Prince of Darkness vs Prom Queen 03

coldhands_warmheart © 2013

The sequel to Prince of Darkness v Prom Queen 1 & 2

Chapter 1 Hooray for Hollywood

The calendar was watching him. Every time he glanced up it was staring at him, reminding him of the date of his first wedding anniversary. It was like one of those paintings, the ones with the creepy eyes, following him around the room. He tried to focus on the file in front of him. It was important, one of the biggest deals he'd ever worked on; it needed his undivided attention which it would have if the damned calendar would stop sneering at him.

His first anniversary. Donovan Corbett had never really expected to have a first anniversary, at least not one that meant anything. Marriage was not something he thought about as a realistic part of his life. He supposed maybe one day, in the far distant future, he might marry for the sake of companionship but the concept of spending his life with one woman was slightly abstract and completely unimportant.

Donovan's world used to be orderly and routine, structured, ruled by rules. He worked. He made money and more money. He read mostly work related materials but sometimes for pleasure. He traveled the world visiting places he'd read about. He recognized and developed his talents as a Dominant, training both submissives and sex slaves. He was mostly solitary, not really living life, but rather existing under a solemn, quiet and almost isolated grey cloud.

And then, along came Laci. His world unexpectedly exploded in chaos, sunshine, and rainbows.

He had known her for just over two years. He had loved her for most of that time although it took him a little while to figure it out, which seemed entirely fair since he was still trying to figure her out. He wasn't sure he'd ever manage to completely understand her but he was having the best time trying.

Whatever it was he believed marriage was going to be like, it most definitely wasn't that way with Laci. Yes, she was beautiful. Absolutely, she was sexy. She was also smart, grasping some of his most complicated business concepts as quickly as he did. She fit so effortlessly into his life; he could hardly remember when she wasn't there. He never knew what to expect and was constantly surprised. She was incredibly caring, and the best part of his day was having her fly into his arms when he got home, or she got home. It never mattered who got home as long as they found each other.

Maybe that wasn't the best part. The morning sex was pretty remarkable. Afternoon sex wasn't bad either. Lunchtime sex was impressive, and who knew there could be such merit in sex at teatime? Then there was pre-dinner and post dinner, late night, and midnight. Her energy level was astonishing.

As was her method of submission. Donovan was a Dom, ergo, he required a sub. The rules between Doms and subs were established long before Donovan ever considered entering the world of BDSM. Laci knew there were rules but created an addendum to each one. She was no traditional submissive but when she decided to submit to him, he usually couldn't walk in a straight line for the rest of the day. There would be one hell of a lot of happy Doms in the world if all subs used the 'Laci Method'.

Laci Grace Corbett was amazing. Donovan supposed most men felt that way about their wives, but Laci was almost perfect. If men had a place where they could gather, each assembling the components of an ideal woman, the world would be flooded with reproductions of her. Some might be taller and some might have red hair, but when it came to heart, soul, loving, and understanding, Laci was what every man secretly wanted.

She knew Donovan like no one else. She knew when he wanted her by his side, but she also knew when he wanted to be alone. He'd been on his own for a long time and she understood how sometimes he needed his quiet time. She knew when his work day had not gone smoothly and was there with hugs and words of encouragement or support. She knew when he'd accomplished something wonderful and her methods of celebration made wonderful even better. She didn't completely agree with or understand his need to maintain absolute control as a Dominant, but she accepted it as part of his job and part of who he was as a person. That, alone, made her extraordinary.

Sometimes he found himself almost intimidated by her and all she could do. Donovan had grown up not knowing how to do anything for himself. His instincts were unparalleled when he was dealing with business, but his instincts about simple things were almost nonexistent and he paid people to do what he couldn't. When Laci came along, she showed him how to do all kinds of things. He may have taught her about business but she taught him about life and how to really live it. Incredibly, she never made him feel foolish for not being able to do things. She was patient and laughed with him but never at him. She scolded him occasionally when he was being a little compulsive, but habits were hard to break and sometimes he did things just to annoy her since it so often worked to his advantage in the best possible ways. Who but Laci could 'insta-fuck' anytime, anywhere, and hardly get a hair out of place?

