Gnawing on my bottom lip, I flipped absently through the bills that were slowly but surely piling up on my desk. A sweet, sugary scent permeated the walls to my office, and I took a shallow breath deep into my lungs. Dropping my chin into my hand, I let my envelope slip from my fingers before reaching for my computer mouse.

“I made a .9% profit increase from last month…” My grumble bounced off the bland walls of my office, and my lungs deflated with a gust. “That’s better than being in the red, I guess. Paying bills online is a godsend.”

With just a few clicks I managed to keep the electricity on; I kept the water running; the rent was paid, and I leaned back in my swivel chair to flop my head back. Staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t stop the scowl that crept up onto my face. Running a bakery was so much more work than I had imagined, and none of it actually involved baking.

Livin’ the dream, huh? I would’ve worked out of my kitchen if I knew how insane it was to have my own business.

A soft knock pushed me back to the present, and I groaned loudly before picking myself up from my chair. Shuffling across the tacky, old carpet, I ran my hand through my hair and rolled my stiff shoulders. Of the three employees I had, only one still knocked on my door; and it was the most annoying kind of interruption.

“How many times have I told you not to kn-“ My tongue tied as Brena sheepishly stared at me, but it was the person behind her that drew my gaze. The woman was tall, blonde, and wore perfectly applied make up on her long, narrow face. Her skirt suit was impeccable, and there wasn’t a single hair on her head that was out of place.

“She asked for you, Nat.” Scurrying away, Brena disappeared beyond the hallway bend, and I pursed my lips together. This woman didn’t introduce herself, simply staring at me with intelligent, expectant blue eyes. Leaning on the door frame, I crossed my arms over my chest before opening my mouth.

“How can I help you?” Furrowing my brows, I scanned the woman once again only to catch sight of my worn sneakers. Clenching my jaw, I viciously beat down the surge of insecurity that came from seeing what could’ve been four hundred dollar heels. Snapping to the woman’s face, my eyes narrowed on the perfect smile that stretched her lips, letting her perfect teeth show through.

And who said money can’t make you a beautiful person?

“Would you mind if I came in to talk? I’m here on behalf of Farber Properties.” For a moment I was still, my mind churning to figure out why this woman was even here. She waited patiently, and I huffed softly before pushing myself off the door frame.

“I pay my rent on time, so this can’t be about that.” My office was sparse; I didn’t even have a chair for her to sit in, and I sat on the edge of my desk as she shook her head gracefully.

“No. I’m talking to all of the business owners in this plaza to get your opinion about an overhaul remodel. I understand you’ve only just started renting for your bakery 7 months ago.” Setting her little, thin briefcase on my desk, the woman pulled out an even thinner file to lean back on her heels. “Before I get into anything, I should introduce myself. I’m Sasha Newton, a property assessment manager for Farber. I just want to let you know that we don’t plan on evicting you- I understand all too well how hard it is to start a business. Our overhaul remodel plans are for expansion onto the current building, making any repairs and upgrading our current blocks, and creating a bigger parking lot.”

Sasha spoke fast, and I pulled my lower lip between my teeth as she flipped open her folder.

“In your contract, it’s stated that you’ll be exempt from any property improvement fees or rent increases for two years. However, I can’t do much about how your business might suffer during the construction. From what I understand, you already have quite a few regulars, but your profit margins are still expectedly low.” My fingers curled into fists at that, and Sasha pulled out a flimsy piece of paper with a flourish. “This is a compensation form. We’ve already averaged out your expected growth based on the past 7 months you’ve been with us. We’re prepared to cover the loss of business you’ll experience regardless of whether or not you actually do lose any profit.”

“Wai- woah- hang on there…” Waving my hand, as if it made a difference, I gulped down the frog in my throat as my heart beat harder. Sasha met my gaze coolly, but the heat that spread across my cheeks wouldn’t be doused. “You’re saying that you’re going to compensate me for losses I might not even sustain? So, I could increase my profit margin and you’d still pay me, no strings attached? That’s basically free money…”

Carefully setting the folder and the paper on my desk, Sasha sighed softly as skepticism raced through my veins. My mind whirled, trying to keep up with what she said and what it meant.

“As stated in your compensation form, you’ll be compensated until your profit margins exceed 27%... but yes, essentially. Your bakery has been growing at a rate of 1.45% per month, so I don’t see you breaching the maximum allotted percent before construction is scheduled to end. Based on this, you’ll be receiving a compensated amount of 13.33% starting at the beginning of the month and so on until we’re finished remodeling.” Blinking slowly, I tried to follow all that math before Sasha offered me a bright smile. “I mean, on top of your profit growth, you’ll be receiving 13% increased cash flow… no strings attached. It’s yours to do with what you wish, Natalie. No one is going to come back to collect it. It’s not a loan.”

