Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Sonya! Sonya, over here!" The girl stopped at the entrance to the bar, looking for her friend.

Engfa rose from her table so Pedersen could notice her, and as soon as her brown eyes fell on her, she waved warmly. Smiling, Sonya carefully walked past the occupied tables and sat down at her friends' table in an empty chair.

"Sorry, I had to stay a little late in the office. Jake asked me to sign the paperwork before Thursday..." Sonya smiled apologetically, placing her purse on the back of the chair after taking out her wallet.

"It's okay, we just got here ourselves... Traffic is terrible today..."

Sonya nodded understandingly, looking around at her friends gathered at the table and stopping her gaze on the girl she didn't recognize. Charlotte nudged Engfa under the table, almost imperceptibly, reminding her that she hadn't introduced her companion to Sonya. "By the way, Son... Let me introduce you to my..." Engfa paused hesitantly, tightening her embrace around the stranger's waist. "My girlfriend... This is Miu."

Sonya smiled knowingly and extended her hand.

"And this is Sonya, well, I told you about her..." Fa continued, turning to her companion.

"She's been telling me all about you nonstop for a while now" Miu replied mockingly, shaking Pedersen's hand.

"You're exaggerating..." Fa muttered

"Not a bit" the girl replied, letting go of Sonya's hand and immersing herself in her own menu.

Pedersen followed the group's lead. It took her less time than the others to decide on the menu. Firstly, she still had a lump in her throat from her latest argument with Jake, and secondly, she wasn't hungry, even though she hadn't eaten anything all day, only having breakfast that morning before work. So, settling on a light salad, she dutifully waited for the others to decide on their lunch.

"I have one question..." Charlotte placed the menu in front of her and looked at her friends. "What are we drinking?"

"Whiskey."

"Tequila."

"Wine."

"I'll have water" Sonya was the last to answer, eliciting indignation from her friends.

"Hey, Pedersen! I don't recognize you at all..." Char protested. "Pick a whiskey..."

"I don't feel like getting drunk... I have another meeting tomorrow..." Sonya shook her head, adjusting her shirt collar in confusion. "Besides, Jake will be mad... Damn, and anyway, I feel like I'm the odd one out here... Bringing my problems..."

"Oh, Char, we're definitely all about whiskey now." Fa chimed in, patting Sonya on the shoulder reassuringly. "And a double shot for Pedersen! Look, Son, you'll never be the odd one out in our company... Calm down, you're too tense. You need a drink and some relaxation. Okay?"

Sonya nodded approvingly and smiled apologetically. After a while, the alcohol had truly helped her relax; conversations between her friends became more frank and cheerful, and most importantly, all her problems faded into the background. She was finally able to breathe freely, settled more confidently in her chair, and finally removed the jacket that had been restricting her movements. Fa and Char were heatedly arguing over some trivial matter, and Miu listened attentively, laughing infectiously every time her girlfriend teased Char or recalled funny stories about her, to which the latter naturally took offense and dramatically rolled her eyes. However, the resentment didn't last long, as Char took the initiative and began telling funny stories about herself and Fa.

Shot after shot... The girls became more relaxed and, no longer embarrassed by the public, kissed a couple of times, causing feigned indignation in Sonya and Charlotte... For which, naturally, the latter began to scold Fa, hinting that Pedersen might find this unpleasant. At that moment, Sonya felt Miu's interested gaze on her, sliding from the girl's neck to the cleavage between her breasts, visible through the slightly open collar of her shirt. She felt somehow uncomfortable... And not because it was wrong, since the girl opposite was her friend's companion, but because Sonya was genuinely curious and intrigued... Many men liked her, and this did not escape her piercing gaze, but she took all their attention for granted. With Miu, it was different; her attention and interested gaze spurred Sonya on, forcing her to do things she wouldn't have done sober. Catching the girl's gaze across from her, signaling that she'd been caught red-handed, Pedersen sat down a little and, feigning discomfort, unbuttoned a few more buttons on her shirt...

"What's it like being with a girl?" Sonya suddenly asked Fa, twirling her shot glass and examining the amber liquid inside, as soon as Miu had gone to the ladies' room, looking defiantly at the girl.

"It's fantastic..." her friend replied enthusiastically. "Sex with Miu is just amazing, and the things she does with her tongue..."

"Oh, Jesus! I'm begging you, stop!" Char pretended to wince, covering her mouth with her hand, pretending to feel sick.

"Yes, sweetheart. I think you've had enough stories for today." Miu approached them silently and sat down on her chair, giving Sonya a meaningful look, to which she merely smiled shyly and took a couple of sips of whiskey. "What about Sonya? We've heard a lot of stories from those two today, but we haven't heard from you..."

"I have nothing to tell you" Sonya replied, looking reproachfully into the girl's eyes

"Everyone has a story to tell. And you're no exception..."

"Come on, Son" Fa interjected, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend's waist.

"Yes, Sonya, tell me what you like? What gives you pleasure? What turns you on? What do you dream about?" Miu raised an eyebrow challengingly, draining her whiskey.

"I'm married, I have nothing to tell you" she replied, slightly confused.

"Is she kidding me?" Miu turned to Fa and Char, perplexed. "And you've never been with a woman?"

"No. I told you I'm married, and I've been married for eight years" Sonya sat up straighter, folding her napkin into a strange shape, trying to overcome the nervousness that had suddenly appeared and was growing at an incredible rate.

The topic of marriage was uncomfortable for her, especially given recent events. She'd recently learned that Jake was cheating on her, and, what's more, that he had another family. Despite this, he had no intention of leaving Sonya. On the contrary, he began following her everywhere, begging for her forgiveness, and she soon gave in. However, Jake didn't give up on his attempts to control her every move, which is why today the girl had to lie to him once again, so she could relax and unwind with her friends.

"Let's not talk about that" Char intervened, giving Fa a reproachful look, hinting that it was time for her to rein her girlfriend in.

"Yes." Sonya nodded gratefully, looking from her shot to Fa. "Better tell me, how long have you been together?"

"A couple of weeks," Fa replied, smiling happily.

She kissed Miu tenderly on the cheek and rested her head on her shoulder.

"We met at a computer class. Miu teaches there."

"Wonderful" Sonya managed a semblance of a smile, looking deeply into her friend's eyes. "I'm glad you've found happiness in each other. I hope it lasts a long time..."

"Sounds like a toast!" Char interjected, extending her hand with the shot.

Everyone followed suit.

"We'll have to work hard on our relationship to make it last... You know what I mean?" Fa's eyebrows twitched comically, pressing a light kiss to the girl's lips.

"Yeah... We'll definitely do that as soon as we get home..."

"Here we go..." Charlotte rolled her eyes again, turning away from the kissing couple.

"You know, I think I have something to tell you..." Sonya placed the shot on the table and settled back in her chair, waiting for all her friends' attention to be focused on her before continuing, "I've never told anyone this... Anyway..." The girl took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. "I never came with Jake..."

"Oh, shit!" Charlotte replied in shock, immediately covering her mouth with her hand as Fa and Miu exchanged meaningful glances.

"I've been with him for eight fucking years! And I've never, not once, had an orgasm." Sonya grinned and downed her shot.

"As far as I remember, you've been with him since college..." Fa looked at her friend in confusion, twirling her shot with her fingers.

"Yeah... Jake is my first and only partner."

"So, maybe we should try with man, or..." Miu paused, leaning back in her chair and looking defiantly at the girl's face, "someone else? You're a sexy girl, Sonya... And I don't think you'll have a problem with that..."

"I know, but unlike some... I value morals and family, and I keep the vow I made to him at the altar eight years ago." The girl smiled bitterly, adjusting the collar of her shirt and buttoning it almost to her throat.

"At the cost of your own happiness?" Miu replied mockingly.

Fa squeezed the girl's hand, urging her to stop... But Pedersen only smirked and rose from the table.

"Yes. After all, family and marriage... That's what happiness is."

"Are you leaving already?" Char stood up after her, watching the girl's actions in surprise.

Sonya silently dropped a couple of hundred on the table and, smiling apologetically, replied,

"Whatever you say, I'm still the odd one out here... So, I better get home. It was nice meeting you, Miu. Have a nice day."

Nodding goodbye, Pedersen grabbed her purse and hurried out of the bar.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" Char asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Really? And you still don't get it?" Miu chuckled, downing her shot and hugging Engfa tighter.

 

*********************************

 

"Mrs. Pedersen, are you satisfied with the terms of the contract? Mrs. Pedersen?"

Sonya winced, looking up at her vice president with a confused expression. She had spent the entire meeting in a daze, lost in her own thoughts, and as a result, had missed some of what the employees had previously explained. Smiling apologetically, she set down the pencil she had been twirling between her fingers and replied, "Excuse me, Mr. Duncan, could you... Could you highlight and repeat the key terms?"

"A reduction in the payment installment plan to attract clients, Mrs. Pedersen. That's the key term. If you agree, we can proceed to signing the contract right now. If not, I'll send the documents for revision and analysis by our specialists to find a viable solution that will facilitate our company's advancement in the global market."

"I think we still need to work on this."

With that, the meeting concluded. Sonya returned to her office and settled into her presidential chair with a mug of hot, strong coffee. She still couldn't get Miu and her obsessive desire to seduce her, to bend her to her will, out of her mind. She chuckled, remembering the girl's interested gaze, but her pride was immediately replaced by pity for her friend. After all, if Miu looked at her like that, didn't that mean she looked at everyone she found attractive that way? Which meant Fa could be deceived just like she had been by Jake... These thoughts made Sonya uneasy, and she burned her tongue and spilled a few drops of hot coffee on her light blue jacket. As luck would have it, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Fishing it out with her fingers, she answered Charlotte's call.

"Hey, Son... You left so early yesterday... And anyway, this whole situation is so shitty... And Fa brought her girlfriend..."

"Char, stop... It's fine. I'm the one who should be apologizing for saying something stupid." Sonya leaned back in her chair, setting her drink aside.

"I know it's personal... But how are you still with Jake?"

"As for sex, we have it once, maybe twice a month. He doesn't insist, and I..." Sonya smiled bitterly. "Still..."

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"I didn't want to air my dirty laundry... He cheated on me, Charlotte."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"What a jerk! And you forgave him?! How could you even forgive him?!" Char replied indignantly, breaking the prolonged pause.

"I'm used to him, Char." Sonya took a deep breath, clutching her smartphone tighter. "He's my family."

"He can't even satisfy you!"

"I think it's because of me... And his infidelities too... I don't feel anything, that's why I'm cold to him, and he feels it... But I can't give him what I don't feel. I have no passion for him..."

"Listen, we need to do something about this, Son... Come over to our place this evening, I promise Fa will be alone this time... We'll figure something out..."

"Okay. I'll try... Thanks, Char."

After hanging up, Sonya sat there for a long time, lost in her thoughts... She wanted change, she wanted to feel the same wild look Miu had sent her last night, she wanted to feel desired and to feel a desire herself. Char had promised to figure something out? So why not?

Char's apartment smelled of freshly baked goods and vanilla. Sonya grinned, knowing that tonight would be a night of unrestrained 'fun cookies.' Engfa opened the door, appearing before her with a goofy grin on her face, completely covered in flour. The slowness of her movements and the senseless laughter meant one thing: the first batch of cookies had already been eaten.

"Sonyaaa!" Char was every bit as eager as Fa, but more energetic, practically running into the dumbfounded girl, engulfing her in a hug.

"What kind of drug den are you running here?" Sonya asked reproachfully as soon as Charlotte released her.

She raised an eyebrow in surprise, examining the two large trays of cannabis-laced cookies.

"You get two penalties for being late!" Fa replied, dancing.

She grabbed cookies from the baking sheet and stuffed them into Sonya's mouth. A couple of minutes later, Sonya's vision blurred, and she, stepping over imaginary lava, settled on the couch between her friends.

"This is just mind-blowing nonsense..." Sonya replied, turning her attention to the door flickering before her eyes.

"Yee-e-e..." Fa drawled. "Listen, have you ever considered that men aren't your thing?"

Sonya burst into laughter and looked at her friend in surprise.

"I'm not a lesbian, if that's what you're asking."

"But I noticed how you were looking at Miu yesterday" her friend continued, making her feel uneasy. She tried to move her arms, which felt like they were filled with lead, but failed.

"And how?"

"Like a predator looks at its prey... She's intrigued you, right?"

Even though Fa said this with a serious expression, Char burst out laughing, setting off a similar chain reaction in the others.

"Exactly..." Char concluded, stopping her laughter. "Sonya needs to try it with a girl... a very experienced girl... And if she can't melt our ice princess, then I don't know..."

"And where are we going to find that girl?" Fa raised an eyebrow challengingly, turning to Charlotte.

"Hey! First, ask me if I want this or not..." Sonya spread her arms with difficulty, urging her friends to stop.

"All is fair in war..." Char declared, raising her index finger in a businesslike tone. "Phew, I think I'm over it, I'll go get us some beer..."

"Really, Son... You should try it... And the best part is, you won't have to do anything yourself..."

Sonya shrugged, confused. On the one hand, she was interested in her friend's offer, but on the other, her moral principles were getting in the way...

"Um... By the way..." Chalotte returned to the room, grabbing three bottles of beer. "I think I know where we can find an experienced girl for Sonya... But that doesn't mean I've used them... It's just..." The girl blushed embarrassedly, sitting down on the couch and handing out beers to her friends. "I dated Faye for a while..."

