I stood up so he wouldn’t think I was wasting his time, but I was. As much as I appreciated the opportunity to make the money I was making, I didn’t like everything that went into my job. Dancing on display, meeting strange shifters, playing into their desire was something I got used to quickly. The sex was something that was more difficult to get used to and I didn’t know if I was doing it correctly, but so far, no one had made a complaint against me from what I knew.
But this part? The serum? That irked me even more than the sex. At least I got paid for the sex. At least I had rights and I had protection if anything ever got out of hand. But I couldn’t refuse the serum. It was spelled out in my contract and something Ben wouldn’t budge on.
“There’s a good girl,” he said with a slimy grin as I walked past him. I ignored it. How could I have ever thought he was an intelligent sophisticated business man? He was a sleazeball human who wanted to take advantage of creating a sex business featuring shifters and catering to billionaires. And yet, I didn’t feel like I had a right to complain. In the week I had been here, I was able to cover my mother’s first treatment with money left over.
I followed him back to his office. The crimson colored lights were the only things keeping us from being in total darkness. There were a few girls winding down from their shifts, still dancing in cages. I winked up at Janet, but I didn’t think she saw me. She looked tired and I couldn’t blame her. She had been dancing for nearly four hours.
I could feel a couple of lingering gazes on me as we made our way through the crowd. Even though I had been here a week, I still wasn’t used to the blatant hunger the clientele had for us pets, and I still tried to avoid noticing it if I could. Some of the more experienced pets said we should use their desire against them, manipulating them into even more money. I didn’t know how to go about doing this, but they seemed to imply I would learn the longer I was here.
The problem was, I didn’t want to be here for very long in the first place. The contract clearly stated I had two years. In that time, I planned to make more than enough money to cover my mother’s cancer treatment and then leave. I did not plan on re-upping. I didn’t care that it was easy money. I didn’t care that I barely had to work. All I cared about my mom – and, the more I continued to work here, my freedom.
Ben opened the door for me and let me walk in first. At first, I thought he was being chivalrous. However, as I got used to him leading me to and from his office for a variety of reasons – signing paperwork, check-ins, random testing to ensure the serum was properly administered and worked – I began to recognize that this was his way of checking me out from behind without being obviously sleazy about it. His eyes trailed down my back and I suppressed a shudder. I learned from Janet early on to obey but not to appear weak. He fed on insecurity and the last thing I wanted from Ben was him thinking he had the ability to feed on me.
When I was inside, he closed the door and locked it while I took a seat in the same chair I signed my freedom away. I should be used to sitting here by now but I wasn’t. It was hard against my skin, making it impossible to ever get fully comfortable. I wondered if he wanted it that way or if it was just some kind of twisted coincidence. Regardless, I refused to let it show on my face how much discomfort the chair brought me. Instead, I crossed one leg over the other and placed a look of indifference on my face.
“I know this isn’t the most pleasant part of the job,” Ben started as he sat in his chair and opened the last drawer on his desk.
I couldn’t hold back a snort and his gaze turned sharp. I smothered it up with fake coughs, which, thankfully, he seemed to buy. He tilted his head down and grabbed a syringe as well as carefully labeled vials.
He thought the injections were unpleasant? They were, surely, but selling my body to have sex with strangers wasn’t exactly awesome. Especially the type of sex these shifters wanted. It wasn’t vanilla – not that I expected it to be – but I didn’t think I would be expected to be so... docile. All the male shifters I knew – and granted, there weren’t that many of them – preferred to have a strong, independent partner who could hold her own. That was how my mother raised me to be as well.
But these men wanted no eye contact, wanted to be referred to as sir or master or alpha, wanted me to do whatever they asked without question.
Some, even, wanted to inflict pain on me if I disobeyed. I learned very quickly not to disobey.
I also learned that some dark, twisted part of me liked being punished.
But only with him.
