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'M' is For: [Ch6] Welcome to the Book Club - Part 1
🕑 Added 2024-10-15 11:00:04 +0000 UTCThe next day was Tuesday, and my heart beat faster than usual when I entered the barre studio and saw Missy there, stretching languidly with Kiara, Danielle and Adrienne. The whole crew was here today.
"Hey there," Missy said, smiling at me as she straightened, tossing her long dirty blonde hair back over her shoulders.
"Hey," I returned. I felt weirdly shy. I wondered if she or any of the others were going to bring up the events of the weekend, but I was in for disappointment. Missy didn't mention anything about our exploits before or after class. The only acknowledgment I got was a quick wink from Kiara as we took our positions at the barre. The first rule of Fight Club, I heard Brad Pitt's voice say in my head, and I shook my head, equal parts bemused and uncertain.
In the end, it was Adrienne who broached the subject once we were all seated at La Casita with our drinks in our hands.
"So, girls, how was it?" Adrienne wanted to know, dangling a margarita from her manicured hands. "Please tell me you had a horrible time without me."
"My mother raised me to never tell lies," Missy said with a smugly infuriating smile that made Adrienne gasp in mock outrage and punch her shoulder.
"We got to see Todd," Kiara piped up. "And the weather was gorgeous the whole weekend. I wish you'd been able to join us."
"Yeah, but Mal didn't do half-bad as your replacement," Missy said with a sly smile in my direction. I felt myself blush as everyone looked at me.
"Oh, really?" Adrienne said, glancing at me like I was a piece of gum on the bottom of her shoe that she'd forgotten about.
Deciding to pretend I didn't notice Adrienne's unfriendliness, I forced a bright smile. "Missy and everyone showed me a good time."
"I should hope so," Kiara said with a feline grin.
Clearing my throat, I ventured to ask, "So, when is the next book club meeting?"
Kiara and Missy laughed uproariously at me, and Adrienne raised an eyebrow. I wondered if I'd committed a terrible faux pas.
"Well, Missy, care to share your plans with us?" Kiara asked Missy, still chortling. "Our new recruit does raise a good question."
"I know, I know," Missy said, also still chuckling. The waiter came with our food and she paused while the waiter settled our plates on the table. "I still have to figure out a time that works for everyone. I definitely want all of you to make it." She glanced at me, her eyes twinkling. "Especially Mal."
"Alright," I said humbly, properly chastened. "I'll wait for you to reach out with the details."
Still, the memories from Memorial Day stayed with me. At night, they grew sharper and more vivid. They permeated my sleep so that a dream that began with work ended with me back in the house with Missy and Thomas...only this time, they both were worshiping me, begging for me to let them cum. I could see the admiration and desire in their gazes, and I knew there was nothing they wouldn't let me do...
I woke up more than once wetter than I had ever been, my whole body throbbing with urgent need. My vibrators became even more frequent bed companions. I found myself on Instagram all the time, addicted to browsing Missy's account for updates. Thomas featured heavily in her posts. On a trip to the Riverside Park, he photographed her standing facing the water, hands resting negligently on her hips, tendrils of hair escaping her loose ponytail. In turn, she caught a backlit photo of him leaning forward, eyes obscured by sunglasses, grinning towards the camera. To go through the photos of one was to see photos of the other. This beautiful couple unlike any I'd ever imagined haunted me; I was obsessed.
In my browsing, I also stumbled across the accounts for the rest of the crew, who wove in and out of Missy's photos. Adrienne and Danielle at a new nightclub with Missy. James and some other guys kicking it back on a beach, beer cans in hand. On impulse, I followed everyone except Adrienne, whose haughty smiles seemed to sneer at me even through my phone screen.
Then, over a month after Memorial Day weekend, came the invitation I had been waiting for.
I was hanging out with my roommates Derek and Sarah in our shared apartment, watching TV, when my phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. My mind was on the show, and when I got up to check my messages, I nearly dropped my phone in startlement.
Missy's text was short and to the point. Are you free next Saturday for the book club?
Pulse racing, I texted her back immediately. Yeah, that works.
Excellent.
