Page 22

Alisa had already dozed off on the living room couch.

When Maxim tried to move her to bed, she protested like a child, mumbling about wanting to see the sunrise over the sea.

I was pretty sure the room she was staying in offered the same view, but we complied, covered her with blankets, and turned off the light.

Luka, the last one left, asked his older brother for the car keys. Casually dressed, he kissed his sister goodnight on the cheek and disappeared into the night.

In the unfamiliar space, I opened another bottle and settled on the patio.

With no sleep schedule and my paranoia creeping in, I didn’t bother trying to sleep. At least not for a while.

The house and the area around it were dark, except for the LED strips lighting up the staircase. Outside, the moon was doing its part, casting a soft glow. If you lived in the city like I did, the sky was rarely visible. Tonight was a different story. I leaned back and took in the view.

There was something oddly peaceful about the silence that settled when everything else was still. It was exciting, not knowing what was lurking in the dark. I tuned into the night, feeling the stillness and letting my senses catch every little sound.

An orange glow alerted me to his presence.

He approached the house from the beach, a cloud of smoke swirling around his head as he leaned against the patio pole. Legs crossed at the ankles, he stared straight ahead, right where I lay.

Aware of his gaze, I flipped him off. Again. Partly to test his limits, but mostly to get a reaction. The cigarette dangled from his mouth as he returned the gesture with both hands.

Maxim pulled out his phone, the light casting a glow on his face. The change in environment brought out his curls, and the natural style suited him.

A text message notification beeped from the pocket of my dress. While I wondered if I should keep him waiting, curiosity won out, and I pulled out my phone.

MAXIM: Is this all talk, no game?

ME: Who is this?

Amusement flickered in his eyes at my pathetic attempt at a joke. His eyebrow arched in that familiar ‘Seriously?’ way when he looked at me.

I didn’t make him wait long.

ME: Depends on what game we’re playing.

MAXIM: The same one we started back at the club.

Before I could respond, another message came through.

MAXIM: Except the stakes have increased.

ME: How so ?

MAXIM: Now I have something to prove…

ME: What?

MAXIM: That there’s someone in this house you’re interested in.

I cleared my throat, shaking off whatever had lodged itself there. Deciding to play along, I was curious to see where this would lead.

ME: Basement, 15 minutes. I’ll leave it open.

I entered the house through the sliding glass door, heading straight for the place I had in mind. Alisa was fast asleep on the couch, her hands tucked beneath her head.

Moving quietly through the house, I passed the dim hallway, heading toward the basement. Three doors down, the gray one waited.

As I entered, the room looked just as I remembered. Dominated by dark tones, shades of gray blended seamlessly with metallic accents and crisp white undertones. Modern art adorned the otherwise sparse walls.

Sophisticated, expensive, unmistakably so. At first glance, nothing seemed out of place, but a closer inspection revealed something else entirely.

The massive four-poster bed was the room’s centerpiece, its ironed satin sheets inviting you in. It wasn’t just any bed; after what I had seen earlier, I knew its purpose was far from ordinary.

The furniture, crafted from reinforced rods, was built to last. A metal ring circled each pole, with a snap hook hanging from it. Attached to the hook was a carabiner, connected to a bungee cord, offering a specific range when pulled.

He wanted to play. And I was a worthy opponent.

I picked up the control tablet, adjusting the light settings to red, then set the timer. The room sank into darkness, and I knew the light would flash briefly, casting a red glow before the countdown began again.

Satisfied with the setup, I slipped out of my dress, leaving only my underwear. I glanced down at the pile of clothes, organizing it into a neat path that led toward the bathroom. I’d felt pretty at dinner, but we were about to play a whole different game.

Crouching in the corner closest to the door, I waited. As the minutes ticked by, I steadied my breathing and adjusted my eyes to the dimness.

When I heard footsteps down the hallway, my heart quickened.

Anticipation spread through me, but I forced myself to stay calm.

Maxim entered the room, scanning the space as if he expected me to be sprawled out on the bed, waiting for him to devour me. That wasn’t quite the plan I had in mind.

He stepped forward, and as he passed my hiding spot, I silently closed the door behind him. The room slipped back into darkness, and the game began.

