Page 28 of The Player's Club

“But you should take it. It’s a huge opportunity. I don’t want you to stall your career for me.”

“I just told you that I was fine with it.”

“Are you?”

When he looked away, I had my answer. I patted the spot next to me on the bed, and he eventually sat down next to me.

“We just aren’t compatible. Not anymore, at least,” I said quietly. “I think you feel it, too.”

“Maybe. But what I said earlier was true: our relationship is more important than my job.”

“I believe you, but at the same time, it shouldn’t be this hard. I think you’ll regret giving up that job in the long run. And I don’t want to move to San Francisco. I’m okay with you needing to move on.”

Todd looked sad yet not devastated. He pushed his fingers through his hair. Had he been considering whether breaking up was a good idea, too?

“So does this mean we’re breaking up?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. Don’t you think it’s for the best?”

“I don’t know. But if it’s what you want, I won’t fight you on it.”

Todd left soon after. He didn’t kiss me goodbye, but his expression looked resigned. I felt guilty, but I also had no interest in calling off the breakup. Especially with what I had waiting for me around the corner. Something I knew I’d regret passing up.

I felt free. I felt like I could live the life that I wanted without worrying about Todd. He’d been a good boyfriend for the years we’d been together, but we’d outgrown each other. I’d always have a place in my heart for him.

This wasn’t a bad thing. It was just . . . life. And life had a way of forcing your hand sometimes.

When I drove to The Scarlet Rope the next evening, I didn’t think too hard about why I wanted to go there. Maybe I just wanted to distract myself.

Or maybe I wanted to run into Mac.

I used Mac’s password, wandering inside without any plan. I immediately got a drink from the bar, needing a bit of liquid courage for tonight.

I was continually surprised at how busy the club was, even during the week. Did none of these people have nine-to-five jobs? Nobody was tired after spending over an hour commuting to their office?

Then again, I had a feeling the people who had the money to be patrons here weren’t worried about getting to the office on time in the morning. They were probably athletes like Mac, or actors with mansions in the hills, or billionaire CEOs with plenty of employees to do the real work for them.

A man in a black mask started flirting with me, and I let him for a while. When he asked me what I liked, I just shook my head.

“I’m still figuring that out,” I admitted.

“Well, this is the perfect place to try things out.” He raised his glass. “If you want somebody to experiment with me, ask for me. I’m Viper.”

“That’s your legal name, then?” I joked.

He winked. “Spend some time with me to find out.”

I politely declined his offer, which he took in stride. I wandered to watch a few different scenes, including one that was some role-play. A woman nearby had to whisper in my ear that it was apparently a monster/captive roleplay.

“Monster?” I whispered, confused. “What, like Frankenstein?”

“This guy is an alien. He’s abducted this woman to his spaceship.”

I marveled, shaking my head. It also said a lot that I wasn’t horrified and merely intrigued. It was like nothing could surprise me anymore. The Scarlet Rope had apparently pushed way beyond my boundaries. Where once I would’ve scurried in the opposite direction, now I was just curious.

I watched for a little longer until deciding to move on. When I entered the BDSM private room, I found a chair near the back and made myself comfortable.

This scene was a man and a woman. The man was the dominant this time. He was clad in black leather, a mask on his face, while the woman was already naked.