The pungent smell of cigarettes filled the room the moment I entered, so strong that I instinctively shriveled up.
The only light in the room was focused on me, making me feel exposed and vulnerable, as if I were standing under a spotlight on a dark, deserted stage.
Why this club so obssessed with dim lit lights.
I looked around intently, curiosity and fear vying within me.
The dim lighting didn't help; the heavy black furniture didn't dim any faint light that dared to linger.
I couldn't see much except for a few outlines and a few shadow at the edges of my vision.
Then a deep, commanding voice cut through the thick, smoky air "Sit down."
Thankfully, I didn't stumble, despite the sweat dripping down my back and palms.
My legs somehow carried me to the chair, and I quickly sat down, feeling like a sinner awaiting judgment.
Then, just as quietly, the man moved.
I heard the soft click of a finger pressing something on his desk, and suddenly the lights came back on in the room, warm but dim, like faint embers, not bright flames.
Electronic controls?
Hmm, well... an electronic room, apparently.
As the light faded, I could finally see him clearly.
He was sitting quietly behind a large dark wooden desk, extinguishing his cigarette in a silver ashtray.
The smoke slowly swirled around him like a ghost refusing to let go.
He was... captivating, in a strange almost unreal way.
Pale, but beautiful in a way, like marble or a rare pearl untouched by time.
His face was sharp, angular, and his features so defined they looked as if they had been carefully drawn by an artist.
The kind of face that could only be described as handsome, with eyes so dark they were almost burnt brown, so intense and captivating.
He didn't smile.
He just looked at me, steady as if he could see through the thin layer of courage I tried so hard to put on.
He looked about thirty... maybe a little older, maybe not.
It was hard to tell.
There was something timeless about him, something that suggested he might be much younger or older than I'd realized.
For a moment, I couldn't even breathe.
He leaned back hesitantly in his enormous chair, one arm resting on the back, the other rubbing his chin as he examined me with an open gaze.
It wasn't the gaze a man gives to a woman he admires-no, it was colder and sharper, as if he were weighing me and judging everything about me, from my hair to my ridiculous shoes.
Embarrassment washed over me so quickly that I had to resist the urge to sink to the floor.
I lowered my gaze to my pink dress, this ridiculous pink dress, and nervously fiddled with the hem between my fingers.
What was I thinking, wearing something so childish in a place like this?
It seemed strange, and now, more than ever, I was convinced it was the worst decision I'd made tonight.
Without a word, he reached across his desk and took out some papers, lazily flipping through them.
His fingers were long, graceful, and confident in a way that made my chest tighten for reasons I couldn't quite explain.
Then, in a low, slow, almost mocking voice, he began reading aloud
"Virgin, inexperienced, and asking for a sex teacher."
Each word hit me like a slap.
He wasn't adding anything, nor was he distorting it, merely reciting the humiliating truth I'd willingly written down with my hand.
I gripped the hem of my dress tightly, my knuckles turning white.
There was no going back now.
He tilted his head slightly, a wry smile forming on his lips as he said the word "interesting" as if it were a private joke that only he knew.
Without any haste, he put the papers aside and reached back for his pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and lit it with almost lazy grace.
The sharp click of the lighter echoed in the awkward silence between us.
I stared at him, half annoyed, half strangely fascinated.
Is he a chain smoker or what?
Somehow, I wouldn't be surprised even if he was.
It fit perfectly with the concept of the "dangerous mysterious man" He gives.
He blew a thick puff of smoke to the side, filling the air with the same pungent scent, and finally spoke in a more gravelly voice.
"Tell me exactly... what do you want to learn by hiring a sex teacher?"
I swallowed hard, my throat dry and my gaze rested strangely on the side of his head, anywhere but his eyes, two eyes I could feel piercing me.
"I... I don't know exactly," I mumbled, twisting the hem of my dress again.
"I just want to learn... everything a sex teacher can teach."
He leaned forward slightly, his elbow resting on the desk, and interrupted me in a low, almost sarcastic voice as he began to recount things.
"Vanilla sex," he said flatly.
"Rough kinky sex," he added, his eyes never leaving mine "bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism & masochism."
Every swear word rained down on me like a physical blow.
