by Jenny Penn
“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have been,” Josh muttered. He could think of a few times when they’d been teenagers and Dylan hadn’t been such an upstanding citizen.
“You know you two argue like an old married couple,” Casey commented as she lifted up a piece of bacon and dangled it over her mouth.
Josh watched as she lowered it all the way down and felt his breath catch as she ate the whole piece in one bite. He was hard and hurting in an instant. Thankfully, the counter hid his body’s reaction to Casey’s innocent provocation, but he couldn’t hide the truth from himself. How sad was he? He was getting turned on by watching the damn woman eat bacon. Maybe Dylan was right. Maybe he needed to get laid. What he really needed was Casey.
“You know, I was going to say the same about you and me,” Dylan cut in, drawing Casey’s attention back to him and reminding Josh that he wasn’t the only one who needed her.
“Please, like I’d marry you.” Casey laughed. “I don’t even think that is legal.”
“What do you mean?” Dylan puffed up indignantly.
“I think there are laws against marrying dogs.”
“Ha. Ha. Ha,” Dylan shot back. “You’re so funny I forgot to laugh.”
“And that’s just like the lamest comeback ever!”
“Enough, children,” Josh intervened before their argument could really get started. “If you can’t be creative and clever with your insults, then keep them to yourselves.”
“Yes, dad,” Casey and Dylan echoed together in a harmonized routine that almost made Josh smile. His grin didn’t last long as Casey returned to the very topic he didn’t want discussed.
“So? Are you guys really headed out somewhere, or are you just going to beat around the bars in town?” Casey looked from Josh to Dylan, who snickered.
“Why are you so curious?”
“I was just asking.”
“Oh, really? So, where you going?”
“It’s where are you going,” Casey corrected Dylan as she stuck her nose up in the air at him. “And that’s none of your business.”
“That sounds like a singles cruise to me,” Dylan declared as he drew Josh into the middle of their argument. “What do you say, baby brother?”
Josh blinked, his mind going blank as his gaze caught Casey’s. He found himself instantly captivated and suddenly uncertain. “Uh…”
“You should come with us.” Dylan moved on quickly as he shot Josh a disgusted look before turning a lecherous look back on Casey. “You can lay around naked all damn day where we’re going, and we’d love to have you…join us. Wouldn’t we, Josh?”
“Uh…” Yes. Yes. A million times, yes! But that wasn’t going to happen. What was going to happen was Dylan making a complete ass out of not only himself this time, but Josh as well.
“Let me interpret for you.” Once again Dylan filled in for Josh. “That’s a yes.”
“It didn’t sound like one,” Casey disagreed as she studied Josh. “And why is he blushing?”
“Because he’s afraid,” Dylan admitted, crushing all of Josh’s hopes with his next revelation. “He doesn’t want you to find out I’m taking him to a sex club.”
Chapter 4
A sex club. Dylan was actually going to do it, too. He hadn’t been kidding. Why she should care? Casey didn’t know, but that didn’t mean she didn’t. Three hours later as she found herself hesitating at the turn-off to the highway that led up beneath the ornate arches that welcomed guest and members to the Cattleman’s Club, she still couldn’t escape her thoughts of Josh and Dylan.
She was torn between disgust, jealousy, and the strange fantasy of running into them at the Cattleman’s Club. That would never happen. The entrance conveyed a sense of wealth and privilege that Dylan couldn’t afford and Josh wouldn’t waste his money on.
That meant she was on her own.
Forcing herself to put aside her thoughts of Dylan and Josh, Casey turned her attention to the reality of what awaited her at the end of the drive. An education in ecstasy—that was what Felicity had called it, which was saying something because Felicity knew Casey wasn’t exactly inexperienced, far from it.
Her carnal curiosity had led Casey to try just about every kink that wasn’t too gross or out there. Every kink, that was, but the one that unnerved her the most—domination. When it came to sex, Casey was always in charge. The idea of not being in control, though, sent a tingle of anticipation racing down her spine and had her turning off the highway and easing her compact down the long drive.
It curled around one grassy knoll after another, which added to that sense of prestige garnered by vast feel of the club’s estate. She couldn’t even make out the hint of a building in the distance when she finally came to a fork in the road. A beautifully carved wooden sign directed staff to the right. Members went straight and female guests to the left.
The butterflies that had been gathering in her stomach for the past several hours began to synchronize their fluttering as she turned the wheel toward the left. Casey wanted this. She needed it.
That didn’t change the fact that the fear gripping her muscles grew only stronger as she neared the small guard shack blocking the road. The adorable little building looked quaint and cute compared to the very large man who stepped out of it. He rippled with muscles and moved with a lethal grace that had Casey’s heart doing a double beat.
If the guard was any indication of just what the Cattlemen were like, then she’d hit the jackpot. That is if she didn’t end up arrested. A whole new worry blossomed in her as the guard asked to see her identification.
Along with the fake name Casey had used to get into the club came a fake driver’s license that she could only pray was good enough to get her past the guard. It was.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she took the fake license back, along with her visitor pass while he gave her directions to what he referred to as the harem. Those two words alone evoked an image that had the butterflies fluttering again.
