Chapter 31 Aniyah #2
All around me, the floor buzzed. To the left, the new gloryhole setup had a crowd.
One of our talent’s bottom half was out, legs chained up and spread.
They were already being fucked while moaning for more.
A line of men and women waited for their turn.
Two women were taking turns on a single cock, stroking, sucking, and teasing, cooing through the wall about how much he’d grown from their touch.
When he finally came, it splashed across their masks, but you would think they came by how loudly they cried out.
Not a second later, they licked him clean together, giggling and begging for him to get hard for them again.
To the right, the magical dartboard was already a hit. A man was strapped to the wall, hips jerking forward as his partner aimed another glowing pink dart at his cock. The moment it hit, he cried out with pleasure. Bingo.
Off to the side, I spotted Van talking with Nathen, one of our veteran employees and head of the primal play floor. Brilliant with predator-prey dynamics and a damn good teacher, he was one of my first hires.
I started toward them but was stopped by two guests in white masks.
“Miss Glovefox, you’re absolutely glowing tonight.
That dress just screams…” The speaker licked his lips as his eyes drank me in.
The woman on his arm gave me the same look as she nodded in agreement.
“Just gorgeous.” Everything in their gazes asked a silent forbidden question: How much for the night?
I smiled and thanked them for the compliments, pretending I didn’t notice their heady stares.
In reality, I thrived on it. The hunger, the craving, the unspoken desperation to touch, to taste, to have me for even just a night.
The silent begging, demanding, wishing, all of it fed me like it was a life-giving elixir.
The best part? They knew they couldn’t ask, couldn't pressure me, or else I would cut their throats and make their bodies disappear. The danger was half of the allure.
They continued on, gushing about how happy they were that the Winged Palace was back and how empty they’d felt while it was closed. I reassured them, voice dripping with promise. “Nothing can take me, this place, or the Syndicate down.”
They exhaled like it was gospel, but I’d had just about enough of them. Pointing toward the dartboard, I whispered, “I heard there’s a tournament to see who can work their partner up the most.” That had them rushing away, and I made my way to Van and Nathen before anyone else could stop me.
Even dressed in simple black slacks and a white button-down with diamonds as buttons, Van was mouthwateringly edible. My lips twitched, craving a taste.
As I got closer, I could make out Nathen’s panicked voice through his golden mask. “It’s too fancy. I don’t know how to work the damn thing!”
While the members wore white masks inlaid with diamonds, the talent wore gold. Each was still adorned with the customary symbols to reveal the wearer’s preferences, but this time, they appeared to be engraved in the mask. If I might say so myself, it gave just that extra splash of elegance.
Van stood there and let Nathen vent before he spoke, his smooth voice making my insides clench.
“It’s different, I know,” Van said patiently, “but it’s an upgrade. Each room now adapts to whatever fantasy the user wants, like a lush forest, an underwater excavation, a desert oasis. Total immersion.”
Clearly overwhelmed, Nathen’s brow was pinched, so I stepped in.
“Nathen, baby, you look delicious.” I motioned to his glitter-slathered, muscle-bound body encased in tight gold boxer briefs. The bulge made it hard to look anywhere else.
“Eyes,” Van muttered dryly.
Caught, I blinked and looked up. Nathen grinned, all charm and muscle.
“Right. So, what’s the actual problem?”
He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how to work the damn panel. It used to be a switch. Now, there are buttons and nozzles and... dildobobs.”
I nearly lost it at dildobobs but managed to keep a straight face.
“I’ll send Rasmus up with you,” Van said, tapping on the little earbud in his ear. “He helped install it, so he can walk you through everything.”
He paused before calling out, “Ras, can you help—” His nostrils flared as his earbud buzzed to life, cutting him off. Whatever Rasmus was saying, it wasn’t pleasing him.
Thinking of Ras, I realized I hadn’t seen him all day, and my chest clenched with an unexpected ache. I was getting stalker withdrawals. I was starting to miss those hungry eyes tracking me, watching my every move. In a weird, psycho, very unhealthy way, his attention made me feel loved.
“I’ll come, too,” I said loud and quick. “I want to learn the panel myself.”
Van lifted his hand to his ear and sighed, the sound pained. “She can’t hear you,” he said into the mic, waving at Nathen. “Just go. She will meet you at the elevators.”
Nathen happily trotted off, and just as I was about to ask Van what was wrong, he grabbed my hand and pulled me through the glamoured wall.
All the supply rooms were hidden behind enchantments, keeping the atmosphere intact, but as soon as my back was pushed up against the dark hallway, I realized that was not where he was taking me.
“Holy fuck,” he growled against my skin, his hot mouth at my neck. “Did you have to look this delectable tonight? I don’t know how I’m going to survive the rest of this launch.”
Running my fingers through his light caramel locks, I arched into him, savoring this wicked new shift in our relationship. There was something deliciously illicit about sneaking a secret rendezvous in the service hallway with the man who worked under me every day. I liked it too damn much.
Sliding my inner thigh up his leg, I dragged my heel down the back of his calf until I felt his cock stiffen against my thigh. Leaning in, I whispered against the shell of his ear, “You perform so well under pressure.”
His groan was ragged, like he couldn’t take much more.
His hands became frantic, greedy, as he tugged and clawed at any patch of skin he could touch.
I fisted a hand in his silky hair and yanked, forcing his head back.
