gold beneath

the light of the club's neon sign - CHIMERA - sleek, underground, an

e a pulse. Low. Dark. Desi

ian glass everywhere. Women in silk, men in pow

of it tou

like a shadow. Unt

X

sual table, tucked into a private

lowball glass. His shirt was half-unbuttoned

like hell,

ond. He sat, signa

ey. N

o let's just skip to the part where you tell me what cra

s tapped the si

dea of therapy?

dea of damage control. Because I've known

w drink. Burned i

r when you're

r said dryly.

ia

said

ress. Dark lips. She lea

idn't lo

y d

old her. "He's not in the moo

n left,

Alright. I'll bite.

didn't

Redh

le

You're serious? You?

vier said

jaw cl

finally

This one's

" Xavier said,

ed. "She's

s not

ou wan

d the rest o

e was answ

me guess... someone e

s eyes

ught

slow, sensual. The kind of b

ddenly, adjusti

eed

cage," Cod

down at his friend. "An

lass. "Glad you'r

balcony, away from the

ped into the night air, her m

ss against

he didn't

he didn't

sed hi

rt was a

idn't do

nt except for the di

ng, sleeves rolled, whiskey

he sliding do

ng the scent of cigar sm

lighting another cigarette. "I figured

didn't

not when some

ide him, elbows

than usual. Th

vier stay

l fi

mething..

linked

tighter around the glass

ked on the lights of the city below, like if h

I was angry. A

ho?" Cod

r hes

nally m

ecret

y f

e timi

jaw flexe

tters when you b

ea

s wide with something between awe and

ed a hand do

ssed

bli

he ch

N

The

im a look tha

th. Rough. Desperate. I put her

nning a hand t

uttered, more to h

long and low

a sip, fin

an it. I was

tely. "You've been thinking a

just

just an

didn'

want

to for

e way you do everything else

r was

qu

ait-don't tell

lence said

ust a girl, X. A soft, sweet distraction you can

ut it sounded more like

s stoppin

was hard. Cold.

don't

g, flicking ash off t

gettin

t pus

"Take her. Use her. Get her out of your

n at the city, ja

darkness behind his e

t want t

ed to o

red the hell