Darker – Chapter 7

Universal Pictures owns all rights of Fifty Shades of Grey and Pitch Perfect…I only own the idea of this twisted mash-up of an alternate universe love story.

Warning! Chapters may include graphic sexual situations (BDSM) which may not be suitable for everyone. Reviews and comments are always welcome. Thank you for reading.

Last time on Darker…

Slamming the mailbox shut Jesse looked around and over his shoulders to make sure we weren't being followed. Grabbing me by my hand he rushed us to the SUV where Benji was waiting for us. Feeling a little too vulnerable being out in the open we clambered into the back seat and secured our seat belts immediately.

"Benji...take us home."

And now…

The ride home was a quiet one. With the newly discovered photos taken of us during our night of passion we wondered if there was a hidden agenda behind them. Was Kayla planning on blackmailing us or was this just her way of proving we could never be too careful and should always watch our backs at all times.

Pulling in to the parking garage of Watermarke Tower Benji parked in to the designated space next to my graduation present, the red Audi TTS convertible Jesse had transported from Georgia. Entering the subterranean elevator Jesse entered his new code into the keypad and the lift began its ascent. This time there would be no impulse to rip each other's clothes off or devour oxygen from each other's lungs, instead we stood there side by side, staring straight ahead and focused on the elephant in the room; the photos inside the manilla envelope that Jesse held in his hand. Turning to face him I couldn't stand the silence anymore and had to voice my concerns.

"What if she goes public? Tabloids and paparazzi would pay a fortune to get their hands on those."

"I don't know but does it really matter who knows about us? I mean these photos show two attractive people making love, is it really that bad?"

"Yes!" My voice was sharper than I had intended. "If my parents ever saw those...it would destroy them."

"Yeah...mine too actually." He sighed deeply. "Baby, you have my word. I'll do whatever it takes to make this go away."

"And if you can't?" I asked turning away from him to face the sliding door. There would be no answer to my inquiry, we simply had to ride out the storm and wait for Layla's next move.

"You didn't believe me."

"Believe what?"

"I told you to stay clear of me because I was no good for you." He muttered under his breath, the guilt eating away at him like a cancer as he looked straight ahead while our elevator continued to climb.

"Yeah...well, I'm stubborn that way and had to find out for myself." I merely stated with very little emotion. "I guess you were right after all, but the damage has already been done." Turning to face me Jesse appeared uncertain. "We found each other and fell in love so I guess you're stuck with me now."

Smiling to himself, Jesse nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

As the lift made it to the top, Don stood up from his chair and reported no strange occurrences and that the apartment was safely locked down.

Still feeling uneasy about the entire stalking situation I walked passed Jesse with my suitcase in tow and made my way to the master retreat. Entering the walk-in closet I noticed my clothes from the guest room had already been relocated here while we were out.

"Ms. Mitchell?" The voice came from the housekeeper who stood at the entrance of the gigantic closet that was probably the size of my apartment in Atlanta. "We haven't been formally introduced but I'm Ms. Clark. Mr. Swanson told me you were moving in and I just wanted a chance to make your acquaintance."

"Oh hi...and please, it's just Beca."

"Okay Beca, it's very nice to meet you and I'm looking forward to caring for someone other than Mr. Swanson. If you have any special dietary requests or need anything in particular please don't hesitate to seek me out." She smiled and took my rolling bag from me. If I had to guess Miss Clark was in her early thirties, she had light brown hair and was probably a few inches taller than me. She had a nice smile and seemed content with her domestic role in providing for a billionaire and now for his girlfriend. "I'll unpack this so please make yourself comfortable. The dresser is yours and this side of the closet belongs to you." She concluded. It felt so strange having hired help but now that I was going to be living here, I needed to get used to it.

"Um...I'm not used to all of this, having...you know, someone do stuff for me, so perhaps we could share some of the responsibilities, like cooking and shopping?" She seemed genuinely pleased of my suggestion as she continued to unpack my bag and placed my things in their new home while I stood there awkwardly watching. Still feeling like a fish out of water I felt the need to explain to her what I was going to do next. "I'm just going to take a quick shower before the salon people arrive." My mumbling didn't even elicit a reaction as she focused on her task at hand while I made my way out of the closet and into the en suite bathroom.

