WARNING: Light BDSM themes and major lemons. Rated M for a reason.
Clarke stood there looking at her closet. She hated these work functions, she found them pointless. Yes, she realizes that the CEO of their hospital is the guest of honor tonight but she had been thinking of excuses since lunch so she could stay home and watch Netflix instead. But when your mom is Chief of Surgery, you don't exactly get that option. Her mother knew of all of her excuses. So here she stood, at her closet, hoping that something something would jump out at her and she wouldn't have to truly search in her packed closet for something to wear. She hated work functions with a passion, but she had been forced to go long before her residency at the hospital.
She combed her closet for what felt like hours, but looking at the clock told her it had only been fifteen minutes. In the corner of her eye she saw something packed way in the back that looked completely new. She pushed her clothes aside and reached towards the back and pulled it free. A simple white dress with a deep neckline displayed before her. She figured this would do and it would work fine for a work function, even though she doesn't remember ever buying it.
A half hour later she was in the white cocktail dress that she hoped was professional enough. It showed a little more skin than she liked but it was all she could come up with on such short notice. Since it was a little chilly she opted to for thigh-highs and a garter belt to help keep them up. She decided to leave her hair down and just curl it and ended up doing the best makeup job she'd ever done in her life. She was shocked at the time and grabbed her clutch and her heels rushing out the door. She had requested an Uber as she descended the three flights of stairs it took to get to her apartment. Clarke decided she would finish getting ready in the car because she was already going to be late.
It hadn't taken long to get to the concert hall. In the car she had put on her heels and a little bit of lipstick. She thought she looked pretty good...well what she could see in her four inch pocket mirror. People were already mingling when she walked into the hall. Her mother spotted her instantly and excused herself coming towards her. Clarke absentmindedly tugged at the hem of her dress trying to make it a little longer.
"Clarke." her mother said in a clipped tone, "This is not the time to be late and to be wearing what seems to be a fancy washcloth. This is the CEO we're meeting, not a Tinder date."
"This is all I had. You didn't even tell me about this until today!" She said exasperated.
Her mother's eyes narrowed, "If you would have checked your email you would have seen the email sent out by the hospital. Honestly Clarke, start acting like an adult and take responsibility."
The irritation Clarke felt for her mother only grew. Abby was always one to chastise Clarke for anything and everything. Clarke's eyes had wandered over the crowd as her mother talked, "Excuse me, I see someone calling me."
Clarke walked across the room over to the tallest and biggest guy there, "Lincoln. Save me." His eyes met her and he laughed.
"Damn Griffin, you clean up nice." His smile would make any girl swoon. Clarke had her crush phase with him and they had slept together, but after that they realized they worked better as friends.
Clarke did a mock curtsy and he laughed, "She met you at the door, huh?" He asked. Clarke and Lincoln had known each other for quite awhile. They were in med school together, only he was a nurse in the psychiatric ward. His stature made him a solid candidate and he rose up the ranks quickly. While she went on to pile on more student debt to become a doctor.
"Yup. If I end up calling you in the middle of the night to help me move a body you'll know why." She stepped close giving him a hug.
Lincoln laughed, "Clarke let me introduce you to Octavia." He motioned to a girl with long ebony hair that was drop dead gorgeous. She was a little too feminine for Clarke's taste but she could definitely appreciate the real estate. Plus she could tell by the way Lincoln looked at her that he was a goner.
Clarke held out her hand and the girl took it shaking it lightly, "Are you new at the hospital? I don't remember seeing you around, but in my defense it is a big hospital." she laughed.
"No, I'm here with my brother. He's the honoree of this overpriced shindig." Octavia rolled her eyes motioning to the room that was lavishly decorated.
"I like you." Clarke pointed to her and gave Lincoln a knowing, yet approving, look.
"Yeah, I am pretty likable." Octavia joked.
Clarke noticed that the two of them had eyes for each other and she knew when to walk away, "I'm going to go find me a drink. You too have fun." he gave Lincoln a quick hug, "It was nice to meet you Octavia."
"You too." The girl smiled.
Clarke walked away and headed straight to the open bar. Oh how she needed it. "Old Fashion please." she watched him start to pour the liquor, "Make it strong." The bartender laughed and poured a little more of the whiskey for her.
