“You won’t regret it, Cam.I promise.”Blaze’s voice is reassuring, and I nod again.
“Just don’t let this be another frat party,” I say.Blaze chuckles.
“Yeah, I figured that wouldn’t be your thing.I promise, no frat.”
I glance down at my t-shirt and faded jeans, feeling a little underdressed, but Blaze waves it off.“You’re good.Let’s go.”
I drop my book on the coffee table, following him out.Blaze’s car is parked outside.
“Get in.”He gives me a reassuring smile as he unlocks the door.
I take a deep breath, hoping I won’t regret this.I slide into the passenger seat, and once I close the door, Blaze pulls out, driving us into the night.
Blaze parks his car in front of a discreet, almost hidden building surrounded by sleek, expensive cars.There’s no obvious sign that this is a club, but with so many high-end vehicles parked outside, something exclusive is definitely happening here.As we step out of the car, I glance around, suddenly uncertain.
“Is this a club?”I ask, trying to keep up with Blaze as he strides toward a metal door.He looks back and gives me a reassuring smile.
“You’ll see.”
He knocks once, and a peephole opens, revealing a pair of intense blue eyes.Blaze holds up something—a card, maybe—and the peephole closes.A moment later, the metal door slides open, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man who simply gestures to us inside.
As we walk through a narrow hallway, and then up a set of stairs, I feel my nerves prickling.I’m barely keeping up with Blaze, and I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve stepped into a place I’m not ready for.We pass rooms with glass walls on either side, each room filled with people engaging in various… activities.I look away, fighting a mix of embarrassment and discomfort as I speed up to walk closer to Blaze.
“What is this place?”I manage to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Relax, Cam.We’re just getting started,” he replies, winking at me with that signature smirk.
We finally arrive at a larger room, dimly lit and filled with men lounging around, talking and drinking.Waiters, all male and barely dressed, weave between them.There are no women in sight, which is starting to make the purpose of this club crystal clear.
I sit beside Blaze on a couch, my hands fidgeting, as he lights a cigarette and looks at me with amusement.
“Blaze… what kind of club is this?”I ask, though I already have an idea.
“A club,” he replies nonchalantly.
“A gay club,” I say, realizing this isn’t just any club but a BDSM fetish club.My stomach tightens with nerves.“Why are we here?”
Blaze takes a slow drag of his cigarette, exhaling smoke before answering.“To explore your sexuality,” he says, and my heart skips a beat.
“What?”I stammer, barely processing his words.“Are you… are you gay?”
He leans back, studying me with a knowing gaze.“Aren’t you?”
I bite my lip, glancing around the room, my pulse racing.This can’t be real.All this time, I assumed Blaze was straight, always taking Fox’s side when they teased Landon.But now, with the way he’s looking at me, I’m starting to question everything.
“You’re kidding, right?You, Fox, and Carter always picked on Landon for being gay, yet here you are, bringing me to a place like this?"My voice is laced with frustration.
"I need to get out of here," I mutter, trying to slip past Blaze and head for the door.
Before I can, he grabs my arm and pulls me back down onto the couch beside him.We're close—too close.The walls feel like they're closing in, and the weight of being here, in a place like this, makes my pulse race.Landon's always wanted to drag me to a gay bar, and I’ve always turned him down.Now, I find myself in a full-on fetish club with Blaze, of all people.
“The world doesn’t like people like us, Cam,” he whispers, gray eyes holding mine, his breath warm and laced with smoke.“Not when we stop pretending.”
He's close—closer than I’ve ever seen him, and I feel the warmth of his thumb slowly grazing the back of my hand, sending an unwelcome shiver through me.
"You know that, don't you?"he says softly, eyes unwavering as he studies my reaction.
"It doesn't have to be like that," I murmur, barely finding my voice.
