Page 12 of Play With Me

“I’ll take a beer. Not picky.” I won’t drink it anyway. I’m here for a job, not to get drunk.

He motions for me to follow him, nodding at a guy with shaggy blond hair behind the bar. “Jace, get this guy a beer. He says he’s not picky.” He talks to the bartender but doesn’t take his eyes off me. “This place is pretty straightforward. Angels wear the wings, obviously. There are three tiers—gold, black, and platinum—for three different halls of the club. Gold is Confessional, which means talking only, no touching allowed. Black is Dreamers. You can touch, but no sex. Platinum is Desires, and anything goes in that hall. It’s the largest of the three and where the monthly shows are hosted.”

Luca taps a black metal card on the bar with a gold feather embossed on the front, giving it to Jace to swipe after he sets a beer in front of me. “Drinks are included with membership, but anything youwant is on the house while you and yourfriendsare here, since you’re not members.”

“Where are Mar–”

“We don’t use our real names here. Very few of us don’t take on a pseudonym, but we still try to limit using our real names,” Luca cuts me off. Jace brings the card back, and Luca slides it into his wallet. “We’re opening up the Desires hall to let people in. Madame will be out soon to start the show.”

I snort. “Madame? Seriously?” If Carmela thinks I’m going to call her Madame, she’s got another thing coming.

Luca pins me with a cold glare. “You got a problem with the boss?”

Yeah. My problem is that I want to tear her fucking clothes off with my teeth even though she’s a prostitute.

Finding out Carmela is the person I was hired to protect throws a wrench in all my plans. I hadplannedon her returning to my room tonight, and I was damn sure she’d show up. Iplannedon stocking up on condoms so I could fuck her senseless all night long. Iplannedon getting so acquainted with her pussy that there was no doubt in her mind about my confidence.

I didnotfuckingplanon her being the target. I did not fucking plan on her being the senator’s mistress.

And I sure as hell do not fucking plan on calling herMadame.

“No problem. Not gonna fucking call herMadame, though.” I slide off the stool and fall into step beside him as we head across the room.

“You’ll call her whatever she wants you to call her. I don’t give a damn who you are. You put on a show when you’re under this roof, and you show some respect. You’re here to do a job, and that means blending in. If she asks you to join her, you do it. If she asks you to crawl to her, you get on your goddamn knees and crawl. And if she asks you to touch her—and you don’t touch anyone unless they give you permission—you better fucking touch her. Do you understand?” Luca growls, mindful of keeping his voice low so others don’t overhear him.

But fuck everything he just said.

“I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole,” I spit out, even though I know if she asked, I’d oblige.

Luca turns to look at me, but his eyes dart over my shoulder. Whatever he’s about to say dies on his lips as Carmela steps around me, eyes narrowed through a delicate white lace mask.

My cock instantly springs to attention as I take her in, and I’m thankful for the low lighting coming from the giant chandelier in the middle of the Grand Room. Her skin shimmers with glitter, silver strappy heels winding their way up her calves. The lingerie she wears is all straps—thick, satiny bands that cover just enough while still somehow managing to leave a little mystery. They wind around her breasts and down her stomach, over her hips to cover the apex ofher thighs, secured by metal loops in circular shapes. The wings on her back are more prominent than any other Angels’. Where everyone else’s wings reach their waists, hers drip nearly to the floor, with thick, soft-looking feathers that are pure white.

She looks like an actual angel about to commit the sweetest sin.

“It’s okay, Luca,” she croons, her voice like silk as it slides over my skin. “I only invite confident men to play with me. Not cocky, arrogant assholes.”

Taking a step toward me, her eyes dip down to my erection as she raises an eyebrow. “Go ahead and explore, smooth guy. But don’t attend the show. No one needs your judgmental ass in there making them feelless than.”

She turns to leave and I reach out for her arm, but the second I move, Luca steps between us. “I told you, no touching unless given permission,” he snarls.

Carmela watches me over his shoulder, curiosity flaring brightly in her dark eyes. “He’s fine, Luca. You heard him. He has no intention of touching me.” Walking away, she throws over her shoulder, “If I catch you in my playroom, all bets are off, smooth guy. You're fair game.”

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Luca continues to glare at me as he follows her, walking backward to maintain eye contact until they reach the large double doors that are now wide open, and disappear down the hall. It’s darker in there, theonly light a red glow like the one in the hall from the dry cleaners.

Without realizing I’ve even moved, I find myself standing at the entrance. It’s like walking into the second circle of Hell from Dante’s Inferno. But I find that I can’t stop myself as I move in closer, watching as the crowd parts for Carmela to weave her way in and out of the patrons.

Her voice fills the giant space, filtering through a speaker system as she talks into a microphone. “Have you ever had a desire so dark you wouldn't dare speak it out loud? You've buried it so deep in the depths of your soul, but it's always there. Wanting. Waiting for the moment you set it free.” Everyone hangs on her every word. Confidence drips from her honeyed tone, and there’s no doubt that every single person in this room wants to fuck her. “Our Temptangels will awaken your deepest hunger. Here, you can feast until you're satiated.” She runs a hand along the back of a shirtless man before stroking the side of a female’s face beside him. “Here, you can be whoever you want and do whatever you wish—with consent, of course. Whether a woman or a man, or both if you prefer, your pleasure is their delight. So, pick your Angel and let your dreams take flight. Welcome to Désirer.”

By the time she’s finished speaking, I’ve made it to the edge of the crowd. Our eyes lock as she turns, and a Chesire grin spreads her crimson-painted lipswide. All eyes are still on her as she saunters toward me with calculated steps. She said if I came in, that I was fair game.

I want to know what she means.

Lifting the microphone, she lilts, “Looks like I found a new puppy to play with tonight.” She wraps her hand around my neck, dragging my face down to run her tongue up the side of my face, chin to temple, before whispering in my ear, “I should put you on a leash with aten-footlead.”

Her words slither over my body. Lust-fueled snakes that wrap around my cock and point it in her direction. I grab her hips and grind myself against her, eliciting a gasp that sounds like music to my ears.

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