Chase: Think you could Uber here? I’m kind of in the middle of something.
Oh shit. I know what that means. I won’t be seeing Chase until tomorrow, and there is no way I’m going to drop in on their party.
Me: Get my car to my place before eleven tomorrow or I’ll come hunt your ass down.
He gives me a thumbs up and returns to whatever he was occupied with before I texted him.
The gold key sits heavy in my front pocket –where it always is– and as much as I want to fight the urge, the pleasure I have denied myself these past couple of weeks is overpowering.
I order an Uber and quickly dash from her place to the lobby where a car waits by the curb.
I jump inside and as we drive away from the tall building, I watch it fade into the distance and wonder what Valentina would have to say if only she knew my illicit secret.
I slip into the thin, pitch black alley that runsbetween two buildings, looking over my shoulder for eyes that may be watching. I’m sure there are none as it’s very late and the streets of downtown Houston are quiet on Saturday nights. I’ve learned that the crowds find their way to the outer rim of downtown to the trendy areas. There they sit in cigar lounges drinking smoky whiskey, dance to loud bass and flashing lights, or toss back shots with fellow college students.
But me…I creep in the shadows to my own kind of gluttony.
A shiny gold knob and lock sit against a black door set into a black brick wall. The door looks like nothing more than a service door to a business. Little do they know the secrets that lie behind it.
I stick my hand into my right pocket and grip the gold key, the cool metal pressing against my palm. Removing it, I take it between two fingers and slide it into the lock. The red tassel sways when I flip the key and hear the click of the lock opening. With one last look over my shoulder, I open the door and quickly step inside, slamming and locking the door behind me.
It was one thing that was stressed to me when I was first given my key.
“The most important rule of all is toalwayslock the door behind you. Just like your parents taught you to do when you were home alone to keep the bad guys out. Only here, it’s to keep our secrets in.”
I enter into a short vestibule, only a few feet wide, and turn to face the next door. An identical black door stands between me and my clandestine activities. It’s hard to see in the small dark space, but a red light illuminates the small lock, allowing me to use my gold key once more.
Black turns to fire as I’m surrounded by bold redwalls and what looks like blood under my feet. Red lights hang overhead, and a neon sign readingLasciviousin bright red hangs on the wall.
My feet move towards the sound of low music and voices. It’s a sound I’ve come to know well. It’s a sound that gets my blood pumping and my heart pounding. The only feeling that rivals this is the thrill of being on the field.
The large room comes into view and just like last time, bodies are everywhere. Some dressed and some wearing only the thin red string bracelet that anyone who steps foot in here must be wearing.
In some cultures a red bracelet symbolizes protection or good luck. But here at Lascivious, it means sin. It means lust and hunger. A hunger for things that most people don’t want to know or admit they desire.
I walk through the room, scanning for a playmate for the night. Many eyes look my way, all with the same craving. In the corner a woman sits on the lap of an older gentleman. He wears pants but no shirt, and she sits in only a black pair of panties. Thong is my guess since her luscious ass sits plump on his thigh.
“Would you like a drink, Mr. Love?” A waitress strides over to me, her body clad in red nipple pasties adorned with a tassel, red fishnet tights, and fire red heels.
Everything and everyone here looks straight from the devil’s lair. In this crowd, I stand out like a fallen angel in my jeans and white button up shirt and sneakers.
“No thank you. I’m good.” She smiles, batting her lashes and rubbing her thighs together.
“Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.” I dip my chin and dismiss her, walking further into the bowels of debauchery.
I turn my attention back to the woman in the corner and her eyes are still watching me. Her fingers scratch at the man’s chest, but her body is turned in my direction, letting me know he is not what she wants. She captures her lower lip between her teeth and I see her beautiful brown nipples harden.
She tilts her head, leaning into the man and whispering in his ear. He looks at her, somewhat disappointed, and she caresses his face. He nods and places a kiss between her full breasts and she stands. His eyes watch her hips as she sashays away, her destination set on me.
She captures me and I know exactly why. Her dark hair, brown eyes, olive skin…they remind me of a woman I can never have.
As she steps closer, I see that she is barefoot but walks on the balls of her feet as if she is wearing heels on a runway. I smell her sugary perfume when her body stops just inches away from mine, and it’s not what I wish it were. Valentina smelled like a summer day, fresh and sunny with a hint of floral. This woman smells like freshly spun cotton candy. And though I may not have a sweet tooth, sometimes you must take what you can to satisfy a craving.
“Hi,” she whispers, her voice seductive.
“Hi.” I lift my brow, scanning all the fine details of her face.
Her nose is too narrow, making me think it is not original to the owner. Her lips are too plump, and her eyes sit too close together. These are all things I would never have noticed or even cared to pay attention to before Valentina came into my life. Now, all I can do is compare others to her perfection. But hers is a beauty no one will ever touch.
