Chapter 31 Aniyah
ANIYAH
“Niya! I told you that dress was fire. I swear, if I had a body like yours, I’d be in my slut phase forever.”
I ran my fingers over the practically see-through silver dress, marveling at how soft and delicate it felt despite the uncut gems sewn throughout.
They shimmered like stardust under the lights.
The floor-length gown was an elegant, off-the-shoulder, and long-sleeved masterpiece, but those five-inch side gaps running from under my arms all the way down to the floor made it mine.
Since the dress was essentially made out of two panels that were only connected because of the sleeves, I used magic to keep the fabric taped down on the sides so I wouldn’t be nude with a little bit of fabric draped over me.
The fabric clung to me like a second skin, thick enough to obscure the finer details but sheer enough to tease the tone of my flesh underneath.
This kind of dress didn’t need to scream to seduce.
It flashed you with what you desired, begging to be unwrapped slowly, reverently.
I felt like a piece of art, a sculpture, showing just enough of my curves to leave a bite in everyone’s memory.
Pairing it with a set of strappy silver heels, blood-red lips, and big waves that tumbled around my face, I was channeling old Hollywood glam with a filthy little twist.
“Nova, please. You have a banging body,” I said, pinching the skin on her waist where there was nothing but toned abs and raw power. “You’ve got that lean try-me vibe. I could stand to lose a few.” I turned and gave my own ass a disgruntled squeeze.
Nova blinked at me. One beat. Two. Then burst into a full-body laugh that echoed off the walls. “Say dumb shit like that again, and I will kill you.”
We had spent the whole morning prepping for the launch, overseeing decor, lighting, security plans, and by 10:36 a.m., Van confirmed we were completely sold out. That was when Nova clapped her hands and announced the two of us were done for the day.
That sent Van and Rack into a slight panic, but Nova’s claws shot out, freshly sharpened, and casually raked them down their faces—not hard enough to draw blood, just enough to make a point.
They backed off instantly. She even told Van to warn the other “boyfriends” not to show up at my place because she’d be helping me get ready. No distractions allowed.
Van just smiled, leaned in, and whispered against my lips, “Have fun.” Then he kissed me hard enough to make the stars behind my eyes start doing cartwheels.
Ever since the no-kissing rule had been broken, he’d been taking full advantage, but I wasn’t exactly complaining.
If Nova hadn’t been playing the part of disapproving chaperone, I’d have happily turned that kiss into a back-of-the-closet porno shoot.
“And, you know—” I stopped mid-sentence when I spotted Nova standing by the garment rack, thoughtfully running her fingers over one of my more elegant pieces. A deep green gown with a structured sweetheart neckline and a subtle yet shimmery band of diamonds tracing the thigh slit.
I had bought it because I felt like every woman needed one dress that whispered class without losing its edge, and the way Nova was touching it—softly, like it was something she didn’t think she had the right to claim—made my chest ache.
“You should wear that,” I said gently. “I haven’t worn it yet. I think it’d give you the shape you want.”
She dropped the fabric like it had burned her and turned to glare at me. “Yeah, no. The Rossey boss is not about to wear some frilly-ass dress to a sex club. What about that says sex to you?”
I threw my hands up. “Everything! It says classy, mysterious sex. Like… covert-orgasms-in-a-Bentley kind of sex or in-the-million-dollar-coat-room sex.”
She folded her arms, eyebrows raised like I was an idiot.
Groaning, I stomped over to my closet and started yanking out outfits like a fashion therapist with a vendetta.
“These tights and off-the-shoulder sweater say cozy sex.” I tossed them aside and pulled out something with leather straps and more zippers than a biker gang convention.
“This one says I-have-a-vagina-and-I’m-gonna-use-it-to-fuck-you sex.
” Next came a cropped button-up and a pleated mini skirt.
“And with the right accessories,” I said, twirling my hair like a clueless ingénue, “this one says I’m-still-in-college-teach-me-something sex. ”
Putting everything back, I pointed to the green dress again. “But that says I’m-a-lady-boss-hear-me-roar sex. Plus…” I lifted the diamond-trimmed slit. “It technically meets the night's dress code.”
I could see her resolve cracking. Her eyes flicked toward the dress again, her posture softening, body leaning forward like her instincts wanted it. Then her damn phone buzzed.
