Page 16 of Nanny and the Beast

I nod in agreement. “Mrs. Hendricks told us it would be classy, but this place is straight-up dreamy.”

Elysium sits on the outskirts of Ravenwood, nestled by hundreds of acres of forest land. Elegant lampposts line the driveway, their design evoking a bygone era.

The inside of the club is a blend of Art Deco and modern architecture. There’s a sweepingmarble bar to the right. The seating arrangements are in secluded alcoves along the open space’s perimeter, giving all clients privacy.

The men are tall, handsome, and well-dressed. The women are gorgeous. Some are dressed in evening gowns, and others wear nothing but bejeweled stickers on their bare skin.

“It feels like one of those places where you can lose track of time,” I say, taking in the glamour and the glitz.

“Maybe even lose yourself,” Gigi whispers.

It’s just what I need. A good distraction from the general chaos of my life.

The twin sisters walk a few feet ahead of us alongside Mrs. Hendricks. She offered to giveus a personal tour of the club.

The prickling sensation at the back of my neck intensifies.

I know it for certain now—I’m being watched.

But there’s something different about it this time. It doesn’t feel threatening. I don’t feel like I’m in danger.

Gigi glances at the time on her phone.

“We’ll be just in time for the midnight show,” she says.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“You’ll see,” she replies.

We catch up with the twins and Mrs. Hendricks.

A heavy black door is opened for us. The wordsCarpe Noctemare embedded on the door in gold font.

Seize the night.

Something twists in my belly. This place is all about power, control, and desire. It’s all about shedding old inhibitions.

As I step through the door, something shifts inside me.

The atmosphere changes.

A thumping bass replaces the jazz music from the grand piano in the foyer. There’s a dark edge to this beat, a seductive tension that makes me want to unravel.

“You feel that too, right?” Gigi asks, turning to look at me.

“Yeah.”

There’s an inexplicable shift in the air. It feels like jumping from midsummer to New Year’s Eve.

We make our way down the corridor. Bright lights flicker at the far end.The air gets thicker, like a smoke that blurs the line between right and wrong. I feel the pulse of the music running through my entire body.

When we emerge from the other side, I forget how to breathe.

It’s wilder than anything I could have ever imagined.

Girls in sheer dresses twirl on rings in the sky. In one of the alcoves, I catch a glimpse of a girl giving a lap dance to a man.He’s fully dressed, and she’s wearing nothing but a tight latex skirt. He watches her move with hooded eyes.

I feel the raw sexual tension in the air. The anticipation, the power exchange, the heated gazes.

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