In a million years I would have never expected to be involved with a billionaire and living the life of luxury. As an only child I'd grown up in a modest household with two working parents until they divorced for irreconcilable differences when I was in my teens. Living with my mother until making the move to Georgia, I saw the struggles she went through trying to balance out raising a daughter, working full time and then having a personal life of her own. My father's extra marital affair caused a rift between us as he hooked up with Sheila, a platinum blonde, washed out looking vixen he'd met in Las Vegas while she attended a pharmaceuticals conference. It took forever to forgive him for breaking up our family of three but years later it seemed this was meant to happen. Whether it was for my benefit, my parents had remained close friends over the years and even attended each other's weddings as they moved on with their lives. Thinking about what's happened since graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles about to start my internship at Capitol Records and moved in with a man I'd fallen for.

Standing under the warm spray I played back the last twenty-four hours in my head. The intense lovemaking after his declaration of love and intimacy we shared in the shower to the unpleasant knowledge of being spied on and stalked by a crazy ex-submissive with an unknown accomplice. The mixed emotions I felt consumed me entirely but the love I felt for Jesse kept building, especially now that I was allowed to touch and love him the way any girlfriend would her lover.

Freshly showered and dressed I saw the envelope with the dreaded photos had been placed on Jesse's chest of drawers. Feeling a little curious, I had only seen the photos briefly before Jesse had found me so I retrieved them and returned to the bed where I laid back on a stack of pillows and emptied the contents. There were several high quality glossies that showed us in the thralls of passion. From the angle they were taken the spy was in fact hiding within the drawn drapes along the glass and hiding in the shadows. There was no doubt about who was depicted in these photos, for there I was in all my naked glory as Jesse made passionate love to me.

So...this is what we look like having sex. These aren't so bad. I thought to myself then imagined my mother's shock and father's disappointment in seeing their only daughter in this light. If these ever went public Jesse and I would have a lot to explain...to everyone. As my subconscious condemned me, pointing and waving it's judgmental digit she scolded 'I told you so' while I continued to examine the illegally obtained photographs.

The more I looked at the photos the more emotionally affected I became as I felt a lump form in my throat. The way our bodies molded perfectly together, the way our lips joined in seamless sensual kisses and the way we gazed at each other; our eyes locked in unadulterated passion showed pure love between us. Regardless of what had already transpired and what we still needed to face we were opposites, two very different people who filled each other's needs that came together as soulmates and loved a lifetime. When I reached the last few pictures my heart nearly stopped as they were taken after we had fallen asleep. Close-ups of our bodies intertwined with the silhouette of a gun pointing down at us concluded the photo set. It was clear whomever was there watching us had ample opportunity to harm or even silence us permanently. With this disturbing thought I placed the photos back in their envelope and felt the need to speak with the one person who would be able to comfort me. Grabbing my cell phone I selected the phone number from my endless list of contacts. After a few rings, the woman on the other end answered.

"Hey mom."

"Rebeca! What a surprise! How are you?"

"Good." I answered quickly. "Um...I just wanted to say hi. How are you and my step dad doing?"

"Rob is finally on the mend and work is, well it's just work. You sound strange, is everything okay with you?"

"Oh yeah...you know. I just really miss you."

"Okay...now I know things aren't right. You never just call me out of the blue. Is that complex boyfriend of yours giving you a hard time again?"

No mom but there's lots of photos of your only daughter doing nasty things with him...

I sighed heavily. "Jesse and I are, well...he finally told me."

"He did?" The tone of her voice proved she was genuinely happy for me. "That's wonderful sweetie. So what's going on? What's bothering you?"

"Oh...you know, relationship stuff. He's got some baggage we're dealing with."

"What kind of baggage? Oh God, please don't tell me he has kids."

I snorted at her comment. "No! It's nothing like that. It's more like crazy exes."

"Well they've got nothing on my daughter. I'm sure the two of you will be able to work it out."

"Um...there's more."

"I'm listening."

"Okay...so, I'm going to ask you a question and I don't want you to freak out." I paused to take a deep breath and exhaled. "What would you say if I told you we were living together?" Cringing at what I just divulged I waited for her thunderous objection. Instead I heard her let the air out of her lungs.

"To be honest, I'm not that surprised. After the time we spent together and seeing the chemistry between you two, it was just a matter of time." She paused with a sigh. "Is it too soon for you to be living together? Perhaps...but you're an adult now so the decision is ultimately yours. I'm assuming you've taken the time to think this through?"

