by Rebel Farris
We drove through most of downtown before stopping in front of an old, grand colonial-style house. It was huge. The kind that politicians and corporate bigwigs owned. Whoever ran this Black Mask Society had connections, or money, or both.
Law made me hop off, then jumped the curb, and parked right on the sidewalk. I wasn’t sure that was legal, but I wasn’t sure anyone would give a Ducati a ticket in this part of town. He shut down the bike and hopped off, taking the helmet from my hands and attaching it to the handlebars.
“You ready?” he asked, looking up at the big house and pulling his mask out of his pocket. I did the same and looked up at him. He was staring at my lips. “You look sexy as hell tonight.”
“Law? What if someone recognizes me?”
“They won’t. I can barely tell it’s you, and I look at you more than anyone else. Besides, these are UT students. I doubt anyone from your school is here. And this whole thing exists on secrecy. People wouldn’t come and participate if word were to get out about who’s here. What happens here, stays here.”
He pressed his lips to mine briefly, then grabbed my hand, leading me up the stairs to the front door.
The pillars that winged the door were massive. A man wearing a black suit and tie answered the door without a word. Law held up a small black card. The man nodded and held an arm out, ushering us inside. There were black curtains ahead, blocking the activity behind from view, but I could hear the murmur of voices beyond its cover.
Law led the way, and I followed, unsure about the mysterious and dangerous vibe this whole deal put out. Law held back the curtain and guided me through with a hand on my lower back.
Beyond the curtain was a massive double staircase that framed the entrance to a dimly lit room. To the right and the left were other rooms, similarly lit. I had to concentrate on not tripping in these shoes. People were everywhere. I didn’t know what to expect when being invited to a sex club, but this certainly wasn’t it. There were people of all shapes and sizes, in all states of dress or undress. I froze in place, shocked.
Every woman was in black, wearing the same style dress as I was. The men all had the same black button-down shirt. Well, those that were still dressed. One woman walked by wearing a cage of leather straps and metal rings fitted to her body.
“Which way do we go?” I whispered.
“Whichever way you want,” Law answered. “You’re in the lead here.”
I looked right, at what seemed to be a dining room. A group of several men were licking and sucking on a woman who lay on the table, writhing in ecstasy. Other people sat around the table, either watching or doing things with a partner or alone. One man sat alone, sipping a drink, watching. I turned. My heart was pounding.
To the left was a sitting room with couches and chairs, all ornate and gold trimmed. A man was bound and naked on his knees while people sitting on the seating arrangement gave him commands and took turns touching him. Wow.
I was so out of my depth here. I turned to see Law watching me. Only me.
“Straight ahead, I guess?” I answered him.
He nodded and guided me in that direction. When we passed the staircase, I realized that this room had wall-to-wall windows that overlooked an atrium garden, completely encased by the house. I couldn’t see what was out there because right in front of me was a sunken living room with a sectional couch surrounded by lighting equipment and several cameras. There was a TV displaying the acts taking place on said sectional. I stopped in my tracks and took it all in.
I suppose some people like to be recorded.
This whole house seemed to have a room set up to cater to every fantasy. A few people were gathered around the large flat-screen while others looked on at the live action taking place. Two men were making out with a woman.
“You like that, don’t you?” Law whispered in my ear. I didn’t look at or answer him, watching the scene play out before me. He pulled me back against him. I felt how hard he was against my lower back. “You’re making that face, and you know what it does to me.”
He reached around and pinched my nipple. I let out a breathy moan in response. He was right. I was getting turned on. I leaned my head back against his shoulder and pushed his hand down to the edge of my dress. His fingers brushed over my panties, and my back bowed. I was so sensitive.
“You have no idea how perfect you are. How sexy you look at this moment.” He brushed my hair to the side, exposing my neck. I leaned my head to the side, giving him access. He trailed his lips and tongue up the side of my neck to my ear. His finger pushed aside my panties, entering me at the same time one of the men did the same to the woman I was watching. “Are you okay with this? Some people are watching you now.”
I nodded.
“My dirty girl has a little exhibitionist in her. You want me to expose you?” he asked, his hand pausing at the top of my breast.
“Yes,” I whispered, grinding my hips into his hand.
He pushed down my dress, exposing one breast, then the other. I was so close to coming as his hand squeezed my breast.
“Hey, Front Man,” a familiar voice called to my left. “You two want to do that for the camera? Those little sounds she’s making are like a mating call. She’s already drawn quite the crowd.”
My head snapped to the side, and my gaze met familiar green eyes. Recognition dawned in them. “Holy fuck, Neddie?”
“Barnacle!” I yanked Law’s hands off me and righted my dress. “Lucky?”
“How do you know Lucky?” Law asked.
“How do you know him?” I parroted.
“He’s the one that runs this thing. He gave me the invite.”
My jaw dropped, and I cut my eyes to Nic. “You’re running a sex club? Using my nickname?”
Nic’s mouth opened and closed, making him look rather like a fish. I was the one who was feeling out of water, though.
“I’m leaving. We’re done here.” I moved toward the door, but Nic grabbed my elbow.
