Chapter 41: Ariel - Noctyros

Mack grabs my left wrist and drags me to Ivan’s office. I don’t put up a fight and just walk behind him while my mind races as I try to figure out how to get off this ship tonight. I need to find Michael and tell him what happened. I need him to get me out of here now.

Ivan is going to kill me. There’s no doubt about it, but I won’t make it easy for him. I’m going to put on a fight.

Mack stops in front of a door, swings it open, and shoves me inside.

“Good luck,” he says with a grin, then slams the door shut and locks it behind me.

I take a deep breath before I turn around to look for something to defend myself from Ivan. I face the desk behind me, and I freeze.

There’s a man sitting at it. He’s absolutely stunning, but his eyes are so cold, they send cold shivers down my spine.

“Who are you?” I blurt out.

A smile spreads across his face. “I’m Noctyros.” He places his elbows on the desk and rests his chin on top of his hands. “And you are?”

“Lila.”

“Lila,” he repeats as if testing how the word sounds on his tongue. Then he flicks his wrist toward the chair in front of the desk. “Sit,” he invites me.

Whoever this man is, something feels off about him. Maybe he’s not human, and that’s why. Probably most of those on this ship are not human. I might be the only human here.

I sit, since I’m curious to see who he is and what he’s doing here.

Noctyros studies for about a minute, while I sit there, saying nothing. His eyes are so dark, they appear to be black and so cold, it chills me to the bone. He makes me very uncomfortable, but I refuse to look away from him.

“You must have done something very serious if Ivan sent you here,” he eventually says.

I shrug. “Ivan kept insisting I suck dick. I showed him why that is a bad idea.”

Noctyros smiles again. “I told Ivan that you are not like the other girls working here, but he wouldn’t listen. You have to show him your fangs so he will take you seriously.”

My eyes narrow. “How do you know Ivan?”

Noctyros stands and spreads his arms wide. “I own this entire place.”

I did not expect this reply. “I thought Ivan was the owner.”

Noctyros throws his head back and laughs. “He likes to think this ship is his, and I let him since it harms no one, but at the end of the day, I’m the one who makes all the important decisions.”

This changes everything. I might have a chance to get away with what I did to Norm.

“If you are the one who says what goes around here, does that mean that Ivan won’t do anything to me for going after a client’s balls?” I dare ask.

Noctyros arches an eyebrow. “Attacking a client is the fastest way to get yourself punished. Even killed.”

Damn! He knows what I did.

He walks around the desk, stops next to me, and leans back against it, with his arms folded across his chest, forcing me to look up at him.

“This is a place where men come to have a drink while getting a lap dance,” he says. “Imagine what it would do to business if word got out that one of the girls attacked a client.”

The threat beneath his calm tone is deafening. “What do you plan to do to me?” I ask in a steady voice, despite the fear that slowly starts to build inside me.

Noctyros seems to contemplate my question. “I like you, Lila. I really do. You work hard and stay out of trouble but if I let you get away with what you did tonight, then the rest of the girls will think that they can do the same and nothing will happen to them.”

So there’s no way out of the mess Ivan created.

I let out a long breathe and ask, “What will my punishment be?”

Noctyron’s smile grows so wide, he shows me his sharp teeth. Definitely not human. “You will start dancing. Naked.”

I’m royally screwed. “I don’t know how to dance.”

“You better learn fast,” he says.

I need to think of something fast.

“What happens if I refuse to dance?” I wonder.

Noctyros bristles, “It is time you learn your place, Lila. I bought you and you will do what you’re told.”

I have to be patient. Michael promised to help me. Noctyros said I have to dance naked, but he said nothing about not wearing paint. Some of the girls have body paint and I will cover myself in it and dance. I can pretend is not that bad and just lose myself into the music and imagine I’m not here while I… do as told.

“Fine. I’ll dance,” I grit my teeth.

“Excelent,” Noctyros says before he returns to his chair. “You will start right away.”

“Tonight?!” I shout.

My heart thunders in my chest and he flashes a grin making me wonder if he can heart the drumming in my chest, but then he raises an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?”

Only a thousand.

“I… I need to get ready.”

“You only need to get naked and entertain the guests,” Noctyros corrects me.

When I don’t get up, he adds, “You can leave now.” He turns his attention to his laptop. “I’m eager to see you dance.”

He’s watching what’s going on inside the club through surveillance cameras. That’s how the know what I did to Norm.

A shudder runs through me. Does he watch what’s going on in the Den as well? Does he know I’m not fucking Michael, only talking to him?

It is only me who’s in danger. Michael is too.

I get up and leave the office before Noctyros thinks of more creatives ways to punish me. To my relief, Mack is nowhere in sight, so I go straight to where Michael is.

“Where have you been?” he asks. “I’m thirsty.” He probably sees the worry edged on my face because he adds, “What’s wrong?”

“You have to get me out of here tonight.”