1. Chapter One

Chapter One

T he kink scene in San Francisco blew Reno's out of the water.

Eva's eyes were drawn in every direction as she soaked in the sights of the dance club in full swing for the night Whipped hosted at Ouroboros. How her brother, Micah, had launched from their shitty hometown in Nevada to working as a barista at the most well-known kink café in the San Francisco region was beyond her, but she enjoyed reaping the benefits now.

Her life back in Reno hadn't just wrecked on the rocks, but her relationship with her parents had as well. She needed to let loose.

Her preferred method was with a crop and a pretty sub.

However, she'd take getting out of her brother's apartment and out of her head for a night.

Eva had headed straight for the dungeon, where the steady thump of bass from the un-tiss un-tiss music in the front rooms was drowned out by the moans of participants and cracks of floggers and canes. The dimmed lighting only enhanced the scenes taking place around her. Once they got there, Micah had vanished, though he was entangled in something complicated between him and one of the Doms at Whipped. Which would've left Eva by her lonesome had it not been for Pixie, Micah's roommate.

Pixie had settled in front of an impact play demo in the center stage, and Eva sidled up next to her. She'd be lying if she said the woman wasn't distracting—from the moment she'd shown up at Micah's apartment—but she was also Micah's best friend. Totally off-limits.

Pixie's lips curled into a foxy grin, her sparkling blue eyes the same hue as her short hair. The cut showcased her slender chin, the graceful neck leading to sloping shoulders and sinful curves. The black bralette she wore placed her lush breasts on clear display, and that, combined with the black tutu and white thigh-high boots, had heads turning everywhere she went. Eva sucked in a breath and tried to focus on the demo.

"See up there?" Pixie leaned in a little closer so Eva could hear. She caught the whiff of jasmine that was unmistakably Pixie, a scent Eva had memorized at the loft apartment Pixie and Micah shared. "The Dom's my friend Fin. They're in need of a spanking more than anyone I know, but they'd also break your hands if you tried. And the sub is Nolan. He also works at Whipped."

Eva focused on the scene. The Dom had a wicked glint in their eyes and an equally sharp grin as they brought their flogger down on the sub's ass—bare but for a G-string—the crack echoing through the room. Nolan's back arched at the impact, but a moment later, his eyes fluttered as bliss flooded his features .

"Is that something you like?" Eva asked, her voice throaty. If she knew how to turn off the flirt around gorgeous subs, she would, but it became compulsory. A newer talent and one that had ultimately caused trouble.

Pixie wrinkled her nose, a beautiful button one covered in a few freckles and accented by a septum piercing. "I'm fine with some light impact, but Nolan's more our resident pain slut."

"Our?" Eva latched onto the conversation Pixie offered. As much as she'd wanted the distraction of a kink night, she'd been launched into so much new the past week her life seemed to be spinning out of control. She still had a job in Reno and a house, technically. But seeing her brother leap from his old home to a new one here had been inspiring after the upheavals as of late.

"We all help out at Whipped," Pixie explained, leaning in close again. "Nolan's our marketing manager, but everyone kind of has their kink specialties too. Though he likes giving pain as much as he likes receiving."

Eva arched a brow as Fin put their weight into the swings of the flogger, eliciting moans from Nolan. The cracks were coming faster, a vicious melody to them that made her blood hum. She itched to step into those Domme shoes again, but all the unfamiliar made her retreat just as fast. She scanned the room for Micah, and her gaze landed on her brother restrained to a St. Andrew's Cross. Well, that was new.

She returned her focus to the demo. Her little brother was all grown up, but she sure as hell didn't need to see him splayed out as someone's sub.

Commotion came from Micah's direction a moment later, and a muscular guy marched toward him. One of the Dommes who'd been running a scene on another stage rushed up beside the big guy, and security marched in .

"What's going on?" Eva asked, her pulse picking up.

The big guy was unstrapping her brother from the St. Andrew's Cross.

"Oh, fuck," Pixie swore.

The Dom who'd been with Micah was getting escorted out by security. Sharp pain lanced through Eva's heart at the thought of anything happening to her brother, and she started marching over in their direction.

"Wait." Pixie's hand wrapped around her wrist, the grip tentative but strong enough to stop her. "Parker has him."

"Parker, as in the guy he's been moping over?" Eva asked, her jaw clenched as the panic alarm flared inside her louder and louder. She'd already let her brother down in the past. She couldn't just sit on the sidelines.

"Yeah," Pixie said, her deep-set eyes soft. "He's one of the best people on the planet. Your brother's in good hands."

"I still need to check in on him," Eva said, the guilt coating her skin thick enough she'd need to slough it off.

The excitement and thrill of the evening had vanished. She wouldn't be playing with anyone tonight—not in this headspace.

"We can swing over." Pixie chewed on her lower lip. Their eyes met, and Pixie's sparked with understanding. "Would you want to get out of here afterward? I'm not feeling the vibe, and I'm pretty sure Micah and Parker are going to want a lot of time to themselves."

