FIVE

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Aaron gave her mound a final kiss and stood. They exchanged another look. “Why?”

“Why what?” Denver panted while pulling free of the cuffs. She attempted to slow her breathing.

“You didn't let Rock do that. Why me? Why now?”

She tugged her dress back into place. “I don't let just anyone do something so intimate. But don't think we had a moment.” Denver spoke softly despite the harshness of her words. She looked anywhere else in the room but at him.

“I see. I upset you earlier.” Coolly he offered his arm to assist her down off the platform.

Denver accepted but still refused to meet his eyes. Yes, he'd hurt her feelings. And she felt stupid because of it. But there's no damn way she'd admit it out loud. “By the way, tonight counts as a favor.”

“As you wish.” 

What kind of strange relationship was she caught up in?  Aaron was blackmailing her. But at the same time he sort of understood her. Could tap into her needs, wake her desires. No one had done that before. Ever. He'd even protected her by getting Clesson, the Internal Affairs cop, to leave her alone. That's why he'd been able to hurt her feelings.

Denver shook her head as if that would make the uncomfortable thoughts fall out of her ears. She had to get back on track. Find Tai. Then she could sort of the growing jumble of feelings for Aaron.

She settled on the couch, and to her surprise, Aaron snuggled up next to her. The heat of his body seeped into her where their thighs touched. Nonchalantly he draped an arm over her shoulder. Denver like the way it felt. But chances were Aaron knew it would. He liked getting under her skin. She threw him a look, but he ignored it.

All around them sounds of lovemaking escaped from the other alcoves. But it was the slurping coming from across from them that finally made Denver stop averting her eyes. Charlotte's head bobbed on Owen's lap at a pace dizzying to watch.

Owen lounged with his hands behind his head. “Y'all are fitting in nicely,” he winked. “Newbies tend to be shy. Good for you, young buck. Oh look, here come the menus.”

A waitress ducked into the alcove and didn't blink twice at the action happening in Owen's lap as she handed out menus to everyone who had a free hand.

Owen stroked Charlotte's bobbing curls with one hand and accepted the menu with the other. “Oh boy. I'm curious to see what they cooked up this time.”

Whatever they were serving, Denver didn't want it. All she wanted to do was to ditch Aaron for a little while and get a good look around. She'd wasted enough time.

Just as she was about to flick the menu onto the couch, something caught her eye. She squinted at the black block letters printed on thick cream-colored card-stock.

“Maddox,” she whispered from behind clenched teeth, “what the hell is this?” Denver shook the page at him.

“It's not what you think,” he said casting a leery eye at Owen. “Don't get excited.”

Denver growled in his face. “What I think!  What I think is that instead of food, this menu is offering up people for sale.”

She flicked a finger against the first listing.

Accountant. Female. Age 32 years. Several advanced degrees. Offering innovative bookkeeping services. Will pose as wife or life partner. Service terms—two years. Flexible service conditions upon negotiation.

$150,000

Aaron glanced at the menu then pushed down the arm waving it in his face. “People aren't being sold, so calm down. Their professional services are being auctioned off and in return their personal debts are paid off.”

“So why is this auction happening at a secret location in the middle of a sex club, huh?”

He rubbed his chin looking sheepish. “The providers up for auction provide let's say, questionable—no—creative services that may be frowned upon in some circles.”

She grimaced and scanned the list again. Accountant, chemical engineer, governess, stock trader, a general surgeon—that made her eyebrows go up—and a bookkeeper. But only one caused goose bumps to erupt along her arms.

Cyber Security Specialist/ Programmer.

In other words, a hacker. Like Tai.

Denver stayed in control. “You mean they do things that are illegal. Like cooking the books, or electronically spying on competitors?”

Aaron shrugged and crossed his legs. “It's mutually beneficial from what I understand.”

”So members bid, pay off the person's debt and then that person works for them indefinitely like a slave?”

Aaron tapped his menu. “It says here every contract has a specific term limit. No slaves. So once again, don't be dramatic.”

On the other couch, the slowed frequency of Charlotte's slurping sounded like Owen's blowjob was concluding. Since they were still preoccupied, Denver could sneer without being noticed. “This depravity feels like something you'd be into, Maddox.”

