Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Novalee
The locker room at Euphoria feels eerily quiet tonight.
No chatter, no laughter, no thudding bass vibrating through the walls from the main floor. Just me, alone in front of the mirror, slicking on a coat of lip gloss.
Everything about this moment feels surreal.
He rented the whole fucking club.
I press my lips together to even out the gloss and shake my head, still trying to wrap my mind around it. Koen rented the entire place for me. To give me one last night as a stripper.
Considerate. That word clings to him perfectly. Always thoughtful, always knowing exactly what I need before I even ask. I don’t know how to handle that kind of attentiveness, but God, I love it.
My gaze drifts down to my reflection. I’m in a black G-string and pasties, no glitter dusted across my skin, no candy-pink wig, no rhinestones sparkling under the lights.
Just me.
For the first time, I’m stepping onto that stage as Novalee, not Glitter. I don’t need the armor tonight. I don’t need to shine in anyone else’s place.
I can shine in my own.
I stare at the mirror, and Rosalee’s face stares back at me. But this time, it’s mine . It’s me . I see myself.
Myself happy .
Myself whole .
My throat tightens, but instead of tears, a smile spreads across my face as I tilt my chin up to the ceiling. “Thank you for lending me Glitter, Rosie,” I whisper. “But I’m giving her back now. I don’t need her anymore.”
The words are a release, a final step toward something I thought I’d never have again.
Peace.
I rise from the bench, smoothing my hands down my thighs as I walk toward the door. My heart races, not from nerves, but from the anticipation of giving them everything I’ve saved for this moment.
The second I step out onto the stage, music starts up, and the overhead lights shine down, hot against my bare skin.
And there they are.
Koen, Ace, Sylus, and Nicholas are sprawled across the couches in front of the stage, eyes already locked on me. Heat and hunger burn in their gazes, but there’s reverence too. Like I’m something to be worshiped.
Glancing to the back, I spot Ezra and Levi at the bar, glasses in hand. Levi catches my eye and raises his champagne glass with a grin.
I grip the pole and slide my hand up until it’s steady in my palm. The familiar cool metal grounds me. This is my last dance. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, feeling the music surge through my veins. Time to make it my best.
The beat drops, and I move.
I spin, the air rushing around me as I swing out gracefully, legs taut, muscles flexing. My feet in the way-too-high stilettos hit the stage floor with a satisfying thud, and I arch my back into the next movement.
A loud whoop breaks through the music—Sylus.
That’s right, watch me.
I climb the pole, reaching the top in one smooth pull, then arch and let my body slide down in one fluid glide. The friction heats my skin as I twist and land in a perfect split.
“Fuck,” Koen growls out, loud enough that I hear it over the music.
Chuckling, I tilt my head as I catch sight of him. Mouth parted, looking hungry as hell.
Flicking my gaze toward the bar again, I softly laugh when I see Ezra tugging Levi toward one of the private rooms.
I love that for them. It’s great to see them taking what they want.
I push up from the floor and move into my final spin, arching my back as I grip the pole for the last time. The music swells, and I finish with a flourish, flipping my hair back as I land on both feet, my arms raised above my head.
The last notes of the song fade, but the heat in the room lingers. My pulse hums as I lower my arms and step off the stage, walking straight toward them.
My men.
Nicholas is sitting on the edge of the couch, hands resting on his thighs. His fingers twitch the closer I get like he doesn’t know whether to reach for me or keep them pinned where they are. His lips part, his breathing shallow, as if he’s forgotten how to exhale.
God, look at him.
He’s already wrecked, and I haven’t even touched him yet.
I stop right in front of him, and his eyes flick up to meet mine. He looks like he’s ready to come undone simply from watching me.
“Hi, sweetheart,” I murmur, sliding a hand along his jaw. His breath stutters at the contact, his head tilting into my palm like he’s starved for it.
“Sweetness…”
Straddling his lap slowly, I savor the way his body goes still beneath me. My fingertips trail down his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart beneath his shirt. “Let me take care of you.”
I start to move, making my hips roll against his lap in a slow, rhythmic grind, drawing out a strangled moan from deep in his throat. His hands keep twitching like he’s seconds from grabbing my waist, but he doesn’t. He holds still exactly as a good boy should.
“So good for me.” I drag my fingers up the sides of his neck, threading them through his dark hair. Nicholas’s eyes snap open, glazed and glassy as they meet mine. “You like it when I tell you that, don’t you?” I ask, grinding down harder against him. His hips jerk up involuntarily.
“Yes.”
“Look at you,” I purr, letting my lips brush over his cheek, his jaw, before I press a kiss right beneath his ear. “You’re perfect.”
“Novalee…” His breath catches in his throat.
My fingers slide down his arm, brushing over the band of his smartwatch. I feel the slight ridge of it beneath my fingertips, and a familiar thrill courses through me.
Showtime.
My lips find his, and he opens for me immediately. I let him drown in it, in me, and as his focus sharpens on the kiss, I slip the watch free from his wrist with a twist of my fingers.
