The lid of the pod lifted. I slowly groaned as I got up. The usual phantom sensations moved through my body. It was both pleasant and unpleasant. I stretched my muscles as I walked over to Gabby's room slowly. I opened the door to see Gabby working on Victoria. Victoria was naked on the table and turned her head. She smiled brightly at me with a shit-eating grin. "Got here first," She gloated, and I rolled my eyes. Gabby smiled at the interaction.
"Yup, I was going to order something for about an hour and a half from now. Any thoughts on it?" I asked, leaning against the door. She went into thought at that while a small moan also escaped her lips. Gabby's fingers worked into her, making her thoughts disappear. Victoria looked back up to me with mirth in her eyes. "Let's go out, Maybe a club or a bar. When was the last time we went out?" She finished.
I thought about it, and I could go for a couple of drinks. We still probably needed to talk about what happened in the game. I noticed a subtle awkwardness between us, plus things seem more comfortable. It was a weird mix, to be honest. I didn't know what was going on in her head. My eyes narrowed as I continued to think about it. I shrugged my shoulders and turned to Gabby. "Gabby, unfortunately, you will need to pick up the pace for Victoria here. Want to join us going to the bars?" Victoria looked shocked at my command to cut her massage short.
"Hey! Rick, don't cut my massage short!" She exclaimed as I was exiting the room.
"You want to go to the bar. We need to speed up, and I need to loosen up my muscles as well. Cut it short, Victoria." I finished and walked out. Much to Victoria's dismay, Gabby finished early. I got in right after, with Victoria sticking her tongue out at me. I smiled back as I got Gabby's fingers working her magic. I couldn't gloat long since she did the same for me. I showered and got dressed in something more able to move in. I was in something I didn't mind getting ruined. It wasn't anything fancy, just an expensive designer brand t-shirt. The jeans I also put on were something expensive but all clothes that I couldn't care less about. I wasn't about to put on some of my suits. I was all ready.
Victoria stepped out and looked at my outfit. She took one second and pointed at my room. "We're going somewhere more high class than a night club, Rick." I sighed and went back into the room. I put on a black silk suit and did my hair up. I looked like I did about five years ago. I looked ready to deal with business. I was better suited to be in a board room in this outfit. I looked like the multi-millionaire I was.
I stepped back out, and Victoria nodded. I looked into the mirror. The black Italian silk of the designer suit fit perfectly tailored to me. My hair was done perfectly, with the style that matched. I looked good, but as I looked at myself, and I felt a little annoyed. I didn't know what it was, but I put it into the back of my head.
I checked out Victoria's outfit. I whistled as I looked at her, and she smiled at me. She wore a black dress that contoured to her body perfectly. It was both classy and sexy on her with a slit up the leg for freedom of movement. It accented her perfect body. She left her hair straight blonde hair in perfect contrast to the black. She had a nice necklace, and she was without makeup. She looked amazing in her outfit. I stepped up to her looking her top to bottom openly.
"You look amazing, Victoria," I told her honestly. The smile grew, and we started to head out of the apartment. We waited at the door, and Gabby joined us shortly. She looked amazing in a purple dress that had a slit up to her knee as well. Something told me dancing was going to be done tonight. I wasn't told, but I wasn't going to make a big deal of it. I used to be an avid dancer at college parties.
I opened the door for both women, and they stepped out. "You both look amazing, and I am sure Victoria has a place picked out, failing to mention it to me." She smiled at my accusation and nodded. The elevator went into the garage, where the tenants kept their cars. Victoria had her car parked here after she moved in. It was a luxury SUV of some type. I had never cared enough when it came to cars. She got in the driver's seat as I hopped into the passengers. Gabby got into the back.
We pulled out of the underground garage. Waving to the security guard in the booth as we passed. The streets of new york were still busy as she drove the streets. It wasn't much longer until we were at our destination. I looked up at the club and remembered it. This was an extremely exclusive club for the wealthy only. If you didn't have a least a person in your group with at least a hundred million, don't try to enter. This club wasn't for picking up random women either. This was a place you took a date that you wanted to impress.
I had been here many times in the past when I was meeting investors. A valet took our car after we exited outside to enter the entrance. It looked to be busy with elites tonight. I hoped there weren't too many trust fund babies tonight. Nothing wrong with having money passed down to you. Hell, some of the Old money children could run laps around me in investments. I just wanted a conversation with someone who could pitch in new information. I thought about it more and took back my own thoughts. Most wouldn't come here for just going out. My stomach rumbled, and I knew I would need some food.
