by Dani Rei
Blake and Inez have smiles plastered to their faces. Blake looks over at Inez and becomes hypnotized by the glimmer of hope shining through her eyes. His eyes flick down to her lips, but she throws her arms around him, burying her face in his chest, staining his shirt with her tears. He pulls her in as close as he can. Whether she feels anything romantic or not, this is one of the happiest moments of his life.
Everything is finally okay.
Chapter 20
“Y
ou played me like a fucking pawn!” Ian shouts with a finger pointed at Rex.
The entire mansion has gathered in the lobby to watch Ian leave. A small truck waits outside, already packed, and the black suitcase at his side is the last of his belongings.
He stands a few feet from the door, moments away from leaving the mansion for good. Rex stands in the center of the hall, arms crossed, and eyes narrowed.
“No, Ian,” he says. “You have been harassing several of my fools for a while now. With lust, envy, pride, and wrath. I tried to keep my faith in you, but you’ve hurt fools who have done you no wrong. One has barely escaped with his life.”
“You wanted me to put him in danger so you could look like a hero when you kick me out! And then your precious little son can take over, just like you wanted! It’s that easy for you, isn’t it?”
“The challenge was to play to each performer’s talents. That was the rule. You, however, worked against your performer’s weakness. That’s not a leader. You’re not a leader. If you had power, you’d be nothing more than a petty tyrant.”
Ian pulls his lips back as he growls, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.
Blake and Inez watch with Allistair and Vladik, who only came home an hour ago to gather fresh clothes for Mishkin. Blake is trembling in his spot, expecting Ian to lose his mind and throw another knife. Instead, he points his finger again.
“You’re nothing but a schemer!” Ian shouts. “A selfish, pathetic excuse for a King!”
“Yes, of course,” Rex chuckles. “I love you all and we’ve found a common ground for us to make a living doing what we love. I protect you and encourage you to inspire others. Of course, it’s all because I’m selfish.”
Rex gives a soft laugh, and a few others follow suit, while others scoff and shake their heads at Ian’s accusations.
“You’ll see!” Ian continues, gaze shooting around the others. “You’re all disposable pawns to him! Just ask Ronan!”
Ronan steps back, shooting a wide-eyed look at Rex, who doesn’t even glance his way. Vladik huffs, eyes blazing as he steps out from the sidelines to face Ian, who shrinks in his place. Ian braves up to give Vladik one last hiss, then whirls around and storms from the mansion, slamming the front door behind him. Blake’s ears ring from the boom.
There’s a moment of silence before the mansion erupts into cheers. Inez throws her arms around Blake with happy giggles, and Blake squeezes her. Allistair throws his arms around them from one side, and Vladik does the same from the other, lifting them all up with raucous laughter. Blake’s ribs are being crushed, and he worries his spine might snap, but they’re back on the ground after a second. They all laugh until Rex approaches them. His frown kills the mood in an instant.
He steps over to face Allistair, towering over him, and Blake is just now realizing how much Allistair looks like his father.
“He may be gone,” says Rex, looking Allistair in the eye, “but you should know, I had two questions on each ballot. The first was who had the best performance, and the second was who they believed should be King. You won the popularity vote, but Ian won the challenge.”
Blake’s breath clutches in his throat, and Allistair goes pale. His eyes are wide, and he can’t seem to get words out.
“You failed. If you intend to replace me, I expect much better from you. As it stands, I’m quite disappointed. I almost wish there were a third challenger.”
Rex turns away without a single glance toward the others. He holds out his hands in a welcoming pose to the rest of the mansion. “Let the preparations for the ball begin!”
Cheers rise from the other members of the mansion, while Allistair’s chin flops to his chest. His eyes haven’t blinked the entire time Blake has been watching, and the color has left his face. Blake puts a hand on his shoulder, and Inez grabs his hands as Rex walks off without looking behind him. The other members rush around, getting their plans and materials, while others cook lunch as quickly as possible.
“Are you okay?” says Inez.
He doesn’t respond.
“Allistair, snap out of it! Talk to me.”
Allistair blinks back to life and forces a smile for Inez. “I’ll be alright. I just have to work harder. Vladik, we can head back to the hospital as soon as you’re ready. Did you grab clean clothes for Mishkin?”
Vladik nods and holds up a drawstring bag.