"That's quite a drink. I don't think I've seen one woman who hasn't ordered a martini or cosmos." a deep voice said from beside her.
She looked over at him and she was mesmerized. His dark curls tousled and deep brown eyes. Her eyes raked over his body and god what she wouldn't give to see what was under it. "Uh, yeah. Those aren't going to do it for me tonight." The bartender handed her, her drink. "Thank you." She gave him a smile.
"So you don't want to be here i'm assuming?" He asked, his eyes raking over her body like he was undressing her with his eyes. She watched the edge of his mouth twitch upward. It was then that she noticed the scar above his lip and found the imperfection oddly attractive.
"Yeah, these aren't really my thing. I'm a surgery resident and my mom is the Chief of Surgery, so I get roped into these things a lot. I would personally prefer to be at home binge watching something on Netflix." She took a good look at him. His suit jacket was fitted just right and it showed off just how toned he was...we probably. Black suit and a black tie, simple and classy. "What about you? You look like you're at home in a place like this." She motioned to his suit.
"Truthfully I hate these things, but this was one I was most definitely forced into and couldn't get out of." He smiled at her taking a drink from his glass. She smirked, two people who wanted to be anywhere but here and they both found themselves at the bar. He interrupted her thoughts "You want to go explore anywhere other than this stuffy room?" He glanced at his watch before leaning in closer to her. "I think i'd like to talk to you in a place I can actually hear you. Something tells me this noise filled room doesn't do it justice."
She couldn't find words so she nodded. Warmth pooled between her legs, his deep voice talking right beside her ear. That low, gravely, panty dropping voice. His hand went to her lower back and he downed the rest of his drink and set it on the bar top. He leaned into her ear again, "Lead the way Princess."
Her body flushed and she started talking before he could catch the reddening of her face and neck. His hand never left her back as she navigated the sea of people. The cooler air outside the concert hall the party was in felt nice. She hesitated for only a second to figure out where she wanted to go but the mystery man took over and he was ushering her down the long corridor. Once they had made it far enough where no one would stop them their pace decreased and his hand dropped from her back. She missed the warmth already.
"So, I know that you like Old Fashion's. Also that you hate these types of functions, and that you're a surgery resident. Anything else I should know." The way he looked at her caused her to shiver.
He shrugged off his suit jacket and held it out for her to slip into. Instead of admit the shiver wasn't from being cold but the way he looked at her, she turned and slipped one arm in and then the other once she switched the hand she was holding her drink in. It was a little big, it hit just below mid thigh.
"Yeah you definitely look better in that than I do." There was a hunger in his eyes that was hard to miss. She bent her head down hoping that the curtain of hair between them would hide the blush on her cheeks.
"Umm, to answer your question. I rock pretty hard at bowling."
His laughter echoed down the hallway, it was a true genuine laugh. "Yeah well i'm pretty awesome at putt putt, destroy my sister every time."
"I was the only girl on campus that could to a keg stand by myself for a full minute."
"I can hold my breath underwater for three minutes."
"I can manage to trip on absolutely nothing."
This caused him to laugh out loud again and the sound made her smile, "I like you, you're funny."
She smiled into her glass when taking a sip, "I try. So what do you do for a living?"
His face sobered up, "Let's not talk about that."
She found it odd but brushed it off, "Okay, so what's your story?"
"Next question."
"Oh come on, really? You're making it impossible to hold a conversation."
He grabbed her hand and turned starting up a stairwell so she followed. It was silence between them until they reached the top. He stopped and leaned over the rail looking at the floor below. He took a deep breath before starting "To put it simply, I grew up with nothing. I learned what I was good at and made a lot of money, and now i'm something. I technically work two jobs and i definitely like one more than the other. So like most people seventy percent of the time I work at the job I tolerate and thirty percent of the time I work at the job I love."
"And what is it exactly that you do at the job you love?"
He paused for a moment as if to truly think about what he was about to say. "I make people's deepest desires come true."
"So...you're a genie?"
He laughed, "Well there are gold cuffs involved." She was confused and her face must have shown that. He lifted the cuff of his sleeve and showed her the gold cuffs with a B engraved in them.
"B for Bruce? Bruce Wayne. Batman? Oh my god the two jobs makes sense now."
He leaned against the railing and turned to look at her, his gaze was piercing , "You're not like most women."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked slowly.
