The club is nothing like it was before. There’s a heavy beat of music overhead that’s slow and sultry, giving the place a sense of rich opulence. As Jack moves through the club with me on his arm, I scan my surroundings, just trying to take it all in. It’s odd how much it feels like I don’t belong here, and yet the club feels like a warm hug. The staff is kind, smiling at me as they welcome me in and hand me a glass of champagne. The scent in the room is floral, like fresh linens covered in roses. And there are no dark, ominous corners that would make someone feel vulnerable. Everything is open, giving this floor of the club a friendly vibe. “What do you think?” he murmurs next to me. I turn toward him with my lips pressed together in a tight smile. “Jack, it’s perfect.” A gray-haired man approaches us with a beaming smile. “Jack!” he calls as he puts a hand out for him. Jack releases my arm and shakes the man’s hand with apprehension. “Matis,” he r eplies nervously. “You did it,” the man celebrates. “Look at this place!” “It’s too soon to call it a success. Let’s see how our first quarter numbers look,” Jack answers with a wrinkle between his brows. The man scoffs loudly before putting an arm around Jack’s shoulders. “Stop worrying about the numbers and look around. People are here. They look happy and comfortable. That’s all you need to worry about. Fuck the data, Jack. This is how you tell your club is a success.” Jack doesn’t look convinced, but he tries to at least nod for the man. Matis notices me standing at Jack’s side. With a charming grin, he quickly releases him and puts out a hand for me to take.
“My goodness. Who is this angel?” he asks as he lifts my hand to his lips. I can barely make out Jack’s low, growling hum as he tugs me against his side. “Matis, this is Camille Aubert, my date.” Matis notices immediately, releasing my hand with a wolfish smile and a wink before st epping away. “Message received.” I can’t help but smile because the man is just so dashing. I would guess he’s in his midfifties, but I certainly wouldn’t kick him out of bed. He’s incredibly handsome with salt-and-p epper hair and wrinkles around his wide smile carved into his bronze skin. “Camille, this is Matis Moreau. He owned this club for thirty years before passing it down to us,” Jack says as he holds me with a possessive grip on my waist. “I have known Jack since he was a boy,” Matis says jovially as he shakes Jack’s shoulder. I glance up at Jack and notice the blush on his cheeks. “How are things downstairs?” he asks to change the subject. “Go see for yourself,” Matis r eplies, gesturing toward the elevator. “You might recognize a few special guests.” Jack narrows his eyes at the man before pulling me toward the elevators. We leave Matis behind as we make our way to the lower level. I can tell that Jack is nervous as the doors close, shutting us inside alone. As it moves, I turn toward him and stroke his cheek. When our eyes meet, his features soften, and I notice him visibly relax. “I’m proud of you,” I whisper, but the words are barely out of my mouth before he pulls me into his arms. “Stop it,” he says. Then he kisses me, holding me tightly against his body. “Stop what?” I ask. “Being so—”
The doors of the elevator open, and we both peer out into the sex club. The ambience down here is far more erotic. The soft, neon lights are dimmer, the music louder. There are more people down here too, but the conversation is quiet. Jack takes my hand this time, intertwining our fingers as he pulls me through the club. The first familiar face I see is Elizabeth’s. She’s standing by the bar, and she is the picture of grace and beauty. Her dark brown hair cascades down her back, and she’s wearing a black dress fitted to her body with a slit up the thigh that nearly reaches her hipbone. She’s the sexiest person I’ve ever laid eyes on, and it’s alarming to see her in this light. As she takes in the sight of Jack and me together, her gaze drifts down to our linked hands and then up to our faces. She doesn’t say anything right away; she just waits for her brother to speak. Across from her is a beautiful blond woman I haven’t met yet, but she smiles brightly at me with piercing dimples in her cheeks and bright blue eyes. “Hi, I’m Amelia,” she says in a greeting, putting out her hand for me. “It’s nice to meet you,” I r eply, shaking it. “I’m Camille.” “What a pleasant surprise,” Elizabeth says as she takes a sip of her champagne with a crooked smirk against the rim of her glass. “It’s about time you listened to me, Jack.” “Elizabeth,” Jack says in a warning. I glance back and forth between the two, confused as to what they’re referring to. His sister r eplies with a sigh. “I have to go check on the dancers,” she says before marching away. None of us say anything as we’re left in awkward silence. I stare at the stage to avoid anyone’s eye contact. There’s a single dancer performing on a hoop hanging from the ceiling. She’s dressed in nothing but a glittery
black thong. Her movements are graceful and sexy as she glides to the music. “Everything is beautiful, Amelia,” Jack says to the woman. “You should be very proud.” She shrugs with a bashful grin. “Thanks, Jack.” When he places a hand on her shoulder, he does it with brotherly affection, and I can see by the look in his eyes that he cares about her. In fact, I see now just how much Jack cares about all of them, exc ept for Julian of course. But I see the way he greets them all as if they are his family. I wonder if he knows how lucky he is to have them all. I spot a pair of mischievous eyes across the club, staring back at me, and I recognize them as Julian’s. Clutching tighter to Jack’s side, I stare back at the man as I take a sip of my bubbly. This only makes him laugh, but he’s in the middle of a conversation with a couple, so he doesn’t bother coming closer to us. “Is that who I think it is?” Jack asks, nodding his head toward the couple Julian is speaking to. Amelia turns and nods. “Y ep. They’ve been looking for you.” This makes Jack tense. His spine straightens as he adjusts his tie. “Believe it or not, but Julian has been on his best behavior all night,” Amelia adds. “I choose to believe not,” Jack r eplies before polishing off his drink. “Where’s Phoenix?” “Running around and stressing about something, I’m sure,” Amelia adds. “She wants the six of us to make a statement. Probably in about twenty minutes.” “So I should get this part over with then?” Jack asks, glancing in her direction.
