Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Carys seemed to think for a moment. “The problem might be that you already know everyone here. We’re bringing in new members next month. People you didn’t grow up with.”
“I didn’t grow up with the guys from The Club,” Daisy pointed out. The Hideout had been started by the group of friends they were supposed to pretend didn’t work for the Central Intelligence Agency, and Julian Lodge’s kids. The Lodge gang had brought in a group of their friends, and Daisy liked them all.
Not a one of them would play with her.
It made a girl think.
Carys frowned. “None of this seems right. I’m sorry. I’ve been caught up in my own drama and I haven’t been checking in with the people who are important to me. I know how my brother and cousins view you.”
Daisy did, too. “As a kid sister.”
Carys nodded. “Sorry, they can’t help it. But the others shouldn’t. Are you telling me you haven’t had a single D/s encounter since you became a member here?”
“I had a couple of scenes in the beginning, but I know Aidan asked the Doms to run them with me. They didn’t have any interest in me physically.” It bugged her and quite frankly brought down her body positivity. “It’s weird because I ran through some dick in college, if you know what I mean. I’m so not a virgin. Despite what my da thinks. But I suspect I would like it even more if it was D/s sex.”
Carys’s head shook. “Seriously? You haven’t had sex in the club? I thought everyone had sex in the club.”
“Brianna doesn’t because she never took the class. Devi doesn’t because she’s pining after someone.” That wasn’t her story to tell. “Do you think it’s because my best friends are all sexless and stuff? Does everyone see me and think I don’t want sex? I mean, I’m not terrible to look at.”
“You’re freaking gorgeous, Dais,” Carys said and seemed genuinely stumped at her predicament. “You are what the older generation would call a bombshell. I need to think about this. It might be time to look for another club for you. Sanctum runs a bit older, but they have new people coming in. Some of the new staff at Top are taking the training class right now. And one of the bodyguards at MT. I only know him because his dad has run Top Fort Worth for years. I don’t think you’ve met Landon Vail yet. He’s cute. Is this why you hide out in the locker room?”
“It feels better than sitting in the lounge knowing everyone is looking at me and wondering why I bother.” It was better than sitting home alone, and at least then she had her friends around her. Devi and Bri weren’t here tonight, so it would be super lonely all the way around. Everyone would be out partying and exploring, and she would be watching crap videos on her tablet waiting for her brother to be done.
Only one thing about staying the night at Aidan’s place sparked her interest.
Nate Carter was living there now. He’d been there for a week, and she was finally going to get to see him.
“No one thinks that way. No one. I assure you, you belong here, but if it’s not what you need, then we’ll find a new place. Or import some tops who didn’t watch you grow up.” Carys had her “I’m plotting” expression on her face. Carys was a good plotter. “You know we’ve got a couple of visitors tonight and a new member.”
“I didn’t know anyone had taken the class recently.”
“He didn’t have to,” Carys explained. “He had a membership to a club in Australia.”
Yes, there it was. Just the word Australia could make her heart thump.
Nathan Carter. He was here? She’d thought she would meet him tonight or maybe over breakfast in the morning. “Are you talking about Nate?”
Carys’s shoulders slumped. “Damn. I forgot. You know him.”
“I haven’t seen him in person in years. I used to follow him around like a puppy. I had the biggest crush on him,” she admitted. “And I was Aidan’s obnoxious kid sister to him.”
“But you wouldn’t be tonight,” Carys pointed out, her lips tugging up in a kind of evil grin.
“I assure you I’m always his kid sister. Aidan’s the doctor and Daisy’s the screw-up.” Her father was the only person in the world who didn’t seem to see the truth.
“You’re not a screw-up,” Carys insisted. “You simply haven’t found your place yet, but it doesn’t mean you’re a screw-up. You did great in college.”
After she spent five years trying to figure out what she wanted to do. She’d gone from majoring in theater to business to philosophy, finally ending with a degree in psychology and then rapidly figuring out there was nothing she wanted to do in psychology.