"Definitely a good thing, it's a breath of fresh air. There is a natural sexiness to you but it's like you don't even know it. Did you even notice half the guys staring at you in there?" He tilted his head towards where the party was going on.
Clarke looked down and shook her head, "No i'm pretty sure the dark lighting made you see things."
She felt his warmth as he stepped over to her and tilted her chin up to look at him, "You are incredibly sexy and beautiful. Any man you give your attention to is very lucky."
Clarke felt her mouth go dry. His gaze was intense and she could see the hunger in his eyes. How his drank in the low cut of her dress. The want and the need he was conveying had her heart racing, "Are you calling yourself lucky?" she whispered huskily.
"Oh i'm very lucky." He tucked some hair behind her ear his deep voice making her knees weak.. His hand dropped from her face and slowly ran down her throat, to her arm, and finally resting on her hip. He pulled her closer, his eyes never leaving hers other than to periodically glance down at her lips. Clarke stood up on her toes and closed the distance between them. She grabbed the front of his shirt and he slid his hand to her neck pulling her closer. He had taken control of the kiss. He walked her back until she hit something cool, it was the metal railing of the balcony. She found her body conforming to his. He tugged her hair back to give more access to her neck and she moaned. She'd never been kissed like this, with such hunger. She could feel herself starting to get wet. He left a trail of kisses that lit her whole body on fire and stopped to nip at her collar bone.
His hand left her hair and he slid his hands underneath the jacket and pulled her hips towards him. She felt his length through her dress. She gasped and he took that moment to crash his lips back onto hers. He kissed her hungrily. At some point she had dropped the glass from her hand hands slid up his chest fisting his shirt. He responded eagerly, his hands sliding from her waist to her ass and gave it a hard squeeze. The moan that escaped her mouth was loud.
Clarke had always been reserved when it came to sex. She had a very vanilla sex life and she was okay with that. But she was losing herself into the feeling of this mystery man's dominance. Her body screamed for more. She broke away and looked at him. His eyes were so dark with lust and she could still feel his cock against her even though he had put a tiny bit of distance between him. God, he must be big.
"If you want to stop just say so." He started breathlessly before she could even open her mouth.
Clarke shook her head, "No. I was going to ask if you wanted to go somewhere a little more privacy." Her chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Lead the way." He gave her ass one more squeeze before dropping his hands.
She shifted a little her body craving the friction. Her panties were already soaked and all he had done was kiss her and touch her. He had stepped away and she took a minute to gather herself. She grabbed his hand and led him down another hall. They hadn't even made it to the next turn before he had her back against a wall his hips pressing into hers and kissing her. She had to catch her breath when he pulled back, his lips red from kissing. She was sure hers looked the same. His left hand was squeezing her hip tightly, "If you continue to sway your hips like that, next time i'll be taking you against a wall."
Her body shivered. She bit her lip looking up into his eyes. The look in his eyes darker than before. She was pretty sure he wasn't joking about fucking her against a wall. She bit her lip and his hand came up to tug it from between her teeth, "Don't do that." He growled.
Her want for him was growing so she pushed him away and grabbed his hand and continued the maze of hallways within the huge building. She inwardly yelled in triumph when she came across the door she was looking for. 'STAGE ACCESS" was written in huge block letters across the door. As soon as her hand was on the handle she heard his voice whisper right against her ear, "Are we giving a show princess."
"Well one of us is." She was shocked when the words left her mouth. This man was bringing out a whole different side of her she didn't know was there, a vixen waiting to be freed. His hand reached around her and opened the door ushering her in quickly. She only took a few steps in and then she felt him grab her arm and spin her around.
"You're playing a dangerous game princess. If you continue, i'm going to end up fucking you until your legs won't carry you." He was walking her backwards and she felt something come into contact with her ass, but she didn't have any time to think because he had already wrapped his hands around her sliding to her ass to her thighs and lifted her up. He set her down on a flat surface and ran his hands up her legs. He stopped abruptly his eyes burned into hers.
He slowly slid the bottom of her dress up to reveal her thigh-highs attached to the garter belt she had worn to keep them up. His moan was loud and he gripped her thighs hard and pulled her towards the edge right against his hips. His kisses harder and and passionate. She started grinding against him, his bulge pressing against her panties creating the friction she craved.
