Sharing the Sheets (4 page)

“Well, wasn't that rude,” I said with much displeasure.

“Vans, I hope I won't regret this. I'm depending on you to make sure he keeps his word.” Charles opened his laptop set on the desk.

He started to click away as I opened the bottle of champagne. “Do you want a glass or should I just go out on the terrace and drink by myself?” I hinted that his company was needed. I grabbed two glasses and the bottle then headed to the terrace overlooking the busy nightlife of SoHo Village.

My brother stood six foot four inches with a model body, clean -cut hair, and he worked out his muscles every day and I mean every day, even Christmas. He could have anyone he wanted, but his love life seemed uneventful through the years. We were only a year apart so our circle was mostly the same and we were extremely close. So close that sometimes our own friends and family would wonder. But there was never anything incestuous going on; I just trusted him with any- and everything. We had no secrets.

“Pour me a glass, I'll join you in a minute.”

Setting the bottle on the floor, I opened the French doors and took in the night air. It wasn't too hot; the humidity had died down and the cool air from the Hudson was inviting. I picked up the bottle and walked out onto the terrace. Since we were in one of the penthouses the terrace was huge: corner to corner lined with double glass five foot wall at the edge. The patio furniture was all wrought iron with huge, plush white and orange cushions. There was a bistro table next to one of the lounge chairs. I placed the bottle on top and poured myself and my brother a glass.

“Charles, are you coming? Charles?” I knew he heard me. “Come on, stop working already.”

The clicking had stopped and I could hear him approaching.

“All right, where's my glass.”

I gestured to the small table beside me.

“Okay, should we toast to this deal or do you have something else in mind?”

“Now, you know I don't give two shits about that deal, as long as he gets the job done.” I raised my glass and gently knocked his glass.

“Well, I guess I don't have to worry about it getting done.” He raised his brow.

“What's that look about?” I sipped from my glass.

“Oh, don't think I don't know you. Why were you so eager for him to see me tonight instead of at the office? Are you thinking of fucking him?”

I rolled my eyes regretting that I even came back upstairs. I really thought Mark would hang around. When he mentioned his wife I looked at his left hand and didn't see any ring. That left me to conclude he was either in a committed relationship or just wanted us to stay out of his personal life.

“Damn, what's the deal with all the questions? Geez!”

“I know those looks.” He scanned me from head to toe and gave me the “I know you” look.

“Please, you heard him, he's married.” I hoped I wasn't that transparent to Mark. My brother knew me well enough to know marriage was only a temporary locked door for me. I always got whatever I wanted.

“Just make sure he does what he has to do first before you fuck up his world.” He downed his drink and put his glass on the table. “I'm serious. Listen I'm heading out, but you better think before you do. I'm not going to deal with your shit again. You'll have to clean it up yourself.”

“What can I say? I'm my father's daughter in more ways than one.”

His eyes told me not to, but it only made me want to even more. I brushed his comment off, telling myself that he was still mad about my last affair with a married man. I was still paying him back for all the money he had to pay out. Deep down I knew he was still angry about how our father died. It was me who caused his massive heart attack. I only wished I could turn back the clock.

“It doesn't matter anyway, he's leaving his wife. I'm only following your footsteps. Have you had your weekly late
-
night dinner meeting yet?”

“How
. . .
Where
. . .
Did your mother tell you that?” He was shocked that I knew about his adulterous affair.

“Va
-
ness
-
a
-
a . . .”

“Vans, do you want to go say good
-
bye? Everybody is upstairs except for Mom. She can't get a flight until the morning.” He wiped his red eyes with the bottom of his T
-
shirt and plucked his cigarette into the street.

I remembered like it was yesterday. I knew Charlie still resented me for catapulting him to his death. It was never spoken, but if I'd stayed there he may have lived.

I continued to sip on my champagne and let the night sky float by. I only wished Mark stayed so I could get to know him a little better.
I guess I will have to do it on my own.

It was still early and I didn't want to go to dinner with Mark so I ignored his call. I sent a text instead: Mandie just called. Am going out with her. Don't wait up. Hope your meeting went well. Honestly, I was ready to go have some fun without him. He was so predictable. First dinner with a bottle of wine then go home to have robot sex like an old married couple. I was seriously tired of that. It would be a different story if we were married; then I would learn to live with it.

I grabbed my Chanel purse and walked out the door, praying that I wouldn't bump into Mark on the way out. I dialed Amanda immediately.

“Hey, girl, how you doing?” I greeted her.

“I'm good, what's going on with you?”

“Girl, I just got into a huge fight with Mark. I'm going to a hotel for the night.”

“Are you serious? Was it that bad?” Amanda asked sounding concerned.

“No, it really wasn't. I'm just punishing him. I just wanted to make sure you don't take his call when he calls you. You know, to find out where I am.” I lied, but I knew she would fall for it. She's so gullible. I was grinning ear to ear just thinking about it.

“Okay, no problem. I got your back. You sure you just don't want to come over here? It's not like I got a man over here or anything. Why pay all that money for a hotel?”

