Dark Wonders Ch. 01

Author's Note: This story is completely fictional and did not happen. All characters and names are fictional and were made up. I do not make money from these stories. Please do not copy and plagiarize my work.

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Los Angeles, California

Rays of sunlight poured down outside, illuminating all to see the paved roads leading up and down Sepulveda Boulevard. The street was always busy around afternoon hours. Cars came and went, but the sound of traffic was entirely muted from across the roads where an apartment building stood. Light cast across the white walls, brightening up the bedroom of a luxury apartment contained among the upper floors of the building. A few minutes past twelve PM or sometimes right at one o' clock on the dot was waking times for Mateo DeLaRoza. With no alarm set to his clock on the nightstand near his bed, the middle aged man had often awakened on time to pull back the covers of blue blankets and get up to stretch. Only rarely did he oversleep long enough to require his secretary to begin calling to make sure he would be arriving at the office later.

It was Tuesday, another day in the work week. Upon awakening, Mateo immediately yawned before stepping his feet across the wooden floor down below Last night had been a real festive event, he at least recalled. A party had been arranged back in L.A. for what was a typical Hollywood event involving a producer showing off his mansion with a list of guests. Such events were the type that Mateo always made an appearance, as it was part of the job after all. Roaming his right hand through his short slicked back black hair, he let out a groan while stumbling around the bedroom and venturing off to the kitchen. Before getting a shower and awakening completely, he always started the coffee machine to prepare a good drink. A five o'clock shadow covered his face and he would need to take the razor and shave those small gray hairs away. Always one to go with a clean face, Mateo had to maintain a public image.

The luxury apartment was his, bought and paid for after spending thirteen years working through TTY Agency. At the age of twenty-two, he had traveled from his home country of Spain to enter the United States, all from a scholarship granted from the University of Colombia. Becoming a US citizen had become a second necessity as Mateo would spend the next several years studying law at Colombia. It helped having a family of prestige back home in Spain willing to fund through his higher education. After graduating, Mateo traveled to Los Angeles and began work as a legal consultant for a film production agency. That was how it all started, before he worked his way from office to office and found a spot at TTY Agency. They were a new group, offering representation for actors and models spread across Los Angeles looking to get work ranging from commercial productions all the way to big budget films.

All of that had become many years in the past, as he was now a a forty-seven year old man still working in a level of the corporate world. Back in the day, Mateo thought of himself as an animal let loose in Hollywood with no leash to contain him. He avoided searching for that special someone to build a family with and perhaps a legacy and future. None of that mattered to him, as he kept his attention focused on the men surrounding him back in the office. Generating wealth from a job that was already in the six figure range was one goal he had for living a good life. The other was to climb the corporate ladder, all between brushing shoulders with those who worked in the film industry and outside of it. Los Angeles was a town where you had to know the right people to get through the door of what was a real underbelly involving the entertainment industry.

Normal people often heard the rumors. Sensational headlines screamed of scandals from the front pages of gossip magazines and late night specials on news networks. For anyone getting into the film business for the first time, they had to know that there would always be the hint of unsettling events hidden in the shadows. Mateo knew those stories all too well, as he had avoided becoming a sensational piece of journalism in the past. Flexing his muscles up the corporate ladder, his goal was to become an agent representing TTY. Eight years ago he accomplished the dream, as he was granted a bigger office back at corporate headquarters and had his own secretary of choice. Mateo was relieved to gain the position before he turned the age of forty, but all that was in the past now. He was one of only dozens of agents spread out across the building, earning a high salary as long as he kept up with the list of names that he represented.

The job was only one piece of the puzzle that made a man's life. Most men looked about having a family and building something of a legacy for them to be remembered by. Not Mateo. There was no long term relationship he had with a woman, outside of the escorts he paid for casual sex and two women in his past. He had carried an affair with one actress who went on to dominate the box offices within Hollywood. She wasn't the first and that woman knew deep down she would not be the last either. A Colombian actress turned mega star across the small screen had been Mateo's first. He liked to keep a framed photograph of her alongside him from an event, framed on the wall in his office. Throughout the years, Mateo had kept an on and off again relationship with Sofia Vergara, all through the mutual understanding of her career. She always needed a hand with cheap gigs off to the side from the Modern Family show.

As he stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom, Mateo gave a cold gaze back into his reflection. He studied his dark brown eyes, thinking to himself how he viewed the world what his purpose in life was. A few grey hairs had been noticed on the sides of his head last year. Nothing a bit of hair dye couldn't fix. Whatever problems there were ongoing in the world, he didn't care. His pain was enough to suppress, a burden he always carried in the back of his mind. All he was concerned about was his desires and maintaining control in life. Control was one of the keys to whatever happiness he could have, whether today or tomorrow. While shaving, his thoughts wandered to what he had planned for the following nights. After the party last night, Mateo had something special in store for an actress he had shared a few drinks with.

