Queen of Love

Nyla returned with a bottle of top-shelf gin and placed it on the counter. She spread her hands open, stared right at Aya, and said with a crisp accent, “Aviation.”

“Excuse me?” Aya asked.

Nyla held up a finger as she grabbed a clean martini glass. She grabbed more ingredients to make a cocktail that was sure to impress Aya, by all accounts of everyone else around her.

“Let her do her thing,” Terry said. “Consider yourself lucky. I don’t get fancy cocktails from her anymore. See what she gives me?” She lifted her whiskey and shook the ice half-melted within it. “Psst, she’s trying to impress you.”

Within a minute, Aya was treated to something she had never seen coming. The martini glass was now a pleasant purple, lemon twist dangling off the rim.

“Try it,” Nyla said. “Best gin, best cocktail.”

Aya picked it up and sniffed the contents before taking a sip. She was instantly hit with a sweet, floral flavor that was soon chased by classically smooth gin. The lemon twist gave it that citrus kick Aya liked in her cocktails.

“Aviation, huh?” Aya nodded to Nyla, who smugly smiled. “It is nice, yes.”

“There you are!”

Genevieve parted through the crowd and made it to Aya, who had put down her martini glass. “You were right,” Aya said to her girlfriend. “Some quality gin you’ve got here.”

“Oh, that’s… ah, hello, Ms. Tsao.”

Terry offered her greetings to Genevieve. The only one left to not say hello was Nyla, who conspicuously leaned across the bar and stared straight up at her boss.

“Nyla.”

“Nice night, Genevieve.” With a wink, Nyla went to take care of Mr. Nagao’s order.

“What in the world is this?” Genevieve sat on the empty stool beside Aya and picked up the cocktail. “Did Nyla come up with this?”

“She called it an ‘aviation.’”

“Ooh, I’ve heard of it.” Genevieve sipped it without invitation. “That is some serious crème de violette. We carry that?”

Terry talked over Aya’s head. “You carry everything in the back bar.”

Genevieve lowered her voice so Terry wouldn’t hear her over the music kicking off in that part of the club. “You would know, Ms. Tsao. You’ve been back there.”

Aya gently nudged her girlfriend. “Tell me everything. I need blackmail material if I’m to survive this place.”

“Maybe later.” Genevieve leaned back against the bar, her arm wrapping around Aya’s. “Never know who else might be listening in a place like this.”

“The place you own 1/3of?”

Genevieve rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Nyla broadcasted that as soon as you sat down.”

“Was I not supposed to know?”

“Hm? I have no secrets. Now, the place I’m taking you tomorrow? This cute bar I own a few blocks away from here? I own all of that. In fact, it’s connected to my bartending school here in Taipei, which is where I scouted Nyla. She’s the best.”

“She was at your party in Singapore, right?”

Genevieve was more alert now that they were talking about the bartender. “That’s right. I didn’t think you talked, though. Nyla isn’t fluent in English. Or Japanese, for that matter.”

Terry stood up from her stool, leaving her glass behind. “Pleasure to see you, Genevieve, but I’m supposed to be meeting Cindy up front in a few.”

Genevieve waited for Terry to leave before continuing her part of the conversation. “I shouldn’t have left you alone for more than five minutes. This place is already full of people who would love to put some ideas into your head. About me, that is.”

“Every time we come to a place you lurk, it’s like everyone is out to get you. Is that so? I thought you were Lady Liu and everyone wanted to be your friend.”