VICTORIOUS (A Quantum Novel)(64)

“What, honey?”

“That marrying you was the best thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”

“Awww, sweetheart, me, too.”

“A lot has happened since we met, and my life has changed completely—in some ways we both wish hadn’t happened. But even knowing what we do now about what was in store for us, I wouldn’t change a thing if it meant I got to be with you.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Sometimes I wonder if you rue the day your wildebeest led you to me.”

“Best day of my life. No question.”

“Mine, too, sweetheart. Mine, too.”





I’m as thrilled as Natalie to be out of the house and cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in the silver Mercedes sedan that will be hers when she gets her license. I’ve never given away one of my precious cars. It will be my pleasure to give this one to her.

“We need to schedule your road test. You’re ready.”

“Are you sure?”

“You’re doing a great job. You’d never know it’s been a while since you last drove.” I punch out a text to Addie asking her to get it booked for the week after the Oscars.

“I’m more comfortable than I was before.”

“While we’re on the subject of your comfort, I want to talk to you about the club.”

“What about it?”

“I want you to be prepared for what to expect there.”

“Okay…”

“It’s hard for me to talk about this because I’m so conditioned not to.”

“I understand the need for discretion.”

“It goes beyond discretion, as much as I appreciate that. You’ll see people there you know and like. You’ll see Marlowe possibly dressed in leather, brandishing a riding crop as she makes some dude her bitch. You’ll see Hayden and his ropes, and perhaps Kristian and Emmett and Jasper in a variety of scenarios.”

“You’ve mentioned they’re all members.”

“The thing is, you can’t look at them with any kind of judgment, no matter what they might be doing or how shocking it might be to you. The club is their place to let loose. It’s where they go to be totally themselves. Every single thing that happens there is done under the basic tenets of safe, sane and consensual. Everyone is there because they want to be, even if they’re on the receiving end of something that might look awful to you. Everyone who is inflicting painful pleasure is doing so with the utmost care and concern for their subs. We don’t let anyone in there who doesn’t believe these things to be the core values of our lifestyle.”

“I understand exactly what you’re saying.”

“I’m not accusing you of being judgmental or anything like that. You’ve been the opposite of judgmental, but this is still very new to you.”

“Will they mind that I’m there?”

“No, sweetheart, they’ll be thrilled to see you there and to know you’ve fully accepted me and my lifestyle. They’ll be happy for both of us and eager to share this part of our lives and our friendship with you.” I glance at her and find her pondering what I’ve said in that adorable, serious way of hers. “It’s hard to explain until you’re really part of it, but by sharing this aspect of our lives, our friendships are deeper and more meaningful. We give each other a safe harbor to get away from the insanity of our public lives. Taking you there will be one of the greatest thrills of my life.”

“Even if we don’t do anything?”

“We won’t do anything. Not there. Not tonight. That’s something we’ll work up to. Tonight we’re there to observe.”

“What if…”

“Say it. There’s nothing you could say or ask that would be wrong.”

“What if I just can’t ever bring myself to have sex with you in public?”

“Then we won’t bring that part of our relationship to the club. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still be part of the club in other ways.”

“What other ways?”

“Supporting our friends and their need for the public demonstrations. Some people get off, big-time, on getting busy in public.”

“Do you?”

“I have, in the past, but it’s not an essential ingredient for me. You and I are forging our own path that works for us. Nothing and no one who came before us figures into that. If you told me that all I could ever have is what we’ve already done, I’d be more than satisfied.”