Chapter 204

Noah

Houston felt too bright that night. Too loud. Too alive.

Or maybe that was just me—heart pounding in my throat like I was about to do something illegal.

Which… I kind of was… at least in William’s world.

Lexie parked in the Dominion’s parking structure, her hands shaking only a little as she locked her phone and shoved it in her clutch.

“You ready?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “I’m so nervous… like a damn teenage girl before prom.”

She elbowed me. “Come on. You’re seeing him.”

Yeah.

That was the problem.

I wanted tonight to be perfect—our best night, the kind you replay for years, the kind that erases every shitty moment we’d lived through. A night strong enough to hold us until we could see each other again.

God, I was overwhelmed by my own expectations but happier than a kid at Christmas.

Two seconds later, as if he were waiting around the corner for his big entrance, appeared the third musketeer, Micah. He waved both arms when he saw us.

“Oh, my GOD. Look at you two!”

I didn’t even get a word out before he gasped dramatically and slapped Lexie’s arm.

“Lexie!” he cried. “You look like a whole fantasy! Too bad NOBODY is gonna see that outfit. But then again, that would be such a waste of a perfect body like this.”

Lexie immediately blushed so hard she turned pink. “Micah—”

“And YOU.” He jabbed a finger into my chest. “Ohhhh, Aiden is going to DIE. Actually die.”

“I’m gonna puke,” I muttered.

“You’re gonna look hot while puking,” Micah said sweetly, patting my cheek with glitter-covered fingers.

“Oh! Before I forget,” Micah said, bouncing on his toes like a caffeinated fairy. “Master Hale is IN on everything. I told him the plan, as we agreed, and he is living for this. He kinda became Aiden’s BFF overnight; don’t ask me… I’ve no idea…”

We were not gonna ask.

“...and told Aiden some story about a new hottie coming in for training so he wouldn’t leave.”

My stomach dropped straight into my shoes.

“A new—what?”

Micah grinned. “Girl, relax. He’s not training anyone tonight. The surprise is going to hit him like a bus.”

Lexie squeezed my arm. “He’s going to be so happy to see you.”

I swallowed hard. “Yeah. I’m so happy I can’t even think straight.”

Walking into Dominion with Lexie was like watching a Disney princess wander into a horror movie set.

Her eyes got HUGE.

Her jaw dropped.

The mood lighting. The velvet walls. The soundproof hallways. The expensive wood. The faint hum of music coming from behind private doors. People dressed in leather, lace, latex—every gender, every style—walking confidently like it was normal.

Lexie whispered, “Is… is that a man wearing wings?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Oh,” she squeaked.

Micah patted her shoulder. “Sweetie, welcome to the adult playground. And this is just the lobby—”

We headed straight to the changing rooms.

My stomach felt like it’d been put in a blender as I stripped and changed into the one thing I knew Aiden loved on me—the white leather thong he’d picked out once during training.

Just the thong.

Nothing else.

He’d lose his mind.

I tightened the strap around my hips, adjusted the pouch, and tried not to die from nerves.

When Lexie walked out, I think my brain actually rebooted.

She wasn’t naked—not at all—but she wore a beautiful emerald lingerie set that matched her dress earlier, with lace detailing and a sheer robe she wrapped around herself like she was still deciding whether to breathe.

I gaped. “Lexie—holy crap. You look... incredible!”

“Thank you! And you look—” she stammered, looking right at me.

“Half naked?” I offered.

“—sexy,” she said. “And, yeah, half naked too!”

Micah sashayed out behind her. “And what about my breathtaking looks? Am I chopped liver?”

He did a spin, revealing a shimmering silver mesh robe that left absolutely nothing to the imagination, a silver thong, glitter on his cheekbones, glitter in his hair, glitter probably in his lungs.

“Darlings,” he said, “your Fairy Slutmother has arrived…”

Lexie laughed—hysterically, breathlessly—because she had no other survival mechanism.

Micah reached into a tiny pouch at his hip and flicked glitter over both of us like he was blessing a sacrifice.

“Sparkle for your sins,” he said.

I brushed glitter off my nipple. “Micah. I swear to God.”

He winked. “You’re gonna thank me in all your photos.”

I had no photos.

But I didn’t brush it off. Why not glow for my man, right?

When Hale entered the hallway, the whole damn space shifted.

Even Lexie straightened.

He was calm, composed, dressed in black slacks and a tailored vest, sleeves rolled up just enough to show his forearms. The kind of presence that made people stand still without him asking.

He approached Lexie first.

“Miss Hart,” he said gently. “Welcome to Dominion. You honor us tonight.”

Lexie nearly curtsied. “Th-thank you.”

He handed her a velvet box.

She opened it—a beautiful emerald lace mask shaped like delicate branches.

“This will protect your identity,” Hale said. “For tonight, and for your future. If it is okay with you, I would like to introduce you tonight as Emerald, inspired by your chosen color.”

Lexie’s hands shook. “It’s beautiful… And yes, I love the name.”

He turned to me next, offering a white mask with silver detailing.

“For you as well,” he said. “As you know, discretion is part of what we provide, Xion.”

Then he looked at Micah.

“I will not even offer one to you, my beautiful submissive.” Hale smiled at Micah.

Micah placed a hand dramatically on his chest. “Master Hale, I have never hidden a sinful day in my life.”

Hale nodded solemnly.

“As expected.”

Lexie giggled.

Then came the clipboard.

“Miss Emerald,” Hale said, “we must follow protocol. This simply confirms your consent to be here, to witness activities, and to keep the privacy of all present.”

Lexie read the paper with the seriousness of someone signing her own death contract.

She signed.

“Excellent,” Hale said. “Now, I’ll show you around.”

He pulled out two slim leather leashes—one emerald, one silver.

Lexie froze. “Oh my—”

Micah clapped excitedly. “OHHHHHHHH, MATCHING!”

“I think I’m hyperventilating on the inside,” she whispered, letting Hale clip the leash gently to a collarbone choker.

Micah bowed dramatically as Hale clipped his silver one.

“Yes, Daddy,” he said.

“Micah,” Hale warned.

“Sorry.”

I was laughing so hard I looked drunk. But of course, I’m sure it was 90% nerves.

Then Hale turned to me—and everything in my chest tightened.

“You,” he said softly, “go to him.”

My breath caught.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

I slipped on my white choker—the one Aiden used to fasten for me—and it locked into place with a soft click.

Micah squeezed my arm. “Go get your man, baby.”

Lexie nodded, eyes shining.

And just like that, my legs moved on their own, carrying me down the hallway toward the room where Aiden was waiting, completely unaware that I was steps away.

The air felt electric. And my whole body felt like it was falling.

This was it.

This was the moment.