Victoria looked at me as we started to enter. She was about to say something when we approached the guard. He checked out Gabby and Victoria first before his eyes landed on me. They widened in surprise, and I noticed him. "Rick?!" Escaped the lips of the six-foot-six-inches white male security guard. The Tattoos on him spoke of a military background. He moved forward, and I met him in the middle into a big bear hug. I temporarily disappeared into his arms.
"Where the hell you been?!" The Guard exclaimed.
I sidestepped the question easily, asking about his kids, "Roger, How the hell you and the kids have been?!" The muscular man no longer looked intimidating, as he had when being on guard.
"They are doing great! Thanks again for helping Lizzy get into that gifted program. Bobby was tested as well and made it in!" I smiled happily.
"Amazing, Roger, you are acting exactly like the proud parent you should be!" I smiled, and I was pinched on the arm. I looked at Victoria and Gabby I could see the discontentment. I wryly smiled. "Look, Roger, I'm hungry, and the ladies here would like to party it up a bit. When you are on break, come stop by if you get a chance!" He looked at them and nodded.
We entered inside and saw the dance floor being pretty busy but plenty of space. The young hostess was ready with a smile. She took us to the VIP booths for those of more renown. I didn't recognize her but knowing Roger, he probably warned her.
The music was fantastic, and the food was ordered to our booth promptly. Victoria didn't let me sit in the booth for long after the order was out for the food and drinks. She pulled me onto the dance floor. She smiled and put her hands on me, and we started to dance in the general mass. I didn't start well, but as the music continued, and our bodies met as I started to get more into it. The smiles on our faces widened as we got lost in the music.
Gabby joined us not much later, fully joining in. Our bodies all touched with the movement of our bodies. We lost track of time in the music and movement. I was the first to stop when my stomach cried out for food. I pulled Victoria and Gabby back to the table. An employee stood by, our food waiting for us. The employee collected the lids, keeping the food warm, and left with them.
The wine and drinks were amazing as we talked. Gabby was opening up more with us as well. The smile on her face from dancing remained. The drinks started to enter into our system, and we all had been smiling with less meaning in them.
Victoria took some time and told me that someone was meeting us here. I raised an eyebrow at her. She waved away any concerns. The food was almost finished, and a fresh round of drinks was ordered. That was when a Roger with another man was at our table. The man was in a suit looking like an investor. He was dressed to the nines. His suit told me that he didn't have the money to be here. Roger was guiding him with his usual serious look. If I asked him, Roger would haul this guy out.
Victoria had to have some reason to be having me meet him. I waved a hand to the empty part of the booth. Something needed to be done with investments. I had a guy for these things, so I was wondering what this was about.
I leaned back and raised an eyebrow. This prompted the man to collect himself and start. He started quickly. It went on for only a short bit before I stopped him. "To the point. I want to know three things. What is it you want me to invest in? What is the amount of investment you need? What are the shares I receive for it?" This interruption took the man off his game.
He looked at Victoria, who promptly nodded. He started again, "I want to ask if you would like to invest in the mass manufacture of cheaper units of the virtual reality pod. The investment will five hundred million for ten percent shares." I looked at him for only a second more before ignoring him.
"He one of yours?" I asked Victoria. I was holding back some anger.
"Yes, Rick, I wanted your opinion on it this matter. My business section thinks this is the best way to continue forward." I pinched the bridge of my nose. I was angry to be ruining our hangout time like this. I knew something like this would come up. She hated the business side of the business.
"Victoria, one question to you. Is it as reliable as the tech in the pods we use?" I asked point-blank. She looked away for a second. She turned to me with a serious face.
"There is a zero, point zero, zero, zero, zero, five percent, fail rate. This is my reason against it." She looked me in the eyes. I started to do math in my head quickly. I thought it over and came up to the grim numbers.
"The investment is sound. Any failure rate you can blame on it being a new technology with a rare brain type or something. The question is more about the reputation you want to create, moving forward." I told her simply before continuing, "The truth is that any lawsuit would be an uphill battle," I stared into her eyes real close as if I could stare into her soul, "The question isn't that though. The real question you should be asking, Victoria, is whether you can live with those lives on your hands?" I left that question in the air, and I nodded to Roger. Roger took the cheap suited man out of the club. I ignored that and got up. I motioned Gabby to join me. This left Victoria some room to think.
I ordered drinks for both of us and some shots. They disappeared into our stomachs, and we went back out to the dance floor. The music took our worries, and the alcohol made them not even appear. Our bodies mingled again, dancing to the beat. Time blended, and Victoria joined us again. She let loose, going wild needing to forget.
The night finished with all of us plastered and in a cab. Smiles on all our faces as we joked around in the back of a cab. Memories were hazy as a security guard helped us into our apartment. We stumbled into our rooms to sleep off the alcohol. I passed out with hazy memories, and a warm and soft pillow hugged tightly.