31. Chapter Thirty-One

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

MICAI'S POV

I smooth down the black fabric of my dress as it falls to my knees, the silk-like fabric clinging to every dip and curve perfectly.

Excitement bubbles up inside me with the thought of Annex, Ezra, and Mallyn's reaction to seeing it.

I adjust the strap on my shoulder, my fingers brushing down my collarbone and toward the dress's square neckline as I glance in the mirror in Ezra's room. It had a more ‘sexy' feel to it than other dresses I've worn before. Not that I've worn many.

My fingers fiddle with the metal gold zip sitting at the centre of my chest and running down the front of the dress before parting into a slight slit, showing off just the right amount of skin.

S omething I'm sure the guys will enjoy.

I listen to the muffled thrum of music below me, the party already in full swing, as I leave Ezra's room and head down the stairway.

I hear Annex's dark, husky chuckle and Ezra's laugh as I near the kitchen. The door is left open, all four of them standing around the countertop and talking amongst themselves as I take a minute before entering to admire them.

And by Gods did they look other-worldly.

Each of them is clad in varying shades of black and dark-coloured suits, with their hair styled to perfection and sculpted features on full display.

Mallyn's the first I see, and he has my eyes trailing down him with a slight heat burning my cheeks. There was no hoody in sight. Instead, he opted for a casual, charcoal-grey suit and black shirt. His white hair is styled to one side, with a small tuff falling down onto his forehead. The whole look gives him a modern fallen-angel feel, light and dark shining through his sculpted features with a dark vibe.

Ezra stands beside him, making my eyes instantly flicker in his direction and trail up his toned body and the petrol-blue suit hugging him. The lights above catch it at the right angle and the colour shimmers into a deep plum shade. The two-toned fabric suits him and his personality perfectly. His chocolate brown and lilac locks are styled back casually, his handsome face on full view, as a smile brightens his features while he talks to Annex.

Annex pats Ezra on the back, pulling my attention fully toward him. He's covered from head to toe in black again, but without a suit jacket this time.

He's rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, showing off the ink swirling down his arms and hands. His black shirt is unbuttoned down the front, showing off the rest of the ink on his chest and neck. Black straps wrap around his shoulders, almost like a holster but more simplistic. One strap laces around his waist, synching his shirt in and showing off more of those hard abs and tight muscles I've become more familiar with.

A smile stretches my cheeks as heat creeps up my neck with the memory.

Annex brushes a hand through his hair as his little dagger earring glistens in the light. His other black and silver skull and snake jewellery are on full display and frame his bad-boy features.

Creed suddenly blocks my view of them all, his tall frame taking over my sight as he stands in black suit trousers and a crisp white shirt.

Unlike Annex, his sleeves are fully pulled down, with gold cuffs lining each sleeve hem. Each slight movement he makes emphasises the shape of his toned and muscular physique, looking more like a sculpted Greek warrior than a leader in the back pulling strings. His raven-black hair is quaffed to one side, looking like the modern-dickhead Adonis that he is.

Amber eyes meet mine as I take a quiet step into the room. Creed instantly freezes, noticing me before anyone else. His eyes trail slowly down my front, taking in every inch of me in my new dress. His slow perusal causes a strange feeling to work its way across my chest and a warmth to creep up my neck. Our eyes meet again as an unfamiliar look forms in Creed's eyes that I have never seen before.

A beat passes between us, both of us lost in whatever daze we were stuck in, before I hear a quick inhale of breath behind Creed and turn toward three sets of wide eyes staring at me. All of them trail a scorching path up and down my body, their lips opening and closing before they hurry over to me.

Annex reaches out to me first before Ezra elbows him back, a scuffle unfolding between them as Mallyn slinks beside me, his hand sliding around my waist as a grin tugs at his lips. "You look beautiful, Micai." The look in his eyes has a blush coating my cheeks.

"Fuck, Mal got there first!" Annex shouts, pulling away from Ezra. "I wanted to tell her that." His eyes trail down my front again, catching on the gold zipper as a groan leaves his lips. "Do we have to go? I mean, we could have our own party here with Red instead." He takes a step forward. "I'm sure we could work up a sweat without even leaving the kitchen—"

"We're going," Creed barks, turning toward the door. "We have important guests arriving soon, remember."