“Thanks, girl, but I think I need to digest what he just said to me. I can't talk about it right now because I'll just burst into tears again.” I gave a slight sniffle then continued, “Besides, I'm not paying for it. I took his credit card.”

“I know that's right. Well, when you ready to talk I'm always here for you. At least tell me which hotel you going to, girl.”

I hesitated for a moment. “Umm, hmmm . . . Maybe the Hilton in Midtown or the penthouse suite at the Mercer. That will show him.”

“Make sure you remove every bottle from the minibar. That should add more to the heavy bill you plan on making.”

I laughed. “You got that right. He's lucky he doesn't have a black Amex yet. Or else it would have been on a private jet to Dubai for a week.”

We both laughed.

“Definitely. Well, when you do don't forget about your dear old friend over here. I may find my husband there.” She continued to laugh.

“Okay, girl, I just wanted to give you the heads-up.”

“Oh, don't worry. After I hang up, my phone will be off until the morning. I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, talk to you later.” I smiled at the thought of having a night all to myself to have some fun.

I pushed End on my phone and slid it into my purse. For damn sure someone was going to see me in this dress. I giggled at the thought. I always felt unstoppable when I was dressed to kill. My tight, bright summer teal dress with gold embellishments lining my plunging neckline hit its mark. My hair was swept into a sexy bun to direct more attention toward my girls up top. And my Jimmy's were on point matching the gold tone of the embellishments. The night air guided me downtown on the Lower East Side to meet up with Tony. He mentioned something about introducing me to some friends.

It wasn't that I didn't want to see him; I was just tired of him. He was becoming predictable like Mark. Definitely something I did not want. When I decided to slow it down with Tony I was clear that he couldn't call me. He would have to wait for my call and Tony came running every time I did. I only kept him at arm's reach because I didn't know if I could find the same secrecy Tony had shown me in someone new. But now that I'd seen all his tricks, there was nothing willing me to keep his ass around. He was aware leaving Mark for him was not in the future.

When the cab pulled up to the address, I immediately pulled out my phone to double check the address Tony texted me earlier. My hesitation showed on my face.

“Are you sure this is the correct address, miss? This doesn't look like your type of crowd.”

The driver was right. The building had broken bricks layered at the top, drunk old men sitting at a makeshift table playing dominoes, women scattered about as if they were waiting for someone to pick them up. I looked at my phone again.
This is the right address, but this can't be it,
I thought. I looked to the driver. “Would you mind just waiting a few so I can get a hold of my friend? You can leave the meter running.”

“Sure, no problem,” the driver answered.

I texted Tony immediately:
I'm here. Come outside or I leave in 5
.

I waited for what seemed like minutes, but within seconds of pressing the Send button Tony appeared in front walking toward the cab.

“Okay, I guess the address was right. That will be $23.40.”

I handed him thirty dollars and told him to keep the change. I stepped out the cab feeling uneasy. “Tony, I thought this was a socialite event. This doesn't look right.” I stopped.

He took me in his arms. “Trust me, Regina. It's something right up your alley. After tonight you may just finally leave that square of a man you're with.” He smiled and pecked my lips.

His words still weren't reassuring me, but his smooth voice and strong arms felt safe enough. I pulled him closer and pressed my soft lips against his. His tongue slid into my mouth pushing his warm, minty taste forward.

“Hmm, you taste so good. Let's go in. I promise you will love it.”

“Okay, but if it's not up to my standards, Tony, you're putting me in a cab.” I held on to his arm as we walked past the riffraff.

We approached a heavy black metal door and opened it. It felt as if I stepped into a black box. I couldn't see a thing. I clutched Tony's hand harder. My heart started to pump.

Suddenly a deep voice asked, “Name?”

I screamed silently while squeezing Tony's hand even more. It sounded as if he was directly behind me. His hot breath hit the back of my ear. “Red Velvet,” Tony answered.

Red velvet, what the hell is that?
I thought. I still couldn't see anything. The suspense was killing me. Whose party was this?

A red light turned on, and a door was opened. The smell was intoxicating. I felt like I was in another world. We were met at the door by a tall woman dressed in an all-black lace lingerie ensemble: thigh-high netted stockings, bustier fitted like a glove, no panties; and her breasts were perfectly perched for admiring. She held two masquerade masks in her hand, both red.

“Welcome to our intimate red velvet event. Please put the mask on.”

I was intrigued. From what I could see, everyone had a mask on just different colors. There were only a few couples talking and sipping on their drinks, all dressed very nicely nothing like the hostess who greeted us. It didn't look like a party at all. I wanted to ask Tony what kind of party this was, but I thought I already knew. The room we entered was draped in red: red lighting, red roses everywhere, red comfy lounge chairs dead center of the room, and a small side bar off toward the rear of the room. It seemed like a warehouse and pretty empty for a party. We put on the masks and were ushered to a lounge chair.

“Your hostess will greet you in a minute. She will go through the rules and take your drink orders. Have a wonderful time.” She left us, swaying her nicely shaped butt out the room.

I tried to listen to any one of the couples in earshot as we were waiting, but my excitement wouldn't let me. “Tony, is this some kind of sex party?” I flashed a wicked smile.

