Chapter 21
“Sorry, so sorry,” Nala apologized, helping Robin and the waitress clean up the mess. “To be fair, though,” she said once the waitress was gone, “that was a banger of a question.”
Robin inhaled deeply, composing her long limbs and making sure her red dress went back into place. “Never mind. Just thought we would have a bit of girl talk. I can see, though, that you’re jitterier than I expected. Also, shy.”
Shy? Was Nala shy? I’m the girl who had no problem with Varen tearing my dress apart the first time we had sex. Nor did she have issues putting her mouth all over Varen. She didn’t have a problem with a lot of things. “I wasn’t expecting a question like that, let alone so soon.”
Her mumbling did not go unheard. “Okay, so I was quick to jump into that, but come on! We know so little about you two. Lucian and I speculate about you and Ms. Lake all the time…”
“You do?” Why in the world? Because business was happening now?
“We are a couple of gossips. He spends more time chatting on the phone than I do… but, that’s not the point. Hey, Gale, I think you’re a sweet girl. Bit quiet and understated, but a loudmouth like me needs that kind of foil in her life.
I thought maybe you and I were pretty similar deep inside our brains.”
The way she said brains made her sound like a hungry zombie. “Braaiiinnnss.” Nala hid her laughter with a new sip of water. “I’m not shy but give a girl some warning next time.”
“Will do! Should I start talking about Lucian? He’s pretty great if I do say so myself…”
What was with this woman? She started yapping about her boyfriend as if Nala would naturally want to know. I already know.
These people were all about sex. Nala knew it, yet she remained shocked at nearly every turn.
Even in everyday life, Robin spent most of her time thinking about her boyfriend.
Were they always kinky? Were they real lifestylers as they presented to The Aviary?
Robin didn’t act very submissive when she was out with another woman.
Was that something she did only for Lucian? Again, was it a lie?
“That’s… congratulations.” Nala didn’t know what else to say. What did one say when a new friend started talking about how good her boyfriend was in bed? I just don’t care, man.
“I suppose. You know, in this game, those of our dominants’ standing come in only two flavors. Big egos and humble origins.” Robin giggled into her handkerchief. “Someone like you must have discerning tastes, Gale. I can guess what Ms. Lake is like.”
“Er, well…” She had no idea how to convey her love life with Varen. Or if it was even appropriate in this situation. “I’m not complaining.”
“Good! We deserve those who make us happy in all areas of life. Oh, Lucian is so doting. I could never ask for a better man. Let alone a richer one.”
“That’s great.”
“What about Ms. Lake? Is she the affectionate type? She’s hard for anyone to read. If you ask me,” Nala hadn’t, “she’s not interested in anyone but you.”
Nala looked up from her elaborate napkin folding. I was once a champion at origami in second grade. “You think that?”
“Why, yes. Would that be weird?”
Idiot. She thinks we’re in love. Apparently, Varen was doing a great job making people think that.
When Nala thought about it, she realized Varen spent a lot of their club meetings lightly touching her, whispering whatever she had to say into Nala’s ear as if she said nothing but sweet affections.
She’s a good actor. “Not weird at all. It’s just, well, Varen is not very forthcoming with her feelings. She doesn’t tell me that she loves me.”
“What? Really?”
Robin looked as if Nala told her a pet was dead. “Well, no, but that’s okay. I know she cares about me.” She had to. Wait, what am I thinking? She only wants me for sex and to get to Xan Ravenwood. Nala snorted at her own absurdity.
“Oh, I’m sorry about that. I don’t think I could live this lifestyle if my Dom wasn’t openly affectionate. It would be really hard otherwise, you know?”
Nala had to pretend she did. “I don’t like a lot of affection, anyway. So, you really do live the lifestyle?”
Robin laughed in disbelief. “Of course I do? It’s a requirement in The Aviary, silly.”
“Of course. I’d forgotten.”
If Nala got any more head turns and tilts from the people around her, she would start wondering if she had magnets hanging off her chin and the populace had metal implants in their scalps.
“You’re a funny gal, Gale. I like that about you, though. The others in the group… they’re nice, but not really my type.”
“Oh?”
Robin almost looked as if she didn’t want to gossip in that direction, but then explained, “Quail has been in the lifestyle for a long while, but Seba is a new partner for her. Starling… well, she’s too new for me to know well,
but she doesn’t seem interested in returning calls or getting to know us. Maggie, though… hells bells, nobody knows about her!”
“I’m flattered you think so highly of me, then.”