Christina Hendricks had come onto his radar after having a dispute with another agent under the company name. Her show Good Girls had come to an end and her representative had failed to get her a new gig that would've kept her on network television with a weekly show. Mateo had met Christina a few times at similar parties to last night's big event. Her striking appearance had left an impression as she came in a black dress, exposing her massive breasts and looking smug as ever with her smiles. Her signature orange hair was enough to make sure that she stood out among an audience and burnt an impression into the back of someone's mind. She had his attention, as they shared a few drinks and small talk. Mateo was certain that she caught his eyes glancing down at her giant tits when she was replying to a question he had asked her.

She needed a new agent. The last thing the company could afford was her leaving and such a high profile actress like her signing with another agency. Mateo knew Christina's agent. Stephen Flores had been someone back at the offices who Mateo had wanted out for years. He often found himself in a competitive stance, trying to get the upper hand on the other agents in the building who all wanted to further their careers. Stephen Flores was weak minded, as Mateo thought to himself. If he couldn't keep this woman under control, then he was useless. That was the law of the corporate world. Always watch across your shoulder and anticipate someone else looking to shove you out of their way and earn a bigger slice. Mateo had been described as a cutthroat business man in the past. Cold and calculating, he prided himself being a man who took what he wanted. What he wanted most right now was her.

Getting home late from that party, he went to bed dreaming about her voluptuous body. Those giant all natural breasts, oh how wonderful they would feel in his hands, let alone wrapped around his cock. The smugness across her face could easily be wiped off with a good reality check. Those lips, he envisioned also wrapped around his cock and her begging for more. Mateo was certain that Christina had heard the rumors of what he had done with other women. He had seen her out in town with Sofia Vergara more than once and that woman had a reputation for running her mouth in private social circles. Last night's drinks and conversation with the woman had only made Mateo wonder if her curiosity was sparked. He continued to think about it while stepping into the shower and sliding that glass door shut.

Warm water sprayed across his face while he slowly took his time in the shower. All the while, Mateo could not get Christina Hendricks off his mind. While there were many rumors about him and the games he liked to play with women, he had also heard gossip about her. She had divorced a few years ago and then from rumor, went on a trail of one night stands. There was one story that stuck out to Mateo's mind about her fucking an assistant by the name of Tom. That man couldn't help but brag for the time being, as word had moved around through social circles with people who brushed shoulders with Christina. Either way, it didn't matter to Mateo. He wanted her and one way or another, he was going to get her. If the rumors were true about her, then she was his type of woman. With a body that could withstand a pounding and go all night long.

After getting out of the shower, it was time to do push ups. This had become an every day ritual for the past fifteen years. Over time, he had grown to a point of strength where he could clock up to a thousand push ups at a time for over an hour. Mateo would do push ups and sit ups to get his blood flowing and a way to stay in shape. He wasn't a gym rat, instead keeping a lean diet and doing this series of exercise for five days a week. It kept him with an athletic body in his middle age and feeling youthful. After all, he needed the strength at hand if he could take on a woman like Christina Hendricks. Knowing her was one thing, but he wanted to be more than just another person she dealt with for business. Before beginning his second round of push ups, Mateo put on some music from the stereo. Collecting vinyl records was one way he liked to spend his money, amassing quite the collection of classic rock, blues, heavy metal and eighties pop albums.

For anyone who would listen to him, he could talk their ear off about the albums and bands he liked. Trivial details that only he cared about. Those were the discussions to be had with escorts he paid for to come and amuse him on certain nights when he needed to fuck his frustrations out with a beautiful woman. For now, he thought about those frustrations as Black Sabbath's classic album The Mob Rules was playing through his stereo surround system. The opening guitar riffs to the track Country Girl had begun as he finished counting his push ups, stopping right at six hundred and sixty five. The neighbor of the beast, he jokingly considered quietly in his thoughts. Exhaling deeply, it was time to get up and grab a suit out of the closet to prepare for the day. He had only been up for two hours, the clock on the wall telling the story of 2:14.

As he slid his pants on, he went and stopped the music player. A wall of silence fell over the apartment. Mateo didn't decorate the place with much furniture, apart from a large black leather couch and matching dark coffee table in the center. Dark cushion chairs went on to match the shelves he had for his vinyl collection and the cabinet housing the player itself. Gazing over the place, he went and grabbed his cell phone, curious why his secretary was so late on calling since he was not at work yet. Normally she called a few minutes past two, any time he wasn't at work by then. Running back to the bedroom, he pulled out his collared white shirt and proceeded to put it on while awaiting that phone call. As soon as he got the shirt properly on, the phone began ringing. With a smirk, Mateo walked over to the dresser and picked it up to see the name of his secretary across the screen. He answered it, raising the phone to his left ear.

"Susan, talk to me."

"Good afternoon Mr. DeLaRosa, did you sleep well?"

He chuckled at her question as she spoke again.

"I hope you didn't wake you up so early."

"You didn't. I was waiting on you to call. It's a little late from when you usually call me, you know?"

"Yes, I know. I just got off the phone with a woman who was calling to request transfer in the company. She wants to go from one agent to another and you're her first choice. She asked about meeting you face to face, said that she talked to you last night about something."

"What was her name?"

"Christina Hendricks."

He knew who it was without her telling him, but Mateo just wanted to hear Susan utter those words in her voice from a smooth Chicago accent. Smiling to himself, he waited a moment to reply.

