Absolute Silence

2

Calm down, Cam. You’re getting ahead of yourself. Right. I hadn’t even seen the place yet. As if that would stop me from analyzing all the potential outcomes. I preferred to have a handle on my life at all times. I had control issues, but that was exactly why I’d sought out The Lion’s Den. Because I had a feeling handing over that control to the right person would be more liberating than any meditation or self-help book could ever offer. “Ms. Genovese, how lovely to meet you.” I surged to my feet in response to the deep voice behind me. A devastatingly handsome man in a tux crossed the room to my side, placing a chaste kiss on my knuckles. This was the owner? I’d expected an older man to greet me, but there were no silver temples or wrinkles in sight. Dante couldn’t have been five years older than me, which would put him at twenty-seven or twenty-eight—surprisingly young to own such a lucrative business. I was intrigued but mostly relieved. I’d been worried about finding the other members attractive, but if this man was any indication, I could scratch that concern off my list. “My name is Dante Capello, and I’d be delighted to show you around our little home away from home here at the Den.” He was dashing in a fairy-tale way, as if Prince Charming had stepped straight out of a Disney movie and stumbled into a p**n film. The glint in his obsidian eyes was warm and inviting. Sleek black hair swept gently back, trim on the sides in a debonaire pompadour ’do without a trace of facial hair. Straight white teeth with a perfect smile enchanted while the slight indentation in his chin endeared him as a trustworthy friend. He was the perfect specimen to allure and reassure prospective new members. “Thank you, Dante. And please, call me Camilla.” Heat blossomed in my cheeks. Not surprisingly, being in a s*x club cloaked every exchange in a veil of implied intimacy. He nodded and extended his hand toward the double doors leading into the club. “Shall we?” Here goes everything. I smiled and followed his lead, involuntarily holding my breath as the anterior doors swept open only to reveal an elevator in an empty hallway. “As I’m sure Beth explained when you first spoke, we hold two ideals above all else here at the Den,” Dante explained as we stepped into the elevator. “First is consent. We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding lack of consent by any party. All complaints concerning violations of our consent policy are taken very seriously, and memberships can be revoked at our discretion. Second is privacy. The ground floor houses our administrative facilities while the second and third floors are for members, and we use fingerprint technology to ensure only current members enter. In addition, any mention of other members or activities within the Den is strictly forbidden beyond these walls. No descriptions. No names.” “That won’t be an issue for me.” My eyes lifted to his briefly before dropping back to the panel of buttons on the wall. The elevator doors opened to a wall adorned with a Renaissance-era painting of opulent women swimming or perhaps bathing outside in the nude. While it had surely been a risqué painting in its day, it was tasteful by today’s standards. Nothing else hinted at the club’s existence except a sultry strain of music pulsing from beyond the hall, beckoning us further. “The heart of the Den is just around here. If there isn’t an event scheduled, members engage in group activities in this gathering room.” Dante led me through one last doorway that finally revealed the subject of my single-minded obsession for nearly a year—the inner workings of a s*x club—and it was everything I had imagined. The room centered around a raised dais a foot higher than the rest of the room with a tufted bed-sized ottoman in the middle. Spotlights highlighted the center showcase while more intimate settings were created in the various seating areas surrounding the stage decked out in luxurious jeweltoned fabrics. The walls on either side of the grand room were lined with glass and mirrors. A couple of servers drifted through the room with drink trays, stopping to check with members who weren’t otherwise engaged. Some were fully dressed, talking quietly on sofas in groups of two or three as if oblivious to the sensual acts of eroticism going on around them. Some blatantly watched the few bold adventurists providing the night’s entertainment. Dotted here and there throughout the room were scenes of erotic pleasure being played out. A woman with her halter top dress draped down around her waist with a man lavishing her breasts with attention. A fully naked threesome with two men penetrating a woman from both ends. I hadn’t sought out the club in the interest of voyeurism, but I had to admit, watching was highly arousing. My inner muscles clenched, and warmth pulsed in my belly. “It’s still early, so things aren’t in full swing yet,” Dante explained. “Let me show you to our private rooms, then we’ll head upstairs.” We slipped back out the door into the hallway and rounded a corner leading to a series of doors the length of the corridor. “These rooms are leased yearly by members for an additional fee. While we do have a camera system discreetly placed in the main Den purely for security purposes, these rooms are one-hundred-percent private. A few private rooms on the third floor can be reserved for the night on a firstcome, first-serve basis for no additional cost.” He used a key card to open the first door. The space resembled a large bedroom containing a bed and a chest of drawers. A large wooden b**m cross equipped with restraints sat opposite the bed. While there were recessed lights, several lamps gave the option for a more intimate setting. All the finishes were tastefully coordinated and appeared to utilize superior quality products. The large rectangular room was capped off on the far end with a wall almost entirely filled with a murky window looking out over the Den playroom. “The rooms can be outfitted to the member’s tastes. This one is currently available as the prior occupant relinquished the lease. The best part about these rooms is they can be as interactive as the member desires.” Dante pushed a button by the door, and the coating on the window slid aside to reveal a perfectly clear sheet of glass. Several sets of eyes glanced in our direction, noting the change. “You can switch between a one-way mirror or a regular window. Should you want complete privacy, the blackout curtains can be drawn.” He motioned to the heavy drapes framing the window.