2. Scotlyn
TWO
Scotlyn
O f all the people who come through Society X, I never thought Brent Danson would be one of them. He was always a gentleman in high school, unlike the other guys I dated.
As I watch him sipping his drink, I notice his focus doesn’t stray beyond the bar, even when beautiful women are passing by him.
I finish making my fifth sex on the beach for the ladies at the end of the bar and head back to Brent. His head lifts when I approach, and his lips pull back slightly. There’s a hint of shyness to it, and I’m not going to lie … I find it sexy.
Brent looks around and clears his throat. “So, are you one of . . .”
I know what he’s trying to ask, and it makes me giggle. “No, although I thought about it several times when I first started working here. I really needed the money. Thankfully, my boss here at the club offered me another job at his lucrative company.”
A look of relief passes across his face, and I find it endearing. Even in high school, he was protective, always ensuring I got home safe from the football games. He was the only guy my parents trusted me to be in the car with.
Sandy, one of our strippers, walks by and winks at me, so I wink back. Brent glances over at her as she strolls away, but I see no interest in his caramel-colored eyes.
He nods over at Sandy, who’s now busy talking to a group of men. “Do they make a lot of money here?”
“Who are ‘they’?” I ask, smirking playfully.
Brent looks at Sandy with the men. “The people who do what she does?”
I try not to laugh at him and fail. “You mean the strippers? Dancers? Entertainers? You can’t say it, can you?”
Brent shrugs and then nods. “Entertainer sounds good. Less demeaning.”
I glance at Sandy, who is perfect at putting on the charm. She’s a fantastic dancer and highly charismatic. Just last night, she made over twenty grand.
“They make bank,” I confess. “But that’s because our clientele mainly love spending money. The main highlight of Society X isn’t the strippers.”
Brent’s brows furrow. “Then what is?”
It’s clear he has no clue what Society X is all about. I lean in close so the other people around us can’t hear. Most of our patrons know about the sex rooms, but some don’t get approved. I want to see the look on Brent’s face when I tell him.
“The goal is to get a room,” I whisper, watching the curiosity glimmer in his eyes.
He cocks his head to the side. “A room? What does that mean?”
“Scotlyn!” a voice calls out.
I turn to see Christy dressed in her sexy tux with her blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail. She waves at me and then taps the invisible watch on her wrist. “It’s time for you to go, babe. Nova should be here in a minute to take over.”
Looking at the clock, I’m shocked to see how much time has flown by. “Oh wow, it’s ten o’clock already.”
Christy wraps her arm around my waist and tries to pull me away. She’s done this before, when I’d get stuck with over-eager men at the bar. It’s her way of helping, but little does she know I don’t want to leave, even though my shift has ended.
“You have an early morning,” she continues, pulling harder on my waist.
She narrows her eyes at me when I don’t move. “It’s okay,” I say to her. I grab her wrist and pull her closer, smiling back and forth between her and Brent. “Christy, I want you to meet Brent. He’s an old friend from high school.” Then, I introduce Christy to Brent.
Christy holds out her hand and smiles. “It’s nice to meet you, Brent. I hope you’re enjoying your night here at Society X.”
Brent shakes her hand. “I am, thanks.”
Christy lets his hand go. “That’s great.” Then, she turns to me. “All right, I have to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Nova appear behind the bar and start taking orders. Christy says her goodbyes and hurries away. I know she has clients she has to check in for the sex rooms. Nova smiles at me and waves for me to leave.
“Are you really getting ready to leave?” Brent asks.
I nod. “Yes. I have an early morning tomorrow at my other job.”
A look of disappointment passes across his face, as if he doesn’t want the night to end. I don’t want it to, either. Seeing him again after all these years makes me realize how much I’ve missed having someone like him in my life. Most of the men I come across only want sex and only care about themselves. Brent’s not like that; he’s genuine and has a good heart. I stare at him for a moment and lean across the bar.
“It’s really not that late. Do you want to meet me in the parking lot so we can catch up? It’s been kind of hard to do that in here. Unless you want to get back to your friends?” I let the question hang in the air.