“I thought maybe you needed something new. Are you okay with that?”

Of course I was okay with that. I was surprised, but didn't think to show him my gratitude just yet. I'd been secretly looking for something like this, but would never admit it to Tony. “We'll see.”

Just then, a fully clothed woman approached us with a warm smile and more masks in different colors. “Hello, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Smith, my pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand to me first then Tony.

“Nice to meet you,” Tony replied.

“Well, let's get started. First, you both are wearing red masks indicating this is your first event with us as a couple. You have the opportunity to continue as a couple or as individuals. I have a few colors here: yellow, green, black, or white. Yellow for those exploring as individuals, green for those who want to try new things, black for those who are more aggressive in their passion, and finally white for those who just want to watch only. You can always keep the red masks on and move as a couple throughout the venue. There are some rules. First no drugs; if you are caught with any you will immediately be escorted out and your credit card on file will be charged a five thousand dollar fine. You will also be blacklisted from any future events in this society. If you have anything on you I can take the contraband now and you will be able to proceed without any infractions.” She smiled, and looked to Tony.

“No need for it,” Tony responded.

“Great. Second, there is a safe word to stop any situation you are uncomfortable in. The safe word is ‘elephant.' There is a security guard in every room. Third, if you move as a couple, you stay as a couple. Meaning, that any activity you participate in your partner must be present and involved whether it's contributing or watching. Your partner must be present in the same room. When you go through those doors”—she pointed to a large solid oak door across the room—“there are different rooms you can enter and interact with others. Every person here has been screened. There are condoms in every room or lounge area. We leave it up to the individual or couple to practice safe sex. Lastly, I will have to take any electronic devices on you along with your purse and wallet for security reasons. You will place them into a locked security box where only you can open it. All security boxes are placed into a guarded room where entry can only be made with a key card held by me only. Now that we got that out the way, what can I get you to drink?”

“We'll take two glasses of Patrón with ice and salted lime wedges.”

“Okay, I'll be back with your drinks and the lockbox for your belongings. Don't forget to choose a color to continue with.” She set the platter of masks on a small table beside us and walked over to the bar. A huge six foot shadow suddenly appeared following her.

“Wow, this is . . .” I didn't want to react. My insides were flipping around, in a good way. But if I'd shown him how anxious I was he would have seen an opportunity to get back in. I didn't want it to go there. I had him at my beck and call, not me at his.

“This is your chance to back out now if it's something you don't want to do. I don't want you to feel pressured just because we're here.” He picked up the green mask.

“Green, you want to try something new?”

“Isn't that the reason we're here? If it's not our tea we can always leave.”

“Well, there's the safe word.” He passed me a green mask, but I pushed his hand away. “Maybe next time.”

The hostess returned with our drinks in hand and the lockbox carried by her six foot shadow. He was definitely intimidating with his broad shoulders, big chest, at least 300 pounds, arms as big as thighs; and the lighting made him just plain ol' scary.

“Okay, here we go. Your drinks.” She placed each glass into our hands. “Have you decided on your color for the night?” She looked to her shadow and took the lockbox and placed it in front of us. He then handed her a tablet. She swiped on the screen and presented it to us. “Can both of you place your right thumbs on the screen for a few seconds. This way you can open the lockbox.”

We did as she asked. I was impressed. These parties must bring in an exclusive crowd. The security seemed topnotch. She then requested us to place our thumbs on a black screen on top of the lockbox. Two seconds later the door popped opened. I handed Tony my purse and he put it in along with his cell phone and money clip.

“Please close the door. Thank you.” She handed the box to her shadow. “The box cannot be opened without your thumbprints. Now have you decided on your color?”

“Yes, red.”

“Okay then, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you can proceed through those double doors and enjoy your night.” She picked up the tray of masks and walked away with her shadow following.

“Okay, you ready to explore? From what I heard we should have lots of fun.” He grabbed my hand and led me through the double doors.

With drinks in hand we stepped through the doors. The lights were very dim staying with the same red color. There were daybeds scattered throughout. It was a very large warehouse separated into different sections by hanging sheer curtains. All types of moans and groans could be heard: some cursing in ecstasy, some reaching their climax, and some encouraging others to go harder.

It was overwhelming at first to see all those naked bodies scattered about going at it. But after a few minutes and a few sips of Patrón along with Tony's hand wrapped around my body those nerves subsided. We walked around the large space slowly, taking notes on how everyone was interacting with each other. One scene had at least four voyeurs watching while pleasing themselves, nude bodies with green and red masks on were layered on top of each other licking, inserting, and rubbing all over each other. It was like a live porno play.

Scantily dressed women and men were walking around with serving trays displaying condoms, lubrication, whips, handcuffs, blindfolds, and even vibrators. I noticed that servers were picking up clothes as they hit the floor and slipping bracelets on to their wrists. It was done very smoothly without disturbing the mood of the situation. It was an upscale swinger's party. I was so amazed at how free everyone was. There were men on men, women on men, women on women; it was a secret dream come true. On the inside I wanted to strip bare and join the closest group next to me. We continued to another scene.