Page 133 of Beautifully Ruined

“Hey. It’s okay, you know? The club, it’s okay.”

Her eyes go big. “You’re not going to mention it at work, are you?”

“No, why would I do that?”

She swallows, “Please, please promise me you’ll keep the fact you saw me there a secret.”

“Of course, I will.” I lean forward. “I was there, too. And I’m not about to go around telling people I saw you at one of the most secretive and exclusive sex clubs in New York.”

“I don’t want to get fired.”

“If you get fired, so do I. But, Macy, I’m not about to tell a soul. It’s no one’s business what either of us like.”

She nods and seems to relax a little. “It just shocked me. You don’t look the type, and I haven’t seen you there before.”

I force a small laugh. “Well, you don’t look the type, either. And you’re right, I haven’t been there before. I got invited as a guest, a guy I see…”

I choose my words carefully. I don’t want to say boyfriend, but I don’t want to lie because lies in these situations can backfire. Like if Cade comes into work or she sees us together. I don’t want to make it sound like it was a one off, and I don’t want to announce we’re together.

But the word ‘see’ can mean anything from sex with benefits, casual date, or hookup to something more. So, I leave the interpretation in her court.

“Thing is now I’ve been in there and know you know it, I’m intrigued about the club. It was my first time.”

She looks at me. “Did you like it?”

“I loved it. And I’d love to know more.”

It’s the wrong thing to say, and Macy frowns. “Why? What about the guy? He’d be able to tell you more.”

“Well…” I shrug as I try to find the right ambiguous words when Macy speaks again.

“A guy might be able to help you find what you like.”

Shit, I’m losing her. “It’s not that. I know what I like. It’s just…asking isn’t exactly easy. Not him, anyway. Not the things I want to know.”

“Oh, my god. You’re interested in working there, aren’t you?”

I want to hug her for giving me the perfect in. A job, or an interest in a job gives me leeway to poke and prod and find out everything I want to know. I hope.

So, I nod slowly, looking down into my wine. “Yes, exactly. How…how could you tell?” I flick my gaze back up at her. “Am I that obvious?”

Macy smiles, a little more relaxed. “No, not really, not to most, anyway. Not to me, even. I thought…I don’t know what I thought. I just don’t expect to see people I know there, so I was thrown, but thinking about it…it gets more obvious.”

“How do you get a job there?” I shift so I’m on the edge of my seat. “How did you get involved with the place? It’s super exclusive, so it must be almost impossible to get into for a job, too, at least that’s what I’ve been led to believe.”

My breath catches as I wait for her response, and I force myself to sit back and relax as much as possible. I take a sip of my wine. Then I add, “Is the money good?”

“Better than good.” She frowns a little. “Are you sure this is something you want to do? Your career?”

“I’ve no intentions of doing anything in the public eye, and…” I look down into the pale golden liquid as I shrug. “And I also want to indulge in my desires somewhere safe.”

I glance up at her. “I figured one of the most secretive and exclusive clubs in the city offers that.”

“It does.”

“I guess after being there, I thought…”

“How do you get in for a job?” Macy nods. “That’s how I was, too. I—I actually got involved through someone else at work.”