Indulgence (Taking Chances #1)

by Jeanne McDonald

  I obeyed, reading meticulously over the rules.

  1. Participants are allowed admittance by invitation only.

  2. Medical records are to be provided by each participant. Fraudulent records will ensure instant dismissal from current and future engagements. Legal action can and will be taken in the event that fraudulent activity is discovered.

  3. Rooms are segregated by selective indulgence. A participant may take part in any or all of the indulgences available, as they so desire.

  4.Participants must partake in at least one delicacy in order to obtain a return invitation for future events.

  5. If accident or injury happen to occur at anytime during Indulgence, the participant waives his or her rights for legal litigation. Mr. Hawk insures all medical needs will be handled in a swift and appropriate manner, both during and after the event.

  6. All participants have the right to refuse another participant without repercussion or bias.

  7. All sexual partners must be documented on the participant’s partner card. There are no exceptions to this rule.

  8. The use of safe words is required by all participants. A safe word is to be provided to a partner before intercourse occurs.

  9. All cameras, cell phones, and any other recording devices are strictly prohibited. If a participant is found with any such devices on their persons, they will be immediately ejected from the premises and their property will be retained and wiped clean before being returned to its owner.

  10. All participants are to remain nude throughout the duration of the event. If a need for early departure arises, the participants clothing will be returned immediately and they will be escorted from the premises.

  Safe words. Partner cards. They really hadn’t been joking about all of that crap in the initiation package. Holy wow! I read and reread the document.

  “Please sign here,” scary lady’s long, manicured nail tapped the bottom line, “stating you have read and agree to follow the rules of Indulgence.”

  For a moment, I hesitated. I dealt with contracts for a living. By signing this, I agreed to adhere to everything listed here, including any bylaws. A contract was no laughing matter. I’d signed pre-screening documents to attend, but this was binding. “Just sign,” Amber hissed, pushing the ink pen toward me.

  David approached the table beside us. He caught my eye and gave me a quick wink, handing over his documentation to a haughty brunette sitting at the desk. I sighed and picked up the pen, following suit.

  Before the ink was dry, the woman ripped the paper back up and placed it, along with my invitation and license, in the box. I opened my mouth to object to her keeping my license, but was halted by her nasally voice. “Since you’re left handed, I need your right arm, please.”

  I extended my hand out to her, almost afraid she might bite it off. She wrapped the red ribbon around my wrist, prepared to clasp it together with an adhesive strip. “You are to wear your card at all times. In each room, you will find plenty of writing, utensils along with protection. For every partner you engage in activities with tonight, you’re required to notate their name on this card. Tomorrow morning, you will hand this back in and we will return your license to you. Is that clear?”

  My jaw nearly hit the floor. Not that I thought keeping track of our partners was a bad idea, because it was quite brilliant, but having some stranger sifting through my sex partners left me unsettled. My crush on Sebastian Hawk was a moot point. It was bad enough he had access to everything else, including my blood type. This was my private affair, and I wanted it to remain that way.

  I ripped my arm back before the clasp completely closed, leaving the card in scary lady’s hands. “Excuse me, but I wish to keep my card. It’s no one else’s business who I fuck but my own.”

  “Addison,” Amber warned me.

  I jerked my head up, looking at Amber. “No. This is ludicrous,” I argued. “Who gives him the right to know who I fuck or not?”

  “It’s no big deal. Just take the card,” she hissed.

  I might’ve been out my comfort zone, but I also wasn’t the type of person who’d back down when I felt something wasn’t right. I had no qualms in speaking my mind. It might’ve gotten me in trouble more times than not, but I figured if I didn’t defend myself, who would?

  “No. You said this was about freedom, about taking chances, but there are some things I don’t take chances with. I refuse to allow…”

  Out of nowhere, a man appeared behind the desk. His light, blue-eyed gaze washed over me, causing every follicle on my skin to stand on end. My body tingled with excitement. All I could do was stare at him. He was the epitome of a god.

