Autumn arrived, but other than it cooling off earlier at night, I barely noticed summer had officially ended.
On Tuesday, after a lengthy discussion with Ruby about a potential new customer, I told her to book her in with me. Juliet normally took on the clients who liked a little something extra with their massage, but I didn’t feel like she was up to taking on this woman.
Even if she was, I wouldn’t have let her. This one was for me. Six foot tall and solidly built, Caroline was going to be a treat.
I stepped out of my office and smoothed down my skirt. The scent of clean laundry hung in the air, and the gentle hum of washers and dryers competed to be heard over the blood roaring in my ears. Despite my bravado, I was a ball of nervous energy.
With one last fortifying breath, I pulled open the door separating the back rooms from the front and stepped into the main hub of the business. The din of people talking hit me at the same time as the smell of acrylic. Ruby was cleaning up her workstation, and a provocatively dressed woman with blonde hair and green eyes sat on the sofa flicking through a magazine.
“Caroline?” I asked as if I didn’t know better.
“That’s me.” Caroline extended a hand, and I took it. Her grip was firm, a little too firm, as if she was trying to assert her dominance. That wouldn’t last long.
“Right this way, please.”
Cynthia and Ruby both shot me a nervous glance, and I resisted the urge to grit my teeth. I’d instructed them to act normal. I walked past the room Juliet was currently in, one of our regular massage rooms, and paused at the door dividing the front of the business from the back.
I rested my hand on the knob and looked back at my client.
“Dragonfly,” Caroline said, her smile transforming her features from calculating to eye-catching.
‘Dragonfly’ was code for someone who had inside information to what we did, normally given to them by one of the staff or a trusted client. Libellule’s was also named after Victoria’s love of dragonflies.
“Well done.” I pushed open the door. “After you.”
“Thank you.” Caroline stepped through, and I followed closely behind.
“In here.” I paused. “Would you like me to give you a minute to get undressed?”
“Nope, I’m not shy. You’re going to see me naked anyway, right?”
I doubted it, but I played along. “Sure. Skirt and blouse off. You can leave your underwear on.”
“Really? How does that work?”
“You hop up here.” I patted the top of the massage table. “Face down. And I work the kinks out of your neck and shoulders.”
“Is that code for something?”
“Maybe.” My heart was racing, and we hadn’t even got to the good stuff yet.
“And just what kind of kink are you talking about?”
“Depends how much you’re paying.”
“Name your price. I want the full treatment.”
I reached behind a curtain covering the shelves and retrieved a condom and a dental dam. I waved the condom in her face. “Fifty for this package,” I emphasised the word, and she glanced at my crotch as if to check if I was packing. I wasn’t. “One-hundred for this option.” I waved the dental dam in her face, fighting the urge to say fuck you. Not literally.
Caroline didn’t disappoint. She flashed her badge in my face. “You’re under arrest for—”
With no more fucks to give, I cut her off. “For what?”
“Soliciting an officer of the law.”
“I did no such thing.”
“You just offered me sex for money.”
I huffed out a laugh. “I offered you our VIP package.” I flicked up the curtain and retrieved two gift-wrapped baskets. “This one’s fifty bucks. This one’s a hundred. If you’re into dudes”—I thrust the cheaper gift hamper at her—“You’ll want this one. If you like the ladies, you’ll—”
This time, she cut me off. “You’re a right fucking comedian, aren’t you?”
“Watch your tone.” I gave her a sardonic smile. “Or I’ll call the cops.”
She pointed two finger guns at me. “Watch yourself because you’re going down.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Now who’s soliciting who?”
Caroline’s face contorted into an ugly snarl.
Tell Tiffany I said fuck you.
I didn’t say the words out loud. If I was right about who the anonymous tip had come from, I didn’t want to add weight to the accusation.
I pointed to the door. “Please leave, and don’t come back.”
“I’ll be back all right…and when you least expect it.”
“Not without a search warrant.” I clenched my jaw. “Now, fuck off.” Who knew I had one more fuck to give after all?
Caroline yanked open the door so fast, I was surprised she didn’t pull it off the hinges. I stood in the hallway, watching her walk of shame. She held her head high as she marched straight past Ruby, who was doing her best to suppress a smile.
Cynthia appeared beside me, carrying an armful of linen. “I take it things didn’t go so well?”
