Wrapped In Shadows Read online

  “You’re not even approved,” Michelle tossed at me. “You’re not a member.”

  “I just had my physicals done. I can download the paperwork. Eddie works security there sometimes, right? I’m sure he can pull some strings.” I knew Michelle would try to talk me out of it. This exclusive club required recent physicals and blood work for all members. Members had to be sponsored and approved. The entry fee was also an exorbitant amount, and all transactions were done in cash. Not that I planned on frequenting this establishment with any regularity, but I appreciated the stringent screening process.

  “I’m not making any promises. I’ll have to talk to Eddie.”

  I swallowed my nervousness and faced her with a smile. “Okay, what do I do?”

  Rubbing her temples like she had a migraine, Michelle groaned and peeked one eye open. “I can’t be seen with you like that.”

  I pursed my lips and looked down at my outfit. “What?”

  “Lose the pearls.” She rolled her eyes. “That fluffy sweater’s gotta go too. You look like you mugged a sheep.”

  I grinned, starting to feel some of the pain and grief from the evening drain away. Leave it to Michelle to make me smile. I tried not to analyze what I was doing too closely. A nervous buzzing started in my belly, a strange anticipation. I was really going to do this. Oh, shit… “Maybe we can find something in your closet for me.”

  “I’m afraid my play clothes might spontaneously combust if they get anywhere near you.” Michelle stood and walked towards me. “I might have something, though, that will be less…dick-deflating.”

  I frowned and looked down at my Scottish cashmere sweater set and Louis Vuitton chinos.

  “Dick-deflating?” Was it really that bad?

  Michelle’s lips twisted in a sarcastic smile. “Yes, that outfit says: dick-deflating, white-bread sex.” She looked deep into my eyes and I had to struggle not to squirm. “Although I think this is crazy, you know I’ll always support you in whatever you want to do, Kay. You sure you want to do this?”

  I took a deep breath. Fuck Josh! I was not going to spend the night crying over him and our failed relationship!

  “Yes.”

  “Stop wringing your fingers!” Michelle leaned over and whispered in my ear as we followed the graceful figure down the narrow hall. I looked at my hands, realizing I’d been twisting them into knots since the cab ride, the long wait in the receiving room, and since my introduction to Ms. Carmen. Ms. Carmen was the hostess, a beautiful fine-boned woman who I surmised must be somewhere in her mid-thirties. She wore an elegant black dress and her hair was sculpted into a dainty twist. I hadn’t known what to expect, but certainly it wasn’t this opulent establishment with its French traditional décor, scattered Louis XV antiques, and fine Rembrandt reproductions.

  I realized as I moved down the long hall, with the many adjoining rooms, that each room had its own unique style. Most of the doors were closed, but some rooms were open and I was able to glance inside. We passed one with a Texan theme, complete with mechanical bull in the center, and I could see plush cow-hide throws piled in one corner of the room. A man lounged in a wooden chair. He was dressed like a cowboy, complete with ten-gallon hat, denim, and cowboy boots. I couldn’t see who he was talking to, but he had an inviting smile on his face. I sidled a gaze at Michelle, and she returned a wide grin.

  “Giddy-up, cowgirl! Ever do it cowgirl on a mechanical bull at full speed?”

  I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the glaze of sweat on my palms. It was obvious Michelle was finding great amusement in my unease.

  We’d left Eddie in a room drinking and chatting with two other friends who I’d met for the first time that night. I had sort of expected one gregarious party with scantily clad women, and ripped metal-studded stallions doing wonderfully wicked things to them. I was surprised to not have encountered a single soul except for the occasional glimpses into a room. I’d told Ms. Carmen that I didn’t want to join a group. I knew I’d be too self conscious, and I couldn’t risk being recognized. Instead I’d opted for a “one-on-one,” as Michelle had explained. Could I really go through with this? Again, I tried not to think too deeply about this very new experience. It was bad enough my knees were wobbling loosely and I could barely manage her steps.

