“If only it were that easy. If I let you go, you’ll just turn around and try to steal from my customers again, and I can’t have that.” Another button loosened, but this time his thumb gave it a gentle swirl before stroking down to the next one.
“What if I pinky swear that I won’t?” Nyx swallowed, eyes glued to those godsdamn buttons.
“Now what kind of businessman would I be if I believed the lies of little thieves?” The fourth popped free and those clever fingers teased the slit.
Nyx shifted and bit down on a moan as the desk pressed against her aching pussy. “I already told you,” she ground out. “I didn’t break any rules in your stupid fucking club.”
He leaned forward, lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “I know.” He stepped back, dropped his hands to the desk, and swiped his tongue across perfect teeth as he smirked. Shame and anger clashed in her chest, outrage warring with humility as she realized the trap he’d set and gods fucking dammit if she hadn’t fallen straight into it.
“You know?” Nyx said incredulously. “What the hell do you mean you know?”
“I know because I’ve been watching you.” He held his ground, fists planted on either side of her hips daring her to shrink, to flinch back or yield.
“Well, that’s the creepiest godsdamned thing you’ve said all night,” Nyx spat, spine straightening with every word.
“Did you think you could steal clothes and a wig from someone off the street and come into my club unnoticed? I see everyone who walks through those doors. I know when they do and do not belong in Club Hel and you, kitten, do not belong. I can smell your innocence.”
“First the fuck of all,” she snapped as she sat up tall and stretched her neck out until they were nose to nose. “You know nothing about me. Don’t pretend to understand my intentions when you don’t know what I need or what I’ve been through. I just wanted to have a good time, and I was doing a damn good job of it until I was interrupted by some asshole and his brooding group of bullies.”
“Such pretty lies,” he whispered, his hand reaching to trace her jaw. Her heart pounded at the promise of his touch and she wanted fuck him almost as bad as she wanted to rip him apart.
“Stop playing games. Let’s lay it all out on the table. What are you going to do with me, since you’re obviously not going to let me go.”
That milky stare pierced hers as he dropped his hand and stood in silence for a few heartbeats. Those seconds felt like hours.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
She was quick to answer, “Ambrosia.”
The twitch of his eye was all the warning she got before he pulled a blade free from his side, twisted it on the upstroke, and stabbed it into the desk between her thighs on the down. Nyx’s heart thundered in her ears as a bead of blood welled and trickled down her inner thigh. He wiped the trail with one black tipped thumb and Nyx watched with bated breath as his tongue snaked out and licked it clean. “I thought we weren’t playing any more games, Nyx.”
Her blood ran cold.
Fucking balls.
He smiled and went on before she could answer. “I told you, I’ve been watching you.”
“Who are you?” She whispered, voice cracking on the last word.
“It doesn’t matter who I am. It only matters who you are.”
“I’m nobody.”
“A nobody who is going to fetch a high price in level Desecration if you keep lying to me.”
“Fine!” she snapped as every fraying emotion imploded inside. “I’m just,” she stumbled, searching for honest words to sprinkle in with the lies. “I’m just a girl. A nobody. I’ve been orphanedand I thought I could find someone… someone to be with in your club. Someone who could take care of me.”
Lie: finding someone to take care of her.
Truth: finding someone rich to steal money or secrets from so she could take care of those counting on her back home. Nyx needed to find even footing. Needed to figure out where his strings were and how to pull them.
“First you’re an adult, and now you’re a little orphaned girl with no one to take care of you?”
“I am an adult. I’m twenty years and Iwasorphaned.”
“How does an orphan girl make it onto this desolate island of Anthemoessa?”
“I tricked someone into bringing me. I’ve heard rumors about the types of people who patron your club. There are hundreds of daemon here right now who wouldn't mind my company in exchange for housing and food.”
