Page 67 of The Toy Maker

Kitty savored her drink. “Anna was in the hospital today. I doubt she’s back at work so soon,” she said, shaking her head.

A familiar gnawing feeling climbed up my neck. What were the odds that this was the same Anna from earlier, in Jason’s room?

I forced down the heat swelling inside me. Jason had left to be with her and hadn’t bothered to check on me since.

“Who is she?” I cleared my voice and hoped there was no bite left.

“She’s a sexy dominatrix. Kitty and her are super close.” Sarah grinned and whispered something to a giggling Jade.

I shifted my attention to Kitty.

“We went to high school together.” She rolled her eyes. “Our families got close.”

I bit back the urge to ask about Jason and Anna’s relationship. Any question would give away that I was the girl in the room with him.

“So, what happened?” Jade asked while taking a handful of nuts from the center of the table. I ignored the irony.

“She was in a car accident,” Kitty said casually, sipping her drink. “She’s going to be alright, though.”

Goody.I nodded as if I didn’t have dozens of questions running through my mind.

Instead of asking any of those, I listened as the girls laughed about their days. I shifted when the conversation switched to Kitty and Jason’s morning confrontation.

“No way!” Jade almost fell off her stool from laughing.

“I can’t believe you busted him,” Sarah chuckled between sips of her drink. “Lucky bitch.”

My cheeks burned as they painted an explicit image of Jason’s morning. They snickered and started guessing which Cherry caved in to his charms.

By the end of their descriptions, I chugged my drink. I found myself needing at least three more to stay sane.

I excused myself from the giggling girls and made my way through the room.

Dominatrixes in tight corsets and thigh-high boots held their drinks with confident smirks, their submissives kneeling dutifully at their feet. Collars glinted under the dim, shifting lights, and leashes looped around wrists as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Some of the submissives crawled on all fours, fetching drinks or simply sitting by their mistress's feet, their gazes fixed on the floor. Others knelt with their hands behind their backs, their eyes wide with fear and adoration.

But mostly, they made it almost impossible to squeeze to the front.

I leaned over the onyx counter and waved my hand as the bartender approached my side of the bar. His eyes glanced over me before he walked the other way.

“Hey, eyeliner,” I called. His black vest and tie were no doubt a strategic way of showing off his biceps. More drooling ladies at the bar meant more tips. “I know you saw me.”

He took his sweet time getting back over to the tiny space I’d wedged myself into. “What do you want, darling?” Venom dripped off his tongue.

I rolled my eyes. “A Screaming Orgasm.” The drink list was full of snicker-inducing drink names.

He chuckled, “Sure, if you beg.”

I pulled a crinkled five out of my bra and slid it across the sleek counter.

“I had no idea you had it in you,” a familiar voice said behind me.

Jason stepped closer, his body brushing against mine.

“I’ll have a Deep Throat.” He motioned to the snarky bartender before turning his attention to me. “Since I didn’t get one earlier.”

“You’re the one who left.” A tight grin spread across my face.