The Pleasure Room (29 page)

“One thing and I can't stress this shit enough. If he asked you if you knew about any of this before writing the story... you are going to have to lie to his ass. Take that shit to the grave with you. Playing innocent is the only way this plan will work. If you want... and this is if ya'll's relationship is doing well and you've got kids and been married twenty years... then you can tell him the truth. You may even laugh about it, but not now,” Allison warned.

Felicity's shoulders sunk. “Oh God, I hope I can lie to him. Geez, I hate that I'm even thinking about lying to him.”

“Damn girl, you only been dating a month! You've been lying about your name, what's one more?”

“I know, it's just he knows so much more about me. And he's really good at spotting tells.”

“'Spotting tells'? Who the fuck is this dude, 007?” Allison laughed.

“No,” Felicity snapped, and lightly slapped Allison's arm.

“Hey, don't be getting violent just cause I made fun of your lie-detecting boyfriend.”

“I'll work it out,” Felicity said, mainly to herself to boost her confidence. “Okay, so just so we're on the same page. Alistair already said he'll be at the club, so that means I'll already be at the club by the time I have to get the evidence. I'll use the lipstick camcorder you gave me. It's even better than pictures. I can take pictures from the footage anyway. After about a minute or so of recording, I grab the camera and make it back to Alistair. I'll do it quietly, that way my source can claim innocence, too. We look at the footage tomorrow, and with that, we can both write the story.”

“No, wait, make the footage and pictures first, then mail it to the
Chicago Word
with your name on it. Then we sit back and write the story,” Allison said.

“Ah, yes. I do need that proof to come to me anonymously.”' Felicity nodded. “We take the story to the editor and only him. Let him know we do have the info to prove it. He publishes it and we see our positions rise. I deal with my boyfriend later... much later. He doesn't have to know it was me right away.”

“No he doesn't.” Allison said. “besides, it's not like you knew it was his club the guy was at, right?”

Felicity nodded absently as she thought about it.

“Felicity, that's the part you need to take to the grave with your ass. That you didn't know the footage came from his club since someone mailed it to you,” Allison stated. “I know you don't want to. But it's a small lie that you need to hold on to if you don't want to ruin your relationship.”

“I know, I know. I get it. He's just such a great guy. You'll see once you meet him.” Felicity smiled , thinking about Alistair.

“Oh, I bet. His dick must be magnificent. I mean, it's got to be legendary, Hall-of-Fame bound and Guinness Book of World Records all rolled up in one. Your nose is open wide enough to push the planet Saturn through,” Allison taunted. “He's got your ass cock-slapped.” She busted out with laughter.

Felicity flipped her the middle finger. “You're a bitch, and I need you to know that,” she remarked, then she frowned, confused. “What the hell is 'cock-slapped' anyway?”

“The female version of 'pussy-whipped',” Allison said.

“Oh, fuck you!” Felicity shooed her away and turned around to her desk.

Allison continued to laugh as she returned to her own work.

~*~

Throughout the rest of the day, Felicity was nervous and teetering on the edge of bailing out. Every time she thought about giving up, she thought about what Allison had said. If she was willing to tell one white lie and hold on to it for dear life, she could make it work. She could be someone important in her field and keep the man of her dreams by her side. Allison gave her a hug and a few whispered words of encouragement before they'd parted their ways. It was all going to be on her tonight. She had to make sure she was available during her window of opportunity. If she wasn't. That would be it. A part of her wanted it to fail and for it not to be her fault. The other part of her felt like she was punking out. How can she expect to make it as a serious investigative reporter and not take a risk? Not be willing to make the hard decisions.

“Get your shit together, Felicity. It'll be game time soon,” she said to herself as she drove home.

No doubt, Alistair would have another outfit laid out for her that he'd want to see her in when she arrived at the club. Some hot little leather or vinyl number he was well versed at purchasing for her. The last time she went to the club, he wanted her to wear a leather bra top and hot pants with a zipper opening for easy entry to her crotch. She wasn't sure if he knew just how nervous the outfit made her. She wasn't too keen on having a zipper that close to her pubic hair or vagina, for that matter. Although, when he unzipped them, his face pushing between her thighs right there on the leather benches of the public dungeon, his tongue bringing her to a life-altering orgasm... well the zipper's placement cease to matter.

“Hi, Bernard,” Felicity greeted as the butler opened the front door and stepped aside.

“Good evening, Ms. Davenport,” Bernard said, pleasant as always.

“Is he home?” she asked.

“I'm sorry, ma'am, you've just missed him. He did want me to pass along a message.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“He wanted you to meet him at A Porterhouse Elm and wear the outfit he picked for you. Also, he did say bring a toy,” Bernard reiterated with a facial expression so calm, Felicity had no way of knowing what he thought about her or his boss' extracurricular activities.

“All right, thank you, Bernard.” Felicity smiled then continued to make her way into The Pleasure Room to see what outfit Alistair had laid out and to pick a “toy” to play with. She entered the room and  saw the outfit he wanted her to wear sitting on the leather table like always. A leather strappy harness with Velcro flaps over the breast and crotch areas. There were matching leather strappy gauntlets and heels. She picked the outfit
up and looked at it.

“Kinky bastard,” she mused with a playful grin. She went into the bathroom, prepared herself then quickly dressed. She walked over to her personal  toy shelf, giving all of the objects a good look. She decided on a Hitachi vibrating massager, picking up the device and slipping it inside her purse. “I may regret this, but what the hell.”

Before leaving, she made sure she had her lipstick camcorder and that it was fully charged. She snatched up her ID, membership card and keys and left, driving toward the club. While still en route, her cell started ringing. She looked at the caller ID and answered.

