Her Dark Melody Extended Epilogue
A Billionaire Romance
September…
As they lazed about in their bed in their home in Seattle, Atlas Tigri chuckled and nudged his wife with his foot. “Hey, sleepyhead, here’s a great one. Verlaine’s ‘Angelheart’ is a throwback to the sheer class and subtlety of Fitzgerald and Holiday, albeit, with a fiery sensuality which leave the listener’s skin tingling—and perhaps in need of more than one post-coital cigarette.”
Ebony sat up on their bed as Atlas skimmed through the reviews of her new album on his laptop. “It really says that?”
Atlas spun the computer around so she could read the review herself. “Wow.” Ebony had been so nervous about releasing this album, her sophomore effort, because she had unleashed all her emotions on it; her love for Atlas, for her children, Matty and Fino, for her family. Angelheart was also a love letter to New Orleans, to the place where she had begun her musical career in clubs and cafés, and only the previous night, she had held her launch party at one of the first bars she’d ever sung, the Hot Tin Roof—which also happened to be the place where her boss’ wife, Kym Clayton, had run away to before finding success with her own band. Roman Ford of the Quartet Record company had made sure the place was packed with both industry types, fans, and all of Ebony’s family and friends.
They’d played a small set early in the afternoon so that Ebony and Atlas’s children could help her celebrate. Ten-year-old Fino, her adoptive son, and three-year-old Matty, were, along with Atlas, her biggest cheerleaders and she’d wanted them to be part of the celebration. They’d had a riotous time, even the adults, who had stuck to soft drinks for this little party, enjoying the happy family vibe.
In the evening though, the atmosphere had changed, becoming adult and sensual. And when Ebony had performed some tracks from Angelheart, including the sexually-charged title track, she had seen Atlas, and only him, as he watched from the audience, his green eyes burning with desire for her. She had held his gaze throughout the song and later, when the children had been borne off by Ebony’s brother and sister-in-law, Obe and Juno, for a weekend, Atlas and Ebony had returned to their hotel suite and made love for most of the night.
Now, she crawled over to him and kissed him. “Sorry, morning breath.”
Atlas laughed. “You taste gorgeous, baby. Man, last night …”
Ebony grinned and wriggled into his arms. Atlas pushed the computer aside and wrapped his arms around her. “I think it’s safe to say, on this evidence, that your record is a critical success, baby. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you for inspiring most of it,” Ebony said, trailing her lips along his jawbone. “Scratchy.”
Atlas grinned down at her. “I thought you liked me with a beard.”
“I do. I like Scratchy.” She nibbled at his chin and made him laugh.
“You’ve named my beard?”
“Not just your beard.” They both started to laugh then, Atlas tickling her.
“You little nut job. Do I want to know what you’ve named my cock?”
“You might.”
Atlas laughed loudly. “As long as it’s not ‘Tiny’ or ‘Floppy,’ I don’t care.”
Ebony grinned. “It’s definitely not either of those, big boy.”
Atlas flipped her onto her back and hitched her legs around his waist. Ebony smiled up at him as she stroked his cock until it was ramrod hard and Atlas plunged it into her. Ebony moaned, the feel of him inside intoxicating, sending shivers through her body. As they moved together, they kissed, talking softly, murmuring each other’s name.
Atlas increased his pace, slamming his hips as Ebony encouraged him deeper and deeper, then as he groaned and came, Ebony’s body spasmed with her own release.
“God …” She breathed as they recovered, “It just keeps getting better and better with you.”
Atlas pressed his lips to hers. “Even after kids.”
Ebony grinned. “Well, enjoy this weekend, baby; these moments we have to ourselves are rare.”
“Which reminds me,” Atlas said, looping his arm around her shoulders. “Your birthday in November … I might have arranged for us to go away for another long weekend around then.”
Ebony smiled. “You did?”
“Uh-huh. And, my love … I thought we might try some new things … some new things that will involve you wearing little else but leather …”
“Really?” Ebony chuckled, desire igniting in her eyes. “You do, do you?”
“Mm-hmm.” He covered her body with his again. “What do you say, sweetheart? Wanna practice some mild BDSM?”
“With you, anything,” she said and gasped as, grinning, Atlas thrust his cock back into her, and they made love again until dawn broke over the city.