"Call back and tell her that I'll speak to her in the next hour. I'm on my way out the door right now."

"Okay, I'll do that. See you soon!"

The phone clicked as Susan hung up and then Mateo went to grab his suit jacket. All he had left was to put on his tie, going for a red one today. Black pinstripe was the style for most of his suits with gold button cuff links to match the gold Omega watch across his left wrist. Dark hair slicked back on point with his clean shaved face, all that was left now was to put his shoes on and Mateo would be out the door. Christina Hendricks was at the front center of his mind above all else work that would be on his desk back at the office. Grabbing his keys, he considered the thoughts of her curiousity. For her to call him, perhaps it meant that she was more than serous about switching agents. More than anything, he wanted to see if she wanted a taste of what he could best describe as his dark wonders. Tonight was going to be more about personal desire than subject related to business.

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8 HOURS LATER

Corporate headquarters was located in downtown LA, an hour's time away from where Mateo had his apartment. A sprawling office building, easily missed to the naked eye as it blended in with other corporate buildings spread out across town. Mateo drove a white Ferrari Testarossa to the car park every day. The car was something of a status symbol to him, as he liked to drive in style and give off a statement to people. He had become known years ago for sitting behind the wheel of that Testarossa, often getting asked if he bought it from an auction of the Miami Vice cars. By the time he rode the elevator up to the office floors, Susan had been waiting for Mateo outside of his office. The older woman had curled up her faded silver like blonde hair into a pony tail. Black framed glasses covered her blue eyes, matching the black dress that covered her curvy body.

Having a loyal secretary had proven useful over the years, as Susan had worked for other agents before Mateo approved of her hiring three years ago. True to her word, she had called back Christina and informed her that Mateo wanted to talk to her directly over the phone. That was the first order of business once he got settled in his office and sat behind the large black marble stone top desk. Rather than call her, it was satisfying for Christina to be the one calling him. He answered and immediately struck up a conversation regarding her business with Stephen. "You know how disappointed I am in him. You told me last night that I could call you about transferring agents." When Christina spoke, Mateo made a move to immediately take control of the conversation by holding back his answers from her. Rather than work it out over the phone, he wanted to meet her in person.

An offer for dinner at a restaurant across town had turned this business negotiation into a personal date. Christina chuckled into the phone at first, as she had to ask him if he was serious. Mateo reassured her, insisting that he pick her up for this date. "You don't have any other plans tonight, do you?". Of course she told him no. Making an obvious advance on her with this date, he agreed to meet her at ten PM. Christina texted him her home address. Vital information that Mateo wanted for a reason. It was She had no business knowing of the tabs he would be keeping in the back of his mind to later jot down in a little black notebook. Christina had a luxury home deep within Beverly Hills where many prestige names in Hollywood had residency. Mateo had driven through those streets many times in the past, but it had to be quite a sight for her to have his white Ferrari Testarossa pulling up beyond the gated driveway.

She came out, greeting him with the sound of her high heels clicking and clacking. The redhead bombshell all dolled up for a fancy date. Christina wore a red dress, hugging all of her thick curves and the top completely exposed with her giant breasts about to pop out. Her hair had been carefully fixed up, split down the middle and overflowing beyond her shoulders. Her pale skin only added to the touch of the color she wore. Upon climbing into Mateo's Ferrari, she offered a smug grin and teasing words for how he decided to pick her up with the flashing ambitions that matched a playboy womanizer. It was funny to witness her flirting right off the bat, but they had a table waiting for them outside the neighborhood. Reservations had been made at an Italian diner of Christina's choice. Since this had become a date between them, she wanted the right place to be seen with a man like him.

"I like to think that you truly wanted this night to discuss becoming my agent, rather than sit across from me and stare at my tits."

Mateo laughed at her remark. They had settled in with a private table, ten minutes into having dinner when she spotted his wandering eyes. All he could do was smile back at her while sipping on the wine glass. Before her choice words, they had a bit of small talk together. It was the same when they were back in the car, mostly talking about the weather and other meaningless subjects.

"I know it's rude, but they're so big, they're just in the way."

"While that is true, I guess I should tell you that my face is up above, not down there."

He didn't laugh at that joke, instead grabbing his work and clanking it down on the plate. Mateo took two bites, swallowing down food before he replied back to her, eager to change the subject from her boobs.

"So, you've been having problems with Stephen, huh? I mean... that's what you were telling me about last night."

"Yes, indeed."

Christina raised her wine glass to her lips and finished off the remainder of the glass in one large gulp. Before she responded to his words, she grabbed the wine bottle and began to pour herself another drink.

"He's become useless, if you want me to be honest with you."

"Fair enough. I always seen him as weak back at the offices."

Mateo's eyes studied the dark liquid substance gushing out of the bottle and into her wine glass. Christina did not stop until she filled it at the top, right at the rim of the glass. Since she wasn't responding yet, Mateo carried on speaking as he let go of his fork and was quietly done eating.

"I know you said that you were looking for another big gig now that Good Girls is done. I'd like to help with that. I'm confident that I can hook you up with a few easy paychecks. A few endorsements for something to get you some commercials... and then we can look at another big role."