Casey was shaking by the time the guard stepped back to press a button that had the wooden arm blocking the road lifting upward. She eased her car forward, feeling a sense of finality as the gate closed behind her. There was no turning back now, not that she wanted to.
It had been months since she last hooked up, and that guard was delicious looking. He was a hell of a lot better than the pickings she’d been wading through, but that was life in Atlanta. The competition was fierce thanks to the fact that the women outnumbered the men.
It didn’t help either that half of the men preferred other men and a half of what was left were already married. It also didn’t help that a lot of the women were affluent enough to afford better than good.
Not Casey. Patton’s and her boutique might be doing well, but they’d invested most of their money back into the business. That meant Casey’s white teeth came from drugstore strips, along with the rest of her beauty supplies. At least, her clothes were custom made thanks to Patton.
Patton.
Casey sighed as her thoughts strayed toward her friend and her comments from the previous evening. Patton was too insightful by half, but that didn’t change anything. Whether Casey wanted Dylan or Josh didn’t matter because she’d never be able to have either one, but she could make one of her fantasies come true.
What better place to make a fantasy come true than a perfectly groomed garden paradise where amazingly hot and talented men roamed free?
Apparently that wasn’t all that was roaming free. Casey’s attention caught on the sight of the woman clearly waiting for her as she turned into the parking lot the guard had directed her to. It was large, but the wide stretch of asphalt was broken up by large islands filled with lush, decadent landscaping. Not that Casey really noticed the shrubs.
Her gaze remained fixed on the raven-haired beauty standing there wearing a smile and not much else. Pulling her car into the numbered slot she’d been assigned, Casey tried not to ogle the woman as she stepped out of the
compact, but it was impossible. The woman was gorgeous and perfectly formed from the top of her head all the way down to her elegant little feet.
Suddenly Casey found herself feeling very outclassed.
“Morning.” The woman stepped forward wearing nothing but a smile and a pair of heels. “I’m Lana, director of female services.”
“Casey.” She shook the woman’s hand and tried not feel like a complete oaf as she did.
“It’s nice to meet you, Casey, but we don’t use real names around here,” Lana assured her with a smile warm enough to make the sun jealous. “So for now, you’re The Cherry.”
“The Cherry?” Casey repeated, thinking that was a little on the nose.
“It’s the one given to all new girls.” Lana offered her an apologetic smile. “Don’t worry. The guys will come up with a more specific one once they’ve gotten to know you.”
She meant once they’d fucked her. That thought sent a thrill racing down Casey’s spine that was equal parts apprehension and anticipation.
“Come on in to the admissions office, and I’ll explain how things are run around here.” Lana nodded toward the small wooden alcove that protruded out from the stone wall that rose high above.
It loomed over them like an old guard, its sense of strength not weakened by the vines running up its rugged length. Instead, the colorful flowers blooming across its surface only served to heighten the illusion that the wall protected something great and glorious, and Casey already knew what. The harem.
If she was about to join such a forbidden group of women, Casey wanted to be dressed for the occasion.
“Just let me get my bag,” she called out as she circled around toward the trunk.
Lana watched her with an amused expression. “You did note on the invitation that it said no clothing was necessary?”
“This isn’t clothing,” Casey assured her as she pulled out the small sack and slammed down the trunk. “I have a friend back in Atlanta who owns a lingerie boutique. You share some…clients.”
So she thought she’d bring some samples, but Casey knew better than to be so bold as to finish that thought aloud. Instead, she simply returned Lana’s smile as the other woman’s gaze shifted to the bag Casey had slung over her shoulder.
“I take it that’s how you learned about our club then?” Lana asked politely as she led Casey toward the admission office. “I believe you were nominated by Felicity, right?”
“That’s right.” Casey nodded, distracted by the room Lana escorted her into.
Admission office sounded more professional and sophisticated than this small, wood-paneled room. Hell, a bus depot had more class, Casey thought, considering that the ambience was more psycho-killer, horror movie-ish than resort sex-club-ish. She had a feeling it was intentional.
It was too pointedly stark, too opposite of the image presented outside. There were no windows, no paintings, no anything but the outdated fixture overhead and a metal table that would have looked right in any prison in the country. That observation led Casey to the only obvious conclusion.
The room was designed to unnerve and scare…but why?
“You’ll have to forgive the way the office looks,” Lana spoke up, drawing Casey’s attention toward her as she recited what felt like a well-rehearsed line. “I assure you the rest of the grounds are better kept. Please, have a seat.”
She gestured toward the nearest chair before circling the small, metal desk that took up most of the room. Other than the table and the two folding chairs flanking it, there wasn’t much left in the room except a folder with Casey’s fake name on it and a pen resting beside it.
“Is this just a temporary space?” Casey asked as she settled down into her own seat. Perhaps there were renovations going on that had forced them into using this small space.
“No.” Lana shook her head. “I know this room doesn’t look like much, but it serves its purpose well.”