Everything seemed easier or better when she was around. Sharing things with her made him feel like he was experiencing them for the first time. She never nagged or complained. She never demanded anything. She had no expectations or entitlements. She didn't judge him and even if she didn't always agree with him, she never really tried to change who he was. She made him smile. She was always cheerful, bringing sunshine into his cloudy world. She made him happy and seeing him happy made her happy. He couldn't recall a time when he was ever as happy as he had been since Laci came along.

When he proposed to her he gave her a blue diamond, partially because it matched her eyes and because blue was her favorite color, but it was also because blue diamonds were special and rare, and so was Laci. She loved her ring, but extravagance wasn't important to her. It was almost frustrating because Donovan could have afforded almost anything she desired and would have given her anything she asked for, but none of that mattered to her, in fact the only thing she told him she ever wanted was his love, his respect, and mutual trust. She wanted to be able to trust him and know he trusted her.

Could he really have gotten that lucky? Could someone as perfect as Laci really exist? His life could not have possibly been better, until the day he decided to do something monumentally stupid and fuck it all up. He had to pat himself on the back and give himself a standing ovation. Ever the over-achiever, when Donovan Corbett fucked things up, he did it better than anyone else.

He supposed he could blame Trent Nichols.

Why the hell was Hollywood mega-star and actor Trent Nichols friends with Laci? Weren't actors supposed to hang around with other actors, swapping actor stories, bragging about actor accomplishments, and sharing actor idiosyncrasies? Did all Hollywood mega-star actors have another man's wife's number on their speed dial?

Trent came to town to film a movie. He got to know Laci when she asked to interview him and before long, she was off on a California adventure with her new best friend. She said she was only going to be gone for a couple of days but it seemed like forever and Donovan missed her. For the first time in his life, Donovan Corbett missed someone and that was an emotion he had never experienced. With the possible exception of Victor, everyone in Donovan's life was expendable until Laci came along. That was the first time he started to realize how much she mattered and how much he cared.

Of course she had come back to Georgia. Donovan and Laci were on their way to very happily ever after, until . . . Trent Nichols, part 2.

According to Hollywood buzz, the film he made the previous year about a haunted plantation was going to be a blockbuster and Trent was already in preparation for a sequel. The first film hadn't even made its way to theaters yet, and it was buzzing all over the place. Who the hell cared about Hollywood buzz? Buzzing was for bees and people who drank a little too much, then said stupid things. Donovan would come to know much more about buzzing and saying stupid thing as the days went on. Little did he know he was about to become an expert in both being buzzed and stupid.

Suddenly Trent was in constant contact with Laci, as in Laci CORBETT, who was now MARRIED and lived in Georgia with her HUSBAND and didn't need to buzz with an actor who was constantly on the covers of magazines and dated every woman in the western hemisphere. And it was for business. Right. It was for film-making business. Sure it was. Trent Nichols who had been acting in and producing films for years needed Laci CORBETT'S business advice for his new film being filmed in Georgia. Right. Business.

Trent needed to know about this place and that thing and thanks to her job with Donovan's cousin Marian, Laci became his Georgia tourism liaison. Trent Nichols was obsessive and compulsive and obsessively compulsive, and sometimes called Laci ten times a day because obviously he had no one in the entire fucking state of California to talk to and had to call Georgia and talk to her. He had to call Laci who knew almost nothing about the film industry because wasn't that what all obsessive, compulsive Hollywood mega-star and mega-sleaze actors did? For business? Of course they did.

Laci's new best friend was Trent Nichols. Donovan's new best friend appeared in the form of a green-eyed monster. Jealousy was another emotion Donovan hadn't experienced until Laci but he and the monster were now spending many hours together, happily plotting the demise of Trent Nichols. In all fairness, Laci never tried to hide her telephone affair. She spoke very openly in front of Donovan and it actually seemed as if every topic was somehow involved with the film. She was also good about setting certain parameters. Trent had her attention when she was on the phone, but she'd shut the phone off and give Donovan her full and complete attention during lunchtime and teatime and other such times.

But at long last, Trent was coming to town. He had figured out what needed figuring, logic-ed his logistics and could finally get off the fucking phone, start working, and leave Laci alone.