The only thing Clarke could hear was the pounding of her own heart, her body felt like it was on fire. He was rough, yet gentle. He was dominant, yet respectful. He was everything every girl reads about in the trashy romance novels. Only he was real. She could touch him, and every time she did she would get a response. He continued to hold her in place as he started kissing down her neck. He bit rather harshly but she was surprised to find it didn't hurt, it felt amazing. Her hands went to his hair, tugging it as he sucked over the spot.
"Do you know how incredibly sexy these are?" He ran his hand lower, running his thumb under one of the straps attached to the belt.
"Sexy and practical. Dually noted." She breathed out.
"I'm resisting every urge to tear them from your body, but I like it. I think I'll let them stay." He was already to the low V neckline of her dress before he finished. His hands came up to palm her breasts over the fabric. He would kiss the exposed rounded flesh that peeked from behind. She felt his cock twitch in his pants against her panties and she moaned.
He took that as incentive to pull his jacket off of her so he could push the fabric of her dress aside exposing her right breast. She could feel his hot breath over her nipple before his lips covered it and sucked gently. Her back arched and she tugged his hair harder, "Holy shit." She panted. He continued to suck on her right breast while exposing and massaging the other. When he gently scraped his teeth across it her head fell back begging him not to stop. No one had ever sucked her nipples and frankly she was pissed she had missed out on something so pleasurable. He switched between each one never lingering on one for two long.
He ran his hand up her body and placed his hand on the back of her neck forcing her to look at him. He looked ravenous and she felt her panties significantly dampen. "If it sucking your tits gets that kind of reaction, i'm about to take you to another world." He kissed her lips and tugged on her bottom lip with his teeth before pulling away fully and dropping below her line of site. Her body was forcefully tugged to the edge and her legs pushed wide open. Her panties were pulled aside and she felt his finger run up and down her slit.
"You're so wet." The lust dripped from his voice, "I can't wait to taste you."
His tongue followed the path of his fingers and flattened when it came across her clit. She spewed profanities and her hand tangled itself back in his hair. She felt him blow against her slit and it caused a surge of pleasure. She didn't know that was even possible. He replaced his tongue with his fingers and started running them back and forth over her slit. He never attempted to make contact with her clit again and it was driving her crazy.
"Please." Clarke found herself begging.
"What do you want princess?" His rough voice sounded from out of her line of sight.
"Do it again." She was pulling his hair hoping to bring his face back to her pussy.
"Tell me." He sounded demanding and she felt herself shiver.
"I want you to lick my pussy and suck my-" She was never able to finish because he slipped a finger inside of her and his mouth covered her clit and sucked hard. Clarke fell apart at his fingers and her body shook with pleasure and she heard her voice echo around her as she came down from ecstasy. No one had ever made her come like that, truthfully no one had ever made her come at all. Here was a nameless man causing her to come apart at the seams. Even after her orgasm he didn't stop. Every part of her was extremely sensitive but he did it just right to where it was pleasurable.
After a few more moments he pulled his finger from inside her and she whimpered missing the feeling of his finger inside of her already. Her body would still convulse every now and then but she felt her need rise again as he stood and she saw him with pants unzipped and his dick in hand stroking himself and licking her juices off of his other hand. She didn't know where the confidence came from but she sat up a little more and grabbed his free hand and pulled it slowly to her mouth and sucking on his finger. She tasted herself. She tasted bitter but it wasn't bad, He added a second finger to her mouth and she sucked and licked at it eagerly.
His eyes were closed and his strokes becoming faster, "I want to taste you."
Her voice was low and barely heard but he stopped and his eyes opened and looked at her. The blaze he had set in her rose and she pushed herself up fully before sliding herself off the top of the object she had been laid across. He helped her to make sure she wouldn't fall and she dropped to her knees. It seemed even bigger now that she was so close. She knew she wouldn't be able to fit all of it, but she was going to try. Her fingers wrapped around him and she ran her tongue along the head.
"Jesus!" He hissed in pleasure. His fingers threaded into her hair. He let her go at her own pace and she teased him by going dangerously slow. "You're playing with fire Princess." he struggled to get the words out.