At least, that was what I fantasized about. Callum Mather visited the club every Friday night, from midnight until two in the morning. Every other shifter – I refused to refer to my colleagues as pets – whispered amongst themselves when he was around because he was wealthy, stunning, and mysterious. As far as I knew – and that was only as much as Janet knew – he had yet to actually select a pet. Which meant he was either here to recruit for business associates or he was waiting to meet the right shifter.
I hadn’t been with anyone since starting. Not physically. I’d been hit on, touched, ordered, and purchased, but sex had yet to be on the menu. Janet informed me that this was completely normal. Shifters were trying to figure her out before they made a huge purchase. Somehow, I earned enough money for the first round of my mother’s treatment by mere interaction and bringing in money for the bar. I knew it couldn’t last. My new-girl novelty was going to wear off soon enough.
“Which arm?”
I turned in the chair and extended out my right arm. I placed it on the elbow holder – a foam resting place to help position my arm and keep it comfortable. Ben put on his spectacles, making him look much older than he was, and snapped on some latex gloves. Then, he began touching the veins in my arms before securing a medical rubber band around my upper arm to draw the veins out even more.
At this point, my eyes flickered over to the wall in front of me. I was never a fan of shots, even with thin needles, even when the injections lasted maybe ten seconds.
“I always forget you’re a leftie, like me.”
I pressed my lips together. I didn’t want to think I was like Ben in any way. As much as I detested what he did to shifters – especially knowing he was a mere human – I had to respect the fact that he was a smart businessman. On top of that, he gave me an opportunity I needed to help my mother – and it was already helping.
I couldn’t hate the guy. But he still gave me the creeps.
“All right,” he continued. I heard ripping of plastic and I knew he had removed the syringe from its container and was now inserting the serum into it. “I know you’re not a fan of shots. Do you want to talk about something to distract yourself?”
“Who is Callum Mather?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. My entire face instantly felt like it was on fire, and I was glad I was looking at the wall in front of me rather than at Ben.
“Ah, so I see you’ve noticed him as well,” Ben said. He wiped a cool, damp towel over my veins – some kind of disinfectant that would make sure I wouldn’t get some kind of infection. “You pets been gossiping, hmm?”
I clenched my jaw and ignored his reference of me as a pet. It wasn’t as though I thought I was better than the others, but I didn’t like reducing myself to something so meaningless.
“Yes, I have heard he hasn’t made a selection yet,” Ben continued. Without warning, he slid the needle into my vein. I pressed my lips together but the needle barely even pinched. I didn’t know why I constantly overdramatized how much it was going to hurt. Every single time I was wrong. It was nothing. “In terms of pets, I mean. I know you’ve only been here for a week, but I’m sure you’ve noticed particular patterns amongst male shifters, haven’t you?”
I tilted my head towards Ben, intrigued by where this conversation might go. I didn’t know much about Ben and assumed he was an astute businessman – and he was. But he majored in statistics and mathematics, with a minor in economics. At least, that was w
hat Stefanie told me on my second night here. Calling the guy smart was an understatement, it would seem. As such, he could detect patterns or preferences among his clients and then implement those things in order to increase profits. As much as I hated complimenting him, I couldn’t help but admire what he was doing. The guy deserved his money – if only he were doing it in another field that didn’t exploit shifters.
“You mean, he hasn’t selected a pet?” I forced myself to use the word, hoping it might persuade him to be more forthcoming.
“Not yet.” Ben slid the needle out of my arm while simultaneously placed a cotton ball on the slight hole. He immediately discarded the syringe in a special wastebasket before grabbing thick medical tape and wrapping it around the cotton ball. “But he will. They always do.”
“Why do you think he hasn’t claimed one of us?” I asked. I didn’t want to be too curious because Ben might set his mind on me and why I cared so much, but I couldn’t stop the questions from coming out if I tried.