"The only important one for me is right here," Annex chuckles as he leans down, his lips brushing across mine for a light kiss before I pull him in closer, deepening the kiss and taking him by surprise.

A groan leaves his lips as I pull back slowly, biting his lip before I let him go. A growl vibrates from his throat as he tries to pull me back in and continue.

"We don't have time for this shit," Creed sighs, fiddling with his gold cuffs while turning to glare back at us.

"Too bad. They can wait a minute longer." I grin, pulling Ezra toward me next. His arms immediately wrap around my waist as Annex takes a small step to my side, never leaving me.

I reach up, brushing my hand softly through Ezra's hair before our lips meet in a searing kiss. A small lyrical hum leaves his lips, the noise sounding strangely familiar as I pull back to look at him and place the sound. But I'm met with two grey-blue eyes instead, filled with a look of want and anticipation as they watch me and Ezra.

Ezra places a soft kiss on my shoulder before making way for Mallyn to step closer. I reach over to Mallyn, my fingers fisting his shirt as I pull him in nearer.

I meet Mallyn's lips in a heated kiss as I hear Annex's soft chuckle beside me and feel Ezra's gentle touch on my waist, each giving their reassurance in their own way and clear acceptance of this. Of all of us together.

I slide my tongue around Mallyn's, enjoying each stroke, and twirl as a small grunt falls from his chest. I pull back after another minute to the sound of Creed's huffing.

I gaze into two heated grey-blue eyes and turn toward two hooded sets beside me. Maybe Annex was right. Maybe we should forgo the party and have our own instead?

My cheeks heat from the thought of being with all three of them.

"Are you done tongue-fucking everyone?" Creed barks, his gaze meeting mine, a look of annoyance and something else glinting in them as he stares at me before turning away. "Let's go."

He makes his way toward the door as Annex, Ezra, and Mallyn surround me. He rolls his eyes as we leave and head toward the large doors leading into the abattoir.

"Just behave tonight, and don't mess with the guests here." Creed narrows his eyes my way as the large doors creak open, the room before us erupting into lights as the music plays all around it. We make our way inside as the doors close behind us, fading into the image of a wall and decorated like the rest of the space.

I turn toward the room in front of me, which is now transformed into a completely different space and looks more like a modern magical club instead of an abandoned slaughterhouse. The ceiling and walls are lined in black silk and velvet draped fabric with large glistening crystals dropping from in between them. They drip down in long lines, shining like stars twinkling against the black fabric. The floor is now tiled in black marble squares, with large black leather booths and tables lining each side of the abattoir. They're all filled with people chatting and drinking or dancing beside them.

The fighter's cage is gone, and the area is transformed into a sleek black-and-white marble bar manned by five bartenders in matching white attire and silver waistcoats. The bar itself is surrounded by a large dancefloor, with bodies already swaying and grinding against each other.

Large abstract ice sculptures stand at each corner of the abattoir, a soft mist seeping from them as tiny iridescent snowflakes cover each window in the room.

"Let's head over to our spot," Calls Ezra, taking my hand in his as we follow Creed, with Annex and Mallyn joining us.

The music thrums around us, the lights flashing as we pass the bar and make our way toward a cornered-off area to the farther left of the abattoir.

Heads turn, and bodies jolt out of the way as the boys move through the crowd. Gazes of fear, reverence, or pure want mix into each expression as we move past them.

We reach the exclusive space just as two large bouncers turn away a group of scantily dressed women trying to enter it. They tell them it's only for the VIPs.

Small clear crystal stairs lead up to a raised black platform, sectioned off from the rest of the room by long black draped silk fabric that floats around it.

Creed leads the way, not sparing anyone a second glance as he walks up the stairs and pushes past the black silk fabric draped in front of him.

Plush white sofas with flecks of gold corner off the area, with a large black and gold marble coffee table sitting at its centre. Gold-encrusted coasters lay on top of it with drinks immediately appearing on them as we enter and near it.

