Page 54 of Start With A Slap

A sex club.That’s where Aidan’s ‘change of plans’ had led them.

And not just any sex club, but abondage-themed sex club.Chock full of sadists and masochists and latex and leather and chains — and did she mention the sex happening everywhere?

Glimpsing a woman whipping a naked man on a wheel, then —oh god, are they...? yes they are— Ivy turned to Sever and projected over the thudding music, “Did you put him up to this?”

“I’m just as appalled as you are.” Sever was smiling at a couple of naked, writhing girls backlit in blue. “Pretty, aren’t they?”

“I don’t know,” she said snippily, “it’s hard to tell from this angle.”

The blonde glanced his way and gave them come-hither eyes. “She reminds me of you.”

She was an Amazon with a little button nose. “Are all blondes just interchangeable pieces of ass in your world?”

He frowned at her. “Are you jealous?”

“No. No, I’m not. I’m thrilled. Fuck her all you want. Makehercling and beg and wake up smiling and whatever else you had planned for me. Please.”

He caught her wrist. “Ivy.”

“What, Sever? What? I can’t—”I can’t fight you anymore.“I have to go. Have fun with the pretty lesbians.”

“I don’t want—!” He breathed out through flared nostrils. “I don’t want them.”

“Well you can’t haveme! Okay? I’m not a fucking calculation, I’m not an interchangeable blonde, and I’m not some... joke you can have with your friends! I’m a person, I’m in love with someone else, let me go!”

Ivy slipped away from him and ran into Aidan.

“Where are you off to?”

“I um...” She fought back a lump in her throat. “I have to go.”

“Go? You just got here. Come with me to the bar. We’ll have a drink; you can tell me your troubles.”

“She doesn’t want another drink, mate,” Sever said. “Leave her be.”

“Right, I forgot; Sever Mark, ever the advocate for women’s sobriety.”

“Whatdid you just say?”

Whoa. She’d never seen him so bellicose.

They were nearly chest-to-chest as Aidan said, “You heard me.”

“Hey, hey,” Max said, pushing them apart. “Everybody calm down. We’re all a little overhappy tonight. I’m sure he didn’t mean it about... anyone in particular.”

“Oh, I meant it.”

Sever lunged at Aidan. They were quickly held back by other members of the group.

Ivy didn’t stay to find out what they were fighting about or how it ended — this was her chance to escape. She hurried out of the club, past the bouncer, down the passageway, and to the door.

The rain was coming down hard outside.

“Shit,” she said, ducked back inside and took her phone out of her clutch to call a cab.

Jason - 3 messages

Her hands trembling, she clicked the messages.

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