I turned and looked at Alex in panic. “We’re stuck here.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
We couldn’t go back up to the top bar deck, things were really starting to get out of control up there, so we headed inside to look for a place to hide. A corridor stretched out in front of us. Lined with doors, most of them closed, most of them with “Occupied” labels hanging outside. I didn’t dare to venture into one, I could only imagine what exactly was occupied.
Finally, we came to an open door right at the end of the corridor. The lights were off and Alex fumbled in the dark for a few moments before finding the switch. He flicked it on and the images and shapes in the room started coming into focus. Alex closed the door behind us.
“Is this a gym?” Alex looked around.Oh God, this man really needed to watch more films with the word “Grey” in the title.
“Alex, do you really not know what this is?” I asked.
“No.”
“It’s a sex room.”
“What?” He seemed genuinely shocked. As if it was such a leap to imagine a kinky sex room at a swingers’ party. I looked around at all the things. There were a few of those big round balls that you find at the gym, the ones that work your core, but these were no doubt being used for an entirely different core workout. Straps hanging from the wall that also looked like those things you find in the gym. A few cupboards against the walls, I dreaded to know what was in them.
“Maybe we should leave,” I said. But just as the words were out of my mouth three people burst through the door, all of them semi-nude and really just a tangle of arms and legs. A man, that much I could see. Two women, one redhead, one brunette.
“Oh God!” I jumped.
“Well, hello there.” The man disengaged himself from the women and looked over at us.Dear lord, what was he wearing?I tried to avert my gaze, but couldn’t. It was just so, so, so . . .in your face. He was wearing a tight shirt and nothing else but a pair of red budgie-smuggler underpants.
“Uh . . . Hi!” Alex stuttered, I could see he was also trying to pry his eyes away from what actually looked a little like a red fire hydrant. “We were just leaving.” The two of us started inching our way towards the door.
“You don’t have to go. The action hasn’t even started yet.” The man took a step closer to us and the red front pouch swung from side to side. What was he keeping in there.An elephant trunk?
“That’s okay,” I said as Alex and I continued to shuffle our way towards the door. “We’ve already had so much action tonight, haven’t we?” I glared at Alex and he nodded.
“So much! WOW!” Alex wiped his brow as if he were sweaty. There wasn’t a bead of sweat in sight.
Mr Red Bulge raised a brow as if he didn’t quite believe Alex.
“Really?” the man asked.
“Yup! She’s like a wild animal, this one. Let me tell you.” He looked over at me pointedly. I could see he was urging me to say something.
So I did.And it was so almightily embarrassing, but it was such a bizarre, awkward situation, it just kind of came to me. “Meow,” I hissed at the three of them and then immediately cringed.
“No worries,” the guy said with a smooth smile. “You can always just watch if you want,” he then offered.
“No, thanks,” I quickly said. We were almost at the door now, just a few more steps to go and then we would be free.
“Suit yourself,” the guy said.
“Thanks for the offer though,” Alex said politely. “It’s very thoughtful of you three.”
“Yeah, have a super fun evening,” I said. And with that, I felt a tug on my leg and felt myself fall forward.
“Shit!” I went crashing to the floor. I had no idea what had tripped me up until I looked down at my ankle. Twisted around it was one of those straps that was hanging from the ceiling. Alex reached out to pull me up.
“I’m okay,” I said, totally embarrassed by my tumble. “I’m totally fine.” I quickly untangled my foot and then grabbed onto one of the cupboards to hoist myself up. But then disaster struck. I grabbed the handle by accident and the cupboard door went flying open.
“Crap, crap, crap!” Things felt like they were going in slow motion now; a strange, shiny, black plastic shape seemed to come falling out the cupboard like a sack of potatoes.What the hell was it?It pushed me over and then fell on top of me, pinning me to the floor.
“What the—?” I desperately tried to push it off me. But every time my hands came into contact with the thing, it let out a long, high-pitched squeaking sound, like shoes on a squash court. And it was slippery.Why was it slippery?
“Val, are you okay?” I felt Alex grab me by the arm and pull. But the strange, big black creature was still on me. It wasn’t coming off and, damn, it was heavy.