Being in the room longer gave me an edge while Maxim tried to make sense of the situation.

As he moved toward the bathroom, inspecting the clothes I’d left behind, I took quiet steps toward the bed.

Despite my best efforts, he sensed the movement almost immediately, his attention snapping to me.

His focus played right into my hands, so I guided him closer.

Maxim didn’t ask questions or speak a word, he just followed blindly.

When his foot reached the edge of the bed, I sprang into action.

My fingers traced up his chest, teasing him seductively.

His muscles tensed under my touch. Slowly, I moved toward his neck, gaining a firm grip to steady him, while my other hand crept up, unnoticed.

He let me get close, oblivious to my true intentions.

A loud click echoed through the room as the carabiner snapped shut around the chain decorating his neck, the same damn piece of jewelry I’d been eyeing for a while.

By now, he realized what I had done. He started the game at a slight disadvantage, but I wouldn’t call it cheating.

“You can have me if you catch me,” I whispered, close to his face, before sprinting to the other side of the room .

The attached cord restricted his movement, and while the ring was fastened to the bed, some areas of the room remained out of reach.

Navigating in the dark made it even harder.

He took a deep breath, turning to scan the room as his eyes adjusted. Like me, he shed his clothes, standing there for a moment, either in his underwear or naked. I couldn’t tell.

The sound of metal grinding on the bar mixed with our heavy breaths. He didn’t try to hide his footsteps, relying entirely on his speed.

We were in a cat-and-mouse chase, neither of us sure who was playing which role.

Every time he came closer, I leaped behind him, jumping to the other side. On my next move, I allowed him a brief touch on my shoulder before darting out of his reach.

Maxim stayed focused, waiting patiently for the right moment, but it never came. We went on like that for a while, each step growing more deliberate, until he suddenly halted.

Confused by the change, I positioned myself in the middle, trying to gauge his next move.

Just when I thought he was about to unhook the carabiner and end the game, he spun around and lunged toward the center of the bed with surprising speed.

At the last moment, I grabbed the top bar with both hands, pulling myself up in a quick, controlled motion.

The red light flashed across the room, exposing our positions.

His face was right there, in front of me. His expression, far too unhinged, made me study the man who was every bit the power machine I had always imagined.

Maxim’s gaze fixed on the strain in my abdominal muscles. Almost hypnotized, he stepped closer, running his hand up and down my stomach.

The roughness of his calloused fingers scraped against the fragile hold I had left on my control .

The chain remained attached to the bed. And when I saw the full picture for the first time, my mind loosened its grip on sanity. I pulled myself up, surrendering, spreading my legs wider in invitation.

Eager for the reward, I begged him to accept, and he did, throwing my legs over his arms with ease.

He slipped the panties off in one smooth motion. With a deep inhale, he took in the sight, the tip of his nose brushing against my clit.

When we faced each other, he couldn’t hide the hunger in his eyes, even in the darkness.

A deep grunt escaped him. “I’ve been waiting way too long to taste this pussy.”

As if on cue, the light went out. Feeling now at home in the darkness, his mouth immediately sprang into action, sucking my clit without warning.

Holy Crap.

I didn’t bother stifling the desperate sounds that escaped me.

The angle at which he held me allowed him to tongue-fuck me deeply.

He thrust in and out, each movement precise, alternating with calculated swipes.

His grip on my thighs was unyielding yet steady.

The darkness sharpened every sensation, my body attuned to the pleasure.

I couldn’t see him, but I wanted to, no, needed to grasp those curls instead.

His head was trapped between my thighs, and I held him there, squeezing with all my might, chasing the high. My mind threatened to shut down, but my grip on the metal remained firm.

As euphoria neared, I pressed his head twice. He understood. Lowering my legs to the ground, Maxim straightened me up.

Not wanting to miss a second, I hurried to switch the settings back to normal light. Chain in hand, I led him to the bed, not letting him out of my sight. The chain flashed in the movement, a silver collar around his neck. I eyed his body, the way his muscles strained with each step.

Maxim was a dangerous breed. The one you somehow managed to leash, but you both knew it was because he let you, filling you with false ideas of control before you found yourself underneath the beast, the teeth inches from piercing your skin.

And I was just rabid enough to let him bite me.