“I won't lie, I'm not above it. But I prefer arrangements made in private. Like the one I have with you, Kitten.” He purred in her ear. Then he straightened as he glanced out beyond the alcove. “Now I need you to behave while I greet our host for tonight.”

Denver seethed about being told to behave as Aaron rose. He buttoned his jacket and stepped into the aisle. There he greeted someone who stayed just out of view. The best Denver could see from her vantage point were an occasional peek of white tuxedo sleeves.

So was the computer specialist on the menu Tai?  Did Aaron just feed her a load of BS and people were really being bought and sold? 

If so, this shit was getting shut down. Tonight.

Denver reclined into the cushions and folded her arms. With Maddox distracted, now would be a good time to make a break for a look around. But no dice there. Aaron stood rooted to the spot in front of their little hideaway.

Perhaps excusing herself for the ladies room would do. She needed to clean up. With that thought, she scooped up her discarded panties and shoved them into her clutch bag. They weren't wearable anymore, but she didn't like leaving anything as potential evidence of her presence.

Yeah, it was time to tidy up.

“Where are you going?”  Aaron asked as he returned to the alcove, his greeting concluded.

Just then, the man in the white tux passed by. Denver's breath caught in her throat. Even from a side profile, she recognized him. It was Nathan Maddox, Aaron's older brother.

When she glanced at Aaron, he looked bored and none the wiser of her discovery.

“Where are you off to?” he repeated.

“Um, the ladies room.”

He pecked her on the cheek. “Get me a whiskey sour on the way back? 

Aaron swatted her bottom as she passed. Denver strutted away as if she knew where she was going. It was the same direction the other Maddox had taken.

Nathan Maddox was Aaron's host?  That meant this was Nathan's property. Aaron's grumbling about a lot of work being done to the place made sense now, if this was true. Either way this was the address she suspected Tai had been heading to.

Coincidence?  Denver didn't have any firm facts, yet. But she could smell the smoke. And where there was smoke...

Someone grabbed her shoulder. She spun, one hand balling into a fist.

Charlotte popped her gum. “Hey sweetie, I'll come with you to the little girl’s room. But I think it's this way.”  She cocked a thumb over her shoulder in the opposite direction.

Denver unballed her fist behind her back and smiled. “Sure, sweetie.” Her tone belied the string of curses she shouted in her head. She followed Charlotte after a few furtive glances in the direction Nathan had taken.

After being treated to a succession of moans, begging and the crack of a whip coming from alcoves, Denver expected a full on orgy inside the ladies room. But, it turned out to be a quiet, well-stocked restroom designed to offer every convenience from gum to packs of new g-strings.

Denver debated on a black pair but opted to go commando. She took care of business while half-listening to Charlotte's idle chatter and wondering how she could ditch the blonde. 

Getting out fast was the best way to go. She finished washing her hands and dropped the little hand towel into a bin. “Charlotte, I'm going to grab Aaron's drink. I'll see you later—” Denver started but then she found herself pushed up against the wall next to the sinks.

Charlotte's voluminous breasts rubbed against her. “Listen, Kitty. I like Owen, but I dig girls too.”  She traced her finger down Denver's arm. “We can go play in the grotto, it's for girls only. The boys won't miss us for a while.” Then she nodded at a door Denver had noticed earlier near the exit. Green letters shaped like leaves spelled out Grotto.

The peacock mask hid a good portion of Charlotte's features. But she had a pretty mouth with full lips painted a light pink. Her eyes, a bright hazel, watched Denver waiting.

For the hundredth time that night, Denver felt a stirring between her legs. She herself never bothered with labels like straight or gay or even bi. They were stupid. But the bad girl side of her liked dabbling with taboo, freaky things that some people were too afraid to try. So the occasional romp with a woman, as long as she was sexy, wasn't off-limits.

Her eyes fell on Charlotte's full cleavage. Denver sighed and then chastely pecked her cheek. “Maybe later. I should get Aaron's drink first. He gets testy if he doesn't have enough whiskey in him.”

Charlotte pouted then shrugged. “Ok,” she said and went to the sink to touch up her lipstick without a second glance at Denver.

