Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
The volume of conversations in the narrow room rose as more people arrived, and it was stunning how quickly every seat was taken. More people came in, filing into the back where it was standing room only.
“You were right to get here early,” I whispered to Noah. “Glad we got seats.”
There wasn’t an announcement that the show was about to start. There also wasn’t an introduction of the performers. Travis and Lilith moved to stand center-stage, and the room must have sensed they were ready, because a hush fell over the crowd.
The order from Travis was quiet enough I wouldn’t have heard it if I’d been sitting any farther back.
“Take off your dress.”
She peered out at the audience as she did it, grasping the sides of her skirt and pulling it up. Red fabric gave way to icy blue lace and flawless skin. Her bare stomach was toned, and as the dress continued to travel upward, it exposed the matching blue bra she wore.
Shit, her boobs looked amazing. The pale blue bra was demi cut, and her breasts nearly spilled out the top of it in a wicked tease. The lingerie was sexy and probably insanely expensive, and I would be lying to myself if I said I didn’t want to see what was hidden beneath.
Her dark hair splashed around her after she’d finished pulling the dress over her head, and she turned to look at him—or perhaps to make sure he was looking at her. She dropped the dress like it was a challenge, a signal she was ready for the next step.
Travis lifted an eyebrow. Is that so, his expression read. He strode forward to the edge of the platform, shrugged out of his suit coat, and handed it off to Clay. Next, his fingers worked to loosen the knot of his black tie and undo the buttons of his dress shirt.
There was something for everyone to enjoy once his shirt was off. They could look at the stunning woman in skimpy lingerie, or the shirtless man who looked like he’d been carved out of stone.
It was instinctive, the way I tensed when Travis unbuckled his belt, slid it free from the belt loops, and coiled the buckle end around his palm. It left the other end dangling free from his hand and when he stepped toward her, I sucked in a breath.
Was he planning to use that on her?
I didn’t know how to feel about that, but Lilith did. She focused on the strap of leather swinging from his grip, and electricity sparked in her eyes. She looked at that belt like she wanted it badly.
His back was to the audience, but he must have noticed her hungry expression because he paused. Something like a chuckle rumbled out of him, and he kept his voice low. “Maybe later.”
Her excitement fell at the same moment the belt was dropped to the stage with a loud thunk, but that excitement returned as he bent and scooped up one of the pairs of leather cuffs he’d pulled from the bag. She offered her hands to him eagerly and held still as he latched each of the black cuffs closed around her wrists.
And when it was done, she laced her fingers together and held her hands out in front of her as if in prayer. There were lights overhead, angled toward the platform to light the stage, and it made the silver clasps dangling from her cuffs gleam brightly.
Travis took a knee to retrieve the other pair of cuffs, and while he fastened them around her ankles, I stared at her impressive shoes. The stiletto heels were so tall and thin, it was like she was balancing on needles, and my calves ached just looking at them. But she had perfect balance.
When he was done, he rose and loomed over her, showing the powerful flat of his back to the audience, but my focus didn’t stay there. It was because he placed his large hand on the base of her neck so his fingers could collar her throat.
It didn’t seem like he was squeezing, or that she was the least bit uncomfortable with it, but the action left me breathless. It was so . . . possessive. I bit down on my bottom lip. God, what was wrong with me? Seeing his hand wrapped around her throat turned me on, but the thought of Noah doing the same to me?
That turned me on a hell of a lot more.
Lilith stared back at her boyfriend like she was under his spell. Utterly enthralled. So much so, that when he began to guide her backward toward the St. Andrew’s Cross, I doubted she even realized she was moving.
She held his gaze, unblinking, as he used his free hand to grasp one of her wrists and raise it to match one of the outstretched arms of the cross. There was a slight click of metal against metal as she was clipped to the ring there.