Page 16 of Velvet Sin
“This is all very new for me,” I admitted, also noticing a giant harness hanging from the ceiling.What the hell?
“This room is a new feature,” Chloe explained.“Mr.West has already scheduled professional demonstrations on certain nights… rope play, bondage, that kind of thing.Patrons will be encouraged to participate at whatever level they feel comfortable, and there’s no pressure.They can watch if that’s all they want to do.”
My head was spinning even worse than it had been when we first came down from Dante’s office.“It’s a little overwhelming,” I admitted, earning a soft, genuine smile from the girl.
“I know, but it’s not like you have to handle all of it.This is just to get you familiar with the layout.”She led me back to the front and reviewed the process for taking payments.By the time the doors were about to open, I only felt slightly intimidated instead of completely overwhelmed and in over my head.
A trio of girls in leather masks and those see-through lace dresses waited by the front door with champagne flutes balanced on silver trays.“Right.Almost forgot.”Sliding her hand into a drawer under the counter, Chloe withdrew a black lace mask.“Do you want to wear one?”
Nothing could’ve stopped me.I highly doubted anybody from Cameron’s world would visit a club like this, but there was no way of knowing for sure.After all, I would never have imagined working here.Life was crazy that way.
“Oh, one more thing.I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this,” Chloe added, handing me a tablet while she took one for herself.My hands were shaking.I needed to get it together.“We don’t participate,ever.”
“God, I would never.”The idea made me a little queasy.If she had to bring it up, it probably meant there would be invitations from guests.Good to know.
“And if you see problems, let one of the bouncers know.Don’t try to settle things yourself.It’s not worth it.”
“Gotcha.”Glancing her way, I added, “Thank you.Can you tell I’m completely out of my element here?”
“You’re not the first,” she told me with a grin.“I ended up working for Mr.West once I went on my millionth audition with nothing to show for it.Now, my life is a lot more secure, and I can still act.”
Before I could ask what she meant, she purred, “Good evening.Welcome to Club Kink.Whatever you desire can be yours.”She lowered her eyelids, giving me a sexy look that made me giggle and fan myself.
“That was pretty convincing,” I told her, giggling again.Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.We were all here to do a job, to sell the fantasy, and I had plenty of experience with selling something that wasn’t quite true.The way I tried to sell to myself the idea of a happy, ideal marriage, for starters.
Dante quickly walked through, giving the lobby one last look over and clapping his hands together.Like magic, everybody fell in line, almost standing at attention like the general had just walked into the room.
“All right, everyone.This is it.Tonight makes or breaks our reputation in town.I know I can count on all of you to provide an excellent experience.”His practiced gaze moved over all of us, then he nodded.“All right.Dim the lights.”
The bright light now turned dimmer.Bright enough that it wouldn’t be a hazard but dark enough to lend a little bit of anonymity.From the second somebody stepped in the door, the illusion had to be established.
I was more impressed with every second.
Most of all, I was impressed with Dante.He might’ve been a bastard who didn’t give a damn about how his choices impacted others, he might’ve been arrogant and unfaithful, but he knew what he was doing and took it seriously.Most of all, he had built it all on his own.No inheriting Daddy’s client list like my ex-husband had.
Dante squared his shoulders, then took a champagne flute from one of the trays.All it took was turning his head ever so slightly to catch my eye.My insides turned to molten lava.How was I supposed to work with this man without losing my mind and every shred of dignity?Because there was no way I could ignore what he did to me.He lost my trust, my faith, but not his hold over my body.The bastard.
“Open the doors,” he announced.“I hope you’re ready for this.”Was he talking to everyone or only to me?It didn’t matter.The doors opened, and the first guests started pouring in.
Here we go.
7
DANTE
It was safe to say the Vegas expansion was a good move.By the end of the first full week in our new location, Blake was already chomping at the bit to open another.
“No, just think about it,” he insisted when I laughed at the suggestion made over drinks in my office.“We have Club Kink, and it’s insanely successful.But Dick Jansen ran three clubs out here, all of which were successful in their own right.There is plenty of interest.The market can definitely handle it.What if we decide to specialize in different kinks from one club to the other?”
It wasn’t a bad idea, and in fact, I had already considered further expansion over the course of the week.Interest was high.So much so that it left us at capacity night after night, turning down even longtime friends from my other locations.I could grease palms, and I could motivate slow-moving contractors with the promise of a bonus if they finished a project ahead of schedule.I could not, however, ignore the fire marshal and his regulations.
But breaking it down by kink style?“Did you have anything in mind?”I asked, willing to give him the chance to flesh out the idea.
“Why don’t we keep a running log of the most popular demonstrations we hold?”he suggested, once again interested in the feed from the monitors.“And what we see around here.We can’t base this on what’s popular on the East or West Coast.This is different.People in Vegas want a specific type of experience.Let’s give it to them.One club devoted to leather and bondage.One devoted to age play or power exchange.I don’t know.I’m riffing,” he concluded, his voice trailing off the more attention he paid to what was going on downstairs.
Not that I could blame him.There was something to be said about the energy out here and how it affected the experience.Guests felt free, more inclined to indulge their wildest fantasies in a city that had basically been built for that purpose.As the saying goes, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.’
Blake’s gaze was fixed on one particular monitor.A squirming, writhing blonde was spread eagle, tied to a Saint Andrew’s cross in the group playroom.A pair of men took turns using leather flogs to stimulate her bare tits, flicking the straps over her erect nipples, crisscrossing them up and down the insides of her thighs while she strained, eyes closed, her mouth open in abandon.
