Page 58 of Their Reckless Thief
I fought to keep my eyes from wandering.
“You’re staring,” she said with a smirk, her sultry voice drawing me in even more. “My eyes are up here, Dorian.”
I chuckled as I stepped into the room. “Yeah, well, you make it damn hard to focus.” I glanced up at her face, trying to keep it professional, though Alessia had a way of making that extremely difficult.
She closed the door behind me. “It’s been a while since we’ve had one of our little chats.” Her eyes raked over me as she leaned against her vanity, which was cluttered with makeup, perfume, and little bottles of potions—everything a succubus needed to lure in her prey.
“Business has been good,” I said. “I have no complaints about you or any of the other girls. We’re maxing out our seating capacity nearly every night. What more could a guy like me ask for?”
Her red lips curled into a smile. “Good to hear. I’ve got a new dance coming up in about twenty minutes. You should stay and watch. I’ve added a few newmagicaltouches.” She winked, and I could feel the subtle pulse of her succubus magic weaving through the air, trying to snare me.
I raised an eyebrow. “Tempting, but I’ve got other things on my mind.”
She pouted playfully. “Shame.”
“I do have something to discuss with you, though. You’ve probably heard about the women going missing from our district.”
The playfulness drained from her expression. “Yeah, I’ve heard. It’s fucked up. I haven’t heard anything concrete, though. None of the girls here have gone missing... yet.”
I nodded, grateful that all the women who worked in the club were accounted for. “I need you to keep your ears open with your clients. They tend to spill their secrets when they’re under your spell.”
She laughed, a husky sound. “You mean when they’re mesmerized by my pussy? You can say it, you know. That’s what they’re paying for. As they should.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not going to argue with that.”
She winked, her playful nature back in full force. “I’ll keep an eye out. If I hear anything, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I appreciate it,” I said, turning to leave. “I’ll let you get ready for your show.”
She waved me off with a smirk. “You’re missing out, Dorian.”
I left her dressing room and headed back toward the front, weaving through the dancers and the crowd. More women were on stage now, spinning on the poles, their bodies moving in ways that drove the men wild. I averted my eyes—not out of respect for them, but because all I could think about washer.
Celeste.
I hadn’t even realized how much of a grip she had on my mind until now. Every woman I passed, every look thrown my way, was nothing compared to her. It pissed me off more than I cared to admit.
I was in the middle of one of the biggest crises in The Below, with missing women, contaminated Phantomine, and a brewing war with The Shadow. And yet all I could think about was the way Celeste’s lips parted when she moaned my name.
Fuck.
I needed to focus, but Celeste was a distraction I couldn’t shake.
I had to see her again.
I wasn’t usedto going through the front door of Celeste’s apartment. Normally, I’d slip up the fire escape, sneak through her bedroom window, and surprise her. Today, however, was different. I had something planned. Something that required a bit more finesse than climbing metal ladders in the dark.
I stepped into the lobby of her building, wrinkling my nose at the dim lighting and the scuffed old carpet. Not my usual scene. But for her? Worth it.
I made my way up the stairs, holding a bouquet of deep red roses in one hand and the little black dress I’d picked out for her in the other.
When I knocked on her door, I heard her yell from inside, “I’m coming!” Her voice was filled with that familiar bite—sharp, but somehow sweet when it came from her.
The door swung open, and there she was. Her eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
I grinned, holding up the roses and the dress. “You’ve got ten minutes to get ready. I’m taking you out on a date.”
“A what?” she asked, staring at me like I’d lost my damn mind.
