“Gods, you’re such a male.”
“Yeah, have been for a while. Even have the equipment to prove it.” He reached down and adjusted himself.
It was at that precise moment Avi swung the door open. Unmindful of the fact he had his damn junk in his hands, he gaped at her.
Rather than her standard modest style, her hair curled around her shoulders in lush, wanton waves. She’d done something different with her eyes too. The lashes were darker than usual, thick and full and rimmed with a smoky purple color that gave her a sultry look. Even with the addition of her glasses, she resembled a naughty minx hell-bent on seduction. Her full, pillowy lips held a hint of pearly gloss that made him think about other sexier white stuff he’d enjoyed seeing on her mouth last night.
Not the least bit ashamed about that thought, he continued visually devouring her. She’d made a dramatic alteration on the hem of the dress. It barely hit mid-thigh. If she bent over, every man lucky enough to be within viewing distance would get the sight of his life. But in the end, her shoes were the most devastating to his sanity. They were high-heeled, with slinky straps that snaked partway up her toned calves. He’d always had a thing for sexy shoes. And right now he couldn’t shake the image of those heels up around his ears while he fucked her slow and deep.
“You—” He stopped and cleared his throat of the gravelly lust log-jamming it before trying again. “You look different.”
“I decided to spice things up a bit. If I’m going to play the part of a dominatrix, the least I can do is properly resemble one.” She twirled. “What do you think?”
I think I’m going to lose my mind before this night is over. Wisely retaining that observation to his private musings, he held out her cloak. “Damn good thing I got this for you. Without it you’d freeze in an instant.”
“Is that your way of telling me the dress is too short?”
“There’s no such thing as a too-short dress.”
Awarding him a droll look, she slipped her arms into the cloak and bundled it up. “I’m ready if you are.”
“I was ready half an hour ago.”
“Really? Only half an hour ago? I was expecting you to say yesterday.”
He fetched the Racer’s keys from his pocket and watched her strut down the hall ahead of him. “You’ve been extra sassy today.”
“And?”
“I’m wondering the reason for it.”
“Why do you always suspect there’s a motive behind everything?”
He grunted. “Because nine times out of ten, there is.”
“Maybe I’m a changed woman, and this is the new me. Extra sassy and consequences be damned.”
He scratched his jaw, unable to puzzle out her strange mood. “Changed woman?”
“Yes, now that I’ve finally accepted reality.”
There was something in her tone that provoked a sliver of foreboding through him. “And what reality is that?”
“No matter how much I might want it, we’re never going to be together.”
The hollow finality in her tone riled queasiness in his gut. There were a million reasons why he should be grateful that she’d come to her senses, but damn if he couldn’t latch on to a single one of them.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “You’re awfully quiet.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I thought you’d be jumping up and down with joy over the news. Now you don’t have to worry about me pining away over you for the rest of my life.”
He swallowed past the misery in his throat. “I never thought you’d do that.”
“I did.” She jogged down the steps, leaving her words arrowed through his heart.
Less than twenty minutes later they strode through the entrance of the club. While the attendant collected their coats, Jerrick eyed Avily’s profile. The ride over she’d been chatty but closed off at the same time—as if she were slowly locking herself away from him piece by piece. The notion constricted his chest, adding a painful pressure behind his sternum. He didn’t want this casual distance from her.
He didn’t want her indifference.
It’d kill him.
“Avi.” The slight crack in his voice made him wince.
“Hmm?” She started to turn toward him the same instant Francesca entered the room from the opposite hall.
The skirt of her filmy, sapphire silk gown rippling in a fluid flow with her steps, the mistress approached them, bearing a smile reserved exclusively for Avily. As if his evening wasn’t shitastic enough, he got to look forward to the next several hours of the woman’s bristling hostility.
It seemed to be a cosmic joke continuously played on him. His own people—the law-abiding ones, anyway—snubbed him for his chosen profession. And the humans despised him for being a member of an asshole race who controlled the planet.
He couldn’t fucking win.
Francesca extended her hand to both of them in regal welcome. “I’m glad you could make it tonight.”
Avily ran nervous fingers through her hair. “I apologize for being late.”
Francesca waved her off with a dismissive flick of the wrist. “There are a few others who’ve yet to arrive. Come, I’ll introduce you to those who are here.”
The second Francesca turned her back, Avily shot him an uncertain glance. That tiny return to her old self might as well have been a benediction from the gods. She needed him. His world was a step closer to being right again.
Leaning down, he brushed his lips to her ear. “You did fantastic last night. You’ll knock this round out of the park.”
The trepidation faded from her eyes, and she nodded. Returning her attention to Francesca, Avily hurried after the mistress. They entered a small parlor that adjoined the miniature ballroom. Roughly a dozen people packed the space. Some stood conversing while others lounged on the various chaises and chairs, partaking in the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres being passed by a muscle-bound server wearing nothing but an animal-print thong. Several of the Doms in the room made a point of caressing the man’s ass while he waited on them.
A subtle shift in the air must have alerted everyone to their presence. Every eye turned in their direction. Feeling like a bug under a compu-scope, Jerrick calmly took their stares in stride. A part of him was thankful to be the one on the receiving end of their speculative gazes. Because gods knew he’d pummel every man in the room to within an inch of their life if they’d treated Avi to the same fondle-fest they’d bestowed upon the half-naked server.
“I would like to introduce you all to our newest members.” Francesca’s voice rang overly loud in the deathly still room. She gestured grandly to Avily. “This is Mistress Scarlett, recently relocated from Helias. Please properly bid her welcome, along with her sub, Bill.”
One by one, the members broke off from their groups to introduce themselves. Most of the pairings were as Jerrick had expected. Male Doms with their female subs. There was one token male couple and a beautiful blonde with her equally stunning raven-haired female submissive who insisted on staring at the floor the entire time her master spoke to Avily.
Once the last introduction was made, Avi escorted him to the far corner of the room where the server was handing Francesca a flute brimming with a frothy pink liquid. Stretching onto her tiptoes, Avi whispered near his ear. “I feel like I just endured the biggest test of my life.”
It was a welcome thought, considering he had a sinking suspicion the real test had yet to come.
Francesca spotted their approach and patted the available space on the chaise she occupied. Dutifully accepting the invitation, Avily sat and carefully crossed her legs while Jerrick kneeled beside her. At least the carpeted floor was a bloody sight more comfortable than the marble in the bar area.