“It couldn’t have gone better.” I folded my arms across my chest, hoping I was right. I couldn’t imagine Caroline would be back, but one never knew.
I also couldn’t afford to have my employees walking around on eggshells. If customers sensed something was amiss, we would lose revenue.
The door to the room opposite the one I’d just exited opened, and Kahu peered out. “Is the coast clear?”
“Yes, Kahu. Why? What are you doing?”
“Getting ready for a client.” She stepped back from the door. “Can you help me, please?”
“No.” My voice was firm.
“Please.” She drew out the word, sounding every bit like a petulant child. “I dropped my hair tie and can’t find it.”
“Fine.” Against my better judgement, I stepped inside.
The door snipped closed, and she sucked in a breath. Ignoring what that sharp inhale did to my insides, I kept my expression neutral. Professional. When Kahu dropped to all fours, looking for something on the floor, my mask fell. I quickly slid it back into place when she glanced over her shoulder.
“See anything you like?”
I grabbed the doorknob. “Goodbye, Kahu.”
“Wait.” She scrambled to her feet. “I found them.” She held out two hair ties, and I stared at them. After a beat, I held out my hand, and Kahu dropped them into my palm.
“Turn around.”
“Yes, Miss.”
I shook my head. “I’m your boss, not your client.”
“Sorry, ma’am.” She snickered.
Brat. I didn’t dare utter the word out loud. There was no point encouraging her.
Then why are you even standing here?
Thankful Kahu had no way of knowing I was having a conversation with myself, I told my subconscious to take a hike.
“Soraya will do.”
“Okay.” She handed me a hairbrush. “But ma’am is a sign of respect.”
“So is not flirting with your boss.”
“Good thing I’m not.”
“Good thing.” I pulled the brush roughly through her hair.
She let out a soft mewl, and I immediately saw the error of my ways. Rather than show her who was boss, I’d played into her hands. If she were mine, I’d punish her for topping from the bottom.
I parted her hair and tied one side in a pigtail, then the other. “Here.” I slapped the brush in her hand. “Be thankful I didn’t crack it across your arse.”
There it was again. That sharp intake of breath. Her client was in for a treat. With that said, I wasn’t a fan of letting clients dominate my employees. That kind of power exchange came with familiarity and trust.
“No restraints.” I pointed to the red button on the wall. “And hit that if anything gets out of hand.”
“No restraints. Just a detention.” Kahu twirled her pigtail around a finger. “I have to recite my ABCs…Orally.” She tilted her head. “Try it. M, N, O, P, Q—”
“No,” I said, unsure how I managed to get the word out with my traitorous tongue already trying to draw the letters.
A tap on the door came none too soon.
“Kahu’s client’s here,” Ruby called out.
“I’ll get it.” I stepped into the hallway and unlocked the back door, admitting a middle-aged woman dressed in black. “This way, please.”
***
Back in my office, I did the best I could to put what was going on in room number two out of my mind and made a call.
Officer Dunn picked up on the third ring. “Hey.”
“Thank you.” It wasn’t nearly enough to express the gratitude I felt right then. If it hadn’t been for Dee tipping me off that the cops were sniffing around, I wouldn’t have been prepared for Caroline.
“Any harm done?”
“I don’t think so.” I paused, hating what I was going to say next. “Keep me informed?”
“Of course.”
I rested my elbows on the desk. “Dee.”
“Yes?”
“Why do you do this?” I meant putting her neck on the line, but we always kept these calls as vague as possible in case anyone tracked them.
“Because I care about you.”
I knew that, so why did it hurt so much to hear? When it came to relationships, I deserved a D for ‘don’t waste your time’. We were on opposite sides of the law, for God’s sake.
“Thank you again.” I ended the call, feeling like an arsehole. I wanted to say more, but it was too risky. I’d make it up to Dee with a freebie the next time she was in, but like she said, that wouldn’t be anytime soon.
She could always pretend to be here on business or for a massage, but that wouldn’t fly well with her bound and on her knees. Fuck, imagine that. I’d be up shit’s creek without a paddle if the cops thought I was assaulting a fellow officer.
As it was, I hated it when people confused consensual play with abuse. I’d never abuse the trust afforded to me. As cliché as it sounded, the submissive held the power. Nothing happened without their consent, and one word could stop all play.