Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Fury
“Welcome to Club Privé, Mr. Gracen,” Sienna said, her voice barely audible over the music. She was close enough that I could smell her perfume - something spicy and exotic that made my head spin.
Knife-juggling, huh? What other secrets are you hiding, Sienna Marquez?
I tried to take it all in at once - the opulent decor, the mirrored walls, the crystal chandeliers that seemed to dance in time with the music. But my eyes kept being drawn back to Sienna. She moved through the space with the confidence of someone who owned it, and I wondered what it would be like to see her dance.
“Impressive,” I managed, hoping I didn’t sound as overwhelmed as I felt.
Sienna smirked, clearly seeing right through me. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, Gracen.”
She led me deeper into the club, past the main bar where bartenders were prepping for the night ahead. As we rounded a corner, I nearly collided with a group of scantily clad dancers rushing by.
“Watch it!” Sienna snapped, her hand shooting out to steady me. The moment her fingers grabbed my arm, a shiver traced its way down my back.
Our eyes met, and for a split second, I saw something flicker in those emerald depths. Desire? Annoyance? Maybe both?
She pulled her hand away like she’d been burned. “Rehearsals,” she muttered. “Come on, Gavin’s office is this way.”
We weaved through the backstage area, dodging more dancers and a small army of makeup artists and costume designers. The energy was frenetic, everyone laser-focused on their tasks. It reminded me of the trading floor back in my early days on Wall Street, but with a lot more glitter.
Finally, we reached a door marked ‘Private’. Sienna knocked once, then pushed it open without waiting for a response.
“Gavin? Your new boy wonder is here.”
I bristled at being called a boy, but before I could say anything, she left.
As the door closed behind me, I focused on the man rising from his chair. At thirty-seven, Gavin Manning had been through hell and emerged, and I was sure I didn’t even know half of it. He smiled as he circled his desk, extending his hand to me.
“Fury, damn good to see you, again. What’s it been? 5-6 years?”
“I believe so,” I said. His handshake was firm, no macho posturing to prove he was more manly than me by trying to crush my fingers. Glancing around his office and observing the way he carried himself as he sauntered over to a bar along one wall, I realized what was different.
He was relaxed.
In the past, when I’d seen him, he hadn’t been high-strung, but he had been serious and focused—a detail-oriented person who demanded perfection in every aspect of his business. Now, he seemed completely at ease, even though Sienna and I had arrived much later than expected.
“You want a drink?” he asked, holding up a glass bottle half full of amber liquid. “It’s Shannon’s.”
I grinned at the familiar logo. My step-cousin slash brother, Brody, had named his latest whiskey after his late mother. It was fantastic.
“Just a bit,” I said. “I don’t like to drink too much when I’m discussing business.”
Gavin poured us each a couple of fingers and set mine in front of me before returning to his chair. “I know you didn’t have much time to observe downstairs, but from what you did see, what do you think?”
“It’s different,” I replied, taking a sip of the whiskey and savoring its rich depth. “I gotta ask. You’re out of the life? Is that why you changed this place from a BDSM club?”
Gavin grinned, the kind of grin that hinted at secrets. “Hell, no. But I’m not sharing what goes on between me and my very hot—and pregnant—wife.”
“Pregnant? Your first?” I asked, genuine curiosity sparking.
“This’ll be the third for me and Carrie,” he said, picking up a frame on his desk and turning it around to show me a family portrait featuring a blonde in her early thirties, a dark-haired teenager, a little dark-haired boy, and a toddler sporting her mother’s golden curls.
“Congratulations.” I lifted my glass in a toast. “To family.”
“Family.”
We drank, then I answered his original question. “The place has a good vibe. Very modern and sophisticated.”
“That’s what we’re going for ,” Gavin explained. “We dress the servers in sexy outfits, put on dance routines like something out of Moulin Rouge . We still have private rooms, some with the same sort of toys we had before, but others designed to allow members to invite multiple partners to join them.”
“I noticed several male performers here as well.”
Gavin nodded. “I’ve got enough powerful women in my life to know better than to cater only to men, even if I’d considered it. No, I’m all about ensuring every member’s desires are met in a safe, consensual way, regardless of gender.”
I nodded, took another sip, then asked, “When you say dance routines. That’d be what Sienna does?”
“It is,” Gavin said slowly.
“What’s her story?” I finally let myself ask the question that had been bouncing around in my head.
“Hired her as a dancer, and she worked her way up to where she is now, talent coordinator.” Gavin’s eyes narrowed slightly. “But she’s off-limits.”
“Off-limits?” I echoed, curiosity piqued.
“Members are allowed to ask most employees to join them, but it’s always up to the employee whether or not they want to participate. We have different colored wristbands that they choose each day when they start their shift, and the colors show what they’re open to.” Gavin reached into his desk and pulled out a piece of paper. “Take a look at that. You’re welcome to invite anyone wearing the appropriate wristband to spend time with you.”
“What color does Sienna usually choose?” I asked, not willing to let her go so easily.
“None. Sienna’s usually best left alone,” Gavin said. “But there are plenty of other women in our club who are just as beautiful.”
I didn’t doubt that, but my curiosity about her went beyond mere looks. I set her aside for the moment, though; I was here for business. Pushing that would be both rude and unprofessional. I had time, so I changed the subject. “Shall we get down to business?”
