Following her out, I found a sheer black button-down blouse, suit pants, and fancy boots laid out on the bed. I almost stuck my tongue out at them. The only diamond thing she had was the bra I’dforcedher to buy.
She tried to tell me she didn’t have to follow the rules since she was technically extra security, but I reminded her, loudly, that it was my club, so my rules.Nanna nanna boo boo.
Sighing, I looked back at the green dress one more time and made a mental note to send it to her after tonight. She might not want it now, but one day, she might need it, and I wanted her to know that it was from me—the sister that understood her inner girly girl.
Just a little reminder that she didn’t always have to be the rough and tough boss. Sometimes, she could just be Nova.
It was justmy luck that the first face I saw was Calix’s. His eyes swept over me before his expression soured. “Great. Now, I have to kill everyone. Thanks a lot, Aniyah,” he muttered under his breath.
I ignored him completely, slipping my hand into Rack’s outstretched one. Rack had been in our lives for so long he was practically adopted into the family. Standing beside my brother, he was the night to Calix’s day. Where my brother had the Desmond white hair and rose gold eyes, Rack had dark hair, golden-brown skin, and a perpetually unreadable expression. The only lightness about him was the gold flecks in his plum-soaked eyes. He was cool and calculated, while Calix’s personality bounced between lazy or chaotic depending on the moment.
Rack brought my fingers to his lips, brushing them with a dry, amused kiss while his gaze flicked to Calix. “You look stunning tonight, Miss Aniyah.” Polite. Calm. Unbothered. The perfect yin to Calix’s raging yang.
“What are you saying?! Are you fucking blind?” Calix snapped, his voice climbing. “We’re going to have to kill everyone at the door when they leave so that no one can?—”
My wings flared out, and I zipped in front of his face, snapping my fingers to force his focus. “You shut your mouth about threatening my members,” I growled, every word clipped and poisonous. “This isexactlywhy you weren’t invited to the original launch.”
His brows knit together. “What do you mean? I had to do a jo—” He froze, eyes narrowing as he turned to Rack, who refused to meet his gaze.
“Did you have something to do with that?”
Rack didn’t confirm or deny. “Miss Ezra thought it best for you to handle your... situation and sent me to represent the Winstale seat instead.”
Calix’s mouth dropped. His expression lit up, fists clenched and ready to throw words, or worse, but Nova got to him first. She smacked the back of his head so hard his eyes crossed.
“How about you shut that big brother mouth of yours and act right atthisopening,” she said sweetly, looping her arm through his. “Then maybe you can prove you’re capable of handling your baby sister looking like a goddamn sex goddess in front of her lust-drunk fans.”
He looked around as more and more members filtered in, his desperate eyes ping-ponging around the three of us before his shoulders sagged and his head dropped in defeat. “I guess being a big brother is overrated. Might as well just watch the people fucking to distract me from my newfound depression.”
What a big baby. Guess it was true what they said—the bigger they were, the harder they fell.
Nova gave me a wink as she led him toward the VIP booth I'd reserved in the corner. “Don’t worry,” she called over her shoulder. “We’ve got him. And hey, now you’ve got more ammo for the next boss meeting.”
As they walked away, she gave the room a onceover. “The security guard decoration idea was good. Can’t even tell there are like twenty men in here watching.”
I looked up at the golden masks mounted high on the walls. You couldn’t see the bodies, just the eyes behind them, scanning, assessing, always watching. It gave the whole floor this secret society, underground indulgence vibe that fit perfectly.
Only a few guests had already caught on, whispering and pointing at the masks. A couple was fully engaged on a nearby couch. The man pounded into her from behind, one hand tangled in her hair, while the other held her jaw up so she could see the watchers. “They’re watching you, seeing what a slut you are,” he murmured, and she moaned loud enough to echo.
All around me, the floor buzzed. To the left, the new gloryhole setup had a crowd. One of our talent’s bottom half was out, legs chained up and spread. They were already being fucked while moaning for more. A line of men and women waited for their turn. Two women were taking turns on a single cock, stroking, sucking, and teasing, cooing through the wall about how much he’d grown from their touch. When he finally came, it splashed across their masks, but you would thinktheycame by how loudly they cried out. Not a second later, they licked him clean together, giggling and begging for him to get hard for them again.
To the right, the magical dartboard was already a hit. A man was strapped to the wall, hips jerking forward as his partner aimed another glowing pink dart at his cock. The moment it hit, he cried out with pleasure. Bingo.
Off to the side, I spotted Van talking with Nathen, one of our veteran employees and head of the primal play floor. Brilliantwith predator-prey dynamics and a damn good teacher, he was one of my first hires.
I started toward them but was stopped by two guests in white masks. “Miss Glovefox, you’re absolutely glowing tonight. That dress just screams…” The speaker licked his lips as his eyes drank me in. The woman on his arm gave me the same look as she nodded in agreement. “Just gorgeous.” Everything in their gazes asked a silent forbidden question:How much for the night?
I smiled and thanked them for the compliments, pretending I didn’t notice their heady stares. In reality, Ithrivedon it. The hunger, the craving, the unspoken desperation to touch, to taste, to have me for even just a night. The silent begging, demanding, wishing, all of it fed me like it was a life-giving elixir.
The best part? They knew they couldn’t ask, couldn't pressure me, or else I would cut their throats and make their bodies disappear. The danger was half of the allure.
They continued on, gushing about how happy they were that the Winged Palace was back and how empty they’d felt while it was closed. I reassured them, voice dripping with promise. “Nothing can take me, this place, or the Syndicate down.”
They exhaled like it was gospel, but I’d had just about enough of them. Pointing toward the dartboard, I whispered, “I heard there’s a tournament to see who can work their partner up the most.” That had them rushing away, and I made my way to Van and Nathen before anyone else could stop me.
Even dressed in simple black slacks and a white button-down with diamonds as buttons, Van was mouthwateringly edible. My lips twitched, craving a taste.
As I got closer, I could make out Nathen’s panicked voice through his golden mask. “It’s too fancy. I don’t know how to work the damn thing!”
