt the need to barge in. God, he was always ruining everything! Just as I was about to make things better...but I didn't fret. I knew I'd have the business eventually. 

I was preparing for a dinner 'date' and Asher was angry with me. Which rarely happens.

"Mistress, I don't like him." He pouts and I crawl over towards him on my bed. "You're overthinking." I say and kiss the top of his forehead. "But look at him! He's succesful and attractive and-"

"And you aren't? Asher, you know how I feel about the way you put yourself down. This is just a business. I promise you, I have no feelings for him at all. I am not attracted towards him. It's just you." I say and brush his hair back. He sighs and leans forward to attach my garter belt to my thigh highs and leans down the side of the bed to grab my heels. "Then why are you getting all sexy for him?" He mumbles and I almost giggle at his jealousy.

"This is for you, for when I get back." I say and push down on his chest to have him flat on his back on the bed. I look down to see his erection growing through his basketball shorts and I straddle him, taking his hands to move them up my sides. "This is yours. All yours." I remind strongly and the look in his eyes- the anxiousness is arousing.

I slowly slide his hands up my stomach and towards my breasts for him to squeeze slowly and I bite my lip. The heat between my legs becoming a distraction. I pause and drop his hands and stand to my feet, to put on my heels. "I'm yours too?" He whispers and I stare at him for a moment. My eyes trailing down his body and I slowly reach my hand up to grab his erection. He gasps and growls deeply and I smile, "All mine." I promise and stroke him once before letting go, turning around to get ready to meet Mr. Asshole.

Mr. Grants eyes were bloodshot red when I saw him, a small corky smile across his face and even the front of his jeans had a buldge sticking out. Did this man have any morals? I was wearing a tight blue dress with tan red bottom heels and walked up towards the front of the Italian restaurant we were supposed to meet at. "Well Ms. Cooper don't you look ravishing." Xavier says as he stalks my body up and down.

"Wish I could say the same," I say with a fake plastered smile and push past him to walk through the entrance. "You know, I sense a bit of hostility in your voice." He points out and I roll my eyes as I wait for us to be seated. "Well, considering that I was bribed to even come here tonight. Yeah, I think I have the right to be hostile." I say, finally looking at his attire. I had to admit, the man certainly knew how to dress and looked pretty damn fine at that.

"Because you didn't give me a chance. Even to be cordial business associates. You're acting like I want to marry you or something." 

"You want to jump my bones. They're on the same spectrum." I point out and turn to see a waitress approach us. "Mr. Grant, Ms. Cooper. Please follow me." She says nicely and I rise to my feet and follow her. "Hardly on the same level. Marriage would be love. Jumping your bones- that's lust." Xaiver whispers behind me. 

Finally as we're seated in a secluded corner, I suddenly feel nervous. I hated being alone with a man, unless it was Asher. 

"Regardless you're still plotting on me." I add and take a menu. "Please inform me, what is it that you have against men?" Xaiver says with a humored expression. But even though he was asking sarcastically, it had some relevency to why I was acting the way I was.

Despite Asher, I loathed men. Everything about them. Now I'm not saying that if it were not for Asher, I would be gay. I just wouldn't be talking to anybody in that nature. "Nothing." I finally say and he doesn't seem convinced.

"You know your poker face has lost its affect on that answer." He says and leans back in his seat. His bloodshot eyes piercing back into mine. What the hell was wrong with him?

"My poker face is always on no matter what. Besides, I think that question oversteps boundries don't you think?" I reply back, setting the menu down. "Only if the question has truth to it. You have a problem against men." He states boldly. Damnit, he got me on that one.

"Order your food Mr. Grant." I say rolling my eyes as the waitress walks back to our table. "Evening lady and gentlemen, what can I start you out with as a beverage?" She asks. 

"Just a water please." I say and look back down at my menu. I had taken my medicine before coming so I wasn't terribly hungry. I could have just settled for a few complimentary breadsticks and would be fine.

After Xaiver ordered, I felt myself getting anxious. "You seem tense." Xavier says and I shift in the chair. "Just agitated that I was set up to be here." I groan and he smirks. "You're acting like I'm the worst person on Earth." He says with a chuckle and I bite the inside of my cheek. "Close enough."