“Remember, you need to stay here a few minutes so I can ensure the serum doesn’t give you an adverse effects,” he said, carefully organizing his supplies before putting them away in his drawer one by one. “I know you’ve taken it one time before but I like to make sure my employees are healthy.”
If he didn’t administer the serum at all, we would probably all be healthy, but I didn’t tell him that. Instead, I leaned back in the chair.
“He’s particular,” Ben explained. “The important ones always are. And by important, I mean affluent. I’m sure he sees girls who all look the same, treat him the same, do the same things. It’s why he’s here. He’s looking for something different. And if one of my pets can get him, they get a big bonus.”
I arched a brow at that. I highly doubted I would ensnare Callum Mather, but the thought of him and the check was enough to get me to try.
Chapter 3
Dancing wasn’t something I had ever been particularly good at. However, it was a lot easier to let my inhibitions go when I was in a makeshift cage, dancing to pop music wearing next to nothing. I wasn’t Jade Kinickey anymore. I was simply Avery, my alter ego who was cool, sexy, and who could move to the beat of the thumping music.
It was into my second week and I had yet to be brought back down the hall and into one of the Transparent Rooms. I was grateful, but I was still on probation, which meant I had to get at least a couple of clients in the next couple of weeks or else they would release me from my contract. I had hoped I would be able to get away with paying for my mother’s treatments in the four weeks my probation lasted so I wouldn’t actually have to participate in having sex, but I realized I wouldn’t be able to make enough, no matter how many drinks they bought me.
“Jade!”
Janet’s voice cut through the music and I looked over at the platform by the entrance of the cage. She had a grin on her face that looked both gleeful and amused. I cocked my head to the side, furrowing my brow, but continued to dance. Janet wasn’t even assigned to take over for me when my shift was finished, and if my timing was correct, I had another hour here before I took my break and then headed into the bar area.
“Yes?” I asked. I hoped she couldn’t tell how out of breath I was. Initially, I thought dancing would be the easy part of the job – even if I wasn’t good at it – but the stamina to get through four hours of dancing was a lot. And I did not have it, at least, starting off.
“You’ve been called upon,” she said.
This caused me to freeze, even though it wasn’t allowed. As long as I was in the cage, I had to keep moving. For every half hour, I got a five minute break where I got to rehydrate and rest my feet. But once those five minutes were over, I was expected to head back into the cage and dance for another thirty minutes straight.
“Come on.” She tilted her head in the direction of the stairs. “I’ll take you to him. He specifically requested you.”
“The cage...?” I let my voice trail off as I headed towards her.
“Cherry is coming right now to replace you. Come on.”
I wanted to ask her so many more questions, but they died on the tip of my tongue. I would find out what I was being seen for soon enough. Instead, I swallowed, trying to calm my still-racing heart. I had been dancing for a good hour before Janet showed up, and despite my small breaks, it was difficult to get my body to calm down so soon after stopping.
I clutched the railing as we stepped down the staircase. My high heels still weren’t something I felt comfortable walking in, and every step I took, I wobbled slightly. The last thing I needed to do was trip or twist my ankle. I highly doubted anyone would select a girl in a short skirt and a thick cast. Didn’t scream sexy.
We weaved through people at the bar. So many men stopped what they were saying so they could turn to watch Janet pass through. Janet had this innate sense of sensuality that one couldn’t teach. It was natural and revealed itself in every step she took, every gesture she made, every word she spoke. I used to envy her for it but now, I could appreciate we all had our strengths and our flaws.
Some men also looked at me as we passed by. I never knew what to do when I caught someone staring at me. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to acknowledge their attention with a smile. I just knew every time I tried to be flirtatious, I did something awkward or clumsy that revealed my inexperience. For now, I didn’t have to respond to the lingering stares, something I was relieved about.
We cut past the bar and the dance floor and went down the hallway where The Rooms were.
I nearly stumbled over myself. “Janet?” I said.
She glanced over her shoulder at me but didn’t stop walking. “Yes?” she drawled.
