Chapter 16

~Elysia~

That evening, the club was alive with the hum of conversation and the throb of bass as the clientele descended for the night's indulgences. I was busy winding my way through the tables, after spending time in the dungeon making sure their were no issues needing dealt with, when Ainsley approached me, her eyes narrowed and her expression a clear warning.

"Back off, Elysia," she hissed, her voice like a whip cracking in the air. "Alex is mine. You're just a toy for him to play with when he's bored."

Her words stung, but I kept my cool, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. "I'm just here to do my job," I replied calmly. "And that's all it is."

Her eyes searched my face, looking for a crack in my armor, but she found none. The attraction between Alex and I was there, a sizzling undercurrent that had been growing stronger with each passing day. But he kept me at a distance with a dance of flirtation and professionalism that had left me both frustrated and in