Leaning back, I hold the watch behind his head and palm it. Nicholas lets out another whimper, chasing the kiss.
“Such a good boy.” I glance to my right and catch Koen’s eyes, watching us with a heat that makes my skin prickle. The anticipation builds, a pressure in my chest. Soon.
Pressing one last lingering kiss to Nicholas’s lips, I savor the way he leans into it and then slide off his lap, letting my fingers trail down his chest before I step away.
I turn to Sylus, and he’s already shifting forward on the couch like he can’t wait another second for his turn. “Come here.” He reaches for me like an eager puppy, his hands already brushing my waist.
Laughing, I let him pull me to him, his arms wrapping tightly around me, lifting me off the floor and settling me into place with a low growl of satisfaction.
“Missed this,” he mutters, his breath warm against my chest.
I slowly grind against him, feeling his muscles flex under me. His response is immediate—a soft, reverent moan as his lips find the curve of my neck before he sucks, making my breath hitch.
“Sylus.” His teeth nip at the same spot, sending a shiver down my spine and causing goose bumps to spread across my skin.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” he murmurs between kisses, then he licks over the spot he nipped, soothing it, then sucks harder, making me arch against him.
“This is a lap dance . I should be dancing.” My fingers curl into his hair as he drags his lips up the side of my neck.
Sylus is so focused on tasting me that he doesn’t notice when I slide my hand down the length of his arm and steal his smartwatch right off it, holding it in my hand with Nicholas’s. He only groans as I shift in his lap, my hips rolling in a slow, teasing circle.
“Yeah, forget the dance,” he breathes out, his mouth brushing against my ear.
My free hand slides down to his chest, tracing the hard planes of muscle through his shirt. I press my breasts against him while I tilt his face up. “Kiss me.”
Sylus’s lips part against mine, and his tongue flicks over my bottom lip before diving deeper, kissing me like he’s trying to steal the very air from my lungs. The world narrows to the press of his body beneath me, the heat of his touch, the way he groans into my mouth like I’m the only thing he’s ever wanted.
I pull back, catching my breath, our noses brushing as I whisper for only him to hear, “Thank you, hubby. ”
When I finally stand, Sylus lets out a low, frustrated sound, his hands falling reluctantly away from my waist.
Glancing down at him, the corner of my mouth quirks up. He’s a mess, hair askew, lips swollen, gray eyes glassy, but I step away, my legs still tingling from how tightly he held me. His head tips back against the couch, and while I’m still watching Sylus, I can already feel the heat of Koen’s gaze.
When I finally turn to face him, my breath catches. Koen sits there, legs spread wide, arms draped casually over the back of the couch, waiting for me to come to him. His watch glints on his wrist, tempting, but I already know this isn’t going to be like the others.
There’s a knowing smirk on his lips, the kind that makes me squirm. That smirk tells me he’s been watching the whole time. He’s seen what I’ve done, seen me slip Nicholas’s watch, Sylus’s too.
I climb onto his lap, straddling him, and his hands come up, settling at my waist. Not tight, not demanding, just enough to remind me how strong they are.
“Hi,” I murmur, running the fingers of my free hand up his chest, feeling the way his muscles tense beneath my touch.
His smirk softens a fraction. “Hi.”
The warmth in that one word makes my heart flip, but I don’t have time to dwell on it. Koen tilts his head, his gaze flicking down the length of me with slow, deliberate approval, then back up to meet my eyes.
“Go on,” he murmurs. “Show me what you’ve got.”
The challenge in his voice makes heat curl low in my belly. I start to move sensually, grinding down against him in a way that makes both of us suck in a breath. His hips press up, but his hands stay right where they are, steadying me as I roll my body.
Koen doesn’t break eye contact, not once.
His gaze pins me in place, and my pulse hammers in my chest as his lips curl into another lazy, knowing smile.
“Getting nervous?”
“Never,” I whisper, even though it’s a lie, and he knows it. My skin feels too hot, my heart too loud because with him, I’m always teetering on the edge of unraveling.
I let my hand drift down to his arm, skimming over the ridges of muscle before brushing against the strap of his Patek Philippe.
He watches me, his smirk widening as I work the strap loose in seconds, slide the watch free, and tuck it behind my back with a triumphant grin.
“That first time…” Koen’s hands tighten at my waist, pulling me flush against him until his lips are at my ear, “… will stay the only time you’ll ever manage to steal from me without my knowledge, Little Thief.” A shiver runs down my spine. His hands skim up my back, trailing heat with every inch. “Because I’ll never take my eyes off you for that long again.” His lips brush the shell of my ear as he speaks. “Whenever you enter the room, my eyes are already on you.”
I pull back to look at him, and the tenderness in his gaze knocks the breath out of me. There’s desire, but beneath it is more. Something that makes me feel like I’m home .
I don’t know who moves first, but our mouths clash. His tongue brushes against mine, and I moan into his mouth, my body moving against his in time with the kiss. When I finally pull away, I’m breathless, and so is he. My fingers skim his beard, and his eyes soften even more.