She pulled it out, reading the text fast then typing out a response. Once she was done, she slipped out of the closet, her voice too light to be real. “I already have an outfit. It’s fine. Maybe next time.”
My lips pinched together. I knew that tone. Knew that lie. The second her screen lit up, she snapped right back into Rossey boss mode. No time for softness. No space for dresses that clung to or celebrated femininity.
Following her out, I found a sheer black button-down blouse, suit pants, and fancy boots laid out on the bed. I almost stuck my tongue out at them. The only diamond thing she had was the bra I’d forced her to buy.
She tried to tell me she didn’t have to follow the rules since she was technically extra security, but I reminded her, loudly, that it was my club, so my rules. Nanna nanna boo boo.
Sighing, I looked back at the green dress one more time and made a mental note to send it to her after tonight. She might not want it now, but one day, she might need it, and I wanted her to know that it was from me—the sister that understood her inner girly girl.
Just a little reminder that she didn’t always have to be the rough and tough boss. Sometimes, she could just be Nova.
It was just my luck that the first face I saw was Calix’s. His eyes swept over me before his expression soured. “Great. Now, I have to kill everyone. Thanks a lot, Aniyah,” he muttered under his breath.
I ignored him completely, slipping my hand into Rack’s outstretched one.
Rack had been in our lives for so long he was practically adopted into the family.
Standing beside my brother, he was the night to Calix’s day.
Where my brother had the Desmond white hair and rose gold eyes, Rack had dark hair, golden-brown skin, and a perpetually unreadable expression.
The only lightness about him was the gold flecks in his plum-soaked eyes.
He was cool and calculated, while Calix’s personality bounced between lazy or chaotic depending on the moment.
Rack brought my fingers to his lips, brushing them with a dry, amused kiss while his gaze flicked to Calix. “You look stunning tonight, Miss Aniyah.” Polite. Calm. Unbothered. The perfect yin to Calix’s raging yang.
“What are you saying?! Are you fucking blind?” Calix snapped, his voice climbing. “We’re going to have to kill everyone at the door when they leave so that no one can—”
My wings flared out, and I zipped in front of his face, snapping my fingers to force his focus. “You shut your mouth about threatening my members,” I growled, every word clipped and poisonous. “This is exactly why you weren’t invited to the original launch.”
His brows knit together. “What do you mean? I had to do a jo—” He froze, eyes narrowing as he turned to Rack, who refused to meet his gaze.
“Did you have something to do with that?”
Rack didn’t confirm or deny. “Miss Ezra thought it best for you to handle your... situation and sent me to represent the Winstale seat instead.”
Calix’s mouth dropped. His expression lit up, fists clenched and ready to throw words, or worse, but Nova got to him first. She smacked the back of his head so hard his eyes crossed.
“How about you shut that big brother mouth of yours and act right at this opening,” she said sweetly, looping her arm through his. “Then maybe you can prove you’re capable of handling your baby sister looking like a goddamn sex goddess in front of her lust-drunk fans.”
He looked around as more and more members filtered in, his desperate eyes ping-ponging around the three of us before his shoulders sagged and his head dropped in defeat.
“I guess being a big brother is overrated. Might as well just watch the people fucking to distract me from my newfound depression.”
What a big baby. Guess it was true what they said—the bigger they were, the harder they fell.
Nova gave me a wink as she led him toward the VIP booth I'd reserved in the corner. “Don’t worry,” she called over her shoulder. “We’ve got him. And hey, now you’ve got more ammo for the next boss meeting.”
As they walked away, she gave the room a onceover. “The security guard decoration idea was good. Can’t even tell there are like twenty men in here watching.”
I looked up at the golden masks mounted high on the walls. You couldn’t see the bodies, just the eyes behind them, scanning, assessing, always watching. It gave the whole floor this secret society, underground indulgence vibe that fit perfectly.
Only a few guests had already caught on, whispering and pointing at the masks.
A couple was fully engaged on a nearby couch.
The man pounded into her from behind, one hand tangled in her hair, while the other held her jaw up so she could see the watchers.
“They’re watching you, seeing what a slut you are,” he murmured, and she moaned loud enough to echo.