CONSENT: Book 1 in The Dangerous Games series

Chapter 16

"Awww man, why'd you have to tell me that shit? Now I'm gonna have trouble looking my brother in the face for at least a month." I moan, my face distorted into a grimace. "Hey, you started it." He told me. Putting my cup down on the table I reach for a napkin while shaking my head with a laugh. "No, technically you and your brother in law started it." He lets out a hearty chuckle. "You got me there." His expression and the glint in his eye tells me that a few Jeremy tidbits are being replayed in his head. The more time I spend with him the more I realize he's really a nice guy. He has a great sense of humor for sure.

Still smiling he stands and starts cleaning up our table and takes everything to the nearest trash can. I guess I can see why Tasha likes him. He's kinda cute too. He returns to his seat and looks at me curiously. I must have an odd expression on my face. I've never been very good at hiding what I'm thinking. "You don't hang around the house much. Why is that?" I ask. He looks thoughtful for a moment before answering. "Oh, I don't know, If I'm not working at the bookstore then I'm working at the restaurant. If I happen to be off I spend time with Natasha or my family." I don't say anything because he pauses as if he wants to say more but seems unsure if he should. I smile hoping to elevate his discomfort. I feel like he's about to finally open up and I want to know this deeper side of him.

"I've also been seeing another girl named Layla," he says. "She and I have been on and off for years. We are good friends." Woah, I did not see that coming! "There is also another girl named Eliza that I've only known for about six, maybe seven months. She's a real sweetheart." Now I know the surprise is raging across my face. Our boy Thomas here is a straight up playa. I barely register my own thoughts before his voice rings in my ears again. "...and when I have extra time and she's available I spend a night or two with my girl Vanessa."

"DAMN SON!" I exclaim loudly. The words escaped my mouth and totally bypassed my brain. This boy right here is just full of surprises. His cheeks turn red as he looks around to see if I drew any attention with my outburst. "What the hell kinda game you runnin' in the bedroom?! Are you sportin' some serious equipment or something?!" I ask more quietly as I lean closer to him across the table. Stifling a laugh, he continues to blush as he makes sure no one is listening to our conversation. He keeps his voice low when he finally replies. "Nah, it ain't like that. I'm not sleeping with all of them." I lean back in my chair and fold my arms across my chest. Who does he think he's talking to right now? "Yeah right, I call bullshit." I stare him dead in the eye. "No I'm really not." he says. However, there is much less conviction in his voice.

"Have you at some point had sex with all of them?" I ask, my eyes are still locked on his. He rubs the back of his neck while releasing a nervous chuckle. He drops his eyes from mine as redness creeps into his cheeks. "That's a solid yes, you are so full of shit, you know that right." He looks around nervously, his face red as he rubs his palms up and down his thighs. "I wanna know what's up man....no, I need to know." He sat back in his chair, looking more comfortable once he realized no one was paying any attention to us. "Know what? What is there to know?"he asked. "How you pull that shit off. I mean you're working 2 jobs while running game on 4 chicks at once.....and that last one Veronica, Victoria?" He snorts, then interjects. "Vanessa" I roll my eyes but continue. "Yeah, what is this "if I have time" and " if she's available" shit? Because it sounds like a prostitute. OMG, is she a prostitute??" That brings him to a full-on fit of laughter. "No, she most certainly is not a prostitute. She is older and she is married so discretion is important." I just stare at him in awe as I shake my head. "My god who are you? Seriously, I don't know you at all ...."

*** *** ***

Present day

Work tonight was a total shit show. First there were not one but two bachelor parties. They always guarantee rowdy assholes who don't tip. Then for some reason it seemed like only the bitchiest dancers decided to show up for work. I had a lovely douchebag who couldn't comprehend that I wasn't for sale no matter how much he upped his offer. I had to get Todd the bouncer involved when another drunk actually put his hands on me. That last one I'm still paying for as we speak. You see Xavi and David were both off tonight so it was just Ethan there with me. We were slammed so he missed the whole deal with the drunk guy and me. Todd then roughed him up before ejecting him from the club. He didn't find out what happened until after we closed. That's why he is currently chewing my ass out on the drive home.

"Are you listening? Do you hear me Katya?" I know he's pissed when he calls me by my full name, something he rarely does. "The whole fucking neighborhood hears you Ethan, you've been yelling at me since we left the club." "Don't get cute with me Kit," he snaps. "What did Xavi and I both say? You always come to us, always. Even if it's being handled, we need to know." I exhale loudly, clearly frustrated with this conversation. I am tired of going round and

round the same topic. "I got it! Damn!" I yell back at him before turning to stare out of the car window. "Apparently you don't get it!" he counters. He obviously isn't ready to let this go. "OMG, are you seriously going to scream the whole way home because that's like another 15 minutes dude." There is a brief moment of silence before he speaks again. "What did I just say about getting cute with me?"