“Goddamn.” He brushes his thumb along my jaw. “You’re precious.”
I don’t care if he only let me swipe his watch. All I care about is the steady comfort of his touch and the quiet promise in his eyes that he’ll always be looking out for me. And when Koen kisses me again, I swear I can feel the truth of that promise settle into my bones.
“Time to meet your master,” Koen jokes when he breaks the kiss, and I turn my head to look at Ace, who’s already watching me.
My skin buzzes with electrical currents as I slide off Koen’s lap. The three watches I’ve swiped are nestled in my hand, cool metal pressing into my palm, and now it’s difficult to keep them hidden. I curl my fingers around them, palming them as best I can as I turn toward Ace.
He’s waiting for me, looking relaxed, but there’s an unmistakable gleam in his eyes. Unlike the others, he’s not sprawled across the couch. No, Ace sits tall, one leg crossed over the other.
That little poser.
“May I?” I ask, letting the words hang between us, daring him.
I’m fine if he doesn’t want me this close outside the safety of his room, but I’d love to give all of them my final private dance.
Ace’s mouth curves into a slow smirk as he uncrosses his leg and leans forward, his eyes locked onto mine. “I dare you to.”
Challenge accepted.
I straddle his lap, feeling his heat radiating through his clothes. His hands slide up to rest lightly on my hips as I settle onto him. His touch is steady but loose as if he’s waiting to see what I’ll do next.
I start to move, rolling my hips against him like I did with the others as I trail my hands down his chest with a featherlight touch. Ace lets out a soft hum of approval, his eyes never leaving mine.
My hands slide over his shoulders, my fingers curling behind his neck as I press my chest flush against his. He doesn’t look away, not for a second. And then, without warning, he presses a soft, quick kiss to my lips. It’s not like the others—there’s no hunger in it, no urgency. Just tenderness. Just him.
The simplicity of it steals my breath more than anything else tonight.
I love you he mouths like a secret meant only for me.
I love you. My heart stutters when I mouth it back.
Even if butterflies take flight in my chest, I can’t take my focus from the gold Rolex he’s wearing. The one I stole for him.
Now.
My hand drifts lower, reaching for it, but before I can even brush my fingers against it, Ace’s hand shoots out and grabs my wrist.
I let out a surprised gasp as he lifts my hand between us, his grip firm but not tight, his expression unreadable except for the amused sparkle in his eyes. “Really?” He inspects the watches resting in my palm like he’s seeing through every plan I’ve ever had before his gaze flicks to mine again. “You think that works a second time around, Trouble?”
“She stole my fucking watch?” Comes from Sylus, tinged in disbelief, and a laugh bursts out of me.
Ace watches me with a satisfied grin for a second, then pulls me closer with a low growl and says, “That’s my girl.”
Then his mouth is on mine—hot, rough, and consuming. The kiss is nothing compared to the peck from a little bit ago. It’s deep and possessive, one hand still holding my wrist while the other tangles in my hair.
I melt into him, a soft whimper escaping my throat as his tongue parts my lips, tasting me, taking exactly what he wants. His teeth catch my bottom lip, tugging, making me gasp as he deepens the kiss again.
The watches clink together in my hand, forgotten, as heat races through me. My free hand curls against his chest, fisting his shirt as I lose myself in the feel of him.
When he finally pulls back, we’re both breathless, and his smirk is slow and devastatingly handsome.
“You’re fucking trouble,” he murmurs, brushing his thumb over my cheek.
“So…” Koen drawls. “Did you enjoy your last night as a stripper?”
“Very. Thank you, Koen.” I reach out to brush my fingers along his jaw. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
Koen’s smirk softens as his hand slides over mine. “Oh, it was our pleasure.”
The curtains to the private room open, and Levi and Ezra walk out. Disheveled, hair messy, clothes rumpled. Levi’s shirt is untucked, and there’s a red mark below his jaw that he’s not even trying to hide. Ezra looks cool as ever, except for a flush at the tips of his ears.
Levi runs a hand through his hair, glancing around at the group. “We’re heading home.”
Koen flicks a quick glance at me, then toward the bartender and bouncer still lingering by the bar, trying their best not to watch but failing miserably. He stands and steps up to me, pulling me off Ace’s lap and to my feet into his arms.
“How about we go too?” he murmurs, his lips brushing my ear. “I think we’d all welcome the privacy.”
Sylus springs up from the couch with a loud whoop, making all of us jump. He throws his hands in the air. “ Gangbang. ”
Ace pinches the bridge of his nose, half exasperated, half amused. “ Jesus , Sy.”
Nicholas shakes his head, but I catch the twitch of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
Koen chuckles low, his arm sliding around my waist as he pulls me closer. “Well, there you have it.” He glances toward the others. “Let’s head home.”
My heart pounds, but it’s not with fear. It’s freedom.
This is mine .
This moment, this life, them .
All mine.