But if I did give in… I’d need boundaries. Clear. Non-negotiable. Ones I wouldn’t compromise on, no matter how good he tasted.
An idea sparked.Isn’t today Van’s day off?
I bit my lower lip, let myself indulge in that wicked spark of anticipation, and turned toward him.
“I’m not something you can pay for,” I said, my words deliberate. “Because I fuck who I want, when I want.”
Like a switch flipping, he zoomed in front of me, backing me into a corner and trapping me there with the sheer weight of his presence. His body caged mine without touching, his fangs gleaming under the dim light. “So, how do I get you towantit?”
His hand slid up my thigh, aiming for the ache that was already pulsing with need, but I slapped him away. A low growl rumbled from his chest, all dominance and frustration.
“You have to pass the test,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm, cool, and collected, even though my pulse was racing.
“Test?” He paused, just barely stepping back.
With just enough space for me to move, I didn’t hesitate. I ducked beneath his arm and flew to the elevator, hitting the up button. The doors opened immediately, as if the place knew Ineeded an escape. I stepped in, turning back to face him with a forced smirk I didn’t quite feel.
“Do you think you can handle it?” I challenged, letting the question hang as my thumb jabbed floor thirteen. I folded my arms, pretending like my heartbeat wasn’t thundering in my ears.
He didn’t move, but his brows furrowed, eyes burning into mine. So, I pressed harder, folding my arms over my chest and raising a brow. “It’s not for the faint of heart,” I warned. “And you’ll have to doexactlywhat I say.”
The doors started to close. Slowly. Inch by inch.
For a breathless moment, I doubted, fingers digging into my arms, heart clenching. Maybe he wouldn’t follow. Maybe that was it. And if so? Then, oh well.
I still had someone waiting for me upstairs. Someone I knew would help me take the edge off.
The elevator doors shut, and my jaw clenched.
Fine.
That was fine. He had made his choice.
Staring at my reflection in the bright steel doors, my face looked cold, blank, like I could fool myself into thinking I didn’t care even though my stomach had dropped when those doors closed.
This was ridiculous! He didn’t matter. He was just another man with a pretty face and a powerful aura, the kind that made lesser beings swoon.
Still… it felt like something was missing the moment the space behind me stayed empty.
A phantom heat lingered near my back, and I swore I could still feel the echo of his presence, like the air itself hadn’t accepted his decision to stay behind. My wings twitched once, then twice, restless. Wanting. Reaching.
Shaking my head, I told myself I just needed a good fuck to get my body straight again. All of this was nothing, no big deal.
Ignoring the unsettling disappointment, I had just reached out to press the floor I wanted, where someone who knew and accepted the rules was waiting for me, when the elevatordinged.The doors parted, and in strolled Lucus Kingsley, all calm composure and quiet command. He didn’t say anything at first, just turned to face forward like this was any other elevator ride and not the tension-filled purgatory it had suddenly become.
Then his rough voice rang clear, the sound low, intimate. “After you.”
My pulse jumped like he’d touched me, and I hated how quickly my mind spiraled.What made him change his mind?For a man who seemed to live a strict life under his own rules, I wondered what tempted him more—me or the thrill of the unknown?And why the hell is my body heating up at just the thought of having this man follow me?
Leaning forward, I pressed the button for level thirteen, keeping my face straight so the scanner could pick up that it was me. Since different floors cost extra, everyone's numbered mask was scanned before the elevator would move to that floor. This ensured payment was made and kept the non-paying lookie loos out. Only security, Van, and I could go to any floor.
He didn’t speak, didn’t move, but Ifelthim beside me, felt the heat of his body and tracked the flick of his gaze sneaking towardme through the corner of his eye. He was trying to be subtle, but I wasn’t just aware of it, Isensedit the way a predator senses the shift in air before they struck.
My wings prickled with tension. My skin pulled tight where his gaze touched it, like he was tracing it with his fingers instead of his eyes.
I stayed silent, enveloped in the scent of luxury and status. It made me want to lick his skin to see if he tasted as good as he smelled.
What the fuck is wrong with me?This wasn’t who I was, not here, not in my own damn domain. I ran this place. I set the rules. I turned the rich and powerful into whimpering puddles with just a look. Grown men crumbled at my feet, choking on my dominance and begging for more. Men who begged to be seen by me, touched by me,claimedby me.
