Page 35 of Illicit Education

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, electrifying them. My skin felt alive, the hairs standing on end. I’d read about places like this—dozens of times—but I was about to experience it in real life.

Stepping into the unknown was intoxicating, but a quick glance at my best friend told me I would be doing so on my own.Heart eyeswas an understatement.

Slipping my hand from Greer’s grasp, I left her with Lacey and followed Mina–

“Oh, wait,” Greer called after me as if the robots had suddenly rebooted her motherboard after the momentary malfunction. “It’s a masquerade theme tonight.” She looked at Lacey for confirmation, who nodded. Digging into her purse, Greer pulled out two black half-face masks and handed me one.

I accepted the mask, then settled it over my eyes.

Masked up and ready for… well, not really sure what I was ready for, actually… I followed Mina into the Rabbit Hole.

I’d expected the atmosphere of a night club: neon lights, darkness, techno music… there was a bar on one side, a dance floor in the middle, and a stage on the opposite side of the dance floor from the bar.

What I hadnotexpected was the amount of exposed skin.

As I followed Mina deeper into the crowd, I tried to scan the patrons without ogling—or losing sight of my new boss. People parted like the Red Sea for Mina, similar to the way people in Reed Tower cleared the way for Cabot Reed. They murmured their hellos, smiled up at Mina with respect and admiration, greeted her with quick kisses on each cheek, then settled back into their conversations.

In Reed Tower, Cabot Reed was the king of his kingdom.

Here, Mina was definitely the queen of hers.

Women were dressed in various amounts of coverage, from floor-length dresses with extreme cutouts to scraps of barely-there lace thatbarely-therecovered their naughty bits. There was latex and leather, bootie shorts and…

Were those assless chaps? I craned my neck as inconspicuously as possible, and…

Yep.We’ve got assless chaps, folks.

Some men wore dress shirts opened to expose their chests–from Alaskan Black Bear hairy to baby smooth and oiled. There were leather wrist cuffs and chokers, suspenders… pants that looked painted on…

Nipple pasties.

Spiked dog collars.

Body paint… and nothing else.

A blond man in nothing but black shorts that left little to the imagination caught my gaze and raised his eyebrows. I offered a friendly smile and quickly looked away. The bottom half of his face was hidden behind a snug black leather mask with a zipper where his mouth should be. If he smiled back, it was anyone’s guess.

I followed Mina to a half-moon booth in the corner and settled in beside her.

I was keeping it together quite well, thank you very much, considering I’d never seen this much skin in one place.

Or men in assless chaps.

Or a dude with his mouth zipped closed.

But there was a first time for everything, and this was mine.

Mina leaned toward me to be heard over the deep thrum of the music. “Would you like something to drink? A cocktail or beer, possibly?” She motioned to someone behind me, then leaned over again. “Are you doing all right, Rylan? You look a bit like a deer in the headlights.”

I winced. “Sorry, I’m just… it’s a lot to take in.”

“I understand. Would you like to leave?”

I looked back out to scan the crowd.DidI want to leave? “No.” I shook my head. Out of my comfort zone, for sure, but I was intrigued. And honestly, I’d never been one to shy away from interesting things and this place was certainly that. But hey, as long as I stayed in this booth all night, what could possibly go wrong?

“Do you like red wine?”

I nodded.