“What's up Jason?” she greeted, slightly confused as to why he was calling. She hoped his source wasn't bailing out... like she was trying
not
to do. The more the other players kept their nerve, the easier it was for her to keep hers.

“What'd I tell you about using my name?”

“Sorry.”

“I let it slide before, but shit's getting real, and I need you to remember the top secret code.”

“Okay. Sorry,” Felicity said again. She couldn't understand why he was so nervous about her using his name. It wasn't as if their telephone conversations were being recorded.  “I won't do it again. So, why'd you call?”

“I just wanted to catch you before you went to the club.”

“Why. Please tell me she's not bailing out?”

“No. She's totally game. She thinks he's an asshole that's why she's breaking it off with him. She doesn't feel it's right to dislike your sub, ya know.”

“Why did she become his Dominatrix anyway if she didn't like him?” Felicity couldn't help but ask. What little experience she had in the scene, she never met a Dom or Domme who didn't genuinely care for their subs.

“Well, their relationship isn't like the others you see at the club.”

“Oh, that's right. She gets paid to deal out the abuse. Still, there has to be some kind of connection?”

“Yep, there is, but it's easy not to get attached when money is involved. It's a business that brings her great pleasure. I think with the mayor, though, business is going bad. From what she's told me, he was all right in the beginning. She thought he was cute, but as time passed, he's starting to cross her comfort zones and I think she's afraid he's getting too clingy and kind of repulsive.”

Felicity's curiosity was really peaked now. “Was it sexual repulsion?”

“Not at first. I think it's mainly personality-wise. I do know that he wants her to start doing crazy shit she doesn't normally do, not for any amount of money. She also doesn't think a man like him needs to be in office,” Jason said.

Oh right, back to the real issue at hand.
“A lot of people feel that way. That's why we're doing this.”

“I came to you with this because I don't want her to be with a man that's starting to scare her and creep her out. You were the only person I knew of that I felt I could trust with this story,” Jason reminded.

 “I know, I didn't forget. So why did you call?”

“My source was concerned about tonight. She wants to make sure you don't get discovered taking pictures of them. She's wants this to be as covert as possible. So she's wondering if you could just slip in and leave the camera with her.”

“I don't think so. How can I trust her to even let it record?”

“My source isn't a liar,” Jason snapped, obviously insulted.

“Geez, calm down. You may trust her, but I don't even know her name. I can't even get in contact with her. What guarantee do I have that she'll even hand over the evidence?” Felicity pointed out.

“I'm giving you my word, I'm asking you to trust me. I've been keeping my part and helping you every step of the way. I need you to do this for me, for her.”

“I am trusting you, Ja—J, but you aren't the one I'm leaving my camera with.”

“True. But I'm also asking you to extend that trust to my source. She'll follow through.”

Felicity sighed. “So let me get this straight. Between eight and nine tonight, I'm supposed to sneak into her room while she's with the mayor. Quietly place the camcorder on the floor and leave it there?”

“Exactly. She'll discreetly pick it up and give it to me tomorrow. I'll drop it off--”

“--Mail it instead. Mail it to the
Chicago Word
care of Allison Thompson.”

“Okay, I'll do that. I won't put a return address if that's all right with you.”

“Just make sure you have it signature confirmation. I need for someone to sign for it.”

“I can do that,” Jason said. “So, are you cool with that plan?”

“I don't have a choice, do I?”

“No, not really. If you had said no, she was going to pull out.”

“Then, yes, I'm cool with the plan,” Felicity said.

“Good luck. Talk to you later.”

“Talk to you later.” Felicity hung up and huffed. “His damn source is more trouble than she's worth,” she said to herself. She thought about the newest change and if all worked perfectly, she'd really be able to pull this off. She pulled into the members-only parking lot and climbed out. The cold temperatures were acutely felt under her trench coat considering her lack of clothing. She wasted little time running in her five-inch heels inside.

By now, the employees knew exactly who she was and they were pleasant as she passed by them giving greetings. Quickly, she went upstairs towards Alistair's office, and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” he beckoned.

Felicity opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her.

Alistair looked up, smiling. “Do you have something for me?” he asked, his silky voice as sexy as ever.

Felicity bit her bottom lip and nodded. Slowly, her fingers undid the belt around her waist, then each button. Finally, she opened her trench coat, revealing the outfit he bought for her.

Alistair leaned back into his chair, smiling appreciatively at her as his eyes trailed over her figure. “It's even better than I'd imagined. You look... so fucking good.”

“That's all you have to say to me? Use your ginormous library of words, you English gent and be creative,” Felicity teased.

“Oh my, have I been too lenient with you as of late, Felicity?”

“What?”

“One and Two.”

It took her a minute to grasp what he was talking about, but then it dawned on her. “Oh, no, sir. Forgive me Alistair. I forgot that this was not one of our 'date nights', sir.” Felicity said, remembering their protocol.

“That's better. Now to answer your question, sometimes the most honest words one can use to express oneself lean more toward vulgarity,” he pointed out then rose from his chair making his way around his desk. “Did you bring a toy?”

Felicity nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Let me see what you picked out. I hope it isn't anything that would displease me.”

Felicity frowned. “Why would a toy you purchased for me, by the way, displease you, sir?”

“Because, my dear, I purchased a promising selection of toys for you from beginners to advance. You are far from your humble beginnings, so I expect your choice to reflect that,” Alistair said.

Now Felicity was nervous. She was thinking about the pleasure aspect of the toy, not the 'pushing limits' option. Of course, what she picked out could very well be used to do both. She was hoping it was be the former, but having earned herself two infractions, she was thinking it was going to be the latter. As long as she was able to get to that secret room in time, it could all still work out.