Page 38 of Raine

“Don’t call me that,” I huff. “I can’t believe I’m even entertaining this shit with you.”

“Grab your shit and let’s go.”

Instead of arguing back, I do as he says and follow him out my door, making sure it is secure and the alarm is on before hopping into Acheron’s car.

He unlocks it, and I slide in, buckling up as he does the same. Reversing out of my drive, I hit the gate fob in my purse, and he waits for it to close before dumping the clutch and speeding out of our street.

We’re quiet for the first few minutes, the night sky and twinkling stars stealing my thoughts for a moment. But it doesn’t take long for my mind to start turning itself inside out with everything that happened today, and the fact I’m sitting in Acheron’s car for the second time in a matter of hours has me questioning my sanity a little.

Out of curiosity, I decide to break our little silent bubble and say, “So, where are you taking me?”

“Us.”

“What?”

“Where am I taking us?”

“Fine. Where are you takingus?”

He spares me a quick glance and then focuses on the road again, his fists white-knuckling the leather steering wheel. He seems contemplative, and it confuses me. After all, this was his idea.

“You ever heard of Clandestine Moments?”

I sit back, racking my brain. Why does that name seem so familiar? A couple minutes later, I shake my head at him, but I realize he probably can’t see me, so I answer him instead.

“No, not really. The name is familiar, but I can’t say I know what it is. Why?”

“I’m about to tell you something, Raine, something that only one other person knows about. Do you understand me?”

I sit up straighter, intrigue filling my body, as I wait for him to continue.

“Do you understand?”

“Shit. Yeah, sorry.”

"Clandestine Moments is a BDSM club,” he pauses, and my face screws up.

“But we have one at Arcane.”

“Correct, and everyone knows us there.”

“Okkkaaayyy,” I draw the word out, waiting for him to proceed.

“Are you not following me?” he asks, dumping the clutch and shifting down gears as we reach a set of lights.

Acheron turns to me, and his eyes glow in the dark space, his hand rubbing at his scar. Cars start moving, signaling the lights have changed, and he looks away from me.

“It’s a place for me to be… myself. A place with no judgment, no expectations, and where most people don’t even know my name. A place just for me.”

The wheels start turning, and the puzzle pieces slot into place at his declaration. My body is light and I feel it with every piece of my being because I know exactly how he feels.

Being in the position that we are in and being a part of the Tartarus Mafia has its own set of rules and its own ball and chain to go with it. Heavy expectations rest on our jaded shoulders, and I start to understand Acheron Hexino a little more than I did before today.

“Who else knows?”

He scoffs. “Do you really need to ask that?”

No, no, I don’t. Justyce is the only person Acheron trusts with his secrets; it’s always been that way between the two of them.