Beside me, Emmett didn’t so much as hold out an arm to steady me. No, every bit of this was a test, to see if I would stand on my own two feet. He wouldn’t coddle me, not one bit. He thought I was a spoiled brat as it was.
Everyone was almost gathered when Emmett finally leaned over. I thought he might offer some encouragement after all. But I was soon proven wrong when he whispered low and in that commanding voice of his, “Just a reminder, you are mine. You are not allowed to make eye contact with any other man in the room tonight. Only me. You are not allowed to touch any man. Only me. And remember, I expect perfection.”
I nodded, half listening. If all he was going to do was order me around right before we were supposed to be on stage, he could go fuck himself. I needed to focus. He’d told me I needed to be perfect tonight. Well, things were starting to happen, and I couldn’t afford to miss a single detail.
One of the Elders stood in the center of the room and banged his cane once we’d all arranged ourselves. The doors the girls had entered through shut behind them ominously. In the corner, two violinists stood. One violin began, striking a slow, long, vibrating note. Then the second joined in, a searing note so that when the two instruments sang together, the song pulsated right through you.
I gasped a little, looking around to see if other people were affected or if it was the signal for something.
But the Elder with the cane in the center of the room spoke up again as the two violins continued to dance and entwine their music with one another, sensually promising what was to come.
“Women, bring forth your paint pots. Dance and paint one another for the delight of our eyes.”
I looked around and saw that half the women held little earthen pots full of silver paint. It was then that I finally realized what was different about the ballroom. The floor had been covered in panels that locked together to protect the marble floor. They’d prepared for things to get messy.
Those with pots paired up with those of us without. The music became more intense as the woman with shiny black hair reached her small, delicate hand into the pot and came out with fingers dripping silver.
Shit, there was nothing to do but pretend I didn’t know anyone here. I couldn’t think about Montgomery or any of the other guys I’d grown up with.
I took a bold step forward to the woman, and she smiled. I didn’t have to look behind me to know Emmett’s eyes were laser-focused on me. But he needn’t have worried. I’d gotten his message loud and clear.
Perfection. I’d put on a show for him. For all of them. Let them look.
I was Bellamy goddamned Carmichael, for Christ’s sake. I was no shrinking daisy. If we were to be objectified, well, I’d show I was the most desirable object in the room. I would revel in their stares. They would give me power. I’d feed off them like I always had.
So I arched my chest toward the raven-haired beauty. Her dripping silver hand landed on my breast. She wasn’t shy about massaging the paint into my skin, rubbing her thumb over my areola and puckered nipple.
I hissed from the cool of the paint and because I knew Emmett would be watching my every reaction.
Fortune favored the bold, right? So I reached my hand in her pot, shivering when my hand dipped into the paint. I pulled out my sopping hand and reached toward the woman. I slid my hand up her sternum, leaving streaks of silver in my wake. Then I curved my hand up to her throat and back around her neck, tugging her head down until her lips were inches away from mine.
Daringly, I slid my eyes over to the sidelines where Emmett stood, glass of brandy in hand, watching me just like I thought he’d be. I smiled at him as I slid my tongue out of my mouth and teased her lips open, then kissed her. And I didn’t miss the way he readjusted his stance and took a swallow of liquid.
My new friend was happy to play the game I was introducing. She gathered more paint and left a silver-handprint on my ass as she pulled my body into hers. She was all softness and curves in my palms.
Murmurs from the men on the sides of the room told us they liked the show we were giving them. I pulled away from the woman sharply. Getting fresh paint, I grabbed her plump breasts, then traced down to her belly button. Emmett said he wanted us to stand out from any other pair before us. So I would put on a show. And knowing his eyes were on me, I couldn’t say that everything happening right now wasn’t turning me the hell on.
After another dip in the pot, I reached between her thighs and pulled them open, forcing her legs farther apart. Silver paint dripped down the inside of her legs.
In return, she grabbed both of my ass cheeks, plumping them in her hand and then giving them a wet smack with her silver hands. Then she luxuriated in rubbing the paint around, up my back, and then down my ass crack.
Whistles and catcalls from the sidelines increased in volume until finally canes began to pound.
I lifted my eyes and looked around. The other women were covered in paint just like me and my companion, and the men were clearly losing their shit they were so anxious to touch us and join in on the debauchery. Some already had their cocks out, fluffing them in preparation.
It was only then that I remembered, shit, Montgomery, Beau, and Rafe had seen everything I’d just done. I looked around the room, thankfully not seeing them. But I did catch sight of other men watching me lustfully as they banged their canes.
Only once the canes stopped banging and the Elder who’d spoken earlier walked to the center did I look back toward Emmett and meet his gaze… and saw that he looked pissed.
I looked to the floor, feeling my cheeks heat as I belatedly remembered the other part of the orders he’d hurriedly hissed at me before the orgy began—that I wasn’t supposed to look at anyone else besides him. Shit.
But he couldn't have been serious about that. I couldn’t control where my eyes went! Well, mostly, I’d just forgotten about it. But, Jesus, did the man seriously think he could control even my eye movement? That took control-freak to a whole new level. There was so much going on in the room; no one could blame me for being curious.
I’d missed whatever the Elder said after the canes stopped banging. Dammit. But there was no missing what I was supposed to do when Emmett came stalking toward me, demanding through his teeth once he reached me, “Knees.”
All the other girls were dropping to their knees as men from the crowd came forward and chose silver-painted women at will. I hurriedly got to my knees as Emmett whipped out his tremendous, throbbing cock and presented it to my face. He couldn’t be too mad at me if he was that turned on, right? Well, I knew one surefire way to ease any anger he might be feeling.
I cupped his balls with my right hand. The paint was mostly dry, but it still left a silver dusting on his heavy sac. I played with his balls as I lowered my head to his cock, toying with it with the tip of my tongue.
The shudder that went through his body at my touch was gratifying as hell. He tried to act like Mr. High and Mighty, but one swipe of my tongue and I had him on the edge. His cock throbbed in my mouth.
I barely remembered him from high school if I was being honest—it was probably bitchy to admit, but I’d never claimed to be a saint back then… or now. I grazed my teeth along his shaft before covering them back up with my lips and bobbing up and down over his tip repeatedly. I looked up at him and didn’t miss the way his jaw clenched.
Whatever he’d been then, he was all man now. But when he looked down at me with my mouth stuffed so full of his cock that my eyes watered, what did he see? The queen bee who’d won Teen Miss Darlington County two times, both my sophomore and senior year? Did he see only the siren from moments ago, just another beautiful blonde covered in silver paint? Did he just see a woman to dominate, and anyone who’d play his kinky games would do?