“Fine,” Felix said, answering for me. “Is there anything you need, Cosimo?”
“Do Ineedanything?” he mused, letting the words linger in the air. “I suppose I’m just here for some entertainment tonight.”
“Well go to the club, tables, or theback,” Felix said, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.
I glanced between him and Cosimo, curiosity prickling at the edge of my nerves. The back… what could that be? I wondered, the thought sending a little thrill through me despite the tension in the air. Cosimo’s smirk widened as if he’d read my mind, and I felt Felix’s grip tighten on my hand, a silent warning not to wander too far.
“Maybe I will,” Cosimo said. “Will I see you back there, ‘just Tessa?’”
“Absolutely not,” Felix said, he said, leaving no room for argument. His hand tightened around mine, a protective anchor I didn’t realize I’d been craving.
“Shame,” he said, glancing at me.
“Watch your words Cosimo,” Felix growled, his eyes darkening. “I don’t care if you’re family. I’ll throw you outside and make sure you can’t walk back in.”
“I’ll be on my way then,” Cosimo said, putting his hands up in mock surrender. “I do need all my limbs in working order.”
Cosimo gave one last sly, lingering glance, one that promised mischief and danger in equal measure, before melting back into the crowd. Felix didn’t relax, but his grip on my hand loosened just slightly, enough that I felt a little more at ease.
“Give that man an ounce of alcohol and he’s more insufferable than normal,” Felix muttered.
I stifled a laugh, shaking my head. “You make it sound like he’s dangerous,” I said, amusement flickering through my nerves.
Felix’s eyes flicked to mine, sharp and serious for a heartbeat before the corner of his mouth twitched. “He is. Just not in the way you think.”
I tilted my head, curiosity prickling at the edge of my nerves.The back…I wondered, my mind replaying the brief mention from earlier. What could he have meant by that?
“What’s in ‘the back?’ Why can’t I go there?”
“You don’t want to go there,” Felix said, his voice low and firm. “It’s basically a giant sex party.”
“Oh,” I said, my face turning bright red.
“And we have a different location specifically for that,” he muttered, looking annoyed. “People just can’t control themselves.”
“A different location?” I blurted out. “Like a sex club?”
Felix’s lips twitched, half-amusement, half-exasperation. “Exactly like that,” he said, voice low. “Which is why we stay here. This is the civilized section—mostly.”
I blinked at him, torn between mortification and curiosity.Civilized… mostly?My pulse quickened, and I realized just how little I actually knew about this world Felix moved through so effortlessly.
“Dance with me?” Felix said, outstretching his hand.
Without hesitation, I took it, feeling the familiar warmth of his grip. He guided me through the throng of bodies, weaving us smoothly between dancers, lights, and swirling shadows. The music pulsed around us, a deep, hypnotic beat that made my pulse echo in time.
Once we found a pocket of space, he pulled me close, hips brushing, hands steady on my waist. My breath hitched as our bodies moved together, every subtle shift charged with heat. The world around us faded into a blur of motion and rhythm, and the teasing, slow pressure of his touch made it impossible to think about anything else.
I glanced up at him, and his smirk was gone, replaced by that intense, dark gaze that left me trembling and wanting more.
The music throbbed through us, a heavy pulse that seemed to sync with our own heartbeats. Felix’s hands slid just a little lower on my waist, guiding my movements with a confidence that left no room for doubt—or escape. I could feel the heat radiating off him, the press of his body against mine, and the subtle brush of his lips near my ear as he leaned in with the rhythm.
His hands began to wander more boldly, tracing the curve of my hips, sliding along the small of my back, and teasing the sides of my torso. Every shift of his body pressed me closer, every movement timed perfectly to the beat, driving the tension higher. I could feel his thigh brushing against my core and I let out a little shiver.
“If we aren’t careful, I will have to take you in the back,” he murmured into my ear, his breath warm and deliberate.
My heart was racing, my skin flushed, and my pulse thrumming in time with the music. “And if you did,” I whispered back, “What then?”
“I could probably get us a private room,” he murmured, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he spoke. The words sent a shiver down my spine, and I could feel the heat pooling lower, the press of his body against mine suddenly sharper, more deliberate.
