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On the drive, I open a note taking app on my phone. I know I need to distance myself from the men of Scarlet. We need rules. I need rules. I make the following list:
1. I am the boss
2. You will be dedicated to me and this workplace
3. You will keep the place clean and professional
4. You will keep the name of it in good standing to the best of your ability
5. Remember your schedule and appointments, live every day by them
6. Operate in honor of the founders
7. You will not fuck the clients
8. You will not work for a call service
9. You will not fuck the clients
10. You will not fuck the boss
Sam double parks in front of Scarlet as I finish typing number 9. He walks me to the door, looking around the whole time. I feel safer knowing that Sam has my back.
“Morning, Eve.” Gideon’s bright face greets me when I walk in the door. He’s dressed for a first client meeting. All black, leather pants and a sheer silk button-down shirt. He looks professional and dangerous. His eyes are fiery, full of passion.
“Evelynn.” I snap at him. I’ve made up my mind. I am the boss, I can’t be entangled with them. “Miss Travers in front of clients please, Gideon. I think it would be best if we kept things formal here.” Gideon looks confused.
“In fact.” I continue, powering through. If I don’t set these boundaries now I won’t be able to. “Would you call the others into the big room. I want to talk to everyone before your first appointments. Say, 15 minutes from now.” Gideon nods and walks off.
I go to my office and make a cup of French press. While I wait for the coffee to brew, I print eleven copies of the list. I take a big sip of the strong coffee, the heat and the bitterness flow through me. I strengthen my resolve and head to the big room in the center of the building.
The big room is set up for clients who like to watch and be watched. It’s painted a deep golden color, and all the furniture and accoutrements in the room are either dark wood, black metal, or our signature Scarlet red. There’s a wheel on either side of the room, multiple benches and stools around the room.
Racks of floggers and paddles are tucked neatly along the walls. A series of pulleys and hooks decorate the ceiling for suspending clients or just stretching their arms over their heads. There are a couple of tables with locking wheels so the doms can prepare their favorite tools and bring them to the clients.
The guys are all there when I walk in. Gideon and Jake lean on the wheels on either side of the room, bookends to the scattered men sitting, standing or leaning around the room designed to undo clients and allow them the freedom of submission.
I take a deep breath. I should have picked a different room, but the big room is the only room here in the building that is, well, big enough to talk to all of them at once. I don’t trust that I can say this more than once.
“Gentlemen. I want to thank you for your help last night. I really appreciate you stepping in and accompanying me to the gala. I had a message this morning that it was a great success. I’m glad I could attend and that you were all willing to be my escorts.” They all smile. Except Gideon. He looks at me sadly, like he knows what I am about to say next.
“That said, I won’t be asking you do to anything like that again.” The smiles fade. I take another deep breath. “This is a professional environment and we maintain our working relationship. Going forward, you will all address me as Miss Travers in front of clients. In staff only meetings like this, you may call me Evelynn. This will help clients remember who’s truly in charge here, and maintain our professional relationships. There have been…incidents recently. I am telling you now that there won’t be anymore.”
None of them are smiling now. Gideon won’t even look at me.
“I have a list of rules here that you will abide to going forward.” I pass the stack printed copies of the notes I made in the car to Drex, our fingers brush and a shock of electricity runs down my spine. I take a deep breath and continue. “Failure to comply will result in immediate termination. Do you understand?”
“Eve,” starts Brandon.
“Evelynn,” I say, not as sharply as I wanted to.
“We understand, Evelynn.” Drex interrupts his brother who was about to start talking again. “Is there anything else?”
“No.” I say.
I’m trembling, but I walk out of the room. I post the last copy of the list to the outside of my office door. I know this is the right thing to do. I just wasn’t expecting it to hurt.