And that was when Donovan's life became one giant Hollywood premiere and bumpy red carpet ride. Blockbuster? Ballbuster? The critics haven't made up their minds yet.

It started with the opening of the suspense thriller, 'GUESTHOUSE', and the fan blades started to slowly rotate, unaware that the shit was soon to be hitting. Innocent and naïve Laci, obviously knowing nothing about slimy actors who had dated every woman in the western hemisphere, asked if Mr. Mega-Sleaze could stay in the guesthouse. He needed a quiet place to work, away from distractions and people wanting autographs. It would also give Donovan the perfect chance to get acquainted with Trent, who was a really nice guy. Sure he was. He was a regular Georgia peach. What was Donovan supposed to say to her request? Laci never asked for anything and Donovan reasoned it was probably a good idea to keep his enemy close.

Thus paved the way for the wacky comedy, 'JOB-OFFER' and the blades on the fan started to spin just a little faster. Cousin Marian, traitor and Laci's boss, had been speaking to Trent who, she agreed, was a really nice guy. Trent needed an assistant for a few weeks before filming started, and Marian suggested Laci. It wasn't tourist season, things were quiet in the office, plus Trent and Laci had been working together for the last few weeks, so he knew he could trust her and they got along like two fucking peas in a fucking green pod, coincidentally, the same shade of green as the eyes belonging to Donovan's monster friend. It was bad enough he called her constantly and was going to be staying in the guesthouse, but now she was going to be spending all day with Mega-Sleaze. Thanks, Cousin Marian.

In his worst nightmares, Donovan could never have predicted the outcome of the highly charged and absorbing, 'CONVERSATION-IN-THE-GARDEN'. Trent had been in town for about a week and, surprisingly, seemed to be a really nice guy. He was kind of quiet, slightly insane, but thanked Donovan for agreeing to the use of the guesthouse and was very respectful of Laci, who he promised not to monopolize. Donovan was actually starting to wonder if he could have been ever so slightly wrong about the actor. That was until the afternoon he came home early and overheard Trent and Laci in the garden. The garden was back to back with Donovan's office, and while it was hard to see them, he could hear every word.

"Why do you stay with him?" Trent was asking. "I can see how horribly he treats you."

"Horrible? You can't begin to understand how repulsive he is," was Laci's response. "He lied to get me to marry him and I'm nothing more than another acquisition. He doesn't care about me. He doesn't care about anyone or anything but himself. I truly hate him. I hate the sound of his voice. I hate when he touches me. I hate opening my eyes in the morning and knowing he's going to be there."

"Let me help you," Trent told her. "I can help you get away from him. I can make sure you get away and you're safe."

"No you can't," Laci told him, sounding pitiful. "You don't know how violent and relentless he is. He'd find me no matter where I went, and if he knew you'd helped me, he'd be vicious enough to kill both of us. Besides, I'm entitled to his money, and I'm going to make sure I get it. He spends thousands on himself, but he's the most tightfisted bastard in the world when it comes to me. He loves hearing me beg, but one of these days, I'm going to have every dime and without his money and his power the world will finally see him for the vile creature he really is."

Donovan was stunned. He bolted from the house before he actually did do something violent. Trent Nichols might have fooled everyone else, but he had never fooled Donovan. But Laci? On some level, Donovan was hurt to the point of devastation, but mostly, he was numb from hearing Laci's words. She hated him? She hated being touched by him? All she wanted was his money? He'd never quite been able to figure her out but how could he have been so completely wrong about her? Having a broken heart was another brand new emotion and one he never expected to experience because of Laci.

Donovan Corbett was never indecisive about anything, but for the next few days he was a complete and total wreck, not knowing what to do. He snapped and snarled at everyone, especially Laci. When she tried to talk to him, he just snapped and snarled even more. He actually heard her pretending to be concerned when she asked Victor if Donovan was ill or having trouble at work, but even Victor, who was used to the many moods of Donovan, was staying out of his way and didn't have any answers.

The damned fan was picking up speed and the plot thickened, leading to the powerful and dramatic, 'HOW-MANY-BROKEN-HEARTS-DOES-IT-TAKE-TO-SPELL-STUPID?'.

