Chapter 9

Chapter

Nine

The black, wrought-iron gates to the grounds open slowly, swinging wide like I imagine they're hoping my legs do. Trees and flowering tropical plants line the gravel road leading to an enormous main building I've seen in photos and live streams. The structure is made of white stone, complete with columns carved with intertwining bodies in rapture. If this weren't the Pleasure Academy, it would be laughably gaudy. Who am I kidding? Hedonistic retreat or not, it's pretty tacky.

Lily would love it.

Bellhops wait at the shuttle door to gather our luggage as the five of us leave the vehicle, our last bid at safety before being thrust into a literal den of carnality. I exit last, happy to bring up the rear as I snuff out lingering misgivings. There's no turning back. I'm here. The only thing that remains in my control is how far I'll go once the floodgates of Fuckdom open.

A tall woman with huge boobs—damn, her back must hurt—greets us when we gather in the marble-tiled lobby, the skirt of her floral dress fanning out behind her in the breeze.

"Welcome to the Pleasure Academy!"

She's annoyingly cheerful. I hate her.

"We're so happy you joined us. I'm Karen."

Of course, she's a Karen. It's a struggle not to snort or roll my eyes. Maybe I should've stopped drinking a few hours ago instead of downing one last Screwdriver before the plane's descent.

"Each of you will embark on a personal journey into your sexuality during your stay on the island. My responsibility is to ensure your acclimation to life in this paradise is seamless."

She grins so broadly that my face hurts just looking at her. Definitely too much Vodka.

"Now, you must be excited to see the island in person. Come this way, and I'll give you a tour of the grounds."

I linger at the back of the group as she parades us through the lobby, a space lined with murals featuring couples, threesomes, and all-out orgies. All tastefully done, of course. If Rembrandt painted porn.

Residents of the island, most in caftans and sarongs, blithely go about their business, giving an illusion that this place is like any other resort. I've seen enough online to know there is so much more beneath the surface of normality. There are cameras peppered throughout the island, though looking around, I can't find any. They're placed to be discreet, but I know they're there. I also know some are in various… uh… rooms.

As we pass through a large archway leading to a courtyard, a figure lounging in a white Adirondack chair catches my attention. It's rude to stare, but I can't help it. Like other men I've seen, he's wearing a sarong, the white fabric covering his lower body while his torso is clad in an unbuttoned white linen shirt. With all the white and his shoulder-length jet-black hair, he looks like Sexy Jesus. I'm going to hell, and I haven't even started fucking yet.

Dark eyes match his hair, because of course they do. He studies me from a face that belongs on the cover of a magazine, not between the pages of the ‘good book.' He's a total GQ, if the publication ran a tropical island theme. I return the perusal, mirroring the flick of his eyes as they sweep my body. If he can look, so can I. When our gazes meet, I pause, watching his lips curve in a seductive smile I feel all the way to my suddenly damp pussy. Actually, it's so fucking hot and humid that I had crotch sweat the moment I stepped out of the air-conditioned shuttle. Now, add moisture of an entirely different nature to the mix.

Piper nudges me, and I drag my eyes from the delicious piece of man flesh—and I don't mean that in the way Orcs do. Damn, my cherry won't last long if the island is full of men like him. I'm about ready to hurl it at him if he smiles at me like that again. There must be something in the air besides the scent of tropical flowers.

Letting Piper drag me back to the group, I try to pay attention to Karen, but I feel the weight of the mystery man's stare until our group rounds a corner. By the time we arrive at the resident accommodations for Novices, my thighs are chafed, and my boobs are slick with sweat beneath my bra. Humidity is my archenemy.

I don't bother quieting my sigh of relief when Karen leads us into what will become my home for the next twelve months. Cool air wafts over my body, and I discretely meander toward one of the ducts in the floor and straddle it. The raw skin between my thighs cools deliciously, and I try not to moan with relief. I will need to douse myself in after-shower powder if I'm going to survive in this heat.

Jolene asks a question and I immediately pay attention. "Are any of the people we saw today Novices?"

"That's a great question," Karen says. "No, Novices like yourselves are not allowed free access to the island. The people you saw were Mavens and Masters. Acolytes have some privileges, but Novices are forbidden to roam the grounds unattended."

"Where are the other Novices?" Nick asks. I get the impression he's eager to expand his social network. He's clearly a mingler. Whereas I generally avoid mingling with strangers unless provided with copious amounts of alcohol.

"Oh, so many possible answers to that question." Karen's mouth curves up. "Some are in their dorms, others doing chores or participating in activities, and some are with higher-ranking members of the island. I won't say more because it's best to learn things as they come here. But so much awaits you." She claps her hands in excitement. "You are in for the adventure of a lifetime!"

Her clapping and high-pitched squeal at this announcement triggers my phony-fuck detector, and it's all I can do not to mutter something rude. I understand loving your job and all, but come on! No one loves their job that much.

At this point, I just want to be shown a room with a semi-decent bed so I can curl up under a pillow and pretend everything is normal. It's tempting to clap my hands excitedly when Karen announces she's showing us to our dorms. I don't, but it's definitely a missed opportunity for snark.

My room is on the second floor. All of us are together, and my room is next to Piper's. Karen gives me a code to unlock my door, and it swings open. I mumble a thank you to her giddy home-sweet-home greeting and step inside.

The room is plain with foam-green walls and white trim like the rest of the floor. Wooden shutters cover the window and are angled to let in the late afternoon light. My suitcase sits on an extra-long twin bed with a light blue comforter. There's a white dresser, a mirror, a bedside table with a pretty lamp, and a small desk with a sleek laptop. As a newbie, cell phones aren't permitted, and we're given computer access with hefty filters and email screening. At least I'll be able to keep in touch with Lily.

And that's it. No TV. No mini-bar. There is no complimentary bar of soap or bottle of shampoo. Only a tiny bathroom with a toilet and sink. I toss my suitcase on the floor, too tired to bother unpacking, and stretch out on the bed. The ceiling fan spins slowly with a soft hum. I watch it for a few minutes and contemplate whether or not to shower the sweat off my body. I decide against any unnecessary movement.

I don't know how soon I fell asleep after lying down. Nudges wake me up, and I find a young man wearing a white uniform that looks like something out of a psychiatric hospital standing over me.

"Good evening, Eden. I'm Zed, your squire."