The Manhattanites: Unscrupulous Part 31

Taddy led Warner through the dance floor. It was staged to resemble the Lollipop Woods. She waved and introduced people to Warner as they weaved their way through the crowds at the Gumdrop Mountains. The marble floors dusted a luminous green. The Baccarat chandeliers dangled from the ceilings.

She spotted Lex and Blake at the bar. "Did Vive seriously miss this?"

"Afraid so." Lex sighed.

"I don't mean to sound like a hypocrite as I chug this c.o.c.ktail-but we need to send her back to rehab."

"Yeah, she's off the pills but I don't know how you get a Farnworth to quit booze," Lex confessed. She of all people should know after living with Birdie.

"Let's discuss Operation-Vive-Intervention tomorrow," Taddy said and turned toward her bedroom. She knew Vive could do it. She'd just need a little motivation.

"Where are you two going?" Lex asked, raising her voice as they started off.

"My dungeon," Taddy shouted after pus.h.i.+ng Warner farther. He walked slowly on purpose, she could tell.

"Dungeon?" He froze.

"You'll see." She grabbed his hands. "Come on, Big Daddy. Come on!"

She picked up speed, taking him down a long hallway. They pa.s.sed a roped-off area away from Candy Land and headed into Taddy's personal living quarters. The penthouse walls were decorated in large-scale photos. Most were of her and Lex as young children.

"You're taking me to your bedroom?"

"Sorta." Taddy opened the double doors.

"Why didn't I see this the other night?"

"Relax." She led Warner into a large shoe closet. They stood before a mirrored wall. The s.h.i.+h Tzus were sound asleep in their little beds.

"You wanna tell me you have a shoe fetish?" Warner asked.

"That's obvious. But watch." She slipped the key into the hole.

The walls separated. A vacuumed suction released, and the air streamed a new draft from one room to the next.

"Wow." Warner stepped into the room. Red leather adorned the walls. There were gadgets and gizmos Taddy guessed he'd never seen.

She kissed his cheek, feeling her naughty girl coming out. "I know you're not into the rough stuff. But-"

"What?" Warner had to have known she was a bad girl.

"I was hoping we could try." She tempted him.

"No."

"Oh come on, a lil' BDSM play is fun!" Taddy would only accept yes as his answer.

A couple's laughter came from the corner. They turned around to see up against the far corner. Kiki was spread out on a bed. Her eyes wide, her mouth hung open in a gasp.

"Kiki."

"Miss Brill!!! We weren't doing-anything."

"Ahuh."

"Mr. Truman, you remember Dejon." Kiki tried to smile. Her face red, she covered herself with a sheet.

"Hi, Dejon." Warner laughed.

"We'll leave you two to get back to whatever it was that you were doing." Taddy grabbed her boyfriend's hand and left her dungeon.

Taddy took the week off to enjoy Manhattan with her new boyfriend Warner Truman. They spent seventy-two hours at her penthouse, locked in her pleasure room, ordering French food from Daniel's restaurant. She'd showed him her toys. The remainder of the week had been spent at Warner's penthouse in the Tribeca. He'd shared his dungeon with her and barbecued for her on his balcony.

To his surprise, the Jacqueline Truman Foundation received an anonymous donation. It was for three million dollars. When Warner asked Taddy if she'd made the gift, she said a lady never revealed her philanthropic ways.

The following week she went with Warner to Hong Kong scouting locations for Brill, Inc. Warner had bought land to build a new luxury resort and spa on Connaught Road in the city's fas.h.i.+on and business district. The lot overlooked Victoria Harbour. The hotel was slated to feature five hundred rooms and be called Forever Red.

The End.

About Avery Aster.

Avery Aster pens erotic romance for Ellora's Cave. As a resident of New York's Upper East Side and a graduate from New York University, Avery gives readers an inside look at the city's glitzy nightlife, socialite s.e.xcapades and tall tales of the uber-rich and ultra-famous. "I write about what I see in my metropolis that never sleeps-Manhattanites on the quest for a pa.s.sionate thrill," Avery says. "By and large, my characters are drop-dead gorgeous, ripped straight from the headlines and on the hunt for their next conquest."

Undressed launched The Manhattanites series, exploring people's forbidden desires of l.u.s.t and longing. When Avery's star-studded cast unites it always feels like forever and everyone has a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Avery welcomes comments from readers. You can find both website and email addresses on Avery's author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Also by Avery Aster.

Undressed.

end.