“What are you so afraid of? Go talk to them. They’ll be happy to see you,” she r eplies, making me curious as to who the mystery couple talking to Julian could be. Jack’s hand touches the small of my back as he leads me by his side through the club. There are people mingling in couples and small groups all around us, and I understand that this is opening night so people are not behaving in here like they normally would. For one, no one is having sex on the dance floor. As we approach Julian and the couple, he gives me a quick wink before glaring at Jack, who holds me close to his side. “Well, there’s the man we’ve been looking for.” An older man with graying hair and a handsome smile puts a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Emerson,” Jack says as he greets him. “I’m so honored that you came.” The woman puts her hands out to hug Jack. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She’s a stunning woman, I would guess in her midforties, with long, thick brown hair and a kind smile. Something about her looks downto-earth and relatable, like she might feel as out of her element here as I do. After the hug, Jack turns toward me. “Camille, this is Emerson and Charlotte Grant. They own the greatest kink club in the United States.” My jaw drops. I’ve listened to Jack talk about them and their famous club for weeks. While I don’t know much about what they’ve done, I do know the impact they’ve had on him. This is the man Jack looks up to. The one he has tried to emulate. “It’s nice to meet you,” I say to both of them. I can’t take my eyes off the man. He has an air of confidence about him that makes it hard to look away. And the woman stands at his side, looking up at him with adoration.
Immediately, I wonder if Jack and I will look like that someday. Is it silly to want that already? Probably, but I can’t help it. I want to watch him age, growing more handsome with time like I assume this man has. “Your mother sends her love,” Emerson says to Jack. “She didn’t want to intrude on your big day,” Charlotte adds with a soft smile. “No one wants their mom at their sex club,” Julian jokes as he takes a sip of wine. I laugh, but Jack doesn’t. He only glares sideways at his business partner. “I’m glad you two are here,” he says to the couple. “Truly, I’m honored. It means the world that you came all this way.” I can see how much he admires them and how nervous he is. I wish I could make him see how perfect this place is and how proud he should be. “You two have done a phenomenal job here,” Emerson says to Jack and Julian. “But your work has just begun. You took a hard year and you learned from it, but the learning curve isn’t over yet. If you both decide to fully commit to this club, you’ll learn a lot more over the years. Remember, you’ll have to do more listening than talking. To each other and to your team. Owning a club isn’t about sex. It never was. It’s about people. Don’t ever forget that.” “Thank you,” Julian and Jack r eply humbly, one after the other. It’s obvious how much they both look up to this man. Hell, even I’m feeling inspired, and I don’t own a club at all. After they say their goodbyes, Emerson and Charlotte leave our small group. I’m alone with Jack and Julian, and I can feel the tension between them like a thick fog. “Phoenix wants us to make a speech,” Jack says. “You lead,” Julian r eplies gruffly. “It’s up to both of us, Jules.” The other man glances up at Jack as if the use of his nickname triggered some emotional reaction.
