"Enjoy yourselves, ladies. It was pleasure. You're so beautiful. My job is done." Natasha waves goodbye, as the woman in red assumes control again.

"OK, ladies. As you put on your finishing touches, let's start a line in front of the door here." She motions towards the door. "Get ready for a night not soon to be forgotten.

"As some of you have already begun indulging in our silver platter treats, I find it necessary to remind you of the sole House Rule." She looks around at everyone. "Anyone may look or touch, but permission must be granted to go further than that. This applies to men and women. Ladies just because you are ladies, does not mean you can force a man to have intercourse with you. Permission must be granted for anything beyond a simple touch. We're not into violating anyone; we're into pleasure," she snickers, "or pain. If that's your thing. All action must be consensual or risk the consequences of your actions, which are quite dire. Some of you are public figures, some of you hold high-powered positions. Let's not risk losing our good standing in the public eye and for those that hold neither title, the Advisory Board will settle those accounts if need be." She claps her hands. "OK. So, let's keep it good, clean fun and we'll all have amnesia in the morning! I'm joking but please remember, you did sign a non-disclosure agreement."

The last of the women get in line. No one looks the same as when she entered. With wigs, masks and risqué lingerie, these women have been transformed into their own alter egos. We look like Victoria Secret models getting ready for our big debut.

Off like cattle we go, to the next phase of this strange party. Naturally, Mia, Penelope and I choose to be at the end of the line.

When the door opens, "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics fills the air. The bass vibrates in the corridor. This corridor is brightly lit and not nearly as narrow as the first. It feels more open, probably doesn't hurt that full-length mirrors line both sides.

I glance at myself as I'm walking, and I don't recognize the girl staring back at me. Wearing a long Cleopatra-inspired wig with gold jewels dangling from the crown of my head, my look is very exotic. Even without the gold-trimmed black mask. My see-through black lace bodysuit is video-vixen sexy. The ensemble goes from sensual to ravishingly racy when I look at the wide front to back slit that reveals my goods on sight.

Whoever invented crotchless panties is a dirty diva, indeed.

The look is completed with a garter belt and stockings that run up to my thighs, black high heels and a gold coiled snake bracelet on my upper arm. Everyone said it looks amazing on me, I'm having second thoughts about it now. The only comfort I have is knowing that we're all dressed so scandalously. Some women have opted for almost nothing, so my outfit is tame in comparison.

Mia wears her hair as is. Long and straight, accented only by a golden wreath with tiny flowers. Her mask is white with crystals lining the border. She's wearing a sheer white lace bra and panties covered by a sheer, white, open baby doll gown and strappy heels. She looks like a sexy virgin.

Penelope is a scarlet whore in a long, straight, blonde wig. Her black mask is the only subtle thing she's wearing. She chose a red latex bra and panties with a red lace garter belt, black thigh-high stockings and elbow-length black lace gloves. Her look is complete with tall, black platform stripper heels. With JC being as straight-laced as he is, it's a wonder that he and Penelope found each other.

We're last to enter the party. It's culture shock once we see everyone, all the men and women, together. It's hard to tell who is who, and really that's the point. It's like I've entered a live, in color Calvin Klein underwear ad. There are men with killer bodies and abs that'll leave any woman drooling for days.

A girl needs eye candy too.

The hosts of this Noir party understand that. My eyes dart from guy to guy. The men's looks vary. Some are shirtless with boxer briefs and boots. I love that rough, rugged look. Others are wearing robes with boxers or briefs and casual leather shoes. Some are wearing unbuttoned, crisp white shirts and underwear designed to resemble tuxedos. Then there are some that fall into an adventurous category. These guys are wearing nothing but masks and things like a cock ring only or sexy men's bikini briefs. Every guy that's made that choice seems to know they're packing like nobody's business. Talk about billboard advertising. A girl knows what she's getting with a guy like that.

As I weave through the crowd, I feel hands touching all over my body. Nameless faces caressing my thighs, my ass, my cleavage. I keep walking. Just because they're soliciting doesn't mean I have to respond, so I don't. But I kind of like it — being treated like a sex object. It's taboo. It's erotic. So, forbidden. I quietly feel heat radiating from my core. This mask is freedom. I can be whoever I want to be. I can want and do whatever I please, and I know who I want.

Where is he?

Mia and Penelope stay close as I wade through the crowd and try to find our guys.

A Calvin Harris and Rihanna club banger gets the crowd dancing. We continue exploring. It appears there are no rooms that are off limits. We veer off to what looks to be a great room, to the right of us. Full of couches, love seats, chairs, and ottomans. There's plenty of furniture here to mark territory with. Bodies everywhere. Kissing. Licking. Tasting. Sucking. Fucking. Fast. Hard. Sensual. Soft. People watch as couples, threesomes, and groups unleash their carnal desires. Causing tension to build in those adventurous enough to wander over and let loose their inner voyeur.

