Page 43 of Wicked and Bound

“I know.” He hated to touch her while she was impaired, but she’d known they would likely have to join the sexfest about to unfold. And he couldn’t whisk her away to the privacy of their room without raising eyebrows—and suspicions. He could only hope she didn’t fucking hate him tomorrow for what was about to go down.

“I’ll deal,” he told Kane. “You prepared to do your part?”

“Xander and Javier are full of fun tech. Got a camera built into the frame of these glasses.”

“They work?”

Kane nodded. “I did a test run earlier. Walked around the compound, ‘accidentally’ stumbling into a couple of employees-only sections. I played dumb when they tossed me out. Not much of the footage I captured was useful, but I sent back what I could. The bosses are fine-tooth-combing it now.”

At least that was some good news.

Suddenly, Haisley gasped, her stare fixed a few feet away. “Amy…”

He and Kane both followed her gaze and spotted a pretty brunette being roughly guided by a man in an emerald cape. Her eyes were glassy, her steps unsteady. When she stumbled, her “owner” yanked her upright by her hair with a snarl.

The music shifted to something darker, more sexual. Then a resonant gong echoed through the chamber. The crowd’s energy changed, anticipation crackling through the air as everyone suddenly retreated to the edges of the room.

Mr. Gray, wearing his own cape and mask, walked through the throng that had parted for him, then ascended a raised dais topped with an ornate throne. Golden serpents coiled up its sides, their ruby eyes gleaming in the dim light. He raised his arm in a sweeping gesture, commanding the crowd’s attention. Everyone fell silent.

“Welcome, brothers! Tonight we gather to celebrate the ancient rites that bind us. For centuries, men of power have known the truth—that dominion over the flesh empowers our dominion over everything. The Velvet Cove is a place where you can indulge in pure pleasure without rules or shame, which is why discretion is paramount and participation is key. Here, you’re encouraged to be your most hedonistic self. Let’s toast!”

The masked figures from the hidden doors suddenly produced ceremonial bowls of incense. Sickly-sweet smoke curled through the air as they slowly circled the gathered crowd.

“Drink deep,” Gray commanded, raising his goblet. “Let the sacred elixir free your base desires. Tonight we revel in darkness. In lust. In power.”

The assembled men raised their glasses in unison before knocking back their brew. Even the most resistant of their “merchandise” were forced to drink. Amy’s handler roughly tipped her glass to her lips until she choked.

As the drugged wine took hold, the mysterious figures began a low, rhythmic chant. The cloaked masters soon joined in. A sexual electronica beat threaded beneath their voices as they moved in measured steps, herding their captives to the center of the room.

With each rotation, their circle tightened. The chanting grew louder, the music more primal. Women swayed, eyes unfocused. Their handlers swept them up in possessive holds.

The gong sounded again. The chanting stopped. In the sudden silence, Gray’s smile gleamed beneath his mask. “Let the revelry begin!”

His roar had immediate, electric effect. As if a switch had been flipped, the veneer of civilization fell away. Depravity took over as silk whispered against skin and clothes began disappearing. A few masks began to slip as the crowd’s collective inhibitions melted under the influence of drugs and decadence.

Nash pulled Haisley deeper into an alcove, away from the others. She glanced up, her pupils now blown wide as the drugs had fully taken hold. She swayed against him, her skin already feeling feverish under his hands.

Across the room, he caught sight of Gray staring, his narrowed eyes laser-focused and watchful.

“Gray…” Haisley whispered.

“I see him.”

She took in the room, at the twisting bodies and the rising moans. Her breathing roughened. “I’m trying to focus, but the sensations… I ache.”

Son of a bitch.

“I have an idea. Play along,” he murmured against her neck.

“Will you touch me?” she gasped.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do more than touch you, baby.” He didn’t have much choice.

With a growl, he lifted her off her feet and carried her to the nearest pillar, braced beneath by a pedestal. He backed her against the column, settling her backside on the edge of the support beneath.

At six-foot-seven, he usually towered over people. Great for seeing inside a crowd. Not so great for blending in. This pose put Haisley a head taller than him and gave him the ability to mingle in with the revelers.

He planted his lips at her throat and let his hands wander her body. “Tell me what you see. Everything.”

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