Aria's feet carried her forward before her mind could protest, the hum of the Circuit pulling her like an invisible leash. The shadowed figures in the leather chairs shifted, their attention turning to her as she stepped into the blue glow of the room. Lila was still on the platform, her body arched in the grip of the glowing cuffs, her breaths coming in sharp, ragged bursts. The tall man approached her, his hand trailing down her arm, and Aria felt a stab of something primal, envy, intrigue, a fire she couldn't extinguish.
Damien's voice cut through the haze, low and commanding. "You're sure?" He stood at the platform's edge, his black eyes searching hers, a rare flicker of caution in them.
Lila's head snapped up, her green eyes hazy but sharp. "Let her try," she gasped, her voice thick with whatever the tech was unleashing. "See if she lasts longer than me."
The figures murmured, a low ripple of anticipation. Aria's skin prickled under their gaze, the air charged like a storm about to break. She nodded, once, her voice steadier than she felt. "I'm in."
Damien's smile was slow, approving. He guided her onto the platform, his touch on her elbow sending sparks up her arm. The surface was warm, vibrating faintly, and as she stood beside Lila, the cuffs materialized from hidden panels—sleek, glowing bands that hovered, waiting. The tall man paused, his hand freezing mid-reach for Lila, his face turning to Aria with interest.
"Arms up," Damien instructed, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Aria obeyed, lifting her arms, her dress shifting against her skin. The cuffs snapped shut around her wrists, cool at first, then warming as the hum synced to her pulse. It started subtle, a tingle in her fingertips, a warmth spreading through her veins. Then it deepened, like fingers tracing her insides, pulling at threads she didn't know existed.
Lila leaned closer, her bound wrists brushing Aria's. "Feel it?" she whispered, her breath hot against Aria's neck. "It knows what you want. Even if you don't."
The tall man, his name was Jax, Aria caught from a murmur, stepped between them, his presence overwhelming. He was built like Damien, all sharp lines and quiet power, his shirt unbuttoned just enough to tease ink swirling across his chest. "New blood," he said, his voice a rumble, his eyes flicking between them. "Let's see what the Circuit reveals."
The hum intensified, and Aria gasped as waves of sensation crashed over her, not pain, but something sharper, more intimate. It amplified everything: the brush of Lila's skin, Jax's gaze raking over her, Damien watching from the edge like a king on his throne. Her mind fractured, memories flashing, her boring life, the empty likes, the hunger for more, and twisted into desires she'd buried deep.
Jax reached out, his fingers grazing Aria's collarbone, light but electric. The Circuit responded, the cuffs pulsing brighter, sending jolts of heat low in her belly. Lila moaned softly, pressing closer, her body heat mingling with Aria's in a way that felt forbidden, intoxicating.
"You're fighting it," Jax murmured, his hand sliding to her waist, pulling her nearer. "Don't. Let go."
Aria's breath hitched, her body arching involuntarily as the tech wove through her nerves. Lila's lips brushed her shoulder, a soft, teasing contact that sent shivers racing. The figures in the chairs leaned in, their whispers rising, but Aria barely heard them. The world narrowed to the platform, the hum, the touches, the unraveling.
Damien stepped forward, his voice cutting through. "Enough for now." But there was a edge to it, possessive, like he wasn't ready to share.
Jax chuckled, his hand lingering on Aria's hip. "Jealous already, Black? She's got fire. We could use her in the next level."
Lila twisted in her cuffs, her eyes locking on Aria's. "She's mine to break first," she said, half-joking, half-serious, her free fingers tangling in Aria's dress.
The Circuit surged again, and Aria cried out, the sensation peaking in a rush that left her trembling, her knees weak. It wasn't just physical, it dug deeper, exposing vulnerabilities, desires she'd never voiced. Power, surrender, the thrill of being wanted by them all.
The cuffs dimmed, releasing her wrists with a soft click. Aria stumbled back, Jax steadying her with a grin. "Not bad for a newbie," he said. "You'll be back."
Damien pulled her off the platform, his arm around her waist, firm and protective. "She decides," he said, his tone final, but his eyes burned with something new, pride, maybe, or hunger.
The figures applauded, slow claps echoing in the glowing room. Lila sagged against Jax, her smirk fading into exhaustion, but her gaze on Aria promised more.
Aria's head spun, the Miami night visible through a distant window like a lifeline. She'd crossed a line, tasted the unhinged edge of Damien's world, and it terrified her how much she craved it. But as they led her back to the penthouse proper, a new sound cut through, a faint alarm, distant but insistent, like something breaking free.
"What was that?" she asked, voice hoarse.
Damien's jaw tightened. "Nothing you need to worry about. Yet."
But Lila's eyes widened, a flash of real fear breaking her facade. "The Circuit… it's glitching again."
Jax cursed under his breath, already moving toward a console. The hum shifted, erratic now, and Aria felt a pull, like the tech wasn't done with her.
To be continued…