Page 28 of Ashes

Chapter 12

ISTARE AT THE BLACKlace lingerie I’m wearing and bite down on my lip. Victor had his men bring in a huge mirror so I could get ready.

Maybe this is a bad idea.

I don’t know if I’ll be okay with what I’ll have to do at the club. I don’t know if I’ll be okay with everyone watching me.

I feel someone’s gaze on me and turn around.

For a few seconds, I catch Victor’s eyes traveling my body, his lips parted. For once, it seems like the mask he always keeps on his face is gone.

I can see desire clearly in his eyes, but it’s all gone a second later when his gaze lifts to mine.

“You can still back out,” he says.

“No.” I don’t want to back out.

I need to know what happened to Alex.

Maybe if there was really a woman with him, he’d met her at that damn club.

“Okay, but we’ll just explore and observe for our first time. We don’t have to participate because we’re new,” he says.

“Great.”

Victor brings me a long black coat and helps me shrug it on. I tie the coat tightly around myself.

“Don’t forget what we agreed on,” he says. “No bullshit. No trying to run away.”

“Yeah, fine.”

I glance once again at my reflection in the mirror.

Maybe it’s weird, but a part of me is excited.

It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything interesting.

Ever since Alex died.

I have no idea if this will be fun or the worst experience in my life, or maybe something in between.

***

IHOLD ONTO VICTOR’Sarm with an iron grip as we enter the club.

Everything is in black and red tones, and we’re led down a dim red hallway to a big door. Two men are in front of it.

“Your coat, miss,” one of the men says.

I let go of Victor and shrug out of my coat. The men leer at me as one of them takes it.

Victor steps closer to me and winds his arm around my waist, pressing me to his warm body and making me shiver.

It’s not really cold in here.

It’s nicely warm, actually.

But as we step into a spacious room that’s filled with dim red light, all eyes turn toward us.