Yet here I stood, trapped in a steel box with a man who had made my blood thick with heat without saying a word.
That savage side of me kicked open the door inside my chest, snarling for control.Put him in his place.Show him who rules here.It didn’t matter if my body ached for him—desire meant nothing without obedience. I was judge, jury, and executioner in this house, and if he couldn’t handle that, too bad. There were plenty of fangs in the crowd, a whole sea of hungry mouths waiting for my attention.
As soon as the elevator doors slid open on the final floor, adrenaline surged through me, flooding my veins with purpose. I was ready to turn this little game into my arena. To wrap a collar around that dominant man’s throat and make himwatchwhat power truly looked like.
Yes.
He needed to learn his place before he played.
Stepping out of the elevator, I glanced over my shoulder.
“Are you coming or heading back down? Your choice.”
He stepped out almost immediately, expression unreadable. Whatever he was feeling, he was ready. Willing.
I led him down a hallway lined with matte black doors, stopping at the very end where two stood side by side. I reached for the one on the left and spoke the password. Magic shimmered across the surface before the lock clicked open.
Blocking the entrance, I turned to face him, my chest just a breath from his. Hands folded behind my back, I batted my eyes up with a small, hesitant smile. I gave him the illusion of submission I could tell he wanted.
“Are you ready to play bymyrules, Mr. Kingsley?”
He didn’t answer with words. His hands landed against the doorframe with a thud, caging me in. His body pressed into mine, but I didn’t flinch. His head dropped, nose brushing my shoulder as he inhaled deeply, then charted a slow, possessive trail up the curve of my neck.
“It’s Lucus, darling,” he murmured, that low, velvet accent pouring over me like smoke and heat.
“Lucus,” I repeated with a dangerous smile, already giving in to the fire licking beneath my skin. I grabbed the back of his neck and yanked him down, my wings fluttering to lift me just enough. Our lips collided—hard, electric. A jolt of something primal surged through me, lighting me up from the inside out.
Focus,I reminded myself.This is still the game.
I pulled him inside the room, dark and narrow, with low lighting and a row of booth-style seating lining the wall. He followed, hungry, trying not to let our kiss break. His hands seized my waist, and with a growl, he yanked me closer until I wrapped my legs around him, clinging tight.
“Sit,” I commanded, my voice low but firm.
He obeyed, though not without protest. His teeth nipped my bottom lip, a flash of challenge. If that riled him up, he really wasn’t going to like what came next.
Tearing my mouth from his, I held his face between my palms, both caressing and restraining. “It’smygame.Myrules,” I whispered, letting my authority settle between us. He nodded, silent and seething.
I lowered my lips to his neck and pressed a trail of delicate kisses, savoring the way his skin shivered beneath each one. His head tilted back with a quiet groan, completely under my spell.
“And tonight,” I murmured against his throat, “you’ll learn… I belong to no one but myself.”
His body tensed beneath my hands, energy coiled tight like a spring. I used that moment to slip free, wings fluttering as I floated backward toward the door.
He shot up from his seat, ready to follow, but I raised a hand, stopping him cold.
“You want to learn about this club—about me—right?”
He nodded slowly like he wasn’t even sure why.
I smiled. “Then sit back and enjoy the private show. I don’t do this for just anyone.” I let that linger in the air like bait. Men like him loved being singled out, made to feel exceptional. It gave them the illusion of control, which was exactly what I needed.
He lowered himself to the edge of the booth, stiff and composed, his arousal unmistakable beneath the fabric. I let my gaze drop, licking my lips as I stared. That seemed to relax him.
Reaching behind me, I opened the door and walked backward, leaving him with a parting shot. “If it’s too much, that’s fine. No hard feelings. Just return the mask to Randy in the lobby.”
I blew him a kiss and winked before closing the door.
Pulse thrumming, breath tight with anticipation, I really hoped he stayed. A body and face like his walking out unsatisfied? Tragic.
