Chapter 7

Diesel

Just a moment ago, I was told that a client booked a session with me in the Notte Oscura, one of the club's unique rooms, which got its name thanks to it being as dark as a moonless night. The only part lit with warm light was the four-poster bed in the middle of the space, which was on full display for those hiding in the dark.

Despite the room being nearly pitch-black, I still ensured my mask was secure before entering. Expecting to find my client already waiting on the bed, I was surprised to see another Gatto. I didn't know her name because Dion made sure none of the Gatti associated with each other outside of the club, and no one was stupid enough to mess with his rules. Dion's winsome smile and seductive nature were nothing but a fraud. Underneath his tailored clothes and handsome face lurked a ruthless demon.

I didn't know her name or how her face looked from beneath her mask, but I did know her by her color, Viola.

Moving her manicured nails through her long dark hair, she flipped it back and revealed more of the almost transparent purple lace lingerie set she wore, which made her ample breasts look appetizing. Lying on the bed, with her long legs spread apart and her small hands caressing her creamy skin, she was what men's wet dreams were made from.

That was exactly why the two of us were here right now—to make someone else's dirty dream come true. This room was mainly made for voyeurism, for the clients who found pleasure in watching others.

Right now, we could be watched by one, two, even five people without knowing it. And yet, I knew exactly who the person lurking in the dark was. I could feel his eyes on me, the same way I felt them for the past week. Ever since the first night he'd arrived here, pressed to Dion's side, I noticed this new client. There was something different about him. A pull I didn't understand that forced me to seek him out, even in a lightless room.

"What's the matter?" Viola purred as she stretched her leg until her small foot rested on my naked chest, slowly stroking me. I hated when people, especially women, touched me without my consent. I knew this was my job, and she was a fellow worker, but it still bothered me. While touching a woman without her consent was an obvious no, as it should be, that same common sense didn't seem to apply to men.

Deciding not to tell her off for doing so, I stepped away from her unwanted touch and the bed and turned to face the room.

"I know you're here." My eyes continued to adjust to the darkness. "So why won't you show yourself?" Without even a hint of doubt it was the stranger in Dion's mask watching, I waited for his reply.

"I thought you'd rather not see me," he said, and I finally heard his voice. For a week now, I'd been dying to know how this man, beautiful enough to catch Dion's attention, sounded. His rich, smooth voice didn't disappoint, and the pieces of the unsolved puzzle in my head started to align. There was also something familiar in his bratty pitch, but it wouldn't be the first time a client would make me think of someone else. Something about this place, the Venetian, made it impossible to associate it with the outside world. Being here was like being locked inside of a dream, and trying to connect it with reality was pointless.

The sound of his footsteps getting closer grated on my nerves, and I couldn't calm down until he entered the small circle of light surrounding the bed, and I could finally observe him up close.

The mask he wore was the first thing that caught my attention. For starters, it was from Dion's private collection. Made by an Italian mascareri, it was worth nearly a million dollars due to the rare diamonds and gold used to create it. I knew this because Dion once showed me his collection while making sure I stayed far enough so none would get ruined. How unique was this man standing before me that not even a million-dollar mask was enough to distract you from his beauty? Almost his entire face was covered, but he was beautiful nonetheless. From the wavy gold hair dancing above his shoulders to his smooth, tanned skin and extraordinary blue eyes looking back at me from behind the mask. Eyes so pure and tortured that held secrets. Secrets I wanted to explore. And while I had no idea who this stranger was, there was something about him that felt recognizable. Not just his voice but his overall aura. I didn't know what it was exactly, but it piqued my curiosity and was enough to make me intrigued to know him.

The pearl-white color of his mask matched the soft silk suit that hung lazily around his fit body, and my eyes lingered on the diamond choker around his thick neck. I want my hands to replace that necklace. Surprised but not scared by my reaction, I stopped admiring his astonishing appearance and finally answered his question.

"And why would that be?"

"Because of your rule," he said and stepped closer. He was shorter than me by a few inches, and I liked it.

"So you know I don't do men."

He smirked, then jerked his head in the direction of the bed. "That's why she's here."

