Page 16 of Interview with a Sadist
The second I’m out of Chase’s office, I’m startled by Octavia bumping into my shoulder, making me stumble.
“Girl, are you a crazy person?” she asks, smiling from ear to ear. “Did you just try to get out of your story?”
“Ugh, not now,” I whimper as I walk to my desk and drop into my chair, tossing the recorder next to my keyboard. Octavia follows and leans against my cubicle.
“I heard the recording,” she says with raised eyebrows and a look of pure joy on her face. “What on Earth made you want to drop it?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, shaking my head. “I was out last night with my friends, and they were talking to me about how horrible all of this is. I guess they just got in my head.”
“You mean Melissa and Teagan?” Octavia groans, and I don’t have to look at her to know she’s frowning. When I don’t respond, she catches on. “Bree, no disrespect to your girls, but why are you listening to them, especially when it comes to your job?”
“They’re my friends, Octavia.”
“I know they are, but—no offense—they’re very judgmental.”
“They are not,” I start, but I stop myself. “Okay, maybe they’re a little judgmental.Maybe.”
“Sure,maybe. Again, I mean no offense, but they don’t strike me as the kind of girls who like anything that’s different from them.”
“They’re not like that, and if I’m being honest, I’m just like them.”
“No, Bree, you’re not,” Octavia says, her face and voice serious for the first time. “Anyway, so you really don’t want to do this story, huh? Was it really that bad?”
After another long exhale, I rub my hand down my face. “No … I don’t know.”
“What was the owner like?”
“He was nice.”
Octavia lowers her head and cuts her eyes up to me. “Come on, Bree. You know what I mean.”
We stare at each other for a moment before I finally relent and say, “He was gorgeous. He was probably the sexiest man I’ve ever met in real life, and he carried himself with a poise and control that nearly made my head spin. Is that what you wanted?”
“Exactly that.”
“He has blue eyes, Octavia. Caramel brown skin andblueeyes.”
“Lord, have mercy.”
“Exactly. He’s beautiful, and he told that story without a lick of shame or apprehension, meaning he’s completely self-aware and confident in who he is.”
“Then why the hell are you trying to drop the story?” Octavia inquires, throwing her hands up.
I bulge my eyes at her. “I don’t know. Okay?”
“I know you don’t! But you better get your shit together soon, because I heard you were going to the club tonight. I’ve never been to a BDSM club, but I imagine it takes an open mind to walk in there.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say, sighing.
“If you don’t have a real reason to drop the story, then stop bullshitting and do what you really wanna do, girl. Feel howyoufeel. Don’t listen to Melissa and Teagan. You have to do the story, you have no real reason to drop it, and the owner is both niceandgorgeous, so you may as well embrace it and have some fun.”
I pinch my lips together as I think about it, and I know Octavia is right about everything, but I’m just not conditioned to operate within this world. It’s like it’s ingrained in me to think negatively about this. There’s something in me that wants to force me to hate it, even when the truth is that I’m interested.
“Embrace it and have some fun,” I say, repeating Octavia. “I’m not even sure I know how to do that.”
“Well,” Octavia says, smiling as she places a hand on my shoulder. “I think it’s about time you learned. Starting tonight.”
ChapterTwelve