“Ehm… okay… so then you really don’t need my opinion, you just want to make sure I don’t get fed up about the interruption and start making a fuss…” Speaking slowly, I rolled the idea over my tongue with a slight shake of my head. “How long will this last?”

“We’re estimating 8 months for everything, but we’re going to be paving and remodeling first, which shouldn’t take more than 3. Your compensation contract is for the project in its entirety.” Sasha ignored everything I had said but my question, and I frowned deeply. Her bright gaze sharpened with impatience as the silence wore on, but she didn’t try to rush me. Mulling over what she’d said, I weighed my options as best I could.

Owning a bakery in a city like this, with very few novelty shops like mine, was a crazy gamble that had paid off. I had regulars in just these past six months or so; people detoured specifically to come to my bakery. Surely three months of hardship wasn’t going to deter my customers?

“Cool. Okay. When is this supposed to start?” Snatching the contract from my desk, I busied myself with reading as the tension instantly slipped from the atmosphere. Just like my father said- never sign anything without reading it thoroughly first. Shrewdly appraising the thin piece of paper, my frown smoothened out at the details presented.

At least Sasha didn’t go off giving misinformation to make an already attractive offer seem like a once in a lifetime amazing opportunity.

“We’ll be starting in two weeks if all of our current tenants agree.” Nodding absently, I rolled my lower lip between my teeth as I thought. Everything looked right on paper; everything sounded right when spoken. This was a great deal considering most owners hike up the rent to cover the construction costs they incur.

“Okay.” Grabbing a pen, I carefully wrote my signature at the bottom of the page, resigned to the fact that this was the easiest way to go. Passing the sheet to Sasha, I heaved a sigh as she slipped it back into her folder and then into her briefcase. She didn’t offer me her hand to shake, but her mega-watt smile was once again shining at me. Resisting the urge to frown, I couldn’t help but think I’d just made a huge mistake.

“Great! I’ll be sending you a copy of the contract for your records. So, we’re all done here. I’ll let you get back to your bakery, but I will be coming back in a month and a half or so to check on you and the other tenants.” Walking Sasha to the door, I held back a groan at the idea that she’d be back. She was just so perfect- as a woman it was hard to ignore how much more posh she appeared than I was.

God- Natalia… talk about a blow to my fragile self-esteem.

Once I was alone in my office, I glanced down to glare at my stressed, much too used jeans and bleached white t-shirt. The fabric used to be a grayish blur color, hanging off my shoulders stiffly; now it was just a sad reminder of how expensive it was to own a business.

“Fuck.” Blowing out a hot breath, I shook my head hard before gathering up my unruly, brown hair. Absently rolling the mass into a bun, my fingers ached lightly from misuse. Lowering them, I stared at my palms to contemplate the difference between typing and baking.

“Natalie! I closed up and I’m clocking out! See you tomorrow!” Brena’s call was chirpy, like a bird, and I wandered back to my desk to lock my computer and put away my files. Cleaning was a slow process; one I despised with a passion but still needed to be done. My body moved robotically while my mind pondered what this construction project would mean for my business.

In no way whatsoever was I located in a bad area, and my bakery was growing at a rate I hadn’t expected. I spent a lot of time choosing the perfect location. The busy causeways that split the city in two had a clear view of this plaza, and the entrances were easy to traverse. Even the sidewalks were bright and free of cracks, and there wasn’t a terrible amount of walking to get from one plaza to another.

But no one wants to deal with construction smells, or noise, or that stupid man that sits in the street and directs traffic. No matter how nice the area, construction almost always meant a sharp drop in business. Grimacing at the thought, I took a deep breath and shut the drawer to twist the key.

“They better plant some flowers or something in front of my bakery.” Grumbling to myself, I grabbed my bag and made my way to the door, flicking off the lights as I went. “And who says bakers are always bubbly, overly happy, overly excited human versions of puppies…”

Beyond the hallway that led to my office was where the magic happened, and I smiled as I took in the still, industrial sized mixers and empty baking racks. The air was thick with the smell of sugar, chocolate, and peanut butter. Glancing at the walk-in refrigerator doors, I pictured the multitudes of doughy concoctions that were waiting until the right moment to get put into the oven.

Rounding the large, glass display cases, I stood amongst tables and chairs to stare at my handiwork. My chest tightened, knowing I was finally achieving what I had worked so hard for. Three confectionary schools, a business school, and $700 grand in debt was paying off at last.