Clarke took to opportunity to take him as deep as she could go. She felt her gag reflex trigger but she pushed through and was only able to get him about three-fourths of the way in. He pulled her hair and she knew in any other setting it would hurt like hell, but all it did was want her to keep going. It fueled her desire to please him and she felt herself getting turned on again. She started bobbing her head up and down but would pull back to catch a full breath and stroke him as she did. She went back in to fill her mouth again and took him as deep into her throat as she could again. Both of his hands ended up in her hair and she felt him start to move his hips and took control of her rhythm. He gave her ample time to pull away or deny him but she never did. Soon he was fucking her mouth and she was enjoying every minute of it. He would moan and let out a string of curses. She tasted the precum and knew he was getting close. Her fingers had found their way between her legs rubbing her clit.
The man dropped his eyes down to watch his cock disappear into her mouth over and over, but this time was different. This time he saw her hand between her legs and she was looking up at him. She was wondering if he almost came because a surge of precum caused her to swallow. He growled primitively and grabbed her arms pulling her up. His lips crashed onto hers roughly, his need seeping into every kiss.
He pulled back "This is your last chance to stop this Princess." She looked up at him and he searched her eyes for anything indicating she didn't want this. When her fingers wrapped around his cock and started to stroke him he took that as a full blow invitation.
Clarke was spun around and the zipper on the back of her dress was pulled down causing her dress to pool at her feet. He put his hands between her shoulder blades and pushed her over to where she was chest down against an equipment trunk. His hand ran down her back, over her garter belt, and grabbed her ass. "These need to go," he tugged at her panties and she heard a ripping noise. He slid over to the garter belt straps, "But these can stay." He palmed her ass and slapped it. It shocked her but a moan escaped her. She wanted more and it was as if he read her mind because his hand came down against her ass again. He pressed himself against her and she felt his cock right against her entrance and she grinded against him. He leaned over her, pressing his chest against her. "If at any point you want to stop you tell me. Got it?" She nodded at his request. His hand came down against her ass, "I said got it?"
"Got it." it came out as a moan.
She heard rustling and she looked back over her shoulder to see him undoing his tie and lifting it over his head. "Hands." He demanded. Clarke put her hands behind her back and he placed his tie around them and closed it back around her wrists. He tested the tightness. She felt her body be pulled up by her hands from the tie. He pulled her against his chest, "Remember, if you want to stop you tell me."
Clarke nodded, "Yes."
He grabbed his cock and ran the head of it against her folds, "Jesus, you're fucking drenched. Do you like being tied up."
She found herself nodding, she could definitely get used to the idea. He grabbed her right leg and had her lay it on the trunk giving full access. He ran the head of his cock along her folds again. He grabbed her ass as he slid into her. She gasped at the feeling, her back arching.
"Goddamn you're so tight." He slowly slid himself until he was flesh against her. He grabbed her hip when she tried to start moving. He needed a minute to gather himself or he was going to come right then. "Do you like it rough?"
Clarke wasn't completely sure. She knew that her previous partners had never been that way and she had always wanted them to be a bit more aggressive. So she took a chance, "Yes, but ease into it."
He started moving slowly and she gasped. It still felt like her insides would rip, but she knew she would get used to his size in a few moments. His hands were at her breast rolling the bud of her nipple between his fingers. She could feel his breath against her neck. He started to pick up pace. He moved her hair from her shoulder and bit it before kissing it, "Enjoy the ride." He placed his hand between her shoulder blades and slowly pushed her down where her chest was flat against the surface.
She heard the crack of hand against skin followed by immense pleasure. She could definitely get into ass slapping during sex. "More." She moaned.
He gripped her ass hard before pulling back and giving her ass another smack. He started going harder and she could hear his ragged breath. His hand pushed her harder into the surface between her shoulder blades. She wanted to grip at the sides of the surface because the pleasure was so much but with her hands tied behind her back with him holding the tie in one hand all she could do was start to lose control.
The sound of doors slamming shut caused them both to freeze even though her body screamed at her to keep moving against him.
"This is our new theater that was built just last year." A voice echoed through the theater, but she could hear it was from the seating facing the theater. As long as they stayed in the middle of the rows they would never see them off into the wing with her being pounded against production equipment trunks.
She felt herself get pulled up so she was against his chest. He never made a move to pull out of her. Instead his hand closed over her mouth, "Try not to get too loud." He started fucking her slowly. She was terrified but the thrill was intoxicating. The people were still talking about the new theater when his other hand started roughly pinching her nipple and she moaned against his hand. "Shhhh, princess."
