Roll For Initiative

19. Lucian

A s we pull up to Papa Pepperoni’s, my mouth is already salivating from the smell of pizza wafting out of the restaurant. It isn’t anything special, kind of like a dive bar-style pizza joint, but this place is home. Cassie and I used to come here at least every other weekend. Nothing beats their deep dish with their homemade secret recipe pizza sauce.

I pull out my phone and immediately text Jayme as we are walking into the restaurant.

Lucian- *Hey, do you know if FoxDen is associated with Vixens out here in New York? I’m assuming so just because of the name. *

Jayme- *Hey, dude! Yep, they opened that one about eight months ago. I think two more are going up on your side of the country within the next six months. It’s nuts. You going to go check it out? You just have to sign another NDA; the membership is good for all of them. *

Lucian- * IDK Maybe. I got Cass with me right now, so not tonight. LOL. *

Jayme- * Or, hear me out, you bring her. Hahaha! From what you told me, she could not handle it. *

I have to laugh at that comment. Oh, if he only knew what I knew now.

Lucian- *Well, when you come out, we will have to check it out. *

Jayme- *Sounds like a plan. Don’t go without me; you know you need your wingman. ;) *

I laugh again and Cass looks across the table at me skeptically.

“What’s so funny?” she asks as she peruses the menu as if we haven’t gotten the same thing almost every time for the last six years.

“Nothing. I'm just texting my buddy Jayme. I told you about it. I can’t wait for you to meet him; he is a riot.” He is also a man whore. I need to make sure he doesn’t take an interest in Cassie. If he learns about her secret kink, it will all be over. He will pounce so fast. Jayme is a more experienced Dom. He is the one who taught me a lot about that life. He is into a bit more extreme things than I am. Cassie is off-limits to him.

“Sure, I’d love to meet your new best friend.” She smirks as she goes back to looking at the menu. I can’t help but think back to Vixens. The old Cass would never be caught anywhere near a place like that. But this new Cass might already have a membership, for all I know.

Maybe she likes to participate in the black card suites. I wonder if they have all the same things as FoxDen: private and soundproof rooms, dungeons, a voyeur/exhibition hall, and even a dark, open playroom.

“Can I get you started with an appetizer or a cocktail?” The waitress’s voice is so quiet and soft-spoken. I wouldn't have heard her if it were any louder in here. She sounds so timid when she talks. I glance at her; she’s short. Even shorter than Cassie. Maybe 5 foot 3, if that. She has long blonde hair up in a bun, and her eyes are glossy pale blue. She’s pretty, almost like a doll.

I see her staring at Cassie, wide-eyed and shocked. Does she know her? I tap Cassie with my foot to get her attention. When she sees the waitress, she also looks panicked. She quickly folds her menu and knocks over the tall glass of water. It shatters to the floor, sending glass, ice, and water everywhere. Both girls quickly start cleaning up, repeatedly apologizing to each other and me.

“I’m so sorry, that was my fault. I shouldn’t have put the water so close to the edge.” The waitress stammers.

“No, no. It’s my fault. I should have been watching where I put the menu.” Cassie says. Both will cut themselves on the glass if they aren’t careful.

“Ladies, stop. I’ll take care of it. Cassie, please sit down.” She sits back on the booth and puts her head down. The waitress also backs away and puts her head down. I notice her hand is slightly bleeding.

“Are you ok, um...miss?” I ask.

“Allie, I'm sorry about the mess. You don’t need to clean it. It is part of my job.” Her hand is still bleeding, so I take it and wrap one of the large napkins around it.

“Allie, Nice to meet you. I’m Lucian, that’s Cassie. Sorry about the mess. You should get your hand taken care of. We can order in a few minutes. It’s no problem.” I say, smiling sincerely. This causes her to relax finally.

“OK, thank you. I’ll be right back.” She leaves to tend to her wound. Time to interrogate Cassie. They obviously know each other.

“So. How do you know her?” I ask, finishing putting the glass in a pile on the floor to be swept up.

“I don’t. She just looks like someone I know.” She lies. What the fuck? How could she lie so easily right to my face? They both reacted to seeing each other so there is definitely something between them.

“Oh, OK.” I decide to drop it for now. I’ll find out later.

Allie comes back and gets our order after sweeping up the mess. Cassie and Allie behave the rest of the night as if they don’t know each other; they act as though neither exists to each other.

The food is phenomenal. I forgot how much I missed New York pizza. We ended up getting a large and some cheesy bread, which Allie said was on the house because of what happened. It wasn’t even a big deal, but whatever. It was all so delicious.

“So, are you crashing at my place again tonight? Or do you wanna go home?” she asks as she drives. “I promise not to molest you in the morning.” She laughs. I wish she wouldn’t make those promises.

“Damn, no morning handys? Well, you drive a hard bargain. Sure, I’ll stay over again tonight. But tomorrow, do you think you can drop me off at my storage unit? I need to get my car.?”

“Sure, we can do that. Wanna watch another movie tonight? Or play some video games?”

“Hmm, the movie sounds good for tonight. Horror, I’m assuming?” Her delicious lips lift into an adorably vicious grin. Of course, she wants to watch another horror movie.

When we get back to her apartment, I toss the leftover pizza box into the fridge. It feels like a Saturday night back in high school again—pizza, horror movies, crashing on the couch. Ah, the good old times.

“I’m going to take a quick shower and get the hospital germs off me. I feel gross.” She shudders. She hates hospitals.

“Sounds good. Enjoy.” I wink, and her face blushes. She takes off toward her room, and I realize she has left her phone on the coffee table again. Hmm, how convenient. Maybe I can find out about Allie. I wait until I hear the bathroom door close and the shower on before I grab her phone and relax on the couch. There is a notification for a message on the KNKI app.

Allieoop - *I'm so sorry I freaked out. Please don’t tell Theo. He would be mad if he thinks we met up without him. Also, um who was that guy? *

Well, well, well. That’s who this chick is. She is another KNKI member, but who is Theo? Could that be a Dom? Their Dom, there is no way Cassie is part of a poly relationship. She doesn’t seem like the kind of woman who would share. Well, honestly, she didn’t seem like she would be into any of this, so what the fuck do I know. I need to find out more about this Theo guy. I wonder if that is the guy she said she has been seeing on and off, a fling, she said. Doesn’t seem like much of a fling to me.

I shut down the app again and put her phone exactly where it was to avoid her knowing I was in it. Now, the fun begins: finding out more about this Theo guy.