LOREN
Tingles raced up my skin as we made our way into the club, the men bracketing my sides. We’d taken a back entrance, which somehow made it more eerie as we walked down the darkened hallways. I’d video called the girls earlier when Sax had told me about our date, and they’d helped me pick out an outfit that was sure to stun the guys.
It’d been great to see Cami and Nat, but I could see the weariness on them both. I yearned to see them in person so I could hug them. Hopefully, I’d be able to talk Atticus into letting me go to the safe house to check in with them soon.
“Spitfire, you have a decision to make,” Sax said, stopping me. His eyes heated as he stared down at me. Both of the men were in their black suits, and I wondered if we’d even have to step out onto the floor. I didn’t know if I wanted other women to be able to gawk at them. Actually, no, I definitely didn’t.
“What do you mean?”
“Which room do you want to venture to?” Atticus grabbed my hand, running his fingers over the top of my palm delicately before flipping it. Cami had thought it would be a good idea to wear a trench coat over my lingerie to bring the fantasy to life, but as Atticus trailed his hand up my arm, I wished I wasn’t wearing it at all. My breath caught, and I swallowed.
“Um, I didn’t get to see three of them.”
“So you have Masterful, Admiration, or Obsession left,” Atticus purred, moving behind me. He pushed the hair off my neck and breathed his words into my skin. I started to list the names of the rooms from the first time, Sensation, Captivate, and Reality.
That was when it hit me, and I realized how right under my nose it had been the whole time. Mascro. It was clever, even if I hated being on the side of not knowing.
“Do I get any indication of what might be behind those doors?”
“Nope.” Sax smiled, enjoying being in on the know.
“Hmm.” I thought about it, trying to find the connection between the name of the previous ones and what lay behind them. A part of me was curious what Masterful might hold, but the more I considered them, the more one word stood out. “Obsession,” I said with no hesitation.
Shock flashed briefly behind Sax’s eyes before a huge grin filled his face. “Very good, Spitfire.”
“Yes, very good,” Atticus added, purring.
A warm blush started to spread over my body at their praise, and I wondered for a second if I’d gone too far. The heat in Sax’s eyes, though, had me wanting to see it through.
“Right this way.” Sax took my hand, leading me down another pathway before turning and stopping in front of a door.
“How do you know it’s empty?” I asked, worried we might walk in on someone.
“They’re all empty, Bellezza. Do you really think we’d let anyone else see you?” Atticus asked, possession in his tone.
“You closed?” I asked, stuck on that part.
“Just opening later. Illusion is open for now; Verity will open when we’re done. Now, are you ready?”
I nodded, hoping I was. I couldn’t deny my nerves, but there was that hint of exhilaration as well, the feeling you got before opening a present on Christmas morning. A million possibilities lay behind that door. I just had to be brave enough to step through.
Loosening the belt on the coat, I let it slip from my shoulders, the smooth material sliding off and hitting the floor. I kept my face forward and turned the knob. I heard their inhales of breath as they took in my outfit, and it emboldened me. A smile spread over my lips, and a sexy vixen emerged. Turning my head, I took in their hungry stares and winked, finishing my entrance into the room.
It wasn’t what I’d expected, but I instantly loved it. It was larger than the Sensation room. The back wall was a half stage with a stripper pole in the center. There were soft round couches covered in velvet, and I briefly wondered how hard they were to clean. A bed took up one corner, and a large glass mirror ran along the back of the room with thick curtains on its sides.
I stopped in the middle of the room, and soft music started to play through hidden speakers. Biting my lip, I tried to figure out what made this room an obsession, but nothing was coming to mind unless people became addicted to pole dancing. I supposed that could be a thing. It seemed interesting, but I didn’t know if I had the guts, or the coordination, to do it.
Warm hands landed on my hips, the rough texture letting me know it was Sax. He bent down, breathing onto my neck. “Shit, Spitfire. You’re a fucking fantasy come to life.” I smiled, my confidence returning.
I’d been worried the outfit I chose would make me look too much like all the hatred my mother had spewed at me for years.
Common Whore. Tramp. Prostitute. Slut.
It was what had made me put it on in the end. I needed to replace her hate with my own truths. The vow to believe in myself and the best of me was holding firm, and each day I felt pieces of the past falling away.
The black lace bra, crotchless panties, and thigh-high stockings kissed my skin as I moved, lighting up all my nerve endings. Confidence surged, and I tilted my head up, catching his gaze. “Hopefully, I’ll be better than the fantasy, Mr. Sax.”
He growled, eliminating the space between us, crashing his lips to mine. He tasted of masculine sensuality, his own confidence spurring on mine and helping me see the woman he saw me as, the woman I was.