15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

F rom the second Eva got back to Pixie and Micah's apartment, she'd been launched into the pace of life here, which was bustling.

It came as a huge relief, because she was determined to take tonight off from worrying about the future after how rough yesterday had been. Fuck Jack. Fuck Sienna. Fuck Reno for good measure too. She doubted she'd return.

"Are you sure I'm not crashing?" Eva asked Micah again as the Uber zipped through the streets of San Francisco.

Micah gave her a pointed look. "Excuse me, who's going to pay for my drinks if you don't go? I'm just a lowly barista, whereas you're some moneybags supply chain manager."

"I'm pretty sure you've got a boyfriend who'll cover your ass."

"Besides, Nolan told me to drag you out, and it's his birthday we're celebrating, so it'd be rude not to show up," Micah said as if she hadn't said anything.

The crew here reached out left and right, inviting her out when her crowd from back in Reno remained silent. She'd stupidly tried to contact Benny and Cara, two of her closer friends from that circle, telling them she'd be in the area last night. She got a "Sorry, busy" from Benny and nothing from Cara. Both of them had been eager and responsive with plans when she and Jack had been together, so she took the cue for what it was.

Another rejection.

"I'm surprised he didn't want to go to a fancy kink night for his birthday." Eva smoothed down her black skirt. Ugh, a few fuzzies had already latched onto the fabric.

Micah shrugged. "Noles likes good food and drink, and he's been working at Whipped for a while, so he's got a steady stream of entertainment in that regard."

Eva shook her head. Sometimes she could barely believe the place existed, but after attending one of the Play Nights, she could attest it was very, very real. She'd liked getting to explore the Reno kink scene, but the one Meg and her crew ran felt leagues more comfortable than being surrounded by strangers in darker and busier settings.

"Is Pixie going?" she asked. Yeah, she was playing with fire with that one. However, not long after she'd gotten home, Pixie had to run out to get some new paints and errands, and Micah had sprung the bar night on her.

"She better be," Micah said, his eyes growing a little more intense. "Girl needs to stop drifting on us."

Curiosity burned through her, but she suspected his comment had to do with the loneliness Pixie emanated. Eva had only met her a few weeks ago, but it broadcasted loud and clear. And with everything they'd shared in such a short time, she'd felt more connected to her than people she'd known for years.

The Uber pulled to a stop in front of a high-rise, one of the buildings San Francisco was littered with.

"This is our stop," Micah said. Once the driver put the car in Park, Micah hopped out. Eva slipped out the other side, her white heels clacking on the asphalt.

Arc-En-Ciel was on the top floor, a queer-friendly rooftop bar with quality cocktails and small plates, plus a mix of cozy and sophisticated ambiance that reminded Eva she wasn't in the small potatoes town she and Micah had grown up in. He'd dressed up tonight too in a lavender lacy shirt with a low neckline and slate pants that hugged his slender legs. It was clear how much he'd blossomed here. He would never have dared to wear anything like that when they were younger. Fierce warmth burned inside her, a "fuck you" to parents who should never have had kids in the first place.

Micah slowed closer to the door, so Eva stepped forward to go in first. Air-conditioning blasted in her direction. She hadn't missed the hesitation in his gaze. This was a far cry from where they'd grown up, yet despite the flash of the city and the chaos, she'd rather lose herself here than stand out in Genoa, where everyone knew how ashamed Mom and Dad were of their freak kids.

The lobby of the building was all dark carpet and smooth black fixtures, and she led the way to the elevator.

"Kinda wild both of us are in the same city," Micah said. "It's been a while."

"Look, you were the only reason I visited home as much as I did. Mom's voice still lives in my ear, so why add more in real time?"

The elevator door binged open, and she stepped in, followed close behind by Micah.

"You couldn't pay me to go back there now," Micah said, corrosive bitterness in his tone. "Denial was the sole thing keeping me in place, and now that's gone."

Eva picked at her nails, the guilt flooding her. Except she couldn't summon the words to admit it to him. "Good thing we're far the hell away."

"So, are you going to stick around San Francisco?" he asked, hesitation in his voice.

Eva swallowed hard. Fuck, she wasn't even there yet. "I don't know. My life's kind of in shambles right now, if you haven't noticed. But I'll admit, I wasn't expecting how welcoming everyone's been."

"They're like that here. They just dragged me in and haven't let go." Micah's eyes crinkled around the edges, and an undeniable fondness lingered in his voice. "Pixie's been a safety raft amid all of it. I don't think I'd be where I am today without her."

