Alice laced her fingers together on her lap to try and stop herself from fidgeting, “Did I say something wrong?”
“Why are you here?”
Shit, she’d lost the playful edge to her tone. Alice was getting interrogated.
“I told you. I was out looking for a club where I could have a good time, meet some people.” There was no way in hell Alice was going to go into details about her intentions to get laid. “I was actually about to call a cab and go home when I saw Gael getting out of a limo with two other men. I got...curious.”
“I’m not going to give you any stupid platitudes about curiosity.” Mistress Red leaned forward, her gaze having grown cold as she stared at Alice. “But I want to be perfectly clear about one thing. This club is a place for people to play. I cater to a specific clientele, and Chester is normally the best bouncer I’ve ever employed. If you’re here to get dirt on Gael, trying to blackmail him into doing something, giving you perks at the office, then I suggest you march your lily-white ass out of my club right now.”
“I—”
“I’ve met bitches like you in the past. Think you can get whatever you want in life by forcing others to give shit up to you. Well that’s not going to happen here.” Mistress Red was on her feet, and for a moment, Alice thought the woman was going to hit her. “This is my club. My rules and my friends.”
“I’m sorry.” She hated how weak she sounded, how small she felt. Ever since she was a child, she’d found it hard to take when people yelled at her. Getting to her feet and doing her best to keep her legs from shaking, she started to back away from the desk. “I would never cause any problems for anyone. Least of all him. I’ll leave.”
Mistress Red also got to her feet, her arms crossed and her lips turned up into a sneer. “Good.”
Yet another colossal mistake to add to the pile she’d created in her life. She shouldn’t have tried this, attempted to reach out and live on the wild side. Maybe her mother had been right all these years, and Alice needed to look for a man with a nice simple job to settle down with. But before she could leave, she needed to resolve one final thing.
“For the record.” Forcing herself to meet Mistress Red’s gaze, Alice kept her tone even as she spoke. Picture you’re talking to a selection committee. “I would never do anything to hurt Gael. He’s been nothing but kind to me since he started working with the firm. When I saw him come in here tonight, I wanted to understand a bit more about the type of man he is. I...like him...and wanted to know if there was a chance for me to...be with him.” Alice turned to leave.
“Stop.”
Again, her body reacted without thought. Alice was too scared to turn back around and look. Thankfully, she didn’t have to. Mistress Red came back around the desk and stood beside Alice.
“Do you know what this place is?” Gone was the harsh edge to the Mistress’s voice.
Alice was finding it difficult to keep up with the changing situation. “It’s a sex club.”
“Close. We’re a BDSM club. Sometimes there is sex between partners, but not always. No one underage is allowed in, and no one who looks like they might not understand the lifestyle can enter. We do have an open door policy for anyone who is interested in learning more.”
Mistress Red took Alice by the chin once more, forcing her to meet her gaze. “I think I understand why Chess let you in.”
“You do?” She couldn’t stop the bubble of nervous laughter from escaping. “I’m glad one of us does.”
“Well, princess, it’s not actually about you. Our boy Gael needs to have a few things straightened out in his life.” She let Alice’s chin go and grinned. “Oh yes, this is going to be fun. I’ve changed my mind. Come with me, darling. Let me give you a little tour of my playground. You can decide what you like about it, and if you want to stay.”
With her mind reeling at the
“Why are you here?”
Shit, she’d lost the playful edge to her tone. Alice was getting interrogated.
“I told you. I was out looking for a club where I could have a good time, meet some people.” There was no way in hell Alice was going to go into details about her intentions to get laid. “I was actually about to call a cab and go home when I saw Gael getting out of a limo with two other men. I got...curious.”
“I’m not going to give you any stupid platitudes about curiosity.” Mistress Red leaned forward, her gaze having grown cold as she stared at Alice. “But I want to be perfectly clear about one thing. This club is a place for people to play. I cater to a specific clientele, and Chester is normally the best bouncer I’ve ever employed. If you’re here to get dirt on Gael, trying to blackmail him into doing something, giving you perks at the office, then I suggest you march your lily-white ass out of my club right now.”
“I—”
“I’ve met bitches like you in the past. Think you can get whatever you want in life by forcing others to give shit up to you. Well that’s not going to happen here.” Mistress Red was on her feet, and for a moment, Alice thought the woman was going to hit her. “This is my club. My rules and my friends.”
“I’m sorry.” She hated how weak she sounded, how small she felt. Ever since she was a child, she’d found it hard to take when people yelled at her. Getting to her feet and doing her best to keep her legs from shaking, she started to back away from the desk. “I would never cause any problems for anyone. Least of all him. I’ll leave.”
Mistress Red also got to her feet, her arms crossed and her lips turned up into a sneer. “Good.”
Yet another colossal mistake to add to the pile she’d created in her life. She shouldn’t have tried this, attempted to reach out and live on the wild side. Maybe her mother had been right all these years, and Alice needed to look for a man with a nice simple job to settle down with. But before she could leave, she needed to resolve one final thing.
“For the record.” Forcing herself to meet Mistress Red’s gaze, Alice kept her tone even as she spoke. Picture you’re talking to a selection committee. “I would never do anything to hurt Gael. He’s been nothing but kind to me since he started working with the firm. When I saw him come in here tonight, I wanted to understand a bit more about the type of man he is. I...like him...and wanted to know if there was a chance for me to...be with him.” Alice turned to leave.
“Stop.”
Again, her body reacted without thought. Alice was too scared to turn back around and look. Thankfully, she didn’t have to. Mistress Red came back around the desk and stood beside Alice.
“Do you know what this place is?” Gone was the harsh edge to the Mistress’s voice.
Alice was finding it difficult to keep up with the changing situation. “It’s a sex club.”
“Close. We’re a BDSM club. Sometimes there is sex between partners, but not always. No one underage is allowed in, and no one who looks like they might not understand the lifestyle can enter. We do have an open door policy for anyone who is interested in learning more.”
Mistress Red took Alice by the chin once more, forcing her to meet her gaze. “I think I understand why Chess let you in.”
“You do?” She couldn’t stop the bubble of nervous laughter from escaping. “I’m glad one of us does.”
“Well, princess, it’s not actually about you. Our boy Gael needs to have a few things straightened out in his life.” She let Alice’s chin go and grinned. “Oh yes, this is going to be fun. I’ve changed my mind. Come with me, darling. Let me give you a little tour of my playground. You can decide what you like about it, and if you want to stay.”
With her mind reeling at the
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