The boys get settled as I stare back toward the dancefloor and at all the bodies moving back and forth to the music. The song thrums throughout the room, one I enjoy and begin to sway to as well.

"Do you want to dance?" Ezra asks, gesturing toward the dancefloor.

A small grin stretches my lips as I nod. We head back down the translucent steps, Annex joining us as we move toward the centre of the dancefloor and to all the shimmying bodies there.

I glance back at Mallyn as a small grin tilts his lips, his eyes never leaving mine as Annex and Ezra place me between them.

We sway back and forth, becoming lost in each other and the music thrumming around us. Their hands slide up and down my body, with Annex's lips finding my neck as Ezra dips down to place a soft kiss on my lips. He deepens it, the kiss becoming more fevered as Annex's hand slides down toward my thighs. I lean into his touch as Ezra takes control of my mouth, both of them pushing closer as I feel their thick lengths grow against me.

Suddenly, Annex grabs me, pulling me to one side as Ezra's hand reaches out protectively. A bright pink drink sloshes toward the ground, splashing where I had just been.

The crowd around us parts like the Red sea. A blonde woman holding an empty cup and wearing a mock-surprise look takes a step closer to Ezra. He gives her a dark glare that tells her to back off and it has her stopping her next step.

"I'm so sorry." She bites her bottom lip, the darkening atmosphere not affecting her as she slides her red-tipped nails over her chest, trying to pull Ezra's attention toward her chest and skimpy red dress. There is more fabric on a Barbie doll than there is covering this woman's body. "I lost my footing when—"

"I've heard this bullshit before," Annex cuts her off, a demented smile stretching his lips, his gaze narrowing toward the woman. "Unfortunately, I didn't get to rip that bitches feet off, but you…" His eyes glint, a darker tone taking over his voice as he reaches toward his back, where I can now see the hilt of a blade sticking out. He pulls it out, brandishing it between his fingers. "I think there needs to be an example made."

"This is our domain," Ezra says, pulling my attention back toward him, his tone dark and void of emotion. He glares down at the woman who's begun to tremble, her gaze flickering toward him for help.

"And nobody gets to fuck with our Queen."

Queen . I like the sound of that.

But this Queen prefers to be on par with her kings.

I grab Annex's hand, stopping him as he shifts toward her, and shake my head.

A sigh of relief falls from her lips as she throws a quick look of contempt toward me before flickering her lustful gaze back at Ezra.

Her lips part, but before she can speak to him, I reach for her, grabbing her arm and dragging her toward me. She tries to pull away, but I tighten my grip on her, causing a pained whimper to leave her lips.

"These men…" I gesture toward Ezra and Annex, "Are mine ."

Her eyes flit to them behind me before turning back to me, trailing up my front as a dark glint forms in her gaze.

" Yours ?" A humourless chuckle leaves her lips as they pull back into a sneer. "Maybe they were interested in you before, but now there are plenty of better women to choose from tonight." Her eyes trail up Ezra's front as she continues. "And I'll happily give them a taste of what a proper woman is like."

She tries to pull away and reach toward Ezra. But I drag her back and yank her in closer to me. A pained yelp leaves her lips as her hands claw at my tightening grip on her. But I jerk her toward me again, grabbing her chin roughly as I make myself clear to her. And everyone else here.

My breath brushes across her face as I narrow my eyes.

"Don't covet what will never be yours. It will only send you to an early grave." The noise leaving my lips sounds sinister and murderous even to my own ears.

The blonde falls silent and completely still as her own eyes widen with my dark threat. She nods her head quickly, a small whimper leaving her lips before I release her.

She quickly stumbles backward, knocking into a few people in the crowd around us before hitting the black marble floor with a thud.

Her eyes flicker from me to the ground before she scrambles away as I feel two familiar scents surround me.

"I love it when you get all possessive over us, Red…You should do it a lot more." Annex's voice is deep and husky in my ear as his arm wraps around my hip before he sighs. "Now I'm as hard as a rock, and this shit party isn't even over yet."

