Chapter 2 #8
“I don’t have a clue who you are. Another point of fact that leans heavily into the reality of your having enchanted me in such a short time.
But when I say society, I mean the social hierarchy that paints a false narrative that a Black woman is at the bottom and a white man is at the top.
Your ATM would be in the higher echelons of that hierarchy from his skin color and finances alone.
Add in the ties he has to the government and you’ve got financial claws into a man that is very well connected. ”
I was impressed, damn him. Again. I’d lost count of how many times his words had me looking at him as more than a pretty face and an effective phallus. The flattery that I thought was stupid had apparently worked because the warmth was back and I was biting back another smile.
“So, what is it that you suggest?”
I wasn’t playing with fire but I was damn sure beckoning the lava to come closer to me as though I had a way to control it.
Like my coldness could shape it into what I needed it to be for at least tonight.
And maybe take a bit of its warmth with me whenever we went our separate ways.
Because despite how desirable he was I wasn’t going to tie myself into anything past tonight even if I saw him here again. I didn’t do attachments.
You don’t do flirting either but it looks like he changed that.
His voice interrupted the way I wanted to yell at my brain. Which was bad, since if I would’ve actually done it he might’ve saved me from myself.
“I give you my key and you do what you feel is right. That could be to leave me right where I was or join me to explore everything going through your brain that you don’t want to admit is there.” He held up the same card that was attached to my wrist but didn’t extend it toward me.
I wasn’t entirely sure how I got here. To actually contemplate taking this man up on his offer. He’d been respectful with his ask, something that many others here couldn’t claim, and I was intrigued by what he was looking to achieve tonight.
“Think you have me pegged?”
“I’m sure I do. Just like I’m sure that you could read me like a book if you wanted to. But part of your allure is appearing unbothered with those around you. I’d hate for you to break character simply because I’m right.”
A ghost of a smile threatened to cross my face but I didn’t allow it to appear.
Like he said, I needed to keep up appearances after all.
Instead of speaking, I silently lifted my hand holding it out fully extended and palm up.
This time it was his full lips that turned into a smile before he dropped the keycard that was used for all the rooms here into the palm of my hand.
It was heavy and I knew it was made of titanium, which signaled his level of membership at the club.
Mine was made of the same material because it denoted that the holder had the highest level of membership possible.
That included use of private rooms, retreats and access to the private and secure entrance.
“You seem positive that I’ll use it.”
“I’m not. I don’t doubt that there’s a part of you that’s a contrarian.
The multi-tasking, feminist/misandrist means that part of you is a given.
You might be curious but again you don’t know me.
But you’re here for something and I’d like to think that the conversation you had no problem holding means I’ve passed at least the first of your tests.
The key doesn’t mean I expect anything more from you than what you’ve already provided.
” He lifted the arm displaying the wrist that held the same black titanium bracelet that adorned mine.
“I have the same restrictions that you do. I can assume that like me, you’re here but you don’t always partake, if ever.
This isn’t a challenge simply an offer. If you don’t decide to take me up on it, leave it at the back on your way out. They know how to get it to me.”
He spoke confidently, his pitch never changing and his face remained carefully shadowed by the lighting in the room.
“And you’ll just stay in the room and be lonely all night?”
Our eyes met and held, breathing slowing until it seemed to sync with his.
I watched his face, the parts I could see, to determine if he was being deceptive.
But he had the same look as always. Which either meant this was all an act or he was guileless.
My brain was practically clawing at me to affirm it was the latter.
“I know you’ve never slept on one of their beds from that comment alone. They’re the best in the business so if you don’t show I’ll at least get a good night’s sleep. No pressure either way.”
He gave me a wink, dropping the card in my hand before backing up a few steps not bothering to look behind him.
It was unnecessary since he had the type of physique that meant people automatically moved out of his way.
And he was clearly used to it. The reality that we’d had this entire exchange in the middle of a room of people fucking and going on the prowl for partners hit me in the face.
Despite the women who seemed to want to approach him, the way he kept his eyes on me as he backed up acted as a warning sign for them to stay away.
He didn’t say anything else but he did turn and make his way toward the elevator, the crowd parting for him and then staring after him in amazement.
I could feel eyes on me as though they were gauging my next move but knew better than to approach because if I were considering a god, they had no chance of measuring up.
I watched as he entered the elevator and his eyes immediately locked onto mine.
Even at that distance, I knew the moment he winked before the doors slid shut and blocked him from my view.
I turned the card around in my hand the weight of it reminding me of the heaviness I’d felt when I’d entered the building. Nothing about him seemed dangerous but the nerves I felt playing with this card in my hand couldn’t be denied.
I entered the room calling myself every type of trollop and fool for allowing my ego to get me in this situation.
The reality was that I wanted to see what this man was so completely proud of that he would proposition someone like me so easily.
I could see that he would feel like he won from this interaction but also that he was like me.
There was an intense curiosity about me that he held.
One that allowed him to do something as reckless as inviting someone he didn’t know into his room.
I knew it went past my physical attractiveness despite my knowing my features were perfect enough to grace the cover of magazines.
I was curvy and toned with the type of shape that Tee and Nev often called a coke bottle.
I wasn’t blind to the fact that I had a nice shape despite the fact that I’d been called fat consistently my entire life.
I felt as though my physical attributes had been last on the list of reasons that made him approach me. If they made the list at all.
So here I was trying to live for once and doing something that could crumble my carefully constructed reality. And yet I wasn’t retreating out of this foyer. He couldn’t see me yet, given how the room was designed, but I still wasn’t ready to back down.
Just talking, right?
I had to shake my head since it didn’t matter what he planned to do; I didn’t come up here to simply talk.
I took a step forward allowing the tension to build the closer I got to the open area of the room.
None of these rooms were personalized but the owner took extreme care to ensure that they were clean and well stocked for whatever you needed.
Although I never partook I knew that the bedside tables were filled with several kinds of lubricant, a myriad of dildos—for his pleasure and hers, and there were people who had the audacity to use them and not bring their own.
Hygiene is truly cultural.
There was nothing that you could pay me to use in these rooms besides the beds because there was a sanitation tab on all of it.
I was sure those same efforts extended to the toys provided but I wasn’t about to insert a damn thing in my body that wasn’t purchased for my specific use.
And no one’s cleaning efforts would be more thorough than mine.
The foyer area was short and was a light teal color with candid black and white photos out of the Kama Sutra.
I guess they were there for encouragement or for those who lacked ideas.
When I stepped into the actual room the color scheme was carried throughout.
A massive one-way window stood at the opposite end from the door.
I knew some rooms were designed so that others could observe the action but this wasn’t one of them.
Not wanting to put his prowess on display was another sign that it was, in fact impressive.
More black and white photos, now bigger than the ones on the way in, graced the same teal-colored walls.
“If you’re worried about there being any type of surveillance I’ve already made sure there wasn’t.”
My eyes went to the bed where his long body was stretched out as though he was expecting me. I should’ve been offended but I wasn’t. If I walked around looking like him I would expect the world to fall at my feet just as easily as I’d acquiesced to whatever this was going to be tonight.
The room was low-lit, only slivers of light from the bedside lamps and can lights in the ceiling provided a warm illumination setting a calming but sensual tone to the room.
The bed was massive, more than enough to fit five adults, since one-on-one play wasn’t the norm here.
The rooms were where people’s true predilections arose and I was sure this place had seen a lot.
I would hate to be the cleaning crew in an establishment like this.