"I have and considered all the reasons why we shouldn't but I keep going back to the one reason that actually means something to me."

"Which is...?"

"We love each other." Was all I could say as Jesse leaned on the door frame, smiling with his arms crossed. Motioning for him to come closer he stepped inside the room and sat on the bed next to me as I addressed my mother. "I've never been more certain of anything." Reaching for my hand Jesse kissed my knuckles and smiled affectionately.

After a silence that felt like forever my mother finally spoke up. "Sweetheart...you've always had a good head on your shoulders, so I trust your judgement. I'm very happy for you but please be careful."

Rolling my eyes at her maternal concern, Jesse chuckled then mouthed "they're here" to let me know that Andre and Cecile had arrived and were waiting for me outside. Giving him a quick nod I wrapped up the conversation

"Yes mom, we'll be very careful and thank you for not judging me. I hate to cut this short but I need to get going. We're attending a charities ball at his parent's house tonight so I need to get ready. Talk to you soon?"

"Absolutely. Have fun at your ball and I can't wait to hear all about it. Love you sweetie."

"I love you too mom. Bye."

Ending the call Jesse stood up and extended his hand to me. "So you told her." He merely stated. "Everything okay with them?"

"Oh yeah...they're good. My stepfather is finally on the mend and my mom is back at work. I just needed to hear her voice and tell her what's going on." I admitted. "She's happy for me but worried that we might be rushing things."

"Do you feel that way?" He asked, his voice was full of concern. "That we're rushing things?"

Giving it some thought the corners of my lips turned upward. "You heard what I told her, I've never been more certain of anything."

"Me too." He smiled with relief. "Would you believe I got the same crap from my mother earlier today after you committed us to tonight's shindig." Narrowing his eyes at me, he continued. " Up until you came along she and I hardly even spoke." The thought of my influence on Jesse bringing him and his mother closer and mend their estranged relationship brought me warmth.

"I'm not surprised Mr. Swanson." I admitted, taking his hand and rising to my feet. "When you let your guard down and actually let people in...you're very easy to love."

Wrapping his arms around my waist he pulled me in for a kiss. "And so are you Miss Mitchell. Are you ready to be transformed into a princess?"

It was a couple of hours before the party began when Andre and Cecile insisted I model the gowns for them before they started on my hair and makeup. It was an unanimous decision that I wear the platinum number which clung to my curves and had a very low cut back and plunging neckline that showed off, according to Jesse...my best assets. With a high slit up the side this was perhaps the most skin I'd ever shown in public, even more than the cocktail dress I wore the night Jesse and I went over his indecent proposal.

Andre had us in stitches when he confessed that I nearly turned him straight by the amount of boob and butt cleavage I was showing while Cecile maintained her professionalism and tended to my makeup, covering up some recently acquired love bites and giving me the right amount of smokiness to make my eyes pop. My hair was done beautifully in a modified up-do with ringlet tendrils framing my face that added a certain amount of sophistication while my tattoos were left on full display. I'd never been fussed over this way and was actually enjoying the attention. Pairing the gown with six inch silver platform stilettos, the ensemble was complete and I was ready to be unveiled to my date.

With his flamboyance, Andre flapped his hands in anticipation of being revealed to Jesse who had also gotten a haircut at my request. Decked out in his own black tuxedo, he looked dashing as he entered the bedroom and waited while I stepped out of the en suite bathroom and into his sight then slowly spun around for his benefit. His jaw nearly detached from his face as his eyes undressed me from top to bottom. Seeing his desire was proof that my appearance pleased him.

"You're absolutely stunning!" Jesse gushed as he took me in his arms. "Is your lipstick smudgeproof?" I nodded with a smirk as he pressed his lips to mine while ignoring our company. "Andre, Cecile, thank you for your expertise." He spoke after releasing me. "I'll make sure you're both compensated handsomely. When you're ready our housekeeper will show you both out." He advised then took my hand. "Come with me beautiful, I have a surprise for you."

"Look at them Cecile...they're such a lovely couple and they're going to have so much hot and raunchy sex tonight." Laughing at his comment we thanked them again and continued on to our destination. Passing a grinning Miss Clark along the way Jesse instructed her to show them out.

"You don't think it's a little too risque for your family?" I asked, expressing my concerns of wearing something so revealing but Jesse convinced me it was appropriate attire for the occasion and I had the right amount of curves to pull it off.