Just as Denver exited the restroom, a voice came over hidden loudspeakers.

“Gentlemen and ladies. The auction is starting now. Please refer to your menus. Entering the walkway is privateer number one on tonight's card and opens at one hundred fifty thousand. Silent bidding begins now. Nymphs will circle to collect bids.”

The sunken center of the room doubled as a dance floor. This night, a platform stretched across the area. It stood high enough for onlookers to see any activity from the alcoves without straining.

Denver smirked at the term privateer. It made these people sound like pirates. She recalled number one on the menu was an accountant. The woman pacing along the walkway fit the bill. Despite the club's dress code, she wore a slim cut, black business suit. Her brown hair fell loosely around her shoulders. 

No, Denver didn't like this one bit. The accountant bit her bottom lip nonstop. But other than that she didn't seem in immediate distress. If she had been, Denver would've felt compelled to call the cops. Damn Aaron—and Tai for that matter—for putting her in this position.

Technically, as far as she could tell, everything going on here was legal. So far. These people were adults making their own choices. Despite that, Denver's palm itched for her cell phone. This crowd was seedy as hell, and damn sure, something illegal was happening somewhere on the premises.

She got Aaron's stupid drink from the bar and took a circuitous route back to the alcove. The entire time her eyes swept everywhere absorbing everything. Faces, exits, hidden cameras. On the latter she didn't see any. It was silly to think they weren't here. Despite the veiled threat of not keeping the club's anonymity, security was still security. And to have this many people of influence in the room and there not be any surveillance seemed ridiculous if not foolish.

She also kept an eye out for the Maddox attorney, Poole. So far, he'd  managed to keep his pointy-tooth self out of sight. Perhaps he was hanging out wherever Nathan Maddox was.

If Tai was indeed on the menu, her job tonight would be easy. Get him and get out.

If the person turned out not to be Tai, she'd have to sneak away from Aaron and check out some of the restricted areas.

“Here.” She shoved the glass into Aaron's hand ignoring the whiskey that sloshed over their fingers.

Not that Aaron noticed. He chatted with Owen and another man who'd joined them.

Owen sat in between the newcomer and Charlotte. Charlotte busied herself playing with the mini-umbrella that had come with her drink. The new man, like all the other men in the club, was in a tuxedo paired with a slim black tie. He was about Aaron's age, early thirties, lithe with tapered light brown hair and a van dyke beard.

The newcomer glanced at Denver and was gentleman enough to acknowledge her with a friendly nod. It was only then did Aaron introduce her as his companion for the evening. No names given nor asked for. As Denver took a seat next to Aaron, the men shifted back to their earlier conversation.

Which was fine for her. She perched on the couch closest to the alcove's threshold with a good view of the walkway.

“Members,” a woman in a dress made of glittering silver netting and matching mask entered. She handed out golden booklets to the men. “Be sure to write your membership number on any bid. Will anyone be placing an amount on the first round? No?  As you wish then. I am Nymph Cassandra. I'll be coming around to collect bid tickets. Please call for me if you need any assistance.”

The men accepted the booklets but paid only polite attention to the nymph. She left after doing a curtsy that made Denver smirk.

The invisible DJ interrupted. “Gentlemen and ladies. Auction privateer number two is now taking the walkway. Bidding starts at eighty-three thousand.”

Denver watched as the woman climbed down the stage and went to an alcove in the rear of the club. Closed drapes hid the occupants. As she approached someone unseen parted the drapery, and a man exited as the accountant lady entered.

Huh. That was where they were keeping the privateers. Was security in there too?

Denver scanned a discarded menu. The cyber security specialist was listed fifth. Good. She shouldn't have to wait too long.

But how would they get out?  Could she just tackle Tai and leave?  And they were in the middle of nowhere. She'd have to snatch a car. Or would Aaron help? 

She looked over her shoulder at him. He and the van dyke beard guy laughed and clinked glasses.

Aaron was such an unknown. Sometimes he seemed like a decent person and then at other times he was a controlling, manipulative jackass.

No, best not to plan on him. She and Tai would have to find an escape route on their own.

Aaron had left his keys with the valet. It shouldn't be too hard to get them from the footman. Then they could just drive off.

