“I find you entirely too… decadent… to use and abuse in just one evening.” He places the fingers he had just finger fucked me with into his mouth and sucks. “Oh, I can’t wait to see what’s hidden inside you. I can’t fucking wait.” He gently moves me off his lap and reaches for his own clothes. “You have a darkness, my girl. A fucked-up and delicious darkness that I plan to devour.”

“How do you know you’ll even be able to find me again once I leave this place?”

His lip quirks, and his eyes twinkle. “I like to hunt. Especially if there is a debt owed.”

Not wanting to banter any further, and hating that I’m once again getting myself deeper in debt, I know I need to focus on the now and my safety. The promises of more with Nick Hudson is the least of my worries.

Once we’re both dressed, I look at him and raise an eyebrow. “So, now what?” I can hear the party is still raging on the other side of the thick door of the study. “Do you think we can slip out unnoticed?”

“We’ll slip out unnoticed,” he says as he leans down and picks up his cane. He then reaches for the bottle of bourbon he had been drinking and takes a long swig of it before placing it back down, reaching for my hand, and asking, “Shall we?”

I take his hand, and he leads me to a bookcase. He then begins tapping books with the bottom of his cane. There’s a clicking noise when he knocks on one, and he chuckles. “There you are.”

He then pushes the book forward and the bookcase moves, revealing a secret passageway on the other side.

“This should lead us out,” he announces.

“How did you know this was here?”

“I’m Nick Hudson. It’s my job to know everything.” He then gives me a wink and charges us into the dark hallway.

I suppose every mansion has secret passageways when the owner lives in the world of high-stakes business and may need a fast getaway, but how he knew… I guess I shouldn’t question but instead be grateful.

“How do you know where it leads?” I’m hesitant to enter, but I don’t resist. I don’t have any other choice but to follow.

He doesn’t answer right away, but instead walks me down a dark corridor. My eyes try to adjust to the darkness, but they can’t. I’m not sure how he knows where we’re going, but I cling tightly to his hand and stay close to his side. It’s cold, dank, and leads to the unknown, but I still march forward.