Page 38 of Devoured

“Well, let’s go,” Cash said, smiling.

Cash led us to a stained-glass back door that opened into the backyard. Covered in bright green turf, the fence made it look as if we had disappeared into an American oasis, the white-picket-fence dream that rarely existed. A concrete pathway took us to a separate building.

Inside, Cash pointed to the large heart-shaped hot tub, bubbling with jets. “This is the spa room,” Cash said. “It’s very popular.”

“Isn’t it too hot for a hot tub in the desert?”

“You would think so,” Cash nodded, “but it’s actually pretty good for loosening people up. Or threesomes. Or people who want to get away and relax.” She tilted her head towards me.

Iris glanced at me, but her eyes weren’t accusatory. Instead, they were filled with wonder.

“It’s not my first time here,” I explained. “I’ve been with Cash and a few of the other women here.”

Iris didn’t move. She just stared.

“What?” I asked. “I wanted an escape and I didn’t want a girlfriend.”

Iris shrugged. “I’m not judging.”

After things ended with Lexi in California, I had preferred coming here. It was better than a one night stand with a gold-digging stranger. The women at Bambi’s were forward about their exact costs, and they were less trouble than a girlfriend. I wasn’t ready to trust anyone like that. Not after what had happened.

We circled through the next portion, designed to look like a gym locker room, complete with a working shower off to the side. After that, it was a room with black walls and a black floor, red dim lights in the corners, a giant X covered in leather pads in the middle.

“This is the dungeon,” Cash said.

Iris glanced around, taking in all of the equipment. A large cage. A few impact play toys. Cuffs on the walls.

“No spanking bench?”

“Eh. Ours was kind of old. One of the parties broke it last week, so we’ve got a new one on order.”

“Oh,” Iris said. Then she stopped. “How do you break a spanking bench? Those things are solid wood.”

“That’s what I asked. My regular was real broken up about the fact that I had to strap him to the Saint Andrew’s cross instead.”

“You top?”

“If the price is right,” Cash winked.

Iris smiled, pleased to be sharing the camaraderie with a fellow sex worker. “What’s the process?” Iris asked. “Once a party steps into the room, with the doorbell and all, what do you do?”

“We lineup at the foot of the stairs. Some people know who they want, but if they don’t, we all mingle downstairs. Kind of like you would at a bar. Then once they’re ready to discuss prices, we go to the negotiation room. We split half with the house.”

“Half? Really?”

“It goes towards medical, housing, all of the good stuff.”

“And the prices?”

“Those I’m not allowed to discuss,” Cash said, then she paused, eyeing me, “Unless you two are interested in playing?”

Iris shook her head. “You’re gorgeous. But I’m a little worn out,” she said. “Last night was—”

“A lot,” I laughed. “Maybe next time,” I added.

“I’ll be here,” Cash grinned. “Anyway, after you negotiate, you can select your room and have fun.”

“So how do you handle medical stuff?” Iris asked. “Condoms?”