Page 13 of Back Up Plan

ARI

“You were incredibly unprofessional today.How can I trust you around the partners?” Ari questioned Cass. She needed to take back some of her power, Cass’s gaze felt like being under a microscope.

A microscope that looked like it knew how to fuck.

“I’m not usually so needy, especially when I know my place,” Cass said, tilting her head down and glancing up at Ari. Looking into her eyes, Ari could picture how Cass would look between her legs.

Ari nodded, “Okay, we do some practice dates… and another work event.”

“Well, hang on. That sounds uneven,” Cass argued.

Shrugging, Ari said, “Well, you have something to prove. I don’t. It’s a pride event, the agency has a float and I think you should come with. It’s basically like a work party with no clients. If you can fit in there, I’ll come to your ex’s party and you’ll come to the gala.”

Cass couldn’t deny that it was a fair ask, “Deal.”

She leaned into Ari’s ear, “But, for the record, I think you have a lot to prove.”

Ari’s body tingled. She wanted to find Cass obnoxious, but she was undeniably hot and had a charisma that Ari had never quite encountered before.

Cass finished off her drink, throwing her head back to down it. Ari watched her throat as she swallowed, it was long and elegant. It made Ari want to bite her, leave her own mark.

“I’ll text you some ideas,” Cass said as she stood.

Ari asked, “Is that it? Where are you going?”

Cass shrugged and added, “Thanks for the drink.”

Before Ari could question it, Cass was exiting the bar and heading across the street. Ari watched her as she jogged to an unmarked door on the other side of the block.

Cass greeted the security outside, giving them a familiar smile and a pat on the back before he swung open the door.

Ari couldn’t see much, but a couple in full leather followed behind Cass and as the door slowly closed behind them, Ari saw a large, black and red cross.

Who is she?Ari wandered as the door slammed shut.

* * *

Ari was on her way to meet with the sound tech two days later when she still couldn’t shake the image of Cass entering the strange… bar?

It was a hot June day, the sun making taking the train nearly impossible. She watched the city blocks pass her by in her rideshare. The leather seats sticking to her exposed arms.

Thank god I wore pants.

Ari thought as she got a text from Cass:

Excited to see you tomorrow

A slight smile creeped onto Ari’s cheeks. Cass was a gorgeous woman and even though they had an arrangement, Ari knew she had to be careful gettingtoocomfortable with her. It had been a while since she had let anyone close enough to hurt her, but she wasn’t in a place in a career where she could afford a mistake.

The car slowed as it approached the gray, columned entrance on East 4th street. Ari had walked by the building nearly everyday when she was in college, but never even looked twice at the discreet entrance.

As the car stopped, Ari unbuckled her seatbelt and said, “Thank you so much.”

She was careful not to slam the car door as she exited the vehicle and strode across the sidewalk to the limestone steps.

Approaching the doorman, Ari smiled, “Hi there, I’m here for a meeting with Last Stitch Studios?”

“Ah, Ms. Graves, they sent the request this morning. You can head right up, elevators are on your left,” the doorman said as he gestured down that hallway.

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