Page 205 of Cruel Devotion

And then the orchestra began to play , enveloping the space in ethereal music that twirled and spun in the air.

Amazing.

While their eyes may have been veiled, they performed with precision.

Almost supernatural.

As if guided by an unseen force. The captivating sound seductively blended the strings with the woodwinds.

Lei looked up and studied me. “This isourenergy right now. That’s what they feel.”

The song was beautiful, yet slightly disconcerting.

Haunting and enchanting all at the same time.

Each note caressed my skin.

This blissful sensation hummed through my body.

How could I not surrender to the symphony?

How could I not let it wash over me like the biggest ocean wave?

Shoving my body down below the surface of reality.

Drowning me in the beauty.

I trembled in delight, and a flute mirrored that rippling sound.

Then, the large bedroom doors opened, drawing my attention.

Two men entered, maneuvering a colossal object that instantly dominated the room’s already extravagant atmosphere.

What the fuck is this?

The men brought the huge thing over and stopped it three feet in front of us.

I took it all in.

Standing taller than the men, the huge thing must have been some sort of. . .bondage wheel, and I could not deny that it was one of the most imposing items in the space. Thick leather straps were attached to various areas of the wheel, promising to secure whoever was placed on it in a vulnerable and exposed position.

Ummm. . .

Lei walked over to another cart, stopped in front of a blue ostrich feather and smirked.

The two men rushed away and closed the doors.

I turned away from the bondage wheel and swallowed. “Lei?”

He didn’t look my way.

Instead, he kept his gaze on that ostrich feather. It was long and elegant, with delicate wispy strands that shimmered in the light.

And then the music shifted.

Did it feel my own shift in emotion from calm to anxiety?

The soothing melody transformed to sharp, staccato strings, their notes quick and erratic, mirroring the rapid heartbeat of unease.

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