The surprised moan that spilled from his lips only spurred me on, and I sank my teeth into his neck, sucking so hard I swore I could taste the edges of his soul.
“Aaahhh, fuck. Ni.” His voice cracked, half-warning, half-plea, and all it did was make me want to push harder. Take more.
My grip stayed firm in his hair as I trailed my lips up his neck, branding a red-hot path with my lipstick before I devoured his mouth.
I claimed him with that kiss, pouring every possessive, chaotic ounce of me into it.
His body. His lips. His soul. I wanted to steal them all and lock them away for myself.
His moan melted into my mouth, so raw, so primal, that my wings flared wide in response.
Without hesitation, I used my strength and wind speed to shove him against the wall opposite us.
He went willingly, like his body knew mine better than either of us understood.
This moment together was choreographed by instinct, not just experience.
The warmth on the small of my back pulsed, but I barely registered it. I was too wrapped up in him, his breath, his heat, his need pouring into me.
He tore his mouth from mine, panting like a man who had just broken the surface after drowning.
“Ni…. We-we need to…. We should….”
I didn’t care what he was worried about.
All I knew was that I wanted more, wanted it all.
Cupping his face, I crashed my lips back into his, desperate to drag more of his soul through his mouth and claim it as mine.
The way he whimpered at the taste of my dominance had me biting down on his lip, and.
in return, his hands slipped under the flat of my dress.
Eager, determined fingers burrowed through my thighs toward the heat between them.
“Oh. shit. Sorry. Oh. my god. I’m sorry—Miss Aniyah? Mr. Van?”
We froze, a complete mess, as our heads whipped to the side.
One of the cleaning staff stood a few feet away, gripping a mop like a lifeline. Their eyes ping-ponged between us in abject horror before they slowly raised the mop.
“Someone spilled their drink.”
Those words snapped me out of my haze. Shit, I was supposed to meet Nathen at the elevator.
Like we both knew the moment had passed, our fingers slowly untangled. Van cleared his throat, slipping his professional mask back on.
“Thank you, Laura.”
Like his voice released a spell, she bolted past us, shoved the mop into the closet, and scurried off without looking back.
Van slumped against the wall, his shirt wrinkled beyond help, red streaks painted up his neck and smeared across his lips. His hair looked like he’d just lost a fight with a tornado, and I couldn't help but grin ear to ear.
“Shit,” he muttered, gulping air like he could reset reality.
“What’s so bad?” I asked, cocking my head. “So. she knows we’re… fucking? Is that what we were about to do?”
His head snapped up, those green eyes flashing red, but before he could let the anger settle in, he scanned me and broke into a quiet laugh. His thumb grazed the corner of my mouth.
“You’re a mess.”
I grinned, smoothing my hands down my dress. “You’re not exactly the perfect picture either.”
He huffed. “We can’t have you walking out like this.”
Carefully, he ran his fingers through my hair, fussing with strands until they obeyed.
He wiped at my makeup with gentle thumbs, checking my face like it mattered more than breathing.
I watched him, watched the way his gaze kept dragging back to my lips like he couldn’t help himself.
Soft eyes, careful hands, his touch so reverent it made my chest ache.
I could watch this man take care of me forever. In fact, I felt that same way about Alic, Rasmus, Maso, and Lucus. All of them took care of a piece of me in a different way, and my feelings for each of them were just as strong.
The realization hit me square in the chest.
This wasn’t just a fling. Somewhere between the stolen glances and whispered touches, they’d carved out a space in my heart and refused to leave.
I was beginning to figure out that I didn't want them to.
I didn't want to love ‘em and leave ‘em like I originally planned.
I wanted to keep them in my pocket and hiss at any woman that looked at them funny.
“There,” he said, stepping back to admire his handiwork. “Now no one will know.”
The words left my mouth before I could think. “I don’t mind if people know.”
He froze, eyes locking on mine. I held his gaze, refusing to flinch, letting him see that I meant it.
“Aniyah…” His voice broke into a whisper as he stepped closer and cupped my face, eyes drinking me in like he was starving.
My phone buzzed, Nathen’s name flashing across the screen. Shit.
“Go,” Van said, his voice firm. I hesitated, but he gave me that blinding smile, nodding toward the glamoured doorway.
“Seriously. Go. Ras sounded ready to tell Nathen to pound sand until he heard your name. Then he turned into Mr. Sunshine for our little old Nathen. His words, not mine.”
My lips twitched. Guilt tugged me one way, but the need to check on Ras pulled me harder.
Van surged forward to kiss me again. This time, it was slow, lazy, soft, even teasing, like he wanted to memorize my mouth. When he finally pulled back, I could barely stand.
“Go,” he murmured. “Nathen needs you. And I…” He glanced down at the very obvious problem straining against his zipper. “I need a second to cool off. Tonight has to go smoothly.”
I nodded, snapping myself out of the fog. Right. I needed to mingle, smile, and work the crowd. This night was important.
Turning to leave, I glanced back over my shoulder. “You can clean off the lipstick, but don’t you dare magic away that hickey. Let all those bitches know you’re taken. Got it?”
He was already pulling his tablet from the back of his pants, fingers flying across the screen, but I saw a smirk twitch his lips. His whole damn neck was glowing red.
“As long as you call me the second you’re done for the day, okay?”
I winked, throwing him a saucy grin. “You bet. It’s a date.” With my heart hammering like a drumline, I slipped through the glamoured doorway, looking forward to later tonight.