Secret Society

by Robin Roseau

  "There are people with twice my experience-"

  "Doing traditional marketing. I'm sure they're very creative, but they aren't doing what you do, are they?"

  "You mean walking neighborhoods to deliver fliers to local businesses? I can't charge hundreds of dollars to walk around."

  "No. You can hire people to do that."

  "I don't want the headaches and fixed expenses."

  "Use temporary help, like those girls you talked about."

  "They were seniors. They're in college now. They don't have time for something like that."

  "You run a marketing company," said Opal. "You don't think you can market your way into a stable of reliable teenagers looking to make some pizza money?"

  "But..." I paused. "That walking is important to my business."

  "Anyone can pass out fliers."

  "You don't understand. I introduce myself to people. It's my own marketing."

  She paused then nodded. "Outsource some of the walking, then. Bill your time at one rate, and a walker at whatever you currently charge, regardless of who is doing the walking."

  "All right," I said. "Sure. I haven't been breaking it down that way."

  "Start."

  And so I nodded, as much as the stiff collar would allow.

  "Good." She smiled before leaning closer. "You're cute." Her breath tickled my ear, and I shivered. She had put her low, sultry voice back on.

  "And you're sexy," I replied.

  "You have no idea the things I want to do to you."

  I squirmed. "Talk is cheap."

  She laughed and pulled away, and we returned to working the room.

  * * * *

  I finally met The Asshole. Opal and I had just exited a conversation about hybrids or secondary markets, or whatever it was, and were standing to the side. I had a clear soft drink, and Opal had a glass of red wine. Then, with little warning, she traded with me.

  "I don't want this." I tried to give it back.

  "You're going to want it in your hand," she said. "Here comes our host."

  I didn't understand what she meant about the wine, but I put on a smile and giggled as if she'd said something clever.

  And then I was introduced to Hudson Masters and a blond whose name I was sure was about to be Bambi. With an I. But it was worse. "And this is Fawn." Did she have to act like her name?

  Hudson smiled in a fashion that I was sure had netted him many a girl who was too stupid to realize the shark has fake teeth then said something sweet and condescending towards me. He then spent several minutes attempting to compare sales figures with Opal. Then it was onto his golf game, which had recently gotten a workout in Palm Springs.

  I had liked Ken. I hadn't gotten to know much about Mitch, but he had seemed polite, and I had caught honest affection between him and Eliza. Some of the other men had acted a little superior, but they hadn't been assholes about it.

  But this guy was such an utter asshole, he must go home and practice it. I wondered if there were books titled, How to be a Complete Dickhead. Or Asshattery for the Under-Endowed. It was hard to believe this big of a pompous shithead could evolve naturally.

  But other than one smarmy look and a condescending statement, he hadn't actually directed his dickishness on me, and so I wasn't forced to defend myself. I decided Opal could handle herself, and I left her to it. I also decided if Bambi -- excuse me, Fawn -- was too stupid to see what he was like, that was her problem. I had enough problems in my own life without assuming responsibility for anyone else's.

  But then he turned his attention back to me, just my luck. "Aren't you a cute thing? A little old for my taste, but a definite improvement over the last girl Opal hired. You must have switched services, Opal."

  "Mr. Masters," I said, loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear me. "You're in finance. You must understand numbers."

  "You could say that."

  "So you understand this thing called, what is it? An inverse relationship."

  "Of course."

  "So when I tell you about a study I read last week, you'll understand. They did a study and discovered an inverse relationship between obnoxious swagger and penis stiffness." I looked at Bambi. Um. Fawn. "I'm so sorry for you."

  Then I launched Opal's wine into his face, being careful to avoid splashing his date. She didn't deserve having her dress ruined by red wine.

  All right, at insults go, it wasn't anything to write home about, and wine in the face was definitely a cliché. I didn't care. He wouldn't have recognized anything more clever, and Opal had given me the wine for a reason.

