Page 46 of Elicit (Decadence After Dark)

I lay next to him, secure in his grasp, trying to process everything that happened tonight. Everything he said.“They can have your body. I’m the one who reigns over your entire being.”

I dissect those words. Is he right? Does he reign over me? He definitely has power, but he called himself a slave. To me? How absurd.

I’m the subservient, the submissive—the slave.

I play with his nipple ring as his shallow intakes of air turn into deep, meditative breaths. He’s completely at peace when he sleeps. What I wouldn’t give to experience that. To close my eyes next to a man and simply fall asleep. I lay next to him for hours, absorbing his serenity. Admiring his soft but masculine features. Perfect bone structure, straight nose, plump lips. He’s the beautiful one. Not me. I’m deformed. Maybe not on the outside, but definitely within.

When I finally become restless, I wiggle out of his grasp. Regardless of how tired my body is, my mind is always on.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” His arm shoots out faster than lightning. “No sneaking away tonight.” He relocks me in an iron hold. “Close your eyes and go to sleep.”

“I can’t,” I protest.

“Yes, you can.”

“Jett, please, I can’t.”

“London, try. I can count on all my fingers and toes the number of hours you’ve actually slept since you moved in to this house.”

“I’m not tired,” I argue.

“Well, I’m not going to let you go lurking around tonight.”

“I don’t lurk,” I pout. “I bake.”

“Potatoe, potato,” he pacifies. “And as much as I like your sugary sweets, I like you right here much better.” He nuzzles his nose in my hair. “Now relax,” he hums seductively. “I’ll chase all your monsters away and be here to love you in the morning.”

Love?

He ignores my tense reaction, continuously purring sweet nothings in my ear.

He really is challenging me on every level tonight.

I reluctantly close my eyes, preparing for my perilous past to invade me.

To combat the distress, I concentrate fiercely on the low drone of Jett’s hypnotic voice. Envisioning every and any kind of innocent image. Kittens and puppies, flowers and butterflies, unicorns and rainbows. The most calming image is a storm. A snowstorm. Lying beneath a continuous snowfall of sparkling flakes. I find my cold and my warmth, welcoming the darkness for the first time in years before slipping slowly into a rich, deep slumber.

“LOOK WHO FINALLY DECIDED TOgrace us with his presence,” I hassle Kayne as he walks down the stairs in his tan suit and red dress shirt, both pressed perfectly. “How many times did you change until you finally decided on that outfit?”

“Shut it,” he snaps, concentrating on his phone.

I laugh. It’s just too fucking easy sometimes.

“Are weallready?” he huffs, irked, by the front door. Oh, someone is testy today. I decided last minute to take all the girls into the city with us. While Kayne attends his quarterly numbers meeting with Marc at Expo, the company who handles all of our imports out of Mexico, the girls could blow off some steam shopping on Lexington Ave. On the flip side of running a high-class brothel, we also have a personal brand of tequila that’s distributed across the country. We needed some kind of base business when we put this whole charade together, so we decided if we had free license to break the law, why not do it in a profitable, flashy, self-serving way. The brothel and the tequila proved to be more lucrative than either of us could have ever imagined.

“Yes, we are all ready. Ladies.” I extend my hand, giving them the green light. Watching them file out the door, I realize someone is missing.

“Kayne, get the girls in the limo,” I yell as I bound up the stairs two at a time.

“Where’s the fire?” Alistair asks as I hurry by him in the hallway.

“Want to avoid midtown traffic”—I spin around as I walk—“and we’re missing someone.”

“Mmm hmm,” I catch his smug reply. If I weren’t in such a rush, I’d bug him about Amber and then see how pompous he is. Those two. Talk about sexual tension. I don’t know what his deal is with her. The girl practically throws herself at him, and he barely gives her the time of day. Well, she used to throw herself at him. She finally took the hint and backed off, and when she did, his attitude toward her completely changed. Make up your mind, dude. Either you want her, or you don’t. There’s no middle ground. Amber doesn’t seem to be having his wishy washy way. She’s cozying up to a client who’s had his sights set on her for a while. I always know when it’s more than just physical attraction. I can sense it instantaneously. And Amber is one girl who is finally due for her happy ending. She’s been here the longest and is one of the most loyal employees I’ve ever had.

Alistair is an idiot in my opinion.

“London?” I knock on her door once I reach it.

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