All Souls' Night - Renee Rose Page 0,285

my soul again?

“I can see why you chose her.” Alex settles onto the couch. “She’s a sweet submissive, but she’s quite courageous.”

I set my rump against Lucius’s massive, carved desk and cross my arms. “Yes. I don’t know who trained her, but she’s an angel.”

“Did she not share her past with you?”

I frown. “I don’t know that I’m ready to go into our relationship with you.”

“Fair enough.” He jabs his thumb over his shoulder toward the door. “I noticed the dungeon is behind a hidden door. Only vampires allowed?”

I nod. “For the most part. The mortal customers at Club Toxic only know about the dungeon downstairs if they become regular subs, and rarely, if ever, do they know about the supernatural side of this place unless they’re being turned or get involved with a vamp.”

“Ah, I see.” He shifts uncomfortably in his seat and stretches his arms across the back of the couch.

He wants to know where I stand with Karina, and what I just shared probably has him thinking Karina is my regular sub. He’s right, she is, although I still haven’t made a commitment to her. But he doesn’t need to know that.

“And Karina tells me you two have only had private scenes together?”

I’m a little perturbed Karina revealed so much, but it might serve to make him a bit jealous. “Yes.”

“So you’re going to turn her?”

“Absolutely not. I have never turned anyone and I don’t plan on starting now. I’m happy to leave that responsibility to Lucius.” I frown. “Stop fishing, Alex. The fact that I let you play with my sub should tell you I’m letting you in enough to give us a try. But don’t push it.”

“Yes, Sir.”

I shouldn’t let the disappointment on his face affect me, but it does. “And if you hurt her in the process, you can definitely forget anything between us.”

He closes his eyes. “Theo, I wouldn’t dream of it. I’m just…” He sighs and lifts his imploring gaze. “I’m not here to hurt you, or her. I’m desperately looking for ways I can please you. What can I do to make up for what I did?” He rises from the couch and draws near, lays his palm against my cheek, and presses his lips to my brow. “Tell me what to do. I’ll do anything.”

The vulnerability in his voice is my Achilles heel. My shaft hardens as my need to dominate thrums through every cell in my body. The pain and anger from the last time I saw him demands I take my frustrations out on him, to regain a hold on my emotions by controlling the one who stirs them.

I grab Alex’s wrists and back him to the couch, shoving him to his ass. Still gripping his wrists, I straddle his lap and lift his hands over his head, pinning them to the wall.

He whispers those two words that give me power over him. “Yes, Sir.”

I slam his wrists against the wall, grimacing.

Alex moans and tips his mouth to mine.

I want to tease, to hesitate, and let him beg for my touch or my kisses. God help me, I’ve thought of him too often over the decades. I cannot deny devouring the whimper that falls from his lips and savagely plunder his mouth, my tongue diving deep. His fangs scrape against my flesh and I groan, hungry for more. His erection presses against my balls and the tip of my cock peeks from behind my belt. I smell our arousal, a harmony of male musk.

Alex breaks from our kiss and drops his gaze. “God, let me taste you, Theo. Please.”

My cock throbs painfully from his breathy pleas, but I’m not giving in. I drop my head back, blinking away the tears stinging my eyes. I fucking come undone with this man, and I’m pissed that he still gets to me. I thought I was over him. I thought I’d moved past this.

Obviously, I haven’t.

I leave him on the couch, both of us unsatisfied, but I’m still in control.

Alex rights himself and sits on the sofa, his head in his hands.

Only now do I realize how much I have denied myself over the decades. I’ve tried to ignore the void in my soul, but I’ve just been putting off a pain I buried deep and never addressed. This job, and serving Lucius with the nest, has been a saving grace, occupying my attention and helping me ignore the loneliness since Alex tore me apart.

But I fear I’m in danger of