Page 56 of Rubies and Revenge

“You could say Tamayo and I shook hands here for the first time, then.” I insinuate whatever Logan wants to infer for himself.

He laughs with his whole belly. “I can imagine.”

I bet he is. Thankfully, the bartender delivers my replacement drink, which allows me to cover my disgust with the chug of the rest of my glass to exchange it for the new one.

Tamayo leans into my ear. “Slow down, princess.”

“Bite me, gangster,” I whisper back through a gritted smile.

Her hand tightens on my waist.

“It’s much nicer than I expected.” Logan sips his scotch, staring at the platforms suspended over the dance floor with blown pupils. Each one hangs at a different height, holding a dancer dressed in leather—harnesses, bikinis, bodysuits, thongs—their bodies thrumming to the beat of the music. The Saint Andrews cross is pulled out tonight, a professional dominatrix offering a demonstration and, for one lucky submissive, domination. The dance floor isn’t as full as the night I proposed to Tamayo, but it’s definitely not empty.

Logan’s gaze flicks between one specific dancer—they’re topless with scars below their nipples, leather pants hugging their hips, long hair pulled up in a messy knot—and the domme at the cross wielding a long plastic wand that produces small sparks of electricity whenever it meets skin.

Logan clears his throat and shifts to face us again. “Do you host nights like this often?”

Tamayo’s nails dig into my side like she can see the smile twitching on my lips. “A couple times a week. We like to give our community a safe space to explore.”

“I see.”

“Are you interested?” she asks.

“Oh—no! No. Not at all.” But he answers too quickly, with an almost panicked glance to the cross and back to Tamayo. “No, thank you.”

“You’re welcome any time, Logan.” Tamayo’s hand doesn’t leave my waist as she angles herself between me and him, like she wants to be as clear as possible that the club is open to him, but I am not. I bite my bottom lip as she nudges him with her elbow like an old friend. “We have private rooms so you can enjoy in peace, without…prying eyes.”

“Oh?” He doesn’t bother averting his gaze from the dominatrix ghosting her electric wand along the inner thigh of the person hanging on her cross.

Tamayo grips his shoulder, speaking low like she’s weaving a spell. “I’ve prepared one for you this evening. As a token of gratitude.”

“Ah, that’s not necessary.” He sounds wholly unconvincing.

“I insist.” She massages his shoulder, and I can’t help marveling at how easily she manipulates him without using her sexuality. It makes something in me flicker and burn.

Tamayo keeps her voice in that low register. “You work hard, Logan. You deserve to relax.”

“It has been a long week…” he trails off.

“Please, make use of our services.” She glances to the stairwell, where Darius is climbing up to us, and turns back with a theatrical smile. “We’ve even prepared something special for you.”

Logan finally breaks his gaze away from the cross below to frown at Tamayo. “Special?”

“Of course.” She claps him on the back. “We’ve prepared one of our second-floor rooms for you.”

“A second-floor room…” He studies the club again like he missed the balcony walkway surrounding the dance floor with doors evenly spaced along it.

Tamayo finally releases me to rest her hands on both his shoulders and steer him around. “It’s quite private, with access to the club, bottle service, and a couple of my most trusted entertainers.”

“Tamayo, this is too much!” He feigns protest. “I wasn’t expecting all this?—”

She waves him off. “Is there such thing as too much among friends?”

“Ah.” He tries to groan convincingly, but he’s already emptying his glass and setting it on the side table as Tamayo guides him toward the door. “You make a good argument. I don’t want to inconvenience you, but it’d be rude of me to reject your kindness. It seems I must accept.”

Tamayo chuckles. “Darius will personally escort you to the room. Feel free to take your time, walk the floor, enjoy all the club has to offer.” She pauses with her hand on the door. “I must ask that you treat my people with the utmost respect. Though, I think Mistress Davina will hold you to task.”

“Mistress…” Logan puts two and two together. He somehow both gulps and laughs at the same time, the sound coming out more choked than anything. “I’m not—I don’t?—”

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