Law’s hand spread out on his chest in warning. “She didn’t say you could touch her.”
“Well, I can touch her,” Nic growled. “I’ve been touching her since the day she was born.”
That didn’t sound right at all.
“Stop. It’s okay,” I said to Law, before shifting my focus back to Nic. “This is why we haven’t hung out lately?”
“Do either of you mind filling me in on how the fuck you know each other?” Law asked, his eyes darting between us.
“He’s family,” I say, flinging my hand toward Nic.
“I’m sorry, Ned—you want to follow me?” he asked, scanning the room with his eyes. I suddenly realized we had an audience. Everyone in the room had stopped. Fuck. I wanted to shrivel up and fade from existence on the spot.
Nic started walking. I followed, with Law right behind me. We walked down a short hall to a locked door. Nic fished a key out of his pocket and opened it.
I held up a flat palm to Law. “Just give me a second,” I said, then shut the door behind me.
“Oh, hey.” Nic smirked. “Now that I’ve got you alone—” He sauntered toward me across the ornate office.
“Don’t start with me, Lucky.” I sighed. “I just have to set a few ground rules. One, do not say anything about Jared. Two, do not say anything about the girls.”
“Maddie—”
“That’s number three. I go by Laine now—call me Laine.”
“Fine. How ’bout I just stick with Neddie?”
“Fine. I’m not finished, though. Rule four, do not breathe a word of this to Evan.”
He nodded. “That’s your boyfriend out there?”
“No. Yes. Maybe. Not really?” My voice rose in pitch to a squeak. “Can we start with easy questions first?”
He raised both eyebrows at me. “Why are you here with him?”
“Because he invited me.” I shrugged.
He stayed silent, waiting for more explana
tion than that.
“I maybe… I’m seeing him, sort of. We don’t go on dates or anything like that. We just—” I wave my hand to indicate the world inside this house.
“How long?” A grin tipped the corner of his mouth.
“For a little over a year.” I tried to distract from the discomfort I was feeling over discussing my sex life with Nic by adding, “We’re in a band together.”
His face scrunched in confusion. “Come again?”
“We’re in a band together,” I repeated. “Well, I joined them last year, but we’re playing a gig next Friday. You wanna come?”
“Yeah, I do.” He started pacing. “Holy shit! You’re the chick with the short skirts in the band that everyone talks about? Neddie—” He pinches the bridge of his nose.
There was a light knock on the door and Law’s not-so-happy face appeared in the opening. I motioned him over to me and held out my hand. He shut the door behind him and took my proffered hand, moving to stand behind me.
“Does Evan know about any of this?” Nic asked.
“Not really” I answered. “I told him that I finally made new friends and all.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose again. “Neddie—”
“Why do you keep calling her that?” Law asked.
“I named us after The Three Amigos when we were kids,” I explained. “Evan was Dusty Bottoms, he was Lucky Stars, and I was Little Neddie. We’ve been best friends since we were old enough to say the words. Though the names only stuck between us two. Nobody else calls us that. Except—” I looked over to Nic as a thought occurred to me. “You want to explain what you’re doing running a sex club, Lucky?”
“To use your own words, not really.”
Now
“What are you doing?” Cora asks from the back seat of the car.
“Taking y’all to school,” I reply as I pull up to the light with my left blinker on.
“We always ride with the kids on first Tuesdays,” Cat complains. “Audra can ride, too. She already knows most of them from school.”
“Fine,” I say with a sigh.
I put my right blinker on and pull out on to the road. I can see Dex studying me out of the corner of my eye, but he stays silent. The ride is quick and quiet from that point on. I think the girls are still half-asleep. The place isn’t far.
We pull up to the curb in front of the Mad House just as Tina is walking out to the van full of kids. She stops and waves with a smile. The girls are out of the car before I kill the engine. Dex waits for me.
“Just don’t read too much into this,” I say with a sigh. “And never tell anyone that you’ve been here or that I’ve anything to do with this place.”
I get out of the car and put on a smile as I approach Tina. She’s smiling and shaking Audra’s hand as the girls introduce her. The twins give me hurried kisses on my cheeks and say bye, then take off to the van with Audra in tow.
“You got room for one more?” I ask.
“Sure, Monk’s staying here to go over stuff with you. She can take his seat.” She takes a sip from her travel mug as her eyes dart over my shoulder. “Who’s the hottie?”
“New boyfriend,” I say with a shrug, trying to make it less of a deal.
I feel like I need to swallow bile, that’s how bitter lying to my friends tastes.
“Ew, clingy type? He doesn’t look like a clinger. Though, can’t say I’d complain if that’s what was clinging.” She tilts her head to the side, blatantly checking out Dex. She steps in front of him as he approaches. “Tina.”
He shakes her offered hand, looking amused. “Dex.”
She tilts his hand to the side, studying the tattoos on his arm. “Nice ink.” She points to his neck. “Got a dragon back there?”
“Yeah.” His face transforms into a full smile. “It’s a full back piece.”
“Show me.” She walks around him and pulls up his shirt. “Whoa, that’s nice, dude. Where’d you get it done?”
