A year. It had been an entire year since a man had made me come. And it had only been because he was fantastic at giving head and I was fantastic at imagining what I truly wanted but couldn’t ask for.
Roman smirked, as if he was a mind-reader. “Poor, poor angel. You must be so deprived.” He stroked the woman’s hair as she looked up at him, waiting. “Say the word, and the rich will eatyou.”
I tensed, taking another step back toward the door.
“Please,” the kneeling woman pleaded.
Roman’s hand closed around her throat. “No, notyou.” His voice oozed with condescension, as if speaking to a child. “I only want tohurtyou.”
Her breathing became shallow as Roman’s grip tightened. Her eyes bulged slightly, her face turning red.
“Roman,” I said in alarm.
After five more long seconds, he let go of her, and the woman sucked in air as she leaned against Roman’s thighs. He stroked her hair.
“How do you feel about pain, Nova?” he asked me.
I lost it, my fists balling at my sides as my voice rose. “What the fuck do you know about what I’m searching for, Roman?”
A man laughed from across the room. The girl stared at me as if she was the one scared formylife. Roman only smiled eerily, abandoning his human toy to stand directly in front of me.
I fought to stay strongly rooted in place.
“This is a rare instance when it is fortuitous for you that you are not mine. Because if you belonged to me…” He laughed, shaking his head. “You would already be regretting speaking to me that way.”
Flustered and surging with heat and confusion and the betrayal of my body’s automatic arousal, I gave up and strode back to the door.
“The next time you see me, I will end your search,” he said.
I stopped just before the door, but I didn’t turn to face him. He knew something. Was he saying he could take me to Lorelei? I could feel him close, but he didn’t touch me again. His voice was smooth, even, controlled.
“I know you joined The Circle for something more than your own repressed desires. I don’t want you to worry about anything ever again, Nova. Your life should be your own. It should be easy. I can make it easy.”
Roman reached around me to open the door. I didn’t respond as I slipped past and beelined for the other private room, where Wes was.
Wes had become the only thing in this web of sex, money, and power that made any sense.
The moment I burst back into the room, Wes’s eyes found mine, abandoning his low conversation with Archer. He assessed me quickly, and he immediately stood.
“It’s been… a time,” Wes said to the room, grabbing my gift bag and purse. “Goodbye.”
The corners of Archer’s lips tugged down. Jayne still hadn’t returned. He watched Wes and me abandon our appetizers with a deepening frown before homing in onme.
What thefuckwas going on here? I couldn’t wrap my head around any of it. I didn’t know how to win the game if I had no idea who the players were and what rules they were playing by. If therewereany rules.
Maisy cocked her head in confusion and intrigue. Wes’s hand found my waist, and I nodded at him, confirming I was okay.
“Have a great night,” I said to the room, unable to stop it from sounding sarcastic.
“You as well,” Archer said. His tone was as forced as his tight smile.
Wes led me out of the restaurant, and the summer evening greeted us with darkness and sticky humidity.
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I feel like I ruined our first date.”
“You didn’t?—”
“I did, though,” I said, cutting him off. “You were right. I’m addicted to trying to save Lorelei, and The Circle makes me feel like I’m trapped in a maze. They’re fucking with me intentionally, but I don’t know why, and maybe I’m addicted to trying to figurethatout too. Whyme?” I took a breath. “I’m sorry, Wes.”
