Page 1 of The Secrets We Hide

Chapter 1

Lucas

The rhythmic hum of the HVAC system in my corner office had become a familiar, almost comforting drone. From this vantage point, twenty-seven floors above the bustling streets of Boston, Blackwood Architects felt like my kingdom.

The scent of aged leather and freshly brewed espresso was my usual Monday morning ritual. It was a comforting predictability in a world that often felt anything but. My gaze drifted across the architectural model of our latest project, a sleek, sustainable high-rise that would redefine Boston’s skyline. Blackwood Architects was my legacy, the tangible result of years of relentless dedication that Jason Blackwood and I had poured our blood, sweat, and more late nights than I cared to recall into building this firm. It was a testament to our shared vision and our ambition. And yet, as I leaned back in my leather chair, the city lights twinkling like distant, indifferent stars, a familiar ache settled in my chest.

Success. I had it. A meticulously tailored suit hung perfectly on my frame; my calendar was a testament to my drive, and my address was in one of the city’s most coveted zip codes. What I didn’t have, what had been surgically removed that spring day over two decades ago when Olivia’s note lay stark white against the deep crimson of the altar cloth, was love. Or even the genuine pursuit of it.

My forties had arrived with a quiet sigh, bringing with them a sex life that felt less like an exploration of pleasure and more like checking off a box on a to-do list. A rotating cast of beautiful, intelligent women, each encounter ending with a polite goodbye and a lingering sense of… emptiness. The thrill had long since evaporated, leaving behind a dull routine that mirrored the silence in my otherwise opulent apartment.

But this morning, the familiar sense of pride was muted, overshadowed by the lingering ghost of Saturday night.

The Obsidian. The memory of the club pulsed beneath the surface of my carefully constructed composure, a discordant beat in the otherwise steady rhythm of my life. Dominik’s suggestion had been impulsive, unexpected. And my agreement… well, that had been even more so. It was a reckless abandon I hadn’t felt in decades, a desperate attempt to shake off the ennui that had been clinging to me like a persistent shadow.

Molly. Her name echoed in my mind, a sharp, vibrant contrast to the muted tones of my usual encounters. The audacity of her proposition, the playful glint in her eyes – it had been both disarming and undeniably alluring.

And then there was Dominik. The way his gaze had locked with mine across the crowded room, a silent acknowledgment of something shifting between us.

The memory of the shared intimacy was a confusing tangle of sensations. The unfamiliar feel of another man’s touch, the unexpected surge of connection… it had stirred something within me that I thought had long been dormant. A vulnerability I hadn’t allowed myself to feel since Olivia. And now, back in the familiar confines of my office, the memory felt both exhilarating and deeply unsettling.

The air in the private room at The Obsidian thrummed with a different kind of energy now, a palpable tension that had shifted from curiosity to something far more charged. The initial awkwardness of Molly's proposition had dissolved, replaced by a shared exploration of unspoken desires.

I found myself caught in a sensory whirlwind. Molly's hand, bold and confident, traced the line of my jaw, her eyes locked on mine with a playful intensity. Beside me, Dominik's presence was a quiet heat, a simmering intensity that I could feel radiating from him. The dim lighting cast our bodies in a soft, hazy glow, blurring the edges of our individual forms as we began to move closer.

Molly leaned in, her lips brushing my ear as she whispered, "Ready to try something new?" Her breath was warm against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. I nodded, “I’m ready,” my gaze flicking to Dominik, who watched us with an unreadable expression, a flicker of something akin to anticipation in his dark eyes.

Then, Molly's attention shifted to Dominik, her fingers tracing the strong line of his neck, dipping beneath the collar of his shirt. Dominik's breath hitched, his jaw tightening slightly as she explored the sensitive skin there. A low growl rumbled in his chest, a sound that resonated deep within me and traveled straight down to my cock.What the fuck?

