Page 68 of Silent Damage

Their faces are similar, and they both have blond hair…

Sexy angel twins?

They stand before me, almost naked, with bored expressions.

“Are you here for Tobias?” the guy asks.

“Uh…yeah…”

They nod, and the girl curls her finger, signaling me to follow.

So much for my big stump speech.

As I walk in, I realize this is actually an old inn or something that’s been turned into a brothel. To my left is a living room-turned-bar that still has a few drunk stragglers in it. There’s a man who stands across the way, checking people before they walk down to the basement, which I’m pretty sure is a dungeon.

At least that’s what it sounds like from up here.

Not even the thumping bass of the techno blaring one flight below can drown out the sound of whips and cries of agony.

I knew this place was a sex club, but holy shit.

It’s surprisingly packed for eight o’clock in the morning, but I guess these people don’t really sleep at a normal hour, huh?

The twins lead me up a flight of stairs on my right, taking me to the second floor.

I’m shocked that they’re taking me to the leader of the HellCats without so much as an explanation, but I’m not going to question it.

We walk along a corridor where folks, clearly sex workers, smile at me. They stand outside their bedroom doors, and their rooms are a trip. One is floor-to-ceiling pink with boas, sparkles, and stuffed unicorns. Another is completely black with a pillory positioned at the foot of the bed.

A few invite me into their rooms for some fun, but I avert my eyes and follow the creepy sex twins who lead me to a set of double doors and usher me into an office.

The walls are black. The carpet is black leather, and—

Oh, my god.

The most striking man I’ve ever seen sits behind a giant black desk, his combat boots propped on top. A black mesh shirt clings to his chest, paired with leather pants and enough jewelry to set off a metal detector.

Icy blue eyes stare back at me, making me shudder. Dark auburn hair frames a face that’s almost shockingly beautiful. His light skin shines like glass, earrings line both ears, and a massive ring adorns nearly every finger.

This has to be Tobias Kay.

“He’s here,” the twin girl says.

And they leave, shutting the door behind them

Holy shit.

I’ve met a lot of badasses in my day, and none of them made me feel as small with their gaze as this man does right now.

“H-hi…” I croak out.

Tobias cocks his head to the side. “You look nervous. Are you new?”

At that moment, my stomach rumbles, almost as if it’s saying, “Yup! Just about ready to shit ourselves over here!” I don’t know what to do with my body. Should I stand? Sit? Shake his hand?

“Y-yes, I’m new,” I stutter.

Tobias narrows his eyes at me and sneers. “Al didn’t tell me he was sending someone new. Are you experienced?”