  Skin, lightly kissed by the sun. Hair, the color of pale gold. He was tall but the air around him made him appear taller. The tip of his tongue darted out over his lips, and I had the sudden urge to reach out and capture it between my teeth. My eyes drifted down, catching the sight of a hard, lean body. His hands tucked away in his pockets, pulling his suit jacket away from his hips. When I realized I was staring at his crotch, I quickly shifted my eyes to meet his. Bad move. Once locked in his sights, I was done for.

  “Sebastian Hawk,” I rasped.

  The room went silent. No one made a sound. I could feel every pair of eyes on me and our magnificent host. I wanted to squeal, or breathe, or do anything other than stand there staring at him like I’d just seen Heaven. The urge to faint was overwhelming. Every inch of my body quivered. Here he was, mere inches away from me. God, how many times I masturbated to the image of this man in my head. Peppy certainly would know.

  “Is there a problem here?” The smooth cadence of his voice was cool and collected, much like the atmosphere around him. He was poised yet mysterious, and as for me, well, I was a puddle, dripping at his feet.

  “I, uh, well, um, you see…” I stuttered.

  “No. No, problem,” Amber stepped in, answering for me.

  I wanted to look at her but couldn’t tear my gaze from him. From the corner of my eye, I could see her giving me the best shut the hell up look imaginable, which was not a problem, since I’d apparently lost my ability to speak in coherent sentences.

  “I see,” he paused, his eyes never breaking away from me. “Your name, Miss?”

  I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. This man had me under some sort of spell. His every movement was smooth yet stoic. Nothing about him was out of place. His hair styled perfectly, his tie straight, and even his jacket contoured to his body as if it were afraid to move without his permission. He carried himself as I imagined royalty would.

  “Miss?” he repeated, his voice decadently smooth with a hint of amusement.

  I blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog. “I’m sorry.”

  “Your name is I’m sorry?”

  “No. I…”

  God, what the fuck is wrong with me?

  His lips twitched, but never produced a true grin.

  “George. Addison George,” I blurted out.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Are you sure there’s no problem? From what I just witnessed, you seemed discontent with some of our rules.” He tapped scary lady’s shoulder, who immediately removed my card from the box and handed it up to him. His eyes scanned my information before returning his gaze to me.

  I swallowed, shaking my head. David was right. Being in the presence of Sebastian Hawk was much different than seeing him on the cover of a magazine or on television. So many people knew his face and his fortune, but few knew the man himself. Media salivated over anything they could find on him, but most times the stories contradicted something that had previously been reported. One thing was for sure though, well two actually. One, he had a damn good press secretary, and two, he was a magnificent specimen of man.

  Taking a deep breath, I found it in me to answer, “No, Sir. No problem at all.”

  Sebastian raised his shoulders and dropped them in an almost sigh. It was the only chink in his armor I’d seen, but was gone as quickly as
it came. The way his tuxedo hugged his body made me weak in the knees. Never had I been more jealous of fabric as I was at this very moment. He handed my information back to scary lady and tucked his hands into his pockets. “Very well. If you require any assistance tonight, do let me know.”

  “Personally?” fell from my lips before I could stop it.

  “Addison!” Amber hissed.

  The corner of his mouth twitched into the most delicious crooked grin. “Have a lovely evening, Ms. George.” He cocked his head to the side, eyeing me with immense curiosity. He straightened his back, narrowing his shoulders. With one last lingering glance, he clicked his heels, turned around, and disappeared from whence he came.

  “Holy shit. That was…that was…” I blathered.

  The scary lady smiled. Had I not been still mystified by Sebastian, I might have been frightened. Damn, those were some sharp-looking teeth. “Amazing, yes,” she mocked.

  “C’mon,” Amber snarled, grabbing me by the arm.

  “Oh, Miss George,” the scary blonde lady stopped us.

  “Yes?”