“Good,” says Allistair, turning his attention back to Inez. “You and Blake have fun setting up. Thanks for being there.”
He lifts Inez’s chin and places a gentle kiss on her forehead before he turns to Blake with a smile. “Don’t let her worry too much. We’ve all got a lot of work ahead.”
Inez opens her mouth to speak, but Allistair is already leading the way out with his head high and Vladik close behind.
She crosses her arms with a light scowl. “I don’t worry too much.”
Blake chuckles. “Is it okay that he kissed you like that?”
“It didn’t have the same intention as before, so it’s fine. I’m more worried about what Rex said. He must be devastated.”
“Should we stop him so you can talk?”
“No, I’ll check in later. Right now, Mishkin needs him more.”
PREPARATIONS FOR THE BALL continue the next day. Gold and purple fill the halls, and the mansion echoes with chattering, laughing, and orders being barked around. Some hurry by with boxes and rolls in their arms, while others settle themselves on ladders and stepstools to spread the colors around.
The Cat is returning, Ian is gone, and the ball is a week away. Inez and Blake help with decorations, sharing an enormous ladder to hang fabric across the ballroom ceiling. Blake isn’t sure he’s ever been so high up, but he’s finally getting the hang of it with Inez’s direction and reassurance.
The ladder shifts under them a few times, and Blake’s heart almost gives way, but Inez’s laugh makes him feel a little better.
A few others are helping along the ballroom floor, sweeping and setting up tables, wall decorations, and a DJ booth.
He helps Inez with the fastener before they descend the ladder and climb for the umpteenth time, Blake’s legs quivering on the way up. He quietly hopes he won’t have to practice today; His legs can barely hold him up anymore. How can Inez look so unfazed?
His phone chimes in his pocket, and he grunts in response. Inez asks if he wants to answer, but he shakes his head, already knowing who it is. He keeps the fabric in place while Inez fastens it, and it takes far too long for the ringing to stop.
He glances down to see a member leaving the ballroom and realizes the entire space is devoid of life. The decorations, as beautiful as they are, can’t keep his heart from quickening its pace.
“I gotta be honest,” he says, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “Mishkin and Vladik are the perfect couple.”
“They are,” Inez says with a smile. “Those two are like brothers to me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Mishkin didn’t make it.”
Inez puts the last fastener in place, and they’re done. They climb down the ladder and wheel it to its closet, then marvel at the colors set across the ceiling like a big top circus tent. Gold and purple are the widest, with narrow black fabric in between. Blake’s gaze lowers back to Inez. The awe in her eyes is nothing short of alluring.
“So Mishkin and Vladik are like brothers to you,” he mutters, trying to hide the pounding in his chest. “And Allistair is a close frie
nd of yours.”
“Yeah.”
“Where does that put me? What am I to you?”
Inez tenses, and she averts her eyes, darting her gaze around the floor. “Um, well. I don’t know how to put it into words.”
“Then let’s make it easier. I’ll ask a few questions. All I’d like is a yes or no. Simple enough?”
Inez’s face is turning red, but she meets his gaze head on. “Yes.”
“Good.” Blake grabs both of her hands and laces his fingers between hers. “Is it okay for me to hold your hands like this?”
“Ye-yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Mm-hm.” Inez nods, gripping his hands in return. “I like it.”
Blake smiles and steps closer, his body barely touching hers. “Is it okay that I’m this close to you?”
“Yes,” Inez breathes, her knees quivering against Blake’s, making his own insides stir.
“Do you enjoy it?”
“Yes, I do.”
Blake leans his forehead onto hers, locking their gaze together. “Last one. If I wanted to kiss you, would that be okay?”
Inez lets out a small gasp and tightens her grip on his hands. “Yes.”
Blake’s heart leaps in his chest. He’s leaning in when the door opens. Allistair rushes through, looking the other way. Inez pushes Blake back before Allistair sees them.
“There you guys are! If you’re done, we can go see Mishkin.” He pauses, furrowing his brow at the red faces in front of him. “Are you two okay?”
“Yeah,” Inez answers without hesitation. “We had some trouble getting the ladder back into the closet, and when you came in, we thought the ladder was about to fall or something. I guess we both got kinda startled.”
“Oh,” Allistair shoots a furrowed brow at Blake, who nods along with Inez. Allistair throws an unconvinced look at the two. “Sorry. Anyway, I promised Mishkin I’d bring you guys over. Shall we?”