I spot Phoenix. At least it looks like him. He's wearing the same mask, black with black-beaded details, and his build looks like my Phoenix. Trimmed goatee, perfect pecs, broad shoulders, muscular arms, ripped abs. He doesn't see me yet. He looks damn good shirtless. My eyes trace his well-built physique in the dimly lit room. He's wearing form-fitting boxer briefs, that emphasize his toned legs. His black boots remain unlaced.

I want him, now but what if he wants to do it, right here in front of everyone. Mask or not, I'm not sure I'm comfortable enough for that.

"I think that's them." I point across the room, squinting my eyes. "That looks like Phoenix."

"Yeah, that's JC," Penelope whispers back.

"That's them for sure, I'd know that chest tattoo anywhere," Mia chimes in.

"Just told on yourself, Mia."

Mia laughs. "It's all your fault. Seeing you two in the living room at the penthouse, you practically spelled it out for me. Slut!"

"Whoa! Actually, that's Penelope. Look at her outfit." I turn to Penelope. "Girl, you're scandalous! Spill the goods. What's up with you and Jesus Christ?" I question her.

"Dipped that stick in the well and that was all she wrote!" Mia dabs the air like a fairy godmother granting a wish.

"JC turned that well water to wine!" I tease.

Mia and I laugh like there's no tomorrow.

Penelope tries deflecting. "Let's not get on you, Ari. What happened to your Sexless Six-Month Rule?"

"Huh?" I pretend I can't hear her over the music.

"Uh-huh. Broke every minute of it for that one! What six-month rule? She forgot everything she thought she knew. Forget college. It's Phoenix University. Online all day! OK! Don't know my left from my right, my up from my down. Phoenix — Phoenix University. That's all I know."

"She's taking night classes! Real estate. Learning about erogenous zoning and levying that ass down in just the right way!"

"He's taxin' that ass! Taxin' it right!" Penelope high fives Mia.

They crack up, laughing like wild hyenas, at my expense.

I huff at them both. "There's an exception, to every rule." I try in vain to come to my own defense, but it's useless. They keep laughing. Guess I had that one coming.

Trying to shift focus, I ask, "Is it just me? Or does the thought of being laid out on a table, having sex in front of all these people, scare you to death too! Look at that woman over there."

"I'm open, but not that open!" Penelope salutes the woman on the table.

"Let's get a round of drinks," Mia suggests. "We know where the guys are, we'll come back."

"Let's not drink too much. Don't want to end up like Sheila."

"Speaking of."

Penelope and Mia stop. "What?"

"Should've heard the things she said about us."

"She didn't!" Penelope rolls her eyes in disgust.

"Let's just say, she doesn't like us as much as we like her!"

"Wow! She doesn't even know us." Mia dismisses the thought of Sheila and starts walking towards the bar. "Her loss."

I glance back in Phoenix's direction.

Phoenix and the guys are completely engrossed, watching a woman with pink hair and nothing on but a black garter belt, stockings, and clear heels have raunchy, porno sex with two guys at once. It's kind of a turn on to see him so taken in by it.

Moments later, we return to our guys, drinks in hand. Happy to be reunited, we girls each grab the arm of our own personal boy toy. Having no one to cater to him, Nixon gives us deuces, effectively parlaying the role of odd man out to that of a one-man party. He's free to do as he pleases. He blends, then disappears into the crowd.

"There you are." Phoenix pulls my chin to him, sensually locking lips with mine. His oh-so-kissable lips make my lips pulsate, his wet tongue warms and wets my tongue. He looks down at my hands and takes one of the drinks I'm holding, flashing that irresistible smile of his. "Thanks."

"No, thank you." Drunk off his affection, my breasts tingle with anticipation.

He takes a sip of his vodka tonic and wraps his arm around my waist.

"Now that we know-know what this party is, I'd hate to be Sheila." Mia raises her eyebrows as she looks at us.

"Aww. Nixon is fine. Sheila is, too." Riz writes off Mia's concern.

"Poor, poor Sheila," I quip, smiling from ear to ear.

"Leaving her man alone, at a party like this? I hope he's faithful." Mia sips her martini.

"I would not want to be her." I glance at Penelope, she's wrapped up with JC, whispering sweet nothings in his ear and giggling at every word he says.

"Get a room!" I playfully yell.

Penelope cuts her eyes at me and smiles. "Girls, we're gonna see what this party is all about. We'll catch up later." She casually waves goodbye as she wanders off with JC.

"From the looks of it, there's plenty to see." Riz wraps his arms around Mia. "I say we see it."

"No time like the present." Phoenix bites me on the neck.

I moan in spite of myself and suddenly it's just us.

Phoenix flicks my nipples. "Why are they so hard?" he asks knowingly. He touches my see-through lace bra. "I like what you're wearing. Sexy as fuck."