Gavin shook his head. “How about I give you a full tour and we grab something to eat from the bar? We don’t have a wide selection, but it’s delicious.” He stood. “Tonight’s about friends catching up. We’ll talk about business tomorrow.”
I agreed, partly because the thought of going downstairs meant I might catch another glimpse of Sienna. I kept that desire to myself, simply standing and telling Gavin to lead the way.
For the next hour, I trailed him as he arranged for us to grab a bite and then took me on an extensive tour of the club, always keeping the conversation light and personal.
We returned to Gavin’s office when his phone buzzed. “My wife,” he said with a smile. “I think that’s enough for today. Sienna will show you out. And Fury?” He fixed me with a serious look. “Remember what I said about off-limits?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to say a word. Just then, as if on cue, there was a knock at the door, and Sienna poked her head in.
“Ready to go, Gracen?” she asked, her tone all business.
I followed her out of the office, my mind still spinning from everything Gavin had shared. What was Sienna’s story? Why was she considered “off-limits”?
Suddenly, a blur of glitter and perfume crashed into me.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” A sultry voice purred. I looked down to find myself face to face with a stunningly beautiful woman. She had curves for days, golden skin, and eyes that seemed to change color in the light.
“No harm done,” I managed, trying to regain my composure.
The woman’s full lips curved into a smile. “I’m Venus,” she said, extending a perfectly manicured hand.
I shook her hand, acutely aware of how soft her skin was. “Fury Gracen. Nice to meet you, Venus.”
Venus’s smile widened. “Oh, the pleasure is all mine, Mr. Gracen.”
I heard Sienna clear her throat loudly. “Venus, don’t you have a costume fitting?”
Venus pouted, but her eyes never left mine. “Always the taskmaster, Sienna. Fine, fine. But Fury?” She leaned in close, her breath hot on my ear. “If you ever want a private tour of the club, just let me know.”
As Venus sashayed away, I turned to find Sienna glaring at me. “What?” I asked, feeling defensive.
She shook her head, her expression unreadable. “Nothing. Come on, let’s get you out of here before you cause any more trouble.”
As we reached the exit, I couldn’t resist one last attempt at connecting. “You know, Sienna, I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we could?—”
“Stop right there, Gracen,” she cut me off, her voice sharp. “Whatever you’re thinking, whatever you’re planning, just don’t. You’re here to do a job, nothing more. Got it?”
I held her gaze, feeling that same electric tension from earlier. “Got it,” I said finally.
Sienna nodded, then pushed open the door. “Good. See you around, Mr. Gracen.”
The condo Cory and I kept in Manhattan was fairly small, but it’d just been for us to stay in when we were in town on business. Now that I’d be living here for the foreseeable future, I wanted to get something of my own, something bigger.
Moving to New York City was my chance for a fresh start. I had family here, but this was the first time I’d really been this much on my own. After my parents had died, my brother and sister and I had gone straight to our Aunt Theresa and her new husband … and all of their kids. Being alone in the McCrae-Carideo-Gracen family wasn’t really possible. I went to college and Cory joined me. We started our business together. Yeah, we’d kept separate homes, but we spent a lot of time together as we built our empire.
And now I was here. Alone.
My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my reverie. A text from Cory:
“Landed safely? How’s the Big Apple treating you?”
I smirked, typing back: “Landed and survived my first NYC rainstorm. Met some... interesting people.”
The response was immediate: “Interesting, huh? Do tell!”
Before I could reply, my phone started ringing. Cory’s face popped up on the screen, grinning like an idiot.
“Alright, spill it,” he said as soon as I answered. “What’s this about ‘interesting people’? Did you meet the Kardashians or something?”
I chuckled, moving away from the window to collapse onto the leather sofa. “Not quite. But man, Cory, Club Privé, that place... it’s something else.”
“Club Privé? I looked it up after you told me about the meeting. Looks pretty swanky.”
“Swanky doesn’t begin to cover it,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “Remember that BDSM club we snuck into sophomore year?”
Cory snorted. “How could I forget? I couldn’t look at a pair of handcuffs for months without blushing.”
“Yeah, well, picture that, but make it a thousand times classier and add a few million dollars worth of crystal chandeliers.”
“Holy shit,” Cory breathed. “That’s impressive. So, aside from the club, how’s the city treating you? Met any cute New Yorkers yet?”
My mind immediately flashed to Sienna - her fierce green eyes, the way she moved through the club like she owned it. But maybe it was Gavin’s warning, or maybe it was that hint of vulnerability she tried so hard to hide. Whatever it was, I wasn’t ready to share that particular detail with Cory just yet.
“Nah, nothing to report on that front,” I lied, hoping my voice sounded casual. “Been too busy getting settled.”
“Uh-huh,” Cory said, and I could practically hear his eyebrow raising. “Well, don’t work too hard. Remember to actually enjoy the city, yeah?”
“Yes, dear,” I said, rolling my eyes.
As we said our goodbyes, I walked to the window, staring out at the city. Somewhere out there, Sienna was probably still at the club, running rehearsals or dealing with some crisis. I wondered what she was like when she wasn’t in work mode. Did she ever let her guard down? And why was I so damn curious to find out?