Dirty Little Secret: A Billionaire Romance Duet - Mika Lane Page 0,14

I get at the paper?

What’s the worst that could happen, anyway? They’d figure out who I was and kick me out? That would suck, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Who knew, maybe there’d be a story in that.

At two minutes past the hour—I didn’t want to look desperate—I climbed out of my Honda Civic. I crossed the street to the club, and discreetly read the buildings’ street numbers while strolling.

The club’s front door was large, black, and nondescript. The only indication that there was life on the other side was a peephole, and a small, illuminated doorbell. I fluffed my hair, rubbed my teeth clean of lipstick, and put on my best I own this place smile.

The door whipped open. I could barely see beyond the glamorous woman facing me.

“You must be Miss M?”

C’mon, confidence.

“Please, come in,” she said, nodding.

It took me a sec to adjust to the dim light, but when I did, I took in a room covered in heavy damask wallpaper with pillar candles scattered about and dark, overstuffed furniture, just as I pictured a bordello. And it was pretty damn sexy. A few men and women sat on the sofas, chatting quietly with cocktails in hand. On a small dance floor in the corner, a couple moved to the music while enjoying a passionate kiss. I’d never seen such a collection of perfectly toned, coiffed, and stylish people. How did they pull it all off?

But what was most striking was M, herself. Curls spilled down the back of her silky, green evening dress. Her eyes were ringed in just the right amount of kohl, and her full lips were red and glossy. Her sky-scraping heels put her around six feet tall, something I could easily gauge, being five foot ten myself.

I dutifully followed this thirties-era screen siren to a couple club chairs in a corner.

“Please sit,” she said, gesturing. “I understand you’d like to be called B here at the club.”

I forced a graceful smile. “Yes, that would be fine.” I crossed my legs with my hands around my top knee.

“Very well. And you said you were referred by a friend?” Her head tilted while she smiled coolly.

“Yes, that is correct.”

“And who was that friend?”

Oh shit. Of course she was going to ask that.

Think fast.

“I’m afraid I can’t share that with you. Sorry.”

She looked down at her hands. “All right, B. I would like to stress that Club Silk is an oasis for its members. People come here for many reasons. But one thing they all have in common is a desire to have their privacy protected. Just like you hope for, I assume?”

“Yes, I expect my privacy to be protected.” I nodded.

“Then you will verbally agree to never speak of the club when you are beyond its walls. If you see someone outside whom you know from the club, you will not acknowledge them. You will not ask anyone’s real name, nor share yours. You’ll see that many of the members wear masks. You will respect their desire to keep their faces hidden. All sexual activity—from light touching to full-on intercourse—is completely consensual. You can count on never being pressured by anyone to do anything.” She smiled and sat back in her seat.

“Of course, there may be interested parties who will endeavor to seduce you. We all know and enjoy the thrill of the chase,” she added.

Damn right.

“May I ask you some questions now?” I ventured.

“You may,” she said with a slow nod.

“Is this your place? How long have you had it?”

“B. You will learn all that and more over a period of time as you get to know the club and its members.”

She stood. Should I stand, too?

“Now, I’ll leave you to explore on your own. If you need anything, please let me know.”

She floated away to greet someone else who’d just arrived, her green dress swirling around her lower legs. The new guest was in profile, but wore a full-face mask.

Geez, what was he hiding from?

But more importantly, where could a cool mask like that be found?

I spotted a staircase in the far corner and headed over to it, not wanting to look like a loser sitting all by my lonesome. I needed to get the lay of the land and collect as much detail as I could, as quickly as I could.

Crossing the room, I noticed both male and female heads turning, checking me out. Probably because I was a new face? Or rather, a new piece of