I used to think the Red Room was untouchable—a temple of velvet and shadow, where the flicker of candlelight and the pulse of anticipation drowned out the outside world. Tonight, though, the space felt invaded.It happened when Marco called Victor and me in after closing. His usual grin was missing, replaced by something sharper, colder. He stood by the Saint Andrew’s cross at the far end of the room, arms crossed over his chest.“Look what our little snake left us,” he said, gesturing to the base of the cross.I walked closer, my stomach twisting. There, tucked against the wooden frame beneath the velvet drape, was a small black device. Not much bigger than a lighter.A sound recorder.My breath caught.Another one.Victor crouched, lifting the device into his palm with deliberate care. His jaw tightened, the blue of his eyes darkening like storm clouds. “Again,” he muttered. “Always here, in the rooms where trust is thickest.”I felt the air leave me in a rush. “It means someone’s b
The club was quieter than usual, the music dimmed, the floor was almost empty. But in Victor’s office, the air was a storm.I hadn’t meant to overhear. I was coming to bring him coffee—just an excuse to see him after a long night of watching others play—but when I reached the half-open door, voices clashed sharp as whips.Jennifer’s voice, rich and biting: “You control everything, Victor. Every rule, every protocol, every little detail as if Elysium would collapse without your iron hand.”Victor’s reply was low, thunderous. “Because without order, it would collapse.”I froze, one hand on the doorframe, heart pounding. I should have turned away, but I couldn’t. Their words pulled me in like a dangerous flame.Jennifer laughed—cold, bitter. “No, Victor. It isn’t the order you’re after. It’s control. Always control. Over the club, over the members, over me.”There was silence, thick and weighted, before Victor’s voice came again. “You mistake discipline for domination, Jennifer. Without
The moment I stepped into the lounge, I knew this night would be different.The heavy atmosphere that usually hung in Elysium—darkness, intensity, whispers of secrets—had lifted. Instead, the main play floor was sprinkled with color and laughter. Plush mats and cushions covered the stage. Bowls filled with milk and water sat in neat rows. Collars gleamed under the chandeliers. Tails—furred, feathered, even jewelled—swished with each movement.It was Pet Play Night.I hadn’t been sure I’d participate, but Marco had cornered me earlier, waving a pair of velvet kitten ears with a mischievous grin.“Come on, Cass,” he teased, perching them on my head before I could protest. “You’d make the perfect kitten. Wide eyes, soft curves, always watching but ready to pounce.”I’d blushed furiously. “You’re ridiculous.”“And you’re adorable,” he countered. “Trust me, Victor will love it.”I’d rolled my eyes, but here I was, padding onto the mats in kitten ears, a soft leather collar snug around my t
My locker had become a place of dread. Once, it was just a metal box where I stashed my notebook and the heels I couldn’t stand to wear home. Now it felt like a stage set for a private theater of fear—red envelopes, hidden photos, and tonight… a single folded note.I saw it before I even touched the handle. White paper, tucked through the vent slats, fluttering slightly with the draft. My pulse raced as I pulled it free.The handwriting was jagged, scrawled in black ink, stark against the page:“Someone knows your secret.”The words seemed to glow. My chest constricted.I stood frozen, the hum of Elysium fading, the music downstairs muffled and unreal. A rush of nausea clawed through me. They knew. Not just about the photos. Not just about my new contract with Victor. They knew about me. About my notes. My article. The reason I’d come here in the first place.I gripped the paper tighter, crumpling the edges. My lungs burned as if the note itself was choking me.“Cassie?”Victor’s voic
Leo had always carried himself like a man in perfect control. Every suit pressed to razor precision, every word measured, every smile carefully constructed. But that night in Elysium’s lounge, he didn’t look like himself at all.He was pacing by the fireplace, jacket discarded, tie loose, his hands buried in his hair. I’d never seen him unravel before, and the sight twisted something in my chest.“Leo,” I whispered, stepping toward him. “What’s wrong?”He looked up at me, his eyes hollow. “I did it.”“Did what?”His laugh was broken. “I told her. I told my fiancée who I really am. Who I need to be.”I froze. This was the secret that had been burning in him since the day we met. “You told her about… us? About Elysium?”“About everything.” His shoulders sagged. “About the collar, the whip, the way I kneel. I told her I’m not the man she thought she was marrying.”My throat tightened. “And what did she say?”He sank into a chair, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “She cried. She aske
There was something hypnotic about fire when it belonged to someone’s hands.The main stage was alive with flickering light, shadows dancing up the velvet walls as flames curled and bent to the will of their wielders. The audience hushed, even the usual background hum of Elysium stilled, as if every soul in the club collectively held its breath.Jennifer, regal as ever in crimson leather, stood at the centre, her voice smooth and commanding.“Fire,” she purred, holding up a lit wand, its tip glowing like a molten jewel, “is not a toy. It is a dance partner. Treat it with respect, and it will kiss you. Treat it carelessly, and it will consume you.”The crowd leaned forward.I pressed against the balcony railing, Victor’s hand resting at the small of my back. His presence was grounding, but the flames below stirred my pulse into quick, nervous rhythms.Jennifer gestured to her demo subject—a submissive who lay calmly on the padded table, their chest bare, body glistening faintly with pr