Chapter 33 Two
Two
Emma had had spring rolls for lunch, but was too nervous to eat much, which almost never happened. Usually, anxiety made her ravenous.
She stood at the announcement board, pretending to read fliers, a cool breeze ruffling her hair. Tucking strands back, she resolved to make an appointment for a trim because lately even when she curled it, it hung a bit limp. She’d used extra setting spray today, trying to look her best.
“CB?”
Emma turned, shading her eyes. The dark-haired young woman wore jeans, a patterned stretch top that flared at her hips, and lavender kitten heels, which made Emma smile.
The girl wasn’t stick-thin. She must wear at least a size ten, possibly a twelve, which cheered Emma.
The girl’s smile and the tilt of her head was sweet, her eyes warm brown and lively.
Emma had the inexplicable urge to hug her, though she couldn’t imagine why.
“Yes, I’m CB,” Emma said.
“I’m Hk,” the dark-haired girl whispered with a shy smile. “Better known in class as Kate. Want to walk?”
“Yes. Would you mind if I don’t tell you my real name yet?” Emma asked. Withholding her name at first was what she’d decided to do, but now that she’d met Kate, she felt a bit silly for the excessive caution.
“Not at all, it’s fine. You’ll tell me when you’re ready. I understand your wanting to be careful. I felt the same way. It took weeks for them to convince me the invitation was sincere and that I wouldn’t get into trouble or get hurt if I accepted it.”
“How long ago did they contact you?”
“A little over a year ago.”
“How long has the club existed?”
“About ten years, but the founder has been involved in this type of club for twenty. He’s forty-five in case you’re wondering.”
Emma blinked. “Wow.” Emma lowered her voice to a whisper. “That was a long time before unconventional sex became quasi-acceptable. He started young, didn’t he?”
“He was around our age.”
“Are most of the members in their forties?”
“No, most are in their twenties and thirties because it was opened to accommodate students and new graduates. As the club’s aged, so have some of its members. And there are some older members, of course.”
“What’s it like?”
“May I explain how things work?”
“Yes, please. It’s why I came.”
“My first responsibility is to protect the club. So if you’re here to try to get information to share with other people, please tell me so we can stop now. There’s no point wasting time.”
“The first rule of sex club is don’t talk about sex club?” Emma joked.
“Exactly,” Kate said with a smile. “Except when you’re with another member.
Then you talk all you want. There’s a confidentiality agreement.
It’s meant to protect not only the club, but you personally.
It says you won’t ever disclose anything about your visits to the club, and the club won’t disclose anything either, about what happens between members within its walls. ”
“What if someone committed a crime? Is there a loophole in maintaining confidentiality then?”
“Sure, it doesn’t expect people to break the law. If something unexpected were to happen and the police were called, we’d have to cooperate with them. But the police couldn’t make you give information that’s not relevant to their investigation, either.”
“Do you… feel safe in the club?”
“Very.”
“Has anyone ever gone to the police about something that happened at the club? Even if charges were later dropped?”
“No. And more importantly, no one’s ever been raped at the club. Everything that happens is consensual. And potential Doms are screened very, very carefully.”
“The Dominants in particular?”
“Yes. There’s a careful screening for everyone, but especially for anyone who wants to wield a whip. With great power comes great responsibility.”
“Spiderman,” Emma said with a smile.
Kate grinned. “Before we talk more, can I have your promise that our conversation will stay private? That you’ll never discuss it with anyone other than another club member or guest?”
Emma nodded. “Yes.”
“Good.”
“Do you need me to sign something?” Emma asked, holding out a hand.
“No, giving your word is enough for now.”
“When can I visit? Is it open every night? Could I come after class tonight?”
“No. There are some intake screenings. A medical exam and blood work is required of all members twice per year. And safe sex has to be practiced outside the club at all times. If you hook up with someone after a party and don’t use condoms or if you have any reason to believe you could’ve gotten something, it’s your responsibility to refrain from visiting the club until you’ve been medically screened after the correct amount of time to allow for an illness to show up.
People are on the honor system of course, but you’ll find that people respect the club’s policies and protect its membership pretty fiercely. ”
“I’m not sure I have copies of my chart from my last visit to Women’s Health, but I can request them.”
“No need. There’s a private clinic that does our medical screenings.”
“I only have student insurance.”
“You won’t pay anything. The club considers it an operating expense.”
“What about the club’s membership fee?”
“Do you make more than seventy-five thousand dollars a year?”
“No,” Emma choked.
“Then if you decide to join, your membership fee will be five dollars per year. You can pay it anytime.”
“What if I had made more money? Over the seventy-five k?”
Kate grinned, brushing her hair back. “Then your membership fee would be more.”
“A lot more?”
“I’m sure. I was told there’s a graduated fee schedule, but I don’t know the numbers.
As a student with no significant income, I pay five dollars, too.
And since, I’m just a regular member and volunteer liaison, I’ve never seen the club’s books.
For all I know they keep the petty cash in the treasure chest.”
“Treasure chest?”
Kate smiled. “You’ll see.”
“What’s a volunteer liaison?”
“It’s a job title I made up for myself,” Kate said with a soft laugh. “I told them a female college student would have an easier time recruiting prospective female members.”
“Did a woman recruit you?”
“No, that’s why it took so long. When a very gruff, very dominant man invites you to visit a sex club with him, it’s… Well, I was pretty intimidated at first.”
“That sounds like an interesting story.”
“If you join the club, I’ll tell you all the sexy details.” Kate winked.
Emma smiled, then glanced around before adding, “And you’ll definitely be in the club on the night I visit, right? You’ll schedule it that way?”
“Absolutely. What time does your last class end? And do you have plans afterward? I can arrange your medical screening for today if you’d like.”
“I might as well get it out of the way,” Emma said with a nod.
Now that she’d agreed, she was humming with excitement. She was going to the Marquis Club! A lot of people would be willing to pay a fortune to see the inside of it but never would.
And the club had invited her.