Page 51 of The Escape Artist

“Marcus,” Ari said, nodding.

Claire tried to hide the reaction she was sure must have flitted across her face at the revelation of the man's identity.

Marcus gave her an assessing look. “I see you got rid of Holly,” he said, his eyes not leaving Claire.

“Actually, she left. She got a modeling contract overseas,” Ari said. “This is Claire.”

“Is she a brat like the last one?” Marcus asked.

Apparently Holly had a reputation with these people.

“No,” Ari said simply, “she isn't.”

“Good. You deserve to be with someone who can appreciate you.”

She felt Ari tense beside her at that statement. She grabbed and squeezed his hand, and the tension seemed to deflate out of him.

“You're a little late,” Marcus said. “Some of the art has already sold. If you want something, I'd grab it fast. The alcohol and money are flowing. And Saskia's work has only gotten better since you last saw it.”

Ari nodded. “Thanks for the tip.”

They were about to go in, when Marcus put a hand up, blocking their way. “Wait. I almost forgot.” He turned and picked up some papers from a table behind him. He handed one to Claire and one to Ari. Each bundle was 3 sheets of paper stapled together. He gave each of them a pen.

“You can't go in unless you sign. We know we can trust you but it's protocol, you know that.”

Ari sighed. “Kane and his NDAs.” He skimmed it, initialed a few things, and then signed the last page, printing his name underneath on the indicated line. “Claire, sign,” he said. There was no room for argument.

She initialed on her pages in the same places Ari had initialed, and then signed the last page, likewise printing her name on the bottom.

Marcus took the papers from the two of them and put them in a second pile on the table behind him.

“And cell phones,” he said, indicating a basket behind them filled with phones.

Ari took his phone out of his pocket and put it in the basket. “Claire doesn't have a phone,” Ari said.

Marcus looked her up and down and smiled. “Where would she possibly put it?” He looked back to Ari. “Okay, you can go in. Have fun, kids.”

The fact that they'd had to sign non-disclosure agreements to get in the door, even though they were invited guests, made Claire suddenly nervous again. Nobody had to sign an NDA to go to an art show or buy art. So what else was about to happen in this building? Ari squeezed her hand and guided her inside.

When they stepped into the outer lobby, she whispered, “Is everyone here...”

“Kinky?” he supplied.

Claire nodded.

“Probably seventy-five percent of them. The rest are tourists, but Kane knows and trusts them to have invited them.”

“Tourists?” Claire asked.

“People who like to brush up against the darkness but for whatever reason can't bring themselves to really go there. It gives them a little thrill but they don't need it.”

Even though he didn't say it, Claire could feel the “like us” at the end of his statement. Was that true? She couldn't speak for Ari's needs, but did Claire need this?

The few men she'd been with before hadn't been kinky. The fantasies had existed as mere theory inside her head—until Ari. She hadn't been able to get off with those few men she'd dated years ago in college, but she'd thought it was just her. Didn't a lot of women fake it? Didn't a lot of women have trouble with orgasm with a partner? She was sure she'd read that somewhere.

She'd told herself that maybe in a long term relationship it would get better. Maybe they'd introduce toys. Maybe they'd figure it out. But she just hadn't had the opportunity to find out. With Ari, there hadn't been a single time he'd touched or fucked her that her body hadn't responded like some starved creature in the desert, arching toward him, moaning and writhing, and yes, coming. Not a single moan or whimper had been artifice with him.

So did she need this? Yes, she probably did. And how the fuck would she have ever trusted a man again after the basement? How would she have trusted a man for a sweet vanilla fuck let alone the absolute power Ari wielded over her? She would have died alone in that apartment if this fucked-up thing hadn't happened between them. No one else would ever understand, but Ari had saved her. Claire took a long, steadying breath, willing herself not to cry.

---