"Listen Adrienne, I'm asking for a friendship with you." He says, and for once in the short period time that I have known him. He has a serious expression on his face. "I don't think I can do that. I mean we have so much to plan for the show and so little time-" I continue to babble but he interrupts me, "Hey it's a month and a half away. I mean treating each other like civilized adults, maybe having a lunch in here and there and not acting so damn tense all the time. Learn to have fun." He says with a simple shrug.

"I know how to have fun!" I say defensively. "Name one time." He says and I frown and look down at my ankle. Where that was the one time...

"Okay, look under the table." I whisper quickly and his eyes widen. "Not for that, you smut! Just look at my ankle." I say and practically kick him in the balls. He leans down and I twist my ankle to the side, revealing a very embarassing tattoo I got in college. "What the hell? Is that an ice cream cone?" He asks and I cover my face, as he bursts out into laughter. "Drunk night in college. I don't know why I got an ice cream cone and I don't know why I got it there." I say with a shrug and he coveres his face and surpresses laughter.

"No need to explain to me. So do you have any other oblivoius tattoos?" He asks and I think for a moment. "Nope, the rest were voluntary." I reply and he rubs his chin. "Why tattoos?" It was an odd question but for some reason, I understood it fairly easy.

"Tattoos to me are like stories on your skin. Besides that dumb ass one I got on my ankle. The one's I choose, they all mean something. I'm intrigued by tattoos." I say and he leans forward. "Can you show me all of them? Or tell me them, so I at least know what it means." He asks and I sit back in my chair. He would be the first I would ever explain them too. Why was I acting so protective over this?

"Well this one on my forearm, I got when I was 19. It says 'Pain Births Purpose'." I explain and he studies it slowly. "Why that quote?" He asks.

"Because I believe that whatever you go through, there's always something good that will come out of it...no matter what it is." I whisper. There were things in my life that I was still trying to figure out and I couldn't....maybe those things I would never know.

"I have another one that goes across my ribcage and it says 'This Too Shall Pass' In Arabic."

"Why in Arabic?" He asked too many damn questions, but it was a first of many outside of Asher. "Arabic is a beautiful language." I reply and he smiles. "Any other tattoos?" He asks.

"I have another one that goes down the side of my waist. It's my mothers birthday in roman numerals. She died when I was 12."

Well she was killed, but I left that part out...

"I'm so sorry for your loss." He says and I smile at him. "I'm over it now." I assure, which was some bullshit.

"I have one the side of my neck that says flower in cursive. Flowers mean growth and beauty. So I have that too. I have another one as you can clearly see thats on my hand, with a bunch of tiny arrows. Shows that I know my direction and where I'm going in my life and with everything I do. That's about it." I say and he smiles. "They do say a story. You once lacked the thought of you being beautiful, that you could grow and overcome situations and that you didn't have a sense of direction." He replies back and I stare at him intently.

I didn't know he could be so deep.

"I guess so."

"There's more to you than you put to the table Ms. Cooper. And now I'm determined to unravel it." He says and suddenly I feel as though he's seeing right through me. Right through my facade.

"You would not be the first to attempt and fail. You have no idea of my capability." I say slowly.

"Ms. Cooper, I never fail and if I do, I simply try again. It'll pass eventually right?" He says and leans back.

He used my own words against me. Damn him.

"I'll be long gone before you ever figure anything out. It's better to keep me a mystery to you Mr. Grant. My sadism is more than just physical. It's emotional and mental as well." I say and his eyes widen.

"So you're a sadist? You like inflicting emotional pain as well?" He asks.

"Yes, it gives me a sense of power you know?" 

"So you're physically sadistic as well?" Oops, that slipped up. But it was true, I had to be...it was a sense of protection.

"Under certain circumstances." I say, testing the waters. "The young man Asher, is he one of your circumstances?" I'm appalled that he would ask such a question with no remorse.

"It depends on if that young girl Vanessa is yours as well." I say. I answered the question without answering, and he knew that as well. "So you know of my behind-the-door activiites?" He asks and he seems relieved. 

"It seems as though we have more in common than you think Mr. Grant." I say, finally feeling myself relax. "You're talking in code, you know that right?" I simply smile as he says that. "I didn't notice." I lie and he presses his lips together as the waitress returns and hands us our drinks. "Well, I think we should purpose a toast." He says and I grab my cold glass of water.

"To sadistic activties." He whispers and extends his drink. "To sadistic activites in the near future." I whisper and he smirks, knowing exactly what I was talking about.

~*~*~*~*~

Happy holidays to you and your families. Much love and a happy new year!