I feel Ezra before I hear him, heat flooding my right side as he leans in and kisses a trail down my neck and toward my shoulder.

"A Queen in every way."

I glare at the crowd around us; some flinch, some take a step back, while others turn away, ignoring the woman still scrambling on the ground and continuing to dance.

Just then, I feel a set of eyes on me and turn toward Creed's glare. He signals for Annex and Ezra to return to the VIP section. By the looks of the people entering the exclusive space, his guests had finally arrived.

Annex sighs. "Let's just ditch them and head up to our room." He calls, peering over my shoulder to Ezra on my other side.

"I wish we could, but you know how important this is to Creed." Ezra sighs, dragging a hand down the back of his neck, a weary look taking over his features while glancing toward the private section.

Annex rolls his shoulders. "I can't put up with this shit for much longer, Ez. I'm not the ‘meet-and-greet' kind of guy. I'm the ‘clean-up guy' or the ‘mess-creator'. Not this shit."

"I'd prefer to be here with Micai than playing nice for some business connection or information, Annex." Ezra meets my stare, conflict warring in his eyes as he gazes at me. "It should only take a few minutes, and then we can spend the rest of the night together unbothered."

I'm not sure whether he's trying to convince Annex or himself with his words.

"Fine," Annex grits out. "But if any of those snobby bastards eyeballs or gets snappy with Red, I'll—"

"Oh, I'm not going," I grin, cutting him off as I unwrap myself from their hold and take a small step back. I glance between the two of their widening eyes. "I'm going to grab a drink while you two deal with the formalities and play nice with Captain Dickhead and his new deck-mates."

Annex looks toward the bar, his eyes narrowing toward the groups of people over there.

"There are too many walking dick-sticks around here, Red. I don't like it." He shakes his head before turning back to me. "Creed already told me I can't go on a killing spree tonight, but if someone so much as looks at you wrong, I'll—"

I place a finger across his lips, silencing him.

"I'm a big girl, Annex. I can handle myself. If any asshole tries to touch me, I'll bring you back a souvenir." His grin widens against my finger before he suddenly moves forward and nips it.

I let out a tiny yelp before jerking my hand back, my eyes narrowing playfully toward him as Ezra drags me in close for a soft kiss.

He pulls back after a moment, his eyes growing heated as his hands slide down my back. "We'll join you in a few minutes and then dance the night away."

"Or grind the fuck outta you." Annex smirks before he pulls me in for a quick, heated kiss. I lean up toward him, pushing for more as I deepen the kiss, but the ass suddenly pulls back, a dark grin stretching his lips. "You can daydream about me and more of that while I'm gone."

Ezra then grabs Annex and pulls him over toward Creed and Mallyn. He gripes the whole way over before stomping up the stairs like a pissed-off toddler.

I watch on as the black fabric sways to one side, giving me a small glimpse of Creed. A busty redhead clings to his side while he wraps his arm tightly around her waist. Our eyes meet, a stiff expression pulling at his features as a flickering look of annoyance enters his gaze. He quickly turns away and back toward the group, laughing stiffly at whatever the redhead has just said.

Did he genuinely dislike me that much? Does just glancing at me send him into a rigid frustration?

His comments and little behavioural ticks toward me were starting to grate on my nerves. What did I ever do for him to detest my presence so much? Or to treat me like some dangerous parasite who just wants to drain his brothers or betray them?

The black fabric sways back down, blocking my view of them as Ezra and Annex join them, also disappearing from my sight.

I sigh, turning around and heading toward the bar in the centre of the room. People were moving out of my way and keeping their distance now. Was that because of the guys, or because of what happened with the blonde?

Either way, it was quicker reaching the bar and finding a spot to sit.

I glance one last time over toward the VIP area before ordering a drink. Hopefully, it wouldn't take the boys long to sort things out, and we could have some proper fun together.

Creed clearly didn't want me around his brothers. Or at all. But that was too bad for him, because I wasn't going anywhere.

Annex, Ezra, and now Mallyn…I wouldn't be walking away or giving them up for anyone. There was a connection growing between us that no one could separate now.

And sooner or later, Creed would have to accept that.