"Before I take you to my study, there's something I want to show you. It's a work in progress so I need you to have an open mind." Giving him a perplexed look I let him lead the way.

Taking me to a room opposite of the infamous Red Room of Pain, Jesse turned the handle and pushed the door open. What I saw was a large space filled with books, blu-ray movies, CD's and a pool table, but what caught my eye was the far corner had a large U-shaped desk with my Macbook Pro and mixing equipment all set up. I was flabbergasted that he'd gone out of his way and done this for me. Any anger or annoyance I felt earlier was suddenly replaced with love and gratitude for his generosity as he gave me my own solitude to continue working on my music.

Jesse was so animated in showing me this space that I couldn't keep the shit eating grin off my face. "So I was thinking we could enclose this area with glass and soundproof it so-"

"-When did you do all of this?" I interrupted, still not believing my eyes.

"When you were getting all gussied up. I figured with your job starting on Monday you might need a place of your own to work. Is it okay?"

"Are you kidding? This is beyond awesome! I've never had a space like this before. Thank you!"

"You're very welcome baby, I just wanted you to feel at home."

"I am home." My comment had several meanings as Jesse nodded and placed a kiss along my forehead; the message was delivered and received.

"Now for the other surprise..." The man was on a roll as he took my hand and guided us through the main hallway. In his study Jesse opened a wall safe hidden behind a piece of local artwork and presented me with a small jewelry box. "It's only on loan so don't get too excited."

Opening it up he took out a diamond necklace and draped it over my neck, clasping it in place as he kissed the back of my neck. Extending my right hand he secured a matching diamond tennis bracelet and finished off the look with diamond drop earrings. The jewelry set was from Tiffany's and was valued at more than a quarter of a million. I'd never worn anything so extravagant but according to Jesse, I was worth every penny. As I was about to remove my ear spike, Jesse stopped me. He explained with my ink on full display my ear spike should also remain because no matter how glamorized I became, I should never lose sight of who I really was. It was simple gestures like this that made me fall deeper in love with Jesse because he wasn't looking to change me and I was loved for who I was.

Reaching in the inside pocket of his jacket, Jesse brought out a small red velvet pouch and gave me the most mischievous grin. "And now something for both of us."

"What's this?" I asked, bewildered by his sudden change in behavior. "Mr. Swanson, what do you have up your sleeve?"

"With all that's happened recently I thought maybe you'd like a little distraction." Emptying the contents of the pouch into my hand I smirked at Jesse who smiled like a cheshire cat. I recognized them immediately from the research I'd previously done on BDSM practices; they were ben wa balls used for sexual stimulation.

My eyes widened like saucers. "You want me to wear these for the party?"

"God yes! It would please me to no end if you did!" His enthusiasm was addicting as I felt my cheeks heat up and pelvic muscles tighten just at the thought of having these silver little balls inside of me. "I bought them recently and couldn't wait to try them on you. If it gets to be too much, we'll take them out. We wouldn't want a repeat performance of the restaurant cheesecake scene." He teased.

My eyes rolled at the not so distant memory when my apparent foodgasm took place in the presence of my father, stepmonster and friends on grad night when it was in fact a panty clit massager under the control of a certain pompous ass. I was so angry at Jesse that night for putting me in that position but the make-up sex that followed was off the scale as we practically destroyed the apartment that Chloe and I shared.

I couldn't believe what I was considering, but things were different since that night and he was right, we needed the distraction and I was game. Smiling back I nodded which made him happier than a child on Christmas morning. Having me sit on the edge of a leather sofa he had me wait patiently as he shut and locked the door to give us privacy.

"Open your mouth." I did as I was told as he inserted the small connected balls passed my lips.

After a minute or so I spit them out into his hand as he knelt down and lifted my gown above my knees. "Lean back, open yourself to me and try to relax." Following his instruction I did as I was asked while he hooked my g-string to the side and gently stroked me so my natural lubrication would help guide the placement of the foreign objects. Moaning lightly at his ministration of my sex, it didn't take much effort as my arousal was already apparent. "You're always so ready for me..." He purred as his voice trailed off. Closing my eyes I took deep breaths as his light touch coaxed the first ball into position and then the other, finishing me off with a light kiss to the outer lips that secured them in place before he straightened my flimsy butt floss and lowered my gown. The application alone nearly sent me over the edge as I shifted my hips to accommodate the foreign objects that caressed me from within.