"I remember" Fa's brows drew together menacingly. "After you broke up, I couldn't get you out of your funk for a month! Don't tell me you started talking to her again?"

"No, what are you saying! It's just..." Char turned away, confused, taking a sip of beer. "We call each other periodically and..."

"I see... But this time, you have only yourself to blame... I won't be the one wiping your snot and tears away!" Fa replied resentfully, sitting down on the other side of the couch.

"Okay, that's enough!" Sonya interjected, watching her friends' behavior with surprise. "Have you even tried dating? You're arguing like lovebirds..."

"What? Over my dead body!" Fa protested.

"We're here to help Sonya, not to sort things out!" Char concluded, pursing her lips in offense. "And anyway, I just wanted to say that... Faye runs such a... well, a house... She has the best and most beautiful girls in town... We could call her and she could set Sonya up with one of them."

"Okay..." Fa finally agreed.

"This is crazy..." Sonya exhaled heavily, taking a sip of beer and leaning back on the couch.

"Just try it, Son. Anyway, I'm calling. I'll set up a meeting for tomorrow... Do you have anything coming up?"

Pedersen shook her head. Charlotte dialed Faye's number on her smartphone, raised a finger, urging her friends to remain silent...

"Hey, babe..." Char glanced sideways at Fa , who was frowning. "I'm calling about business, my friend, Sonya... Yeah, that brown haired one... I'd like to book one of your girls... Yeah, she's married... What does that have to do with it? Just decided to go over to the dark side... Yeah, fine... Tomorrow... Yeah, at the Police Place Hotel? Room 315 by 8? Great! I think she'll be comfortable... Yeah, love, I'll call you..."

She hung up and looked at her friends. "So, Sonya, tomorrow at the Police Place Hotel by 8 PM, room 315. Don't be late..."

"Ta-da!" Engfa replied, smiling.

"Yeah, ta-da..." Sonya rolled her eyes wearily, wondering how to explain to Jake where she was going that evening...

"Well, what about another cookie?"

 

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

Jake wasn't home, which was actually a good thing for Sonya. She took a deep breath and, tossing her purse onto the antique, slightly worn white leather chair, wearily trudged to the shower. The hot water helped her relax physically, but her thoughts were fixated on the next day's "crazy" meeting, as she saw it. She'd thoughtlessly signed up for it and definitely had no intention of going.

"This is crazy..." Sonya thought, closing her eyes and lifting her face to meet the thick stream of water. "Or should I go?"

Giving in to her doubts, Pedersen scrubbed herself harder with the rough washcloth, leaving red marks on her soft, milky skin, as if trying to wash away the constant obsession. As she walked out of the shower stall, Sonya decided to stop and look in the mirror as she passed it. Wiping the condensation from the hot steam from the smooth surface, she peered closely at her blurry reflection. However, it wasn't just her reflection that was blurry, but her entire life. Smiling at her own thoughts, she toweled off her wet hair and, putting on a white terry robe, went to her room, settling more comfortably on her bed. Jake had been sleeping in another room for three years now, leaving their shared bedroom entirely to Sonya's use. So, confident that no one would disturb her, she opened google.

"What is it really look like?" Sonya asked, placing the TV remote to her lips intrigued, and played the first porn video Google returned.

"O-o-o-oh, yes-o-o, fuck me, baby..." Startled by the loud voice that suddenly burst from the speakers, Sonya quickly turned off the TV instead of turning down the volume. And just in time...

"Honey, are you home?" Jake suddenly appeared in her bedroom doorway, wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase, indicating he'd just arrived from a business meeting. He stared in surprise at his wife, who was flushed with shame and embarrassment. "I heard voices..."

"It's the TV, Jake... I was watching a horror movie, and I got so scared I couldn't take it anymore and turned it off."

"That was a funny line in your horror movie..." The brunette chuckled, setting the briefcase aside and shrugging off his jacket, revealing a shirt and striped tie. He closed the distance between him and Sonya in two steps, towering over the surprised girl. "If you want, I can make you repeat it..."

He reached out to kiss Sonya, but she, smiling apologetically, stopped him, burying her hands in her chest.

"Let's do it another time... I'm so tired and I have a terrible headache..."

"Do you ever get over it?!" The man, annoyed, abruptly pulled away from the girl, straightening up.

"Please don't start, Jake..." The girl looked reproachfully at her agitated husband, who quickly walked to the door, pausing in its opening. "It's really...hard for me to adjust after what happened between us. The very thought that you were with someone else... It kills me, you know?"

The guy bit his lip hesitantly, his confused gaze darting around the room.

"You forgave me, Son... I love you..."

"I know, just give me time," she replied calmly, crawling under the warm blanket.

"Okay." The brunette replied curtly, preparing to leave the room.

"Jake..." Sonya called hesitantly, drawing her husband's attention to her. "Tomorrow... there's a really interesting theatrical... Would you mind if Fa and I went to the premiere?"

"No" Jake said without hesitation. "If you want, I'll even go with you. What time is it?"

Sonya swallowed nervously, her gaze shifting to the wall clock.

"At eight..."

"Damn, there's a game at eight... I promised the guys I'd go with them to the game between the Potakin Patriots and the Jordan Rippers..." The brunette scratched the back of his head guiltily.

"That's wonderful..." Sonya replied, beaming. "You hang out with your friends, and I'll go for a walk with Fa... Plus, as always, we'll be gossiping about each other during the breaks... You'll be bored and uninterested with us."

"Okay..." Jake agreed. "Good night, Sonya..."

"Good night" the girl replied, letting out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

Jake hesitated for a few more seconds before disappearing through the door...

 

*********************************

 

The first thing Sonya did when she woke up was check the time. Her biological clock had never failed her. Even though it was the weekend, she always rose promptly at eight. Until today... It was half past twelve. Blinking her sleepy eyes in surprise and citing her own nervousness and anxiety about the scheduled meeting, she hurried to the shower to freshen up. The decision to accept Charlotte's offer had come yesterday with Jake. After reliving the unpleasant aftertaste of betrayal, Sonya had finally made her decision. In any case, if something went wrong or... she didn't like it, she could always stop and leave. So, after freshening up and putting on an elegant, pale pink dress with gold embroidery, Pedersen decided to first withdraw some money and visit her usual beauty salon, and then head back to the hotel...

 

Meanwhile...

"What the hell?! Are they all busy?" Faye irritably called her girls, stubbornly ignoring the mocking gaze of the dark hazel eyes.

After calling the last one, the girl gave up hopelessly. She looked at the list posted on the wall and the entry "Sonya Pedersen" highlighted in red marker.

"Fuck, I'll have to call Charlotte and tell her it's all canceled. Monica, who was supposed to be looking after her friend, got an extension from a regular client and took her to his island for the rest of the weekend..."

"Is this the same Charlotte?" The brunette raised an eyebrow in surprise, sitting down at the table across from Faye. "Have you made up?"

"No... We're just hanging out..." the girl replied, shrugging. "She's absolutely in love with her friend, even though she stubbornly denies it. And I don't need a one-way relationship..."

"In love with that Sonya?" The hazel-eyed asked

"No. Pedersen is a different story... I've never encountered anything like this, Lookmhee..." Faye quickly rose from the table, heading for the bar. "Whiskey?"

The brunette nodded approvingly, watching her friend's every move.

"What's so special about this Pedersen?" Lookmhee replied mockingly, accepting the shot from Faye's hand.

Settling into her rightful chair, the hostess leaned back like a storyteller, preparing to tell her tale.

"She's 28, beautiful, and quite successful... Apparently, she has her own small financial company and a husband... with whom she's never had an orgazm..."

"Oh, damn..." Lookmhee raised an eyebrow in surprise, taking a sip of the scalding amber liquid. "What about the lover?"

"Charlotte says that Sonya hasn't cheated on him in all this time. Like love and all that nonsense..." Faye smiled bitterly, draining her shot and setting it aside. "While her husband started another family..."

"What a bastard."

"But despite this, Sonya forgave him and continues to live with him" Faye continued, causing even greater surprise on her friend's face. "However, Charlotte managed to talk her into trying something new..."

"Hire a prostitute." Lookmhee smiled mockingly. "So, is there no one at all to help poor Pedersen?"

"Yes. I think after my refusal today, she's unlikely to agree to such an adventure again."

Lookmhee bit her lip thoughtfully.

"Can I see her?" the brunette said after a few seconds.

"What are you planning?" Faye eyed her friend suspiciously. "Char has her as a friend on Facebook..."

"Show her to me" the hazel-eyed girl persisted, pouring shots of whiskey. "If I like her, I'll do it..."

"Have you decided to become a prostitute?" Faye joked, searching for Sonya's profile on her smartphone.

"Well, I suppose that kind of experience wouldn't hurt in my acting career. Especially since she..." Lookmhee hesitated, then continued animatedly... "Never orgazmed... I just feel sorry for the poor girl... And I'd rather have fun with her tonight than pick up someone at a club..."

"Okay, wait..." Faye glanced quickly at her friend and, tapping the icon with the image, handed her the smartphone. "It's her..."

"Not bad at all..." the hazel-eyed girl replied, raising an appraising eyebrow. She drained her shot, feeling a pleasant burn inside her. "Where and what time do I need to be there?"

"Police Place Hotel, eight o'clock..." Faye glanced at the notebook lying on the table. "Room 315. Just try not to be late... She could easily change her mind and run away... At least that's what Charlotte told me..."

"She won't" Lookmhee answered confidently, twirling the empty shot with her fingers. "And what's your rate?"

"You're going to take money from her?" Her friend raised an eyebrow in surprise, studying the brunette's serious face.

"Well, in her opinion, I'd be a prostitute."

Faye narrowed her eyes appraisingly, studying Lookmhee. She was wearing a gray, insanely expensive pantsuit and a white blouse with an open collar, revealing a delicious glimpse of the cleavage between her breasts and the edge of her black lace bra.

"You look too elegant and pretentious for a representative of an ancient profession..." the girl concluded, tilting her head to the side.

"Sorry, I forgot to bring a miniskirt and a top..." Lookmhee joked. "So...?"

"At least a thousand an hour..."

"Really? Maybe I should just work for you between shoots?" the hazel-eyed girl suggested mockingly, rising from the table.

"Stop it..." Faye replied, smiling. "You have great prospects in the acting business. I'm sure you'll conquer Hollywood soon."

"You're a real mouthful" Lookmhee said mockingly, heading for the bar's exit. "I'll just pop in for a quick errand... And I'll definitely call you back later and tell you in detail how it all went."

"Lookmhee..." The brunette stopped and turned to Faye. "Thank you."

Smiling back, the girl opened the door and left the empty bar, glancing back at the red sign that read "CLOSED."

 

**************************

 

Sonya pulled into the Police Place Hotel parking lot at 7:45. A slight tremor gripped her entire body, and her hands were treacherously sweaty. She glanced at herself in the rearview mirror, adjusting her silky, wavy hair and tucking it over her right shoulder. Her perfect appearance helped calm her somewhat, but the anxiety persisted. On top of that, she was haunted by the nagging thought that she might somehow screw up. Checking again for the substantial sum of money in her wallet—ten thousand bucks, which Sonya had withdrawn from her account to avoid raising Jake's suspicions—she sighed with relief and glanced at her watch.

7:50

"No, no... This is crazy." She shook her head, driving away thoughts of what was to come, and with trembling hands, turned the key in the ignition.

But just as Sonya was about to back out of the parking lot, making a cowardly escape, her phone vibrated in the passenger seat next to her, alerting her to an incoming call from Charlotte.

"Oh, shit..." Sonya turned off the car and pressed the call button. "Yes, Char."

"Are you there?" Her friend's voice sounded suspicious on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, I just pulled up..." Sonya swallowed nervously.

"Great... Now pull yourself together and go to that damn room 315! Aaaand, Pedersen... Don't even think about running away..."

"I wasn't planning on it..." the girl lied, getting out of the car and grabbing her purse from the seat next to her. "Just... Char, is ten thousand enough for me?"

"How much?" Charlotte asked, surprised. "Are you planning on spending the whole night with her there?"

"I just didn't know... How much... services like that cost." Sonya walked into the hotel, stopping at the reception desk, where a young receptionist greeted her warmly. "Okay, I'm here."

"Good luck, Sonya"

"Thank you." After hanging up, she looked up at the hotel employee, embarrassed. "Sonya Pedersen, I have a room reserved here."

"Welcome, Mrs. Pedersen. Your room is 315, fifth floor, third door on the left. Your key, please." The receptionist, smiling saccharinely, handed the girl a card.

"And you... could you tell me... I have a meeting there... Has anyone arrived yet?" the girl asked, blushing embarrassedly.

The receptionist glanced at the computer monitor and shook his head.

"No. The room is empty. Miss Punyapat hasn't arrived yet."

"So, Miss Punyapat... Thank you," the girl replied thoughtfully, heading toward the elevator, her fingers clutching the key card tightly.

8:15

Sonya jumped out of bed as soon as there was a soft knock on the door. Biting her lip nervously, she paused timidly by the door, looking around the room with a confused expression, as if searching for a magical escape route that would instantly take her home. But there was no escape route, and this time the knocking on the door was more insistent.

"Damn... Why did I ever agree?" Pedersen whispered, slipping her wedding ring off her finger before gripping the doorknob tightly.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the door open, meeting the intrigued gaze of dark hazel eyes.

