“Okay, fine.” Vicki combed her fingers through her hair. “Here’s the deal. This project is going ahead. There’s nothing you can do to stop it. But I meant it when I said I will work with you to try to minimize the impact-”
“That’s not enough!” April said. “We both know that’s not going to be enough. If you’re going to go ahead with this project, I’m going to do whatever it takes to stop you.”
“You can try, but it’s not going to change anything,” Vicki said. “Be reasonable. Work with me here.”
“I’ll never work with you.”
“Look, I get it. You’re feeling betrayed because you found out I’m on the opposite side of this crusade you’re on.”
“I’m not on a crusade!” April glanced around. They were attracting more than a few stares. She lowered her voice. “And I don’t feel betrayed. I never felt anything toward you to begin with.”
“All right, you keep telling yourself that,” Vicki said. “Whatever it is that you feel or don’t feel toward me, don’t let your emotions get in the way of us working together to do what’s right for the library.”
April cursed under her breath. As much as April hated to admit it, Vicki was right. Her anger toward Vicki was clouding her judgment. Maybe Lexi and Eliza had a point about April’s tendency to act on her feelings without thinking.
“How about we meet next week?” Vicki asked. “I’ll come by the library, and we can have a meeting with all the staff. Wednesday morning. It’s the earliest I can do. How does that sound?”
April took a deep breath, attempting to settle the emotions roiling inside her. “All right. Next Wednesday morning.”
“I’ll have my assistant call you in the morning to confirm. I promise.”
April nodded. Almost at once, a huge weight fell from her shoulders. But the turbulence within her remained.
April had been afraid of this. Afraid that it wasn’t really the situation she was angry about. It was Vicki. And maybe it wasn’t just anger that April was feeling toward her. Her eyes traveled down Vicki’s body. April couldn’t deny how incredibly sexy she looked in all that leather.
Vicki smiled. “Is that all you want from me? Because my offer still stands?”
“Your offer?” April asked.
“You know, the real reason you’re here.”
April scoffed. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do,” Vicki said. “You want me to show you what a Domme can do.”
April’s said nothing.
“Or maybe I’m mistaken,” Vicki said. “Maybe there’s some other reason your cheeks are that lovely, rosy shade of pink. Some other reason you can barely meet my gaze. Some other reason you’re still standing here with me.”
“I…” April’s tongue seemed stuck to the top of her mouth.
“Vicki?” A voice said from next to them. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
April turned to see a woman with pale skin and long, wavy black hair standing beside them. She, like April, was dressed in a simple black dress, but she somehow managed to look far more glamorous than April and anyone else in the room.
“Vanessa.” There was a flicker of annoyance in Vicki’s eyes. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”
“I thought I’d check up on the place,” Vanessa said. “Make sure that no one is getting into trouble.” She gave Vicki a pointed look.
“Trouble? Just because you’ve settled down doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t have any fun.” Vicki seemed to remember April’s presence. “April, this is Vanessa. Vanessa, this is April.”
“A pleasure to meet you, April,” Vanessa said. “So, this is who you begged me to put on the list, Vic?”
Begged? April got the impression that this woman was trying to embarrass Vicki. April looked from one woman to the other. She couldn’t quite tell if this was friendly banter or veiled hostility.
Vicki ignored Vanessa’s comment and addressed April. “Vanessa owns Lilith’s Den. She used to be the queen of this place too, until she got a girlfriend.”
“I assure you, I’m still the queen of this place. And my girlfriend is right over there.” Vanessa cocked her head toward the bar. “I’d be very careful what you say about her.”