Donovan was out of his element on several levels. He understood strength and control better than anyone, but jealousy, hurt, and broken hearts were not part of his curriculum vitae. No part of his training, nothing he had ever experienced had prepared him for what he was feeling, and part of that feeling was anger. Some of it was directed at her, but largely he was his own target. How could he have misread her? He had been reading people for years but Laci was a book of blank pages. How could he have allowed himself to care for someone so deeply that her betrayal hurt so much? Should he divorce her and throw her out? Should he make her life a living hell and show her how hateful and vile he could actually be? Should he leave, pretend it didn't matter, go on a very long, extended business trip and never return? Dominants didn't wallow in broken hearts. Childish though it might be, what he really wanted to do was hurt her as much as she had hurt him.

How many broken hearts did it take to spell stupid? In Donovan's case, one was more than enough. To avoid facing Laci, he was hiding in his office, drinking more than usual and starting to feel the buzz. While going through the forgotten recesses of his desk, he came upon an envelope containing a few old and compromising photos of someone who had been one of his subs for about twenty minutes so long ago he had forgotten her name. He wasn't sure why he did what he did. Victor had always thought Donovan was a little crazy, so perhaps it was the insanity. It could have been the desire to hurt or maybe it was the alcohol, but Donovan and his newly acquired green-eyed buddy found Laci, threw the photos in her face and told her the reason for his recent surliness was because he was having an affair. She just looked at the photos and at him, said, "Okay," then left the room.

Okay? He had just given the best performance of his life and all he got was 'Okay'? Wasn't there a gold statuette for 'Best Performance by a Slightly Buzzed, Controlling Dominant on the Brink of Insanity'? The statuette was going to have to wait because the blades on the fan were really starting to spin and were about to propel Donovan into yet another premiere, the satirical, comical, and thought provoking, 'CONVERSATION-IN-THE-GARDEN -- THE SEQUEL', and it was definitely not the type of climax he was usually accustomed to having.

He was back in his office and it couldn't have been more than an hour after his photo tossing frenzy when he overheard Trent and Victor talking in the garden.

"Why do you stay with him?" Trent was asking. "I can see how horribly he treats you."

"Horrible? You can't begin to understand how repulsive he is," was Victor's response. "He lied to get me to marry him and I'm nothing more than another acquisition. He doesn't care about me. He doesn't care about anyone or anything but himself. I truly hate him. I hate the sound of his voice. I hate when he touches me. I hate opening my eyes in the morning and knowing he's going to be there."

"Let me help you," Trent told him. "I can help you get away from him. I can make sure you get away and you're safe."

"No you can't," Victor told him, sounding pitiful. "You don't know how violent and relentless he is. He'd find me no matter where I went, and if he knew you'd helped me, he'd be vicious enough to kill both of us. Besides, I'm entitled to his money, and I'm going to make sure I get it. He spends thousands on himself, but he's the most tightfisted bastard in the world when it comes to me. He loves hearing me beg, but one of these days, I'm going to have every dime and without his money and his power the world will finally see him for the vile creature he really is."

Slightly buzzed? Maybe. On the brink of insanity? Probably, but there wasn't anything wrong with his hearing.

Instantly he was out the door and into the garden, where Trent and Victor sat calmly reading a script and rehearsing a scene from Super Atomic Mega-Sleaze's film, which was supposed to be about some damned haunted plantation and some damned ghost creating havoc for all who visited that very same damned plantation. Donovan's life had enough havoc. It didn't need any assistance from Trent Nichols and his fucking haunted script.

Ah! The magic of Hollywood. Who would have ever guessed that Trent's ghost and Donovan's monster would become acquainted?

Things like this didn't happen in real life. They only happened on some stupid Hollywood soundstage. Had he actually overheard a rehearsal and jumped to enough wrong conclusions to earn Olympic gold? Had he actually been foolish enough to believe what he heard were his amazing wife's own words, and not those of some demented screenwriter? Had he actually just confessed to an affair he never had solely for the purpose of hurting that same amazing wife the way be believed she had hurt him? How the hell was he going to explain his lunacy to Laci?