Her eyes rolled into the back of her almost when he continued. The pleasure she felt before was magnified by ten it felt like. She could feel how rigid his cock was inside of her, meaning that he was enjoying this as much as she was. She wanted him to go harder, "Harder." She quietly muffled against his hand. She thought she heard him growl when he stopped moving as fast but was taking each stroke to pound her even harder. She felt herself bite his finger trying to keep quiet.
He hissed in pain, "You like that?" he growled outside her ear.
Clarke nodded. She felt his hand slide between her legs and rub against her clit. Her legs almost gave way at the blinding pleasure it gave her. She heard him chuckle roughly before doing it again. She knew if he continued that she would end up coming while the other people were in here. The guy opted for fast instead of hard and started rubbing her clit. She heard the doors slam again and he dropped his hand from her mouth and pushed her down so she was flat against the surface. He started slamming into her hard and quickly but never stopped rubbing her clit.
She was making noises she didn't even know she could make. "Oh god. Yes. Harder." When she didn't think he could go any harder he pushed just a little more. He slapped her ass.
"You like that?." His voice was loud and unreserved. "Take my cock. Take it all."
It was almost as if she was crying, "Fuck. Yes! Oh god!" She fell apart and she started to shake. Her leg gave out but he scooped her up and held her against him as he continued to fuck her.
"I'm close. Fuck." He buried his face in her neck, "Where do you want me to come?"
She hadn't thought about that, but in her delirious post orgasm state she was able to form words, "Ass. Come on my ass."
His animalistic noise almost made her come again as he laid her back on the trunk and started pounding hard and fast. When he pulled out she almost wanted to cry at the loss of him inside of her. He moaned and she could hear him furiously jacking off. She felt the warmth his her lower back and part of her ass. She felt his body slump against her after gently pulling her leg from the top of the trunk. She knew she was going to be sore as fuck and she would be lucky if she could even walk after this.
After a few moments he pushed himself off of her and took a step back. He helped her stand up and he undid his tie from her hands. She rubbed her wrists when they were free and brought them around the front of her. She could see the pink lines around her wrists where they had been rubbed against the fabric. She turned around to look at him and he look disheveled but what would probably be seen as a post orgasm high.
"Are you okay?" He seemed concerned that maybe he had gone too far.
Clarke quickly squashed that, "That was the best sex of my entire life. I'm fine. I may not be able to walk tomorrow, or even tonight. But i'm definitely okay."
He nodded with a grin, "It was pretty amazing." He pulled his pants up that apparently he had dropped at some point during their sexcapade. She watched as he started getting dressed and putting his tie back on. Once he was done he bent down to retrieve her dress from the floor.
He helped zip it back up and he bent down grabbing her torn underwear, "Could I ask for a souvenir?" He had a devilish smile and she couldn't help but smile back.
"Only if I can have one of my own." He smirked but nodded. He pulled the tie from around his neck and put it over her head and let it hang around her neck. He pulled her hair from underneath it so it rested on top of it.
He glanced at his watch and his brows furrowed and his mouth went into a thin line. He looked up at her and he had regret on his face and it caused her stomach to sink. "I'm really sorry to do this, because I never actually do this. But I really have to go, it will make sense in time but…" he trailed off and pulled out his wallet. She was about to go off thinking he was about to give her money like she was some hooker. Instead she saw he pulled out a card and handed it to her, "If this is something you're into I'd like to help your deepest desires come true." She took the card and he gave her a lingering kiss before pulling away. "It was nice to meet you princess." He grabbed his jacket that was thrown to the side and walked out the door.
Clarke stood dumbfounded at the quick departure. After a moment she looked at the card he had given her.
Bellamy Blake
The Mansion Sex Club
Dominant/Owner
She now knew why he had departed so quickly, he was due to speak because he was the CEO of the hospital, "Fuck!" she whispered to herself.
AN: Okay if you made it through that I applaud you because it was a beast to write and i'm sure even more so to read. I'm sure there are errors in there and if so, i'm sorry. I'm sick and this has been 3 days in the making and I wanted to finish it and get it out there. I've never been good at writing sex scenes, but this was an idea that wouldn't leave my head. Hopefully you all enjoyed and please be nice, an attempt was made lol.