I’d picked a flared leather skirt from my wardrobe—beneath it I had a pistol strapped to my thigh. Teamed with a silky purple corset, fastened super tight so my breasts spilled over the top, I was pleased with the look. I’d fit in just fine.
It seemed Sean and Balko were also pleased—neither had been able to stop glancing my way since we’d exited our vehicle a block away.
“You’re not members.” A fat man chewing gum stared at us through piggy eyes. He was seated behind a messy table that held a lamp with a tasselled shade. The shade was stained, as if it had been too close to the bulb at some point.
The reception was small and dark and smelled of takeout. On the wall was an obscene photograph of a woman with her legs spread and a vibrator and butt plug inserted. She was bound and gagged and her eyes wide so all the whites were visible.
“How do we join?” Sean asked, resting his knuckles on the desk and leaning forward. It was a typical gorilla, give-me-what-I-want pose.
“Five hundred bucks each.”
“Wow, that’s steep for a bit of kink.” Sean turned to Balko. “Wouldn’t you say?”
“Yeah, I would.” Balko crossed his arms over his tight black shirt. “Especially when we’ve brought our own woman to fuck.”
“Well, lucky you. Most of the sad guys in there are on the lookout.” He huffed. “Pay up or get the fuck out of here.”
“I’ve got another idea,” Sean said, picking up the mug in front of him. He sniffed it and screwed up his nose. “What’s this shit?”
“Give me that.” The man took it from him. “And get out before I call the cops.”
“Do you really want the cops here?” Sean asked, leaning forward again. “Seems to me there’s a few things going on they might take issue with.”
“It’s all consensual.”
Balko nodded at the photograph. “She doesn’t look like she’s having a great time.”
“Women like it rough. They like being treated like whores.” He looked at me. “Don’t you, eh, bitch? A bit of slapping around, being told what to do, taking it. That’s why you’re here, to get messed up, take what you’re given.”
Balko took a step forward and uncrossed his arms. His fists were clenched.
I decided to keep quiet…for now.
Sean looked over his shoulder at Balko. He held up his palm and gave a small shake of his head.
Balko stilled.
“The thing is…” Sean said, as if waiting for the man to give him a name. He didn’t. “Wearethe cops.”
The man nodded at me. There was a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. “Cops don’t dress like that.”
“They do if there’s an asshole in there we need to take off the streets.”
“I vet all my members.”
“Don’t tell me, you only let sick perverts in,” Balko said.
The man stood. “I’ll tell you what’s going to happen, you are—”
“No.” Sean flashed his badge under the man’s nose. “I’mgoing to tellyouwhat’s going to happen. Now sit the fuck down before I start listing things I’m going to haul your fat ass down to the precinct for.”
The man sat with a bump. His brow and top lip were heavy with sweat.
“We’re going in there, and you’re going to sit here and shut the hell up. And if any of my colleagues, some of which are already inside, instruct you to do anything, and I mean anything, including take all your clothes off and crawl around the floor like a fucking baby, then you do it, right?”
“What the fuck?” The man scowled.
“Do I have your cooperation?” Sean asked.