Page 21 of Playing with Forever (Players Club Sinners #1)
Chase
T he major upside to working with as many wealthy clients as we did was that they often gave us guys some pretty great perks.
Like tickets to a sold out concert, or an evening out at a Michelin star restaurant, or front row seats to a sporting event.
People tended to be grateful, and generous, when they knew you were the one saving their life and keeping them safe, and so gifts were pretty normal and commonplace.
This time, Ford had been given a group gift card for one of those indoor skydiving places, so a bunch of us guys from the office were going. Sutton bowed out because he was the enemy of fun and Kane was on a job so couldn’t attend, which left two slots open.
If any of you know anyone who would be interested in joining on Sunday, let me know! Ford told the group chat.
When no one replied, my mind went to places it shouldn’t have, and before I could change my mind I sent a message back to Ford. Is it okay if I invite a friend and her sister? Or do you want this to be a guys only event?
Hey, I’m all good, as long as they like skydiving!
I hadn’t seen Andrea since that night at the club.
We texted, and even though she’d followed through on my request for her to message me when she got home after work, I saw this as the perfect excuse to see her outside of the club and establish more of a friendship between us, so that when we went our separate ways, we’d at least have that to fall back on. Or so I told myself.
I asked Andrea if her and Violet would like to join us, and she replied fairly quickly, and enthusiastically.
We’d love to! I’ll admit I’m a little nervous, but Violet is totally into that kind of thing. Nothing rattles her. I think she’s a little bit of an adrenaline junkie.
I found myself grinning stupidly as I replied back. Then she’ll fit right in, I assured her.
When we all met up at the skydiving place that Sunday, I couldn’t stand how adorable Andrea looked as she bounded toward where I was waiting for her, outside of the event, her high ponytail swishing from side to side as she beamed at me.
She was wearing practical, form-fitting clothes that would work well for the activity, and I couldn’t help but notice how well her jeans fit her curves, not to mention the way her t-shirt outlined her breasts.
Next to her was the woman I assumed was her half-sister, Violet, who looked like a throwback from the 50’s in a pair of high waisted pants that ended mid-calf—pedal pushers I was pretty sure they were called—and a halter style top with a polka dot print.
The cute outfit totally contradicted the don’t fucking mess with me, tough chick vibes radiating off her.
She and Andrea did look similar in terms of their facial features, though Violet’s hair was more blonde than brown, unlike Andrea’s.
Their height was about the same, but I was good at reading people and there was a definite edge to Violet that I immediately sensed.
The word rebellious came to mind. And maybe even cut-throat if the need arose.
While Andrea came across as guileless and trusting, gregarious even, when she wasn’t being a brat and pushing my buttons, her sister appeared far more guarded and gave me the impression that she wasn’t someone who took shit from anyone.
Her gaze was sharp and assessing, sizing me up in a way that was direct and unapologetic as the two of them approached me.
As soon as the two of them finally reached me, Andrea introduced me to her sister. I shook Violet’s hand, we did the whole “nice to meet you” spiel, and I wasn’t surprised that she had a strong, unflinching grip to go with that tough exterior attitude.
“Thanks for inviting us,” Andrea said, looking up at me with the sweetest smile that did stupid things to my heart rate.
“Of course. But wait until you meet the other guys before you actually thank me,” I teased, opening the door and ushering the women in.
“I’ve been dying to meet you all,” Violet said, brushing past me with a little side-eye. “See the guy Andrea’s told me about and make sure he’s good enough for my sister.”
Andrea elbowed her sister in the side. “Vi, stop,” she hissed in mortification.
“What?” Violet gave her a wide-eyed innocent look that was far from angelic. “What are sisters for if they can’t look after one another and make a man sweat a little?”
I barely held back my chuckle. I could appreciate Violet’s protective tendencies. Was I good enough for Andrea? For our short term agreement, yeah, I could give her everything she wanted and needed to navigate her way through a BDSM lifestyle…and that’s all that really mattered.
The other guys were already inside, and I quickly introduced each of them: Austin, Tate, Xavier, Archer, and of course Ford who had the gift card.
Austin already knew Andrea and was happy to chat with her. The others were polite, but I could see they were intrigued by the fact that I’d invited not just one woman, but two to this outing. I was sure I was going to take shit for that later, when the girls were gone.
