“Name it,” Penelope said. “You know we trust you.”
River cleared his throat and sat forward a bit. “We need a masochist or two to recommend Shay to approach us.”
I inclined my head. “It has to be someone who can let Shay know that Riv and I don’t always play by the rules.” Which…wasn’t all that far from the truth. For events and whenever we were around our friends in the community, it went without saying that we followed the terms of use we’d set up together. But behind closed doors…? What we did was our business. “I know Cameron has recommended us to Shay, but for all we know, he’s wary of us because of our position here.”
Colt and Luke glanced at each other, perhaps silently communicating whether they knew someone who might fit the bill.
“My ex-girlfriend,” Penelope said, nodding pensively. “I can give her a call. She’s an adrenaline junkie like you guys.” I remembered her. Isela was fun. “Is Shay active online?”
“Sometimes,” I responded. “I’ve seen him reply in the S/M threads.”
“I have a casual partner in another community I can talk to as well,” Lucian said. “He’s a pain slut.”
“We need more of those with us.” I sat down again, thankful for our friends and the trust we placed in one another.
“How can you be sure this is gonna work?” Greer asked, speaking up for the first time. Like River, he preferred to observe. “I’m not even talking about your little trap. We’ve seen you attract flies with vinegar, so I don’t doubt you there. But if Shay’s already found an outlet in illegal cage fights, what makes you think he’ll go for a Sadist?”
“He renewed his membership the other day,” I replied. “Fifty bucks a month isn’t chump change.”
River sought out my hand under the table, and I knew what he wanted me to add, but I squeezed back, conveying I was handling this. It was enough that he and I knew the other reason Shay probably hadn’t given up on finding a Sadist was…well, if you wanted to be punished, you didn’t want to fight back.
“He hasn’t attended any events at the house in Mclean, has he?” Luke wondered.
I shook my head. “No, I checked all the attendance files since he became a member in March.”
The snack platters looked too good to just waste away in the heat, so I started filling a plate with some nachos, buffalo wings, cheese, and fruit.
“Riv and I will be at the White Rose event on Friday,” I said. It was a biweekly kink party another community hosted at a club here in Logan Circle. “Shay is listed to attend.”
“I’m sure my play partner will be there too,” Lucian said. “He’s part of their inner circle. I’ll give him your number in case you need a second person to talk to Shay.”
Solid plan.
* * *
Half an hour outside of DC was my reason for avoiding going into the city. When our closest friends had shown their enthusiasm for starting a new kink community, Riv and I had taken out a mortgage to buy what had become our home and playground.
With River in his truck in my rearview, I sped up along our private road until the trees parted and revealed our three-story Victorian looming on top of a small hill. Painted black and appearing sufficiently old, the sight alone was enough to scare some of the subbies who visited. Just the way we liked it.
I rounded the circular drive in front of the house and drove into the carport to the left. There was space for a dozen cars, which was an average Friday crowd when there was no particular event, just kinksters coming out to have fun. Right now, there was only one other vehicle. A rigger and his rope bunny were preparing for a bondage demo tonight.
River parked next to me and stepped out. “Any other obligations today?”
I shook my head. “I gotta start inventory tomorrow, but today I’m just gonna plant my ass in the pool and throw a couple steaks on the grill.”
“Thank fuck. I’m tired of people.”
I smiled faintly, and we left the carport and trailed up toward the house. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that most of our guest rooms were booked for the rest of August, starting after the weekend. Our members knew the drill and rarely required any attention, but one of us had to be present just in case. This weekend, Penelope and Lucian would be in charge.
Skipping the house altogether, we walked up alongside it instead until we reached the back. Classic rock music was already pouring out from the club area inside, so that was one less thing we had to set up for a day of chilling by the pool. The large wooden deck was abandoned, but I spotted two towels hanging over the sofa in one of the two seating areas. Our members must’ve taken a break to cool off. Couldn’t blame them.
River excused himself to get beers from our place and veered left. Six A-frame cabins sat along the tree line as permanent getaways for those of us who’d started the community. Riv and I were the only ones who’d made our cabin our home, though.
I peered into the club area through the open patio doors and spotted the two bondage kinksters discussing something over by the St. Andrew’s Cross.
I let them be.
On my way across the deck, I adjusted the cover on one of the hot tubs and surveyed the seating areas. I’d pulled out all the cushions earlier today, and I didn’t think I needed to stow them away anytime soon. The weather was going to be sunny throughout the weekend. Then I ducked into the patio shed—an extension of the house that’d become a supply closet as
