BigBadDare (3 page)

“Holy shit! You don't seriously expect me to believe we're going there...do you?” The car jerked into the narrow parking lot, stopping next to the curb for a valet.

“Only the finest for my free time. And for my women.” Garrett looked over at me, landing one more wink.

I stumbled out of the car with him as a tall, gawky valet in neat dress took his keys.

I'd never been so close to The Red Widow. Yet, there it was, in all its glory: five floors of dim colorful lights seeping through the windows like a grounded rainbow, the red carpet rolling past the bouncer duo guarding the doors, a gentle scent like perfume or exotic incense wafting from its low red interior.

Otherworldly. Beautiful. Feast for
all
the senses.

“Seriously, Garrett. I have to ask.” I rushed up to him and let him take my hand for the walk to the door. “How the hell does a tattoo artist afford this?”

“It's easy when you're a co-owner here.”

“Co-owner?” My mouth dropped. “Then...you're not just a tattoo artist?”

“No, my art is a full time job. What goes on here is only a small slice of my life...but a very important one. Lots of benefits beyond a residual income stream too.”

The bouncers nodded politely as we walked past the surging throng lined up outside. Dazzling warmth flooded my head.

Never in a million years did I expect to set foot inside such an elegant, exclusive, and crazy expensive place. And never in a billion ages did I expect to do it with a
co-owner
, VIP of VIPs.

That intoxicating spicy scent grew darker still the instant we were inside. Gentle music throbbed around us. Several neat fat cats older than Garrett and I were parked at the spacious glass bar, half their arms thrown around women who were way too young and good looking to be their wives.

“Your drink order, Mister Foster?” A woman in heels and a leggy one piece that put my outfit to shame came running up. A black lace strip wound around her long neck, almost like a collar.

“You already know what I want, Lucy. Get me one of those, plus anything my date would like.”

The woman's dark eyes only drifted over to me when Garrett motioned. She eyed me with what looked like contempt, a swish of her head away from turning up her nose.

Well, a big 'fuck you' to you too.

“Something with pomegranate, ginger, and whiskey – lots of whiskey – in the tallest glass you can find.”

“May I see some ID?”

Garrett's face hardened. He gave the server a look equal parts warning and disbelief.

I cracked my purse and fished out my wallet. I shoved my license up to her face, letting her get a good, long look. I was used to being carded since I'd only been legal for more than a year, but this was the first time someone had done it just to be a bitch.

“Very good, Mr. Foster. Shall we bring this out to your usual seat or somewhere else?”

“You're gonna give me the pen, aren't you?” Garrett's eyes hadn't softened one iota.

The woman fished a silver pen from her belt and placed it into his hands. She walked away and he tugged at my hand, pulling me forward, toward a tall shiny elevator down the sleek hall.

“What's all this about a pen?”

“It's got a locator inside,” he said, tucking it into his pocket with his free hand. “Not a lot of mix ups here. One of the few changes I brought to his place that really mattered.”

My heels clicked as we stepped into the elevator. All alone, my head was still spinning.

Just how old is he?
I wondered. Old enough to be doing serious business with an exclusive urban club while I was just finishing up High School.

“What do you know about the Red Widow?” He tapped the button for the tenth and highest floor.

“It's very exclusive.” I swallowed, resorting to the obvious. “Best bars in town. I heard people come here from all over the world. Never known anyone who's visited this place first hand. Not a lot of that when you're a lowly first year accountant.”

“Mm, yeah. You're right about all that.”

I frowned at the mysterious twinkle in his eyes. Jeez, what did he want from me? Whatever it was, I couldn't give him anything else.

My knowledge of the place began and ended with what I'd seen in the bar and lobby. I clasped my hands, smoothing my dress, listening as soft notes chimed as we passed each floor.

“You've never heard the rumors then. Good, I knew we'd gotten those leaks under control some time ago.” He smiled, continuing before I could ask what the hell he was talking about. “We came here for a very specific reason, Princess. There's another side to this place most guests don't know about, and even fewer outsiders. There's a different side to me too. Are you ready to see it?”

