Slow Release (Ebony and Ivory Book 1) Read online

  “I can’t sleep. What are you going to do about it, Skye?”

  “Come here.” She patted the bed beside her.

  I tossed the last of my bourbon back and pulled my sweats off before I joined her in the large king sized bed where she lied nude. My body hovered over hers. I looked down into the baby blues that still sucked me into their depths the same way they had the first day I saw them.

  Her legs opened and invited me into the haven I needed to give me relief from my troubled thoughts. Sliding into her depths was like making my way home after a long journey. This was where I needed to be. I felt secure inside the woman I loved where I knew I was the only one who had access to her. I didn’t have to worry if anyone could hurt her when she was wrapped up safely beneath me. I was selfish, protecting her because the thought of losing her weighed down too heavily on my soul, crushing me.

  I pushed deeply into her core, rotating my hips so that my cock raked over her clit in perfect timing.

  “Oh fuck, baby, you give me what I need.” I could feel her body clamping down on me, revealing to me that I was hitting her sweet spot. I loved knowing I brought her pleasure she had never before experienced. Her fingers raking down my back as she trembled beneath me sent me over the edge. Tonight, I would fall asleep with her body curled safely in my arms. I just hoped I would find her stalker before it was too late—before Skye, and the promise of our bright future, was ripped from my grasp in someone’s act of revenge.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Damon

  I sat and watched Marcus roll his chair around the large plastic floor mat that enabled the movement. He tried to talk me into putting in a linoleum floor just so he could roll around, but I informed him that would never happen. Marble maybe, but linoleum, there was no chance. We’d come to the happy medium of installing short Berber carpet and putting down a large plastic mat.

  “Damn, boss, how many women have you worked with?”

  “Thousands,” I answered with no hesitation.

  “How do you get all these beautiful women?”

  “Years of work. Little by little, I made my way up the ladder of success. I invested money back into the modeling business and in real estate. Over the years, I made a name for myself. On another note, I believe Skye was on to something when she said we should look into people who felt like their dreams had been shattered.”

  “What you should be looking at is if any of them had mental issues or drug problems you weren’t aware of. It’s going to take a little bit of work to find these girls and see where they all are now, so anything to narrow the scope of my search would be helpful. What you have to realize is this could be an effort to get you back for something that happened years ago. People underestimate stalkers; they’re anything but stupid. It takes skill to engineer what he’s done up until now. Have you thought about how he was able to get to that mural to deface it?”

  “Yes, I have. I looked into it, and there was a lot of outsourcing. The bad news is there were so many people involved in setting up for that event that it wouldn’t have taken much effort for someone to get in unnoticed. The good news is that I don’t necessarily believe that someone from my inner circle has betrayed me anymore. I think we’re better off pulling these girls up in the system. Like you said, we’ll look for women with mental issues or drug problems first. These girls are screened when they’re hired so if that’s the case, someone purposely hid their medical history from us. If they were concerned about us knowing they had issues, then that tells me they were smart enough to realize it might keep them from getting hired. I think I would remember if I had an unstable model. This is someone who kept a lot of secrets, and there’s always one consistency with secrets—they always come out sooner or later. You do what you do and find them. I’ll do what I do and get ready for this first runway show that Skye has. Maybe we can finally put all this to rest and get on with Skye’s career. The poor girl has been subjected to too much drama for her to even enjoy her newfound success. One way or another, I have plans to put a stop to all this stalker shit.”

  Skye

  I stayed in my room to prepare for the runway show scheduled for tomorrow. The tedious beauty routine would keep me busy while Damon talked to Marcus.

  I wondered what solutions they would come up with to try and find out who was behind all the drama we’d been dealing with lately. Whatever they decided to do, I just hoped it would get results.

  Much of the stress of dealing with a stalker comes from not knowing who it is. As much as I tried to not let my mind run rampant with crazy scenarios, it has gotten to the point where I felt like I was constantly looking over my shoulder. There were only three people I trusted to not be the stalker: Damon, Jerome, and Marcus. As far as I was concerned, everyone else was suspect. It didn’t matter if they were male or female; no one was exempt.

  Though my stalker didn’t hold me captive physically, he did mentally. I wondered if that was his intent—to always be in the forefront of my mind. A stranger, someone I didn’t even know, was always with me because he or she consumed my thoughts by using fear tactics.

  Fear is a powerful assailant because it has the ability to control us against our will. Was that what he wanted? Control? How could it be enjoyable if he couldn’t see the effect of what he was doing to me? Maybe he could see; maybe he was watching me when I didn’t know it. For all I knew, the guy could be watching me through high-powered binoculars, and I wouldn’t have a clue.

  Suddenly, the thought hit me that he might be watching Damon and me in our most intimate moments. Whether he was or not, the fact remained that he was right where I suspected he wanted to be—in my head.

  The Stalker

  I observed her all day today, and she had no idea. I watched her as she did all the things I assumed a model normally does before their very first runway show.

