Chapter 9
Luigi's Restaurant. 1.00pm. Friday, June 26th

Kate had asked for a secluded corner table and it wasn't long before Susannah arrived. The lawyer was immaculately dressed in a soft linen dress the color of stone and her brunette hair fell in soft waves to her breasts. It was alarming just how similar she and Ana were. They could be sisters.

"Thank you for meeting me at such short notice," Kate said, greeting Susannah with a kiss on the cheek.

"It's a pleasure." Susannah replied and took the seat opposite at the circular four-person table. They ordered quickly and the waiter returned with a carafe of ice-cold water.

"I wish this could be purely social," Kate said. "But sadly, I really need to ask you some questions about…"

Susannah held up her hand. "Kate, I can't talk about my time with him."

"I know you can't. But there's a colleague of mine – well, sort of colleague - digging around and I want to know for myself where any weak links might exist." Kate colored a little. "Also, on a more personal note, I'm curious how a woman like you gets into stuff like that. Could I ask about things more generally?"

"Such as?"

"Well… He told me there are places you can go to learn…" Kate cast a quick glance around the restaurant. "… how to do that stuff. And I wondered whether he met you at one of them?"

"I'm sorry. I can't answer that."

"Why?"

"You're asking me to be specific."

"Oh."

"Keep it general."

"OK. Do you attend any of these places?"

"Yes. I used to go to a couple, but just one now."

"Where is it?"

Susannah laughed. "You get straight to the point." She poured herself a glass of water. "It's in the basement of a building, on a business park. Not glamorous at all."

Kate leant forward. "Can you take me?" Her eyes were bright.

"Why?" Susannah's expression was guarded.

"Curiosity. I've never been to one."

"Are you going to write a feature? Because if you are, the answer's no."

"No. I just want to be better informed. "

Susannah regarded her for a moment. "So how much do you know? About myself and our mutual friend? What's Ana said?"

"Nothing specific. She's keeps it general."

"And he knows that you and Ana talk about… his past?" Susannah seemed surprised.

"It's not the only thing we talk about. Ana and I have been friends a long time. Sometimes, things from the past come up and Ana's glad that I know and that she can talk to me about it. For someone who isn't part of that world it can be a lot to deal with."

"I understand. She's asked me about the past a couple of times, but we mostly talk about the future."

"That's good, but sadly, all this woman wants to do is dig around in the past and probably expose our friend as the devil incarnate."

"He isn't that, although he's no saint." Susannah leaned back in her chair. "You must have a good relationship with him though. Your article was pretty…" Susannah smiled. "Affectionate, shall we say?"

"There's nothing going on, despite you seeing us in his… room."

"I'm sure there isn't. It doesn't take a genius to work out how besotted he is by Ana."

"I know. Although at first I wasn't sure he was suitable boyfriend material. I can't believe I thought that way. But back then he was a different guy. Very shut down, very intimidating, very… controlling. Ha ha!" Kate gave an ironic laugh. "That's not how he is now. He's a different person and with all they have together as a family, I don't want to see this woman bring him down with a past that he's worked so hard to free himself from." Kate checked herself. "I mean the reasons why he was doing what he did. I don't mean to imply that he needed to be free of you, or any of the others."

Susannah shook her head. "This is bizarre, hearing you speak so intimately about him. Do you think he'd mind you being so candid? But I guess you don't have the kind of relationship that requires an NDA. There've been many times when I've wished I could talk about things. I was grateful that Leila was there for a while and that she understood. And now I'm in contact with another and it's like Leila and myself all over again."

"I heard another one turned up." Kate's expression hardened a touch. "But you know that Ana and Christian are not negotiable?"

"Of course! It's not like that. This woman hasn't ever had the chance to talk about things and being able to speak about it to someone who understands is extremely healing. Leila and I have had that facility for several years and it's good to be able to share it someone else. It's also a little ironic that the moment I can truly let go is the moment when he needs me to help him out." She rolled her eyes.

"Did you know that you all look basically the same? I can't get over how much you look like Ana. Don't you find yourself asking why her and not you?"

"Leila and I suspected but seeing Ana confirmed it. I really can't give any more headspace to that question; those are his issues, not mine. But I've come to realize that it worked with Ana because he allowed himself to step out of his comfort zone." Susannah took another sip of water. "I don't know what would tip me over into breaching the agreement, but I will say this. I know now that it could never have been one of us who could reach him. It had to be someone who wouldn't allow him to dictate the rules.

"I meant what I said at the Grey Construction party, by the way. I do want to leave the scene, but I can't get what I need out in the real world. I can't get men who are exciting enough for me for the long term." She shrugged. "He was too good." She smiled, sadly.

"So the men that go to this club give you what you need?"

"Yes and no. Mostly sexually, yes. I can tell them in detail what I want and I get it. In the job that I do I have to be in control and I have to be the one that makes all the decisions. So for me not to have to think about or make decisions about one aspect of my life is liberating. I don't have a regular Dom and I'm not really searching for that, I want more. I want a guy who's as fascinating outside the club as he is inside. One that makes my heart beat a little faster because he's more my age and good-looking." She smiled sheepishly. "The club isn't what it was. A lot of the people who go have been there a long time and it can get a little desperate some nights."

"I thought people would be lining up to get in?"

"Not really. It's a hard thing to publicize and the guy who owns it doesn't feel the need to. I only go occasionally now and do scenes with the same men. Outside of that I date the occasional guy and play the regular girlfriend. But that's not me."

"Would you take me there, please?" Kate asked again.

"Why? It's not a regular bar. You don't go there to be seen. You go there because you want something you can't get anywhere else. You'll see people acting in ways that you might find unsettling. Or, dressed in ways that you might find uncomfortable to see."

Kate shrugged. "I've spent the occasional evening searching Google images, how bad can it be?"

Susannah looked her straight in the eye. "Depends who shows up. It could be the man who likes his sub dressed in her finery. Or it could be the woman who keeps her sub naked and only lets he or she drink from a saucer on the floor. That's if she agrees to let them off the leash at all."

"I'm OK with that."

"Would you be OK if anyone asked you to go with them? Those who aren't with a regular partner will ask."

"Can I say no?"

"Only the first time. If you come back again you'd be expected to participate. And if a man asks me for a scene and I want to go with him, do you want to watch?"

Kate shrugged. "OK."

"And it's not the kind of place where you wear regular clothes. They're not allowed. Do you have something that you'd only wear in the bedroom?"

"Yes."

"Bring that."

"OK. So, when?"

"A week Thursday?"

"Uh… Elliot goes to the gym on Thursdays. I'll have to get a sitter."

Susannah laughed. "This is why people stop coming. Once they have kids there are other priorities in their lives." Susannah steepled her index fingers in front of her mouth. "But do you promise me that whatever you see there will stay private?"

"I do."

"There may be people you know, so prepare yourself for that. It can get awkward when you discover the truth about people."

"I've been there, remember?" Said Kate, thinking back to the shock she'd gotten when she'd discovered Christian's secret.

"It can change how you view people, so please be respectful of that."

"Chicken Caesar Salad?" said the waiter. Susannah indicated that it was her.

"And the Greek Salad for you, ma'am?"

"Yes thanks," said Kate, wishing now that she'd ordered something a little more substantial. All this talking about and having sex was making her hungry.