Ding!

The door split open with a classic ring. Garrett took my hand and led me into a dim, dark chamber.

It was weirdly open. For one thing, there was no bar anywhere against the walls, or even in the center. A fountain sat there instead, serenading the huge room with its echoing waters.

All the walls were lined with big, spacious nooks. I glanced up and saw huge curtains – no, veils –

that could easily be pulled around them, like something from another age.

Several of the spaces had their curtains pulled. If I listened closely, I thought I heard sharp, muffled sounds coming from behind the thick dividers.

“This way. Our table is over in this corner.”

Garrett helped me slide into the massive, circular booth. I wondered why the table was so plush, with little pits around the edges for wooden coasters that had been carefully laid into place.

“Listen closely,” he said, moving in next to me. “What do you think you hear?”

My ears perked up. No, there was no more denying it.

Loud, lurid screams echoed every so often through the burbling fountain. Silent voices, almost speaking in a whisper, suddenly broken by a shark
crack
like a bat connecting with a fat softball. More screams.

Not pain. Not always, at least. Distinct satisfaction – pleasure – echoed in those high, shrill cries.

I started to sweat. There were cries of pain and pleasure all around us. Dark whispers that asked questions and barked orders no virgin should understand, let alone enjoy.

Except me. I was intrigued, curious, and starting to get
a lot
of naughty ideas about my date. I leaned toward the edge of the booth and listened closer, straining to clarify the sounds.

You like that, pretty? I hope you do. Your little ass isn't red enough yet.

Harder. Faster! I know you can do better than that – I trained those lips to suck me just right.

Please! Don't take that fucking hand away from me, Master M. I want it there. On my throat. Please,
Sir, choke me while you drain your balls inside me...

I shifted my thighs together beneath the table. Garrett threw his arms around my neck, pulling me close, running those huge, serious fingers along my soft jaw.

“Well?” He growled softly in my ear. “What is it you hear, Princess?”

“People fucking.”

He grinned and pulled his face away. “Wow. For such an innocent, conservative girl, you've got a mouth like a whip.”

“Maybe I'm not always so innocent.” I matched his smile through my ruby lips.

Our drink order arrived just in time. The same surly waitress pressed a stubby glass of scotch with ice cubes into his hands.

He tipped her a few bills as I received the tallest pomegranate-ginger whiskey I'd ever laid eyes on.

Exactly what I needed to keep up the bad girl facade, or at least make myself drunk enough to sit still without going crazy.

Sweetness and fire curled up my straw, shooting across my tongue. Across the room, a woman screamed louder, whimpering with pleasure as flesh slapped in steady waves.

Yeah, just what I'm thinking about this drink, honey. I'm sure I'd be ready to feel that with Garrett
too, if only I really were a bad girl and not a scared, simpering little virgin underneath.

Only one cure for self-doubt: more alcohol.

“Let's pull this shut.” He said, rising over the table and reaching for the cord angling down from the ceiling. “I only wanted you to hear the music of love in this place once. No need to listen to it the whole time we're here. Everybody needs some privacy.”

The curtains fell, blocking out everything. The faint bluish lights above illuminated his face, painting the fires in his eyes with a thick haze I wanted to get lost in.

“Just you and I now,” Garrett said.

He tipped the tumbler to his firm lips and knocked back his drink in one swig. I was only halfway done with mine, feeling it burning its way through my stomach and straight up to my brain.

“How about that dare?” He raised his eyebrows and slid in closer to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder once more. “I didn't just bring you to this place to talk. How about some one on one time, Jessie? Doesn't the Princess underneath get tired of everyone treating her like a good girl?”

Yes!

“Sure,” I mumbled, licking stray liquor from my bottom lip. “It does get really old. Hell, even I'm getting tired of it. Just one night, I'd like to be a little bad.”

“Then you've come to the right man.”

I laughed. Drunken revery set in, making my arms and legs move with evil confidence. I reached for his collar and pulled.

Garrett locked his hand around my wrist. He tugged me in, kicking the table back, pulling me onto his lap.

