There were a lot of fucked-up things about my night—having to tell Cole the specifics of it was damn near the top. It felt like a betrayal to Sloane. It felt like something some meathead dickwad would do while sitting around with his buddies, drinking beer, bragging about pussy. Not that I was bragging, and I left out bringing her to climax, but I did need to report I had her out of her dress and on her bed.

Fucked-up shit!

“I made it clear, twice. She still opened the door. This after dancing around me for two months, being shy and cautious, trying hard to hide she’s into me even though she really doesn’t want to be. After she turned me down flat to dinner when she thought it was a date. Then out of the blue, she starts flirting. I was not cool about it when I asked her if she fucked members; the Sloane I thought I knew would’ve slapped the hell out of me for being a dick. Then she straight-up says she wants to go home with me, knowing the implication is I want to take her there to fuck her. I’m telling you, that is not the Sloane I know. We are missing something. Something has that woman tweaked.”

“Two things,” Cole started. “Maybe she decided to act on whatever’s been brewing between the two of you. Believe it or not some women like meaningless sex.” I shot Cole a middle finger for being a condescending prick. Undeterred he went on, “Or she’s got her orders to feel you out before Kelly offers you more than your membership at Joi outlines in the fine print.”

“Ten minutes into my dinner with her, I questioned her innocence. I started to doubt myself and my instincts,” I admitted. “But you did not see her, she was conflicted. I think the only honest thing she said tonight was that she didn’t share and she wouldn’t be shared or watched. It’s fucked-up and I cannot explain it but it’s in her eyes. She wants to act on her attraction, but she thinks I’m the asshole I’ve led her to believe I am. She doesn’t want one thing to do with that club, not one. She does not like being there. She wouldn’t be involved with a sex club unless she had to be. Unless someone was holding something over her head. I’m telling you, Cole, and you can think I’m an idiot, but my gut has never led me astray—there is something wrong. I can’t get a read on the club. It’s on the up and up, all of it. Not even a whiff that something shady’s going on. At least not until Sloane turned. Now I’m wondering who’s forcing her to get me on the hook.”

“I’ll dig deeper into her life,” Cole conceded. “But, Asher, you need to be prepared to be pulled from this assignment. Wilson’s here to tie up loose ends and punt the report to the SOIB. Our part’s almost done.”