"Miss Pedersen?" The brunette across from her was stunning, her dark eyes looked at her with undisguised interest, her gaze lingering on the enticing neckline of her dress.

"Yes..." Sonya replied excitedly, swallowing the lump in her throat.

She also looked with interest at the girl in front of her, mentally admiring her elegant style and beauty.

"I believe we have an appointment..." the stranger continued.

"Um... I think you're mistaken" Sonya replied, chickening out, and tried to close the door on the brunette's face, but the latter held it open with her hand.

"Police Place Hotel, room 315..." The girl glanced down at her wrist, where her watch was. "Eight o'clock... I was a little late, for which I sincerely apologize. So... may I come in?"

Mentally scolding herself for such childish behavior, Sonya sighed deeply and let the girl into the room. The brunette surveyed her surroundings and, unbuttoning her jacket, hung it over the arm of the chair as if she owned it, revealing herself in a light, translucent blouse.

"Perhaps we should start from the beginning." The girl stepped up to Sonya, practically touching her, invading her personal space and causing her to back away nervously. "Punyapat Wangpongsathaporn" she smiled mockingly, extending her hand and watching as the girl looked confusedly at the floor. "But I prefer it when they call me Lookmhee..."

"Sonya Pedersen" the girl replied, shaking her hand timidly. She bit her lip, which didn't escape Lookmhee's gaze, causing a slight smile to play on her lips. "Listen.. Lookmhee..." Sonya stepped back abruptly, picking up her purse from the chair. "I... This is all wrong... I shouldn't have come... How much do I owe you? Come on, I'll pay you and go..."

"If you came here anyway, then you needed it... What are you running from, Sonya?" Lookmhee walked around the room, sitting down on the bed and leaning on her hands, leaning back slightly, gracefully crossing her legs.

"I just gave in to an impulse..." Sonya replied, exhaling excitedly. "How much do I owe you... I really have to go..."

"A thousand an hour" Lookmhee replied, unabashedly examining the girl, her gaze lingering on her shapely legs as she rummaged through her purse. "You really don't want to try? I promise we'll do it slowly and casually...you're gonna like it..."

Sonya froze, feeling her heart do a painful somersault in her chest at the brunette's commanding and captivating voice, and a gentle wave of excitement spread through her body, concentrating in her lower abdomen and leaving a sweet heaviness... The girl blushed shyly, hastily counted out the bills, and handed them to Lookmhee.

"Sorry about that... But I don't need your services" Sonya replied sternly, looking defiantly into her cunning dark eyes.

Lookmhee carefully covered Sonya's hand with her own and slowly ran her fingertips over it before taking the money and placing it on the bedside table. The gesture struck Sonya like an electric shock, and suddenly the air felt unbearably stuffy. She hurriedly headed for the room exit, but Lookmhee called out to her.

"Listen, Sonya" the latter turned at the sound of her voice, admiring the brunette's perfect figure. "I'm certainly no psychologist, but... Since you've already paid for an hour, maybe we could at least just talk the whole time?"

"I think that would be unnecessary" she replied dryly.

"Please..." the brunette pleaded, lightly patting the bed, urging the girl to come back and sit next to her. "We'll just talk, who knows, maybe I can help you somehow..."

"What makes you think I need help?" Sonya replied, frowning. She crossed her arms expectantly, continuing to stand next to the door.

Lookmhee thoughtfully bit her lower lip, trying to think of something that would make the girl stay right now. Although she herself couldn't understand why she was doing all this. This whole situation seemed more like some strange and convoluted game, where if Lookmhee won, she would receive this sexy, brown-eyed woman, who was looking at her with distrust, as a prize. A sporting interest? Perhaps... Or a desire to try something forbidden, which is precisely what Sonya was for the brunette... So, to even the score in her favor, Lookmhee couldn't think of anything more sensible than to tell Sonya what she knew about her problem.

"Your friend told Faye about your problem..."

"I don't have a problem" Sonya replied, confused, taking a step toward the brunette.

"Then what is it, Sonya?" Lookmhee rose gracefully to her feet and walked to the minibar, fishing out a bottle of wine and pouring it into glasses.

"It's... It's just..." Pedersen sat down on a chair, setting her purse aside. "Damn, Charlotte..."

"Relax, you're too tense. Don't worry, I won't eat you..." Lookmhee replied mockingly, sitting down opposite Sonya and handing her a glass of wine. "Listen, this may be the first and only time you're seeing me... So why be so uptight with someone you'll never see again? Open up to me, tell me how you're feeling..." The brunette glanced at her watch and continued, "We have half an hour left. I wouldn't recommend delaying this... So how are you feeling, Sonya?"

Pedersen carefully, trying not to touch the bruette's graceful fingers, took the glass from her hand and settled more comfortably in the chair. She glanced at Lookmhee again hesitantly and, taking a deep breath, replied:

"I don't feel anything, that's the whole problem. Also, I recently realized that I'm interested in women's attention... I wouldn't say I'm sexually attracted to them, but I'm definitely overcome with excitement..."

"You just can't and won't accept your homosexuality" Lookmhee replied with a smile. She sipped some wine from her glass and licked her plump lips.

This innocent gesture evoked conflicting feelings in Sonya. She took a deep breath and looked away.

"I don't think that's true... Still, I loved and love Jake..." the girl responded after a few seconds, taking a sip of wine and setting the glass aside.

"Jake?" Lookmhee raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"My husband" Sonya explained.

"You love him... But you decided to order a prostitute..." Lookmhee replied reproachfully, draining her glass and crossing her legs.

"It was a mistake" Pedersen replied convincingly, more trying to convince herself of this than her companion.

"And how do you feel when he does this?" Lookmhee moved slightly closer to Sonya and carefully placed her hot palm on her knee, lightly tracing her fingertips upward, barely brushing the hem of her dress.

The girl tensed, watching intently as the brunette's fingers traced simple patterns on her bare skin. Goosebumps ran through her body, she sighed sharply, and looked up at Lookmhee's face, frightened, meeting inquisitive dark hazel eyes.

"He..." Sonya swallowed thickly. "He never does that..."

Lookmhee pulled back in surprise, examining the girl's confused and at the same time bewildered face.

"What does he do when you have sex?" Lookmhee poured wine into their glasses and looked at Sonya with undisguised interest.

"You want me to tell you how we do THAT?" Sonya stared at the brunette in surprise, accepting another glass from her.

After taking a sip, she sat back contentedly, feeling a slight giddiness from the alcohol. It was liberating and relieved tension... So, after receiving a positive nod from Lookmhee, she began her story without hesitation.

"It usually happens when Jake comes home from work. He showers and comes into my room, because we've been sleeping separately for about three years now. We kiss for a long time at first, so much so that his stubble makes my lips swell... He roughly squeezes my ass, bites my nipples, and then thrusts hard... It hurts like hell, but I endure it, silently gritting my teeth, until he comes.

"Fuck... This is terrible..." Lookmhee was clearly in shock; she took a sip of wine and continued, "Have you tried telling him you don't like it, so he won't be so rude to you?"

"No... I'm not one to complain or try to manipulate people. If he likes it that way, then why not? Besides, it doesn't happen that often, so I can just endure it..." Sonya replied calmly, draining her glass.

She gracefully crossed her legs, revealing most of her thigh... Lookmhee looked away, embarrassed, while Sonya's brown eyes were inquisitively fixed on her confused face. Sonya smiled contentedly...

"So, you're sacrificing yourself and your feelings just to please him?" Lookmhee replied, fighting down the rapidly growing anxiety that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Doesn't marriage involve sacrifice?"

"I've always believed that marriage is the union of two loving and happy hearts. As for you, Sonya, it's a torture chamber you urgently need to escape from..." Lookmhee concluded, glancing once more at her wrist and letting out a shaky breath.

Naturally, this didn't escape Sonya's notice. She fidgeted awkwardly, looking around for her purse.

"Are you going somewhere?" Lookmhee asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Apparently, my time is up and I need to go," the girl replied, rising from her chair. "Thank you for listening... I really feel better."

"Sonya, wait." Lookmhee caught her hand just as she headed for the door. "You can stay if you want..."

Sonya smiled back and, closing the distance between them, gave her a gentle hug and a light kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, but I have to go. Charlotte's probably waiting for me at the bar... She's probably eager to hear how it went..."

Lookmhee nodded, confused. She didn't want to force the girl to stay... She simply let things slide, secretly hoping Sonya would call Faye again and she would take control of the matter. The brunette had no intention of forcing her contact either. Pedersen was married and, it seemed, still loved her husband...

"See you, Lookmhee" Sonya stopped near the door and smiled warmly at the brunette.

"I hope so, Sonya..." Lookmhee said, smiling back.

Nodding affirmatively, the girl left the room. Lookmhee, after waiting a couple of minutes, sincerely hoping Sonya would change her mind and return, picked up her jacket and headed for the elevator.

 

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

Sonya's attention was immediately drawn to the brunette's ponytail. Charlotte was laughing heartily at Engfa's latest joke when Pedersen approached them. The girls exchanged meaningful glances and fell silent, looking expectantly at the girl.

"Damn it, Pedersen, don't keep me waiting!" Char couldn't resist. "How did it go?"

"Wonderful" Sonya replied, smiling.

She glanced at the menu in front of her, feeling her cheeks begin to heat with embarrassment. She was embarrassed to admit that things hadn't gone as her friends had probably expected. But she didn't regret a thing...

"So, you don't look like the girl who had wild sex with some hot chick half an hour ago..." Engfa delivered her verdict, to which Charlotte nodded in agreement.

"We..." Sonya trailed off, looking up at her friends, confused. "We were just talking."

"WHAT?" the girls said in unison.

"So... wait..." Char scratched her head, confused. "Are you saying you paid her just to talk?"

Sonya nodded approvingly and voiced her order to the waitress who had approached their table.

"You didn't like her?" Fa asked, sipping her cocktail from a straw.

"No, Lookmhee..." Sonya froze, remembering the brunette's graceful features and captivating eyes and lips. "She's very beautiful... It's just..." She looked away, confused, and took a deep breath before continuing "I was afraid of intimacy with her... I paid her for an hour and wanted to leave, but she asked me to stay and just talk... And thanks to her, for the first time, I wondered if Jake and I were worth the effort. Or maybe we can better arrange our lives apart... It's all so strange..."

"So, that Lookmhee turned out to be not only a prostitute, but also an excellent psychologist" Char replied mockingly, her expression instantly changing.

She rolled her eyes dramatically as Miu sauntered up to their table.

"Hello everyone" the girl replied warmly, looking around at everyone present, lingering briefly on Sonya before hurrying to sit down next to Fa, kissing her tenderly on the cheek.

"Hello..." Char drawled, not hiding her displeasure.

Sonya glanced at her friend, who merely shrugged. Fa shrank back in her chair, embarrassed, sensing the tension that had arisen at the table as soon as Miu joined their group. Pedersen, with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, sipped her drink from a straw and settled more comfortably in her chair.

"Did something happen?" Miu looked around the girls, confused. "Did someone die?"

"Yes, died when you showed up... And that's fun..." Char drawled, carelessly stirring her drink with a straw.

After their last meeting, Char had clashed with Miu and had openly begun to dislike her, warning Fa beforehand not to even dare bring her girlfriend over to their party again. But Fa disobeyed and invited the girl, hoping to reconcile her with her friends. Which, of course, didn't work out...

"Don't speak for everyone, Austin" Miu replied, frowning.

Char rolled her eyes wearily and rose from the table.

"Something's gone stale here..." the brunette replied. "Sonya, are you with me? Let's leave this sweet couple alone..."

Pedersen nodded approvingly, asking for the check. After paying, the girl followed Charlotte out of the bar, casting a sympathetic glance at Engfa.

"Crazy..." Miu replied, downing a shot of whiskey.

Fa gave her a displeased look and also rose from the table.

"What the hell?"

"We're breaking up. Don't call me again" Fa replied sternly, rummaging through her wallet.

"What? Seriously? You're leaving me because of that psychopath?!" Miu protested, following the girl up from her table and drawing everyone's attention with her raised voice.

"Char was right... You're the one who doesn't fit in with us..." Fa replied, heading for the bar's exit.

"Really? And not because she's head over heels in love with you?!" Miu desperately followed the departing brunette. Fa stopped and looked at her "ex" in confusion. "Only a blind person could miss it! The way she looks at you, the way she excitedly recounts stories from your life, the way she reacted so hostilely to the news that you're moving in with me... Haven't you realized that yet?"

"Sorry, girls, you're disturbing the customers! You can continue your squabbles outside our bar..." the bartender demanded.

"Would you mind going to hell?" Fa snapped back before hurriedly leaving the bar.

Meanwhile, Sonya and Charlotte stood near the bar, wondering where to go.

"That... upstart..." Austin muttered through clenched teeth.

"If I didn't know you, I'd think you were jealous of..." Sonya replied mockingly, browsing the nearest bars and cafes on her phone.

"Wha-at? You're going there too?" Char protested. "I've had enough of Faye's lectures. What made you think that?"

"Sometimes the tension in the air between you two gives me electric shocks" Sonya joked, peering over Char's shoulder. "And you're drawn to each other like a magnet... See for yourself."

Char turned around just as Fa stopped in front of her, looking reproachfully at the brunette's surprised face.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Fa challenged, breaking the silence between her friends.