  One good thing was my mind was so preoccupied with what was behind those doors that I hadn’t the time to contemplate Josh or my shattering heartbreak. I just felt a lingering numbness inside, like ice had coated my emotions. I saw a slightly open door and curiosity got the best of me. Lingering behind, I quickly glanced through the opening. Inside the room was a short man wearing a yellow trench coat, and I chewed my lip, thinking he reminded me of a flasher and was probably buck naked underneath. From the door, I could see a partial profile. He rubbed a hand across his chin, then turned and scanned the room. The light from the chandelier above highlighted his dark hair and boyish features. He swiveled again, but stopped suddenly, and I knew the man had sensed my presence. Turning away, I hustled down the hall, trying to catch up with the other two women. Great. Now I was a peeping Tom.

  I wondered if the man had seen me. Ms. Carmen turned down another hall and pushed open a heavy door. Michelle stepped into the room and I followed.

  Holy mother of mercy!

  I sucked in a quiet breath, afraid to display my reaction, but I could already feel Michelle’s gaze on my face.

  Ms. Carmen walked to the other side of the room, switching on more lights, and everything came into stark focus.

  I leaned close to Michelle.

  “Whips, and chains, and butt-plugs, oh my!”

  “You can still make it back to Kansas before bedtime.” Michelle winked.

  I ignored her, morbidly fascinated with the objects in the black-painted room. Even the ceiling was black, I noted, tilting my head. There were several evenly spaced metal contraptions bolted to the floor and a large steel cage in the center. One of the contraptions reminded me of a giant see-saw, except where the seats would be, there were long thick chains embedded into the metal. Another apparatus looked like an executioner’s chair, only this one was equipped with stirrups and a swing suspended over it. My brain started to smoke with the effort of trying to contemplate its functionality. I choked back a startled sound when my gaze hit the far wall. A myriad of whips, chains, floggers, manacles, and phallic objects hung from hooks—phallic objects that no human body could possibly accommodate. I wiped at the sudden moisture on my forehead and quickly averted my gaze. I felt my vagina clamp down, saying, ‘don’t even think about it’. There were two other doors in the room, and I had a driving curiosity as to what was behind them.

  My curiosity was soon assuaged when one of the doors opened and a large man stepped out and stood quietly with his arms folded across his chest. He was dressed in shiny black leather, his body massive and broad with stacks of muscle. Whatever skin wasn’t covered by leather was covered with a mosaic of colorful tattoos I struggled to look away from. They were artfully beautiful yet still very masculine. He wore a shiny black mask over his face that had a large cut out for his nostrils and mouth. From what I could tell from this distance, the cut out was patched with metal bars. Hmmm… His body was gorgeous and my vagina instantly responded. ‘Don’t even think about it!’ I scolded. He looked intense. I had a feeling this man was someone I’d have to work my way up to, like spicy food, or nipple clamps. He was not for newbies.

  Michelle scooted next to me, a smug look on her face, and I frowned.

  “You brought me to Hannibal Lechter’s lab just to scare me, didn’t you?” I whispered.

  Michelle grinned again and made an extremely rude motion with her tongue through her fingers.

  I grimaced, but was about to assure her I didn’t scare so easily when Ms. Carmen glided towards us. Ms. Carmen nodded toward the man standing silently on the opposite side of the room.

  “Master is in charge of this room. He is frequently requested. Will this suit, Ms. Gettof?”
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br />   I jerked my gaze toward my friend, who was struggling hard to suppress her laughter. I could feel heat creeping across my face. It was bad enough that Eddie had registered me as Ms. Ivanna Gettof, or really, ‘I wanna get off.” The man’s sense of humor left much to be desired. Thank God Ms. Carmen had the grace to keep a straight face each time she addressed me, but the appellation sent Michelle into hysterics.

  “Uh, uh…” I needed a mental pep talk.

  Okay…relax. Just be calm. Act like this is nothing new…don’t be so…so…white bread! Think… pumpernickel, pumpernickel…

  “Uh…” I started, jutting my chin with confidence. My gaze sidled to the imposing figure waiting quietly, then to the strange playground equipment. I cleared my throat and tried to sound as worldly as possible.

