I hadn't intended to approach him. All night, I had watched Victor St. Clair move through his club with a cat's grace, always aware, always in control. People seemed to part for him instinctively, offering deference without fear. It wasn't his wealth that commanded respect so much as the calm assurance radiating from him. I felt it, too—and felt drawn to it. My journalistic instincts, honed by years of watching and waiting, told me he was the key to this world, the central figure around which all of Elysium's carefully choreographed dances revolved.
After the workshop with Nadia and Rafael, Marco took my elbow gently and said, "Victor would like to speak with you, if you're comfortable."
My pulse jumped. "Now?" I glanced across the room. Victor stood near a private bar, glass of bourbon in hand, talking quietly with Jennifer. He must have felt my gaze; he looked up, nodded, and said something to his companion before turning toward me. I felt a jolt of recognition, a silent acknowledgement that I was no longer a ghost in his club but a guest he had specifically invited.
I wiped my palms on my dress and followed Marco. Each step felt measured, a slow march toward the heart of the labyrinth. When I stopped in front of Victor, he smiled—just a small curve of his mouth, but enough to soften the sharpness of his features. Up close, his eyes were a startling, clear blue.
"Ms. Monroe," he said, his voice low and warm, a rich baritone that vibrated through the air between us. He didn't offer his hand, perhaps recognizing how intimately charged any touch between us might feel. "I hope your first impressions of Elysium have been kind."
"They've been…educational," I answered honestly. Up close, I could see the faint lines at the corners of his eyes, the silver streaks at his temples. He was handsome in a way that had nothing to do with age and everything to do with presence, with the undeniable weight of his experience. He was a man who had seen things, good and bad, and had chosen to build a sanctuary in the aftermath.
Victor inclined his head. "That's good to hear. Elysium is often misunderstood. Many newcomers arrive expecting chaos. We pride ourselves on structure and consent."
I nodded, feeling compelled to fill the silence. "It's…different from what people imagine. The way everyone talks first, the safe words, the aftercare. It's more caring than I expected."
"You thought we were animals?" His tone was teasing, not accusatory, and a small spark of laughter danced in his eyes.
"No," I protested quickly, then laughed at myself. "Maybe I thought there would be less talking. It's been a lot of…talking."
Victor's eyes softened. "Communication is the foundation of what we do. Pleasure without consent is not pleasure—it's exploitation." He took a sip of his drink, studying me over the rim of the glass. The air around us seemed to hum with unspoken questions. "Tell me, Cassie—what brought you here tonight? Curiosity? Research? Something else?"
The directness of the question startled me. He hadn't asked about my article; he had asked about my motivation. It was a subtle but important distinction. I glanced at Marco, who stood a respectful distance away, watchful but unobtrusive. I drew a breath. "Curiosity," I admitted. "I'm a journalist. But…also…I wanted to see for myself. To understand." I hesitated, feeling the weight of the lie, or at least the half-truth, I had been living. "Is that wrong?"
"Not at all," Victor replied, his tone gentle. "Curiosity is often the first step. But understand this: there's a difference between observing and experiencing. I don't encourage people to cross that line lightly." He took a step closer, not touching but close enough that I could smell his cologne—wood and spice, a scent that felt as old and solid as the club itself. "You have an aura of…control. You navigate interviews, you draw stories from people. I see it in the way you carry yourself. Yet I also sense—" his gaze flicked over me, measuring, then returned to my face "—a longing to let someone else lead. To trust."
Heat spread under my skin, both from embarrassment and something I couldn't name. He had seen through my practiced journalist's facade, my carefully constructed walls. He had pinpointed a part of me I hadn't even consciously acknowledged. My heart pounded in my chest. I swallowed. "How can you see that?"
"It's in your eyes," Victor said simply. "In the way you held your breath during the rope demo. In the way you leaned forward when Jennifer spoke about safe words. Those details matter to me." His voice dropped slightly, becoming a conspiratorial whisper. "Would you like me to show you what it feels like to let go? Not tonight, perhaps—not yet. But when you're ready. I'll observe your first visit. I'll ensure you have a good experience."
The offer sent a spark of excitement down my spine, a jolt that had nothing to do with fear. A thousand thoughts crashed through my mind: the ethics of getting personally involved with the subject of an article; the thrill of surrendering to someone I barely knew; the fear of losing control. Yet the thought of having Victor watch over me, guiding me into this world, felt less like giving up autonomy and more like finally lowering a heavy burden I hadn't realized I'd been carrying. It was a paradox—the ultimate act of control was to choose to relinquish it.
"What would that entail?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"We would talk," Victor said calmly. "You would tell me what interests you, what scares you, and what is off the table. We would agree on a safe word. I would show you something small—perhaps a blindfold and silk restraints. Nothing more. You will always have the power to stop. And afterwards, we will sit and make sure you're all right."
My breath trembled. The scene he painted sounded…manageable. Even appealing. The idea of being blindfolded, of surrendering my senses, made my heart pound, but not with fear. The fear was of the unknown, and Victor had just made it known. He had drawn a map for me, and on that map were all the safeguards I needed. "And you would be there?"
"I would," he answered. "Not to interfere unless necessary. But to ensure your partner—whether it is me or someone else—respects your boundaries. To protect you."
The protective note in his tone did something to my resolve. I realized that beneath his commanding exterior was someone who understood the vulnerability being offered to him. That realization made me trust him more than any written rule. He was not just the owner of a club; he was the guardian of a fragile and beautiful trust.
"Not tonight," I said slowly, echoing his earlier words. "I want to watch more. To absorb. But…maybe soon."
Victor's mouth tilted in a satisfied smile. "That is the right answer. Take your time. Come back tomorrow and watch a flogging workshop. Talk to those who have been here for years. Ask questions. When you're ready, come find me. I'll be here."
He lifted his glass slightly, as if toasting my courage. I nodded, feeling both exposed and empowered. As Marco escorted me back toward the main hall, I leaned toward him. "Does he always talk like that?"
Marco laughed quietly. "Victor? He likes to think he's inscrutable. Really, he's just a man who's seen a lot and wants to keep his people safe." He paused, his smile fading into a more thoughtful expression. "He's right about one thing though—you have a submissive side. There's no shame in that. Letting someone else lead can be liberating. But only when you choose it."
The word "choose" echoed in my mind as I watched another scene on the stage—Jennifer now guiding a nervous newcomer through their first spanking, checking in after each slap, her voice as tender as her hand was firm. The crowd watched with the same reverent silence as before. I realized I was holding my breath again and released it with a shaky laugh.
I might not be ready tonight. But the path Victor had offered was clearly marked: consent, negotiation, safe words, and aftercare. I wasn't stepping blindly into darkness; I was following lanterns placed by people who knew the way. The journalist in me was still observing, still taking notes, but the woman beneath the facade was beginning to feel something new and profound: the anticipation of a choice she had never considered before.
On my way home, I touched the spot on my wrist where Victor's gaze had lingered. The skin was bare now, but I imagined the feel of silk there, the weight of rope, the trust required to let someone tie the knot. The thought sent a shiver through me, not of fear but of anticipation.