"So, I suddenly realized it's time to go home..." Sonya said mockingly, holding out her hand and hailing a taxi, leaving her own in the parking lot. "Thanks for the evening, girls."

The girls nodded in unison, watching the taxi drive away.

"What are you talking about?" Austin replied calmly, walking down the sidewalk.

"How long have you been in love with me?" Engfa hurried after her, blocking the girl's path.

"What?" Char replied, feigning indignation. "I didn't... I..Damn... Just over a year..."

She looked guiltily down at the dirty asphalt beneath her feet...

"Why didn't you say anything?" Fa continued her interrogation.

"I didn't want to ruin our friendship and..." Char's gaze returned to her friend's calm face. "I didn't want to lose you..."

"You lost me when you started hiding it..." Fa exhaled raggedly.

"I'm sorry..." Charlotte whispered quietly, swallowing back the tears welling up in her throat.

"I'm moving out, Char... I'll stay with my brother for a while until things get better..." Fa answered seriously, brushing away the treacherous tears with her palm. "I'll leave the key under the doormat."

"Okay..." Austin replied, confused, biting her lip.

Engfa nodded in response and, leaving her friend in splendid isolation, quickly disappeared behind the neighboring building...

"Fuck!" Charlotte screamed, letting go of her tears and slamming her hand against the plastic store window with all her might...

 

***********************************

 

"Punyapat?" Faye rose from her table in surprise, watching the brunette approach.

"Oh, God, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that..." Lookmhee rolled her eyes wearily, sitting down across from her and gracefully crossing her legs.

"You promised to call" Faye reminded, motioning to the waitress to bring another menu.

"Yes, but I decided to tell you how it went in person, and at the same time, get comfortable with the free drinks..." the hazel-eyed girl replied mockingly, accepting the menu from the pretty waitress and smiling charmingly back.

"I hope Pedersen doesn't keep calling me, looking for you?" Faye joked, signing the paperwork the manager handed her.

"I doubt she'll even dare call... And yes, nothing happened between us." Lookmhee pulled crumpled bills from her pants pocket and tossed them on the table. "We spent an hour talking about her husband, and then... She ran away... But if... Sonya does call, keep me posted..."

"Does this girl interest you?" her friend asked in a half-whisper, her eyes narrowing slyly.

"I'm always interested in what I can't get the first time" the brunette replied haughtily, taking a sip of wine. "You have very beautiful waitresses..."

Lookmhee followed one of them with an interested gaze...

"Just try it!" Faye replied indignantly, catching her friend's glance and the sly smile on her plump lips. "Not at my bar, Punyapat..."

"I was just complimenting you... You're very... meticulous in choosing your staff."

"Wait a minute" Faye smiled back, fishing her phone out of the pocket of her tight jeans. "It's Charlotte."

"Maybe... Sonya asked her to call?" Lookmhee's expression instantly changed, sitting up straighter in alarm and looking expectantly at her friend.

Faye shrugged and answered the call. The smile instantly vanished from her face.

"I'll be right there" she replied curtly.

"Did something happen?" Lookmhee asked worriedly, watching Faye hurriedly get ready.

"Engfa, the same friend Charlotte's crush is on... Moved out today... And judging by her voice, my ex got pretty drunk at a bar on Wall Street. I need to pick her up before she does something stupid..."

"Of course. Good luck..." Lookmhee watched her friend leave and leaned back wearily in her chair.

"Anything else, Miss Punyapat?" the waitress asked coquettishly, taking Lookmhee's empty glass.

"Yes" the brunette smiled charmingly, reading the name on the girl's badge. "Claire... Could you show me where the ladies' room is?"

"My pleasure, Miss Punyapat..."

 

********************************

 

Three days had passed since the meeting at Police Place. Sonya had been completely immersed in her work the entire time, staying in her office until late at night. Preparing the necessary documents had taken longer than she'd expected. But that was the whole point. She needed to eliminate all possible nuances that might arise during the division of property. After skimming through the papers once more, Sonya took a deep breath and dialed her secretary's number.

"Miss Jones, come into my office."

A few seconds later, the secretary—a young, short woman with oversized glasses, looking more like a librarian—timidly opened the door and walked into Pedersen's office.

"You called, Mrs. Pedersen?" the woman asked, her voice agitated.

"Yes, Tony, give these documents to my lawyer. And make sure Mr. Holland doesn't find out about anything... Okay?" she rose from her desk and handed the folder of papers to her secretary.

Nodding obediently, the girl hurried out of Sonya's office, leaving her splendidly alone. Now she could rest and unwind. Dialing Fa's number on her phone, she patiently listened to the long beeps.

"Yes, Son..." The girl's sleepy voice sounded on the other end of the line. "What's wrong, you're calling so early?"

Sonya blushed deeply, checking her watch.

8:30.

"Damn, sorry I woke you up, I was so busy working that I completely lost track of time" the girl replied guiltily.

"It's okay, I was planning on getting up soon myself... In an hour or two..." her friend replied reproachfully, yawning into the phone.

"Maybe we should go out? Let's grab a cup of coffee..." Sonya suggested, pacing around her office.

"Let's meet in an hour at our cafe. And, Pedersen, since you woke me up, the coffee is on you..."

"Not negotiable" Sonya replied, smiling.

Punctually, she entered the cafe, looking around for her friend. Engfa looked slightly disheveled, suggesting she hadn't been particularly preoccupied and was rushing to get ready for a meeting. Sonya's inquisitive gaze also didn't miss the large dark circles under Waraha's eyes. After Fa moved out of Charlotte's, she had to pick up extra shifts at the bar to pay for her dorm room. She hadn't gone to her brother's to avoid unnecessary questions about the reason for her fight with her best friend. So she had to cope on her own, as best she could.

"You look awful." Sonya responded sympathetically, sitting down across from her.

Fa smiled back, fiddling with her napkin, folding it into a whimsical dove-like shape.

"I know... And you, on the other hand, are looking rosy and fragrant... What happened, tell me?"

Sonya asked the waitress who had approached her and calmly replied,

"I was preparing the divorce papers."

"What?" Waraha practically jumped in her seat, looking in surprise at the girl's serious face, searching for even the slightest hint of a smile, which would mean that what she'd said earlier had been nothing more than an innocent joke.

"Yes, I want to divorce Jake... But he doesn't know about it yet... You know he owns half the company..." Sonya nodded gratefully, accepting her coffee from the waiter. "I want to prepare first, so that if he refuses to cooperate with me, I don't lose the remaining shares... He's too stubborn, so the chances of reaching an agreement with him after the divorce are zero..."

"Damn, you should have ordered a prostitute seven years ago to get ready for such a serious step..." the brunette joked, sipping hot coffee and licking her burnt lips.

Sonya smiled, only slightly, and protested:

"No, Lookmhee had less of an influence on my decision. I'd been prepared for this for a long time, I just needed some kind of push to set the wheels turning to rebuild my usual way of life..."

"I'm afraid to ask what that push was..." Fa burst into laughter into her mug.

"She said what I've been trying to stubbornly deny all this time" Sonya replied, taking a sip of her now-cold coffee.

"What, that you're a lesbian?"

"No!" Pedersen was indignant. "That my marriage is a cage I need to escape from immediately..."

"Listen" Fa bit her lip thoughtfully, raising a cup of coffee to her face, "Did you happen to get her number? I could use some SORT OF psychological help too..."

She laughed heartily, bringing a smile to Sonya's lips.

"No, but you could ask Charlotte to contact Faye and find out..." Sonya trailed off, watching the brunette's expression change abruptly.

Engfa set her mug aside and took a deep breath.

"Shit, I'm so sorry..." Pedersen looked down at the dark brown liquid, confused.

"It's okay, Son..." Fa exhaled, ruffling her hair and brushing it back. "I didn't think it would be so...hard... Without her constant nagging about not washing the dishes again, her jokes about the toothpaste in my slippers, and her infectious laughter. It's only been three days, and I'm already restless, it feels so...empty..."

"So maybe..." Sonya looked her friend hesitantly in the eye before continuing, "Maybe you should make peace?"

"No. I'm not ready to forgive myself yet..."

Pedersen raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked again "Yourself?"

"Yes, for having no idea how she felt every time I hugged her, how she sensed every innocent touch... How she watched my relationship with Miu from the sidelines... I hurt her without even knowing it! And she hid her feelings from me for a year! Because she was afraid of losing me, afraid they wouldn't be reciprocated..." Fa replied, exhaling raggedly and burying her face in her hands.

"So... You love her too?" Sonya scratched the bridge of her nose, confused.

"All I know is that I like her, Son, and I miss her... Who knows, if Char had told me how she felt earlier, I might have been able to see her differently... Damn..."

"Of course, given my situation, I'm probably a bad advisor, but..." Sonya bit her lip, considering what she was about to say. "I guess it's never too late to start over. Talk to Char... In fact, I can't imagine our company without her... Without the two of you..."

"Thank you." Fa wiped the wet tear streaks with the sleeve of her jumper and, placing her hand over Sonya's, gave it a gentle squeeze...

 

****************************

 

"Lookmhee?" Faye raised an eyebrow in surprise.

For several days now, Lookmhee had been literally shocking her friend with her frequent visits. It wasn't that she wasn't happy about it, but rather that the brunette's behavior had left her a little uneasy. Previously, they'd seen each other maybe once or twice a week during breaks from Lookmhee's filming, but now everything had changed completely. And Faye was now one hundred percent convinced that these "magical" changes in her friend were due to that Sonya Pedersen...

"Hi..." Lookmhee said sullenly, settling down across from Faye.

The latter nodded welcomingly, taking a look at Lookmhee's outfit. The girl was wearing loose, ripped jeans, a tight white V-neck top, and matching converse. This time, the brunette had pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, making her look even more like a teenager. Faye couldn't help but smile, and Lookmhee shot her a puzzled look...

"What?" the brunette couldn't help herself.

"Nothing, I'm just glad to see you... every day" Faye replied mockingly, sipping her coffee.

"I was just..." Lookmhee trailed off, confusedly turning away from Claire, who was smiling sweetly at her at the bar. "I was free and decided to pop in..."

Catching Lookmhee's glance, Faye frowned in displeasure.

"You're incorrigible..." Faye sighed, shaking her head.

"Screw me... How are you and Charlotte?" Lookmhee asked, settling more comfortably in her chair. She gave Claire a confused smile as she placed a cup of coffee in front of her and slowly ran her hand down her back before leaving.

"Punyapat!" Faye said reproachfully, giving her waitress a dirty look.

"What? I have no idea why..." Lookmhee lowered her voice, looking around in confusion. "She's acting like this... Maybe I smiled at her the wrong way? And enough about me, go on, tell me..."

Faye looked mockingly into her friend's innocent dark hazel eyes and, sighing heavily, replied:

"She's slowly healing... At least she's got plenty of sarcasm..."

"Maybe she'll realize that that girl isn't the person she should be with... And her happiness is right here, sitting across from me with sad eyes..." Lookmhee replied, smiling sweetly.

"Punyapat, you're such a... such an ass!" Faye grinned, leaning forward and patting the brunette's cheek with her fingers.

"Very sweet." Lookmhee replied reproachfully, taking a sip of her now-cold coffee. "And what about... what's her name..." The girl bit her lip thoughtfully, pretending to try to remember something.

Naturally, this was feigned, so Faye wouldn't tease the brunette again about her excessive interest in Pedersen.

"You mean Sonya?" her friend replied mockingly, causing a subtle look of embarrassment to cross the brunette's face. "Don't worry, she didn't call me. Although... Char talked to her on the phone yesterday about Engfa. Sonya didn't mention you..."

"Damn..." Lookmhee sighed, disappointed. "Should have left her my number... There's just no point in waiting like this..."

"So, you're waiting?" Faye asked, narrowing her eyes slyly.

"Not exactly waiting..." Lookmhee replied indifferently, tapping her finger on the lacquered tabletop. "But for four days now, I've been haunted by an obsessive desire to get her, so I can move on peacefully. You know relationships aren't for me..."

"And you, as I understand it, thanks to me, have found the easiest way to stroke your ego and ride off into the sunset with a clear conscience..."

"And in my opinion, it's actually a very mutually beneficial deal. I'll give Sonya what her negligent husband can't, and I'll get her gorgeous body..." Lookmhee bit her plump lips thoughtfully.

"Then why don't you just hit on her like you do with all your victims?" Faye asked, perplexed, setting her cold coffee aside and glancing at the menu.

"Because all my advances end with people falling in love with me... I don't want that to happen to Sonya." Lookmhee replied, frowning. This conversation was becoming quite tiresome, and with each question, Faye was getting deeper, almost to the heart of the matter.

"I think I get it... You're afraid..." Faye said excitedly, clasping her hands.

"What?" Lookmhee replied, perplexed, feeling an incomprehensible tension inside, mixed with a growing sense of unease and worry.

"That you might fall in love with her too, or already..."

"Nonsense!" the brunette snorted in displeasure, rising from the table.

"Then why are you so nervous?" Faye persisted, laughing mockingly at her friend's frightened expression. "Okay, calm down... I'll talk to Charlotte, maybe she can convince Sonya to give you another try, Lookmhee, to make you happy..."

"Fuck you..." the brunette girl muttered resentfully, walking quickly toward the exit.

"Don't thank me!" Faye snapped after her, earning a swearing in return. "Stubborn ass..."

 

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

"Why didn't you tell me anything?!" Jake burst into Sonya's room so suddenly that she jumped and dropped her brush.

