Page 68 of All Your Lies

“Could have fooled me.”

I cross my arms over my chest in defense. “What makes me so awful?”

As she brings her hand up, I brace myself for what’s coming, knowing she’s about to tally my mistakes. Her middle finger comes up first.

“You lied about your identity.”

“That was—”

“I’m not done. The cameras were a huge invasion of my privacy, and you breaking into my place at night was unacceptable.”

“All things you enjoyed.”

“Still not done.” She bites her lip and looks anywhere but at me before continuing. “My virginity.”

I regard her with confusion. “What about it?”

“You took it, dick, and it wasn’t memorable in a good way whatsoever.”

“You mean...”

“Yep. My first time was awful. Thanks.”

“It was my first, too.”

“Your first what?” She quirks a brow.

“My first time.”

“I don’t want to hearall your lies, Gage. They won’t make me feel any better.”

“I’m not,” I say as I blow out a breath. I think back to Halloween and grimace as I think of the way I thrusted into her so ruthlessly. It probably hurt like a motherfucker. “I’m so sorry, I—”

“You know, it’s kind of hard to believe, considering you own a sex club.”

“The club isn’t what you think.”

“So you’re saying it’s not a sex club? Could have fooled me with all the, I don’t know, sex rooms.”

“It is, but I built it with reasons...”

“I’m not following.”

I sigh. This isn’t what I wanted to talk about with her today.

“My father brought me to the Stockade for years. I watched his men bring young women in under the guise of a fun time after they had one too many drinks at a bar or club. They were into it until they weren’t. Until they understood there were only two ways they would leave: in a bag or as someone’s property. I burned the Stockade down because of what it represented, but I still understood the necessity of providing a place for like-minded people to come and explore their desires in a safe, consensual space.”

She eyes me suspiciously. “And where do you fit into all of this? What’s the sex club for you?”

“I like the money, and I’m fascinated by control. Maybe because I had none.”

I stop at that. Though those are important, my primary reason was to ensure I could meet her needs and desires, both physically and emotionally, without her realizing my insecurities since I was so inexperienced. I wanted her to crave my touch. To lean into my dominating presence while begging me for more.

“Well, I’m sure you could achieve that in other ways.”

“I...” My gaze shifts for a moment. I need to get my shit under control. My patience is slipping, and the need to lay everything out, bare, including my heart, is taking precedence over the rejection I will most likely receive because of how epically I’ve fucked this up.

I take a deep breath. Fuck it, I’ll talk to her through not only these eyes but the eyes of the boy who was her friend first.