"What you're wearing, or better, what you're not wearing is hella sexy, too." I flirt back.

Phoenix pats my behind. "Yoga does a body good. I want a piece of that."

"What's this?" He reaches towards my crotch, with the hand that was holding the glass. Cold fingers cool my hot spot, making me even hotter.

"You like that? My crotch-less panties? That turn you on? You know, when we came out here, men were touching me, everywhere? And I mean everywhere." I eye him, daring him to make a move. My hand travels from his chest, down over his toned abs and over his black boxer briefs. His erection grows under my grasp as I openly grope him.

Just testing the waters.

"I'm gonna kiss that pretty pussy."

I feel myself blush.

We need to find a room. Now!

I search the room to find a place for us. The woman in the threesome moans incredibly loud. Both guys zero in on her body. With full concentration on their respective areas of penetration, the cuter one seems ready to release in her mouth. The gaze of the crowd intensifies. Some of the guys watching are rubbing and jagging off their erections. A guy to the right of us stands against a wall as his girl gets down on her knees. She kneels before him, pleasuring him with her mouth. He rests his hand on the top of her head, guiding her mouth, while never turning away from the threesome. She does a pepper grinding motion with her hands while deep throating his swollen erection. It drives him wild, pulling his attention away from the threesome and bringing it back to her.

I may have to snatch that move.

Phoenix whispers in my ear, "Let's find somewhere to lay you down." He gently licks my ear lobe sending tiny shock waves to my core.

I clench my teeth, taking in a deep breath. I'm turned on by everything around me. It's outright, out loud and unadulterated. No one is hiding anything.

He smiles that mischievous, sexy smile of his and takes my hand, leading me away from the threesome and the crowd. We walk the halls of the mansion. Everywhere we turn people are coupled, tripled, and quadrupled up. We even walk past a full-on orgy with a countless number of anonymous bodies. All lost in the moment, consumed with pleasuring themselves and one another.

All the while, Phoenix can't keep his hands off me. He stops me in the hall and starts kissing my mouth. Tasting my neck. Stroking my bare crotch. His finger accidentally slips inside. What a pleasant surprise! It only intensifies my desire for him. I bite my lip in anticipation for what's next.

"I can't wait to taste that pretty pussy of yours." Phoenix licks his lips as he smacks, then rubs my behind. He stands there looking down into my eyes. "That's mine. You know that, right? That pussy is mine."

I look up into his eyes. My lips pulsate. I'm helpless against him. More and more I find I can't say no to him. "Yes."

Ooh. Let's make love right here. I don't care. Bend me over a coffee table. Have your way with me.

Have you lost it? I can barely watch these people have sex with a straight face, let alone do it myself, in front of strangers! No, these goods are staying on lock.

"Tell me it's mine," he eggs me on.

"This pussy is yours."

He grabs my chin, bringing my face to his, for a soft, sensual kiss, arousing every inch of my body. Every cell is alive. Aching. Hungry. Craving more. I inhale the clean, masculine scent of his skin and it sends my senses into a frenzy.

"How can you be so effortlessly irresistible?" I ask, breathlessly.

He kisses me deeper in response. He can barely pull away from me long enough to talk. "Babe, I hate to admit it, but I'm obsessed with you. I've got to have you." He rubs his erection against me. "I need to be with you. Now."

His lips. That body. He wants you. Look around. No one cares about rules or self-control. It's a free-for-all. Let's open up shop.

Can't do it.

Yes, you can.

Absolutely not!

There is no good or bad. Just empty or fulfilled. What do you want to be? Sexually pinned up? Congested? Wanting, but never getting? Or do you want to feel liberated and satisfied? Don't let someone else's rules rule you. This is your life.

The battle between my desire for freedom directly contradicts my need for order, leaving me on the battlefield of my emotions. On one end, I'm shameless; a sex-addicted, love-struck concubine eager to court danger, willing to lay it all out there for everyone to see and on the other, I'm totally twisted in knots, fearful of being too loose in front of people, squirming with embarrassment anytime someone sees me watching them. I have no idea how to reconcile these two sides of me. Slowly, that inner bad girl is beginning to surface. The yoga-loving, book worm is losing her iron grip on my reality. Tension is building inside and sooner or later, I'll have to confront it. Again.

Phoenix pins me to a wall.  He uncovers my breasts and kisses them, causing my body to have a mind of its own. Taking it as it comes, I moan loudly as my head dips back in ecstasy. My arm inadvertently brushes against a door. It creaks open.

Finally. We've found an empty room.

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A/N: Hey Lovers! What do you think about Aria's battle with her heart and mind? Should she follow the rules that keep her safe or venture out and discover what makes her feel alive? Please Vote and Comment! I can't wait to hear what you guys have to say.