Her heart sank painfully, and a slight shudder ran through her body at the mere thought that he could have found out about the divorce ahead of time... Pedersen brushed a strand of hair that had escaped her bun from her face and stared at her husband, impassive.

"What are you talking about?" she asked quietly, swallowing hard.

"About how you fired Jefferson without my knowledge the other day!" Holland continued, pacing the room. "Evan has been with us since the very beginning of the company..."

"The key word 'has been', Jake..." Sonya replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "He wasn't doing his job well and was constantly being rude to me."

"But he's our friend!" Holland protested, closing the distance between them.

"He's your friend... A friend who got paid just to sit in an office all day watching cheap porn!" Sonya raised her voice, her gaze darting over her husband's confused face. "Is that settled, Jake?"

The guy exhaled loudly, clenching his fists. He glared angrily into her brown eyes and strode quickly out of the room, saying one last thing:

"Next time, let me know! This company is as much mine as it is yours, Sonya..."

With a deep sigh, Sonya sat down on the bed, tying her silk robe tighter. Her gaze drifted to the phone, wondering if it would be a good idea to talk to Fa or Char right now, to somehow distract herself and relieve the tension. But just as the girl was thinking about this, her phone display lit up, displaying a photo of her and Charlotte, alerting her to an incoming call.

"Yeah" Sonya said contentedly, settling more comfortably on the bed and leaning back against the down pillow.

"Sonyaa-a-a" Sonya chuckled, realizing her friend was a little tipsy. "Want to join me at our favorite bar? It's so crowded, it's practically impossible to squeeze through, but Faye and I have secured you a spot at our table."

At the mention of Char's ex, Sonya frowned slightly. Even though the girl didn't know her, she had some unpleasant feelings for her, mostly because of Engfa.

"I think you're having fun there without me" Sonya replied indifferently.

"Come on, Son, please... I'm going through a rough patch right now, and who better than friends can help me out of this difficult situation? We're friends, right, Sonya?"

The girl frowned; she'd already known what would follow her refusal. So, taking a deep breath, Pedersen walked over to her closet, examining it with a tired gaze.

"Okay. I'll be right there..."

After a strange clicking sound, Char said, "I'm waiting" and hung up. Smiling, Sonya fished a pair of dark blue distressed jeans and a tight, black T-shirt from the closet, accentuating her ample breasts. After changing and tying her hair into a high ponytail, the girl grabbed her purse and tiptoed into the living room.

"Going somewhere?" Jake had appeared for the second time that evening, so suddenly that if it happened again, Sonya would definitely have a mini-heart attack.

"Damn..." Sonya blurted out, her hands flailing in surprise. "Yeah, Charlotte asked me to join her at the bar on the corner..."

"So that's why you're sneaking around now?" Jake's cold expression sent shivers down her spine.

"I thought you were already asleep and..."

"Don't lie to me, Sonya!" The brunette abruptly closed the distance between them, squeezing her wrist painfully. "You have someone? Someone you're going to see now and because of whom you're denying me intimacy?!"

Despite the excruciating pain in her arm, the girl burst into laughter, which only further infuriated the man. He pushed her away, glaring at her with contempt.

"Jake, are you crazy?" Sonya replied through a smile, trying to turn the tense situation into a laugh. "Of course, there's Charlotte, who's waiting for me at the bar right now. If you don't believe me, you can come with me..."

"Shut up!" Jake punched the wall with all his might, leaving a dent and a trail of blood.

Sonya tensed, her expression instantly changing...

"You're bleeding..." She jerked toward her husband to examine the wounds on his knuckles, but Jake, yanking his hand from Sonya's, backhanded her across the face.

Holding her cheek, which was burning from the blow, she staggered back in fear. Tears were gathering in her eyes, not tears of pain, but tears of acrid, oppressive resentment mixed with disappointment. For the first time in eight years, Jake had raised a hand on her... And the brunette didn't regret it one bit. On the contrary, in the heat of the moment, he pinned Sonya against the wall and whispered viciously against her lips, his hate-filled gazing at her, a crimson hue gleaming on her soft skin...

"I fucking knew it! I knew it all along that you were a damn lesbian! You always go to them, to your friends, just like you! And when..." He ran his thumb over the girl's tear-trembling lips, lingering there before returning to her reddened brown eyes, "when we're in bed... It's like I'm fucking a cold porcelain doll..."

"Then go away." Sonya replied, her voice shaking, swallowing back a lump of tears.

The man was taken aback; he stepped back, as if suddenly realizing he'd done something terrible and unforgivable. Taking advantage of his confusion, Sonya clenched her fists and took a step forward.

"Then why the hell are you still with me?! Go away, Jake! Go back to Amy!" Sonya replied firmly, surprised by her own confidence and composure.

"I can't... I can't, Sonya... Oh God, what have I done..." He covered his face with his trembling hands.

From his ragged breathing and sobs, Sonya realized Jake had begun to cry. Under different circumstances, she might have felt sorry for him, but now she clearly felt the emptiness spreading through her veins. Pedersen wanted to humiliate him, finish him off, hurt him the way he had hurt her just a few minutes ago... But despite the hatred burning within her, Sonya silently loomed over the man, huddled in the corner, his nose running.

"You... I need you, Sonya..." His trembling arms wrapped around the girl's legs, pressing his chest against them. "Oh, God, forgive me, forgive me... I love you so much..."

"You're worthless" Sonya replied rudely, stepping over his arms and heading straight out of the mansion.

"Sonya, please..."

The girl slammed the front door and quickened her pace, heading for her car. A fear settled in her soul that Jake might catch up with her. She quickly got into her Audi, locking all the doors. Only after leaving the mansion grounds did Sonya breathe a sigh of relief. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she gave a disgruntled chuckle. The redness was fading, but a small, pale blue bruise had taken its place. Slowing down and pulling over to the side of the road, the girl pulled foundation from her purse and applied a thin layer to the bruise, almost completely concealing it. Fortunately, the skin on her face wasn't too sensitive, otherwise Sonya could easily have misled oncoming drivers by flashing her light from inside the car.

A couple of minutes later, Pedersen parked her car at the bar and walked inside. She found Charlotte right at the same table they'd sat at the last time Engfa introduced them to Miu. The brunette was hugging a brown-haired woman, who immediately noticed Sonya, watching her as she passed the occupied tables.

"Sonya!" Char jumped up happily, scooping the girl up in her arms. Breaking away from her friend, she quickly introduced her companion to Pedersen. "Faye, this is Sonya, Sonya, this is Faye... You two, by the way, have already met, not officially though."

Sonya nodded cordially, struggling with conflicting emotions. Even though the brown-haired woman was friendly and sweet, Sonya still didn't like her.

"So, what the... sparrow?" Char took Sonya's hands, examining the huge bruises on her wrists. Thankfully, the dim lighting, her level of intoxication, and the layer of foundation prevented her from seeing the bruise on her face.

"I had a fight with Jake" Sonya replied calmly, removing her hands and gesturing for the waitress. "Three shots of vodka with lemon."

Faye raised an eyebrow in surprise, sipping her "explosive" cocktail, which Char had mixed for her, naturally using a recipe borrowed from Fa long ago.

"Me too!" Charlotte added, following Sonya's order.

While Sonya, after two consecutive shots of vodka, was telling her friend about her fight with Jake, Faye checked her phone and quickly typed out a text message.

To: Lookmhee Punyapat:

Faye: "Guess who's sitting across from me now? ;)"

The reply came immediately.

Lookmhee: "Have you forgotten? I'm not a psychic, how should I know...))"

Faye snorted derisively, quickly typing out a reply.

Faye: "Don't play dumb, you know perfectly well who I'm talking about... And if you ask nicely, I'll remind her about you... ;)"

"I'm preparing the paperwork to file for divorce" Sonya continued after downing her third shot.

Charlotte beamed contentedly and, making the appropriate hand gesture, said "yeeeess" to practically the entire bar. Returning her gaze to her phone, Faye tapped the incoming message icon.

Lookmhee: "Damn schemer... ;) Get to the point! What do you want in return?"

Faye: "You'll be working at my bar as a waitress for a week, Punyapat... =))"

"Faye?" The girl perked up, setting her phone on the edge of the table and looking up at the girl who had called her.

"Yes?" the brunette answered hesitantly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Could you..." Sonya started

"She wants to pick up another girl" Charlotte interrupted her friend, scooping the tipsy Sonya under her arm.

"That's easy to arrange" the girl replied, smiling contentedly.

"Tomorrow evening" Sonya clarified.

"Okay, same place, same time... Any requests regarding the girl?" Faye asked, narrowing her eyes slyly.

After repeating her order, Sonya turned to the brunette, biting her lip thoughtfully.

"I don't think so. Doesn't matter. But of course, a pretty one like the bartender..." Pedersen turned to the bar and waved at the tall, brown-eyed brunette, earning a sweet smile and wink in return.

"At this rate, you'll be able to pick up whoever you want" Charlotte giggled, kissing Sonya on the cheek. "Someone's finally gone lesbian!"

Sonya laughed cheerfully in response, downing another shot.

Lookmhee: "Wha-a-at? No way, Pedersen isn't worth it. I'm washing my hands of it..."

Faye: "Are you sure? She just booked a meeting for tomorrow ;)"

Faye hit send and rubbed her sweaty palms in anticipation. She watched her phone display light up, instantly alerting her to a new incoming message.

Lookmhee: "O_o .........."

Faye: "Two weeks of working at my bar..."

Faye hadn't even had time to put her phone down before a reply arrived.

Lookmhee: "You're a bitch, Peraya xD"

Faye: "I know :P"

After sending the message, Faye pocketed her phone, settling more comfortably in her chair and listening attentively to Charlotte's funny story, which she'd heard five hundred times and which became more captivating and interesting with each passing moment...

 

**********************************

 

Walking into her office, Sonya immediately grabbed some headache pills from the top drawer and poured herself some cold water from the cooler. After swallowing one capsule and washing it down, she quickly walked to the antique round mirror hanging on the opposite wall to get a better look at yesterday's "beating." The bruise had almost completely faded, leaving only a yellowed mark where the blow had struck. Her wrists were more severely damaged, so to hide the blue marks left by her husband's fingers, Sonya pulled a dark gray jacket from her locker, recently forgotten at work, and put it on over yesterday's black T-shirt, which she hadn't changed out of since she'd spent the night at Charlotte's and couldn't risk returning home. It turned out pretty well. After twirling in front of the mirror for a few more minutes and touching up her makeup, she sat down at her desk and dialed her lawyer, Nicole Lort, on the landline.

"Sonya, good to hear from you." the lawyer's voice, with a slightly sexy huskiness, sounded pleased on the other end of the line.

"Niki, have you reviewed the documents I gave you yet?" Sonya answered decisively, getting straight to the point of her call.

"Yes, Sonya." The lawyer's voice took on a more serious tone, and a rustling sound came over the line. "I have no questions about dividing the company; you can leave Jake high and dry if you want. But I have some issues with the mansion; it was purchased entirely with his money, which..."

"I don't care about the mansion." Pedersen replied sharply, rubbing her painfully throbbing temple with her fingers. "The most important thing for me right now is the company and my car, I won't have any problems with housing."

Nicole chuckled knowingly, remembering that not long ago, without Holland's knowledge, she had registered the new apartment she'd bought downtown in Sonya's name.

"The car is yours in any case, but we'll have to decide how we'll proceed with the company. It all depends on how you choose to play: fair or foul?"

"I'm in such a position that I don't care how, the company has to be completely under my control" Sonya replied decisively, swallowing another pill and washing it down with water.

"Then I'll let you know when it's ready."

"Great..." Sonya hung up and leaned back tiredly in her chair, closing her sleep-reddened eyes.

She'd almost managed to doze off a bit when the landline rang.

"I'm listening" Sonya replied discontentedly, pressing the answer button.

"Mrs. Pedersen, a courier has arrived. Should I let him through?" the secretary's voice rang out, agitated.

"Let him come in" Sonya replied sullenly, rubbing her tired eyes with her fingers.

A few seconds later, her office door opened, revealing a huge bouquet of red roses. Then the delivery man himself appeared, awkwardly squeezing through the doorway.

"Where should I put the flowers?"

"Flowers?" Sonya grinned and smoothly walked around the desk to the courier. She plucked the envelope from the bouquet and opened it. After reading the first line of the letter, she took a deep breath and crumpled the paper in her hand. "Throw it away."

"Really?" the man asked, shocked.

"Well, if you want, you can shove them up the sender's ass..." Pedersen replied, returning to her chair and tossing Jake's apology letter into the trash.

"Um... I'd better just throw it away. Sign here."

Sonya scribbled a flourish on the document she held out and watched the courier leave.

"How trite, Mr. Holland..." Sonya drawled mockingly, turning in her chair.

She snatched her phone from the table and quickly typed out a message.

Sonya: "Nice try, Holland. Be home around 5 PM, I'll send Tony to pick up my things."

Delivered.

Smirking, she tried to put her phone back in her pocket, but it vibrated, alerting her to an incoming call. Thinking it was probably Jake calling, she rolled her eyes wearily. But glancing at the screen, she quickly answered the call from her friend.

"Hi" a strange rustling sound came from the phone, followed by Charlotte's raspy voice. "How are you? I didn't even hear what time you left..."