  Hudson sputtered, blinking twice, then looked down at his spattered suit. He took a step towards me, looming threatening. "You bitch! This is a Brooks Brothers!"

  "Touch me, dickless, and the resulting lawsuit will have me set for life. You can send me the cleaning bill. I won't pay it, but you can send it to me. I'm pretty sure what I can make off a defamation suit is more than the value of your suit."

  I'd have to prove financial loss to make anything from a lawsuit, but he was angry enough not to think that through. Still sputtering, he stormed off, possibly to the men's room to try to salvage his clothing. I didn't worry about his dignity. He clearly didn't have any.

  He left Fawn behind. The three of us watched him storm off, and about five seconds later, the people most immediately around us began to applaud. It was Eliza that whispered into my ear, "I've been waiting for someone to do that. Well done."

  I expected Fawn to wander off, but she waited until the attention died down before she smiled at me. "Impeccable aim."

  She knew a word like impeccable?

  "For a rank amateur," she added. "You threw it right in his face and barely got the suit. If you sort of flip it," and she gestured. "You'll get more wine in the clothing."

  I stared at her.

  "I didn't want to risk splashing your dress."

  "This thing? Don't worry about it. Most of my outfits are wear once. My clients tend to rip them off me, later."

  "Your clients?"

  She fished a business card from her purse and presented it to me.

  "I practice safe sex," she added. "And I'm tested weekly. I do girls for free." Then she turned and sauntered off. I saw her a few minutes later simpering over Hudson, and the two of them disappeared after that.

  Beside me, Opal said, "I do not believe her name is really Fawn."

  "It is," I said. I showed her the business card. It included a stylized girl, looking like a deer. "It says so right on her card."

  Opal took the card and tried to slip it into her purse. "You won't need this."

  "Give it back!" I said. "You aren't going to need it, either. And I want it. I earned it." She laughed and returned the card to me. It made it into my own little clutch.

  "Now that my mission is over, are we leaving?"

  "Only if you want to," Opal said. "I'd like to show you off a while longer."

  "All right. But I think I need another glass of wine. And some serious flirting."

  She arranged both.

  * * * *

  We came to a stop just inside the West Hollow gates. Opal had spent the entire evening touching me, little touches here, little touches there, whispering into my ear with that sultry voice of hers. I was horny as hell.

  "Four and a half hours," Opal said.

  "Excuse me?"

  "It's eleven. I told you, the clock ends right here. Four and a half hours. You owe me five and a half more."

  "And have you already decided how I'll spend them?"

  "I'm sure I'll find an opportunity somewhere. Maybe I want my own marketing."

  "Maybe you're the head of one of the committees I'm helping."

  She laughed. "Maybe I am." She rotated to face me fully then reached over and brushed a lock of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. "So."

  "So."

  "I have a reputation."

  "I imagine you do. You have a reputation for making the initiates accept
a date with you."

  "I have another reputation."

  "Okay. Are you going to share it with me?"

  "I'm a little kinky. And a little demanding."

  "You told me you were a lot demanding."

  "All right. And maybe I'm a lot kinky, too."

  "All right," I said slowly. "And?"

  "I want to know if I am now delivering you to your home, or taking you to mine. Understand that I would have made you accept a date, but that obligation ended two minutes ago."

  I smiled. "The night is young." I looked her up and down. "How kinky?"

  "Look in the glove box."

  Puzzled, I turned away, spent a moment, then found the right button. The box opened. It was lightly filled with the expected. And then the rest of the space was occupied by a gleaming black collar, a very wide collar, with two buckles and several shiny metal rings. I pulled it out and looked at it.

  "Too kinky?" she asked.

  I turned to her and smiled. "You spent the entire evening getting me worked up."

  "You're not the only one who is worked up, Blythe. But I'm twice your age, or nearly so." And she gestured. "If I take you to your home, I'll walk you inside, deliver a searing kiss, and then go home. If I take you to my home," and she gestured to the collar. "You will be wearing that."

