One thing I like about him is that he is honest and doesn't always tell you what you want to hear.It's nice since I've found out the hard way that once people find out you have money, they become yes-men, not wanting to upset you and be pushed away from what they see as a free ride.
I smiled."Didn't get much sleep."
"Come on, spill it.I haven't seen you this distracted in months."
The waitress comes over and takes our order before I turn back to Hunter.
"I met someone at the club."
Hunter's eyebrows shoot up."Really?You haven't taken a new sub in what, a year?She must be special."
"We're just talking right now," I clarify, though 'special' isn't far off."She's...different."
Hunter studies me for a long time."Different good or differentcomplicated?"
I consider this for a moment."Both.She's intelligent.Self-assured.There's a depth to her that intrigues me."
"And she's hot," Hunter adds with a grin.
"And she's attractive," I concede, accepting my drink from the waitress with a nod of thanks.
Hunter leans forward, resting his elbows on the table."So, when are you seeing her again?"
"Friday night."
"At the club?"
I nod, taking a sip of the sweet tea."She's interested in bondage."
"Your specialty."Hunter's expression turns more serious."Might want to be careful.That's how Carter got roped in."
If it weren't for the smile on his face, I might think he resented Carter for falling in love and stepping back from the club a bit.But Carter is his best friend, and I can tell he's happy for him.
"I've got time over the summer break.All you have to do is ask if you need me," I remind him.He has several of us who are willing to step up and help.
"I will take you up on that.We've got a situation with those photos that leaked from the Virgin Auction."
My mood darkens immediately."I thought we handled that."
"We did, mostly.The coverage died down, but we're hearing rumors that someone's poking around, asking questions.Sawyer thinks it might be law enforcement."
I swear under my breath.The last thing Club Red needs is official scrutiny.We run a clean operation, everything consensual and legal, but that doesn't mean we want cops or feds looking too closely at our membership.Sawyer is an FBI agent and a club member.He works with the founding members to help direct eyes away from the club and give us a warning of anything coming our way.
"What does Mase think?"I ask, referring to our organized crime connection, who is also a founding member.All in all, there are ten of us on the Board right now.Mase keeps his business separate from the club, but his security expertise has been invaluable.
"He's putting out feelers, seeing if he can identify who's asking questions.In the meantime, we're increasing security, especially for events.I'm pretty sure we are still being watched.If this thing with your sub turns into more than just a scene, you need to be smart about it."
I nod, already knowing that.All of us founding members have been taking extra precautions.Being so involved with the club, we have the most to lose.
We spend the next hour discussing contingency plans, potential vulnerabilities, and how to shore up the club's defenses without alarming the membership.By the time lunch ends, I'm mentally exhausted, but confident we've covered all the bases for now.
As we're leaving, Hunter claps a hand on my shoulder."By the way, don't think I didn't notice you dodging my question about your new girl.Just remember what happened last time you got emotionally invested."
I tense slightly."This is different."
"Sure, it is," he says, clearly unconvinced."Just don't lose your head, or your heart, okay?"
I nod more to end the conversation than in agreement.Hunter means well, but he doesn't understand.What I feel for Skye after just one meeting isn't infatuation or simple lust.It's...recognition.As if some part of me has been waiting for her.