That is if Tai wanted to leave. If. In fact, she scolded herself, there was no telling if the cyber specialist was Tai at all. Her friend could be rotting in a shallow grave somewhere. Dead because she'd asked him to get info on the Maddox family.

A trill went through her belly at the thought of causing someone's death.

The mellow DJ voice interrupted. “Members. On the walkway is our next service provider, listed as number three on your menus. Open bids at 250 thousand.”

Number three was the general surgeon. Two hundred and fifty grand, wow. Denver watched as a bald but svelte man emerged from the closed drapes. He took the stage with fast, jerky movements. He looked annoyed as if he was violating his own standards by being present. But members came to the edge of their alcoves to wave tickets at the nymphs. 

If your lifestyle involved bullets being slung at you on a regular, having a surgeon on call would come in handy.

Denver searched the faces waving tickets. Some of their body language read thug, or gangster, even if their haircuts and clothing flashed high-class refinement.

This wasn't a good place for her to be. What if by some off chance, someone recognized her as a cop?  Or worse, someone figured out she worked for the DA's office?  She'd been in court many, many times with the various assistant district attorneys. Hell, she'd even testified on a few cases.

Owen slapped his knee and guffawed.

Van dyke beard spoke over the laughter. “No, listen. I know you guys think it's all about networking but social media is the mother-lode. You just need to know how to crack the code...”

Denver tuned them out. Just two more people to go.

The invisible DJ spoke over the music. “Our hosts gladly offer this rare find and at a very reasonable opening bid. Number four, ladies and gentlemen, starting at seventy-five thousand.” 

Denver eyed the man stepping on stage. He looked as if he wanted to fold in on himself. But she noticed this in a vague, bland way, as if some of her senses were shutting down. Or more like narrowing to detect the things that were important. Fear did that to her.

Something was about to happen. She could feel it. The hard beat of her pulse drowned out the music. Denver leaned over to peek at the alcove with the closed drapes. That was the place to keep an eye on. Any threat would come from there.

Denver scratched the back of her neck absentmindedly as she counted down the seconds until number four would get off the runway. If it was Tai, she'd wait till he finished his turn. Then when he was at the other end of the club, nearest the stairway that leads upstairs, she'd attract his attention somehow, and they could walk out. Well no, they'd have to run. It would be a mad dash.

Simple. That plan was too simple. It wouldn't work not knowing who was in that alcove with him and how fast they could alert help. The price of snitching in this club was blood, so who knew what they would do to Denver if she got caught.

The guy on the walkway strutted slowly. Any second now the DJ will call up number five. The moment the DJ did, she'd position herself next to the runway. If she could, she would get Tai and run.

Her breath came fast now, and Denver willed it to slow.

Any second now.

Denver leaned forward, ready to move.

Finally the DJ came over the speakers. “Next up is number five—”

Denver jumped to her feet already angling for the runway. But a hand clamped down on her wrist. She stopped short and turned to see Aaron staring at her.

“Everything ok?” He asked.

“Sure, sure.” She pushed her lips into a smile. Tai could be feet away right now, just behind her on the runway. But she didn't want to give herself away. The walkway was like a sun, burning her skin with the urge just to glance its way.

Aaron searched her face and his brow furrowed. He held up his drink that was still one-quarter full. “Could you be a doll and get me another?”

“Of course,” she took the glass. “Be right back, darling.”  The last bit she'd added for effect. But the sudden sense of relief almost made her giddy. Aaron's timing was perfect, now all she had to do was get into the right position in time.

She rose and turned... and there stood the Maddox attorney. Ian Poole grinned flashing his pointy rat teeth. “Hello there, sweetheart. Don't tell me a hot thing like you is leaving because of me?”

Denver flinched, but tried to cover it up with a demure cough. “Oh, certainly not. I was just on my way—”

“—to freshen up my drink.” Aaron finished. He wrapped an arm around Denver's waist, pulling her to one side.

“Don't be ridiculous. That's what waitresses are for. Gimme that.”  He snatched the glass from Denver fingers and dropped it unceremoniously onto a table. “They're here to clean up messes so everyone can play or talk business. And then play some more.”  His head tilted as he regarded Denver.