The aforementioned pair sat together in the aftercare corner, and based on the way Micah cuddled into Parker's chest, how protective he seemed over her brother—yeah, Pixie's assessment was probably right.

"I know what you're doing," Eva said, the arch tone slipping out. "I can head out on my own. You can still enjoy your night. "

Pixie fluttered her lashes coquettishly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Any port in a storm though. And Pixie was one stunning fucking port amid a chaotic-as-hell storm.

Eva shook her head, taking the lead in the direction to where Parker was taking care of Micah. Her chest twisted tight. Too late to help her brother, yet again. Clearly, an ongoing theme in her life.

Despite the cracks of the floggers, the low murmur of conversation, and the moans exploding through the room, Eva's focus remained unerring. She strode through the crowd with the single purpose of checking in on Micah, even though her chest squeezed with every step.

A flash of blonde hair had her stopping still, but when the woman walked by her, her features were none she recognized.

Someone bumped into her from behind, and Eva turned around—Pixie.

"Sorry," Eva said. The curiosity flared in Pixie's blue eyes, but she didn't ask. For that, Eva was grateful. She'd been through breakups before—hell, plenty of them—so she didn't know why this one was fucking her up so badly.

The answer waited at the door to be let in, but she refused to open it in invitation.

Eva stepped over to the aftercare corner, which had a much quieter vibe. Apart from Micah and Parker, a few other folks chilled here postscene, settling in the cozy spot.

"Hey," Eva said. "What just happened? Are you okay?"

Micah blinked at her blearily. Parker clutched him tight, giving her a stare some might find menacing. Except she refused to be cowed. This was her goddamn brother.

"I'm Eva." She lifted her chin and glared back. "Micah's sister. "

The features of the big guy softened. "Parker. Micah's boyfriend." The way his expression lightened, the pure joy on his face, told Eva everything, and some taut thread inside her loosened.

"I'm good," Micah said. "Go, enjoy your night."

He shot her the same look he used to give when he wanted to be left alone to read. Clearly, he was basking in some new relationship feels. When they'd walked in here tonight, her brother had been single and missing Parker, but something had shifted between them for the better.

"We're going to get out of here," Pixie said, slipping her arm through Eva's. "If you end up back at the apartment instead of riding Parker all night, I'll be very disappointed in you, Micah Abrams. But seriously, I'm happy for you guys." The soft glow to her expression showed her affection clear as daylight.

"I'll take care of him." Parker ran his fingers through Micah's curls.

Eva's heart twisted hard with a surge of jealousy. She was so damn happy for her brother. He deserved all this and more. She just hated that a mere six months ago, she'd believed she had that too.

The guy, the house, the happily ever after.

And then the girl. The girl who had turned her world upside down.

Now, she was left sorting through the flaming wreckage.

Pixie's hand slipped into hers, and the touch drew her attention at once. The slender fingers, the warmth there—her attention snared on their intertwined fingers.

"Come on." Pixie leaned in, her hot breath brushing against Eva's ear. She shivered. Fuck, this woman was too damn tempting to ignore.

"Lead the way," Eva said. Where would this minx take her? Normally, she loathed surprises. Except now the walls of the club felt like they were closing in on her, and she'd seize the escape. Damn shame too because this looked like one hell of a club night. However, kink in the wrong headspace was a dangerous thing, and from the moment she'd stepped into Ouroboros, the memories she'd been trying to run from crash-collided with her guilt.

Pixie guided her up through the hallway, and they navigated through the crush of people on the dance floor. The heavy thump of bass, the writhing bodies, and the scent of sweat, latex, and leather surrounded them. Lights flashed in time to the music. However, Eva kept a steady grip on Pixie's hand as they emerged on the opposite side. Her heart thumped at the contact, at the flare of electricity zapping through her.

When they stopped in front of the coat check, Pixie let go, and Eva swallowed down her protest. The temperature cooled at being away from so many packed bodies. Pixie tugged her hoodie over her sensual curves. Even in the oversized hoodie, the woman was a stunner.

"Ready to go?" she asked. Eva wasn't the adventurous sort by any means. She needed checklists upon checklists and to go over everything a million and one times.

Yet tonight, she wanted to get whisked into the spring storm of this woman, to embrace the distraction.

"Let's go," she said, stepping out of the club. The brisk night air curled around her bare forearms. This wasn't like Reno temps, despite the cities only being about four hours apart.

Pixie walked next to her, all but sashaying along the sidewalk. The woman moved with a lithe grace that had drawn her attention from the moment she'd seen her at Micah's new place.

"Far walk?" Eva asked.

"Just a block away." Pixie flashed a grin. Her lips were pert and seductive, and Eva needed to stop noticing the small details about her brother's best friend. She was only here for another week, and she wouldn't leave a wreckage in her wake .

"Are you sure you didn't want to return to the club?" Eva asked. Guilt trickled through her for taking up Pixie's time. "It looked like a lot of the staff at Whipped were participating in demos."

"They were, and they're who I usually scene with if I'm not seeing anyone. But given everything that went down with Parker and Micah the past week, I wanted to make sure I was available for Micah if he needed me."

Relief filled Eva's chest. "You're a good friend."