Deeply immersed in his presence, I almost forgot Viola was waiting on the bed. Despite sleeping with women, it wasn't odd that I held zero attraction toward her. As beautiful as she was, I didn't care for those things. At least, not until a moment ago when I was admiring his beauty.

"So you can watch us fuck from the shadows, wishing it was your pussy I was fucking?" I knew I was being vulgar and that some men would be startled and disgusted by what I had just said, but from the way his pupils dilated and he licked his lips, I knew he was different.

Moving closer until I loomed over his smaller frame, I caught a hint of his sweet scent. He smelled forbidden, which stirred my insides.

"Tell Viola to get out," I whispered in his ear, feeling his body shudder under my command. Thrilled to get such a sweet reaction, I watched him closely. His eyes glistened with craving while he wetted his lips.

"Get out." His voice had a snarl attached to it, making him sound cheeky but also sexy. And yeah, even though I had no plan of breaking my rule tonight, I could still admit he was sexy.

Knowing better than to argue with a client, Viola got up and left the room, leaving us alone.

"Why did you want her to leave?" he asked, not wasting time.

I liked his impatience. It sat well with the rest of his spoiled brat persona.

"She wasn't needed."

"But what about your rule?"

"What about it?"

"Are you going to break it?"

"No." I grinned, and he pouted his beautiful pink lips.

"So what are we going to do?" he whined like the needy kitten he was, and it triggered me to push him harder.

"First, you're going to sit on the bed."

"Why would I do that?" he grunted.

Closing the small gap between us, I hooked my thumb underneath his chin and forced him to look me in the eyes. "Because that's where I want you to sit."

His breath hitched while he looked at me with wide blue eyes begging for attention.

Nodding like a good boy, he waited until I let go of his chin before moving to the bed.

"Back against the headboard," I said while watching him crawl on the mattress until he was positioned as I ordered. "That's more like it."

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice on the verge of panic as I turned around and disappeared into the darkness. "Black Gatto?" His voice quavered, causing me to smile.

"Just call me Nero." Reaching the chair, which I assumed belonged to him earlier, I sat down. "And I'm right here. Don't be afraid."

He swallowed hard but snorted a laugh to show he wasn't that affected.

"What's funny?" I asked.

"You, switching our positions."

Spreading my legs and making myself comfortable on the chair, my eyes never left him. At first, he pointlessly searched around the room. After all, it was a thrilling experience to be surrounded by complete darkness. But as soon as I spoke, he figured out where I was and now was looking straight at me. He might not be able to see me, but he could feel my presence, which was exactly what I wanted.

"We never switched roles. It was this way from the start." There was no question about that. From the moment he first saw me in the lounge, getting head from a client, his eyes desperately begged to be owned by me.

Shifting on the bed so his legs were spread and his arms crossed, he leaned his head back and narrowed his eyes.

"What now?"

"Now we talk."

"Talk?" he almost laughed.

"Don't you think it's appropriate?"

"You're joking, right?"

"Not at all. I want to know you." And I did. He made me curious.

"Fine," he huffed, making himself comfortable on the white sheets. "What do you want to know?"

"What do I call you?"

"Sorry?"

Leaning forward, I rested my arms on my knees. "I told you to call me Nero, which means black, so, what do I call you?"

Looking taken aback, he shrugged. "I don't know. Didn't think about it."

"Llorón."

"What?"

"That's what I'll call you. Llorón."

His mouth curved in displeasure. "You'll call me Crybaby?"

So he understood Spanish. Interesting.

"?Tú hablas espa?ol?" You speak Spanish?

"A bit. My housemaid is Mexican. She taught me when I was a kid. Now, answer my question. Why Crybaby?"

"Because you look like you love crying." I imagined the tears rolling down his face, turning his blue eyes red and his cheeks wet. "I bet you look hot when you do."

"Hot? I thought you were straight." He snorted.

Moving my hand to my crotch, I spread my legs wider apart. "Never said I was."

"So what about your rule?"

"Does it immediately make me straight?"