“Are we going the right way?” I didn’t know why I was whispering. It wasn’t as though people could hear me when they were busy doing other things. “I mean, isn’t this where sex takes place?”
Janet started to laugh. “Oh my gosh, Jade,” she said. “I forgot how innocent you are. Yes, this is where our duties take place.”
“And someone wants me in one of these Rooms?” I looked around at the turquoise doors and the black walls. It looked like the design was both whimsical and forbidden. At least it wasn’t as cliché as red and black would have been.
“Apparently so.” She stopped in front of the last door and turned to face me. She placed her hands on my shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze. “This is the big time, Jade. You can do this. You are much more beautiful than you give yourself credit for, and you have this innocence that not a lot of us have. Use that to your advantage.” She winked and dropped her hands. “Good luck. Securing him is going to get you a fat paycheck.”
My brows went up. “J-Janet,” I whispered. “I don’t know – what do I do?”
She turned so she was walking backwards down the hall. “You’ve got this, Kinickie,” she said. “Have faith in yourself.”
Before I could say anything else, she disappeared, leaving me alone. I turned to call her back, but I knew that wouldn’t do me any good. What was I supposed to say? I couldn’t do this without her here with me? This was the whole job.
Instead, I turned and cleared my throat, staring at the door. I wasn’t sure if I should knock first or if maybe I needed to just go in, sweeping the room with a façade of confidence. What did the others do?
I should ask Janet the next time I saw her.
You have to do something, I chided myself internally. I took a breath and knocked. It might make me appear amateurish, but at least it wasn’t offensive. Maybe I would learn something as well.
Instead of waiting for an answer, I opened the door. Part of me was surprised to find the room unlocked. It was dim, filled with seductive shadows that slid across my skin, caressing me, tempting me. There was a couch with a coffee table filled with magazines I was sure had to be filled with sensual photographs. There was a bed just behind the couch, surrounded by transparent tapestries, the same color as the blue that decorated the hallway. I c
ouldn’t hear any other noises on either side of where I was, which meant that either the rooms were unoccupied or the soundproof was solid. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter. Ben seemed serious about investing in his business, and I could not fault him for that, especially when he was doing a great job already. Whoever he put in charge of the atmosphere did a great job in setting the mood.
“Hello.”
I jumped. I shouldn’t have jumped. If anything, that made me seem juvenile. Someone was clearly in the room. Why else would Janet leave me here? And yet, I hadn’t expected anyone. Then again, I had been so lost in staring at the room that I barely even noticed a silhouette sitting calmly on the couch, his face surrounded by a haze of smoke.
How could I have missed him before?
I cleared my throat, unsure what to do with my hands. My first instinct was to cross them over my chest, but that didn’t seem to read as sexy. I also wasn’t sure if I should join him on the couch or stay where I was. I was out of sorts. Thankfully, the dim lighting hid my red face because I was sure my embarrassed blush had taken over my skin.
“H-hi,” I managed to get out.
God, I sounded fifteen. I curled my fingers into fists to keep from smacking my forehead and rub my temples.
“You’re Jade.” He didn’t ask. Smoke surrounded each word that came out of his mouth.
My entire body warmed. I still couldn’t make him out clearly. I wasn’t sure if that helped things or if that made me more nervous. Was it possible it could do both?
“I am.” At least I made my voice sound more confident than I already was. “And you are?”
He set his arm holding whatever he was smoking – a cigarette, a cigar – on the arm of the couch, grey smoke still silhouetting his face. I began to see him more clearly – the outline of his taut body, the way he rested his ankle on his knee, the expensive suit he wore.
“Callum Mather.”
I started sputtering like a car.
“Are you all right?” He stood up and leaned over, putting his cigarette in the ashtray I hadn’t noticed on the coffee table.
Bound to Change: A Limited Edition Spring Shifter Romance Collection Page 78