Pretty in Pink Pt. 1 Meet Cute by D. Faust

Beat was a large, noisy warehouse club that played industrial music from more speakers than I could count. Fake fog and strobing lights both illuminated and obscured the crush of bodies on the dance floor and milling about from room to room. Each person was dressed more elaborately than the last in latex, leather, and lace. It was a far cry from my usual jobs with the Boss in his preferred cabarets with live jazz.
“Harlow.” Leo wasn’t looking at me as he spoke. I looked the kid over, careful to keep my face clear of my disdain. He was watching the cubby across from the bar where a woman in a little black dress was receiving a paddling. “I’m going to sit over here and enjoy the view. Why don’t you, I dunno, tour the room or something.”
I grit my teeth and thought about my next words. “Your father asked me to stick with you, sir.” Calling him that took a lot from me. I’ve seen this kid go from one fuck  up to the next in my relatively short time with his father. I lost count of his DUIs and the girls he snuck past security that were likely underage. If it was anyone but Remo’s son, I’d have knocked Leo on his ass in the gutter by now.
“You are sticking with me,” Leo said with a wave of his hand. “But I’m gonna need a little breathing room so if you don’t mind, take a hike.”

I took a breath and moved to the far wall where I could watch the brat and the door. A bouncer gave me a look and I gave him a nod, hoping it would come off as camaraderie and not challenging. He nodded back and turned his eyes back to the dance floor.
I tried not to look at my watch again. Counting the minutes until it would be reasonable to haul the brat’s ass out of this joint and back home to daddy. Then I could get a coffee.
A small smile threatened my lips but I fought it back. When had three am coffee turned into something I looked forward to?
I knew the answer. It was when I started talking to HER.

Abelia would like this place. Her outfits made it clear this is probably her scene or as close to it as I could fathom. Her outfit last night was certainly one that wouldn’t stand out in this crowd. I still remembered how the pink vinyl pencil skirt clung to her ass and how the black top plunged just enough to get a glimpse at her cleavage as she leaned forward to pick up her chai latte.
Knead Bakery & Cafe was not where I planned to make a friend  but there she was, almost every morning.
We started out nodding to each other hello in that polite way of strangers who are the only ones in the place. We got out drinks after the drunks had cleared out and before the morning rush. Sometimes she got hers to go and sometimes she lingered to put her feet up. I always knew which she was going to do based on her boots – the pink gogo boots killed her feet. They looked good on her but I hated that she wore them and then could barely hobble to her table to plop them on a chair and groan. Though, I didn’t mind the sound of that groan.
It was four or five weeks ago that I got the courage to join her at her table. She smiled at me when I did and I liked that. Women don’t usually smile at me.

I looked across to Leo who now was talking to a girl wearing cat ears. At least I didn’t have to worry about her being under age. The security at Beat was top notch. I’d  have to look into them some more. If they were freelance, Boss might be interested in hiring them for some of his events.
Thinking of ages, I remembered when I first saw Abelia. She was so damn tiny I thought some kid was in the cafe. She couldn’t be more than five feet tall. Sometimes she wears platform heels but even then the top of her head barely reaches my shoulder.
A fellow gym rat once asked me why strongmen competitors dated tiny chicks. I didn’t have an answer but George, the gym owner and my trainer, did. “So they can pick them up. Sure ain’t winning them over with their smarts.”
That was damn true in my case. But she smiled at me nonetheless. That is, until last night. I asked her out like an idiot and immediately it was like a wall came down just behind her bright black eyes. She was still smiling but it was cold now, calculated and distant. I almost shivered.
“I don’t date.”
“Why not?”
“Men don’t have an interest in dating me after they see what I do for a living.”
I already pegged her for a pro or a stripper. The late nights, the latex and those sexy boots and shoes she wore, and the way her black curls were sometimes deliciously messy all gave that away. Sure, I could see why some guys might have issues dating a woman in that field but I already thought about that. Work was work and perhaps so long as I ever saw her with a client…
She left though. I was too slow to convince her. George was right – I sure wasn’t going to win anyone over with my smarts.
Still, I hoped to see her again tonight, maybe go back to our friendly banter. That would be nice. Certainly better than what I was doing now or going back to my shoebox apartment. 

