Page 4 of Interview with a Sadist
“Girl, why would I warn you and ruin the opportunity to see you all out of sorts like this? I still love you, but this is pure entertainment.”
“Oh, that’s messed up.”
“I know, right?” Octavia quips with a giggle that whips out of her mouth like a lasso and pulls me into giggling with her.
“Ugh, you're too much,” I say, leaning back in my seat. Octavia rests against the wall of my cubicle and crosses her arms. “Anyway, now that we both know about my assignment, I have to start this insane process and call the club owner to schedule an interview.”
“I’m dying to know what kind of questions you're going to ask during this interview,” Octavia says.
“I don't even know. What do you ask a BDSM club owner?”
“Shit, I’d ask him what kind of kinky shit he’s into to see if it’s something I’ve tried,” Octavia says with a laugh, and I nearly fall out of my chair.
“Really? You like all that … kinky stuff?”
“Girl, why did you whisper the word kinky?” Octavia asks as her face shifts from smiling to frowning in a millisecond. “We’re all grown around here, and the only person I know who isn’t intothat kinky stuff, is you. Me? I wantallthe kink. Well, as long as he looks good being kinky. I can't be out there being freaky with a man who looks like Quasimodo.”
I giggle before saying, “First of all, Quasimodo was adorable. Secondly, I can’t imagine being into anything related to S&M. It’s all just so … violent.”
“Violent? Bree, what do you actually know about BDSM?”
“Look, I’m an adult, and while I haven't heard a lot about it because it wasn’t a topic of discussion in my world growing up, I’ve heard enough to know that it’s dark and abusive. There isn’t much more I need to know besides that.”
The look on Octavia’s face makes me stop talking. She almost looks offended, and definitely looks surprised at my answer. I don't know what kind of stuff she’s into in her marriage of four years to Mike, but Octavia suddenly looks defensive.
“Wow,” she exclaims with raised brows. “Well then maybe this interview is exactly what you need. It seems some education may do you some good.”
I press my lips together into a thin line as I swallow a swell of guilt and regret taking shape in my throat.
“Umm … I … maybe you're right,” I admit after stammering. “I was just brought up a little stricter than most people, and even my best friend Melissa says kinks are for skanks. I guess it’s just branded into my brain that stuff like that is taboo.”
“Your friend said kinks are for skanks?” Octavia asks, and if she frowns any harder I think her face will crack.
“Yeah, followed by the usual co-sign from Teagan.”
“Melissa and Teagan,” Octavia says with a furrow in her brow. “Are those the two girls you brought to the Christmas party last year?” I nod, and Octavia scoffs. “Oh. Right.Anyway, so when are you going to call the club owner?”
“I don't know,” I begin. “I guess I can call him now and get it over with. The longer I wait, the more anxious I’ll become about it, and procrastinating will only piss off Chase.”
Octavia lets out an excited squeal and moves from the wall of my cubicle to lean against my desk. She slides my desk phone over to me and smiles like the Cheshire Cat.
“Yes! Call him right now so I can hear it. This will be the second highlight of my day.”
“What was the first?”
“The look on your face when you found out about this assignment. Like I said … priceless. Now, call him before Chase chastises me about not working.”
I breathe deeply to try to settle myself, but it does nothing to calm the explosion of butterflies in my stomach as I reach for the phone. I hold the card Chase gave me, staring at the numbers and wishing they would disappear before I have the chance to dial them, but they don't. Those stupid numbers just stare at me, waiting for me to put them to use. I’ve never felt so nervous about setting up an interview in my entire career, but now that the moment is here, I have to power through and get it over with. That goes for the entire process. I want it all done as quickly as possible so I can move on to the next assignment that doesn’t involve whips and weirdos. So, I ignore the grin on Octavia’s face and dial the numbers. The phone rings twice before someone answers, and the voice on the other end sends shockwaves rippling through my cubicle.
“Hello?” a man says, and he sounds nothing like a creepy weirdo who’s into abusing women. His voice is deep, but not gravelly. It’s as smooth as velvet and commands my attention. Even Octavia’s eyes widen at the sound of it.
“Umm … I … this is … uhh,” I stutter like a total amateur until Octavia hits me on the arm, which seems to reset my system. “Hello, I’m looking for Nolan Carter. I hope I have the right number.”
“You do. This is he,” the voice responds, and I shiver from the sound. Octavia covers her mouth with her hand, making it harder to ignore her, but I have to.
“Hi, Mr. Carter,” I say, more confidently this time. “This is Bree Barrett. I’m an investigative journalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer. My boss, Chase Murdock, informed me this afternoon that he spoke to you about setting up an interview. I just wanted to call and see when you're available to talk about yourself and your club.”
There's silence for a moment. It doesn't last long, but it’s enough time for my heart to start racing again. Maybe he changed his mind and will turn the interview down. Would that make me happy, or would I be disappointed that I didn't get to see the face connected to the voice?