  I looked at the collar. "I have limits."

  "Do you know what they are?"

  "If you intend to flog me, I'm putting this back where I found it."

  "Not my kink."

  "Nothing disgusting," I added. "I'm not an exhibitionist, either, Claudine's little stunt notwithstanding. Nothing dangerous. Nothing that feels dangerous. No hot wax. Nothing like that."

  She nodded. "Not my kink. Well..."

  "Well?"

  She smiled. "I'm an exhibitionist."

  "You mean you like to flaunt your conquests."

  "Yes."

  I started to put the collar back, but she grabbed my hand. "As far as anyone will ever know, I took you home from here."

  I stilled, considering.

  "I'm very good, Blythe."

  "Promise me."

  "This is between us. This time."

  I smiled. "You don't even go near my limits. I don't want to worry." I handed her the collar.

  She began to beam. Then she wrapped the collar in place and practically shoved my head in her lap to attach the buckles. I heard two snicks, and I realized she hadn't just buckled it, she had locked it. I reached with a hand to feel the little locks myself.

  The collar was very tall, and I found that wearing it, I couldn't turn my head. I couldn't look down. It forced me to hold my head very straight and still, and I shivered.

  She let me sit up, and I had to turn my entire upper body to look at her. The look she gave me... I squirmed again.

  "Are you sure?"

  "You heard me about my limits."

  "Yes. I won't go near them. If I do, what warning do you want to use?"

  "Kermit."

  "What? Seriously."

  "It's not like it's going to come out in any other context."

  "All right. Kermit. And if I absolutely have to stop whatever I'm doing?"

  "Santa."

  She laughed again. "All right."

  "Good," I said. "Let's go."

  "So demanding. Not yet." She reached into the seat pocket behind me, but I couldn't turn far enough to watch. But she presented me with a silk scarf. "Tie it."

  It went around my eyes.

  "I have something better for later," she said. I heard her shifting then metal against metal before she set something into my hands. "Do you know what these are?"

  "Handcuffs," I whispered. "They aren't comfortable."

  "I'll switch them soon enough," she said. "Behind your back. Do it yourself."

  "I've worn a pair of these recently. I didn't enjoy it."

  "Do it, Blythe, or I'm dropping you off at your own home. I might even take the collar off before I leave."

  And so I nodded.

  I clicked one in place around my left wrist, letting each click sound one after another, taking my time. Equally slowly, I reached behind my back, fumbled for a minute, then clicked the second one around my right wrist.

  "I will check," she said. "And if you can squirm out of those, there will be punishment. Do you understand?"

  I clicked each wrist just a little tighter, but not too tight.

  A moment later, we were rolling forward.

  * * * *

  She had to help me from the car. Then she led me by the arm. She was a little rough, and she neither apologized for it nor asked if I was fine with it.

  I was fine with it.

  She pulled me into the house, backed me against the wall, and pinned me into place. Then she breathed into my ear for a minute, and just the sound got me more worked up. "Opal," I whispered.

  "I am going to possess you," she whispered. "I am going to drive you so insane, you'll beg. You'll beg me to stop. Then you'll beg me to never stop."

  "Good," I whispered.

  She spoke into my ear for several minutes, outlining her plans. I was panting long before she was done.

  Then she pulled me away from the wall, turned me around, and pressed me face first into the wall.

  "I should have had you slip the coat off first," she said.

  "I'll behave," I whispered.

  "Damned right you will." But then she unlocked my wrists and helped me out of the coat. I heard her see to mine and her own, then she demanded I put my wrists behind my back again.

  "I'll behave," I repeated. "You must have something else you can use."

  "You'll take the handcuffs or you'll offer me something in exchange."

  I thought for a second or two then carefully lowered myself to my knees. I reached around until I found her feet, then I bent over and began kissing the tops of her boots. I was glad they were clean. She let me kiss for a minute or two before she reached down and pulled me to my feet.

