Adrien led her down the broad hall, which opened up into a massive cavern, definitely the biggest one she’d seen so far.

Much to Lily’s surprise the music was live, performed by a band of musicians composed of beautiful men in elegant leather outfits, studded, exposing muscular arms and chests.

She watched them for a moment, and noticed that the audience listened while seated at small intimate tables, candlelight casting a soft glow throughout the space.

She opened her mind to his. Everything is so tasteful. I thought—But she broke off the rest of it. Maybe he was getting tired of all the slurs she cast on his kind.

Adrien smiled, however, something he didn’t do much, as he glanced down at her. You thought it would be one big orgy? He still had hold of her hand.

She couldn’t help but chuckle. Yes, that’s exactly what I thought. I mean, the flogger—

Rumy has dozens of specialists. He runs a tight ship, everything by appointment, each theater with doors that close. His hand was on her waist and she felt the sudden tension in him as he guided her to yet another hall. “This staircase takes us to a new level of the cavern system.” She descended what proved to be about a hundred steps that circled down and down.

Once the music grew faint, he said quietly, “The club extends several miles deep into the surrounding hills. Many of the workers have homes here, including Eve. Rumy has numerous guest suites and even has a villa somewhere deep in the earth and hidden. I’ve never even been there. Again, everything is very private. I’m going to use altered flight to get us to The Ruby Cave where Eve presents her Dominance Theater. Just wanted you to be prepared.”

“For what? Your new version of altered flight or Eve’s act?”

He laughed. “Both.”

A moment later the flight began.

Lily had expected to arrive in a room with a red theme, since Adrien had called it The Ruby Cave. But she hadn’t expected the entire theater, except for a black onyx ceiling, to be a rich scarlet. Although ruby was the right word, as though the walls had been covered in the precious gem.

What’s this made of? she asked, mind to mind, her gaze fixed to the glittering walls.

But nothing returned to her.

Adrien’s lack of response sharpened her attention. Pivoting toward him, she saw that he stared hard at the scene on the stage below, of a tall woman, her blond hair in a long ponytail that hung past her buttocks, slowly rubbing with one hand the thighs and backside of a large, powerful, and very naked man chained facedown on a table.

The theater was unusual in its layout. Those nearest the stage sat in a small cluster, but almost everyone else stood in loose pairs and groups throughout the angled room.

Lily felt her cheeks heat up. The air here, as in the office earlier, was charged with sex. The man’s face was turned toward the audience. His eyes were closed, his face squeezed up as though he was in pain. But she knew it was much more than that.

The soft chanting once more filled the air as Eve lifted her flogger and once more began a rhythmic beating of the man’s back, thighs, and ass. She kept up her indistinguishable, singsong words.

Lily thought the woman’s voice mesmerizing.

The next moment, however, Adrien tugged on her hand and pulled her out of the room the way they’d come.

The hall was cool, and for that she was grateful. She took a deep breath and was about to express her gratitude that Adrien had brought her back out here when she realized something was wrong. He was turned away from her, one hand on the smooth wall of more polished granite, this time in flecks of brown and black, the candle sconces in bronze.

Her chain vibrated strongly once more and she opened to Adrien, to what he was feeling and experiencing.

What returned to her was a level of arousal that astonished her.

He was close. That was why he leaned against the wall, his forehead pressed to his wrist.

Bondage? Chains? Flogging?

And yet what flew through her mind was a fantasy of seeing him chained up like that, held immobile and worked over. She touched the chains on her neck. Was this his fantasy or hers?

Her breathing hitched as she felt the depth of his need. Maybe she didn’t understand why Eve’s theater had affected him like this, taking him to the edge so fast, but the scent he exuded, so masculine and full of erotic herbs, had given her a new idea.

“Adrien,” she said softly. She laid a hand on his back and he arched at her touch then groaned. “Take me. Now.”

Adrien felt Lily’s hand like a hot coal against his back. He hadn’t expected to become aroused like this. He didn’t even understand what had triggered the intensity of sensation this time. He’d seen dominance shows before, but not with Lily so close, not with the chains vibrating against his neck and chest, not with his increased power.

Within seconds he’d become fully aroused, and though he tried to calm himself down, he couldn’t.

Of course he was in a near-constant state of arousal around Lily as it was, but her clubbing clothes didn’t help. How many times had his gaze taken in her naked back, half hidden by the waterfall of her exquisite hair. He’d wanted his lips on her back and lower, over her ass, then lower still, parting her legs from behind, God help him.

Now she was offering herself, and he didn’t deserve her right now. Shame ripped through him at the source of his desire—that he wanted Lily binding him and taking him, maybe even hurting him like he’d been hurt repeatedly throughout his life.

Her hand floated up and down his back and her scent thickened through the air. He could sense her desire as well and smell it, so he knew he wasn’t alone in his need.

I’d like to have you chained on that table.

Oh, God, had she really just pressed those erotic words into his mind? Lily, this isn’t right.

Fuck what’s right, came straight back at him. I need you. And I don’t care the why of it. Adrien, fuck me now. I’m aching for you and I’m all yours.

He turned into her and dragged her roughly into his arms, slanting a kiss over her lips.

Can we do this here? In the hallway?

Holy fuck, even her voice in his head did something to him. The vibration of the chain seemed to enhance his ability to feel what she felt. He could tell that her need had sharpened to match his.

What had she asked him? Could they do this here?

Rumy had several rules about the where of an encounter. Hallways were forbidden, but Adrien knew his way around this labyrinth of a club. The cavern had three significant layers, miles of tunnels, and at least a dozen secret niches, all of which he’d used at one time or another.

I have to fly you to a private place. You sure you want to do this?

God, yes.

She panted against him as he set them in motion. Though he wanted to kiss her while he flew, the new level of his power demanded that he be careful right now.

He only overshot the location once, but he finally made it, landing on the last scrap of tile laid out at the end point of the system. He took a quick glance around. The space was as he remembered: a crevice in the mountain, still undeveloped and very private.

The problem with caves, though, was how well noise traveled. “No sounds,” he said.

Got it. Just do me, Adrien. Oh, my God, your need is flowing over me in waves. It must be the chains but it feels so damn good.

Your scent. You don’t know what you smell like to me, all female and ready. I could come just breathing along your neck.

With one hand supporting her around her waist, he unbuttoned and unzipped his leathers, shoving them down his hips and thighs. She pulled her short skirt up, blessing the polished walls behind her because he needed leverage right now.