“Buddy of mine at work. I’m an artist too, but not talented enough to do my own back.” He winks at me with a grin that has his dimples on full display.
I try to ignore the reason I feel the need to press my thighs together. I’m curious as to what it looks like, but the more rational part of me says I need to stay away from seeing any more of his unclothed body.
“He’s the one who did your ink?” she asks, casting a glance at my wrist.
“Yeah. Tina, quit molesting him,” I say in an exaggerated whisper, nodding my head in the direction of the van. “Put his shirt down. The kids are watching.”
“Not molesting—yet. Just professional curiosity,” Tina says to me with a wink but does as I ask. “I’m a piercer over at Tribal Designs,” she says to Dex.
“You work there and here?” Dex asks.
“Nah, here’s just free rent, not so much a job. Though, I do have to cook dinners and chauffeur. Monk and I enjoy the company. Anyway, I’ve gotta run, or these skids are gonna be late.” She walks backward. “I approve, Mads. Nice meeting you.”
“Nice meeting you, too,” Dex replies.
He turns back to me with questions all over his face. I turn and rush to the house. He has to jog to catch up.
“You keep an interesting staff.”
“Friends, not staff,” I correct as I open the door and walk in.
When Tina told me that she and Monk couldn’t have kids, I knew that this would be a perfect fit. Bridget and I’d already been working on bringing this project to life. When I asked, Tina was over the moon about it. Excited would be an understatement. I smile, remembering that moment.
“You want to explain what exactly this place is?” he asks as his eyes roam over the decor. He pauses in front of the logo painted in the center of a black wall to the right of the entry. The Cheshire Cat’s eyes and smile peek out from behind purple, smoky letters that spell Mad House.
“It’s basically a foster home,” I say going up the stairs to the third floor, which is where the office in Tina and Monk’s apartment is located. “Every kid in the state foster system has the option to apply here. They’re accepted if they agree to play a musical instrument of their choice, keep up their grades, and attend our after-school music lessons.”
The Mad House is larger than my house; it’s an actual mansion. It’s pretty cool, too. I had it decorated to look like the Mad Hatter’s place from Alice in Wonderland, yet very modern. The kids like it, and the girls love to come hang out here. The downstairs is all general gathering rooms, like a soundproof music room, a quiet room, computer room, TV room, and game room plus the kitchen and dining room and a couple of soundproof mini rooms for the kids to practice their music.
“That’s—” He pauses as if searching for the words. “You’re really quite amazing.”
I halt and turn to him. He’s right behind me, two steps down, so it puts us at eye level with each other.
“I told you not to read into it, Dex.” I fight to keep the bite out of my tone. “I’ve more money than I know what to do with and needed something to spend it on. That’s all.”
We’ve gone to great lengths to separate this place from my identity. Publicly, I’ve no ties to it. I don’t want these kids being dragged out in the spotlight with me, in any way.
“Hey, I’m not reading into anything,” he says in a placating tone. “Give yourself a little credit. This is a big deal. I should know.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Having him here is putting me on edge. It feels too personal and makes me feel vulnerable.
His eyes roam over the mural painted on the wall of the stairs. It’s a three-dimensional depiction of the Mad Hatter’s tea party that makes you feel as if you’re walking sideways if you try to stare at it while going up the stairs.
“I grew up in the system, Maddie. Never in a place like this. This is like a dream.”
“Oh—” I stop there because I’m struck speechless.
/>
I look down at my hands as I twist my fingers into the rubber band at my wrist. I was never in the system like these kids, but I’ve heard their stories. It’s what makes me feel comfortable around them. They don’t judge me by my broken parts. He lifts my chin, making me look at him.
“This place is badass enough that I want to live here. And the fact that it’s bigger and better decorated than your home says something, too. Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Mads.”
I startle a bit at the name. He hasn’t called me anything but Maddie since we met.
“I know what you’re doing,” he says softly as his fingers brush my cheek and push my hair back over my shoulder. “I’ve been there before.”
My heart thuds erratically in my chest.
The door opens behind him. Chloe’s turquoise head of hair appears downstairs.
“Hey, lady,” she calls. “Sorry I’m late.”
“We haven’t even made it up to the office yet. No big.” I shrug and turn back up the stairs, grateful for the distraction.
Now
Wading knee-deep into the water, I turn around to face Dex as he backs the trailer hooked to his jeep into the water.
I’m thankful that his jeep could tow the Jet Skis because we usually have to rent a truck to get them out to the lake. I signal for him to start backing up. When he’s far enough, I signal for him to stop and set about unhooking the Jet Skis from the trailer with Evan.
I pull my sunglasses back down over my eyes as the lake reflects the bright sunlight into my face. The gentle waves and movement of Lake Travis lap against my knees, instilling a calmness over me that I can’t find in many other places. When we have the Jet Skis pulled away from the trailer, I give Dex a thumbs-up and climb on to drive it to the beach where we’re camped for the day.
Cat and Audra bounce on their toes as I approach. Cora wades out to get on the other Jet Ski with Evan.
“Y’all stay with Evan and be careful,” I remind them as I climb off and let Cat take the handlebars. “Don’t go too fast, and don’t drive into wakes, okay?”