“You’re so blissfully normal, Gale. You’re the kind of girl I want to spend fun days with, even if it means going to the movies or museums. Or shopping! I had a lot of fun today, and I wasn’t shopping for myself…”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.” Really, she was. Nala didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. “You seem nice, too. How did you and… your Dom… get invited into The Aviary?”
“Oh.” Robin looked away, blush touching her alabaster cheeks.
“We’re one of the oldest couples in that club. One of the first to be invited when Master Ravenwood started it a while ago. He and Lucian go back a good way. Lucian is in trading. Not just stocks, but physical products like cars and the like.
He’s helped Master Ravenwood with marketing his medicinal stuff a lot. So, they’ve known each other a while.”
“I see.”
“I think it was knowing us that spurred him to start his club. It’s been interesting. Lucian and I always look forward to the meetings, although we can’t always make them.”
“Naturally.”
“Anyway…” Robin leaned across the table, lowering her voice.
“I was asking those personal things earlier because Lucian is… well, he has a healthy appetite, I gotta tell you, Gale. I knew that getting involved with him, so it doesn’t bother me, but we’re big fans of the club’s swinging policy. We’ve been with everyone but Jay and Maggie.
They worked something out with Master Ravenwood so they don’t have to swing as often… anyway… I’m sure you can see where this is going.” Robin bit her lip, flirty but sheepish.
“Yes.” Nala pulled her napkin into her lap and began pounding it like dough. How about no? No to Lucian – or any man – feeling her up. “I get the gist.”
“I don’t want to scare you or anything. He’s very understanding and, well… it’s only right for him to offer me in exchange… and…” Giggles. Blushing. Gag.
Nala almost snickered at the thought of Varen and Robin in bed together.
I would pay to watch that. Big tits swinging and Varen wondering what the fuck she was involved with.
They’re both hot… but no chemistry at all.
Robin would be a good one-night match for any of the others in The Aviary, but not someone like Varen.
She doubted Robin was the type of woman Varen would pick up at a bar and take home.
I guess I’m more her type. That didn’t say much.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to discuss this, but I thought I’d put it out there, so it didn’t come as a huge surprise later on. We okay?”
Nala nodded. “Absolutely fine.” She wasn’t bothered by the idea of Robin and Varen in bed together, but she was bothered with being expected to sleep with Lucian.
She would have to discuss this with Varen.
Can we get out of the swinging? Please? These other dominants don’t understand what I’m doing here.
I don’t get off on being bartered with others.
Especially the dudes. Please, for the love of God.
My foot would go straight for their junk, and I’d be in trouble!
Right now, she only got off to Varen’s brand of… whatever it was she did.
Thankfully – blissfully – Robin changed topics.
Choosing to talk at length about herself.
This didn’t bother Nala, as she was glad to get the focus off her and on someone else for a while.
She didn’t mind hearing about Robin’s upbringing, her siblings, her last Christmas party with her family and all that other stuff people talk about when yammering about themselves.
Sometimes she would ask Nala a question about her life, but she was able to eschew it by either playing dumb or telling a white lie.
For example, she mentioned she had a sister, but didn’t mention that said sister was dead.
By the time dinner was over, Nala had learned everything there was to know about Robin’s world – which wasn’t much at all.
I wish I had learned something more about Ravenwood.
Robin probably didn’t know much to begin with.
She was a pawn in The Aviary. A pawn who was happy to be overshadowed by Rooks and Kings.
Robin gave Nala a ride to Varen’s loft. She didn’t feel strange about this, since anyone, especially of Lucian’s standing, could look up Varen’s address. What was the harm in showing Robin how to get there?
Once Nala confirmed that Ms. Sugar Mama was home, she grabbed her things out of the trunk and waved goodbye, bags hanging from her hands, shoulders, and elbows. The car pulled onto the nearest main road before the door leading up to Varen’s loft automatically unlocked.
“Get up here before the locals figure out what you have in your bags,” came her tired voice over the intercom.
Nala finally began her ascent, hearing the door close and lock behind her.
Varen sat in her kitchen, bathed in warm light and going over a stack of files next to her.
Wow, that is some boring work she brought home.
Nala dumped her bags by the dining table and leaned against it, letting her hand brush against Varen’s shoulder.
The woman wore a cotton T-shirt and jeans.
Probably what she changed into the moment she arrived home.
Her eyes grew wide when she ascertained the amount of bags at her feet. “Did you turn into Ravenwood when I wasn’t looking and buy out half of Portland?”