Chapter 1
Ella
I had no idea how vibrant of a city New Orleans truly is. After I got in yesterday, I met up with my friend Gigi who works as a Vegas showgirl dancer. We try to meet up at least once a year to hang out and this year we decided to do it in New Orleans.
Though, I'm sure to her this is nothing compared to Las Vegas. Where the lights, the dancing, and the costumes are all so much bigger there. She picked New Orleans because in her words ‘it's different.’ The history, the culture, and the food are unique. When she is on vacation, she’s a total food junkie.
"Did you look at the Club Dark website I sent to you?" Gigi says as we enter our hotel room from a day of walking down by Jackson Square.
Right on the Mississippi River, the area is absolutely beautiful. The history is interesting, and I have to give it to Gigi, the food was to die for. In order to compensate for how much we ate, we had to walk around just to get extra steps in.
"I did. It’s set up in an old plantation house and looks absolutely beautiful," I say, sitting and taking my shoes off. "I wonder if I can find the history of the family who used to live there." I say more to myself. I love history and digging into the history of an area like New Orleans which has been fascinating for me.
"We're not going for a historical tour, Ella!" Gigi says, laughing.
No, we’re not. She had strategically picked New Orleans so that we could go to Club Dark with zero chance of running into anyone that we recognize. Back home in Chicago, we have Club Red, but the chances of meeting people we know are way too high.
"I'm going to go shower first so I can work on my hair. When you're finished with your shower, I will do your hair and makeup. So, let's get moving," she says, gathering up her clothes and heading to the bathroom.
At first, the thought of going to Club Dark was exciting and exhilarating. But now all I have is a bunch of nerves. Right now, I’m just trying to focus on the process of getting ready and enjoying our girl time. Everything else, I'm attempting to ignore.
Gigi had picked my outfit, which is a lot more revealing than anything I would have decided to wear. Her outfits on stage are barely scraps of fabric so she's used to showing off much more skin than I am. When she does her magic with my hair and my makeup, I don't recognize myself in the mirror. Maybe that's a good thing. It can be a disguise I'm putting on. Perhaps thinking of it like that will give me a bit more confidence.
"Alright, you look absolutely stunning!" Gigi has a big smile lighting up her face.
"There is no way I am stepping out onto the streets of New Orleans looking like this! People will think I'm a hooker." I stare at the woman in the mirror looking back at me.
"That's what the long coats are for. We wear them to Club Dark and then we put them in the locker room. Come on."
She helps me put on a long coat that covers everything from my neck to my knees and adjusts my hair so that the coat doesn't flatten it. Then she does the same for herself. We gather the paperwork we need to bring, and leave.
Arriving at the outskirts of New Orleans, we see the large five story plantation home, which sits on impeccably kept grounds. There are old trees with hanging moss all over them and a wrought iron privacy gate protecting the grounds.
Gigi does all the talking to the security. Once we're through the gate, stepping onto the grounds of Club Dark is like stepping back into time into the old South. All before the city sprung up around this amazing mansion.
We get to the first floor and it’s at reception where we have to turn in our paperwork, including our STD check, birth control confirmation, ID's and all that.
"Everything looks good. Now you two just need to go over the rules to make sure that you understand them. If you have any questions, let me know." The woman at reception hands us both a clipboard and directs us to a couch against the wall to sit down on.
The paper in front of me is pretty simple and straight to the point and exactly what I would expect the rules to be.
Upon entering Club Dark, you are consenting to the following:
1. You are STI/STD free.
2. You are on or have brought birth control of your choice.
3. You consent to engage in the kink of your choice upon entering the room of your choice. Anyone is welcome in the room that represents their kink with consent; privacy is maintained when requested. Multiple partners are common and encouraged at Club Dark.
4. No kink shaming allowed. People are free to explore and enjoy all their desires in a safe and consensual environment at Club Dark.
5. No cell phones are allowed in Club Dark.
6. Universal safe word at Club Dark is RED, unless otherwise agreed upon. Be aware of non-verbal cues.
At Club Dark, we want you to have a satisfying experience. Go and play!