"Hey" Sonya replied, smiling. "I feel like I got hit on the head with something heavy last night... Oh, I completely forgot about Jake..."

"Or maybe it was the eight shots of vodka..." her friend replied mockingly. "Do you even remember you have a meeting at Police Place today?"

"Fuck..." Sonya cursed, completely oblivious. "Can't I cancel? I just wanted to move my stuff... I doubt I'll be free before 8..."

"Where did that determined Pedersen go, the one who picked up all the girls at the bar last night?" Sonya, remembering her antics from the previous evening, shamefacedly covered her face with her hand. "Besides, you have plenty of assistants. If you want, I'll stop by myself and pick up everything I can carry, even if it doesn't belong to you, but to your crazy husband... And I'll tell him, to his... face, everything I think about him! And, mind you, I don't intend to mince my words!"

Her friend's determined voice elicited a hoarse, cheerful laugh from Sonya. Charlotte was a person of words, Sonya knew that for sure.

"Okay, I'd appreciate it," she conceded. "I'll tell Tony to bring you the keys. You know my new address..."

"Of course, I was the one who found this lovely little place..." Charlotte drawled contentedly. "And you, be at Police Place at 8. Faye promised to send the cutest girl... By the way, I grabbed that bartender's number, just in case you decide to join our ranks later."

"You're so thoughtful..." Sonya replied mockingly. "Okay, I'll go shopping, I can't go in what I'm wearing now..."

"Okay."

After saying goodbye to her friend, Pedersen went down to the underground garage to her car. Pulling onto the highway, she smiled at the sudden, wild idea that had struck her. She dialed Engfa's number using voice search and listened to the beeps.

"Hi, Sonya" Fa answered cheerfully a couple of minutes later.

"Hi, Fa. Are you free now?" Receiving a positive answer, Pedersen smiled contentedly and smoothly changed lanes, intending to park at a small café next to the shopping center. "I need your help... Come to Jordan Street in half an hour. I'll be waiting for you at the café on the corner."

"Okay" Fa agreed without further ado.

Hanging up, Sonya slowly got out of the car, heading into the café. Ordering a latte, she made herself comfortable at a table by the window. The people hurrying down the street brought a slight smirk to the girl's beautiful face, but it quickly disappeared as soon as she spotted Lookmhee heading toward the café entrance. A gentle breeze blew her dark hair, shimmering in the bright sunlight, slightly tangling it and creating a slight swirl in her hair. This time, she was wearing a white sports T-shirt, a loose, translucent black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, dark blue jeans with holes in them, and white Converse. Unlike their previous encounter, Lookmhee now looked more like a carefree student skipping classes... Sonya quickly averted her curious gaze as soon as the brunette burst into the café with the distinctive ringing of doorbells.

"I'm getting ready. I just popped in for coffee... Yes, Faye, I'll definitely call you back." Lookmhee hung up, looking around for an empty table.

Frowning in displeasure when the only available table was by the display case, across from woman who was studying the menu with interest, her nose practically buried in it. Lookmhee sighed deeply and sat down, staring at her neighbor's back. Everything about the stranger seemed familiar. She glanced at the girl's slender neck and high ponytail.

"Are you ready to order?" Lookmhee looked thoughtfully away from her neighbor, turning her gaze to the waiter who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Latte and pancakes with cherry jam."

Sonya smiled slightly, sipping her drink, relieved to no longer feel those piercing hazel eyes on her back. She wondered if Lookmhee recognized her. Her friend's cheerful voice pulled her from her thoughts, immediately plopping down into the chair next to Sonya and then kissing her warmly on the cheek, leaving a faint trace of cherry lipstick.

Lookmhee strained her ears, trying to follow the girl's voice, but the girl spoke in a half-whisper, making it impossible to discern. Abandoning this futile attempt, the brunette sipped her hot drink and began to cut up her pancakes with her cutlery.

"What's the secret, Pedersen?" Engfa glanced slightly at the girl at the next table, watching her with interest.

Catching the brunette's gaze, Lookmhee raised an eyebrow in confusion, then smiled with a confused smile. "That girl..." Sonya's voice dropped to a whisper. "The one I saw at Police Place... Lookmhee... Well, I told you..."

"Oh, shit!" Engfa giggled in confusion, looking down at the coffee mug the waiter had politely brought for Sonya. "And damn, she's fine... Austin wasn't lying when she said Faye has the most beautiful girls in town... So, what kind of help do you need from me?"

"It's like ..." Sonya felt awkward starting the conversation, anticipating Engfa's outrage at not telling her everything yesterday. "Jake hit me, and I decided... to move out."

"What?!" Fa's mouth dropped open in surprise, setting her drink aside. "Is he completely nuts?"

Pedersen ostentatiously rolled up her sleeves, revealing the bruises on her wrists to her friend's worried gaze.

"So... I decided to move out of his place and then announce the divorce" Sonya continued.

"That's right, it's high time" the brunette agreed, casting a sly glance at Lookmhee's pensive face.

The waiter brought her out of her reverie by handing her the bill. After paying, the brunette rose from the table and, walking around to the other side, casually brushed Sonya's elbow with her hand.

"Sorry..." Lookmhee apologized, peering closely at the girl's profile, but Sonya merely nodded approvingly and covered her face with her hand, rubbing her temples with her fingertips.

With a grin, the brunette quickly left the café, heading for the silver Lexus ES 350 parked across the street.

"And she makes a good money..." Fa replied mockingly, looking at Sonya's flushed face. "What was that all about?"

"Do you think she recognized me?" Sonya asked hopefully.

"I think so... So your childish behavior was inappropriate..." the brunette replied reproachfully.

"Oh, shit..." Sonya muttered resignedly. "Now she thinks I'm avoiding her..."

Engfa shook her head mockingly, completely unsure of Sonya's behavior.

"I can't even imagine what would have happened to you if you'd slept with her..."

At these words, Sonya smiled shyly and lightly nudged her friend's shoulder. "We've completely gotten away from what I wanted to ask you..." Sonya pulled duplicate keys from her purse and handed them to Engfa. "If you don't mind, could you help Tony get my things from the mansion... I'll be sure to return the favor, Fa"

"No problem, Son. That's what friends are for" her friend replied, smiling. She quickly tucked the keys into her jacket's top pocket.

"Thank you." Pedersen gave her friend a grateful hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Tony will be expecting you at five..."

"Okay."

 

*******************************

 

"Sonya, I'd like to..." Jake trailed off, staring in surprise at Charlotte's frowning face.

"Oh, no way." The girl gave him a dismissive look and, pushing him in the chest, brazenly walked into the house.

She looked around, trying to remember where Sonya's room was, but it was difficult. So, after circling the living room, she stopped and glared at the man, dumbfounded by such impudence.

"I came to get Sonya's things" the girl replied sternly. "If you don't want me to take anything of yours, take me to her room."

Jake shook his head, coming to his senses, blinking rapidly, trying to hide the tears gathering. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers and silently nodded toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

"Upstairs, far right." Charlotte stared in surprise at the upset man, who had plopped down wearily in a chair, burying his face in his hands.

"Um...thanks" Charlotte said, looking back at Jake in confusion.

She even felt a little sorry for him, but no matter how much pity she felt for him, it didn't excuse him or the way he'd treated Sonya. So, shaking her head indignantly, she quickly went up to the second floor and, going into her friend's room, pulled a huge suitcase out of the closet, immediately starting to load it with Sonya's things. Jake, after sitting in the living room for a while, abruptly stood up and walked out of the house, slamming the front door, leaving Charlotte completely alone...

"Where the fuck are they?" Engfa frantically dug through her pockets, trying to find her keys. "Sonya's going to kill me."

Remembering she'd transferred them to her backpack, Fa slipped it off her shoulder and pulled a set of keys from her front pocket. She opened the door with them and timidly entered the house, glancing around. The last thing she wanted was to run into Jake Holland. Unlike Charlotte, she spent more time at Sonya's, so finding her room wasn't particularly difficult, but the presence of someone in it made her tense and hesitantly push the door forward, taking a deep breath. Noticing her friend fussing over her suitcase, Fa froze in shock, momentarily forgetting how to breathe.

"Tony, you're just in time. Help me find something to cram the rest of Sonya's things into." Charlotte answered without turning around. She'd heard someone enter and assumed it was Sonya's secretary who'd promised to come to her aid.

"Hi." Engfa's quiet voice made Charlotte sit up abruptly, dropping her shoes.

"Well, Pedersen... I'll fix you later." The brunette turned to Engfa and smiled sheepishly. "Hi. Apparently, she asked you to help Tony too?"

Fa nodded, confused, sitting on the edge of the bed, and Char followed suit. An awkward silence fell.

"Well, that's even better..." Char was the first to break the silence. "We needed to meet and talk sooner or later. We're friends after all, and... I miss our get-togethers and you like crazy...

"Me too..." Fa replied quietly, covering Charlotte's hand with her own. "I miss you, but your feelings..."

"They didn't stop us from being friends, did they? So why not just continue living like this..." Charlotte replied, a little tensely. "And feelings, oh, they'll pass sooner or later... I'll move on to someone else, and everything will be like before..."

"I don't want you to move on..."

Austin raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking back at Engfa, who was flushed with embarrassment.

"Excuse me?"

"I want things to stay the way they are because you... I like you too" Engfa replied timidly, biting her cheeks to hide the silly smile that was threatening to appear on her face. Especially from the shocked expression on Charlotte's face, who swallowed nervously, her confused gaze falling on her friend's thin, bitten lips.

"Are you kidding?" Austin blurted out, to which Fa shook her head.

"Just give me time to get used to this..."

Smiling happily, Charlotte squeezed the girl's fingers in her own and abruptly rose from the bed, pulling her friend up with her.

"Then why are you sitting there? Let's go pack Sonya's clothes, and then we'll go somewhere and celebrate!"

Nodding approvingly, Waraha slapped Charlotte's butt and quickly hid behind the closet partition, eliciting an infectious laugh from the brunette and a volley of sparkling jibes, just like old times. It seemed the ice was gradually melting, and the previous tension was fading into the background, replaced by carefree joy. And this small step Engfa took gave birth to something greater. At least, that's what both girls thought, lost in their thoughts and smiling at the thought of being together again...

 

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

This time, everything was different. Sonya was amazed at the confidence with which she stepped into the hotel elevator to reach the desired floor. It wasn't just that she looked absolutely stunning: in a chic, light lilac dress with a low back, hugging her chiseled figure, and evening makeup concealing the traces of yesterday's "beatings." It was that nothing was stopping her now, she was absolutely certain she was doing the right thing, that she truly wanted this. But all that confidence vanished as soon as her gaze caught the sign with the number "315." Her heart sank treacherously, sinking slowly into her heels, and her palms grew uncomfortably sweaty. Sonya sighed heavily, looking down at the door lock. Fishing her key card from her clutch, she slid it through the lock and timidly pushed the door open...

"Lookmhee?" The girl froze, staring at the hazel-eyed beauty, who instantly rose from the bed, betraying her nervousness.

Embarrassed that Sonya had caught her off guard, the brunette instantly assumed a calm demeanor and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Hello, Sonya..."

The brunette's pleasant, vein-tingling voice made Sonya's legs tremble. She couldn't have imagined that this time she would meet the girl who had excited and aroused her, the one who Sonya had been trying to forget since their last meeting.

"Aren't you glad to see me? Did you want to see someone else?" Lookmhee tensed, nervously hiding her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

"I'm glad, it's just a little unexpected..." Sonya replied sheepishly, looking down at the beige, shaggy rug beneath her feet, confused.

"And I'm glad you finally decided to give it another try. Make yourself comfortable... I'll get us some drinks." Lookmhee smiled contentedly, stepping confidently around the girl and heading for the minibar. She poured champagne into glasses, while Sonya timidly settled on the edge of the king-size bed, setting her clutch aside. "How's your husband doing?"

"I have no idea... We had a little fight yesterday." Pedersen unconsciously pinched the bridge of her nose, letting Lookmhee know the topic she'd just broached was unpleasant for her. But despite the awkward silence that had descended between them, Sonya decided to continue. "I'm going to file for divorce..."

Lookmhee raised an eyebrow in surprise, feeling a strange sense of relief and... joy? She settled down across from the girl and handed her a filled glass.

"So you finally realized your marriage is a cage and decided to break out?"

Sonya nodded silently, picking up the glass from the brunette's hands, their fingers gently brushing. Lookmhee felt a little nervous at the touch; she sipped some champagne, licking her plump lips with her tongue, while brown eyes gazed curiously at her...

"You made me reconsider some of my priorities" Sonya continued, taking a sip of her drink. "For too long, I lived as if Jake and I were a family, as if I had to adapt to him... But then, suddenly, everything changed... I looked at how he runs our company, at the people who run it, and I realized I didn't agree with him. He and his friends are dragging us down. It's the same in our relationship... I think it will be easier for me to cope with all of this alone. Who knows, maybe the time will come when I'll meet someone I'll even love. I want to change my life... A-a-a.nd.. I want..." The girl moved slightly closer to Lookmhee, causing the latter to involuntarily lean forward, her gaze fixed on the sweet moles on Sonya's nose, feeling a 220-volt current coursing through her veins from such closeness. "So that you can teach me to feel..."

"Are you absolutely sure you want this?" Lookmhee set her glass aside and looked intently into her brown eyes.

"I guess if I've decided to do something so crazy a second time, then yes." Sonya's shyness faded into the background, and she nodded confidently, her gaze resting on the brunette's plump lips. "What do I need to do?"

