Chapter Nine

Life had turned surreal. Sitting in the luxury of Diana’s chauffeur-driven limo a week later, Tori watched the night lights of London speeding by but saw only a blur. On her way to a posh sex club, the guest of one of London’s reigning society queens, her racing thoughts swirled and blurred with equal speed.

She clutched her long trench coat tightly around body to conceal the too-short black dress Diana had insisted would be considered conservative at Club Exotica. Her dear friend’s micro-mini served as proof that Tori’s attire was demure in comparison.

If word ever got out, it could destroy her career. But Diana had been right—the place was a ghost. No record of it existed on the internet or anywhere that Tori could find. And she had very good resources.

She huffed, a quiet little snort of dismay. What the hell was she doing?

She was out of her mind to even think about setting one foot inside a place like that. She was a respected judge in Her Majesty’s Royal Courts of Justice. And she was on her way to Club Exotica, London’s most exclusive, secret, no-holds-barred sex club!

She’d called Diana the night she broke up with Rupert. Her friend had heartily approved of her dumping the baron. Tori agreed that she had barely avoided another disastrous marriage. It didn’t hurt nearly as much as she’d expected, proof her heart had not been any more involved than her body.

“But I will miss his friendship, terribly.”

“I know, dahling. Although it almost sounds as if the friendship wasn’t real. He wanted you to be what he wanted. Not what you really are.”

“I suppose.” Inside, Tori still hoped they could be friends again, someday.

Diana had invited her to the club again, and while Tori had decided she wanted to see it, she’d told her friend there was no way she was having sex with strangers.

“Just come enjoy a few drinks and some dancing. Think of it as a field trip into the world of sex, but you can be just an observer…literally. We call them voyeurs.” Diana laughed, her sexy, deep-throated mirth evidence of a woman who enjoyed life.

Reluctantly, Tori had agreed to go rather than spend her first Saturday night post-boyfriend home alone.

She tugged on her trench coat, needing the armor against her growing doubts.

She must be out of her bloody fucking mind!

“Ha-lloo in there.” Diana waved her hand in front of Tori’s face. “Have you heard a word I’ve said?”

She blinked. Her palms were sweating, and she wiped them down her thighs. “Um. You know…maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I’m crazy to be going out right after breaking up, especially to a—” She dropped her voice to a whisper so the chauffeur wouldn’t hear. “To a sex club.”

“Don’t worry, Thomas is as discreet as they come.” But Diana pressed a button, and the privacy screen rose. “It’ll be fine, I promise. Even Kate would agree that staying home alone is the worst thing for you right now. So, come see how the other half lives. The carnally fulfilled half.”

But misgivings filled Tori, along with a hefty dose of mortification. “How can you be sure no one will recognize me?”

“Dahling, look at yourself.” Diana flipped a switch, and a hidden vanity mirror lit up.

Tori gazed at herself, stunned. In addition to the spiky high heels and slinky dress, her dangly silver earrings and bright-pink lipstick—also donated by Diana—gave her a youthful look. But the most striking difference was her hair, the glossy blond locks curling and bouncing on her shoulders. She was transformed. Not exactly a femme fatale, but still more sexy and glamorous than she would have thought possible.

She smiled, pleasure taking the edge off her nervousness. “I do look different,” she said, her soft voice filled with wonder.

“Honestly, once you add the mask, I don’t think anyone would recognize you even if you walked through the hallowed doors of the Royal Courts.”

Tori laughed. “If I walked in there looking like this, they’d think I was looking for clients. Sex clients.”

Diana joined her laughter. “Touché, dahling.”

“But what if I get groped, or if some creep won’t leave me alone?”

“The men are all total gentlemen. But if anyone does misbehave, room monitors are everywhere. Just call one over and they’ll take care of it. At Club Exotica, no means no. It’s strictly enforced, and if someone doesn’t follow the rules, they’re booted. Immediately. Membership revoked.”

“That must be quite a scene.”

“No, actually, they take the offender out the back. There’s never any scandalous scenes out front. It’s one of the many rules in the membership contract. The system works well, because no one wants to lose their access to the club, and worse, they’d forfeit their security deposit, a figure large enough to run a small country.” Diana chortled. “I’ve only heard of a booting happening once. And the monthly membership dues are high enough that you only get the highest echelons of power and society. People with enough power, by the way, to ensure…one way or another, that no one dare talk about even the existence of the club, let alone who’s in it.”

“But what about the men? Aren’t they all tossers on the pull? Even if they happen to be very rich and powerful ones?”

“Absolutely not! In order to join, one must have the patronage of another member, and the male-female ratio is kept at fifty-fifty, which works to our advantage, as the men have to work a little harder, so to speak…pun intended.” She grinned and winked.

“I don’t see—”

“Unlike the population at large, our equal ratio means that women can be choosy and guys have to be very nice to us, because there’s always another gent happy to step in.”

Tori shook her head, confusion making her shrug her shoulders.

Smiling impishly, Diana added, “You’ll see. And I think you’ll be very pleased with the selection. They are all—”

“I’m not going to have sex with a stranger,” she reiterated, her pitch emphatic. “I told you that already.”

“I’m just saying you’ll enjoy the eye candy on display, that’s all…and the staff are also delish.”

“Well, I guess there’s no reason not to enjoy looking.” Tori laughed, relaxing a little.

“Exactly! You are just there for a little erotic stimulation, and later in the privacy of your flat you can use your rabbit to enjoy some personal time.”

“My what?”

Diana grinned. “It’s a special vibrator. Yet another great invention from the U.S. You can buy it and more at the club. They have the most charming boutique, the Box & Tackle, or something like that.”

“Seriously? Box & Tackle?” Tori smirked, shaking her head again.

“Tongue firmly inserted in cheek. It’s all in good fun, dahling. You’ll see.”

Tori nodded slowly, unconvinced.

The limo slowed and pulled up to a nondescript town house. An awning-covered walkway, an ornate brass door with a modern, high-tech lock, and a small sign that read “C. E.” were the only signs that the town house might be more than a private home on this quiet Mayfair street.

“This is it?”

They waited for the driver to open the limo door.

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Something more…exotic.”

Diana smiled and led her forward.

Standing before the front door, Diana swiped her ornate ring across the lock, and the door clicked open.

Tori blinked. And frowned.

She needed a closer look at that ring.

But before she could ask Diana, she was ushered inside with a flourish.