She shrugged. "Not good enough. I should never have let him go back to your hometown."

"You and me both." Eva had known how her parents were—stifling, restrictive, and judgmental—and she'd escaped. When Micah went to San Francisco for school, she'd figured he would stay there, not return. She'd built her life with a physical boundary from her folks because if she and her mother remained in the same zip code, bloodshed would ensue.

Pixie stopped at the corner, and Eva almost bumped into her, so lost in her thoughts. The storefront lay at the base of a high-rise, all glass windows, which were illuminated by the interior light. The words Puri-Tea and the cartoon tea leaf in the lit-up sign made their destination clear.

Eva lifted a brow. "You're taking me from a kink night to a place called purity? Please tell me this isn't a weird conversion tactic…"

Pixie snorted. "Just a boba shop. Come on, let's go chill."

She shook her head, warmth settling in her chest. Maybe it was the intuitive way Pixie had sensed her need to escape or the fact that she'd take her here—somewhere quiet but not home—to recalibrate, but Eva appreciated this woman. She'd only been around her for a few days, and in that short time, Pixie seemed more genuine than most of the people Eva had left behind in Reno .

Ones she was considering hard if she wanted to return to.

They stepped into the shop, the chill lo-fi music from the speakers soothing. She squinted a little at the lights, which were blaring compared to the dim nightclub and even darker sidewalks.

"What are you going to get?" Pixie asked, rocking back and forth on her heels. "Oh, they've got rose!" The person behind the counter slipped in front of the register, ready for them whenever.

Eva chewed on her thumbnail. "So this is where I admit I've never had boba before."

Pixie's eyes widened. "No, you can't tell me that. You've got to try like…everything."

Eva's smile came unbidden. "How about you pick your favorite flavor, and I'll give it a go?"

"I'll get the rose and then a jasmine for you. My treat," she said, looping her arm through Eva's. She all but dragged her up front, and Eva made no moves to slip away. Not while this beautiful woman walked beside her, her sweet, floral scent wafting her way. Eva loved that she had a few inches on Pixie, and she hated how her brain had calculated their height differences and the filthy things that could translate to.

Hard to avoid thoughts of kink after some of the scenes she'd witnessed onstage tonight.

Pixie placed the order, and they stood off to the side, waiting for their teas. The lights beamed down on them, such a sharp difference from dark and pulsing environment they'd left. Only three other people took up seats here at this hour, and all scattered around at a respectable distance.

"I should've asked this before, but what work do you do at Whipped?" Eva asked. Pixie worked as an artist and helped out at the café, but beyond that, a lot of blanks remained.

"Resident sub." She winked, the move flirty and natural, and hell, Eva wasn't immune. Her heart thumped a little harder. "Mostly, I assist in classes and demos. I don't mind being on display."

"I bet you don't," Eva murmured before she could help herself. Pixie's lashes fluttered, and a pretty little blush spread to her cheeks, highlighting her freckles. Fuck, this woman was so transparent, her emotions bubbling to the surface. Combined with the fact that Pixie was a sub, a prickle of curiosity rose inside Eva, an urge to peel away petal after petal of this flower until she found the core.

Two cups of boba were placed on the counter, and Pixie picked them up. "Where do you want to sit?"

Eva gestured to an empty corner spot, and she set off in that direction, having the feeling Pixie would follow. She slid in on the far side of the pristine white booth, placing her within view of the door—a habit she couldn't break. As she settled in, the tightness across her skin relaxed.

Pixie passed her the jasmine boba and a thick straw and then waited expectantly.

Eva's lips quirked, but she plunged the straw through the center of the plastic film and brought it to her mouth. When she glanced up, Pixie's eyes had darkened, heat emanating from them.

She sucked the straw, and the first bit of jasmine sweetness hit her tongue.

Followed by a disgusting, slimy ball.

Eva almost spat it out. God, that was revolting, like someone had mixed snot into their drink. She swallowed it fast and spluttered from how the little bastard boba ball tried to choke her.

"So, what did you think?" Pixie asked, brimming with excitement.

Eva wrinkled her nose. "Not for me. Do people actually drink that for enjoyment? "

Pixie snorted. "Fine, more balls for me."

Eva lifted a brow. "If that's what you like." Pixie hadn't stated her sexuality, but the way she flirted with everyone universally had given Eva bi or pan vibes. Maybe that had just been wishful thinking on her part.

Which shouldn't even have been a thought, because she was leaving, and Pixie was Micah's best friend.

Pixie's lashes fluttered, and her coquettish grin was pure seduction. "Not solely."

Eva licked her lips as the spark of attraction flared brighter. "Duly noted."

"Though if you want to drink the tea, I'll happily handle all the balls afterward." Pixie's eyes sparkled with pure cheekiness.

Eva let everything drift away. For the first time since the bullshit with Jack and Sienna had gone down, she wasn't mired in the past, stuck in her mind. Tonight, she was in the company of a beautiful girl, drinking weird-as-fuck tea, with soothing lo-fi bumping in the background.

Tonight, she could take the first steps toward healing.