"Nothing... I'll do it myself."

The brunette cautiously moved closer to Sonya and leaned in for a kiss, but the girl pulled away slightly, a little shyly, causing confusion to appear on Lookmhee's beautiful face. All her confidence instantly vanished, and Pedersen now looked more like a frightened little girl. Lookmhee was once again surprised by the girl's rapid changeability and decided to act a little differently.

"Are you afraid?" the hazel-eyed girl asked quietly, keeping constant contact with the brown ones, which were now looking at her with a slightly frightened and somewhat childish naiveté. This touched Lookmhee a little and she carefully took Sonya's hand in her warm palms, lightly stroking it with her fingertips, calming her.

"A little... I'm afraid.. that i'm so... cold..." the girl replied, nervously biting her lip.

"That's not true. I'll show you..." Lookmhee herself became a little nervous, experiencing this kind of psychologically repressed sexual state for the first time. She began to fear that she wouldn't be able to give Sonya what she had come for, wouldn't be able to help her open up. These thoughts oppressed Lookmhee.

The girl nervously sipped champagne from her glass and rose from the bed, releasing Sonya's hand.

"You need to relax and let go of your fear, okay?"

Pedersen nodded affirmatively, watching Lookmhee unbutton her shirt, button by button and carefully place it on the chair by the window, remaining in her white tank top. The girl swallowed nervously, her gaze darting over the brunette, stopping at the mounds protruding from beneath the light fabric. Lookmhee was braless... But Sonya's embarrassment escaped Lookmhee's serious gaze; she sat down in the chair and elegantly crossed her legs.

"Listen, Sonya... I won't touch you until you want me to... So, we'll do it a little differently... Promise you'll listen to me..."

"What are you going to do?" Pedersen tensed slightly, straightened her back, and interlaced her fingers in her lap, completely blocking the brunette out with this gesture and causing a slight smirk to play on her lips.

"I'll help you open up... You asked me to teach you how to feel..." Lookmhee replied quietly, casting a hazy, dark gaze over the girl.

She herself was quite turned on by what she was about to do to Sonya... More than the thought of sleeping with her. It was much deeper and more intimate than just heartless sex... And Pedersen was just the person with whom she could practice the skills Lookmhee had once learned from her first and only girlfriend...

"Okay... I'll obey" Sonya finally gave in.

Lookmhee smiled contentedly and settled more comfortably in the chair, her gaze resting on the girl's slender legs.

"Sonya..." Lookmhee said her name with such a sexy intonation that thousands of goosebumps ran smoothly across the girl's skin. "I want you to lie on your back."

The latter raised an eyebrow in surprise, but nevertheless did as the brunette instructed. She settled more comfortably on the soft bed, awaiting further "orders." Her obedience was arousing, and Lookmhee bit her lip contentedly and quietly continued:

"Your arms should lie freely by your sides."

Pedersen obediently followed this instruction as well...

"Close your eyes, Sonya..."

The girl tensed slightly, but after a few seconds, she closed her eyes, listening to everything around her, relying solely on her hearing, which had noticeably sharpened at that moment...

"And now..." Lookmhee swallowed nervously, her gaze greedily sliding over the girl's slender, bare legs, moving higher to her ample breasts, heaving with her heavy breathing. A taut knot instantly formed in her lower abdomen, completely capturing the brunette's subconscious. She tucked her legs under her and continued, her voice slightly hoarse, "Try to relax and think about something... pleasant and memorable, something that happened to you not long ago..."

Sonya took a deep breath and smiled.

"So... Pleasant and memorable..."

Nothing came to mind, and she tensed for a moment, but Lookmhee's sigh helped her decide and find THAT something pleasant and memorable.

"Meeting Lookmhee Punyapat..."

"I found it..." Sonya replied, concentrating on her own memories of those enchanting, chestnut-colored eyes and that sweet, charming smile, and those full, plump lips.

The room felt stuffy, despite the air conditioning...

"Good..." Lookmhee licked her dry lips. "Now listen to the sounds around you. What do you hear, Sonya?"

The girl froze...

"I hear..." Sonya trailed off. "The air conditioning... Also, someone's footsteps and... your even breathing..."

"The room is full of sounds, why do you hear my breathing?" Lookmhee tensed, feeling her insides tighten at the girl's words. This agonizing feeling was both terrifying and mesmerizing...

Sonya momentarily blushed, her cheeks flushing with shame. She ran her tongue over her nervously bitten lips and replied,

"Of all the sounds, I wanted to hear and isolate your breathing."

Lookmhee swallowed nervously, realizing she had just become a test subject in her own experiment.

"What else, Sonya? What do you hear now?" Her voice trembled treacherously as Lookmhee silently straightened up from the chair.

"I hear..." Sonya exhaled raggedly, her fingers clutching the fabric beneath her. "The ticking of the watch on your wrist... And the footsteps... your footsteps... Cautious, you walk so quietly... You're afraid to scare me, but I'm not afraid anymore... Your breath is getting closer..."

Lookmhee stopped opposite the headboard and looked at Sonya's calm, peaceful face, at her lush, fluttering eyelashes, her licked, tormented lips. She seemed defenseless, and at the same time, she exuded a sense of strength and power... Power over Lookmhee...

"What do you feel?" Lookmhee carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning slightly, hovering over Sonya.

"I feel the mattress shifting... You sat down next to me..." Sonya continued, feeling the brunette's hot breath on her face and froze.

"Go on..." the hazel-eyed woman whispered, practically against her lips.

"I can feel my heart beating in my chest, like... Fuck..." Sonya's mouth dropped open in surprise as Lookmhee barely brushed her finger along her collarbone.

"Don't stop, Sonya..."

These words sent the girl over the edge. She inhaled greedily, feeling a light, sweet heaviness in her lower abdomen...

"I can feel... Fuck..." Sonya bit her lip as Lookmhee's finger smoothly moved down the skin of her neck, to her ear, and back down to her collarbone. "The way you touch me..."

"Do you like how it feels?" Lookmhee whispered, her lips barely brushing Sonya's parted lips.

"Very... It's... So... Unusual..." the girl replied on an exhale, feeling the brunette's fingers glide weightlessly down her shoulders to her wrists, drawing something on her open palm.

"Describe it..." Lookmhee pulled back slightly, then lowered herself to the girl's neck, caressing it with her hot breath...

"It's... like..." Sonya tilted her head back, exposing her neck. "Like a swarm of butterflies... Down there, in the pit of my stomach... It's magical..."

"And now it's all up to you... Do you want to go further..." Lookmhee paused, hovering over Sonya's face and peering into the fluttering eyelashes on her closed eyelids, from under which wet streaks of tears were visible. Her heart sank treacherously, and the brunette barely managed to resist the urge to gather them with her lips, but that would have meant there was something more between them than what they were here for now, and Lookmhee couldn't allow that... Anyone, but not her. "Open your eyes..."

Sonya bit her lip nervously, slowly parting her tear-stuck eyelashes, meeting her brown eyes with the dark hazel ones. Her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively touched the brunette's face and ran her thumb over her plump, soft lips.

"Kiss me..." Sonya said in a half-whisper, her gaze fixed on the girl's lips.

Lookmhee exhaled quietly and, looking into the girl's eyes, carefully pressed her lips to hers. The kiss was gentle, restrained, superficial, which made it seem more sensual and desirable to the brunette. Thoughts she had been avoiding and suppressing all this time rushed into her head. She closed her eyes and moaned helplessly into the girl's lips, biting them with her teeth and pulling them toward herself.

"What's wrong with you?" Pedersen broke the kiss, looking worriedly into the brunette's dark hazel eyes, hazed with passion.

"It's okay, Sonya..." Lookmhee whispered, leaning down to the girl's face and capturing her mouth with another, slightly rough and vulgar kiss, drawing a surprised sigh from the girl's lips.

Sonya carefully wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and pulled her closer, wanting to feel the warmth of her heated body. Despite the furious way Lookmhee tormented her lips, Sonya enjoyed it; she hadn't lost her tenderness, her sensuality, which instantly ignited new, head-spinning feelings in her. But the brunette's next step made her pull away slightly and press her head into the pillow. Lookmhee, in a fit of passion, ran a hot palm down the girl's inner thigh, not having prepared her for it. And even though it was somewhat pleasant, Sonya felt shy and squeezed her legs tightly together...

"Shhhh..." Lookmhee whispered, realizing her mistake, kissing the brown-eyed girl's nose tenderly. "Just trust me... I won't hurt you. If you don't like something, tell me, and I'll stop..."

Sonya took a deep breath and timidly nodded her head in agreement. Lookmhee carefully leaned down and began to cover the girl's neck with gentle kisses, while her hands slowly continued their journey under the folds of her dress, exploring and caressing every inch of the girl's skin. She distinctly felt the goosebumps on Sonya's sides with her fingertips, continuing to trace them upwards... Sonya sighed sharply as Lookmhee ran her tongue down her neck, leaving a wet trail, and her plump lips closed over her earlobe. She nipped at it lightly, causing the girl beneath her to moan sweetly, her fingers clutching the sheets. Lookmhee was surprised by Sonya's reaction to such a casual caress, but she didn't show it. She slowly moved down, continuing to kiss the girl's collarbones while her fingers carefully hooked the straps of her dress and tugged them down. Sonya tensed, but allowed the brunette to remove the unnecessary fabric, revealing herself completely naked to the hazel-eyed girl's languid gaze, save for a pair of translucent white panties, which Lookmhee had decided to hold off on. A bashful blush covered the brown-eyed girl's cheeks, and she bit her lip and turned her face away.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You're perfect..." Lookmhee replied quietly, admiring the girl's luxurious curves and lush, goosebump-covered breasts. "Look at me..."

Sonya's gaze returned to the brunette's beautiful face and froze. Lookmhee hooked her graceful fingers under the edges of her tank top and slowly pulled it up, revealing her flat, tanned stomach and neat, firm breasts... Pulling the fabric aside, Loookmhee gazed tenderly at the completely bashful girl, who shyly studied her body...

"Don't be afraid... You can touch me..." the brunette whispered, straddling Sonya's hips.

Sonya hesitantly reached her fingers toward Lookmhee's collarbones, but the latter intercepted her hand and pressed it just above her chest, allowing the girl to feel her heartbeat...

"Are you nervous?" Sonya asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Yes, just like you... But for some reason, this only happens to me now, with you..." Lookmhee replied, leaning closer to the girl's face and looking into her eyes. "You're special, Sonya... You're so damn sexy... You just have to believe it... And I'm sure you'll drive many people crazy, just like you're driving me crazy right now..."

Giving in to an impulse, Sonya wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and pulled her close, covering her plump, sweet lips with her own, crushing them, nibbling and playing with her tongue, thereby muffling her ecstatic moans. Lookmhee gently unclasped Sonyas bra, tossing it away and almost weightlessly ran her palm up the girl's stomach, covering and gently squeezing her firm breasts. Sonya exhaled sharply, tangling her fingers in dark locks and closing her eyelids in pleasure as Lookmhee ran her tongue along her collarbones before caressing the nipples, hardened by arousal...

The way the Sonya's body, unaccustomed to such caresses, responded was maddening... Lookmhee discreetly squeezed the girl's breast with her hand, trying to resist the maddening urge to take her roughly right then and there, like every other woman before her... The scent of Sonya's heated skin was more intoxicating than the champagne Lookmhee had drunk; she was so absorbed in covering the girl's body with passionate, slightly rough kisses that she didn't immediately notice that Sonya had clasped her legs as Lookmhee lowered herself impermissibly low... The hazel-eyed woman was a little surprised, but remembering how Jake had treated Sonya, she sympathetically rose back up, kissing her lips and helping her relax again...

"Don't be afraid of anything..." Lookmhee whispered in her ear, carefully taking off Sonya's panties and sliding her hot palm back up the girl's inner thigh.

Sonya nodded approvingly, immediately feeling the brunette's graceful fingers between her legs. Lookmhee slowly ran them up and down, watching the girl's reaction. Sonya exhaled loudly and threw her head back...

"Do you like it?" Lookmhee whispered, feeling the girl's wetness on her fingers.

"Fuck... Don't stop..." Sonya moaned softly, arching her back with every movement. "It's... it feels so good..."

Lookmhee smiled contentedly, rising and kissing the girl on the lips and entered her with one finger.. then added another. With each touch of their naked bodies, Sonya pressed herself closer to Lookmhee, tangling her hands in her hair... It became hot, wet, and the kisses became rougher... Their ragged breaths mingled in silence. These new sensations made the girl want to burst into tears right then and there, but she bit her lip, feeling something wash over her like a wave. The girl moaned sweetly and went limp in the brunette's arms, trembling, as her orgazm crashed through her in waves... Tears burst forth in a treacherous stream, and Sonya buried her face in Lookmhee's neck, sobbing quietly...

"Quiet." The hazel-eyed woman ran a confused hand through the girl's slightly tousled hair, trying to calm her down...

"Is that what I think it is?" Sonya looked at the brunette's face through tear-stained eyes, receiving an affirmative nod in response.

"This is just a small part of what you're about to learn... There are many more ways, you just need to stop being afraid..." Lookmhee kissed her temple lightly and released the girl, causing confusion to appear on her face. "I have to go..."

In reality, it was completely different. But for Lookmhee, staying now means accepting the fact that she has feelings for Sonya that she's been running from and successfully suppressing...

