Mercy (Salacious Players Club, #4)(14)

Mia is leading the conversation regarding the event this coming weekend, and I’m mindlessly scrolling through my phone. There’s really no reason for me to be here.

New message: Because I don’t need an app to tell me what I like.





I freeze, staring down at the new message in the notification bar at the top of my screen. It takes me far too long to make sense of it, finally realizing it’s from the Salacious app. Before it disappears, I click on the pop-up.

It’s Mr. Stupid—a name I’ve given him, regarding his lame one-liner profile. With a roll of my eyes, I type up my response.

And yet, you took the quiz.





To prove how wrong it is.





Oh yeah? How wrong is it?





I’m teasing him. I don’t know why I even bother. This guy is clearly not worth the time, but I’m bored. In the meeting, I mean.

Okay, let me guess. It told you you’re a bossy Dom right?





Technically it’s Domme, but yes.





So, that makes me a sub?





You tell me.

You’re the one who took the quiz.

Are you saying it’s wrong?





Fuck yes, it’s wrong.





How do you know?





Because I don’t want to be whipped by a woman in black leather.





Sounds like you haven’t tried it.





Is that what you do?





Ha. No. I’m as new to this as you are.





But I mean…is that what you want to do?





Leather is hot and uncomfortable.

And I’m not sure how well I could handle a whip.





So you think the quiz is bullshit too.





I don’t know.

Something in our answers must

have gotten us these results.





What if we’re just normal people who don’t have kinks?





People with kinks are normal.





You know what I mean.





What is normal though? Vanilla?





Yeah.





Did you get vanilla as one of your quiz results?

Because it was definitely an option.





You cornered me into that.





I giggle, and I notice that the room around me is quiet, so I look up to find Mia staring at me with the same look teachers give when they’re waiting for you to stop talking in class.

“Care to join us?”

I bite my lip. “Sorry, I’m paying attention.”

She’s fighting a smile as she glances down at my phone. “We’re basically done. Did you have anything to add?”

“Nope. If you guys need anything, you know how to reach me.”

With that, everyone starts to disperse, but I feel Mia watching me, and I already know she’s going to be harassing me for information. As predicted, she rushes to my side the moment the staff is mostly gone.

“Did you get matched? What did the results say? I mean…I have my theories.”

I hold my phone against my chest. “It’s nothing. No matches. And what are your theories?” I ask out of curiosity.

“Based on the way you answered those questions the other night, you’ve got some inner FemDom kink, which means there’s a guy out there just waiting to kiss your boots.”

I push off the bar I’m leaning against and head toward the shared office, eager to get as far away from this conversation as I can. “Nope. I can’t talk about this. I don’t even own boots.”

“Oh, come on!” Mia whines, following close behind me.

“It’s too weird!”

“Don’t be a hypocrite. It is not weird.”

“For me, it is.”

“Okay fine,” she replies, rushing to my side. “We don’t have to talk about it, but just tell me if my theory is right.”

I pause, pressing my lips together as I turn toward her. “You won’t tell anyone?”

She holds up a hand as if taking an oath. “Promise.”

“Yes. Your theory is correct.”

She squeals, covering her mouth.

“Shhh…”

When she finally stops making noises of excitement like the bouncy twenty-three-year-old she is, I roll my eyes and head toward the office. “Don’t you dare say a word, Mia!”

“I won’t,” she calls back. “But I bet that within six months, you’ll be the kinkiest person in this club!”

With a groan, I close myself in the office, hoping to God no one heard that last part. As I drop everything on my desk, I let out a heavy sigh.

I hate attention. And I really hate feeling like people are laughing at me or that I’m the odd one out, so I’ve spent the last ten years drawing as little attention to myself as possible. But now that the girls have gotten me to take this stupid quiz, I have a very bad feeling that it’s going to get out and I’ll be the laughing stock of Salacious.