  She dangled the offending sex partner card from her fingertips. “You’ll need this.”

  With a huff of frustration, I grabbed the card and wrapped it around my arm as Amber pulled me past the desks, toward the doors leading into the great room.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Just shut-up and walk!” she demanded, having obviously forgotten all about David because he was still standing at the signing desk watching us disappear.

  “What did I do wrong?”

  Just past the doors, she slammed on the brakes and turned to face me. Her hazel eyes now burned bright red with rage. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “Did what?”

  Amber tossed her hands in the air, throwing what I would’ve called a childish temper tantrum. “Damn it, Addison, pay attention. That was Sebastian Hawk. The Grand Master. David told you that people treat him with reverence here. If that means nothing to you, then consider the fact that you’re in his home. Show some respect.”

  I sighed and nodded. “I’m sorry, but I still feel this is ridiculous.” I waved the card dangling from my arm in her face.

  “It doesn’t matter what you think. You could’ve easily gotten us banned for that stunt back there.”

  That’s when the ramifications of my actions struck me. I clasped my hand to my mouth. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “No, you weren’t.” Amber rubbed the back of her neck and took a look around. “But I guess no harm was done. Everyone definitely knows you now.” The tension eased from her shoulders and a small laugh rumbled from her chest. “That could benefit us. Now, let’s get a drink.”

  I wrapped my around her shoulders and pulled her into the crook of my side. “That sounds like a grand idea to me.” A little liquid courage never hurt anyone, and I needed all the courage I could get if I intended on making it through this night.

  Chapter Six

  Two shots later, both aptly named for the night’s events, Amber and I were back to our normal selves. The flow of newcomers started to dwindle. The room was full of life, and a buzz of anticipation filled the air. The sounds of laughter and conversation crescendoed as if a fine-tuned orchestra was preparing to begin an epic symphony. I looked on in awe and amazement at the diversity of everyone in the room. Had I not known we were all gathered for a wild fuck fest, I would’ve sworn I was in the middle of an average New Year’s Eve party.

  Amber nudged my arm. “Would you like another?”

  I glanced over my shoulder to the bar behind me, humming with indecision. “Actually,” I paused, “I think I’d rather have a Grey Goose and Sprite.”

  Amber turned around, raising her hand to gain the bartender’s attention. A young man dressed in black slacks, a white button-down shirt with black garters on each arm and a black bowtie, made his way down to us. Like everyone else in the room, his face was covered by a mask. It disguised his eyes and nose but allowed the world to see his adorable smile.

  “What can I get for you, ladies?” he asked.

  “A Grey Goose and Sprite, and a martini as dirty as you can make it,” Amber requested with a wink.

  The bartender ran his fingers through his dark, curly hair. He gave a quick nod and a smile. “You got it.”

  Leaning back, I rested my elbows against the bar. My eyes scanned the room, watching the last minute stragglers enter. Conversation buzzed around me, and for a moment I was lulled into a false sense of comfort.

  Before I saw him, I felt him. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Sebastian. I inclined my head to obtain a better look at this perfect specimen of a man. At the top of the staircase, he stood. Never had I seen anyone stand so straight or so confident. His hands tucked into his pockets, he surveyed the crowd, taking pride in his dominion. From the way he scanned the room, I got the distinct feeling he was looking for someone in particular. Not a single soul was around him. Everyone seemed to keep clear of him, almost as if he were a ghost or a shadow in this place.

  I was seduced by his mere presence. Every inch of my body tingled with excitement. I tried to shrug it off as just my fan girl whims, and maybe that was true, but then again, maybe it was the fact that I knew tonight was all about sex and eroticism. Or maybe it was because I knew I couldn’t have him. Whatever the case, there was something about Sebastian that captivated me. I wanted him in a way I’d never wanted anyone before. It was too bad I wouldn’t get a chance to taste the forbidden fruit.

  “God, I can see why you have the hots for him. He’s fucking gorgeous,” Amber purred, her sex kitten claws out.