"How does that feel?" He asked softly, waiting eagerly for my response.

"Good." I lied...it felt fucking awesome as they deliciously manipulated my lady bits. With every movement I made the friction they created made me tingle all over and bring my nipples to a hardened state of arousal that I had no control over. With my inner goddess finding her voice she gave a Hail Mary cheer as I savored the moment.

"We're going to have fun tonight." His suggestive tone brought a smile to me as I took shallow breaths to calm my nerves.

How the hell did I get myself into this?

At half past five Benji, accompanied by Don brought the SUV to the front of the building and opened the door for us. Acknowledging me with a nod, Jesse's dedicated assistant smiled affectionately at me and mouthed "WOW" which made me feel a thousand percent better. With the orbs inside of me my cheeks had a natural blush to them so for once in my life, I wasn't pale. Taking our seats in back I gasped as the pressure of sitting brought a glorious sensation to my core while Jesse's face lit up with sympathy for me.

With the thought of Kayla being on the loose, extra precaution was taken in the event she showed up unexpectedly. Tonight Benji would not only be acting as a trustworthy personal assistant and chauffeur, like the hired private investigator he was also armed and would never stray too far away. According to Jesse, after he and Benji graduated college they went their separate ways. While Jesse went into the business world to pursue mergers and acquisitions, his friend enlisted in the military and ended up serving on the Joint Special Operations Command or JSOC where he underwent specialized training and developed skills required to combat terrorism and attacks on American soil. Knowing this about Benji made me appreciate him even more and felt confident that we were in good hands.

Opening up another box Jesse handed me an eloquent silver metallic mask with filigree etchings cut around the eyes, accented in sapphire and rhinestones. Helping me secure the delicate accessory in place, he tied the silk ribbon around my head and couldn't keep his eyes off of me.

"You're fucking gorgeous, you know that?" He gushed quietly, cupping my chin as he brought my lips to his. "I don't know how I'm going to keep my hands off of you tonight."

"Who said you had to?" I teased back enjoying our little moment, kissing him back.

When he put on his own metallic chrome and black mask, it was my turn to melt. Not only did wearing a mask compliment his tuxedo, his sex appeal multiplied by a factor of infinity that nearly did me in.

With the lower portion of his face showing I fixated on his soft pouty lips and wanted them to explore me in the worst way possible. I imagined his lips teasing and then closing around a stiffened nipple while gently tugging and sucking the way I loved it. With the orbs nestled inside me, erotic thoughts of this nature kept creeping into my mind, and by adding the mysterious element of a mask to his persona, there would be nothing I could do to resist his charm or advances.

Note to self, keep a mask in the bedroom...

"Yeah? Well you're pretty fucking sexy yourself." My acclamation brought a smile to his face as I tried to control my erratic heart rate. "I'm sure the opportunity to satisfy our needs will present itself."

After a short drive we passed through the gates to the Swanson's mansion and was dropped off at the entrance. For added security, I noticed that metal detectors and armed guards were brought in to search the guests and premises. I assumed Jesse had said something to his mother earlier that eluded to his concerns which made me feel relieved to see the added safety measures were put in place.

"Are you ready to attend your first ball, Miss Mitchell?"

"Yes, Mr. Swanson. This Cinderella is ready. Lead the way, my prince." The words that fell from my lips were so cliche, we burst into laughter and then I stopped. "Oh God!" I choked out and closed my eyes as the ben wa balls delivered a spectacular jolt that consumed me with dark desire. Surrendering myself to the sensation my muscles clenched deep inside as I was forced to bite my lip.

Note to self...avoid laughing in public...

When my eyes opened Jesse regarded me carefully, his own desire showing through his mask. "Relax." He whispered as he caressed my cheek. "If it's too much..."

Shaking my head I smiled. "No babe, I want to...for us." I urged trying to catch my breath. "Just give me a moment."

"That's my girl." He beamed, placing a light kiss to my lips. After a minute or so I'd gained enough self control and gave Jesse an affirmative nod. Exiting his side he came around, opened my door and extended his hand to me. "Shall we?"

A/N: Next time we'll see our couple at the masquerade ball so stay tuned for more surprises.

Reader participation time: Should the photos be used to blackmail or just serve as a warning? For those of you who have read the second book will notice I'm straying a little from the storyline with my own twist so your thoughts and comments may actually alter the direction of this story.