Brent smiles and finishes his drink. “Nope, I’m good. I’ll see you outside.”
Excitement bubbles in my chest. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way. Sometimes I miss things and people from my past, and tonight has surely brought that to my attention.
I squeeze Brent’s wrist and let go. “I have a dark blue Honda Civic. Find me.”
Our eyes meet once more and there’s a warmth in my gut that brings me comfort. There’s no way in hell I’d ever agree to meet anyone in the parking lot, but I’ve always felt comfortable with Brent.
Turning on my heel, I head away from the bar and toward the back where the employee break rooms are. It’s where I have to stow my purse and phone. Phones are not allowed anywhere in the club where the action takes place. That’s a rule for both employees and patrons.
Once I collect my things, I start to walk out the back entrance when Christy steps in front of me, blocking me from leaving. I have a feeling I already know what’s on her mind.
“What are you doing?” I laugh as I slide my purse strap over my shoulder.
Christy has been my best friend since the moment we met at Society X. I stayed with her for a few weeks while I earned enough money to pay for my own apartment. She’s the big sister I never had.
Christy’s eyes search mine with so much excitement. “I’ve known you for a while now and I’ve never seen you look at someone like you did your friend tonight.”
I wave her off. “Christy, please. He’s just a friend. We dated in high school, but it was seriously a G-rated relationship.” I can’t stop from smiling as I think about all the times we kissed. I loved making him sweat back in the day.
Her face brightens. “Does he want to join the club?”
“No,” I blurt, laughing incredulously. “This place isn’t his scene. You should’ve seen how red his face got when I talked about all the vag and tits he saw in the club.”
Christy shrugs and winks. “This wasn’t your type of place either, but now look at you. You work here.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, but I needed the money. I haven’t actually partaken in any of the activities.”
“Maybe you should,” she says. “The Dark Room has always been my favorite.”
I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought about giving in numerous times. It’s been months since I’ve had sex with someone, and even then, it wasn’t my cup of tea. I’ve come to the realization that I enjoy taking the lead in the bedroom. I don’t want a guy dominating me all the time. I want a man who’s comfortable with me controlling him every once in a while.
Christy raises her brows, waiting on my response.
I roll my eyes again. “I’ll think about it. As soon as I decide, I’ll contact Jared to schedule me in.” Christy corresponds with all the male patrons of Society X, while Jared deals with all the female clients. Now that I work at Society X, I’ve become an instant member. I can enjoy all it has to offer. I just need to suck it up and let my inhibitions go.
Christy moves out of the way and opens the door for me. “That’s all I wanted to hear.”
I walk past her and throw my hand in the air. “Goodnight, Chris.”
All I can hear is her laughter as she shuts the door behind me. Once I turn the corner to the back of the building, my eyes instantly find Brent leaning against my Civic.
Memories of our past come flooding to the surface. He’s changed a lot in the past ten years. His hair is still light brown and coifed neatly, and he still wears glasses. However, I have to admit, his body has changed quite a bit. He was a little lanky in high school, but he’s filled out, more muscular. I used to make fun of his baby face with how smooth it was when we were younger, but now, there’s a five o’clock shadow that makes him look more rugged. I like it.
Brent was a part of my life when I was a good girl, always going to church and trying to make the right choices in life. Or at least, I thought they were the right choices. A small-town life, finding a husband, and having a dozen kids was what my parents thought I’d want, but boy, were they wrong. I have nothing against that kind of life, but it’s not for me. I wanted something bigger and better.
“Did you get your eyeful again?” I joke as I close the distance between us.
Brent’s cheeks turn red and he adjusts his glasses. He reminds me of the Clark Kent version of Superman. When he has his glasses on, he’s a nerdy computer guy. But when they come off . . . he looks completely different. Very sexy.
Brent chuckles. “I did. There was a lot of bare skin in there.”
“You get used to it,” I admit.
Silence fills the air for a few seconds as we stare at each other, and I can see the look of concern in his eyes. “How did you end up here? Last I heard, you left Texas and haven’t returned since.”