You'd think the mask would make it hard to know what he was thinking, but I could read him like an open book. His clenched jaw, tensed shoulders—his body reacted to me so clearly that I didn't need to see his face to tell he was annoyed.

"So what are you, then?"

"Oh, you can't just ask me that. It's offensive."

"Fuck you," he hissed, and I laughed.

"Are you gay?" Avoiding giving him my answer because he hadn't earned it yet, I turned the question on him.

"Obviously."

"You've got an attitude, Llorón.I like it." I more than liked it. So far, this was my most entertaining session since I started working here.

"And you're an asshole," he bit back while adjusting his dick.

"An asshole that's making you hard."

Turning his head away from me, he tried to keep his hand from touching his stiffening cock, which made me wonder why I noticed his dick in the first place. I knew I'd just teased him about me not being straight, but it was true. Until him, I'd never been attracted to a man before.

"Yeah, that's true," he admitted without a hint of shame. "Got a problem with that?"

Not one bit. But I wasn't about to tell him that.

"Yeah, I do. I think it's unfair how you come to the club every night, get all hot because of me, and then go screw Dion while imagining it was me."

He laughed. "Get over yourself."

"So you're saying it isn't true?"

"What do you want from me?" he suddenly snapped.

So he also has a temper.

"I told you, we're getting to know each other."

He huffed some air. "Well, I'm getting bored. Why don't we play a game instead?" He rose from the bed.

I shrugged. "Nah, I don't play games."

"Well, I do. And since I'm in charge—"

"But you're not." I cut into his words, leaving him stunned. "You may be the client, but make no mistake. You're not the one in charge, so put your ass back on the bed."

Without protest, he sat back down, his eyes staring at me through the darkness.

"That's more like it. Now, since you've been so good, you can ask me one question, and I'll answer it."

"Will you ever fuck me?"

That was relatively simple. For some reason, I'd expected more.

"No."

"Okay," he said flatly, and the lack of disappointment in his answer rubbed me the wrong way. Surprisingly, I didn't want him to lose interest in me.

"Can I give you a compliment?" I asked, getting his attention back.

"Be my guest."

"You're beautiful."

I knew a man like him was probably used to getting compliments. Mostly because I was convinced he was even more gorgeous underneath his mask, and yet, that didn't stop his neck from turning red, which made me think about his cheeks. Did they also flush crimson? Was he the type to easily blush? Or was it just because of me? Did Dion have the same effect on him?

"What are you to Dion?" I asked.

A wicked smile pulled on his lips, and the bashful boy who just gazed at me from between the sheets was replaced with a cocky brat. "Why do you care?"

"I don't."

"Doesn't sound like it."

Little fucker.

Deciding I had had enough of his smart-ass answers, I got up and walked until I reached the edge of the bed. Standing under the light burned almost as much as the need to make him lose the smile.

"What's the matter, Nero, rethinking about not sleeping with me?" His eyes traveled down my body until they reached my hard cock. Yeah, I was hard. I was hard from the moment I entered the room and felt him staring at me, but I didn't mind it. When it came to sex, I knew how to restrain myself, and getting to know him was more of a priority than giving my dick the relief it was aching for.

Rather than answering his snarky comment, I climbed on the bed and moved until I was practically above him.

"What are you doing?" His voice shivered, probably anticipating I'd touch him, but despite his mesmerizing blue eyes begging to be held, tempting lips that nearly whispered to be taken apart, and beautiful neck that was meant to be choked, I wasn't about to touch him. Why? Because I already figured out what Dion saw in him.

He was out of reach, dangerous, and Dion was dying to add him to his collection.

This beautiful man lying beneath me was poisonous. His beauty might be tempting, but one touch was enough to kill.

"Thanks for letting me get to know you, Llorón," I whispered in his ear. "It was an absolute pleasure." And just like that, without risking another second inside his addictive aura, I pushed away the need to know him deeper and got up.

"Where are you going?" He jumped to his feet, but I was already at the door.

"I've got a busy night, and so do you." I eyed his erection with a teasing smile. "Make sure to think of me when he fucks you."

Stepping out of the room was easy. Stopping myself from thinking about him was nearly impossible.