Page 52 of The Toy Maker

Reluctantly, I followed, feeling the squeeze of my corset as I moved. The cold floor seeped through the thin fabric of my costume when I sat, and I struggled to find a comfortable position. And when I caught a sidelong glance at Jason, it seemed to tighten until I was struggling to breathe.

As the game began, I tried to focus on the questions, because no one would risk choosing dare in front of the party, but my attention kept slipping.

Every time I looked at Jason, the corset felt like it tightened. He was leaning against the wall, talking to a customer I had seen in the store once or twice, each time with a new woman.

He wasn’t even looking at me and my heart was pounding in my chest. I fought to steady my breathing, but it was a losing battle. I didn’t even care when Amy joined the circle, whining about feeling left out.

“Truth or dare?” one of the Cherries purred, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blinked, realizing the question was directed at me.

“Tara,” Wendy pressed, her smile widening. “What’ll it be?”

I hesitated, glancing around the circle. My hands were clasped tightly in my lap, fingers fidgeting against the stiff fabric of my skirt. Jason shifted slightly in the corner of my vision, and I felt my face grow warm.

“Truth,” I said finally, my voice barely audible.

The circle erupted in giggles, and I braced myself, knowing that whatever came next would likely be trouble.

“What’s the kinkiest thing you’ve ever done?” Wendy asked.

“Unpaid,” Naydine added quickly. “Things at work don’t count.”

The other girls murmured in agreement.

I cleared my throat. “Uh…”

“You have to answer,” Theresa laughed. “We all did.”

They did?I should have been paying attention. Finally, I sucked in a breath. “I used the bathtub faucet to get off … a lot.” I nearly drowned, but the orgasms were worth it. Of course, that wasn’t the full truth. The kinkiest thing I had ever done started when I agreed to be Jason’s toy tester.

Jade scoffed. “That doesn’t count.” She whipped her dark hair over her shoulders and in the dim light, with an ungodly amount of alcohol in my body, she held authority.

“Why not?” I asked, but it came out more like whining.

“Because you’re lying,” Wendy said, her painted lips curling into a smug smile before she took a sip of her spiked punch. But what did she know?

Naydine laughed. Her hooded red cape shifted slightly as she crossed her legs, the movement drawing attention to her sky-high heels. “You don’t think we know a fake secret when we hear one? Give us something good,” she said, her dark eyes narrowing playfully.

I hesitated, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. “You said I couldn’t say anything from work,” I pointed out, folding my arms over my chest.

“You’re only kinky at work?” Wendy raised a perfectly arched brow. It was a pointed question, really.

“Not exactly,” I said, shifting uncomfortably under their stares.

“How exactly?” Naydine pressed.

I glanced at the cup in Wendy’s manicured hand and fought the urge to snatch it and chug what was left. “I had a thing with my brother’s teammate once,” I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could overthink them. My pulse quickened as both girls’ faces lit up.

“And?” Naydine prompted, leaning in closer. Her brown eyes sparkled, hungry for the scandal.

“And he liked… foot jobs,” I blurted, my voice dropping as I said the last two words.

Wendy choked on her drink, coughing before she burst into laughter. “For how long?”

“Too long,” I said, finally laughing along with them as the tension eased from my shoulders.

“First time that’s ever been said around here,” Jade chuckled, shaking her head.

Somehow, I had narrowly avoided suspicionandsatisfied the other Cherries. I just needed to avoid any more of their interrogations for the night.