Free Dirty Little Lies by Clare James Page A

him.
    “Mmm?” I ask from the cloud I’m floating on.
    “Public place was on that list of yours. Was this public
enough?”
    “Yes.” I breathe into his chest, and he wraps me in covers
as if can feel my modesty kicking in. “It was so amazing. The. Best. Night.
Ever.”
    “So, you ready to join this little club?”
    “Abso-fucking-lutely,” I say. “Where do I sign up?”
    “No sign up, just initiation.”
    “And what does that entail?” I ask.
    “You already did it.”
     “What?” I ask, trying to concentrate on the conversation.
    “You already passed initiation.”
    I look at him now. “How did I do that?”
    “Well, you made a sex tape.”
     “What?” I demand. The word is rough on my throat.
    I shoot up in bed in a complete panic. “What the fuck,
Gabe? What are you saying? That was filmed?  Without my consent?” My cheeks
burn and my eyes water.
    “I’m sorry, baby. You said you wanted in and that’s all
part of the initiation.”
    “Why would you do that to me?” I ask, running through all
the scenarios in my head of how this could get out. Did Gabe even want me or
was this all part of his plan? The porno version of Girls Gone Wild.
    “Calm down, Stevie. It’s not porn,” Gabe explains like he
just read my mind. “Not for anyone else to see. It’s just a guarantee that what
happens here, stays here,” The management has a, shall we say embarrassing file,
on all our members. A guarantee that nobody will talk.”
    He looks at me like this is all perfectly normal. Like I’m
the problem.
    “That is fucking insane,” I spit.
    “Insane or brilliant?” He tries for cute.
    It doesn’t work; I want to slap the hell out of him right
now, but he’d probably like it. 
    “Don’t worry. The file won’t leave this place, unless you
do something to threaten our little club or the members. It’s really no big
deal, Stevie.”
    “So I’m safe as long as I play by the rules?” I ask, pissed
now that my perfect night has turned into such a betrayal.
    “Correct,” Gabe says. “Welcome to The Club, baby. You have
officially made it through initiation.”
    Great. Now what?
     

GABE
     
    I knew there’d be a crowd for
Stevie, I mean look at her for fuck’s sake, but I didn’t know it’d be so big or
that they would stay and watch for so long. I want them gone. I want everyone
gone. Everyone, but her.
    This possessiveness, this need to want to take care of
Stevie isn’t sitting well with me. This place isn’t about that. It’s about
being open and having a safe place for people to get what they need, without
judgment.
    I’ll never be that traditional kind of guy, so I need to
get these thoughts out of my head right now. But, fuck. The feeling of her
coming, on my hand, on my tongue. Christ. I want her in about five
different positions, all at the same time.
    But I want her alone.  
    I hate what I have to do now. How I’m going to shatter this
incredible night. I hate that I have to make this fake admission, all just to meet
the expectations of The Club.  The patrons watching will love it. Yet, I don’t
think Stevie is going to take it well. And I hate to disturb her in this state.
She is flushed, trembling, and completely blissed out. I want to keep her this
way. Forever.
    But I can’t. I guess now’s the time we’ll see what she’s
really made of.
    I take blanket and cover her. She leans into it. “So, you
ready to join this little club?”
    “Abso-fucking-lutely,” she says. “Where do I sign up?” She
is completely adorable.
    “No sign up, just initiation.” I cringe.
    “And what does that entail?” she asks.
    I take a deep breath and tell her everything it entails.
The tape, the file on all of our patrons, the way all of this really works.
    The way this lifestyle really works. Shielding her from it
will not do her any favors.
    Still, I wish I didn’t have to do it this way, but the
crowd is expecting a show and I have to give it to them. I just hope