Aaron squeezed Denver's waist. “We've certainly have had our fun. But speaking of business, let me introduce you around.”  He took the lawyer's arm pulling him closer to where the other men talked.

This little maneuver forced Denver to the far side of the alcove. Fortunately, Aaron had wedged himself between her and the rodent-face lawyer. At least she was out of Poole's immediate line of sight. However, she was now further away from the entrance than before. And as she reluctantly reclaimed a seat on the edge of the couch, Poole blocked the view of the walkway. This was bad.

Van dyke beard sitting next to Owen said, “There's one on the menu tonight. I brought my guy to suss him out before the auction. I already put my bid in. If one is good why not two?”

Aaron rubbed her knee while the men chatted. Denver seethed. She was trapped. And Maddox feeling her up didn't help matters. Every few seconds she glanced out the alcove but Poole's stupid head was in the way. Out on the walkway she'd get a glimpse of the bottom half of someone wearing jeans, but nothing more.

Denver still hadn't caught the newcomer's name, but he yammered on nonstop as if working to impress the others. “Listen, all you need is the right guy for the job. Here let me call mine in...”

What now? Feign an excuse to leave and risk the lawyer recognizing her or wait it out?

Lie and get out of the room, now. Number five's time would be up soon.

She rose but so did Ian Poole. He looked at his phone and then held it up. “Gentlemen, business calls. Nice meeting all of you.”

Yes!  Denver waited as patiently as she could while the men shook hands. The second Poole turned away, she was on the move. 

“I'll get that drink for you now, Aaron.”

She didn't wait for his answer while watching Poole's back move past the drapes of the alcove. At the moment, only a small portion of the walkway was in sight. Didn't matter, once she stepped into the aisle, she'd have a full view. She'd know if Tai was on that stage.

“Hey, sweetie, going to the little girl's room again?  Want me to come with?”

“Not now, Charlotte.” Denver answered distracted. Just three steps more. Then she'd be in the aisle.

One.

Two.

Three.

“Gentlemen and ladies,” the DJ said, “coming to the stage is number six on your menus. Six, please step forward.”

Dammit, she was too late. Too late to catch him at the far end of the walkway. Now she'd have to improvise another plan.

Denver stepped into the aisle. Number five's back was to her. He was short, just like Tai. Mussed black hair, jeans, faded denim shirt a size too small.

Turn around!  She screamed it in her head.

And he did.

Denver inhaled sharply. It wasn't him.

It wasn't him.

“Excuse me,” a man said and sidled past her into the alcove. Denver glanced at him as she moved aside and froze.

Tai offered a shy smile and nodded thanks. He didn't have on a mask but sported the same gear as the guy onstage as if all hackers abided by a dress code.

Denver hissed through her teeth. “Tai!”

He paused and stared at her face, puzzled.

“It's me,” she spit out from behind clenched teeth, “Denver!” 

Tai eyes went wide as realization dawned on him. Quickly Denver pulled him out of the view of the alcove's occupants.

They spoke in harsh whispers.

Denver looked him over. “Are you ok?”

He nodded, his eyes grew big like huge glass orbs. “Yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you. When you didn't show up with the info the DA needed, I thought you were dead!”

Tai ran a hand through his hair, making the top stick up in short spikes. “Yeah, sorry about that. It was just—”

She grabbed his shirt. “Nevermind, let's go. I'm getting you out of here now.”

“No,” he pushed her hand away. “I can't. I made a deal.”

“You sold yourself?”

“I had a ton of debt, Denver. You don't understand. The night before when I supposed to get the info on the Maddox's to you, my friend told me about this weird auction and before I knew it, I was on the block. My benefactor hasn't let me out of his sight much since he bought my contract. He barely let me go home to pick up some clothes.

I'm ok though, all right? Sorry about everything but I gotta go. He called for me.”  Tai backed away and had the decency to duck his head. “Sorry,” he said eyes averted to the floor. Then Tai turned and entered the alcove with Aaron, Owen, Charlotte and the man who'd bought his debt.

Denver stared open-mouthed at Tai’s back. She remained there a long time as the ice in Aaron’s drink melted.