Beautiful Lies (Dark Secret Society 2)

I didn’t think I could have done it in front of any other man. But Sully was different. He was annoying and infuriating and obviously had no respect for me. I didn’t care what he thought. In fact, no one’s opinion in this entire place mattered one iota in the scheme of things.

So, I stood naked except for the collar and refused to hang my head, be embarrassed, or feel shame. Sunday School be damned. Those pious bastards at church never once reached out to help me or my family in our time of need no matter how many times the pastor preached that it was the church’s mission to care for the poor and downtrodden. I eventually got so disgusted by the hypocrisy I quit going.

Screw it. I didn’t owe anyone anything except my family. They needed me. And no matter how Sully tried to shame me, I wouldn’t let it touch me. I didn’t know how many times I’d have to repeat it to myself, but I whispered it internally at least one more time before Sully and I headed downstairs:

For my family, I would do anything.

Absolutely anything.

I braced myself.

I prepared mentally.

At least I thought I had.

But the sheer amount of flesh that hit my eyes all at once when we got to the bottom of the stairs…

I’d never seen so many naked people. Sprawled on sumptuous settees. Arched over armchairs. Buttocks up on special benches that seemed both created for the occasion and yet also antique? How long had people been up to this kinky stuff I’d never even known about?

I blinked in shock.

“Close your mouth, baby bird. It’s not like you’re a virgin,” Sully whispered in my ear.

I slammed my mouth closed at that and glared at him. Of course not, I hadn’t been a virgin. But still, before all this, I’d barely ever seen anyone naked. The few boyfriends I’d had—well, we’d never exactly done it with the lights on, ya know.

Most of the guys I’d dated also lived with their families. We were all dirt poor so we took it where we could get it. Back seats of cars usually. Sometimes in a back shed. Up in one guy’s fairly sturdy treehouse that had been in his parents’ backyard since he was a kid. And yes, it was weird looking at the crayon stick drawings of his family tacked to the wall as he drilled in and out of me.

But still, none of that could have prepared me for this.

The white ballroom was packed, but instead of the floor being empty like it had been for the Initiation ceremony, it was full of furniture. Even more furniture than I’d seen at first glance.

Men lounged in daybeds, cloaks unfurled all around them as beautiful young women bobbed up and down between their legs.

Over in the corner, another woman was tied to a large wooden X, where three men took turns flogging her. She squirmed and screamed out in ecstasy for “more!”.

While I was still taking it all in, a man approached. He was older, skinnyish, but he had multiple folds of pale skin hanging from his chin like a turtle come out of its shell. He didn’t bother with any niceties. His beady blue eyes were only on me. Actually, his beady blue eyes were only on my body. I don’t think his gaze ever lifted north of my chest.

He didn’t even introduce himself. He just immediately reached out and grabbed my nipple, squeezing and twisting hard.

I slapped him and yanked away.

All movement in the room stopped.

Oh shit.

That was bad.

I hadn’t meant to do it. It was just an impulse. Anything to get the slimy old man’s hands off me. But by the sour expressions on the faces all around me, I’d apparently committed a big secret society faux pas.

Turtle Neck turned angry eyes on Sully. “Care to explain the disrespectful actions of your pet? If it can’t mind its elders, you shouldn’t bring it out in public.”

It?

Okay, I’d expected some misogyny, but this bastard took the cake. He was obviously only in the Order because no woman in her right mind would ever fuck him without being heavily incentivized to.

I looked up to Sully, expecting… I didn’t know what I was expecting.

But it wasn’t the carefully carved expression of amusement on his features. It wasn’t like when we were alone together in the bedroom and he gave me shit. I’d swear there was an angry intensity underneath the casual amiability he was putting on.

He slapped the man on the shoulder who’d just assaulted me. “Of course, George. But those cataracts of yours must be acting up again. Because if you lean in and look closely, you’ll see she’s wearing a red collar, not white. She’s mine to share with whom I wish. She’s not a free-for-all buffet. And I’ve decided not to give you permission to touch my lovely jewel tonight.”