01-24-2023, 04:11 PM
The crowd outside grew. And the paparazzi showed up. Cars and limos dropped people off at a fucking burlesque show like it was Manifest. When the fuck did this become that sort of place? And why the fuck for his show?
Nox watched the faces enter. He saw friends; he watched the girl find a place in shadows next to the guy who was with Jay. Nox’s heart sank.
Words over the comms sounded concerned. ”Boss the lights are going out.”
Nox looked back through the screens and glimpsed Sage. ”Just make sure there is no panicking. Just the streetlights. We are good in here.”
”Right boss.”
It was then that their bosses’ boss showed up. She readied herself from the wardrobe and sat down.
”Not exactly sure why this is such a big deal.” He was completely aware of the eyes on him, and the sex appeal she was exuding. Who the fuck didn’t think she was sexy was deluded. But she’d never given him the time of day before, and he was certain now she played games because of Raffe. He wondered if she knew what was going on, but he had no intentions of telling her she’d been right — he fucked it up. He always fucked it up.
She asked if he was nervous and offered sex as a recourse. If he’d jumped at the occasion, she’d likely have taken the offer away. The horde pulled at the offer. A dark smile rose on his lips, but a woman in a wheelchair caught his attention and he growled at the recognition.
He hadn’t been with the Atharim long, but he’d stared at the details of every Atharim’s profile. He knew them because they would certainly know him. She was Atharim.
Nox turned towards Oriena with the smile still on his lips. There was a fight inside. So many things he could say and do and none of them he wanted. ”Not nervous.” It was a lie, and she would know it was. That was sort of the point. She played at manipulation as much as the Ascendancy did. She wanted to be worshiped just like him. And that wasn’t what Nox did. But he wouldn’t disrespect either. And he didn’t mind either of their games. He at least knew where he stood with them. She’d probably hate being lumped in with The Ascendancy too, which made his smile widen.
”At least not enough to take you or anyone up on the offer.” Nox wished he had pockets and he could grab a strip of beef jerky to feed at least one of the fucking hungers inside. Seeing the man with Jay had done little to ease his aching heart for losing that friendship, although he’d ended it before. It just hurt more the second time — it was both physical and emotional.
Nox sat down on the desk near Oriena. ”How much do you trust me to do my job?” He returned her look of appreciation — scars and all. They said girls liked scars. Nox saw strength in whatever a did not destroy the body. Ori was his boss, but she was family to everyone else, even if he’d never seen it. He trusted them, and he’d trust her. And he needed to know if she trusted him to take care of their family.
Nox watched the faces enter. He saw friends; he watched the girl find a place in shadows next to the guy who was with Jay. Nox’s heart sank.
Words over the comms sounded concerned. ”Boss the lights are going out.”
Nox looked back through the screens and glimpsed Sage. ”Just make sure there is no panicking. Just the streetlights. We are good in here.”
”Right boss.”
It was then that their bosses’ boss showed up. She readied herself from the wardrobe and sat down.
”Not exactly sure why this is such a big deal.” He was completely aware of the eyes on him, and the sex appeal she was exuding. Who the fuck didn’t think she was sexy was deluded. But she’d never given him the time of day before, and he was certain now she played games because of Raffe. He wondered if she knew what was going on, but he had no intentions of telling her she’d been right — he fucked it up. He always fucked it up.
She asked if he was nervous and offered sex as a recourse. If he’d jumped at the occasion, she’d likely have taken the offer away. The horde pulled at the offer. A dark smile rose on his lips, but a woman in a wheelchair caught his attention and he growled at the recognition.
He hadn’t been with the Atharim long, but he’d stared at the details of every Atharim’s profile. He knew them because they would certainly know him. She was Atharim.
Nox turned towards Oriena with the smile still on his lips. There was a fight inside. So many things he could say and do and none of them he wanted. ”Not nervous.” It was a lie, and she would know it was. That was sort of the point. She played at manipulation as much as the Ascendancy did. She wanted to be worshiped just like him. And that wasn’t what Nox did. But he wouldn’t disrespect either. And he didn’t mind either of their games. He at least knew where he stood with them. She’d probably hate being lumped in with The Ascendancy too, which made his smile widen.
”At least not enough to take you or anyone up on the offer.” Nox wished he had pockets and he could grab a strip of beef jerky to feed at least one of the fucking hungers inside. Seeing the man with Jay had done little to ease his aching heart for losing that friendship, although he’d ended it before. It just hurt more the second time — it was both physical and emotional.
Nox sat down on the desk near Oriena. ”How much do you trust me to do my job?” He returned her look of appreciation — scars and all. They said girls liked scars. Nox saw strength in whatever a did not destroy the body. Ori was his boss, but she was family to everyone else, even if he’d never seen it. He trusted them, and he’d trust her. And he needed to know if she trusted him to take care of their family.
![[Image: nox_sig.gif]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/nox_sig.gif)