We checked in, changed into our flight suits and attended a quick orientation.
Most of us guys were experienced and had been there before, so it was mostly for the girls’ benefit.
They stood up front with the instructor, and while they learned the basics of indoor skydiving and asked questions Ford came up beside me.
“So, who’s the person with Andrea again?” he asked in a low voice, sounding confused.
“Violet, her half-sister.”
His brow furrowed a bit more. “I thought Madison was Andrea’s sister. Austin told me about her.”
“Yeah, so Andrea and Madison are full sisters, same parents,” I said, telling him what I knew. “I guess their dad wasn’t the best and, uh, fucked around in more ways than one. Violet happened. But the two of them are really close, no resentment or anything. They actually live together.”
“That’s great it worked out that way.” Ford shifted his gaze to Violet, and I didn’t miss the interest etching his expression.
“I’d tell you she doesn’t bite, but I actually think she might,” I warned him. “She looks the type.”
Ford smirked. “Never been afraid of a little challenge.”
“Yeah…good luck with that one,” I said, suspecting he’d need it with Violet if he decided to pursue her.
“Okay,” the instructor said once the orientation ended, leading us to the skydiving chamber where we’d all take turns. “Who wants to go first?”
“Ladies first?” Austin goaded in a teasing tone.
“Hell yeah,” Violet said enthusiastically, grinning as she stepped forward, already putting her helmet on. “I’ll volunteer as tribute.”
“I told you. Total adrenaline junkie,” Andrea said to me with a laugh as the instructor helped stabilize Violet in the vertical wind tunnel, where strong gusts of wind created a sensation of floating in mid-air. “I’m nervous, but I’ll go next. This looks really fun.”
“Trust me, I think you’ll enjoy it.”
She glanced up at me. “Have you ever done this before?”
I nodded. “For real, actually.”
“Oh my God, of course you have.” Andrea rolled her eyes, but she was still grinning at me.
I grinned back, feeling something shift inside of me. Loosening and relaxing in a way that felt dangerously close to falling for her. Jesus, I was becoming a fucking sap where Andrea was concerned.
Ford came up to the two of us while we watched Violet learn to control her body position within the airflow.
“So, how long have you and Chase been…friends?” Ford asked Andrea conversationally.
I appreciated Ford’s tact. I hadn’t introduced her as my girlfriend to everyone, since, well, we weren’t dating and girlfriend signified exclusivity, which we’d never established—though I had to admit I’d probably fucking break any man’s arm who dared to touch her in any kind of intimate way.
But I honestly didn’t know what other damn word to use for what we were.
Hey this is the girl I’m doing BDSM with just sounded crass, so friends it was.
“We met back when we both lived in San Diego,” Andrea said as Violet whooped and hollered during her turn and Austin shamelessly egged her on while Tate filmed on his phone.
“We’re all kind of interconnected in a friend and family sort of way.
My sister, Madison, works for Chase’s mother, Jillian, at her interior design firm. ”
Ford grinned. “Ahh, the brilliant women behind all those specialty fantasy rooms at The Players Club. I gotta say, I’m kind of partial to the medical themed one. I’ve never tried it out, but I’m definitely…intrigued.”
Andrea blushed adorably. “Not really my thing, but I’m sure there’s some woman out there who has a kink for that.”
“Your turn, Andrea!” Violet called as her time in the wind tunnel ended.
Andrea exhaled a deep breath as she glanced up at me, sudden anxiety flickering in her eyes. “Okay, wish me luck.”
“You don’t need it,” I assured her. “You got this.”
She grinned at me and then hurried over to the instructor.
Violet walked over to Ford and me, removing her flight suit right in front of us while Ford stared at her as if she’d just done a strip tease for his eyes only.
Violet arched a brow at him as if to say, what the fuck are you looking at? , and he quickly glanced away.
I swallowed back a chuckle. I could see the immediate push-pull between these two, and it was comical.
We watched as the instructor positioned Andrea, and she let out a shriek when he released her and the gust of wind lifted her up, suspending her in the air. She glanced my way, grinning, and I gave her a thumbs up sign.
“So, you and Andrea have been seeing a lot of each other,” Violet said, her tone direct.
I met her gaze, just as direct. “Wow, I knew this interrogation was coming, but you really don’t waste time, do you?”