  She’s beginning to excite me in ways I never expected. I suspect the reason I never anticipated feeling sexually charged by watching her is because it’s never been an issue before. I’ve been sexually excited by killing, but I’ve never been physically stimulated from just stalking.

  I walked over to my coffee table and tried to push aside the thought of how much I enjoyed watching her from the wooded area surrounding Damon’s mansion. I was home now and ready to unwind. I busied myself cooking up the concoction that would give me release. It was a mixture that would bring me euphoria and blissful stamina, better known as a speedball. I tightened the belt around my arm and flicked my finger at my chosen vein. It plumped up nicely and protruded as if anticipating the drug that would soon be released into my system. The sound of the mixture sizzling in the spoon made my heart race. For me, the preparation of the drug was as much a part of the high as the drug itself. I pulled the potion into the syringe, tapping it to dislodge any air bubbles. Next, I felt the prick of the needle push into my skin and the rush of pulling the blood back into the syringe to confirm I hit the vein. Finally, I pushed the drug into my system, and then there was the rush.

  Skye would know the pleasure that came with the concoction of my making tomorrow, and I’d be right there with her. I had to listen to her tell her lover that he introduced her to so many firsts. Well, I would introduce her to my own first. It would be so special, and we would share a rush so intense that the body never forgets the sensation. I would give her the pleasure of her first high.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Skye

  It wasn’t hard to get up the next morning; I was so excited about the day I had ahead of me. I jumped up and quickly took a shower. Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about getting dressed up or putting on make-up because all of that would be done for me at the show. This was going to be my first runway walk, and I suddenly understood the common fear all models shared. I’ve heard all the horror stories of how models worried about falling down in front of an audience and a host of cameras. Now, I understood that paranoia first hand. I pushed the thoughts away and prepared to leave.

&nb
sp; I had already packed a bag the night before and, of course, there was also my standard fishing tackle box that I used to carry all my make-up. A knock at the door caught my attention, and I turned in time to see Ms. Stratton carrying in a tray with coffee and a Danish.

  “Don’t even think about telling me you’re not eating.” She beat me to the punch before I could tell her I wasn’t hungry. “The last thing you want to do on a runway is faint because you haven’t eaten.”

  It was sound advice, so I took a moment to sit down and grab the pastry, shoving a big bite in my mouth.

  “I don’t need to ask if you’re excited. I can tell you are by the way you’re rushing around.”

  I nodded my head in agreement, my mouth still too full to reply. I guess she could tell I wasn’t in the mood for a pep talk because she patted my hand and turned to leave. “You’ll do fine; I just know you will.”

  I jumped up and ran to the door to give her a hug before she could leave. “Ms. Stratton, thank you for your support. It means a lot to me.”

  “I’m proud of you, child. You’re a hard worker, and that is the ticket to success.” She turned to leave. I’m certain she had enough intuition to know I only had one thing on my mind today and that was getting to the runway show. The quicker I got this first show under my belt, the more likely it would be I could make modeling the full time career I always dreamed about.

  “Are you ready?” Jerome’s voice called out to me.

  “Yes,” I answered as I turned and pointed him towards the bag I packed. “Would you mind grabbing that for me, please?” He nodded, and I grabbed my fishing tackle box full of make-up before I followed him to the car. He grabbed my box and placed it in the trunk with my bag before he got in the driver’s seat. I took a couple of deep breaths and settled in for the ride down to the large center where the event was taking place.

  “You okay back there?”

  I looked up into the rearview mirror to see Jerome’s eyes smiling back at me.

  “As okay as can be expected, considering the circumstances.”

  “You’ll do fine, Skye. You were born for this. Damon said he’d be there by the time the show got underway. Even he has enough sense to stay out of your hair when you’re backstage at a runway event.”

  “That crazy, huh?”

  “You have no idea until you experience it, but the girls all agree on one thing; the energy at a runway show is amazing. They say there is nothing else like it. I’ve even heard girls say it’s like a high, a surge of adrenaline that’s like nothing they’ve ever experienced.

  “Maybe that’s what I need—an adrenaline high to get me through today.”

  “Have fun with it, girl. This is a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life.”

  Skye

  Any nervousness I might have felt was lost in the chaos of the moment as soon as I was ushered inside. The minute I exited the car, a woman with a speaker device in her ear and a tablet in her hand took me by the arm and marched me backstage. The dressing room was a mob of women, all running around, either yelling out mandates or trying to follow them. It was the most organized chaos I’d ever witnessed.

  The woman who ushered me inside pulled me over to a make-up table as she spoke.

  “Damon got caught up with some business, but he said he’d be here by the time the show started.” I just nodded; right now, I didn’t see anywhere he’d be able to fit his large frame in the dressing room madness anyway. Jerome was right when he informed me that a runway show’s backstage was no place for a boyfriend, even if he was the boss. The safest thing for Damon to do was get out of the way, and let his staff do their jobs.

  Okay, this is your make-up guru, Connie, and she’s going to make you look like the star you are, darling.” After the short introduction, the woman with the headset disappeared. She was gone so quickly that it actually startled me.

