Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
The people who assisted her and kept it going night after night, the ones who stayed loyal to her, were as much a part of the spectacle as the performers themselves. Pride swelled in me as I thought of Kinks and all we’d built, but it was hard to fully appreciate it with the absence of Sunshine weighing on me. She grounded me and made this chaotic world make sense. Without her, all of this was just noise. My grip tightened on the glass in my hand as I scanned the room, looking for any sign of her.
The anticipation gnawed at me, but I forced myself to stay put, to wait. I’d given my word to Kinks that I’d let the girls have their moment, that I’d let them come to me. But the second I saw her, all bets were off. Ciaran's sudden shift in demeanor alerted me that they had arrived. I turned and immediately felt the need to start counting backward to maintain control.
She looked like a manifestation of my deepest, darkest fantasies, wrapped in the perfect package of sweetness and danger. She was without a doubt, that she was the most beautiful woman in the entire damn club. Seeing her in that white outfit, with the pink mask, felt like a punch to the gut. The mask might have hidden her face, but I knew it was her. My Sunshine. My Grace. The girl who had been taken from me. The one who had carved sunflowers into her skin, a permanent mark of a memory she couldn't fully grasp.
The sight of that tattoo, partially visible just above her thigh-high stockings, stirred something deep within me—an ache that had never really gone away.
She moved towards me, like a moth drawn to a flame, though what we shared was far darker and more dangerous than any simple attraction. My body reacted before my mind could catch up, standing to meet her halfway. The world fell away as I pulled her into my arms, her warmth grounding me in a way nothing else could. For a moment, everything else—this twisted game, the club, the people—ceased to exist. There was only her, only us, and the lingering hope that maybe, just maybe, we could find our way back to each other.
She was showing far too much skin for my liking. I couldn’t help but run my hands up and down her arms, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips.
My hands trailed down her back, tracing every curve until they reached the back of her thighs. I gripped her lower cheeks, pulling her closer to me, staking my claim without saying a word.
Kinks stood nearby, practically beaming, waiting to be praised for her handiwork. Mel had already taken a seat between Charon and Brody, snatching the glass from Brody’s hand with a mischievous grin. Hayven let out a laugh, only to abruptly stop when Charon pulled her onto his lap, making it clear she wasn’t going anywhere. Ciaran held Lana from behind, her back pressed to his chest, as if he were anchoring her in place. They were a mirror of my own possessiveness.
“You did good, Kenzie,” Maverick said, finally breaking the silence.
“About time someone thanked me,” Kinks replied with a playful pout. “I couldn’t have done it without my beautiful bestie slash assistant,” she added, motioning to Aisha, who gave a small bow. Her lilac wig looked so natural it was easy to forget it wasn’t her real hair. “And of course, the most beautiful hosts,” she gestured to the girls, who were now the center of attention. Then, she turned her attention to Eryx, “Why didn’t you hype me?” she asked, her tone teasing.
Eryx responded without missing a beat, “Because I don’t look at other women.”
“Oh, right. Good boy,” she quipped. “Where is Rafe?”
“He went to get your prop for tonight,” Hael answered, stepping closer to her.
Kinks locked eyes with me, her smile widening as she looked at each of us. “The plan is to be seen, right? Well, I’ve got something epic just for tonight.”
Dion, ever the quick one, caught on immediately. “What’s the catch?”
Kinks tilted her head as if just noticing him, her grin widening mischievously.
“Gosh, you’re cute. Do you wanna play with me later?”
“Kenzie,” Eryx and Charon both warned, Hael’s voice a low growl.
She waved them both off with a playful hand. “Oh, don’t get all growly, it was a joke. Sorta,” she added with a wink. “Anyways, I need to borrow my new friends for a little bit.”
Brody opened his mouth, ready to argue, but Kinks wasn’t having it. “Don’t you dare tell me no. It’ll be fun, and what better way to show the Syndicate they’re here than to open up with them on stage?”
“What stage?” Lana asked, skepticism clear in her voice.