I inhale a deep breath then let it out slowly. “One day, I just hopped on a bus and ended up here.” A laugh escapes my lips as that memorable day flashes through my mind. “Well, it’s more like I was stranded here. My bus had left me and took my suitcase with it. I had enough money to get me a hotel room for the night. Then, the next day, I heard Society X was hiring, so I applied, and they accepted me. When I needed more money, my boss offered me a daytime job at his firm.” I pat my hand on the roof of my car. “Then, not long after, I was able to buy this car and pay for my own apartment. It’s all been uphill since then.”
Brent purses his lips as if he’s wondering if he should believe me. “I’m glad to hear it. So, I’m assuming you didn’t go to college?”
I shake my head. “No. Didn’t have the money. But luckily, I make a small fortune at Ward Enterprises.”
He points over at the club. “Then why do you still work here if you’re making good money?”
Because I’m intrigued . Only I don’t want to tell him that. I don’t want to tell him that I’ve fantasized about being in the Dark Room and having sex with no strings attached. That I want to give in to my desires and not care whether or not it’s a sin.
“What about you?” I counter, trying to change the subject off me. “What are you up to these days?”
Brent shrugs. “Nothing really exciting. I’m a computer analyst. That’s why I’m here in Portland. I’m building a new mainframe for my employer.”
“Nice,” I say, not knowing anything about being a computer analyst.
He laughs and shakes his head. “And you have no idea what that is.”
I bite my lip sheepishly. “Not in the least. All I know is that if you explain it to me, it’ll go right over my head.” His smile makes my heart flutter in my chest.
“Sometimes it goes over mine, too.”
When I lean against my car, Brent moves in front of me, his eyes lingering down to the X pendant on my necklace. “I saw other women in the club with necklaces like that. What does it mean?”
I hold the necklace between my fingers. “Remember when I mentioned the rooms , and I didn’t get to explain?”
Brent nods. “Yeah.”
“Do you still want to know about them?”
He nods again and a part of me is nervous to explain it all to him. Even though I haven’t done anything in the sex rooms, it feels like a sin just to talk about it. The more I think about them, the more I want to experience what Society X has to offer.
“Okay,” I say, releasing a quick breath. “On the other side of the club, there are exclusive rooms. You have to pay a membership fee to join, pass a background check, and answer a bunch of questions. It’s legit, though. It’s how the club makes all its money.” Brent watches me with curiosity, and I clear my throat before continuing. “There are three rooms. The Dark Room is where people go in and have anonymous sex.”
Brent’s eyes widen. “Seriously?”
I nod in reply. “It’s the most highly sought out room in the club.”
“What are the others?” he asks.
“Well, we have the Viewing Room, which is self-explanatory. You can watch an orgy, participate in it, or request a show of your choosing. It can be anything.”
“Wow,” Brent breathes, his mouth dropping open. “If I was a member, I could request to watch three women together?”
“Yep,” I answer. His cheeks redden and I smile. “Do you want to become a member now?” He doesn’t answer which makes me wonder what’s going through his mind.
“So, what’s the third room?”
This one will surely make his face turn bright red. “It’s the Play Room,” I say. “Think sex toys, whips, chains, and whatever else you can think of.”
Brent drops his gaze to the ground. “Do you bring your spouse or significant other?”
“No,” I reply. When he looks at my face, I shake my head. “It’s all anonymous here. Members can make requests, but the other party has to accept the invite. You can’t bring someone in off the street. And there are strict rules.”
His brows furrow. “Rules?”
“Yep. Break them and you’re out.”
He steps closer, his eyes darkening in a way I’ve never seen on him before. “Have you been in any of the rooms?”
The breath hitches in my lungs as he stares at me with an intensity that makes me tremble. “No, not like that.”
“Are you ever going to?”
“I’ve thought about it,” I confess truthfully, knowing I have no reason to lie to him. “The only problem is getting matched with the right partner. I’m not the kind of woman who likes to be manhandled. I like to take control and it’s hard to find a guy who can give in to that.”
“What if there is someone out there like that? What would you do?”
The thought makes me smile. “I’d have one hell of a good night.”