Then those huge hands were on my back, blazing up my flesh, searching for the zipper to my dress.

He tugged me closer at the same time he unsheathed me, drawing me in for a kiss.

His lips stroked mine. And I thought the fruity alcohol had a bite! His kiss arced past my lips twice as fast, hot and sultry, streaming straight to the ends of my nerves.

Everything inside me opened at once. My legs, my lips, plowing apart to make way for his tongue, his hands.

Garrett saw his opportunity and seized it. Ruthlessly entitled, without a shred of doubt.

His free hand caught the ends of my hair and tugged. He locked my head in place, pushing his lips harder into mine, flicking his tongue into my mouth and rolling its wonderfully wet length back again.

Tease.

Or so I thought. His next kiss went much deeper, a full force imprint with tongue and teeth and strength.

I gurgled soft pleasure into his mouth. His tongue searched deep, seeking mine. When he found it, he held it down, sucking at my delicate lips, aiming his shocks through my flesh.

“What's the matter, Princess? Haven't you ever been kissed like that before?” He pulled back, staring into my sex starved eyes.

“It's been too long,” I lied. I wasn't going to admit that he was the finest thing I'd ever had my hands and lips locked around.

“And here I wanted to introduce you to something new. Maybe I still can. Stand up.”

The table pushed in further with his legs on it. When the space was clear, he took me by the hand and walked me several steps to the curtain.

I didn't notice the small control panel in the corner until he punched a few keys. There was a soft whirring sound, and the entire booth started to sink beneath the ground, until only the table remained.

The edge of the seats against the wooden wall had been hiding several cabinets. He walked over, gesturing to the table, and unlocked one of the doors with a key from his pocket.

“Lay down. Finish taking off that dress. I'm gonna make your sweet body ache in all the right ways.

We need to work on that pain tolerance. But no needles – I promise.”

I walked to the table's edge and stopped. What the hell was he talking about?

I wasn't a total idiot when it came to BDSM. I'd read books and seen things online. I just never imagined it would end up getting thrown in my face by such a beautiful man.

At least, I thought he was beautiful. But I had no idea how inadequate the word really was until I turned and looked at him again.

Garrett had his neat shirt halfway unbuttoned, his fingers rapidly working away the last ones. He looked down, opened it, and tore it from his body like an unwelcome second skin.

I suppressed a gasp. His muscles were huge, harder and more developed than I even imagined.

He looked up, meager sweat glistening softly on his torso, giving him a gentle glow. The light blazed across him in small sparks, illuminating row after row of tight formed muscles and the hard spaces in between, and – surprisingly – not a ridiculous number of tattoos.

Dark inked stripes went up his biceps, snaking across the shoulders. On his front, he had a circular design with rays arcing out that looked a lot like a small sun above the right breast.

He turned, something in hand, but my eyes were fixed on the long tiger stripes going down his back, rippling out to his sides like detailed fire.

“I know you like what you see, but I asked you to lay down for me, Princess. You gonna listen or do I need to make you?” Strict demands filled his eyes and steeled his muscles.

He brought up what he had hanging in one hand; a silvery set of handcuffs he swung from side to side. Very slowly, Garrett smiled, marinating every inch of my wet, electrified flesh in his intensity.

Can I even say 'no' to this? Would I want to?

“What are you going to do to me?” I whispered.

A slight, but audible scream echoed just outside the curtain. It sent a cold chill up my back, wondering how much agony a man like this would inflict before he brought me pleasure.

“Everything it takes to make you whole. Come on, Jessie. I know you want to have some serious fun, some danger, just like you told me. You want to be the bad girl, right?” He waited for me to nod.

“Good. Then I'm the guy who's here to punish you.”

I inwardly smiled at that, trembling slightly. The full gravity of the situation was starting to explode in my brain, a fuzzy ball drunk on whiskey and rising lust.

I shouldn't be doing this,
I thought as I laid on my back, rolling to my stomach.

My hands went to my shoulders, pushing away the bright fabric he'd started to unwrap. When it was off, I went face down on the padding and promptly closed my legs. I felt like I'd die if he saw how wet I was.