November …
“When you said a weekend break, silly me, I thought you meant a cabin down at Lake Tahoe,” Ebony grinned as they looked out over the rooftops of Jaipur. “Not a freaking palace in India.”
Atlas laughed. “Well, you never let me take you away or spend money on you, so I thought I would go way over the top.”
They were standing on the rooftop terrace of the Maharajah’s Pavilion at Raj Palace, enjoying the panoramic view of the lights as the day grew dark. Atlas had laughed when they had drawn up to the pavilion and Ebony’s jaw had dropped. Inside, the four-floor apartment was sumptuous, and over the top in its decoration. Ebony had walked through each room slowly, drinking in every detail, every jeweled surface, every colorful decoration. In the bedroom, the huge gilded bed was comfortable, and no sooner had their busboy brought their luggage and left them alone, than Atlas had swept Ebony onto the bed.
“You like?”
“It’s … like some sort of fantasy world,” Ebony was clearly shell-shocked. She grinned at him. “It’s so different, Atlas, to anything I’ve ever experienced … what a wonderful surprise.”
“Well, that was the purpose of this vacation … to try new things.” His gaze was intense on hers and she smiled, her own eyes sleepy with desire.
“Well, why don’t you unwrap me and see what I have in store for you?”
His eyes lit up. “Oh, ho, ho, so I’m not the only one who’s been keeping secrets?”
Ebony wriggled with pleasure and laughed. “Nope.”
Atlas, grinning, slowly unbuttoned her lilac tea dress and then as he pulled the fabric apart, he drew in a sharp breath. “Jesus, Ebony …”
A delicate gold chain crisscrossed her glorious body, making her dark skin glow, framing her breasts and her belly, sweeping between her legs. On her breasts were two gold nipple clamps. Atlas pressed his mouth to her throat, his hands running over her curves as Ebony stretched out, sighing happily. “Take your clothes off, Atlas; I want to see your body.”
Atlas stripped, almost frenzied in his impatience to get back to her body. As he covered her body with his, Ebony ran her hands over his hard pecs, down his flat stomach, and took his cock in her hands. “I want to taste you.”
“Together?”
She nodded and he moved so she could take his cock into her mouth while his own sought out her sex, lashing his tongue around her clit and dipping deep into her cunt. They brought each other to an exquisite orgasm, then Atlas hitched her legs around his waist and plunged his huge cock into her as she cried out his name. They fucked furiously, then as she came again, Atlas reached over and grabbed a thick dildo. “I’m going to fuck you with my dick in your cunt and this in your ass … you ready?”
“Oh god, yes …” Ebony was delirious with pleasure as Atlas hooked her ankles over his shoulder and slid the dildo into her ass as his cock ream her cunt mercilessly.
Ebony’s brain whirled; her eyes rolled back as she was fucked so expertly by her husband and when she came, she was astonished that it hit her so hard, her body jerked and she almost creamed the place down. She’d never let go as much as she did, and afterward, as she was catching her breath, she saw Atlas wasn’t nearly done with her.
“Box of toys, little one,” he said, and brought out a flat paddle. Ebony immediately rolled onto her stomach and squealed with pleasure as Atlas brought the paddle down hard on her buttocks. The quick, sharp pain, coupled with Atlas murmuring what he wanted to do to her made her cunt swell and dampen and she felt his hand snake between her legs, stroking her, sliding two fingers inside her, then three, then four as he stretched her out. His thumb stroked a gentle rhythm over her clit, juxtaposing the tenderness with the sting of the paddle.
“Your perfect little butt has goosebumps on it,” Atlas said, and Ebony chuckled.
“Atlas … fuck me. Fuck me until I pass out; fuck me until I scream and the whole of the city can hear me.”
Atlas dropped the paddle and flipped her onto her back, his hard, throbbing cock straining to be inside her again and he thrust in hard, pinning her hands above her head, his green eyes dangerous and full of determination. It took Ebony’s breath away when he was like this.
Atlas fucked her until she was, as promised, screaming, then finally let her recover. “We don’t have do try everything tonight,” he said, tender now, “but I have to say, the thought of having you in every way does turn me on.”
Ebony trailed a finger down his chest, looking up at him from underneath her lashes. “As it does me … I do have one favor to ask.”
“What’s that?”
