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Hadn’t told any of them about his regrets over ghosting her after last year’s Roulette.
Toying with the half-full glass of beer, his gaze scanned the scene, enjoying the ambiance even though he was full of nervous energy. Sometimes just being in Black Light was relaxing, but not tonight. As much as he appreciated being in a place where he could be completely himself, he was too anxious waiting for Brooke and Juliet to appear to really be able to enjoy it.
And when Juliet did appear, she fucking took his breath away.
It wasn’t the same corset that she’d worn at Roulette, but it was similar enough, black and sleek, pushing her breasts up to full mounds that a man could dive into, pulling her waist into an hourglass, flaring out to accentuate her hips. Her short skirt was tight around her thighs, and he knew that if he could see her from behind that it would be cupping the curve of her ass as well.
Her hair had been pulled back into a high pony-tail and curled, so that it bounced as she moved, showing off her throat like she was begging for a collar or a hand wrapped around it. Beside her, Brooke had her arm linked through Juliet’s, and she was wearing a red corset with a long red skirt that had a slit up the middle, flashing her legs whenever she walked. Her hair was up as well, her braids in a complicated structure that looked more like art than hair.
Orlando let out a long breath.
It was time.
* * *
Juliet
“Okay, I have to make a confession,” Brooke said, keeping Juliet’s arm tightly pressed to her side, like she was afraid Juliet was going to run as soon as she said it.
Giving her friend a narrow-eyed stare, Juliet raised her eyebrow.
“What did you do?”
After all, Brooke had already insisted that Juliet come out to Black Light thedayof her breakup. Juliet hadn’t even told her family yet. She couldn’t get past the feeling of embarrassment that she’d brought London over to meet them only for them to break up immediately afterwards. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to explain the real reason, and she didn’t want her family thinking it was because of something they’d done or anything like that. No, it was all because London was a judgmental prick who couldn’t get over the idea that being kinky was synonymous with needing therapy.
If anyone needed therapy, it was him.
Worse, Juliet had realized she wasn’t even as sad as she should be. She and London had been together for over a year. She’d moved in with him a few months ago. Sure, she’d cried when she went to Brooke’s last night but this morning she’d woken up and felt an odd sense of relief.
Definitely not the reaction of someone who had just lost the love of her life.
She wondered what London would have said if she’d let him know that a lot of her precious contacts weren’t people she’d met at work necessarily—a lot of them were kinky and went to Black Light. The club was a safe haven for the actors, producers, and other public faces to be able to indulge in their kinks without having to worry about it becoming a headline.
Of course she couldn’t actually tell him that, not without outing her friends, but she sure as hell regretted getting him in touch with them. There wasn’t much that could be done about it now though.
“Hey, Juliet! It’s been forever!” Speaking of famous people. Juliet shook off Brooke to give Shane Covington a hug. Shane was a total sweetheart, and thankfully one of the people she had not introduced London to. She’d been hesitant to bring him to the A-listers, not sure how he’d react. She’d done Shane’s make-up a few times, but it wasn’t until they’d run into each other at Black Light that they’d become friends.
“Hey Shane, how are you? How’s Nalani?”
“We’re both great, she’ll be here soon.” He grinned. “We’re playing sexy strangers tonight.”
“Well that sounds like fun.”
“Juliet—“ Brooke hissed, tugging on her arm. “Sorry Shane, I just need to talk to my girl for a minute.”
“Of course! I need to go get my scene set up anyway.” He gave them both a wave and headed off in the direction of the play areas.
“What is it?” Juliet asked, trying not to be too annoyed at her bestie. “You got me out the house instead of moping around the way you wanted to, and I’m even at Black Light, the way you wanted me to, what is it you want now?”
“I told you, I have something to tell you, ah fuck, he’s coming over here.”
Juliet would never describe herself as woo-woo or into psychic stuff like some of her contemporaries, but at Brooke’s words a chill of premonition crawled up her spine. Before she looked up, she already knew exactly who she was going to see coming toward them, his green gaze intently focused on her.
“I can’t believe you,” Juliet hissed back, unable to tear her gaze away from Orlando stalking toward her like a predator who had singled out his prey. “You told him?”
“You two have unfinished business and you fucking know it. If you don’t want him, you can tell him that, but you know that when you were thinking Black Light, what you were really thinking about was him.”
If she didn’t love her bestie so much, she would hate her right now. Brooke knew her so well it was a little disturbing sometimes.
