Page 7 of Day Shift

“More!” I cried out, desperately craving the sweet torture he was delivering. Lucian obliged, raking his nails along my spine before gripping my hair and pulling my head back, exposing my throat to his hungry mouth. He nipped and sucked at my sensitive skin, leaving a trail of possessive marks that sent tendrils of electricity coursing through my veins.

As his relentless pace continued, the familiar coil of tension built within me once more. His arm snaked around my waist, and my breath hitched when his fingers dipped between my legs to find my throbbing clit. He rubbed tight circles around the sensitive bundle of nerves while continuing to fuck me from behind, driving me toward the edge of sanity.

“Lucian… I’m gonna come!” I gasped, clutching at the surface of the desk for support as my legs trembled with need. In response, he increased his pace, working his fingers in tandem with his cock to send me spiraling to the edge.

“That’s it, come for me, Ana!” he commanded, and I obeyed, my orgasm ripping across me like a wildfire, leaving me breathless and shaking. My walls clenched around Lucian’s cock, and with one final, deep thrust, he groaned my name and released his hot cum inside me.

As our entwined bodies shuddered with the aftershocks, he collapsed onto my back, pressing his forehead against the slick skin between my shoulder blades. We panted, a tangled mess of limbs.

“Anastasia,” he whispered, lifting his head and pressing a gentle kiss to the nape of my neck. “You’re incredible.”

“I like it when you’re angry,” I replied, a smug grin on my face. He chuckled, his belly rumbling against my back.

The moment he pulled out and the cool air hit my sensitive skin, I spun around and pressed my lips onto his, twining my fingers behind his neck. Our kiss was soft and slow this time, a contrast to our rough encounter. When we separated, I was relieved to notice that the darkness in his eyes had receded, replaced by a playful glint. “Yeah, I needed that,” he said, giving me a swat on the ass.

There was no time to linger though. The club’s needs always took precedence, and we both knew the rules—just pleasure and release for both of us and then back to the business at hand. It was an arrangement that worked perfectly for our needs. I’d made it clear that whatever we did together would end the minute either of us started to catch feelings. When we first met, we had tried to ignore the sexual tension between us, but that hadn’t lasted long. Since my freedom had an expiration date, I’d made sure to tell him up front that I had no interest in any sort of relationship or complicated feelings, that whatever happened between us would just serve to meet our needs at the moment. I’d never forget his reaction—first a stunned expression, followed by a huge smile. He’d told me he had recently gotten out of a relationship with a girl who was beyond manipulative and a total liar. Some time later, his brother Lach had told me how devastated Lucian had been by her betrayal. So Lucian had eagerly accepted my terms. It was an out-in-the-open sort of agreement we’d made to not only each other, but with the full knowledge of the other guys here at the club. No secrets, no apologies.

“Looks like someone’s in a better mood,” I teased, stepping away to gather my discarded clothes from the floor. “Already so much happier than when I first walked into your office, huh?”

“Can you blame me?” He smirked, pulling on his pants. “You always know how to put a smile on my face.”

“Who wouldn’t enjoy having someone like me to let off steam with?” I giggled, sliding my dress over my head and adjusting it back into place.

“True,” he agreed, buttoning up his shirt. “We’re quite the dynamic duo when it comes to this.”

We quickly finished dressing. As I was running my fingers through my tousled hair, Lucian leaned in for one last kiss, his lips lingering against mine for a moment before he stepped away. “I’ll catch up with you later,” he said, adjusting his tie. “I need to get back downstairs.”

“All right, I’ll let you know about the SLA issue,” I called after him, watching his retreating figure disappear through the office door.

Around 3:00 a.m., the club began to wind down. The patrons filtered out while staff cleaned up. I said my goodbyes to the guys, promising to see them tomorrow night. Exhaustion hung heavy on my limbs, but a satisfied smile played on my lips as I stepped outside onto the sidewalk. My body still hummed from my passionate encounter with Lucian.

I let out a sigh of relief when I noticed that Slade had already hailed me a cab for the ride home.

“Thank you, kind sir,” I said cheerfully. He grinned and nodded. He was aware that the only reason I’d be this upbeat at this time of the night was because of my special relationship with Lucian. I didn’t care if everyone knew. It was one of the best perks of owning a piece of Club Xyst.

As the car whisked me through the city streets, the adrenaline and excitement of the night dissipated, replaced by the comforting blanket of fatigue. By the time I reached my apartment, all I wanted was to slide between the cool sheets and surrender to a peaceful oblivion.

Once home, I stumbled through the door, kicking off my shoes and shedding my clothes, leaving a trail behind me on my way to my bedroom. The softness of the bed beckoned, and I eagerly collapsed into it, my body sinking into the welcoming covers.

Thoughts of my hectic night swirled through my head in a blur until returning to the fast and furious encounter I’d had with Lucian. Our connection—his heat, our passion, and the unspoken understanding that what we had was strictly for our mutual physical gratification—made me feel powerful. I didn’t have any interest in dating. He was up front about any other women he’d been with, and both of us made sure we kept ourselves healthy and clear of any STDs. I chuckled softly into the pillow, wondering if my future husband would question why his so-called virginal wife already had an IUD.

Before sleep finally claimed me, I had one last surge of gratitude for the connection Lucian and I shared, even if it was only temporary. We had our own little world of pleasure, and for now, that was more than enough.

Chapter three

The sound of my alarm pierced through the early Monday morning silence, but it barely registered. My head ached from sleep deprivation and the stress of a hectic weekend at Club Xyst. I groaned, cursing the necessity of getting up. My body protested as I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. I was desperately craving coffee and breakfast that I simply didn’t have time for. I had to get moving.

While the hot water beat against my skin, my mind wandered to the events of the weekend. Uncle Luca had come through for me, helping resolve the issue with the NYSLA that had threatened to yank Xyst’s liquor license. It had been a doozy of a situation. The drunk kid with a fake ID had punched one of the most senior cops on the force. The cop had wanted to throw the book at us, and it had attracted quite a lot of attention to the club, threatening to unravel everything we’d built. Uncle Luca had stepped in and made sure the issue was swept under the rug. The cops involved would have a fatter bank account and conveniently have no memory of the incident.

My uncle was the only one in my family who knew about my involvement with the club, finding it amusing that I was able to keep it a secret from everyone else. As a powerful second in the Genovese family, he had connections and influence that never failed to amaze me.

It was rumored that he would soon be stepping up as the next Don—the top boss—of the Genovese family. He admired my tenacity and, for reasons I didn’t know, had kept my endeavors with Xyst from my parents and Aunt Elena. With his help, the police in the 6th precinct were paid off, ensuring they wouldn’t shut down the club’s underground gambling operation.

“Anastasia, I like how you come to me. Trust me. Most of those your age in the family are too afraid to even look me in the eye. Not you. You’re a force to be reckoned with,” he’d told me on Saturday when we met to discuss the liquor license issue. I smiled at the memory.

By Sunday, everything had been resolved. When I’d informed Lucian of the situation, he had raised an eyebrow, clearly amazed and curious—maybe even a little suspicious—about how I’d taken care of the matter so quickly. But, as usual, I’d just played it off as having good political connections. Thankfully, he hadn’t questioned me further.

Once I finished showering, I dried my hair, applied a bit of makeup, and dressed for my library job. It was so annoying to have to wear my conservative attire after spending the weekend at Club Xyst, but it was necessary to maintain appearances.

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