"You know, you're kinda hot when you get all angry like that." I say this in an attempt to lighten the mood. His knuckles go white as his grip tightens on the steering wheel. "Very funny Kit, you're just so hilarious. Your brother will literally fucking kill me if something happens to you. You know that right?" He glances between me and the road as he speaks. "Alright already, I'm sorry, damn! I won't let it happen again. Can we please drop it now?" We sat in silence for the rest of the drive home. There's an uncomfortable weight in the air between us and I don't like it. When we pull into the driveway he turns off the car. I put my hand on his before he removed the key. Ethan and I don't fight, not like this. I can't let him walk away mad at me. He turns to me and I look at him with genuine remorse in my eyes. "Please Ethan.....I'm sorry." After a long pause he huffs out a deep breath.

"Kit, anything can happen anywhere at any time. I know that. But, if I'm in the same room and something happened to you that I could have stopped.......I couldn't live with that. Please don't put me in that situation." Damn, talk about guilt trip. Now I feel like total shit. I just didn't think it was that big of a deal. "I really am truly sorry Ethan. I didn't mean to upset you, I won't do it again. I promise. Please don't be mad at me" His scowl slowly turns into a half smile as he takes the keys out of the ignition. "So...we're good then?" I ask, feeling a little unsure as to how he will answer. His door is open and he already has one foot on the pavement when he looks at me over his shoulder. "Yeah Lil'Bit, we're good."

There is one drawback to working in bars or clubs. You never get home until 3 or 4 in the morning. That means most of the house is almost always asleep. As usual, that seems to be the case tonight. Ethan went straight to bed but I decided to take a shower first. I take an extra long one, spending half the time just letting the water run over my skin. I just try to forget all the chaos of the day as the hot water cascades in sheets down my back.

By the time I finish I am ready, so relaxed and ready to go to sleep. When I walk out of my bathroom I see a giant iridescent purple gift box sitting on the end of my bed tied with a big black satin bow. My pulse quickens as I hurry toward it, my mind running wild with so many thoughts as I become wide awake once more. Adrenaline pumps throughout my body and as my heartbeat accelerates, I can hear it pounding in my ears. Reaching the bed I discovered an envelope tucked gently in the bow on top of the box labeled simply..... READ ME. I can hardly contain myself. Slowly I pick up the envelope and turn it over to open it. My hands are a little unsteady as I remove the letter and unfold it to read. I hesitated for a few minutes. I don't know why I feel so nervous suddenly but it makes me laugh. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths to calm myself. After a minute or so I turn to the letter and start to read:

HELLO PUSSYCAT,

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR LAST ENCOUNTER AS MUCH AS I DID. YOU ARE AN EXQUISITE CREATURE PUSSYCAT. EACH CURVE OF YOUR BODY FLOWS MORE AGILELY THAN ANY OCEAN. THE SCENT OF YOUR SKIN IS MORE INTOXICATING THAN ANY WINE. TO SOFTLY CARESS EVERY INCH OF YOU, THERE IS NOTHING ON THIS EARTH THAT CAN COMPARE. I AM ENRAPTURED BY YOU PUSSYCAT. YOU HAVE CAPTURED MY HEART, ENSLAVED MY BODY, AS YOU MESMERIZE MY MIND . YOU INVADE MY DREAMS AND MONOPOLIZE MY EVERY THOUGHT. WHEN I'M WITH YOU I AM INSATIABLE. WITHOUT YOU, I CONSTANTLY CRAVE YOU. YOU HAVE BECOME MY ADDICTION KATYA. YOU ELATE ME MORE THAN ANY DRUG EVER COULD. I HAVE 2 GIFTS FOR YOU MY PRECIOUS PUSSYCAT. THE FIRST GIFT IS IN THE BOX AND YOU MUST WEAR IT FOR ME. THE SECOND GIFT I HAVE FOR YOU MY LOVELY IS A CHOICE.

I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER YOUR CHOICE CAREFULLY. IT'S A DECISION THAT CAN'T BE UNDONE. WE BOTH KNOW THAT WE WILL COME FACE TO FACE EVENTUALLY. SO TONIGHT I AM GIVING YOU THAT CHOICE. INSIDE THE BOX I HAVE ALSO PLACED A BLINDFOLD. WHILE THE CLOTHING I HAVE GIVEN YOU IS MANDATORY THE BLINDFOLD KATYA, ON THIS NIGHT, IS OPTIONAL. YOU CAN EITHER WEAR IT OR DON'T WEAR IT. I LEAVE THIS CHOICE ENTIRELY UP TO YOU PUSSYCAT. I WON'T KNOW UNTIL I ARRIVE WHAT YOU DECIDE. THE CHOICE IS YOURS KATYA, BUT THINK IT THROUGH CAREFULLY LOVE. THIS IS A CHOICE THAT CAN ONLY BE MADE ONCE......