Looking into the mirror behind him, gone was the lingerie. I now wore a familiar work outfit. Not one I wore on stage, but one of my normal office ensembles. A tight pencil skirt, sheer white blouse that clung to my push-up bra, and red heels that I knew would click against the floor. My hair was a mess, thrown up into a chaotic bun with a pencil jabbed through it.
I blinked.
This is what he desires most?
Confusion hit me, but deeper down, something warm stirred.
“Do you remember the first time we pulled an all-nighter for an audit?” His voice was soft, dreamy, almost wistful. “That night, I watched you for hours, hunched over your desk, flipping through paperwork. I couldn’t look away. It was the first time I realized I loved you.”
His words made me look up, and I became caught in the pull of his deep jade-green eyes, eyes that always threatened to drown me if I stared too long.
Thinking back, it must not have been long after he started working for me. Which meant… he’d been carrying this for years.
This time, he was the one who pulled me closer, resting his forehead against mine as he murmured, “You were stunning, all disheveled and focused. I kept daydreaming about you looking that way under me.”
My breath caught. “B-but… all this time?”
He nodded, eyes unwavering. “All this time. I was too scared to say it then, but I’m saying it now. Will you accept me, my flame?”
His golden bond reached for mine, eager, trembling, aching for connection.
Images raced through my mind: stolen glances across conference tables, the quiet loyalty in his every action, the way he always seemed to know when I needed support without me asking. All those moments were laced with longing and unspoken hunger.
My bond unfurled in answer, and golden light trailed through my chest, weaving toward his like thread through a needle. When they touched, they fused, no hesitation, no question. As if this was always the inevitable end.
He gasped at the connection, mouth parting in overwhelmed relief, but I caught the sound with my lips, swallowing it greedily. That cry belonged to me.
The burn along my back flared, searing hot, but I barely noticed because his arms had wrapped around me, pulling me close, anchoring me. I felt... home. Safe. Wanted.
A pointed cough snapped the moment.
“Some of us still need our turn,” Lucus grumbled, arms crossed and one foot tapping like an impatient executive.
I turned, unable to hide my smirk. He looked like a scorned CEO waiting for his board meeting to begin, reminding me just how we met.
“All right, I’m coming,” I shot back, giving all the sass he deserved.
The wicked grin that broke across his face was entirely worth the wait.
Van looked down at me, his expression carved with pure joy. “Go. That impatient vampire will only get worse,” he teased, his voice warm. His lips trailed up my cheek and into my hair, breathing me in like he was trying to memorize my scent. “We have forever now. You’re mine, Aniyah Glovefox. Now and always.”
I used his collar to tug him closer, my words brushing against his lips.
“You’ve got it all wrong. You’re mine now… and you haven’t seen what I’m like when I’m attached.”
His eyes fluttered closed, his body shivering against mine. A moan slipped out, unbidden and raw. I let him go with a smug little smirk, already planning how I'd make him fall apart again soon.
As I crossed the room to Lucus, I glanced back and threw Van a wink. His jade-green eyes flared neon. Power crackled through the air, buzzing down my spine and propelling me forward like a whispered promise.
I stopped in front of Lucus, hands on my hips, feeling light and lethal with both of them now tethered to me.
“All right, Mr. Kingsley,” I sassed, “you have my attention.”
He stepped in, toe-to-toe, his voice a low purr. “I like it when you say that. I think you should say it again when I’m balls deep inside you.”
Rolling my lips in to suppress my smile, I murmured, “We’ll see.”
He tilted his head, eyes gleaming. “Yes. You will.”