The unspoken invitation hung in the air, a silent agreement to shed inhibitions and explore the uncharted territory before us. Molly's hands moved with a practiced ease, her touch both sensual and confident. She guided my hand to the curve of her breast, the silk of her dress a stark contrast to the warmth beneath. “Touch me, Lucas.” Simultaneously, her other hand found Dominik's, interlacing their fingers as she leaned in to kiss him, a slow, deliberate press of lips that spoke of shared desire.

I watched them, a strange mix of arousal and fascination swirling within me. The sight of Molly's lips on Dominik's, the possessive grip of their intertwined hands, ignited a heat within me I hadn't anticipated. I had never witnessed this kind of intimacy firsthand, let alone been a part of it.

Then, Molly broke the kiss, her gaze returning to me. She moved with a fluid grace, her body brushing against mine as she turned to face me fully. Her hands found my waist, pulling me closer until our bodies were pressed together. I could feel the heat radiating from her, the soft press of her breasts against my chest.

Her lips found mine again, this time a deeper, more demanding kiss. I responded instinctively, my hands finding the curve of her hips, pulling her closer still. The scent of her perfume filled my senses, a heady mix of floral and spice. “You smell delicious, Molly.”

At the same time, I felt Dominik's hand on my back, a firm, grounding presence. Dominik leaned in, his lips finding the sensitive skin of my neck, his breath hot against my pulse point. A moan escaped my lips, the unfamiliar sensation both startling and intensely arousing. “You taste so good, Lucas,” Dominik growled.

The room became a tangle of limbs and whispered moans. Molly's hands explored my chest, her fingers teasing the sensitive skin around my nipples. Dominik's lips trailed down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. The combined sensations were overwhelming, pushing me to the edge of control.

I found himself reaching for Dominik, his hands finding the lean curve of his waist, pulling him closer until our bodies were pressed together. “Oh, fuck, Dom. I need to feel you.” The feel of Dominik's hard body against mine, the heat radiating from him, was a potent aphrodisiac.

Molly shifted, her hand now finding Dominik's, guiding it lower, her eyes locking with mine in a silent invitation. The air crackled with unspoken desires, the boundaries between us dissolving as we explored the intoxicating possibilities of this shared intimacy. The night at The Obsidian had just begun, and the exploration of our combined desires promised to be a journey into uncharted and intensely pleasurable territory.

“Fuck.” I whispered to myself as my hand trailed down my stomach to my now rock hard cock. I needed to focus on work.

Dominik walked past my open door as I reached down under my desk to arrange my dick, his usual quiet efficiency radiating from him. He offered a curt nod, his dark eyes flicking to mine before he continued down the hall. The casual normalcy of the gesture did little to quell the unease churning within me. There was a new awareness between us, a silent acknowledgment of the boundary we had crossed. It hung in the air like unspoken words, thick and heavy. I found myself watching him throughout the morning, a subtle shift in my perception. The way his brow furrowed in concentration as he stared at his monitors, the almost imperceptible tension in his shoulders. Had I ever truly seen him before Saturday night?

My phone buzzed, a reminder of my eleven o’clock meeting with Jason. I forced my attention back to the blueprints spread across my desk, the clean lines and precise measurements a welcome distraction from the messy, unpredictable terrain of human desire. But even as I discussed structural integrity and material costs, the ghost of a shared touch, a whispered word in the darkness, lingered at the edges of my awareness. This was going to be… complicated.

Chapter 2

Dominik

The blinking lights of the server racks in the climate-controlled hum of the IT department were a familiar comfort. Logic, code, predictable systems – this was my domain. Here, everything made sense. Unlike the chaotic swirl of emotions that had been churning within me since Saturday night.

Lucas. The memory of him in the dimly lit room, the surprise and then the hesitant surrender in his eyes, played on a loop in my mind. I’d suggested The Obsidian as a way to shake him up, a momentary escape from the sterile routine of his life. I hadn’t anticipated the raw intensity of my own reaction, the possessive instinct that had flared when Molly had entered the picture.

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