"We're almost there." I turned to her for an instant. The white light of my phone made her face ghost-like. She looked as nervous as me but when our eyes locked, her smile was genuine.
After ages of slow and careful trudging down the damp stones, we got to the main tunnel that encircled the building's foundation. It was more humid here and I could hear the sound of running water from the sewers. The rusty iron stairs ahead of us led to another secret door, carefully masked in the stone wall. Once, I'd asked Allie if The Dragon was afraid someone would break into the club through such an entrance. She just laughed at me.
"There's no better way to hide something than put it in plain sight. Even if they're clever enough to figure out where the entrance is, they'll never find their way out once they get in. If you're not familiar with the passages, you can spend years wandering down there. Urban legends say the tunnels are full of the skeletons of those who tried their luck."
When we climbed the iron stairs, I let go of Lina's hand so I could push the panel door for us. The moment the cold but fresh and crisp air hit my lungs, I sighed with relief. There was no doubt we'd make it out of The Fortress in one piece. Still, the morbid air had been getting on my nerves.
I turned around, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out onto the street with me As soon as the door was back in place, I pinned her against the wall and kissed her hard. The taste of her bruised lips and the tenderness she responded with warmed me up on the inside, a life support infusing my chilled veins. I ran my fingers through her hair and pulled her closer.
Whenever we let our bodies do the communicating, things always seemed easy. All the problems disappeared in a haze of lust and primal passion.
I broke the kiss and rested my lips on her forehead. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and we stayed like that until a gust of wind forced us to move.
Who knew how long we spent wandering the streets without any direction, without saying a word or checking the time. It was the middle of January. The streets were sunken in fog so I felt like we were in a dream. The entire evening had been a series of surreal sequences leading to this bizarre walk. If we didn't hold each other's hands hard enough, we'd get lost in the misty streets or we'd end up waking up, alone in our beds.
What would we go back to when our feet were too tired to keep us going? Where could we go from here?
I shivered in my thin shirt but I was grateful for the cold and the blowing wind. Lina looked straight ahead, lost in thought, with a serene, melancholic expression. Her hair looked even brighter in contrast with the drab winter streets and the fog that surrounded her.
Sometimes we passed by other people, couples like us, a loud, noisy company, or loners searching for the nearest warm place. Trams and cars interrupted the night silence with sharp noises and disappeared around the corner. I couldn't get over the feeling we were all alone in a ghost city, just us and our memories.
The cold air overwhelmed us and we stopped to rest at a traffic light. I leaned against the hard column and pulled her close to me for a long kiss.
"What are you thinking of?" I brushed her hair and marveled at her bright eyes.
"Something silly." She touched my forearm through the shirt. "Thomas, you're freezing. Enough with the gentleman act. We can share the jacket until we get back to the club."
"I'm fine, Lina. You're more at risk of freezing to death in that dress. Now... tell me what's going on in your head."
"I was thinking of our trip to my oceanside house."
I frowned.
"Lina, we never went there. Something always came up. We postponed it until it was too late."
"I know. I wish we had done it. It would have left us with a beautiful memory."
It struck me how little time we'd had to be a normal couple. In the past, there was always a risk someone could see us. We avoided going anywhere together. Most of the time we spent together was in my house or her apartment, always in full discretion. Back then I couldn't have cared less. All that mattered was that I was with the woman I loved.
Right then, on that cold street, while we were facing the unknown, I wished we'd had more time to simply date without all that anxiety in the way.
"Me too." I kissed her lips again. "Sometimes I fantasize about what it would be like if we went there."
"I was thinking... is it really too late?" Her voice faltered but I could see the growing indecision in her eyes. "We can still go there and have one last weekend together."
That was the last thing I expected her to say, so I just stood there, unable to process the words. The possibilities rolled before my eyes like a film reel. It was so tempting to give in to that escape. We could leave now and we'd be there before the sun had risen.
Her boyfriend. Our nightmares. Seth. The mess we'd left at The Fortress. All of that could stay behind.
There was just one problem.
We couldn't.
Lina must've sensed my hesitation. She continued with even more zeal.
"Why not, Thomas? Do we really have anything left to lose at this point? I... I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering if we should have given it a second chance. At least that way..." She leaned against my chest and grabbed me by the shirt. "If we end up splitting for good... I don't want our last memory as a couple to be full of drama and despair."
She looked down.
"Not everything between us was bleak. Some of the happiest memories of my life were with you. If we end it, let's give each other something beautiful as a last gift."
I sighed and cupped her face. How I wished I could follow her passionate calling, without fear that a beautiful moment could turn into tragedy. We were still on that thin, dangerous line.
"Lina..." I kissed her and pulled her closer to me. "You have no idea how much I want to drive into the sunset with you." I laughed nervously. "But we're both so drunk on emotion. Things are so fragile. This is a decision I don't want to take lightly."
"It's just a weekend," she protested.
"There's a lot that can happen over a weekend. I want to think it through. Besides... what about your boyfriend?"
The glow in her eyes faded in an instant and she covered her mouth with a palm. Horror and guilt rushed to her face. When she finally spoke, any enthusiasm had drained from her voice.
