Opening the box, I glanced at the typical small containers for eye lenses and the earbuds. “And you want to play a computer game?”

She blushed. “I want to play a game...with you.”

I tensed as a wash of her emotions caught me by surprise. My condition allowed me to eavesdrop on my wife. I knew when she was pissed at me for leaving my polo gear untended and dirty on our chaise lounge. I knew when she stared at me with love when I kissed and played with our children. And I knew when she wanted me. The hot warmth that spilled from her was full of need and invitation.

In a way, she couldn’t hide from me. She couldn’t lie if I’d annoyed her or pretend things were okay when they weren’t.

But now...

I couldn’t understand what she felt.

She was excited, nervous, intrigued, turned on.

Afraid.

I looked harder at the sensors she’d given me, trying to figure out what this meant. What had Sully created here?

“You want me, Needle. I can sense that. But I don’t understand the fear.”

She looked down at the white bedspread before forcing herself to meet my eyes and blurt everything. “You must’ve heard the rumours too. About Sully’s fantasy world that he’s using on his Rapture islands? That he can code any kink and insert a couple to do whatever they want? All we have to do is wear those lenses and earbuds, choose a fantasy and press this button.” She showed me on the phone, small icons of BDSM dungeons, office desks, kinky playrooms, and outdoor picnics revealed the nature of each erotic fantasy.

My cock twitched in interest. But before I could agree or disagree, Nila said, “There’s something else.”

My eyebrows shot up. “What exactly?”

She pulled a small stopper bottle from her back pocket. “This.”

I took it from her, inspecting the smoky glass, before unscrewing the lid to smell the contents.

It smelled vaguely sweet and flowery—like the exotic orchids growing in our greenhouses. “What is it?”

“Cinta. I think Eleanor told me it’s Indonesian for love.”

“So it is a drug.”

She nodded reluctantly, knowing my tangled relationship with drugs, doctors, and being called crazy.

In the past, I was crazy, and no one had a cure.

Now, I was sane and could balance my nature so I could function in the real world. I wouldn’t jeopardise that for fucking anything.

Screwing the bottle shut, I shoved it at her. “I’m happy to fuck you in whatever position you want. We’ll get the hounds and Wings and go for a run in the woods if that’s what you’re after. I will never say no to you, nor would I ever want to. But...I’m not taking any substance. Especially something that Sullivan has cooked. He’s too proficient at creating things that actually work, unlike the other big pharma with their useless promises.”

“This is different.” She rolled the bottle in her fingers. “It won’t change you. It doesn’t do a thing apart from work on what’s already between us.” Crawling on her hands and knees, she didn’t stop until she splayed her legs on either side of my hips and straddled me.

The instant her body heat came close, my instincts kicked in, and our lust that always infected us sprang into full attention. Grabbing her hips, I pushed her down, rocking her along my rapidly hardening cock.

Her eyes hooded, placing her hands on my shoulders and bending to kiss her way along my throat. “It’s an aphrodisiac.”

I chuckled darkly, thrusting my erection against the seam of her jeans. “Does it feel like I need an aphrodisiac? You are the only thing I need to get hard.”

“I know.” She writhed on me, making my head swim. “But I also know that you can’t fully be in your own thoughts. You feel me. You feel whoever is close by. Your thoughts are always stretched in so many directions through no fault of your own. And I want...” She licked her way up my neck, making me groan. “I want to give you a night where the only thing you think about is how much you want to fuck me.”

I jerked as her teeth sank around my ear. “Believe me, Nila, that’s all I’m thinking about right now.”

“No, it’s not.” She pulled back, her skin flushed and so fucking beautiful. “You’re thinking about Kes and Emma because I can still hear them bickering down the corridor. You’re keeping me safe by scanning the hall for trespassers and keeping your perception open. I know how hard the masquerade was for you. I know you’ve struggled to shed the thoughts of guests. I want you to just be you. To only have one voice inside your head.” Her lips landed on mine, kissing me hard.

I gave in to her, allowing her to dictate how deep, how fast. While she kissed me, I unbuttoned her shirt and shoved it down her arms. Her bra unclipped at the back, freeing her breasts and making my teeth ache to bite her nipples.

But then she was gone, leaving me hard and impatient. “Come back here.”

“Put these on first.” Holding out the lenses and earbuds, she cocked her head. “Come on, Kite. One night. Trust me.”

I paused, glaring at her hand and the outstretched sensors. I trusted her over everyone, but I also had no intention of ingesting a drug Sullivan had made.

I’d learned that the hard way.

Focusing on Nila, working past her wash of lust, I pickpocketed through her other emotions. I tried not to trespass on her thoughts too much. After all, being married to a man like me gave her no privacy whatsoever. However, she accepted who I was when she vowed her life to mine, and in this case, I had a right to rifle.

Once again, there was trepidation and excitement, but the fear had gone, drowned out by wet desire. She was telling the truth that she wanted me. A lot. And she wanted to be alone with me in a way we’d never been able to be before.

Coming closer, she touched my cheek softly. “It’s just something fun, Jet. Nothing more. I would never ask you to do something that could jeopardise everything we’ve worked so hard to build.” Her tone throbbed with honesty. Honesty that matched her fierce, affectionate ownership over me and my condition.

“I love you.” She bent to kiss me again.

And I couldn’t fight the swell of everlasting love.

I kissed her back, nodding slowly. “Okay, Needle. If it’s what you want.”

Pulling away, she stayed silent as she tipped my head back and carefully placed the eye lenses over my right and left eye. I blinked against the obstruction, regretting my approval as she attempted to put the buds in my ears.

“Here, let me.” I pushed her away gently, ensuring the buds were in correctly.

With slightly shaking hands, she placed eye lenses over her own pupils before brushing aside her hair and inserting the earbuds. When she was done, she looked at me as she had the first night I’d met her.

The night of her Milan fashion show. She’d been so nervous and eager to please. So innocent and fragile. And I’d snatched, stolen, and broken her.

Fuck.

Wrapping my hands in her hair, I jerked her into me, kissing her deeply. Pouring my well-worn apologies down her throat.

She kissed me back, her hands busy between us.

I was swept up in her tongue, carried away by the rapidly increasing passion between us that I didn’t sense what she was about to do until it was too late.