Page 104 of Menage a Passions

“This is totally not your scene!” That was the first thing out of her mouth before hugging her friend Nadia, who dressed to impress in a violet purple cocktail dress and the kind of glitteringjewelry that could only come with a wife who once worked in the gemstone industry. “What are you doing here? Is Eva around?”

“Oh, she’s off hobnobbing, flirting, all that crap.” Nadia poked Becca in the side, getting her right where her blouse separated from her skirt. “Probably would have started on you if you were around. You know how she is. Doesn’t like talking to the Monroes, but if they invite her somewhere, she’s the first to arrive. Says they know how to throw a party.”

“It’s true. They do. Have you seen this place?”

“Oh, I’ve heardallabout it. Don’t forget, Monica’s my sister-in-law and lives one wing of a house away from me. I don’t know who she hired as her spy to get all the info she did, but she’s been keeping track of the success of this place like one might track their period.”

Jane thought that was hilarious. She was also subsequently picked up by someone else for a conversation, leaving Becca to wander through the tight crowd with her friend.

“So? What do you think?” Nadia gestured to the people dressed in suits, dresses, and smart shirts and slacks. “A veritable who’s-who of the kind of people who come into town to meet my boss. Probably yours, too.”

“My bosses are my girlfriends, though.”

“True, true, but I bet you’ve seen a lot of these pervs out and about before.”

“Think we can find some more that we know?”

“Absolutely. I see a fun bitch right over there.”

Nadia was the only one who could get away with playfully pulling on the hair of Amber Mayview, who was surrounded by a group of young men in collared shirts, each one possibly drooling over her more than the next.Talk about a charisma even I don’t have.Amber was very much in a committed relationship with another woman, but if there was one thing she and girlfriend Adrienne knew how to do, it was charm every manin their vicinity. A superpower that Nadia claimed Amber said,“Makes them lots of money.”

She was more than happy to ditch the bros if it meant hanging out with her girls, though.

“I thought I saw Blair!” Becca called over the party around her.

“I bet Mira is here trying to get business,” Nadia said as they hunted down one of Monica Warren’s employees at Le Salon. Yet Blair was also a free agent in the performance circuit, her girlfriend – and Domme – Mira one of the hottest professionals available for hire.They could make a killing doing subcontractor work here.If Mira wasn’t already in the VIP room scoring first dibs on some of the parties sure to come through here, then what was she doing?

“Oh, thank God!” Blair was happy enough to see them when they approached. “People who don’t want to fuck me! Get me out of here!”

As they gathered more women they knew through The Dark Hour, the performance circuit, and the various industries and sex clubs they were all members of, a hostess approached and asked if they would like a complimentary VIP room that became available. That was around the time Caitlyn caught up to them and suggested they take the Monroes up on the offer for a girl’s only area and get a round of Champagne for everyone.

They were shown into one of the bedrooms that had been transformed into a social area with a sunken floor and a personal wet bar that was already stocked for that night. As half a dozen women took up more space than society usually allowed, more stuck their heads in, including some of the girlfriends of those already there.

Caitlyn sat next to Becca. “This is more fun than I anticipated! Look at this place! It’s huge! How is the fire code allowing this?”

“We don’t ask questions. Except for asking where Jane is.”

“Last I saw her, she was talking to some guys we’ve done business with before. She’s really ‘on’ tonight. I needed a break.”

“Let me go find her and let her know where we are.”

“You do that, hon. Then come back here and sit in my lap.”

Caitlyn’s wink was the perfect send off for Rebecca to race back out into the penthouse, where people had settled into the seats provided or hung close to the walls to talk with people and drink their complimentary alcohol. The Monroes had spared no expense on this launch, and if they played their appointments right, this would be another successful business in a town not often known for its wild nightlife.

Despite her petite stature, Jane’s grand presence made her easy to spot by the bar, where she talked with a Danish man who turned out to be one of her old buddies from Cambridge. Becca soon remembered meeting Lucas Blackborne before but hadn’t recalled that he was such a big deal in Damon and Jane’s universe that he had been the best man at the former’s wedding – and had gone to the latter’s as a special guest.

“Anyone who saw Cait and I get married the first time is good in my book,” Jane said as Lucas shook Becca’s hand. “Which is why you’re the most special, love. You’re the only one who saw us get married the second time.”

“And your mom.”

“Wa,don’t bring up my mom!”

At first, Becca assumed Jane shouting in Cantonese was why people had quieted down and stared at them, but she quickly realized that guests were gaping at the entrance of the penthouse, not at Jane.

Someone unexpected had shown up.

“Go on, love.” Jane urged Becca to step back. “Let me see what’s going on.”

---