1. Macy
Macy
The invitation feels like a thousand pounds in my wobbling hands. Black with ornate gold detailing around the edges of the envelope. A name written in perfect calligraphy. One that doesn’t belong to me.
Elena Henson.
I still can’t believe I stole my boss’s invitation. That’s not who I am. I’m Macy Groves, New York’s resident good girl. I don’t steal. But when I saw this envelope hit my desk today, I couldn’t help it.
She can afford a membership to the most elite club in the city and yet can’t afford to give me a freaking raise? That doesn’t make sense. It’s not like I’m asking for a lot either, just enough so that I don’t have to wait tables at night to feed myself.
But no. She wouldn’t. Told me that my duties don’t justify a raise. I do everything in that place. From designing some of her pieces to booking models for the runway. I even get her freaking coffee.
The taxi comes to a stop outside of an unassuming building. It looks like a regular brownstone. I would never think it houses what it does.
“$45.”
My shoulders tighten. God, that’s the last of my money. What am I doing? I should be working tonight. Taking a shift. Instead I’m about to spend the last of my money to go somewhere I definitely shouldn’t. This is what responsible girls do. Totally.
“Ma’am?”
“Sorry, here.”
I shove cash into his hands and climb out of the backseat. Clutching the invitation like my life depends on it as I walk up the stairs. I don’t know what I’m going to find on the other side. I’ve only heard rumors about this place.
Who knows what is true and what isn’t. But there’s always one part that’s consistent. Unmasked is a place where any fantasy can come true. Deep down, I know that’s why I’m really here.
I’ve only ever trusted one person with my secret, and he did not take it well. Since then, I’ve never felt brave enough to share it with another person. Will I tonight? I better. Otherwise, all of this was for nothing.
Taking a deep breath, I push the front door open. Inside is opulent. So much fancier than the outside. I almost feel like I’ve walked into another world.
“Welcome to Unmasked. Can I see your invitation?”
My stomach is in knots. All I can hear is my own heartbeat pounding. I hope she doesn’t notice how my hands tremble. She takes the envelope from me, glancing at the front.
“It’s so nice of you to join us, Miss Henson.”
“T-thanks.”
She smiles at me. Her blonde hair falls down her shoulder. She’s honestly gorgeous, and if I were into women, she’d be just my type.
“Nervous?”
I nod. “It’s my first time in a place like this.”
“It’s completely normal to be nervous. Most people are. Could you fill out this for me really quick?”
She passes me a clipboard with a piece of paper on it. There’s a pen attached. All of the air leaves my lungs when I look at the paper. There’s just two questions on it. The first is easy. It asks for my STI status and the last time I was tested. The second stops me cold.
What’s your fantasy?
The woman must read the horror on my face. “Don’t worry. It’s all confidential. It just helps me pair you with the right person.”
“Pair me?”
She leans on the counter. “My name is Calli. Think of me like the club’s matchmaker. You tell me your fantasy, and I find you someone who matches your interest. But anything you tell me will stay confidential. Between you, me, and the person fulfilling your fantasy.”
“Is this like a prostitution ring?”
Calli laughs and shakes her head. “We just like to ensure our members leave happy. It’s my brother’s rule.”
I nod. This is different than I thought it would be. When I’ve read about sex clubs in books, it’s always more of a free-for-all. I kind of like it better this way. I can’t chicken out.
So I force myself to write it down. To tell Calli what I really want. My cheeks are hot as I hand the clipboard back. She looks over it before a smile spreads across her face.
Is that a good smile or a bad smile? I don’t know.
“Follow me.”
She pulls back a curtain and walks through.
I obey her, following the sound of her heels against the floor.
Suddenly I feel very underdressed. I came straight from work.
I’m still wearing the same black dress I put on this morning with the pink cardigan.
I feel dumb. But when I got dressed this morning, the last place I expected to go was a sex club.
“There are only two rules in Unmasked,” Calli tells me as she comes to a stop in front of a large wooden door.
Is it just me, or does the door look more like a cloud of doom? I feel so nervous; I could be sick.
“One, do not unmask the men who come to your room. There’s a mask on the bed inside if you choose to wear one. If so, the men will respect rule one as well. Two, what happens at Unmasked stays here. Discretion is one of our top priorities.”
“Okay.”
“If you need any help or change your mind, please press the big button located on the wall next to the bed. The door will unlock immediately, and you’ll be free to go. No questions or explanations needed.”
“The door will lock behind me?”
She nods. “For safety.”
Right. Safety. She inputs a code. There’s a loud popping sound from the door as if we’re opening a submarine and not a bedroom.
I step inside, but Calli doesn’t.
“When you are ready, please flip this switch,” she taps her finger on the wall, “and your partner will join you. I’ll see you on the other side, Miss Henson. Enjoy.”
She makes it sound so ominous. But I don’t have time to think about it. The bedroom is grand. A four-poster bed sits in the middle of the room. White sheer fabric flows down each side.
It’s romantic. One of the walls has some toys and restraints hanging from it. The other has a fully stocked bathroom. Even the closet has a range of lingerie sets with the tags still on. Calli and her brother really think of everything here.
I let my bag drop to the floor. I’m scared, terrified, but also… excited. Really excited. This is happening. Really happening.
A part of me starts to freak out. I go through the hangers one by one until I find one I like. It’s a two-piece bra and panty set. Electric purple. Inviting and sexy. Everything I’m not. At least usually.
But tonight I am not Macy Groves. I’m Elena Henson, and Elena wears bold lingerie.
I take my time changing clothes and freshening up. Totally not stalling for time or anything.
Standing in front of the switch, I can hardly breathe. “It’s just for one night,” I whisper. “Not like my entire life is changing here, Mace. Just do it already. It’s not a big deal.”
I close my eyes and flip the switch. For a moment, the world stands still. I don’t know what I’m expecting, but nothing happens.
“Anticlimactic,” I murmur.
Turning towards the bed, I make it four steps before I hear the door opening. My stomach drops all the way down to my feet, splattering on the floor and turning into butterflies.
My heart might actually leap out of my chest. Everything in my body comes alive as if to wave a flag in my face. DANGER! Like I’m running from a tiger and not listening to footsteps come inside the room.
The door clicks shut behind me. All I can hear in the room is breathing. It’s too late to run. Too late to change my mind. I can do this. I want to do this, I remind myself. I came here just for this.
Steeling my spine, I spin around. My eyes go wide in my head. The oxygen in the room grows thick as I take in the two men in front of me.
Holy shit.
They are hot.
Like really hot.
Both stare at me from behind plain white masks that only cover the upper half of their face. Their bare chests heave up and down. Do they feel as overheated as I do? Maybe we should turn on an AC.
I bite down on my lip and soak them in. One of them has tattoos all over his torso. The other has a muscly arm covered. Jeans hide impressive bulges. Bulges I want to inspect.
Oh my god. What is wrong with me? Thirty minutes in a club and my mind has made a home in the gutter.
“What are you thinking about?” The one with more tattoos asks.
He takes a step forward. My cheeks flame. Even the deep timbre of his voice is hot.
“Tell us,” the other says.
I can’t refuse the demand.
“Your dicks,” I blurt. “I was thinking about riding your dicks.”
One of them chuckles. Goosebumps spread over my heated skin.
“Get on the bed, little one.”