Leo had cat-eared-girl across his lap. She was laughing as he spanked her with his palm. I looked away. This all felt too intimate to watch. Boss picked up women constantly but I never saw more than a quick grope and a kiss on the neck. I didn’t want to know about his bedroom play and I definitely didn’t want to know how his kid got off.
Turning my gaze, I almost regretted it. The room Leo sat in front of was going through a change in display. Gone was the woman in a little black dress and her disciplinarian. Now three middle aged men in nothing but leather mini shorts and harnesses were on display. Two were helping the third onto a large wooden X and strapping him in leather cuffs. Once he was in place they brought out a black box and sat it at an angle about four feet from the X.
There was some discussion and pointing to the floor around the perimeter of the cubby. One of Beat’s bouncers came over with a roll of neon electrical tape. I watched them put a line of tape down and encourage people to say on the other side of it. Then one of the harnessed men waved to the side.
I turned to see what he was waving for and nearly choked.

Abelia looked adorable in her pink and white school girl outfit. The crowd parted for her as she made her way to the black box. Harnessed man number one helped her up on it while number two brought her something – a whip.
Everything made sense now. She was a pro but not the kind I expected.
I glanced at Leo, wondering if I would be able to get away from the brat long enough to speak to her. It was a risk. He could take off in an instant and Boss would have my hide.
Speaking of hide.

She was looking away from me, to the guy on the big X. I watched as she stretched her arms and fluffed her hair in its high ponytail. Slowly, she raised the whip then let it crack.
The man on the X jumped but she didn’t hit him – yet. These were practice rounds. Each one cracked off to the side, level with his head.
The fifth crack was on his thigh. Then the other. She began to slowly work him over. Number one and number two as well as a bouncer made sure everyone watching stayed behind the neon tape so they wouldn’t get whipped inadvertently.

I tried to remember to look at Leo now and again. He was watching the show too and I tried not to think too much about his eyes on the woman I had the hots for. Thankfully he didn’t look like he was going anywhere with cat-ears on his lap.
Abelia looked amazing. I could say it was because of the outfit. The way her skirt fell just below her ass and her legs looked nearly edible in her white fishnets – god her thick thighs definitely had a way of holding my gaze. But it wasn’t just the outfit. It was a strange juxtaposition of lil school girl outfit and her confident stance with the whip in her hand. The more I watched the more I wanted to watch. Her victim was screaming with each crack of the whip now. I wondered when their breaking point would be – when would he give in and when would she show mercy.
Did she show mercy?

I remembered that cold smile when I asked her out. Yea, I imagine it would be hard for some guys to date a woman who, despite being half their size, could beat them to their knees. Hard…yea that was a word for it.
I took a deep breath and hoped I wasn’t making a tent in my pants. Though, with how people were dry humping and groping while watching Abelia work, it wouldn’t be an uncommon response to the show.

“Yellow!” The man on the X screamed.
She cracked the whip a few times off to the side, making him jump. Three more on his flushed body then a few more off to the side. Abelia then threw the whip to the group and gestured to number one and number two. “Get him down.”

I moved without thinking.
She turned to step down and I was there with my hand out. If she was surprised it only showed in those big black eyes. Her hand was small and cold in mine as she stepped down.
If she lingered there for a moment longer than necessary it might have been wishful thinking on my part.

Turning away from me, she went to the side of her victim. Was he her submissive? A client? I couldn’t guess.
“Get him to the aftercare lounge,” she directed number one. “Juice and a cookie for the good boy.” She patted the whipping boy on the head and I heard him moan.
“Thank you, Miss Abbie.”

I glanced back to see Leo was now talking to another girl, also in cat ears. I both hated and loved him at that moment. If it wasn’t for the brat I wouldn’t be here to see Miss Abbie in action.