Chapter 4 Anna
ANNA
The moment I enter the club and the door locks behind me, sealing me into the unknown world of the lower-level DeLuca X Club, it should have sparked self-preserving fear.
But the allure of the dimly lit club with the low playing music allowing couples the ability to have conversations in private just piqued my curiosity even more.
Addie taps me on the shoulder. “I have to run to the restroom and meet up with my friend. Be okay for a little bit on your own?”
I nod, too engrossed in the atmosphere, charged with something I’ve never felt before and intangible to explain, to do more than that as my friend goes to find her latest guy.
Every dark shadowed corner, secluded by the position of the booths or chairs with large potted plants that hang over the space like a jungle provide seclusion while offering glimpses into the seduction of this world.
Then I feel the entire room’s energy change.
A woman in mid-sentence shifts her gaze to a towering dark-haired man with deep dark eyes, leaning against the column by the bar.
The women’s quiet chatter causes me to glance their way momentarily.
One of the women glances toward the man and then away, quickly, deliberately.
But now my eyes stay focused on the man who has suddenly taken my breath away.
The dark god who stands over six-foot tall, wearing a black Armani suit with a mask of black and silver shifts, but doesn’t come closer.
And when my eyes lift from the glinting cuff links of his suit, his meet mine sending a chill right down the length of my spine.
Fear, excitement of the unknown, a sense of danger, I don’t know but it’s impossible to not be mesmerized where I stand.
The dark-haired god doesn’t approach right away.
He waits, long enough that I become aware of my rapid pulse and every breath I take.
So long that I almost convince myself to leave, or to run, but discard the thought, knowing I’d have to explain it to myself later, when I’m alone in the night dreaming of what could have been.
The people milling about in masks, providing drinks and mingling may not know who the person behind the mask is but they know that he is someone of importance. It’s in their subtle nods, and eye contact or lack of.
When he finally approaches, it’s unhurried. No one gets in his way, or is even in view, they simply aren’t there anymore because I’ve stopped seeing everyone but him. He stops a comfortable distance away. “You’re new.”
I don’t think it’s a question. Maybe he already knows. I swallow through the lump in my throat and nod. He doesn’t ask for my name or provide me with his. “You’re safe here. But everything you see here is by design. It’s real, it’s powerful, and can be overwhelming to someone new.”
I nod, so nervous that I simply don’t know where to look. His gaze draws my eyes to his. “If someone bothers you, you’ll tell me. Immediately, do you understand?”
I grasp my hands to try and do something other than nod. “Yes, I’ll do that. Thank you.”
His piercing dark eyes never leave mine. “Did you come alone?”
My head shakes automatically. “No, I came with Addie. She’s a friend of Mistress Valentina’s. Addie thought it would be nice for me to come along and, well, um…” I inhale a deep breath wishing I could just sink right into the floor and disappear. Maybe this was a bad idea.
He doesn’t let it drop. “What is it that had you so curious you ventured into one of the most sought-after clubs in the states?”
I straighten my spine and will myself to draw from my inner strength. This is what I wanted, to learn, to see for myself, no matter my nerves. “I was interested, have always been curious about the club life, about the different experiences that people have here versus regular clubs.”
He tugs at the sleeves of his crisp white shirt, calling attention to his massive hands. “Are you observing or considering then?” He’s so direct. My core heats and my blood begins to thrum.
I swallow through my fear. “Is it okay to say I’m not sure yet? I just got here, and in all honesty, I haven’t had a chance to see very much.”
A flicker of approval hits the gold flecks in his dark eyes.
“Good, you should take your time to decide.” The man doesn’t touch me or cross that invisible line of personal space.
Nor does he ask to touch me. His restraint feels deliberate, like he’s teaching me a rule, or what it feels like to want him to do the very thing he’s not doing while keeping me at arm’s reach.
Whoever this man is, he’s powerful. If I walked away, he doesn’t seem the type who would follow. There’s no doubt in my mind. And if I decide to stay, the encounter will be controlled, somehow dangerous and exciting but for some odd reason, I feel it would be safe.
It’s that commanding presence he exudes that tells me this man is used to getting his way in everything, and he is in a DeLuca X club.
This man could be anyone, more dangerous than men I’ve known being subjected to friends of my fathers in the past, yet he is so controlled it’s disarming. I’ve come this far; I won’t run away.
If I decide to stay, it will be about learning to trust again, even perhaps the quiet thrill of choosing to kneel before someone who could make me disappear with a snap of his finger but won’t, because the attraction I feel, he feels it too. It’s palpable, in the air, mingling around us.
All of a sudden, I realize the danger isn’t the club.
It’s this man. Not because he may cross my boundaries, but because as a Dom I may want him to.
At least for a night, to try it on for size.
His commanding presence is nothing that he says, it’s in the power of his stance and his gaze.
He would honor my trust so precisely it makes me want to give him permission to cross the line with everything else.
To teach me everything he knows. And he hasn’t even asked me to play.
The trouble is that this powerful and dangerous man may know exactly what I want and need far better than I do myself.
After what seems like forever, he holds out a hand.
“You may call me Mr. D. I’ll show you around, and then you can decide later if you’re observing or considering, and just because you decide to consider does not mean you have to rush into anything tonight.
” He tilts my chin with the tip of his finger so that my eyes meet his and he keeps them locked. “Capisce?”
His touch, even under my chin, does something to me. Maybe it’s just the entire conversation but this man is dangerous and exciting at the very same time. “Yes,” I whisper.
“Very good. What’s your name?”
My throat dries. I should probably use an alias, but I don’t. No one is going to recognize me with a mask on my face. “Anna.” I don’t give him my last name, so there’s that.
“We’ll start with the open club, Anna,” Mr. D says, taking my hand which causes my pulse to race far faster than usual.
We walk through the club, navigating around the small tables set up in the dimly lit space, everyone wearing a mask, but all dressed in a variety of attire.
I take in the long gowns, short skirts, and even long tailored pantsuits, but surprisingly no one is nude.
“Is it what you imagined?” he asks, placing a hand at my lower back.
“In my mind, I pictured a lot of nude people running around, hanging out and making out in different corners of the club. Kind of a smorgasbord of orgy if you will.”
His lip curls slightly as we reach the elevator. “That’s downstairs. Are you ready to go see the more risqué crowd?”
I inhale a deep breath and give him a nod. “I think so. If I go running for the hills, just know it’s nothing you did or said.”
Why does everything south clench when he did not say one thing inappropriate, but just the thought of being dirty with him makes me swoon.
The thought that I should tell Addie where I’m going crosses my mind, but she’s an adult, she’s used to club life, and I’m certain she’s having fun and doesn’t need me cramping her style.
It was nice of her to bring me but that doesn’t mean I need to curtail her fun.
The man’s dark eyes meet mine. “I don’t think you’ll be running tonight.”