Chapter 20 Athena
ATHENA
“Jesus…” The word escapes me before I can stop it. Ruby stands in my foyer, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.
“What?” she asks, arching a brow. There’s a quiet confidence beneath her nervousness tonight, like she knows exactly what effect she has on me.
My mouth goes dry, and for once, I’m struggling to find words.
“You look beautiful,” I finally manage. And she does—devastating in an oversized black satin shirt dress, unbuttoned just low enough to reveal the edge of her lace bra.
Her legs seem endless in elegant heels, and her skin glows like she’s finally been sleeping.
The dress reveals more of her bra when she shifts her weight. I’ve seen countless women in various states of undress in my club, orchestrated scenes of exquisite submission, but something about Ruby fully clothed yet hinting at what lies beneath affects me more than any display of skin.
My eyes catch on the leather carryall at her feet. “What’s that? Are you staying the night?” I joke.
She chuckles and hands me the bag. “No, it’s the money. A hundred thousand dollars.”
“Seriously?” I burst out laughing. The sound echoes off the marble floors, and Ruby looks startled by my reaction. “And you thought you’d just bring it over in cash?”
She grins goofily. It’s endearing. “I changed my mind about the transaction. I was worried it might raise suspicion on my account. You know, if I ever got investigated or something.”
“Investigated for what?” I can’t stop laughing. She’s so fucking innocent it hurts. Here she is, a high-powered corporate lawyer who can destroy companies, worried about a bank transfer. “And you think taking out the cash and carrying it in a leather carryall looks perfectly legit?”
“When you put it like that…” Ruby shrugs and laughs along. “Anyway, it’s done, so just take it.”
Every time I think I have her figured out she surprises me. The ruthless lawyer and the woman who watches from her window. The grieving widow and the curious observer.
I shake my head, still amused. “Actually, I was going to talk to you about that. I don’t want your money.”
Her brow furrows, creating that little line that I’m learning means she’s about to argue. “What?”
“Consider it a gift. Living next door, you don’t need the limo service, and you don’t strike me as someone who will drink me dry of Crystal or ask my runner to find you fresh sea urchin at midnight.
” Used to their comforts, most members love the personal concierge service, but I suspect Ruby’s less demanding.
She shakes her head. “No. Absolutely not. You may be my neighbor, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve done, but I’m still cautious. I don’t want to feel like I owe you anything.”
“Because I’m a big, scary casino boss?” I stare at her, enjoying how I’m making her blush.
“Something like that.” But there’s a flirty edge to her smile that makes my pulse quicken.
This is a new side of Ruby—playful, almost daring. The grieving widow is still there in the shadows behind her eyes, but something else is emerging. Something that makes me want to discover every facet of her.
“Please. Just take it,” she says. “I don’t normally splash out like this, but it’s worth it. I can only begin to imagine what it costs to run that place.” She holds up a hand when I’m about to protest. “Don’t argue with me. Not over this.”
“Very well.” I signal to Robert, who materializes from the shadows like he always does. “Put this in the safe, please,” I tell him, handing over the bag. He nods and disappears with it, leaving Ruby and me alone again.
“Are you heading downstairs?” she asks.
“Yes, I was just about to, but—” I’m interrupted by the arrival of two women. One of our newest members, Dr. Lily Chen, the pioneering neurosurgeon behind groundbreaking clinical trials, and Captain Mari Rodriguez, one of the few female commanders in the Air Force’s elite test pilot program.
After I greet them and introduce them to Ruby, they turn toward the library, but Lily pauses at the door. “Join us for champagne later? We’re celebrating my grant approval.” She winks at Ruby. “I hear you’re quite the force in the boardroom—would love to hear about your famous takedowns sometime.”
“Nuh-uh,” I say firmly, catching Ruby’s intrigued expression. “No shop talk at the club or I might have to punish her for breaking the rules.”
The word “punish” lands exactly as intended.
Ruby’s breath catches, and for a moment, she forgets about Lily and Mari entirely.
Her fingers curl against her thigh, and there’s a subtle shift in her posture—a yielding that’s almost imperceptible but speaks volumes.
When she finally responds, her voice has dropped lower, taking on a husky quality that wasn’t there before. “Is that a threat or a promise?”
“Both,” I murmur, letting my voice drop to match hers.
Lily whistles low through her teeth. “And on that note, we’ll leave you two to…discuss club policies.” She winks at Mari. “Come on, let those sparks fly without an audience.”
Ruby stays against the wall where she’s backed up. She watches them disappear into the library, clearly trying to collect herself. “Those women…how do you find them?” She’s changed the topic, which is interesting. “They’re amazing.”
“They find me,” I say, purposely maintaining the distance between us, letting her recover her equilibrium.
“No one outside the club talks about what happens here, but if they know someone who might want to become part of it, they discreetly send them my way.” I step closer then, drawn by the lingering vulnerability in her pose.
“And yes, they’re amazing, though I have to say, none of them have made quite the entrance you did tonight. ”
Ruby’s cheeks flush at the compliment. She moves to follow them downstairs, but I catch her hand and feel the jump in her pulse where my fingers rest against her wrist.
“Wait.”
Her eyes meet mine, questioning.
“All jokes about scary casino bosses aside…” I pause, choosing my words carefully.
“If you ever want to explore those handcuffs—if it’s what you want—I need something from you.
” I’m deliberately not using words such as submission or BDSM, conscious it might scare her.
“I’ll need you to trust me. Completely.”
“I just gave you a bag with enough money to buy a house without asking for a receipt,” she says with a hint of sass, her eyes flicking to my mouth.
I smile, noting how she licks her lips without even realizing it.
She wants to kiss me. The realization sends a rush of heat between my thighs, but I force myself to stay still.
Kissing crosses a line that I’m not ready to cross.
It goes beyond the controlled exchange of power, beyond the dance of dominance and submission.
Kissing is messy, emotional—it leads to feelings that can’t be contained within scene boundaries or safe words. But God, I want to kiss her too.
I could do it right now. She’s close and her lips are slightly parted, plump and so inviting. But kissing Ruby Walsh would be like lighting a match in a room full of gunpowder.
“Athena?” Her voice pulls me back from my thoughts and I realize I’ve been staring at her mouth for too long. She squeezes my hand. “Yes,” she says, her voice soft and without sarcasm now. “I trust you. I don’t know how or why, but I do. And that says a lot. But…”
“But?”
Ruby shifts, her fingers tightening around mine. “I’m not sure I’m ready for…” She pauses, cheeks flushing. “You know.”
“Hey.” I cup her cheek and feel the heat radiating from her body. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Have a drink. Enjoy yourself. Let your hair down and hang out with a bunch of cool women. I’m just really happy to have you here.”