  “I was just in a room like this one last week…one can only see-saw so much. And if I get locked in one more cage, well…I just might lose my mind. I think I’d like to keep it simple this time around.”

  A perfectly winged brow lifted and Ms. Carmen regarded me with a straight face. Too straight. No emotion. Zilch.

  Hmmm…not buying it…okay… Should I make a joke? Tell her my gynecologist called and wants his chair back? Hmmm…

  It took a strained effort to not look directly at Michelle who appeared to be busily studying her boots, but I could tell by the small jiggles of her shoulders that she was bursting with contained laughter. I wanted to kill her.

  Ms. Carmen stood patiently, seeming to await instruction, and I had no idea how to request what I wanted. It was most likely because I had no clue what it was I wanted, and as time passed, doubt started to pierce my resolve.

  What if someone recognized me? What if word did get out? What about the reputation of the Vandercamp Foundation? What was I doing here?

  Some of the emotions that had pressed in on me earlier surfaced. My imagined future with Josh was gone. My hopes and dreams had withered to dust back at his apartment. My heart was breaking to pieces because the man I was to spend the rest of my life with had betrayed me. Would this really help me feel better?

  Michelle must have sensed my detour in mood because her expression sobered and she whispered something in Ms. Carmen’s ear. The older lady nodded and indicated for us to follow her from the room. I fell into step behind her, but I grabbed Michelle’s wrist, and pulled her to me.

  “What did you say to her?” I whispered. “Where are we going? What’s your ploy now—some weird bat cave?”

  Michelle smirked and laced our fingers together. “Trust me.”

  Butterfly wings fluttered in my belly, but as much as Michelle enjoyed teasing me, I knew I could trust my friend. “I’m nervous,” I confessed on the next breath.

  “You can still change your mind.”

  I shook my head firmly, netting the butterflies. “I need total anonymity,” I rushed out. “I don’t want to know who he is. I just want to…do it.”

  Michelle squeezed my hand reassuringly and spoke a few more words to Ms. Carmen, who nodded and showed us to a small waiting parlor. She closed the door behind her as she left.

  “Try not to be so nervous. Just enjoy yourself, Ivanna.” Michelle dissolved into laughter when we were alone.

  I rolled my eyes. “Eddie is officially on my shit-list. Just letting you know.”

  “He’s just having a little fun!” Michelle dismissed my comment with a wave of her hand. “You will have a great time. I promise. The men here are trained to please women. I hear to get the job they have to measure up to standard.” She grinned widely. “Get it? Measure up?”

  I scoffed at her pun, but couldn’t help chuckling. Michelle could always make me laugh no matter how nerve-wracking the circumstance. The wait for Ms. Carmen’s return seemed endless. Finally she entered the room and requested that we follow her. She brought us to a stop outside a nondescript door and I had to take a deep breath.

  “Wait in here. All will be arranged,” she said, pushing open the door for me to enter. I suppressed the urge to turn my neck and look behind me. Was she talking to me? I heard the theme song to the Twighlight Zone as I stepped across the threshold.

  I turned back to Michelle and she shot me a reassuring wink and a tiny wave goodbye.

  Alone, I walked into some sort of ante-room. It was a small dressing area with a comfortable sofa and coffee table. This room had two doors besides the one I’d just come through. One door was closed, the other door was partially open, offering a view of a large canopy bed situated in the center of an unoccupied room. I scanned the ante-room again and noticed a man’s jacket hanging from the rack in the corner. I caught my lip between my teeth, examining it.

  Did that jacket belong to the man who’d be servicing me tonight? I studied the article of clothing, hoping to glean information about him from his outerwear. It was a large peacoat of dark blue. The buttons had a design that reminded me of a royal crest. Maybe he was Prince Charming, I smiled nervously. Maybe he’d decided to stop off at a sex club on his way to the castle.