Clutching my phone to my chest, I returned to my seat on the couch, my thoughts now speeding far away from the drama unfolding on the TV screen. My nightlife wardrobe needed some serious updating. I couldn't remember the last time I'd gone to a club, and even I could anticipate that my comfortable cotton underwear was not likely to impress anyone. The same mixture of excitement and dread I'd experienced ahead of Memorial Day weekend took over me. I was eagerly looking forward to meeting more of the people who made up Missy's social circle, and I was absolutely convinced that I'd make a fool out of myself in front of them. And unlike last time, now I had a better idea of the stakes.
It's not too late to walk out of this, I told myself that night. But in my heart, I already knew I'd made up my mind. I had to go.
❖❖❖
Saturday dawned overcast and humid. By the afternoon, I had my little A/C window unit on full blast. Outside, the people on the streets crawled in the humidity. I braved the outdoors to grab a sub from the deli around the corner and dashed back just as it started to rain.
Originally, I'd considered wearing the only pair of heels I owned, but seeing the weather, I decided against it. I'd never really learned to feel comfortable in high heels and hated how they made my feet and calves feel after just a couple hours. Instead, I matched my cream blouse and mini-skirt to black leather lace-up boots. That would have to be good enough, though telling myself that hardly quieted the low-level anxiety that had been my constant companion ever since I'd gotten Missy's text. I'd spent far too much time the last few days trying to channel that anxiety into research about BDSM, and had devoured everything I could find online—from academic journals to Reddit—but the deluge of information only left me feeling more uncertain about what to expect from Missy's party.
Missy lived in Midtown, not too far from where we had our barre class. Despite the proximity of her apartment, I'd never been there until today. I'd had a vague idea that Missy's family had money, but the reality of it didn't hit me until I arrived. Her apartment turned out to be a slick and modern high-rise affair with a doorman who greeted me when I entered. The back wall behind the waiting area had been converted into a water feature, and water fell steadily, forming a shimmering curtain over rough-hewn stone. The scent of cedar wafted into my nose.
"I'm here for Missy London, Apartment 5600," I said a little nervously as I approached the counter. Reflexively, I tried to straighten my shirt and smooth down my flyaways. I wondered if the doorman had any inkling as to what was going on tonight, or if he dismissed the influx of visitors as just another party.
"Go ahead and sign," the doorman said with a practiced smile. "I'll go ahead and let her know you're coming up."
I reached for the pen and guest book as the doorman picked up the phone. "Hello, you have another guest here to see you. Thanks, will do." He put down the phone. "You're good to go up," he told me. "Elevators will be on your right past the doors."
I thanked him and followed his directions to the elevator. Checking the time on my phone, I saw with a flash of panic that it was already 9:07 pm. Despite my best efforts, I was running late, thanks to a train delay that trapped us in the middle of a subterranean tunnel for nearly fifteen minutes. I fought the crawling discomfort I got whenever I was late to something and took a deep, steadying breath.
A couple other people joined me in the elevator. I pulled to the side to give them room, a little self-conscious, but they took no notice of me. Eventually they got out, leaving me alone to complete the ascent to what I realized was one of the uppermost floors in the building. Almost as soon as I stepped onto the gold-patterned carpet, I caught the sound of music playing over muffled laughter. I followed it to its source. Sure enough, the sound was coming from an apartment whose number I recognized as Missy's. I knocked.
"Coming!" I heard Missy's voice call from inside. A few moments later, she opened the door.
Missy was stunning in a black jumpsuit with a heavy aquamarine pendant wrapped in gold wire that rested temptingly between the curves of her breasts. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, a touch of eyeshadow and kohl-black liner at her eyes just enough to give her a siren's stare. When she saw me, Missy's face broke into the wide, lopsided smile I adored.
"Mal, you made it!" Missy cried, pulling me into a tight hug. "Come inside, let me show you around."
I followed Missy into her apartment, and my mouth dropped open.
Missy's apartment was spacious, on a scale beyond my wildest imaginings. Massive floor-length windows revealing the Manhattan skyline at night gave the illusion of limitless space. The open floor plan was gracefully designed, pulling visitors into a living room area that connected to the kitchen and formal dining. Beyond, the floor was divided into two sections. One section positioned assorted armchairs, loveseats, and stools around two nesting coffee tables. The other was framed by a large sectional sofa, at the center of which was a most unusual piece of furniture. It almost looked like a gymnast's balance beam, if the beam were attached to a folded metal frame with padded rails on either side. O rings were set into the frame at regular intervals, and I suddenly had a vision of the party guests who would soon find themselves tethered to it.