"I... Oh my God, I... I completely forgot about him. Fuck... I didn't think of Nate even once. This is..."
"See, this is what I'm talking about." I sighed and took her by the wrists. "Don't think you're horrible. We were both emotional tonight but we can't just leave it all behind like a couple of crazy teenagers."
"Of course. I'm not going anywhere before I settle things with Nate. I already hurt him enough." She sighed and shook her head. "What made me think coming with him was a good idea? Such an unholy mess."
"Lina." I pressed my thumbs against her cheeks. "Talk to him. Don't be in a hurry to throw your new relationship away. I told you, I want your happiness. If being with him would make you happier then so be it."
"I don't think that'll be possible. I took things way too far tonight. If we had left, maybe..." Lina shrugged, let go of me and withdrew into her thoughts. "I'm in for an uncomfortable talk."
I wondered what had happened between that guy and Allie.
"Just be honest with him and yourself. Once you make up your mind about him, about us, what that weekend will truly be, let me know. I can wait for you. It will give me time to calm down."
She nodded with sad eyes and kissed me again.
"We'd better head back to The Fortress." That darkened her mood even more. I grabbed her by the hand and faked a laugh. "Let's go... or if we do have that weekend I'll spend it with the flu."
"I wouldn't mind taking care of you, you know. I can still rock a slutty nurse uniform." Lina wrapped an arm around my waist and earned herself a light smack
"Now, you're just being a tease. You know what happens to teases, don't you?"
While we were walking back to The Fo
rtress, I began to feel optimistic. Not all was lost. We'd both come clean about a lot of things and finally, I had something to look forward to.
I pulled my phone out and had a brief conversation with Allie. She sounded eager, nervous and slightly out of breath.
Curious. I hung up before she could ask me anything more.
"He'll be waiting for you in the reception area so I guess I'd better walk you to the entrance."
The rest of our walk was quiet. We both had a lot to think about and the tiredness of that long night had got to us. Silence was more than welcome.
When we finally got to the gates, I pulled her in for a last kiss. Who knew how long it would be until I saw her again.
"Don't take too long before you call me," I whispered in her ear and pulled her tighter into my embrace.
"I promise. I wish we didn't have to say goodbye right now," she murmured.
"The sooner we say goodbye, the sooner I'll seeyou again," I said and stroked her cheek. "You haven't changed your phone number, have you?"
She shook her head.
"Then I'll wait for your call no matter what you decide."
Lina took off my suit jacket. When I put it back on, I realized how cold I truly was.
"I'll call you."
"You'd better go back inside before you catch your death" I let go of her hands reluctantly.
"Aren't you coming inside?"
"So I can meet your boyfriend again? We don't have to make it more awkward than it is. I think I'll just use the safety exit again. Take care, tigress."
"Take care... Sir."
Lina walked in the door and left me alone and shivering on the empty street.
All that was left for me was to wait.
"They're back. Lina will be waiting for you at the front of the club. You'd better put some clothes on."
Nate was sitting on one of the chairs with just a shirt over his shoulders. He had hugged his folded knees and was staring ahead with glazed eyes. I was lounging on my Mistress chair and finishing my glass of wine.
My muscles felt pleasantly sore after the good workout we'd had in the playroom. Nate didn't protest when I tied him to the spanking bench to expose him to the full range of corporal punishment and discipline.
When I decided he'd be my prize for the night, I never expected him to be that into pain. Almost every male sub I'd known over the years enjoyed spanking. This guy, though, was a natural born masochist. I tried every whipping device on his back and thighs. I made sure to be careful but Nate begged me to hit him harder, to break him.
Maybe it was too early to assume he was a pain slut. Maybe he was just feeling guilty for cheating on Lina and that physical agony served as redemption. One of my regular clients was a CEO who booked me for a brutal beating session each time a business decision cost a massive loss of jobs.
Then again, guilt doesn't make you rock hard and throbbing. My pussy still ached from our second fucking.
One thing was sure: I didn't want tonight to be a one-time thing.
I cleared my throat.
"Nate? Are you still with me?"
He blinked and came around at my soft calling. I wanted to comfort him but the only consolation would come from his acceptance. Nate lowered his feet to the floor and started picking up his clothes.
"Yes, I... I heard you. I just have no idea how I'll face her. Tonight was supposed to be about her, and I..."
"You cheated on her," I stated matter-of-factly, finished my wine in one sip and walked to the hook on the wall where my coat and purse were hanging. "She cheated on you, too. You saw it. Chances are high she was never truly loyal to you emotionally. Both of your tabs are pretty equal when it comes to sinning."
"Yes," he said quietly, putting on his boxers and suit pants. "We'll have to talk... It doesn't matter. What I did was wrong. I should have never allowed you to get in my head."
"You already said that. Right before I ordered you to lie on the bench. You obeyed and you loved it."
Nate didn't respond and kept buttoning up his shirt. I took a thick black business card out of my purse.
"Repeat to yourself what you want but you loved it. You wanted it to happen. You were screaming for more. You were glowing."