Heat surged to my cheeks, and I knew I was blushing so hard I probably looked ridiculous.
I tightened my grip on my dress skirt, hesitating whether to rush to the door or brave this storm I'd willingly entered.
I nodded, my throat feeling so dry I couldn't even speak.
But that clearly didn't satisfy him.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and in a deep voice that nearly shook the room, he said,
"Use your words."
I swallowed hard.
Words, Aurora, use your damn words.
I desperately remembered what Alexander had once said, about what he loved in a woman.
I took a shaky breath and forced myself to say
"I want to learn about submission and domination."
He leaned down a little, studying me as if trying to see into my soul.
"And how old are you exactly?" he asked, his voice low but growing sharper.
I pressed my sweaty palms against my dress and replied,
"Twenty-seven."
His frown immediately deepened, as if I'd played a bad joke on him.
For a moment, I thought he'd throw me out immediately.
Maybe he thought I'd just come here to play, just for fun.
But before he could finish, I sat up straighter and quickly said,
"I really want to learn! At any cost."
He didn't seem convinced.
He leaned back again, crossing his legs, his cold gaze on me.
"You're a virgin," he said, as if in doubt.
I bit my lip hard, forcing myself not to look up. I met his blazing eyes and whispered, "Yes."
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked "Are you a lesbian?"
"No!"
I said quickly, my face burning.
He smiled faintly, but it wasn't the harsh smile I'd expected.
"Good, because this club doesn't offer that kind of service."
He stood up, and my back straightened immediately as I watched him move to a long drawer on the side of the desk.
I held my breath as he opened it and arranged some files, then returned to the desk with a small stack of papers in his hand.
He threw four files onto the desk in front of me, the papers sliding slightly as they fell.
I looked through his documents, my heart pounding, and hesitantly reached out to pick up the first file.
Profiles
All of them, four different men, each a certified sex educator.
But what caught my attention most was the fifth file, which he kept and didn't hand over to me.
Instead, he carefully placed it in front of him, as if it were a little different.
And I couldn't help but wonder why.
He leaned back in his chair and said in that same calm commanding voice:
"Choose your teacher."
My hands trembled slightly as I opened the first folder.
The name printed at the top was Eric, 23.
Four years younger than me, I thought feeling a little uneasy.
The folder said he was enthusiastic, patient, and had been a certified teacher for nearly two years.
He's younger... Could he really teach me something I didn't even know how to ask for?
I hesitated before grabbing the second folder.
Knox, 30.
At first, I sighed in relief. Finally! Someone older!
But my relief was short-lived.
A section of the folder clearly read:
Available three days a week.
Married with one child.
Married?!
I frowned, feeling an unexpected surge of anger.
Even married men are part of this?
How ridiculous!
Then a faint voice whispered inside me, "Who are you to judge, Aurora?"
You're engaged to Alexander... and here you are, standing in a non so secret club, choosing a sex teacher.
The thought made me blush.
I quickly scrolled to the third profile.
Chris, 28 years old.
But the description under his expertise made my blood run cold.
Specializes in sadism, pain, and discipline techniques.
Preferred intensity level: High.
No, absolutely not.
I closed the profile without reading any further.
I wasn't here to be tortured or to leave traumatized and broken.
I wanted... tenderness and guidance, Not bruises and fractures.
I opened the fourth profile more carefully.
Xavier, 27 years old.
Same age as me.
His experience and style were described as
"balanced, patient, and adaptable to his partner's boundaries."
normal and safe, Everything seemed fine.
And yet...
I stared at his picture and the carefully written notes.
There was no attraction.
I felt no spark of curiosity or excitement in my chest.
Oh my God, am I stupid? I scolded myself.
It's not about attraction, Aurora.
He's just supposed to teach you, not date you.
Yet, I sat there, frozen, with the four files in front of me...
And that mysterious fifth file lay untouched under his hand.
And I couldn't help but wonder.
Why wasn't he letting me see it?
He leaned forward slightly, his cigarette smoke slowly drifting between them as he asked,
"Have you chosen anyone?"
I shook my head, feeling a little uncomfortable under his heavy gaze.
He simply hummed and exhaled a puff of smoke into the dim room.
Summoning some courage, I said
"You forgot to give me the fifth file."