“Okay. I’ll round everyone up then.” With that, he leaves, weaving through the crowd. Alone with Jack, I stroke a hand down his arm. His eyes meet mine, but I don’t say anything to him. I don’t have to. With just my eyes, I can convey enough, offering him comfort so at least he doesn’t feel alone. And when I see the flicker of a smile on his lips, I know he can feel it. As the rest of the owners are wrangled up to the front of the club, they take the stage together. I hang back and watch Jack so he can find me in the crowd when he needs me. Even before it starts, he does. It makes me feel useful, knowing I mean something to him. Knowing he feels what I feel, even when he’s surrounded by hundreds of people. Once everyone is quiet, Jack starts. “We’d like to thank you all for coming to our grand reopening,” he says proudly. Before continuing, he glances down at the other people standing on stage with him: Julian, Amelia, Phoenix, Weston, and Elizabeth. “I fear that when the six of us first opened this club, we did so by trying to recreate something that was already perfect. We tried to emulate something our parents created.” Julian’s head turns, staring at Jack with something like affinity in his eyes. “The club we created was great,” Jack says, this time looking at the man beside him. “But it wasn’t ours, not really.” This time, as he looks at the crowd, he clears his throat. “And it’s made me realize that maybe something can be perfect but not right. Maybe by trying to recreate something perfect for someone else, we made something wrong for us.” The people on stage with him nod, wearing expressions of confidence. “But when I pulled these five people in and I encouraged them to really put their hearts into this club, what they created was... magic. Amelia, with this stunning design, brings something youthful and welcoming to the space. Weston, at the bar, has invented cocktail and mocktail creations like
nothing you’ve ever tasted before. Phoenix, with her brilliant business mind, somehow figured out a way for us to even afford this massive overhaul.” The crowd laughs as Phoenix blushes. “And Elizabeth...” Jack says, holding up his glass. Her throat moves as she swallows, hiding her emotions behind a strong facade. “Elizabeth has turned this stage into a home for real artistry and talent.” Elizabeth turns toward her brother, and I make out her lips silently mouthing the words thank you to him. Last, Jack turns toward Julian. He pauses as they stare at each other, and it’s almost hard to believe in this moment that they can’t stand each other. In fact... I’m almost starting to believe they can. Jack claps a comforting hand on Julian’s shoulder, bringing him close to his side. “And of course, my partner, Julian Kade. It only took one bottle of whiskey and a stern lecture from Matis to make us understand what needed to be done. A man who doesn’t have to work but chooses to work his ass off for what he believes in is a man of great character. And I’m lucky to have him as my partner.” The room is so quiet we could hear a pin drop, but no one can tear their eyes away from the team on the stage, specifically the two men staring at each other. It’s hard to tell if they want to hug each other or punch each other, but it’s clear there’s a lot happening in that loaded gaze. Finally, Jack turns toward the crowd, lifting his glass again. “To Legacy,” he calls out. The crowd echoes the toast loudly before breaking out in cheers. “Now, let’s party!” Weston bellows charismatically, riling up the people. Instantly, the music starts playing again, and the dance floor fills up. There’s a light in Jack’s eyes as he finds me in the crowd. I smile, knowing that once he finishes with the party, he’ll have me in those ropes
again. He can lose himself in the work of tying them, and I’ll get lost in the nearness of him. I’m hovering near the bar as Jack bounces from member to member, chatting with them and welcoming them to Legacy. Sipping my champagne, I watch him with pride. He looks in his element, even if he doesn’t believe it. The grumpy, elusive man I met who hated everyone turned out to be a people person after all. “I’d call it a success, wouldn’t you?” I turn to see Julian standing nearby with a glass of something amber in his hands and mischief in his eyes. Turning away from him, I r eply, “Yes, I would call it a success.” “I think you had a hand in it,” he says, and I do everything I can not to spin back to face him again. “Me? Why?” “Well... someone had to be responsible for thawing that cold block of ice. Without you, he would have never walked into my office four weeks ago and proposed we make these changes.” He sidles up beside me, but I still refuse to look him in the eye. Julian has a manipulative side, and I don’t trust him. After that day in the club where he got me in trouble by strapping me to that wall, I refuse to put an ounce of faith in this man. “Jack is responsible for Jack’s behavior,” I say plainly. “Ah yes,” he murmurs close to my ear. “And who is responsible for Jack’s good moods?” I press my lips together to ignore him. But I can’t help feeling an ounce of pride that it might have been me, or rather the relationship between us, that helped turn things around for Jack. He has changed a lot in the past six weeks. So maybe I did play a small part...
“It’s a shame he’s leaving.” Julian’s words settle slowly in my ears before I process them. It’s a shame who’s leaving? Eventually, I turn toward him. “What are you talking about?” His brow furrows as he leans toward me with forced concern. “You didn’t know?” “Know what?” “Jack has been telling us for the last year that he was only going to stay in Paris until the club reached its one-year anniversary, and then he’s taking his daughter and moving back to California to be with his family. I thought you knew that.” I stare at Julian’s face, watching it morph from a performance of pity to sly deceit. He’s telling me this to taunt me, maybe even ruin our relationship. Why? I don’t know. Jealousy, resentment, cruelty. After seeing him and Jack onstage, I thought they had mended things, but now I see that Julian likes to meddle and disrupt the peace just for the fun of it. For these reasons, I try not to let it bother me. Jack would have told me this already. Our relationship hasn’t been serious until recently. If he had plans to move to America, he would have shared them by now. Wouldn’t he? I can’t deny that it all makes sense. Jack’s loyalty to this club has been half-hearted. I could always tell there was a sense of urgency in his behavior as if he just needed to get through the next month or week and then everything would be different. But surely he can’t be thinking about moving away now. Bea is so happy now. Everyone is so happy now. Just then, Jack looks up and finds me. I notice the hint of hesitation on his face, and I imagine him hiding something from me. Maybe Julian was right. Maybe Jack is still planning to leave, and he just needs to find a way to break it to me.