"Phone?" A young guy who looked like he could've been straight out of college was sitting on a stool by the entrance, a large bag in his hands. Glancing at the bag, I could see that there were a number of phones already in there.
"It's a book club rule," Missy explained to me. "Not that I think anyone invited would, but it gets rid of any temptation to snap any photos or videos. Paul will take care of it for you."
"Ah, yeah, sure," I said. I opened the clasp of my handbag and pulled out my phone to give to Paul. Without another word, Paul took it and dropped it into his bag.
Missy steered me forward toward a cluster of people I didn't know that were standing by the kitchen area. The generous kitchen countertop was crowded with drinks and food, the centerpiece of which was a chocolate fountain that rippled in the light as it ran. The people Missy led me toward largely ignored the display as they grasped their drinks with practiced nonchalance and chatted amongst themselves.
"Hi y'all, this is my dear friend Mal," Missy announced to them in a singsong voice, steering me forward with an arm around my shoulders. "Please be nice to her."
"Hey, good to meet you." We shook hands and Missy gave me their names, which I promptly forgot almost as soon as she said them. They were friendly, their smiles quick to surface, but I saw the shrewdness in their gazes as they sized me up. I wondered what they saw, if I looked as out of place as I felt in that moment.
"Help yourself to the food and drinks," Missy implored us, fluttering her fingers. "I probably bought too much."
"Impossible," one of the guys said with a flirtatious smile.
I obligingly reached for a plate and a glass of wine. "Your apartment is amazing, Missy. I cannot believe you live here."
"What can I say? My parents spoil me," Missy grinned.
Missy soon moved on to attend to other guests. I tried talking with the people that Missy had introduced me to, but despite a couple cursory questions tossed my way, it was clear that they were more interested in gossiping about the goings-on of people I didn't know. After a while, I politely excused myself and wandered toward the windows.
As I approached the far end of the apartment, I caught sight of Thomas sitting in one of the armchairs. He was wearing a slate gray button-down shirt and dark jeans. The top button was undone, revealing just the barest glimpse of buckled leather, and I knew suddenly that he was wearing his collar. A faint but unmistakable hickey in the shadow of his jaw suggested that Missy had gotten a head start on the evening's activities.
Relieved to find someone I knew, I joined him. "Hi, stranger," I said, smiling at him.
"You made it." Thomas returned my smile. "How was the rain?"
"Awful. I brought my umbrella and still got drenched. I don't know why I bothered." Thomas laughed, and I felt the knot of tension in my chest ease in his presence. "So," I said in a lowered voice, "How does this work?"
"Things don't usually get going until ten," Thomas told me. "That's when Missy...does what Missy does."
"Thomas, that could mean anything."
Thomas chuckled at my apprehension. Reluctantly, I gave a lopsided grin. "I guess I'm not allowed to be shocked anymore. Not now that I've hung out with you lot for a whole weekend."
"Oh, I think you've got a ways to go before you've fallen as far as we have," Thomas said teasingly. His words lingered in the air between us, an oblique challenge that sent thrills racing down my spine. Just how far did I have left to fall? I wondered.
True to Thomas's prediction, by ten the apartment was full of people. The various conversations going on blended into an indecipherable buzz that filled my ears as people helped themselves to drinks and caught up with friends. The temperature also noticeably went up with all the bodies in the room. I guessed that there may have been around twenty people in total, all of whom seemed to know each other. Here and there, I caught the glimpse of a partially-hidden collar or leather cuff, a coy suggestion of the wearer's hopes for the evening entertainment.
At some point, I spotted Kiara, Danielle and Adrienne standing together. I waved at them from across the room. Kiara waved back and nudged Danielle. Together, they started heading our way. Adrienne brought up the rear, slowing down to greet some of the other guests they passed. The three of them appeared effortlessly coordinated: Kiara was wearing a ruched satin top that showed off her dark shoulders, a sleek velvet collar tied around her neck; Danielle had opted for a shimmery gray tank over a black bra, ears glittering with her multiple piercings; Adrienne was dressed in wide black pants and a lacy corset beneath a blazer. Standing next to them, I felt foolishly frumpy.
"There you are," Kiara exclaimed, giving me a quick kiss and a hug.
I had just opened my mouth to ask where Kiara had gotten her top when the music, which had been playing in the background, stopped. It only took a few moments for people to realize that something was happening. As conversations came to a standstill, an expectant silence washed over the crowd.
"Hello, my lovely people."