He grinned sarcastically, flicking the ash from his cigarette before answering.
"That person isn't fit to... teach a virgin."
I frowned and folded my arms tightly across my chest.
"So he must be an expert, right?"
At that, he raised an amused eyebrow.
"Why didn't you choose one of the four?"
I blew, and the words came out before I could think.
"Because they're insignificant, and two of them are trash."
The room fell silent.
Then he laughed very slowly, a low almost dangerous sound that terrified me.
He said in a deep, slightly sarcastic voice:
"You just insulted my employees. Do you realize that you signed a contract that obligates you not to insult club members and employees... and you signed it less than an hour ago?"
I immediately looked away, my cheeks flushing and my heart pounding.
Have I really screwed up everything?
I remembered what Felix had said about the punishment aka torture room.
I looked at him wide-eyed and shook my head quickly, my movement desperate and clumsy.
His lips curled into a sly sideways smile, as if he'd enjoyed my fear a little too much.
"Calm down, I'm not going to throw you in the dungeon just yet."
He leaned back and slowly folded his arms across his chest.
"But... candidate five... is very, very impatient."
Without thinking, I straightened up and said,
"I can handle this if you show me his file."
After all, I thought to myself bitterly, I was born into a family of hothead people.
My parents were in a state of extreme impatient or angry tension most days.
How difficult is it to deal with someone more than that?
He blew another lazy puff and said,
"He's not available very much."
I sighed, feeling the weight of my stubbornness and muttered,
"It's okay, I won't be too, and I just want to learn the basics from him, nothing more."
He watched me for a moment with those sharp dark eyes, then finally pushed the last document across the desk toward me with two fingers.
I hesitated and glanced at the file as if it might bite me, then slowly picked it up and opened it.
There was no picture inside.
Just neat rows of printed information.
Name: lazno
Age: 32
Education: (undisclosed)
Occupation: Chose not to disclose
I frowned slightly upon hearing the last part.
Why so secretive?
However, as I scrolled through the next section.
A Brief Description of His Personality
Personality:
Reserved and known for his strict professionalism.
There were other information that shows how he was Extensive experience compared to many of the current members and Respected by the upper management.
At least, from what I saw, he didn't seem all that bad compared to the others.
If anything, there was something strangely appealing about this mysterious person.
Maybe... maybe it won't be so bad.
All right, let's just choose xavier.
I closed the file and without much thought, said
"I want him."
Omg! Nope! Didn't we agree on telling him we wanted xavier!.
He gave a sarcastic side smile, raising his eyebrow as he repeated,
"You want him?"
I realized how that sounded, and my face immediately heated up and I quickly corrected myself.
"I mean... I choose him... out of the others."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully before leaning back in his chair.
"When do you want to start?"
I hesitated, then asked,
"Is lanzo available now?"
He took one last drag on his cigarette, then put it out with a light flick of his fingers.
"He is available. If you're ready, go place your order to the employee outside that you'd like to request a red room and tell him what level you're up for... in Lanzo Morello's name."
I nodded quickly, radiating gratitude.
"Thank you!"
I said, trying not to sound as elated as I felt.
Without wasting another second, I turned and hurried out of the office, my heart pounding.
I did it!
As I stepped out of the office, I found the man in the crow mask still standing there, his calm, expectant presence as before.
I mustered up the courage and said,
"I want a red room, Lanzo Morello."
He looked at me for a moment, then gave me a slow penetrating look, then turned his gaze toward the heavy door I had just exited as if silently confirming something.
For a second, doubt gripped me.
Did I say something wrong?
But he gave a small, formal bow and said,
"Please,Follow me."
Without another word, he turned and led me down a different corridor.
The further we went, the denser the atmosphere became almost humming with something invisible.
Finally, he opened a door and beckoned me inside.
Is this the Red Room?
It wasn't at all what I'd imagined.
The room wasn't bathed in crimson light or lavishly draped in velvet as the novels i read suggested about red rooms.
It was surprisingly simple, with a large bed in the center covered in dark sheets and a few pieces of furniture that were a mix of deep red and black.
Elegant, but still somehow eerie.
The man nodded briefly, then left me alone.
Now, all I could do was wait.
Then the door opened.