"Why? Where to?" Sonya propped herself up on her elbows,covering herself with sheets, watching as the brunette put on a tank top and then threw a shirt over it.

"I have a meeting with another client, sorry..." Lookmhee lied, hiding her confused gaze from the inquisitive brown eyes...

"Damn, you're the one who's sorry..." Coming to her senses, Sonya got out of bed, wiping away her tears and putting on her slightly wrinkled dress. She quickly reached into her clutch for money. "How much should I..."

The door clicked... Sonya looked around, stunned. Lookmhee had simply left without a word, leaving Sonya with an unpleasant aftertaste and other strange new feelings... With a disgruntled snort, Sonya fixed her hair and hurried out of the room, angry at herself and her own naivety. What had she expected? That after what had happened, Lookmhee would now be her property? The fact that Lookmhee didn't even bother to accept her money not only infuriated her, but also felt more like a handout from the hazel-eyed girl, completely ruining the impression of their... lovemaking? Sex? Sonya slammed the door of her Audi loudly and, without bothering to buckle up, hurried out of the parking lot with the serious intention of meeting Faye in a few days and talking to one of her girls...

 

******************************

 

"So... maybe you'll come back?" Charlotte looked timidly into her friend's eyes, stroking the back of her hand with the pad of her thumb.

Engfa bit her lip thoughtfully. On the one hand, she desperately wanted to go back, but on the other... This whole situation they'd been facing, how their current relationship had changed and reflected it, hadn't allowed her to do so yet.

"I'd love to, really..." She froze under Charlotte's intense gaze. "But it's not time yet, Char. We need to get used to it... Um..." Fa smiled sheepishly, revealing a row of beautiful, snow-white teeth. "That we're more than just friends now..."

"Okay..." the girl replied, nodding understandingly. She smiled back charmingly, thus defusing the tense atmosphere. "I'll wait as long as it takes... But..." the words made Fa tense with apprehension, eliciting a chuckle from Charlotte. "Don't take too long, before your room gets covered in dirt and moss..."

"Don't tell me you haven't cleaned it since I left?" Fa feigned a frown, adopting her most menacing expression.

"Well... You see..." Charlotte blushed noticeably, averting her shy gaze. "Oh, and by the way, there's Sonya!"

Engfa turned toward the bar entrance, her gaze catching the familiar figure of her friend. She smoothly skirted the occupied tables before stopping opposite them and smiling contentedly.

"When Charlotte called me and told me you two were here, I didn't believe it at first." Sonya sat down at the table, setting her clutch on its edge. "But now, I can be completely proud of myself..."

"You're going to get in trouble for this..." Charlotte interrupted Sonya in a warning tone.

"Oh, no, you're welcome" Sonya joked, settling more comfortably and leaning back in her chair. "Oh, my God, you're so cute when you're together..."

"Pedersen, you're walking on eggshells..." Fa replied, frowning. "By the way, Char told me something while you were gone..."

Engfa's eyebrows twitched comically, smoothly changing the subject. Sonya chuckled, lifting the corner of her lips slightly and hiding her embarrassed gaze in her menu...

"Well, don't keep me in suspense..." Charlotte chimed in, rubbing her hands in anticipation. "Don't tell me you didn't get past the conversation this time either..."

Pedersen burst into laughter, watching her friends' expressions. She gave her order to the waiter and hesitantly began her story:

"No, this time it all happened..."

"YES!" Char cried joyfully, hugging Fa and kissing her on the cheek. "Finally! Come on, tell me how it all went, in every detail!"

"It was..." Sonya bit her lip. "Cool."

"Oh yeah, you're a great storyteller..." Fa replied, whistling discontentedly. Char nodded in agreement. "Details, Pedersen, we just need details..."

"I came to the room, and Lookmhee was waiting for me... To be honest, I was a little surprised to see her again..." Sonya sheepishly licked her dry lips and hid her confused gaze in the glass of whiskey the waiter had brought her a couple of minutes ago.

"Oh, Lookmhee-ah..." Fa drawled, smiling like a Cheshire cat, earning a puzzled, piercing look from Char. Pretending to cough into her fist, the brunette hurried to explain "We saw her this morning at the cafe, she's quite nice..."

"Nice, you say...?" Char narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Shh, let's hear Sonya out" Fa replied, smiling apologetically.

Sonya raised an eyebrow in surprise and, once everyone's attention was focused on her again, continued:

"She didn't pressure me, but rather, in a way, I wanted her, I wanted her touch... They were so gentle... Damn..." Sonya suddenly felt a delicious tightening inside her at the memory of their intimacy, and a new wave of desire surged deep down. She shifted in confusion, surprised by how her body reacted to the mere thought of the hazel-eyed brunette. These feelings were intoxicating and at the same time terrifying, because Sonya had absolutely no idea how to cope with them now...

"It was like flying... Like something weightless... And I've never felt so good..." her expression changed abruptly, recalling the most unpleasant moment of their encounter. "And then she went to another client and didn't even bother to take her money... It was like she was doing THIS to me out of pity..."

"Hey! What's with all that?" Char moved closer, gently stroking Sonya's shoulder. "Maybe she was just late, or..."

"I need to meet her and give her the money. This is all wrong..." Sonya stated decisively, downing her shot. "I don't need her handouts."

Fa and Char exchanged puzzled glances. Seeking a change of subject, Char ordered another whiskey each.

"So, Sonya Pedersen, can we now officially consider you a member of our Lesbian Club?" her friend replied solemnly, trying to defuse the tension.

And it worked. Sonya smiled again and nodded approvingly.

"I'm probably rushing things, but Jessica asked to call her as soon as you're ready..." Austin fished a crumpled bar receipt out of her jacket pocket and handed it to the girl.

"Jessica?" Pedersen raised an eyebrow in surprise, studying the receipt and the phone number on it.

"That sexy bartender, remember? You flirted with her the other day when Faye and I were there..." Char trailed off, realizing she'd said too much.

She glanced confusedly at Fa, who sat there with a displeased frown. The girl gave her friend a meaningful look and drained her shot.

"Oh, I remember..." Sonya replied, confused, casting a guilty glance at Char's serious face. "And what am I supposed to do about it?"

"You liked her back then, right? Ask her out..." Fa replied nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened. She ran a soothing hand over Char's shoulder, instantly relieving the tension. The girl let out a sigh of relief.

"Invite her out for coffee, for example..." Char replied, raising her eyebrows comically.

"Okay, maybe sometime..." Sonya started to pocket the piece of paper with the number, but Charlotte intercepted it and shook her head.

"No, Pedersen, you'll do it right now. I wouldn't want you to miss such a great opportunity!"

"Something tells me Char likes this girl, not you," Fa joked, earning a friendly nudge from her friend.

Laughing cheerfully, Sonya fished her phone out of her clutch and typed out a message.

Sonya : "Hi, it's Sonya... That crazy girl from the bar, how about meeting up for coffee in a few days?"

"Are you happy?" Pedersen shoved her phone screen in Charlotte's face, to which her friend nodded approvingly.

Jessica: "It finally happened!))) I'd love to have coffee with you, Sonya..."

Sonya blushed shyly and quickly tucked her phone into her clutch.

"She agreed." Char high-fived Fa.

"What about Jake? When are you officially announcing the divorce?" Fa asked, ordering another drink from the waiter.

"As soon as Nicole gets the paperwork ready. I think by the end of this week," Sonya replied.

"Then..." Char raised her shot. "I have a toast! To freedom and a new addition to our club!"

The girls eagerly joined in, exchanging jokes and barbs. Sonya was mentally touched and overjoyed that their wild trio was reunited... It seemed like a thaw was beginning.

 

********************************

 

"What the hell is going on here?!" Lookmhee shouted over the loud music, stopping in front of the bar and staring at the tall stage with poles that had appeared out of nowhere in Faye's bar. "Don't tell me they're going to hold shows here now? Is that what I think it is?"

Faye turned to her friend and beamed, revealing her 32 brilliant teeth.

"One of the girls' sponsors organized this as a token of gratitude..." Peraya replied enthusiastically, turning her gaze back to the stagehands.

"Wow..." Lookmhee exhaled, her eyes mesmerized as she watched the gorgeous dancer in a revealing black leotard and short shorts leave the stage. "I think your bar has become my favorite spot in this city..."

"In that case, we'll have to tighten security at the entrance" her friend joked.

Lookmhee feigned offense, but the killer cocktail the bartender had just delivered momentarily distracted her.

"How did it go? Are you ready to move on now?" Faye asked, taking her friend's arm and leading her to a sofa in the corner of the bar.

Lookmhee exhaled sharply, sucking on her drink from the straw. She pinched the bridge of her nose, remembering Sonya's touch and her soft lips on hers, and the girl's soft skin, and her wet.... Her insides tightened treacherously... Putting the drink aside, she answered hesitantly:

"Damn, I don't know... With Sonya, everything was somehow different... I don't even know how to explain it, it felt like I was with a virgin, even though I wasn't... But Sonya is so pure and innocent... And because of that, I was incredibly gentle with her, and now... This feeling of care and tenderness won't leave me..."

"I know that feeling..." Faye replied, nodding understandingly. "It's called being in love."

"No!" Lookmhee snapped, instantly sitting up straight. "This is just another one of my pastimes, I just allowed myself to... relax..."

"So, there won't be a continuation of this story?" Faye scratched her head in confusion, and Lookmhee shook her head. "I'm asking because if Sonya suddenly wants to find you after all this..."

Lookmhee shrugged uncertainly. On the one hand, she wanted to see Sonya again, but on the other...

"Faye!" The girls simultaneously looked up at the trio approaching them.

Lookmhee's heart skipped a beat as she met the equally confused brown eyes... Charlotte settled down across from Lookmhee and Faye, followed by Fa and Sonya. Engfa glared at her "competitor" and sighed deeply, hiding her inner irritation. Faye, on the other hand, was taken aback by the sudden visit, but what most concerned her now wasn't Fa's stern gaze or the smile of a tipsy Charlotte, who had just hugged her, but the eye contact between Lookmhee and Sonya. The tension had noticeably increased.

"Hi..." Charlotte blurted out, casting an indifferent glance at the brunette sitting next to Faye. "Sorry for barging into your bar like that. Sonya just wanted to talk to one of your girls... Lookmhee, I think..."

Engfa nudged Charlotte in the ribs and pointed to the unfamiliar brunette. Char, realizing who was standing in front of her, looked a little embarrassed.

"Sonya, I..." Lookmhee looked away, confused.

"Let's go outside?" Sonya suggested, plucking up her courage and exchanging glances with her friends.

Lookmhee nodded approvingly and followed Sonya out from behind the table. The girls walked to the opposite side of the bar and settled into a small table in the corner, hidden from view by the stage. Lookmhee's gaze slid over the girl's bitten red lips and she took a shaky breath, still tasting them. Pedersen caught the brunette's gaze and excitedly licked her lips. The hazel-eyed girl, as if returning from her memories to reality, looked expectantly at Sonya. Her heart pounded in her chest, and the girl's calm and decisiveness were frightening.

"You wanted to talk?" Lookmhee replied, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Sonya perked up, adjusted the slipped strap of her dress on her shoulder, awakening memories of their intimacy in Lookmhee, and opened her clutch.

"Yes, you left too quickly and... I didn't have time to pay you" Sonya began sheepishly, counting out bills in her wallet.

"I don't need your money," Lookmhee replied sternly, earning an indignant look from Sonya.

"You did your job" Sonya began, her voice firm, the same one she uses to reprimand her subordinates. "I want to pay you. Please take it."

She placed about two thousand on the lacquered desk top and pushed them toward Lookmhee.

"That's not necessary, Sonya..."

"I don't need your handouts, Lookmhee! And pity sex, either..." she interrupted the brunette sternly. "Take the damn money! If that's not enough, just say the word..."

"Pity?! What are you talking about?!" the brunette was indignant.

"Isn't that true? And I, fool, allowed myself to get emotional because... because I've never experienced anything like this..." Tears welled up in Sonya's eyes, and Lookmhee sighed sharply, feeling guilt and a painful stab in her heart.

"I wanted this exactly as much as you did, Sonya... I just couldn't, it wasn't right..."

"It wasn't right to leave me like that... You ruined all the memories of... what we had..." the girl replied, her voice trembling, wiping away her tears.

"Okay, I'll take the money if it makes you feel better" Lookmhee replied quietly, reaching out to take Sonya's hand, but the latter pulled it away and stood up from the table.

Glancing down at the brunette's beautiful face in confusion, Pedersen hurriedly left the bar. Her friends' curious glances caught her attention; they quickly followed, leaving the bar owner perplexed.

"What happened?" Faye asked, excitedly, joining Lookmhee at the table.

"She came to give me that damn money and accused me of sleeping with her out of pity..." Lookmhee replied, shaking her head sadly. "And you still wanted a continuation of our story?"

Faye shook her head indignantly and put an arm around Lookmhee's shoulders. Despite the brunette's outward calm, she was visibly agitated by Sonya's appearance, a fact that didn't escape her friend's watchful eye.

"She'll recover."

"I know..." Lookmhee replied quietly, rising from the table and heading toward the exit. "How disgusting it is to be the cause of someone's tears..."

"Maybe it's time to be the cause of someone's joy?"

The brunette smiled faintly and left the bar, heading toward her car...

 

To Be Continued...