  The fabric was of excellent quality, neatly stitched and appeared almost brand new. Did that mean he was a man who cared for his things? Was he meticulous and attentive to detail? Would that make him a better lover? My eyes landed on small smudges of pink paint on the underside of the cuff and a smaller smudge on the elbow. My brows flew up. Or was he a filthy pig who’d be slobbering over me all night? I swallowed hard and swiveled my head toward the door I’d just come through.

  Should I head for the hills? Forget this whole thing? Go home and…what? Sulk? Cry? No! I was being ridiculous! I thought about Michelle’s words. The men here were professionals who were skilled at pleasing women. And tonight my aim was to be pleased, to get drunk on pleasure!

  Lifting my chin, I ignored the melancholy that had crawled to the pit of my stomach, and marched into the room with the bed. The decor was surprisingly warm and inviting, and could have easily been a room from my Hampton estate. The hard wood floors were strewn with woven wool mats. Fluffy down comforters were piled onto a high four poster bed, and there was a tufted chair draped with a colorful afghan.

  I hadn’t asked what would happen next and had no idea what to do. Was I expected to undress? Should I have done it in that ante-room? I scanned the eerily quiet room as I pushed back my shoulder length hair. The movement caused my earrings to swing and I realized I’d forgotten to take off the matching pearl earrings to my necklace. I fingered the smooth orbs, drinking in the room. It really was beautiful, exuding a sense of safety and comfort. I sat on the edge of the chair beside the bed and anxiously kept my eyes on the door.

  I took a deep breath, brushing my hands down the silky material of my dress. Michelle had loaned me a black spaghetti strap dress with a scooped neck bodice that flowed softly around my thighs. I wondered again if I should remove it, but then thought against it. I imagined that he would be an expert at undressing women. It might be a sensual experience to have skillful fingers remove my clothing. Clinging to that thought, I allowed a fiery anticipation to simmer in my body and a thrill buzzed along my spine. I thought about some of the panty-wetting stories Michelle had told me about this place, and although I imagined they might have been somewhat embellished, I allowed my fantasy to take flight and soon a languid warmth was flowing between my thighs.

  Then the lights went out and the room was thrown into total darkness. Shit!

  I heard the breath shuttle from my lungs and tried to draw it back in. Instead, the soft rasping sound was consumed by the heavy darkness. I instinctively wanted to bolt to the door, but instead clutched the edge of the wooden chair and forced myself to calm. My gaze shifted around the room as my vision struggled to adjust to the darkness. A muffled sound caused my body to stiffen. I frowned, but hardly had time to dwell on it because the door opened and a large silhouette filled the doorway. My heart slammed against my ribs, thudding fast with pure adrenaline. The door closed suddenly and the room was again shrouded in darkness. Time grew lethargic and I h
eld my breath. Oh, God… What the fuck was I doing? Had I lost my mind?

  Deafening silence poured into the dark room as the figure stood eerily still.

  “Is the darkness okay for you?” The voice was a purr that rolled over my skin, peppering it with goose bumps.

  My tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth. I nodded and didn’t know how he knew, but I heard his steps draw closer. Thin moonlight filtered in through the window, defying the heavy drapery and offering a measly shadowing of objects in the room. I could feel my eyes splay wide, eager to get a visual of the figure moving towards me, but all I could see was a large murky blur defined with generous brushstrokes. The first thing I noticed was his scent, an earthly fragrance with a subtle hint of sandalwood that seeped into my senses. It was perfect for the room. Natural. Heady. I wondered if it was part of the fabricated atmosphere.

  A palm traced slowly down my cheek, and because I hadn’t expected it, I jumped back in the chair, startled. My skin still tingled from the gentle touch and I could feel my entire face heat. I swallowed hard, my breath now panting through my parted lips.

  “Relax, beautiful…” That voice again. A gravelly disembodied whisper. The sound made my nipples stretch.

  I laughed lightly at his words. “How do you know I’m beautiful? It’s pitch black in here. I could be a hideous troll for all you know.”

  And you could be too… I stifled the thought piggy-backing my words. Many women would consider Josh drop-dead gorgeous. And look where that had gotten me.

  A deep chuckle brushed over my skin, causing the hair to stand on end.