Page 79 of Hunt for You

I’d watched consenting adults letting other consenting adults push their boundaries. It was the entire point of this place, and something I usually applauded.

But I kept seeing Ronald’s intense gaze, his smug smiles, and I kept feeling that itch at the back of my neck that screamed danger.

Why?

A Dom who was full of his own importance was almostcliché.

A Dom who considered what he did to be important and who got butt-hurt when you didn’t agree was little more than garden-variety arrogant.

Regardless ofwhymy body was quivering like a religious virgin on the altar, the fact of the matter was that I didn’t want to stick around for any more shows. So I only lifted my head to navigate the path through the furniture and people, making a beeline for the exit hallway.

Except, as I broke through the ring of couches and chairs in the center of the large room, a husky, female voice rose to my right.

“So the guys weren’t playing a prank on me. You’re really here?”

I knew that rasp. That voice, molded by fifty years of smoking and too much of any vice or substance you could imagine, belonged to Valerie. The owner of this fineestablishment, andnotsomeone I wanted to talk to when I felt like I was about to split my skin.

But it had been a year, and I didn’t want to lose my privilege, just in case. So, I made myself stuff the feelings down and stop, turn on my heel and look for her.

She was a short woman who, at well over sixty, had cut her hair short so she didn’t have to wash it very often. She didn’t usually wear make-up, and lived in black slacks and frilly blouses that looked like they belonged in a WalmartSeniorsDepartment.

She’d aged since I last saw her, but I pretended I didn’t notice.

“Valerie! It’s great to see you.”

I would have hugged her, but she lifted her hand—clutching a vape—and pointed at me with a stern look on her face.

“You come in after a year away and don’t even knock on my door? I’m hurt, Bridge.”

I grimaced. “I’m sorry. I had heard about Ronald and I was kind of obsessed with seeing what he was doing, so I just… I’m sorry.”

“Whatever. So he let you in, I take it? I can’t think of anyone else here that would make you run like your shoes were on fire.”

“I wasn’t running.”

She gave me a skeptical look, but didn’t comment. “What did you think?”

I swallowed. “It was… not what I expected.”

She snorted. “I swear, every word that comes out of your mouth is either barbed, or completely understated. That guy is a mind-fuck. In fact, that’s what we should name his show. I need to get marketing on it.”

I snorted. “It’s actually really good.”

“Don’t sound surprised. It takes more than a pretty face to make a place like this work.” Valerie used that extended arm toslip around my shoulders and turn me away from the exit, and head me towards the nondescript door that would lead us to the back office.

Shit. “I’m sure it does, but I really need to—”

“I’ll let you go in a minute, but I need something from you.”

I blinked. “You do?” She was ushering me towards that door. “Yes. You’re young, right? I need someone to help me with auditions, because I only took the Monster guy because we had a gap, but he’s proving to be the most popular with the under-thirty crowd, and now I’m feeling like I’m losing touch.”

I looked at her. “Monster guy?”

“Yeah, he’s got all those hollow dildo things that he straps on and fucks you like he’s an alien, or something. I don’t know. It’s not my cup of tea, but you know me, I won’t yuck your yum.”

“Right.”

“So, I was going to call you, because you’re young, but nottooyoung—God, I cannot stomach a giggler. And I was thinking if you wanted to come help me with casting next month when we do the next round, I could make it worth your while.”

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