“Hey,” I reach over and place a hand gently on her knee. “Wanna tell me what happened in there?”
She shakes her head and starts wringing her hands in her lap, over and over.
It’s late by the time we’re back at the club. She was silent the entire drive and I haven’t pushed her. She’s stuck in her head and I’m assuming this is Christine’s doing.
Her silence is exactly why we’re back here. Seeing her list of things that excite her, things she wants to try has given me some ideas. She’s clearly quite open minded, but more than anything, I want to help her get out of her own damn head.
“Why are we back at Gravity?” she eyes me curiously.
Reaching over, I run my thumb gently over her cheek and she lets out a long, slow breath, like she's been holding it and leans slightly into my touch. “It’s time for your first lesson. Are you ready?”
“Yes, please,” she whispers while nodding.
“Good. Let’s go.”
I grab her hand and lead her through the club until we’re at the room I set aside earlier, just in case. I could technically do this at home, but I need to keep some boundaries in place if we’re going to do this without me fucking her brains out. It’s easier for my brainandmy dick this way.
As I’m grabbing my key card, I spot Hayes across the room and he looks pissed.
“Wait here. Do not move.” I sit her at a high top table in the corner. “I’ll be right back.”
Arabella
My heart is racing so fast, it feels like I’m vibrating. I can’t stop thinking about my visit with mom. She was fine. I’m pretty sure she was just lonely. I’m not convinced she couldn’t have picked herself up off the floor, though. I half expected I’d need to call 911 to help, with how she’d made it sound, but I got her up just fine. It took a good thirty minutes to get out the door, though. Once again, she started crying and asserting that I don’t love her enough to stay. I eventually had to just–leave, but now I’m just obsessing over her sitting at home, crying–alone.
A bump jerks the table, breaking me out of my thoughts and I look up to see my best friend. Her hair is flowing loose over her shoulders and she’s wearing her favorite purple pushup bra, and what looks to be a dress made entirely of fishnet. Jesus.
“Wrinley?”
She turns to face me and her eyes go wide. “Ari! What are you doing here?”
“Ohhh no, girl. You first. And what the hell are you even wearing?” She’s definitely rocking it, but I’m so confused and have about a dozen questions.
“Ari, you’ll never believe it. Look at this!” She shows me her phone that is most definitelynotallowed in this part of the building. If a club monitor catches her with it, she’ll get kicked out and possibly banned. I learned a lot in one night, working behind the bar.
“Put that away! You’ll get banned if you get caught with that,” I whisper.
“Shush. I’m being careful. I got a text telling me to come. So–I’m here.” The look on her face is a mix of curiosity and I imagine–lust.
UNKNOWN:Club Gravity. 11:30pm. Wear something slutty.
Well, I guess that explains the lack of clothes she’s wearing, but what the actual fuck? “Wrin. What are you doing? Please tell me this is some role play kink you have and you know who this text is from.”
“Um, I have no clue, but this is a safe place right?” She actually wiggles her eyebrows at me.
She can’t seriously be this naive, can she? “You know as well as I do, that while it may be safe inside these walls, there’s no telling what could happen once you leave.”
“Look, bestie. I love you so much, and I know you’ve just been through some stuff, but can you please not ruin this for me? I can practically feel the adrenaline coursing through my body, and I need this. I promise you, I’ll be okay.”
“That’s a text from a stranger, Wrin. How do youknowit’s okay?”
“I–just have a feeling. Trust me.” Her eyes are wide like she’s pleading with me to let this go. I do trust her, but this is so weird. I don’t need anything happening to my best friend.
“Can you please be careful? I need you in my life and would never survive if you ended up the next statistic.”
She places a placating kiss on my cheek and saunters away.
I internally groan and run my hands down my face in an attempt to wipe this day away.