  “That he is,” I agreed with a wanton sigh.

  Almost as if he heard me speak, Sebastian’s gaze met mine. His calculated, fierce blue eyes sparkled under the flickering light of the candles in the room. The corner of his mouth twitched and his jaw tightened. His stance was confident and still, almost as if he were a perfect statue. Even had I wanted to look away, I couldn’t.

  Heat coursed through my veins. A heat so intense it was unlike anything I’d felt before. The warmth of my desire coated my panties. My nipples hardened, straining toward the one person I yearned to have touch me. Sebastian’s tongue darted out over his lips, and I damn near came unglued.

  “Wow. He really is looking,” Amber noted.

  I blinked, wiping away the fog that was Sebastian Hawk from my mind. “Who’s looking?”

  “The Grand Master. You must’ve really gotten to him. Lucky bitch. I bet he watches you tonight.”

  “Whatever,” I scoffed, nudging Amber with my elbow. She poked me back, laughing.

  Two drinks appeared on the bar behind us. “Here ya go, ladies.”

  In the amount of time it took me to turn around, thank the bartender and to have a sip of my drink, Sebastian disappeared. I was a disappointed when I looked back up at the staircase to find him gone, but I still felt him. He was somewhere in the room. I glanced around, hoping to see him again.

  “Oh, things are about to start,” Amber squealed from behind the lip of her glass. She pointed toward a makeshift stage in the center of the room. There stood Sebastian. He looked out over the crowd and cleared his throat. The buzz in the room died down to church mouse silent. While Sebastian appeared to look at everyone around him, I had a distinct feeling as if he viewed them all as visual noise.

  “Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen, and Happy New Year.”

  The room echoed back in unison a New Year’s greeting.

  A true smile formed on his lips, and he nodded in response.

  “It’s wonderful to have each and every one of you here tonight. I’m honored that you would share your final hours of this year with me in celebration of the magnificent world of Indulgence. As I’m sure you all know, I’m Sebastian Hawk and I will be your host for the evening.”

  The room exploded in a thunder of clapping.

  Sebastian waved at the
crowd, instantly silencing everyone. I was in awe of how he commanded the room.

  “A few quick provisos before we get started.” He scanned the crowd, smiling at each person. Every time his eyes fell on me, I got tingly. Part of me hoped Amber was right and he did find interest in me. The other was scared out of my wit that she was right and I had an imminent stalker for the night.

  “You will find that each room is listed with an indulgence for your tasting. If a room is not marked, it’s not available for entry. Lounges have been placed throughout the house for resting. You’re more than welcome to take advantage of them whenever you need a break, however, sexual activity is prohibited in the lounging areas.” He stressed prohibited. I guess not everywhere was a fuckable zone.

  “Protection, such as condoms for men and women, as well as an array of lubricants are available in each room. You are required to use protection during each encounter. My medical staff will be available around the clock in case of any emergencies. Also, the kitchen and bar are open all evening.” He stretched out his hand, indicating to the bar behind me. “Please, take care of your bodies. I cannot stress this enough. Tonight is about enjoyment, and there is no enjoyment when one does not care for themselves and their partners.

  “And last, but certainly not least, the guidelines everyone signed upon entering this evening,” the corner of his mouth raised in a mischievous crooked grin and his gaze cut straight to me, “have been posted throughout the house to serve as a constant reminder of the contract you signed upon accepting your partner card.”

  I slapped my hand over my face. Amber laughed, jabbing her elbow into my side.

  “Hush,” I hissed through gritted teeth.

  “I didn’t say a thing,” she whispered back.

  “Anyone caught breaking these rules,” Sebastian continued, “will be removed from the premises immediately.” He smiled out at the reverent crowd. “At this time, please remove your clothing. My staff will be around to collect your belongings. A claim number will be stamped onto your partner card.” Sebastian shifted his feet and took a deep breath. “I wish you all a night to remember and a Happy New Year.”