  I looked into the mirror at the woman who’d be helping me out and immediately felt at ease when she started talking a mile a minute. To be honest, it was extremely hard for me to show this much trust, especially now with everything that was happening. The runway event was so important to me, but complete strangers were doing my hair and make-up, and that was frightening. Her bubbly personality went a long way towards relaxing me, and I was grateful for that. The theme was fae, and I was certain she would be able to work her magic and make me over the top beautiful. Her voice interrupted my musings.

  “I’m so glad to see some curves up in here, girl. I’m all about diversity.” The next thirty minutes were spent chattering with my new friend and watching the chaotic events going on around me in a mixture of shock and awe. One good thing about it was the frantic pace was keeping me from feeling any anxiety about the show. With twenty-five or thirty other women scheduled to walk the runway, I doubted anyone was going to be overly concerned with me.

  “Five minutes people, come on.” I recognized the voice of the woman who put me in my make-up artist’s care. I took a moment to look in the mirror, and the woman staring back at me looked like something straight out of the fairytale I felt like I’d been living lately. They’d chosen to do the show in a fantasy type of fairy or fae fiction theme, and I definitely looked the part. I had glitter eyeshadow and long, sparkly, fake eyelashes that curled up so long they hit my eyebrows.

  Connie’s voice stopped my inspection. “Come on, beautiful. You need your wings, girl.”

  I stood obediently, just like I had for all the other people who’d been directing me from the time I’d arrived. Wings were attached to my ensemble, and last but not least, I slipped into the five inch heels they provided.

  All the models were herded together at the mouth of the backstage entrance that would lead us down to the long runway. Women maneuvered delicately in an effort to not knock their huge wings into each other or, worse yet, off each other.

  The music started and, one by one, we strutted from backstage out into the bright lights. The audience waited in anticipation for us to show them what the new year would bring in terms of fashion.

  With one foot in front of the other, like I was born for this moment, I made my way out. My gait was my own signature runway walk as I stepped high, placing heel before toe and one foot in front of the other. I never looked at any one face but, instead, focused on the end of the runway. Everything was blocked out but my stride and the sound of the music pumping through the airwaves. I felt the beat like it carried me on its melody. I was in my element, where I belonged, and finally answering the call of a dream that had beckoned me since childhood. I was born for this.

  The Stalker

  Watching her walk that runway and knowing she would be mine in a matter of moments was almost more excitement than I could stand. She looked so confident as she high stepped her way down that aisle, heel in front of toe in perfect succession. She reminded me of a thoroughbred, walking with her head held high and her shoulders back. It was evident to anyone who watched her that she had an innate gift for modeling. Damon was smart enough to see that, but would he be intelligent enough to find her once I had her in my possession?

  As if fate were trying to intervene on my behalf, when she rushed from the stage to make her way down the steps, one of her heels broke off, and she twisted her ankle. I grabbed her right as she started to fall and, in one fluid motion, stabbed the syringe filled with the concoction that would make her mine into her neck.

  The fact that the girls entered on one side of the stage and exited on the other worked to my benefit because the majority of the employees were on the other side to make sure everything went smoothly. Once their runway walks were completed successfully, no one cared about their exit. I was able to carry her to the back alley where my van was parked, ready and waiting to take my girl to her new life. Yes, my plan was working out flawlessly. I had no doubt this was destiny.

  Chapter Thirty

  Skye

  Puffy white clouds carried me on blissful wings of euphoria. The clanging of something meta
l called to my senses and beckoned me to focus on my surroundings. For some reason, I couldn’t connect the dots and form a rational thought. Just giving in to the pleasure my senses were experiencing seemed like the easiest thing to do. I heard someone call out my name, but the voice was unfamiliar.

  “Skye, I want you to rest. You’re home now. As long as you behave and do as I say, I can ensure your safety.”

  “Damon?”

  “No! My name is… well, I don’t think that’s important right now. Just get some rest, and we’ll discuss why you’re here when you’re more coherent.”

  I wasn’t going to argue with whoever this stranger was. My body was winning the war going on in my head right now. I closed my eyes and gave in to the exhaustion rolling over me in waves. I’d just take a little rest, and then I would figure out why I was here, where here was, and who that kind stranger was that’s here with me.

  Damon

  “What the fuck do you mean you can’t find her?”

  “Sir, no one has seen her since the first runway walk. We did find the heel of one of the shoes she was wearing. It was broken off, and one of the employees noted the back door was unlocked. Is there any chance she would leave and go anywhere on her own?”

  “She has nowhere to go. She’s from Haiti, so she doesn’t even know her way around New York.” I turned, ignoring the woman who wasn’t giving me any answers, and directed my attention to the man qualified to do so.

  “I want those security tapes, Jerome.”

  “I’m already on it, though, I can tell you right now, we’ll get a hell of a lot more accomplished at the house with Marcus working on this than we will here.”

  “I agree, let’s go. They don’t even know what the fuck is going on. I’m certain it was pure chaos back here during the show.” In hindsight, the reason I stayed away is the exact reason I should have been here monitoring what was going on—the chaos.