Page 111 of Start With A Slap

“Yeah. But it’s nevertootight.” She giggled. “It’s a loose noose.”

“Wow,” she said again, putting on a half smile. “Is he hot?”

“I guess? I mean, he’s not really my type, but he’s good looking for an older...” Citrine caught on to Ivy’s not-so-subtle clues and whispered, “Oh my god, is that your thing? He wouldloveyou.”

Ivy actually did blush then. “Well, I?—”

“No, I’ll totally set you up!” She amended, “Ifhe ever calls again. It’s been like two months, and Skip — Mr. Masterson? — he’s losing his mind, this guy is our biggest regular client.”

“Two months,” Ivy repeated. Around the time that she met him.

“And he’s been seen around town so it’s not like he’s away, you know? But if he does come back—I love the paycheck, but sometimes I need a break from him, to be honest… So if he comes back, I’ll give you one of the weeks.”

“Well, not if he’stooscary. I’ve never… I mean, how far does he go?”

“Okay, well first, he makes you crawl to this whip on his floor. You pick it up with your teeth and you put it in his lap. You’re not allowed to talk or use your hands, so you get him hard, like, with your mouth? And then he opens this wall to this creepy BDSM room. I mean, if you’re into that stuff it would probably turn you on, but I got super scared when I first saw it. I thought he was gonna kill me.”

Ivy knew the feeling. “That must have been terrifying.”

“Yeah, but I’ve never heard of him using half the stuff in there. I think he just wants to seem scarier than he is.”

Profound relief flooded her body, but she stayed in character. “That’s... kind of evil. And so far I’m completely into him.” She laughed with Citrine, glad to have convinced her. “What happens next?”

“Next, you crawl in there and sit on this big vibrating dildo while he whips you...”

“Does it hurt?”

“Well, yeah. It’s a whip, I mean... It’s not a pillow.” They laughed. “While he’s whipping you and calling you names?—”

“What does he call you?” Ivy asked.

“Stupid blonde bitch, lying whore, degenerate cow, stuff like that.”

So, clearly Sever had found a way to continually punish Roxie for provoking him. Because he was evil, and in his eyes, her murder was her own fault. “Your standard sweet nothings.”

“Ha, exactly. While he’s doing that your neck is in this noose that hangs from the ceiling. It’s kinda lax at first, but then he pulls it a little tighter while you give him head.”

“Does he use the knives?”

“Oh, yeah…” She looked up and to the left with a squint. “I mentioned the knives?”

Shit, did she? Ivy’s heart pounded. “I thought that’s what you said… maybe I misheard? Or I just imagined it…” She held up her drink. “I’m a lightweight.”

“No, I must have because he’s definitely got those. He does use them, but he just slides it around your body like he’s gonna use it, then he cuts the rope.”

She remembered the moment he cut her rope on the plane. “That all sounds really dangerous.”

“Yeah. That’s why you sign all these papers. Will not hold liable, blah blah blah...”

Are you fucking kidding me, Sever?“So it’s okay if he kills you?”

Citrine shrugged. “He hasn’t killed anyone yet.”

Except maybe the mother of his child.

“He’s careful, you know? He’s got to be.” Citrine sipped her drink. “Anyway, the money is amazing. And once you relax and understand exactly what he wants, it’s totally easy. Plus afterwards, he wraps you up in soothing towels and lets you rest for a while. Kinda like a spa. So he’s not all bad, you know?”

Feeling queasy again, Ivy could only nod.

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