“No, I like it. Otherwise this whole thing might sound more than a bit creepy.”
“Are you coming down the stairs or am I arranging for you to go home? Which is it to be?”
“If I go home now, I don’t get paid, I’m guessing?”
“I will give you the hundred thousand we agreed to. You would never see me again. But money is not the object here. What’s in question is how curious are you, Ophelia Addams? How badly do you want to know the truth?”
“What truth?”
“About who I am.”
I think for a moment. I could go home and take the money. It’s like a quiz show. Do I take what I’ve banked or risk everything and go for the grand prize?
“Let’s do this,” I say, wondering if I’m making a huge mistake. “God help me, I have to know. You knew that, didn’t you? You knew I couldn’t come this far and not go all the way.”
“Brave girl,” he says, leading me down the stairs, talking as we go. “I wondered about you from the moment I saw you in that elevator. Fear yet strength.”
“What?”
“You were afraid yet strong. I was impressed and I continue to be. You are willing to take a risk. To leave your comfort zone for a while.”
We step out into a wide corridor of white walls and polished tile floors. There are three doors, one to the left, one to the right, and one dead ahead. “This one first,” he says, punching a code into the keypad set into the center of the door.
It slides open to reveal a large room with shelves along three of the walls. The fourth wall is taken up with hoops and ropes that hang down in several places.
There’s some kind of complicated black swing set in the corner and in front of me are more strange items. A wooden horse like you might have jumped over in gym class. A chair with straps of leather attached. More armchairs. A chaise longue in black velvet that looks brand new.
On the shelves are more vibrators than I thought existed. All neatly lined up. Other things I’ve no clue about. So many things.
“What do you think?” Vincenzo asks, closing the door behind him and crossing to the nearest shelf. “This sums up who I am better than I could ever try to explain.”
“So, you’re sex obsessed?”
He laughs. A genuine laugh. It’s like he’s himself down here, his barriers down fully for the first time since we met.
“It has little to do with sex and all to do with power. This is where I dominate and you learn to submit.”
“Is it? And what if I don’t want to?”
“It is too late for that. I gave you a chance to leave. You did not take it.”
“Are you telling me that you’ll keep me here against my will because I’m fairly sure there are laws against that sort of thing.”
“You will find the law bends to my will as much as my employees and my submissives.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” I swallow hard. “You’re actually serious.”
“Does that frighten you?”
“Of course it does. You just told me I’m not getting out of here until you’re ready.”
“I said nothing of the sort. You said that.”
“So you’re not keeping me here?”
“I am keeping you here until you’re ready to leave.”
“I want to leave now.”