Page 96 of Elicit (Decadence After Dark)

Jett climbs the stairs after she’s gone. And just as naturally as falling snow, he wraps me in his arms and protects me from the cold.

Love can hurt, but at the same time, it can also heal.

I’m learning these hard lessons day by day, minute by minute.

Jett makes the heartache bearable. He’s the one who’s there at the end of each day. He’s my illuminating salvation. I’m his darkest fantasy. Together, we dance in the twilight, shielded by the shadows and liberated by the light.

“IT WORKED!” KAYNE NEARLY KNOCKSdown the door to my room.

“You’re lucky I’m not naked.” I fasten the button on my jeans.

“You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.” He shrugs. “Pierced or not.”

“Good to know. What worked?” I finger comb my damp blond hair in the mirrored wall.

“Javier wants to throw El Rey a party.”

I spin to face Kayne. “He’s coming?”

“Yup. The day after tomorrow. So we need to move our asses.”

“The day after tomorrow? That soon? What did you tell him exactly?”

“Just that we’d throw El Rey a party he’d never forget.” Kayne’s bold blue eyes sparkle sinisterly.

My smile reflects his stare. “If there’s one thing I can do, it’s throw a party.”

“I have no doubt.”

“You coordinate with Juice.” I lower my voice and plan. “I’ll set up the festivities. This will be Mansion’s last hurrah. We need to go out with a bang.” The wheels start to spin as I begin to craft the perfect reception for our guest of honor. I already have the ideal theme.

Captive Angels.

It’s easy to get things done when you have great connections and a boat load of money. Mansion’s parties are legendary, so throwing one together last minute isn’t an impossible task. I’ve had vendors coming and going for nearly forty-eight hours, transforming the great room into a BDSM night club, complete with a VIP bondage area outfitted with furniture and complimentary men and women.

The invitations specifically directed everyone to wear white so they glow under the black lights, and when the clock strikes eleven, cannons will explode, dousing the crowd with UV paint, turning the canvas of white bodies into a colorful work of art. My favorite part of the whole decor? The real-live captive angels. Beautiful women dancing inside enormous bird cages, decked out with white feathered wings, dressed in skimpy lingerie and scattered all over the gigantic room.

It should be a night to remember. For everyone. If I could sprout devil horns, I would.

I put the finishing touches on Ellie’s outfit. I’ve been primping her for the party for the last two hours. It’s bittersweet to dress her for the last time. I’ve become very fond of this frisky little kitten.

I pulled out all the stops tonight, transforming her into an angelic vixen. Heavy eye makeup, fake eyelashes, and stained pink lips. And just because I could, I had the butterfly design, floor-length, mesh lingerie flown in directly from Milan. It’s some of my best work, if I do say so myself.

“Bellissimo.” I blow an air kiss off the tips of my fingers.

Ellie eyes me like I’m nuts. “You are a very odd individual.”

“I know. One of a kind,” I amicably agree.

“How did you come to be this way? If you were gay, I’d understand.”

I smile endearingly as I run one hand through my hair. Up until now, I’ve evaded as many of Ellie’s questions as I could. But I don’t see the harm in giving her a tiny morsel tonight.

“One day I’ll tell you the whole story. But the Cliff’s Notes version? I grew up around a lot of women.”

“Sisters?” she asks, thirsty for information.

Sisters, funny. I can’t help but laugh. “No, not exactly, but my mom did take in a lot of strays. Me and a house full of females, I learned a few things.”

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