Abby 2: Abigail

Chapter 7

The soft couch in my apartment embraced me as car engines and distant sirens drifted through the open window. With closed eyes, I allowed the noise, punctuated by the occasional shout of an angry pedestrian, to wash over me as I sunk deeper into the cushions. The constant heartbeat of the city made me feel alive.

A week had passed since I had been at Eden's, and after a hard week at the club, I was looking forward to an evening of relaxation. The week had culminated last night at the Saturday party with a sensual scene with Elizabeth, followed by a harsh impact scene on stage with Edward. The bite of his cane could still be felt in places, reminding me how I had writhed on stage from both the pain and the vibrator that had been bound between my legs.

Edward was known as "the club's resident sadist," and when you did a scene with him, you understood he would push your limits. He was a master at warming you up, and the following pain always led me to a cathartic release, purging like a cleansing fire. I had learned to enjoy the intensity of his scenes, but I needed to be in the right headspace first. This was why Madeleine had arranged the earlier sensual scene with Elizabeth.

The sudden ring of the doorbell jarred the quietness of my apartment. Jumping up, I glanced at the clock, frowning as I wondered why Mandy would show up unannounced. More man troubles, no doubt.

I prepared to console her for whatever the latest asshole did, but my heart skipped a beat as I saw Eden standing there through the peephole. He stood relaxed, running a hand through his dark hair while waiting for me to answer. I couldn't open the door fast enough.

"Eden! What are you doing here?"

He stepped inside with a sly smile, not waiting for me to invite him in. The scent of his cologne enveloped me as he walked past.

"I did a thing and wanted to surprise you in person."

"A thing?" I asked, closing the door behind him. "What kind of thing?"

"A thing that I think you're going to like. You still have a few days off next weekend, right?"

"I do. I was coming to see you, remember? Why?"

"Because I made reservations for us at Elysian Paradise."

I blanked for a second, confused. "To where?"

"Elysian Paradise. It's a resort in the Caribbean for swingers."

"A what?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"A swingers' resort. It's a place where couples can go to explore their sexuality and experiment with different partners."

I rolled my eyes at him, crossing my arms in a playful gesture as he smirked. He was always so quick to turn something into a joke, and the speed at which his brain worked to do it made me even more attracted to him.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. I know what swinging is. But are you serious?"

"Dead serious," Eden said, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he handed me a printed copy of the online reservations. "What do you think?"

I scanned the page, processing what he had done. I had heard of such places, but the thought of going to one had never crossed my mind. There were too many stories of couples that had tried to revive their passion for one another, only to have it be another nail in the coffin.

"Eden, I don't know. It seems... risky."

"Risky? Why?"

"What would happen if one of us gets jealous? Or if I wasn't comfortable?"

He stepped towards me, taking me in his arms as he looked into my eyes. "We just need to be open with each other and communicate where our comfort level is at all times. It's not much of a step from being at the Fleur-de-lis, is it?"