After we both sign the paper and then hand it back, we go to the area where we are directed. There we leave our cell phones, our coats, keys, and anything else that we don't want to bring with us into the main play area.
"Let's walk around and get a lay of the land. Then we'll come back down to the main area, yeah?" Gigi asks.
I agree, as I’m nowhere near ready to leave her side just yet.
The first floor is all the old living areas that have been turned into lounge areas with a bar. The rooms are wide open with hardwood floors that look to be original and it's decorated in a luxury old South feel. They've kept as much of the character of the house as possible. The history nerd in me is more interested in the decor of the building than the people having sex on the couch ten feet away. Maybe that's why Gigi insists I need to get out more.
We get a drink and then move across the room to look at the numbered rooms on the floors above. Each room is set up with a different kink or theme in mind. When we were planning the trip, this is what Gigi was most excited about.
"Can we take the elevator? I don't want to try to do the stairs in these heels," I tell Gigi, and she nods. What we find is an old cage style elevator that again the history nerd in me just loves.
We pass by a primal playroom and a room completely full of corsets. There’s another room with people that have different collars on, other rooms have people tied up and some the sound of spanking fills the area. One definitely catches my eye. It is the room where you're encouraged to simply watch. There's just something about watching someone else's most intimate experience that always seems to turn me on, even though it shouldn't.
We don't linger too much in any one room. Though we do find some private rooms on the fifth floor before going back down to the bar area. Gigi goes to grab another drink, but I still have more than half of mine. While at the bar, a man walks up to her. They start talking and flirting and my gut tells me that this is who she wants to go play with tonight.
Gigi's job may seem simple. Learn a dance routine and then do it over and over again on stage. In reality, she also helps design costumes, and has to do a lot of off stage public relations work to bring people into the show. So when we were making plans, she made it clear to me that she wants to play while here and de-stress. Of course, I one-hundred percent encouraged it.
"Are you going to be okay on your own? What you need to do is find someone, and go have fun. Maybe join another couple or go and observe a room. We're here for the night, so take advantage of it." Gigi gives me a hug before walking off with the guy towards the stairs.
I decide to walk around the main level and see what's going on. As I leave the area with the bar and turn a corner, I run smack dab into a wall of muscle.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I was not paying attention," I say, thinking, thank the Lord that at least he has clothes on. It could have been so much more awkward had he been naked.
That prayer of thanks lasts a millisecond until I look up into the familiar eyes of Brooks. One of my father's best friends.
"Ella? What the fuck are you doing here?" he growls.
He sounds so mad that I freeze in place, not sure what to say or do. I don't think I've ever heard this man cuss when talking to me. Much less be anything more than perfectly in control and almost emotionless. His eyes run over me and they almost seem to get more furious.
"I um... I'm here with..."
"Who the hell are you here with?" The anger in his voice is clear this time. It makes it hard to think because he's never been mad at me before and I don't like it one bit.
"Oh... umm, Gigi?" I say hesitantly, wondering if that's going to make him angrier. Is he going to tell my dad that he found me here? That's going to be a super awkward conversation to have.
Looking at him, I get lost in the moment. I've always had a crush on this man. He's a few years younger than my father, but he's seemed out of my league. Though I’ve had a crush on him for years and think he is so attractive. He, Connor, and Finn have been pretty much inseparable for as long as I've known them. Growing up, the fantasies I had with the three of them are enough to make me blush even now.
"Fuck," he whispers, looking around. "I have a private room upstairs. Let's go talk there." He holds out his hand for me.
I nod, take his hand, and follow him to the elevator and back up to the fifth floor. We head down a long hallway and stop in front of one of the rooms that has been closed. He opens it and I step inside, turning to look at him.
When he closes the door behind us, only then do I actually look at the details of the room. Instantly, I freeze because on the couch staring directly at me are the other two that have starred in many of my fantasies and naughty dreams.
I'm now trapped in a private room in Club Dark and with my father's three best friends.