"Please, stop." He put on his shoes and stared at their shiny tips. I slid the card between his fingers. It had a simple design, with Mistress Sheila, Dominatrix in scarlet along with my phone number and e-mail.
"There. Call me at least a few days in advance so we can set up an appointment."
That broke him out of his shock. He stared down at the card as if it were a snake. His lips pulled into a thin line.
"W-what? Y-you're a hooker?" The confusion turned into rage and disgust as he spat out. "Is that what it was all about? So you'd hook me as a client? Listen now..." He scrunched the business card in his fist and stared down at me with strange disappointment. "I've never, ever paid for sex in my life. Trust me, I won't start with you."
I held my hand in the air and ordered with an icy voice, "Keep your voice down." I glared at him and grabbed him by the hair. "You'd better learn to ask questions rather than scream your uneducated opinions. A dominatrix is not a prostitute. If you choose to come to me as a client, I won't have sex with you. I'll satisfy whatever fetish you need to explore. I can train you. Sexual play is off the table. I'll only touch you if I have to correct your stance or if you choose bare-bottom spanking. Do you understand now?"
"Oh..." His indignation died as quickly as it had bloomed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it all your fault. I'm a grown-up man and I'm responsible for my action no matter how seductive you are." He still held the scrunched up business card and slowly slid it into his pocket.
"Apology accepted." I smirked at him. "It's good you came to that conclusion by yourself. I'm glad I didn't have to beat you until you realized it. It's your choice."
Nate smiled awkwardly, took my hand and kissed the back of it.
"You're something else, Allie. I don't think I've ever met a woman like you but... I can't do that again. It's the last time I'll see you."
"We'll see about that." I smirked and pointed to his pocket. "Like I said, Nate, the choice is yours."
He nodded, put his jacket on and went to collect Lina's purse. He turned to me before he headed for the door, his voice laced with longing.
"I... Thank you for tonight. It was..." He looked down as if the correct words were on the floor.
"Nate," I said, and crossed arms over my chest. "I hope you realize something else. Lina was never yours. That has nothing to do with your sexuality. You could have been the most dominant man in the world. She still wouldn't be yours. It was easy to see tonight that her heart was in a different place."
Nate didn't say another word. He kept his eyes on the ground, always the guilty schoolboy, and walked out of the room.
I took my phone from the table and quickly sent a text to Thomas.
Where are you? We need to talk.
There was no response. Damn it. I had no qualms about what I did. I was sure my actions benefited everyone involved, but what if I had miscalculated something? What if I'd caused him more damage?
After fifteen minutes of pacing back and forth, the door finally creaked open. Thomas' disheveled head showed through the slit. He stood at the threshold with a cautious expression.
"Hey," I said with obvious relief, and smiled. "Come in. What are you waiting for?"
"Just checking." He sounded drained. It was difficult to say if he was angry but too exhausted to react. When he finally entered the room, his posture was exactly like his voice. Edgy. "I didn't want to interrupt you in case you were in the middle of some grand conspiracy."
"Thomas..."
He closed the door, leaned against it and raised his hand. His eyes were red and the suit that had looked so elegant on him a few hours ago could have been borrowed from some hobo. Once Thomas fixed his gaze on me, he looked determined.
"Allie, I know you had the best intenti
ons but do you realize how wrong things could have gone tonight?"
I raised my head and crossed my arms over my chest.
"It wasn't an ideal solution. Trust me. If The Dragon knew what I've been up to he'd skin me alive. But I couldn't let you go on like that. It was a risk but it was also a unique chance."
"Did you know she was dating that guy? Do you remember him from that night at Fire?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Even I'm not that good." I removed the wig and rested it on the nearby chair. "All I knew was that Lina was dating someone but she never mentioned a name. So... you're still in one piece. My guess is she's fine as well. I guess things didn't go wrong?"
"It's difficult to say. I thought I'd go crazy at one point. In any case, Allie..." He grabbed me by the wrist with a greater force than ever. So far I'd always been the leader in our friendship. He was the one who followed my example. That night, when I felt his grip on my wrist, for the first time he felt like an equal, not a boy whose messes I had to clean up. When he spoke, his voice was devoid of any anger. It was grounded and firm.
"There was a twisted logic behind your plan. In a way, I'm grateful you forced me to expose myself, but..." He leaned closer and uttered in a soft but unmistakably dominant tone, "Never do that to me again, okay? At least not without discussing it with me first. This is not a game."
"Of course. I'm sorry I did it behind your back. It seemed like the best solution at the time."
"That's your sick display of loyalty. It's good someone cares about me that much. Just make sure it's the last time it happens."
Thomas smiled and hugged me tightly. His body was still shivering but he exuded calm. When he pulled back, he smirked at me.
"Now let's go. I'm hungry like a wolf. The least you owe me, you sneaky, crazy bitch, is coffee and breakfast."
"Point taken." I laughed and hugged him back, relief pooling in my system.
"By the way, I see you have used my present." He chuckled when we went to pick up our coats. "You have that look on your face that says you just got laid big time."
"I should send Lina a big thank you note for her gorgeous present." I smirked at him and draped the heavy coat over my shoulders.
Unorthodox Chemistry Page 21