Page 15 of Tender Offer (Chance at Love #3)
Preston
B lack sedans round the corner and stop at the designated entrance. Eldridge Court is our flagship hotel, and it’s full of surprises. The car park is only accessible through a gated entrance. So is the destination for tonight’s debauchery.
Guests exit their vehicles wearing the hooded black cloaks and masquerade masks we provided for the evening.
Anonymity is the standard for all members who participate in our activities.
Aristocrats, entertainers, and persons deemed the upper crust of society require an additional layer of privacy beyond our standard NDA.
They enjoy the thrill of fulfilling their fantasies through hidden identities.
I switch cameras to the small crowd heading into the private lift that leads to a section of the hotel that’s inaccessible to the public.
My great-grandfather would turn in the family mausoleum if he knew about Ravenous.
My father looks the other way—not that his opinion matters.
His infidelities alone would draw twice as much press.
He and the other board members will never step foot inside our primary location or any one of our pop-ups.
There’s a knock at the door. William pops his head around it, his cloak already in place above his all-black suit. “Almost done?”
Unlike the offices in our Westminster building, my study in Eldridge Court is a model of tradition. Custom walnut paneling runs from the ceiling down to the bookcases. My father sat at this executive desk, as did his father, and his father before that.
I hate this room, but it’s my office. Eldridge Court is a bitch to get to because of roadwork and endless congestion. If it were up to me, I’d let this place collect dust with the rest of the books and family heirlooms.
“Yeah.” I check my watch and flip back to the underground car park feed.
Madison’s driver alerted me that he was pulling into the procession of town cars.
As part of the experience, all attendees have the option of utilizing our car service to take them to and from the event.
I personally organized Madison and her friend’s evening, down to the masks.
A car rolls to a stop. The feed from the security camera isn’t the sharpest, but the sliver of thigh that peeks out from underneath the cloak steals my breath. I have vivid memories of those thighs wrapped around my waist.
Black satin conceals the valley of her body from the world, but I relearned every dip and soft line when she stepped back into my life.
The lace Venetian mask I chose rests above defined cheekbones to hide most of her face.
The intricate crystal details will make it easier to spot her among the crowd.
Only sixty people are in attendance tonight, a decision I made to keep the event intimate and any competition minimal.
I have no claim to Madison, but once she takes me back, she’s mine.
“Bruv, are you gonna stare at screens all night or go get her?” William asks with a dejected sigh.
I grab my mask, join him in the private lift in our office suite, and head downstairs.
The slow whine of the cello blends with the violins in a haunting melody. The jazz band, outfitted in classic dinner jackets and black evening dresses, plays in the corner of the reception space. Each musician wears a mask. So do the wait staff weaving through the cloaked figures in the corridor.
Walls the color of black pearl reflect dim lighting off scattered gold frames. We have red rooms and areas with strobe lights, but we pride ourselves on not being a total cliché.
William takes off toward the east wing. He pulled a hamstring at the last event and had to ice his nuts for a week after swinging from the ceiling.
His gold and black jester mask is fitting, considering the pending antics of a walking jokester.
It also guarantees I won’t catch him bare-ass scuba diving into someone’s pussy.
Again . There are certain things siblings shouldn’t see, and his dick is at the top of the list.
I travel deeper into Ravenous. The ballroom holds a demonstration every hour on the hour.
Guests can learn and mingle in a safe space before exploring other parts of the club.
The stations bordering the ballroom are sectioned off with seating and satin fabric panels between daybeds.
There’s no sex allowed in the main areas and limited alcohol consumption at the only bar.
Outside of the ballroom, almost anything goes so long as there’s consent. Monitors stroll throughout areas to ensure the safety and agency of our guests. We outfitted hotel rooms into BDSM spaces and assigned monitors who know how to navigate boundaries.
I swallow hard at the discomfort that hardens my chest at the thought of Madison locked away in a private room. Sleeping with her tonight isn’t my intention. I want to see her, be in her presence without pissing her off and chasing her away.
“Fuck,” I mumble before I turn on my heel and rush to the other side of the club.
Black walls blend with crimson. The music shifts from classic jazz to a sultry instrumental. William calls it lift-fucking music, which is fitting since we have an installation just for that.
Video panels simulate traveling up and down in a lift. Those looking for the thrill of getting caught “stop” on the occasional floors. The security camera inside the stationary unit provides the option to cast the feed on a screen to voyeurs outside the installation.
Cages housing masked nude dancers pleasuring themselves with toys appear when the corridor opens.
The units are narrow but tall enough to stretch out—literally.
Smoke billows beneath the door of a closed conference room.
Guests gather around a fogged glass window to watch cloaked participants going at it on top of a large conference table.
Others are against the wall, masks peeled back to expose their mouths to pleasure and body parts.
I huff under my breath and speed by the show, which stars my brother and two women. One woman is on her knees, sucking him off. The other is balancing herself on top of a water dispenser while he drives the long nose of his gold mask into her pussy. That’s why he packed two masks for tonight.
I turn down the corridor that’s accessible to guests. The other end is under construction for an installation opening soon.
Makeshift doll boxes showcasing guests on display glimmer on the groups that form around the illuminated units.
Trios. Couples.
Solo performers.
Every eye in the open room is on skin that’s beaded with sweat. All except one hooded figure who’s standing in front of an empty box.
My steps are cautious as I approach Madison. She’s staring at her reflection, and her breath catches once I’m behind her. Silk rises and falls as our eyes lock and her lips part.
Soft moans and the music pouring from the speaker system are no match for the uneven rhythm of my breath.
To be this close without her recoiling fills me with a hope I haven’t earned. I want her.
Madison slowly turns to face me. I’m not ready for the gaze she casts.
It’s a steady longing, searching over the black horns curling above my head.
Black and bronze feathers extend from my hairline to my cheeks, with a bronzed plate of spikes lining my eyes.
No one knows it’s me behind the mask, but Madison stares, determined to solve the mystery.
“I wish you were someone else. Someone I shouldn’t want,” she says, sadness lining her tone. Long lashes drop at a sigh that flares my nostrils.
I’m not a jealous man. I have a good heart, and I own a mirror. I know I look good, but if Madison is insinuating longing for Terrence in any way, I’ll lose my shit. I can’t ask her. If I do, she’ll recognize my voice.
She quells my desire to commit an international crime when her dark eyes slide back to mine. The simple touch of her hand pressed to my chest heats my skin, awakening a desire I haven’t felt in years.
“You look like him,” she whispers. “Your eyes.” Her finger brushes over my mouth, and I gently take it between my teeth. My dick pulses at her moan. “Your lips. Pre—” She catches herself, and I release a quiet breath.
She wants me.
Madison scans the room. “This place is about fantasies, right? You can’t be him, but maybe for tonight I can imagine you are.”
The invitation drips down to the base of my toes. I reach for her hand and guide us toward a room only I can access.