"She's pretty amazing," Eva said softly. Fuck, what had she said? If Micah wasn't suspicious before, he would be now. She dared a glance up, and he narrowed his eyes.

"And she's not the person you want to be looking at right now." The sharpness in his tone set her on edge, a warning there that made the guilt rise even higher, like a tide about to tug her under.

Eva shook her head. "Nah, not like that. I…I've just been needing some friends."

Liar. Liar. Liar.

She couldn't stop looking Pixie's way if she tried. And that made her feel like a shittier sister than before. Eva took pride in her self-control, but she couldn't seem to summon it right now .

The elevator doors opened onto the top floor, the ding snapping Eva out of the moment.

Eva stepped off first. Arc-En-Ciel lived up to its name in beauty. Black lounge chairs were stationed around firepits in a cozy circles, all throughout the rooftop, and small trees formed lines to separate areas, dangling rainbow glass decking out the branches. The bar on the far left was decorated in the same rainbow glass as if it had been pressed on and lacquered in place, and the backlighting was all soft, lending to a relaxing atmosphere. People filled the seats of the entire bar, and most of the surrounding chairs were occupied as well, but thankfully, the group had gotten here early.

"I see them." Micah gestured to the right.

Eva followed him to two firepits with chairs that had been taken over by the crew of Whipped. She recognized a lot of familiar faces: Nolan, of course, Meg, and another guy who sat on her lap. Fin and Sloan were there as well, as was Parker. The other couple she didn't know, but guaranteed she'd have their names by the end of the night.

Meg shoved the guy on her lap up and approached first. A broad grin spread on her face. She squeezed Micah into a hug, but once he scampered off to Parker, Meg turned to Eva. "So, we didn't scare you away?"

Eva's lips twitched, threatening a smile. "It takes a little more than that to frighten me."

"Mmm, good to know because that was one of the hottest scenes I've been a part of in a while."

"And I missed it?" The guy who had sat on her lap slung his arm around her shoulders.

"Sorry, sweetness," Meg said, kissing the side of his head. This guy was a stunner, tall and slender, his dark hair long enough to tie back, and elegant, angular features. "Tristan, this is Eva. Maybe she'd be willing to co-top you with me sometime." Meg offered a wink, and a shiver of pleasure ran through Eva. Holy hell, the idea lit her on fire. While Pixie had claimed her attention completely, she wasn't shut off to experimentation.

She was new to domming and hungry for experiences.

"I'm so glad you showed up." Nolan swept in, spreading his arms out wide for a hug.

Eva sank into it, albeit awkwardly, and was crushed against his sturdy chest. She wasn't used to this much open affection, and while it soothed something inside her that had been ragged, the touch still startled her. "Thank you for the invitation, and happy birthday. Can I buy you a drink?"

Nolan let her go and grinned, his eyes lighting up. "See, I knew I liked you. Anything gin and I'm happy."

"That I can handle." She liked to have a task rather than sinking right into socializing. "I'll be right back."

"I need to hit the bar too," Sloan called out, hopping up from his seat. Eva hadn't made it a few paces before he walked in line with her. "So, are you just visiting or sticking around for good?"

Eva opened her mouth and closed it. Given that her time in San Francisco had offered the first glimmers of hope in a long while, the idea of staying held more weight the longer she thought on it. However, she also didn't want to tread on Micah's territory. This was his space, his friends. She was the loser older sister whose life had exploded.

"You don't have to answer if it's a loaded question," Sloan said. "I was curious, that's all." He was gorgeous with his finger-length blond hair, tanned skin, and fuckable lips. He also gave off strong bottom vibes, which helped make her feel comfortable. Brat tamer, she was not .

"I wish I had an answer to that question," Eva said truthfully. "I got a curveball that makes heading back to Reno a slim likelihood, and while I like it here, I'm just a visitor in Micah's life."

"You know, I've been around for a bit," Sloan said as they settled next to the bar. "Beyond workers at Whipped, Meg rarely allows outsiders to attend Play Nights."

Eva leaned against the bar, her forearms pressing against the cool surface. Meg had been welcoming to her from the start, but she had figured the woman did that with everyone. Or that she'd made the exception because she was Micah's sister.

"Just food for thought," Sloan said with a wink. She barely knew him—had only really seen him sucking Nolan's cock at Play Night—but she appreciated his insight.

"What is it you do at Whipped?" she asked.

"Accountant." His grin was charming, and she could see how he'd be a popular sub to play with.

The bartender swung over, and Eva placed an order for the gin cocktail featured on the back chalkboard: an Earl Grey martini. She ordered a porter for herself and then glanced at Sloan. "Let me grab yours too."