“And what purpose is that?” Casey asked. “Scaring the hell out of the newbies? Is this some kind of initiation?”
Those two blunt questions had Lana’s gaze narrowing on Casey before her eyes began to twinkle with an honest sense of amusement. “Something like that.”
“Job well done,” Casey assured her before giving into her curiosity. “So I have to ask, why?”
“For the obvious reason,” Lana answered with a shrug. “This club is about pushing boundaries and exploring new levels of delight. While most women arrive eager to participate, not all of them are actually willing to pay the price for such divine ecstasy.”
Casey got that. Giving one’s will completely over to another person was frightening enough, but giving it over to strangers—even she wasn’t certain she was ready for that.
“Obviously, it sort of dampens the mood if ladies get in who really can’t participate. So, it’s part of my job to weed out the panickers and make sure that the women who make it through are actually willing to play.”
Those words awakened the new fear in Casey. To be intimidated was one thing. To flee was another. But to be rejected? That would be the worst.
“The Cattlemen’s Club is about enjoying the experience,” Lana explained. “Trust me, nerves can make all sorts of things feel so much more intense.”
“I get that.” And Casey did.
The light, excited feeling that had filled her with giddy bubbles on the short drive from Atlanta had been strong enough to leave her feeling drunk for most of the way. That sensation had given way to an apprehension that was no less potent and even more thrilling.
“And you will be getting a lot more of it,” Lana informed her. “I’m not going to lie. The men here will strive to make you nervous, but rest assured that none of them will actually hurt you or do anything you don’t want them to. This isn’t about force, but submission, and any time you want to stop, all you have to say is ‘pygmy.’”
“Pygmy?” Casey repeated, unable not to smirk at the very word. It was just so weird.
“Yes, pygmy,” Lana repeated with a nod, quite serious. “That is the club’s universal safe word.”
“Safe word. Got it.”
“You say pygmy and the men stop, and you leave,” Lana stressed. “Men engage with women at their discretion. The choice of partners is not yours.”
“You mean I’ll be having sex with complete strangers, and I don’t get to choose who,” Casey stated evenly, managing to control the shiver that thought gave her. The butterflies in her stomach were in full flurry now, and Lana’s assurance didn’t calm them a bit.
“The likelihood is you won’t even get to see them,” Lana explained before qualifying that strange comment. “At least, not at first, but before we get into that, we must go over the rules.”
Flipping open the folder in front of her, Lana pulled out a sheet full of bulleted points and passed it over to Casey, who began to read through the list.
“All females are to remain naked at all times unless dressed by their masters in appropriate club costumes.”
Casey smirked at that one, unable but to wonder what appropriate meant. The next one, though, left no doubt of its intention.
“All females are to be collared. Any female who removes her collar opens herself up to claiming, and yes, that means exactly what it sounds like. They hold a public competition where the men fuck you one right after another and the audience judges who you responded best to.”
“Wow.” Casey blinked as Lana’s words painted an image that both tempted and terrified her. “That’s…”
“Been done more times than you would think,” Lana assured her. “But normally by more experienced female members. My suggestion is you leave this generic collar on until a master claims you.”
Lana leaned back to fish a small strip of black lace out of one of the desk’s drawers and slid it across to Casey as she continued her explanation. “Tomorrow there will be a festival followed by an auction where you’ll be sold to your master and he or they will provide you with
a collar that allows all other members to know who you belong to.”
Casey looked down at the piece of black lace that had the word Cherry embroidered on it in pink thread before glancing back up at Lana’s bare neck.
“No. I’m not wearing a collar,” Lana answered before Casey could ask the obvious question. “I’m not a servant to these men, but to the women. I’m in charge of all female services. So if you have any questions, any problems, I’m the one you should speak to.”
“Is that after I say pygmy?”
“Just say my name and somebody will come and get me.”
Casey nodded, accepting that Lana was just the type of person she’d want on her side if she needed a voice to speak for her beside her own. The woman just had that kind of commanding authority, one that left Casey wondering if Lana didn’t have a man collared somewhere.
“Of course, I won’t be of any assistance to you tonight,” Lana stated bluntly. “You have to survive your initiation on your own. If you can’t, then, frankly, you don’t belong here.”
Casey wanted to belong there, but the word “initiation” had the knots tightening again in her stomach. “Initiation?”
“It is a rite of passage for all new females, and it can be very intimidating.” Lana paused, her smile dimming for the first time as her full lips tightened into a serious expression. “Honestly, a good quarter of the women don’t make it past the first night, and I’ll give you the same advice I give every woman who passes through this office.
“Surrender. Don’t fight how good things feel. Don’t try to think of how right or wrong something is. Just breathe, relax, and enjoy. If you can do those three things then—”
“—I’ll be treated to an education in ecstasy?”
“Yes.” Lana’s grin reappeared, along with the twinkle in her eyes. “I don’t think I could have said it better myself.”
“I didn’t come up with the line,” Casey confided in her. “But I am curious to find out what it means.”
“Well, I can appease a little of that curiosity and, at least, tell you what to expect,” Lana offered.