Beneath my feet the pale pink tiles muffled the sound of my footfall, and I brushed my palm over the back of a delicately carved chair. Closing my eyes, I let the memories of buying them flood my mind’s eye. The sets had been such a steal, with 20 chairs and four tables that didn’t have a grain different than the rest. I’d bought them at an auction, my one and only, along with the display cases and a cute specials board.

“My one, true love! Good bargains!” Smiling at my own joke, I opened my eyes to scan my bakery one last time. “I’m never going to let you go.”

Locking the door behind me, I glanced over at the shop only two blocks from mine. A sign advertised their sale, two for one on all panties and bras. Wandering closer, I nibbled my bottom lip absently as I debated actually going into the shop. They sold much more than just lingerie, after all; it was a major reason I hadn’t breached the threshold.

The display window showcased a variety of handcuffs, from regular metal ones to fluffy ones to ones made of leather. Above them on small shelves were an assortment of ball gags, and even higher still were whips that hung attractively from hooks. Staring at the assortment, I pursed my lips together as curiosity slowly but surely overtook me.

A soft bell chimed when I found the courage to open the door, and the shop’s bright, fluorescent lights warmed the crown of my head. Racks of lingerie were organized by color to my left, and to my right were all of the accessories a person might need. Standing there stupidly, I flexed my hands against my bag straps before a pretty associate bounced towards me.

“Hello and welcome! I’m Lillian- do you need help finding anything?” Lillian spoke with a high, happy voice, her breasts jiggling as they strained her low, v-neck shirt. Gulping down my nerves, I offered a shaky smile as she watched me expectantly with bright hazel eyes.

“Ah- actually, I’m not sure what I should be finding. I’ve never been in a store like this…” I wondered if she got many customers like me as Lillian nodded a bop of her head. She was so cute, with a little button nose and slim cheeks, that it almost looked out of place. Heat suffused my face at the notion that I had expectations about a shop like this, and she smiled knowingly before offering me a response.

“I get it. So, did you just want to look at lingerie or are you more interested in what else we have to offer?” Licking my lips, I glanced around before my gaze landed on the right side. There were objects I couldn’t even name- ones I had never seen before- and my heart fluttered in my chest.

“I guess your other stuff?” My face flamed at how dumb I sounded, and Lillian let out a little giggle before gesturing me to follow her.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, you know. So, some of the basic stuffs are handcuffs, whips, ropes- stuff like that. Pretty self-explanatory. This is really the kind of shop that masters like to come to when they need to replace old equipment.” Leading me to a stand of fuzzy handcuffs, Lillian carefully extracted one to hold up with her thumbs. “There are several versions of pretty much everything. If pain isn’t really your or your master’s style, you can use these. We also have thick, metal ones for that extra bite.”

“Oh.” Lillian furrowed her brows at my noncommittal response, hanging the cuffs back to scan me from head to toe. Crossing her arms over her generous bust, she hummed softly before opening her mouth again. Discomfort slithered up my throat, and my mind whirled trying to follow what she’d already revealed.

This was like talking to someone in a language I didn’t really know.

“You know, we have a sort of expo for anyone wanting to learn about this stuff. Some people are really dissatisfied with their sex life, and they don’t know why. It’s just a matter of finding out- you’ll never know unless you try sort of thing. I can give you the address and time of the next class, if you want.” Blinking slowly, I took a moment to reflect on what Lillian had said.

Dissatisfied with my sex life? Check.

There wasn’t really much more to think about, and I nodded with a sheepish smile.

“Please. I’m not sure if this is my kind of thing, but there’s no hurt in trying, right? Do I have to pay or anything?” At my question Lillian shook her head, turning to lead me to the cash registers. Hanging on busts above the back wall were leather masks, and I stared at them with wide eyes as she rounded the counter.

“Nope- it’s free. It’s really for men and women that want to know more. No one is going to tie you up. Most of the time you just talk, maybe participate in a demonstration. The doms that teach there have that particular kink, or maybe they’re looking for a new sub. Sometimes it’s even vice versa- a person that’s very dominate will find a sub in one of the attendees. Anyway, you don’t even have to use your real name when you sign in. So, here’s the address. It’s next Friday at 4p.m., and we have them every other week. It’s always the same day and time if you can’t make this one.”

Passing me a piece of stationary, Lillian smiled again as I took it in unstable fingers. The street address was unknown to me; I’d have to use GPS to find it. Waving the paper lightly, I walked as fast as I dared back towards the door to scurry to my car, clutching it tightly in my fist.