  Then, without the cuffs, she dragged me through her house.

  I expected us to go upstairs. Instead, we went into her basement, and I decided it was likely she was far, far kinkier than I'd ever experienced. I licked my lips but didn't say a word.

  She bent me over... something. It wasn't a sofa. I didn't know what it was. But she locked my ankles, my legs well spread, then wrapped cuffs around my wrists. Then she did something, and I was stretched tightly, my arms reaching, but not finding anything, and I was utterly helpless.

  She stepped away, but she didn't go far. I think she was admiring what she'd done so far. But then she stepped up beside me and lifted the hem of my dress.

  Then she began to play.

  It didn't take long before I was lost to my passions.

  The scarf eventually fell from my eyes. She replaced it with something of leather, something that didn't fall off.

  She made me do things for her. I loved every second. She did things to me, and I begged for more.

  I spent a very, very long time lost in my passion.

  I wouldn't have traded a second.

  Eventually, she released me and led me upstairs to her bed. She had long removed the collar, saying something about it being too extreme for someone unaccustomed. But the leather blindfold would stay until morning.

  We slept.

  First Revote

  I woke to Opal removing the blindfold. It took her a minute, but I said nothing until it was off.

  "We aren't playing?"

  "We're both far too worn out." But she caressed my cheek tenderly.

  "What time is it?"

  "Mid-morning. You've had about five hours of sleep." She pointed. "The bathroom is there."

  I nodded and climbed from bed. She was right. I was stiff, and it took several steps to work it out. And then I headed towards the waiting door, Opal's eyes following me the entire way.

  I took care of the necessities first, then washed at the sink before studying my naked form in the mirror. I w
ondered what she -- or anyone else -- saw. I wasn't anything special. Was it just my age that attracted her? The conquest? I wasn't sure.

  There was a new toothbrush waiting for me, so I used it and otherwise tidied myself as well as I could without using the shower. Then I turned to the door, opened it, and struck a pose.

  Opal was dressed, but she turned to me and smiled. "You're so beautiful."

  I wasn't, but it felt good to hear. I walked towards her, trying to put a little stalk into it. She collected me in her arms, and we kissed deeply, but she released me far too easily. She pointed to the bed. "I have clothes you may borrow. You can return them next week sometime."

  I nodded and turned away, dressing slowly. I felt the beginnings of a brush off. I hadn't been on the receiving end of very many, but I recognized it. The thought left me disappointed.

  "Opal?"

  I turned to face her. She was watching me, and I thought I saw hunger. That didn't make sense, if she was kicking me out.

  "You're sending mixed signals."

  "I'm not trying to. I'm going to drive you home now."

  "Just wait. You're kicking me out, and it's a little dismissive. But I saw that look a few seconds ago. I promise I'm not about to get clingy. I don't think you're looking for a girlfriend. But I think I'd like to know if I can expect a repeat performance."

  "No," she said simply.

  "Oh." I knew my features fell. My whole body slumped, at least a little. I turned away and wondered what I was going to wear for shoes. But then I nodded. "Of course. I had a nice time. A really nice time. Thank you."

  She didn't say anything, but she handed me my boots. I sat on the bed and pulled them on.

  "Blythe, I think I answered the wrong question."

  "It's fine, Opal. I really did have a nice time, both earlier and... later." I looked over my shoulder. "You're amazingly talented." Then I turned my attention to my boots and carefully zipped them. By the time I was done, Opal had moved around the bed and stood before me. She knelt down so our eyes were near a similar level. I didn't pull away when she took my hands.

  "Blythe," she said. "I answered the wrong question."

  "It's fine. Seriously. I haven't had many one-night stands, and I don't go looking for them, but I really had a nice time. No complaints. I even liked that one thing you did." I began to blush. "I never, ever would have thought I'd enjoy something like that."