Ebony grinned widely. “Do you mind if I take these nipple clamps off? They are killing me.”
Atlas had arranged for them to go to dinner in an exclusive restaurant a little way out of the city center and as they ate, swooning over the food, Atlas stroked his finger down her cheek. “You know what I was thinking?”
“Usually sex, in your case,” Ebony shot back with a grin. “But no, what?”
“One day, and I’m not saying soon, but one day, I’d like to have another child. Our child.”
Ebony smiled. She knew what he meant even though they already considered Fino—who was Atlas’s nephew in reality, and Matty, whose biological father wasn’t Atlas—their children in every sense, making a baby that was truly their own was both of their dreams. “I know, darling. And if it wasn’t for my career, I would have it tomorrow. But I do need to do this first.”
“Oh, I know. Ebs, you can’t imagine how proud I am. You’re a superstar.”
“Ha, not quite, but thank you, baby.”
Atlas kissed her. “Mark my words … this album is going to go global.”
Ebony, skeptical, nevertheless appreciated his praise, but it wasn’t until the following day when she even believed it a little. Roman Ford telephoned her, apologizing for interrupting her vacation. “Is Atlas with you at the moment? I think you should both hear this.”
He sounded so excited that Ebony’s heart began to thump harder as she switched the call to speakerphone. “Okay, Roman, go ahead.”
“Ebony … the Grammy nominations were announced this morning.”
Ebony’s heart leaped—but at the same time, she felt sick. Her first album had been roundly praised by critics but had failed to secure any Grammy love at all. Surely it would be the same this time …?
“You’ve been nominated. Best Jazz Vocal Album for Angelheart.”
Ebony let out her breath in a long whoosh. “Oh my God,” she whispered as Atlas let out a whoop. Roman laughed.
“And …”
Another Grammy nomination?? Holy cr… “And?”
“Album of the Year.”
“No.” Ebony felt all the blood rush to her head and she sat down. Atlas wrapped his arms around her, his smile wide and triumphant.
“And …” Roman was clearly having fun. “Song of the Year for the title track.”
“No fucking way …” Ebony rarely cursed, but her entire body was trembling. This couldn’t be happening. “You’re just teasing me now, Roman.”
“And …”
He surely wasn’t going to say what she thought he was, was he? It was impossible.
“Record of the Year.”
The big one. The Grammy everybody wanted. “You’re making this up.”
Both Roman and Atlas laughed. “I’m really not. Ebony, darling, congratulations. You deserve every moment of this. And, should you win, you’ll be Quartet’s second major Grammy winner. This is happening.”
“God.” Ebony put her face in her hands, overwhelmed. “This is just unbelievable.”
“No, it isn’t,” Roman said cheerfully, “we all knew this was a special record. You let go on it and showed pure, unadulterated passion. By the way, I’ll get in trouble if I don’t pass on Kym’s congratulations. She says she’s just glad her band didn’t release an album this year.”
Ebony laughed. “Ha, lucky for me, rather. Thanks, Roman. I just need to absorb it, is all.”
“Okay, honey, well, I’ll leave you alone for the rest of your vacation. Come in to see me once you get back to Seattle.”
“I promise. Bye, Roman.”
After she ended the call, Ebony and Atlas stared at each other for a long moment, then erupted in a cacophony of cheering and whooping, hugging each other, rolling around on the floor like excited kids. Afterward they called Fino and Matty in the states and told them. Matty just gurgled happily down the phone, but Fino, who knew well what the Grammys meant, was excited and delighted. “Can I come? Can I come to the ceremony?”
“We’ll see, champ,” Atlas told his son, and laughed when he heard Fino’s disgruntled sigh.
The rest of the vacation was a blur and as they left India for Seattle, Ebony sat back in her seat and smiled at her husband. “This has been the perfect break,” she kissed him softly, “thank you. I’d love to bring the kids here one day. Perhaps not to a palace; we’re not the Kardashians.” She laughed as Atlas pulled a face.
“We could bring all three of our kids … or four … or five …” He grinned as Ebony rolled her eyes, smiling.
“Slow your roll there, cowboy. Let’s start with the third and see where we go.”
Atlas brushed his lips against hers. “I love you, Grammy nominee Ebony Verlaine.”
“As I love you, Grammy-nominee seducer, Atlas Tigri.”