"Careful. Start taking care of me, and you may never get rid of me. Watermelon mojito, please."

Eva shook her head, a grin on her lips as she ensured the bartender got the order. She loved that this crew put her at ease so readily. Maybe because of what a bunch of flirts the bunch were, but an easy camaraderie existed here that she hadn't experienced with her old friends back in Reno. Jack's crew was more of a chess match, all carefully loaded statements and knowing when to hold back.

The door swung open, and Pixie stepped in.

Eva's mouth went dry .

She'd dressed up in their time apart, and the styled messy strands, the shade of pink on her lush lips, and the sweep of mascara that made her deep-set eyes stand out even more had Eva paying close attention. Her dress was this whimsical thing that flared from bright orange to dark purple, like she'd wrapped herself in the sunset. Lust pulsed through her at the thought of peeling it off the woman's curves, which were as supple as ever.

"I don't think I stand a chance at capturing your attention though," Sloan murmured.

"Oh, I just noticed she changed clothes from earlier," Eva said. She'd thought she'd been holding it together with all the longing looks in Pixie's direction, but maybe not so much.

Sloan snorted. "Please. You forget I was at the last Play Night."

Eva arched her brow. "Thought you were pretty busy with Nolan."

"Mmm, yeah." Sloan's voice took on a dreamy quality. "He fucked my mouth real good that night. Not before I saw the hold you had on Pixie, though. I've never seen her respond like that to a Domme."

"What do you mean?" Eva asked.

Pixie lifted a hand and waved, so Eva waved back, her heart thumping harder. Instead of heading in their direction, Pixie sauntered toward the rest of the crew.

"I'm not sure how many partners you've played with, but you know some you won't enjoy playing with, others you'll feel kind of neutral about, and some you're guaranteed to have an amazing time with? There's also another kind, the rare connection that clicks into place. Exchanging power with that type feels more natural than anything else."

"Who's that for you?" she asked.

Sloan glanced away, his gaze darkening slightly. "Still trying to find them. "

The bartender set the three drinks on the counter, and Eva slid over her card to pay for them. She grabbed the Earl Grey martini and her beer and followed Sloan back to the others. Pixie sat on Nolan's lap, her arms twined around his shoulders. Most of the crew from Whipped were similarly slung over each other, like gathering a bunch of kittens and watching them sprawl out on blankets together.

She wanted that.

It was so foreign from her experience up until now, but god, she longed for that closeness more than anything. That people wanted her around rather than just tolerate her existence. The breakup with Jack and Sienna had confirmed all the ugly words circling in her brain, comments she'd weathered from Mom for years.

"Want to share my seat?" Sloan asked her, waggling his brows.

"Sure." She fought the twitch of a threatening grin. "Let me just give this to Nolan." Eva placed the martini on the glass-top table beside him. "Your drink, birthday boy."

"Can't think of a better birthday than a good drink and a pretty girl on my lap," Nolan said, squeezing Pixie's hips. She let out a squeak, her expression warm and affectionate. Eva loved seeing that look on her, so much better than the lost one lingering as of late.

"Sounds perfect to me," Eva said, her tone throaty. Pixie's pretty blue eyes flared with heat. Fuck, after the hellish past few days, the idea of spreading Pixie's legs and making her come until she cried sounded like perfection. The thought sent a bolt of lust straight to her pussy. Eva stepped back before it grew obvious how turned on she was.

Sloan perched on the side of one of the seats and gestured for her to sit. Eva slid into the spot and patted her lap, happy for the eager company. Sloan sank onto her lap with ease, a solid weight that anchored her. She rested her hand on his hip, and he leaned into the touch. This comfort, this group, was what she needed now after braving the arctic chill that had been her visit back to Reno.

If Micah didn't hate the idea, she was sorely tempted to start looking for a place in San Francisco.

She couldn't lie, though. A part of her was swayed by the sexy little sub perched on Nolan's lap. Pixie kept stealing glances, a hungry look in her eyes as if she wanted to take Sloan's place. Eva ran her fingernails along Sloan's thigh, and the moan he let out wasn't as rewarding as the way Pixie bit her lip. Fuck, she'd never considered the idea of playing like this, but her brain already sparked with ideas.

An older woman paused in front of their group mid-stride, scanning over them. She had long blonde hair tied up in a loose bun and was wearing a gauzy, flowy white dress that screamed flower child from the seventies.

"Pixie?"

All the blood drained from Pixie's face.

"Maisie."