Blake and Inez follow Allistair to the car, both avoiding eye contact and trying to appear as casual as possible. Blake bites his tongue to keep from smiling. He lost his chance again, but this time he’s much happier about it. He has his answer.
THE HOSPITAL SEEMS BRIGHTER this time, and Mishkin is sitting up, eyes open, smiling as if nothing had happened. He has just popped a few grapes into his mouth when they walk in, and he kicks his feet with excitement, beaming with full cheeks and holding his arms out for hugs. Blake and Inez hug him together, all three in teary-eyed relief.
“How are you feeling?” Blake asks.
Mishkin’s smile fades as he finishes his mouthful of fruit. He glances at Vladik and hangs his head low.
“Do forgive,” says Vladik, standing to pat Mishkin’s back. “His brain had some damage. He will get better, but right now his words are ... how do you say? Jumbled.”
“It’s only temporary,” says a nurse who comes in with a tray of hot dinner. “Don’t look so down, Mishkin. You need to practice your speech if you want it to get better.”
The nurse smiles at the trio, pulling her sleeves up her plump, dark arms. “It’s nice to meet you all. My name is Joyce. I’m one of the nurses taking care of Mishkin.”
“My name is Allistair,” he says as he shakes her hand. “Can you tell us how he’s doing?”
“Well, Mishkin is very lucky to have gotten here when he did. The brain damage he received is the bare minimum of what comes with cardiac arrest. His speech and fine motor skills will need some work. He might be a little dizzy or off balance, but it’s nothing he can’t power through with a little help and practice. He’s been getting physical therapy here, but it looks like he can get by with some help at home.”
“But he will get better, right?” asks Inez.
“I’m not sure how long it’ll take, but yes. Conditions like his often improve with significant results. Provided, of course, that nothing like this happens again.” She shoots an expectant look at Allistair.
“It won’t,” says Allistair. “I swear it won’t. I won’t let him go through this a third time.”
Third?
Joyce smiles at him, then turns her attention to her patient. “So how about it, Mishkin? Are you ready to try eating?”
Mishkin shakes his head, looking at his visitors with concerned eyes. Joyce smiles at them again, making it clear she understands this look all too well.
“I’m sorry about this, but I have to ask you guys to come back later today or tomorrow. His fine motor skills still need work, and I think it might be a little embarrassing for him if everyone’s here to watch. I hope you understand.”
Mishkin shifts in his spot, head hung low. Blake steps over and gently pats Mishkin’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry, we’ll be back tomorrow. You just focus on getting better, okay?”
Inez and Allistair both agree, and a smile forms on Mishkin’s face. He throws his arms around Blake’s waist, head nuzzling his chest. Blake throws his arms around him, ruffling his fingers through his hair and chuckling.
“Love you too, Mishkin.”
Chapter 21
I
nez opens her door just far enough for her face to peer out, hiding her body behind the door.
“Hey, stranger,” says Blake. “Can I join you for a bit?”
Inez’s face turns red before she steps aside. “Uh, yeah, come in. What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you,” he says as he steps in.
Inez closes the door behind him as he enters. He turns to face her, and his eyes drop to her body. Her pajama shorts cover little of her silky thighs, and her matching top has spaghetti straps, one of them holding the top hem over her breasts, and the other falling off her smooth shoulder. He steps over with a hungry grin, gently trapping her against the door.
“I didn’t get my kiss. As it turns out, I couldn’t sleep without it.”
“You had to come for it now?” says Inez in a sharp whisper.
Blake blinks hard at her response, then purses his lips to one side. “I guess I could’ve waited, but I didn’t want to. Hey, no big. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He steps away and puts a hand on the doorknob. A soft smile grows when Inez grabs his arm to stop him.
“No. I mean, it’s okay.”
Blake releases the doorknob to hold her hand. “Inez, I care about you, and your comfort is very important to me. If you want me to stay, if you want to take things slow, or even if you don’t care for me that way at all, I’d like you to tell me.”
“You...care about me?”
“Of course, wasn’t it obvious? I haven’t exactly been subtle.”
Inez drops her blushing gaze to the floor with a small giggle. “I’m sorry. I got the hint, but I thought it was my imagination.”
“Well, that probably means I should be more direct too. I like you, Inez. A lot. I have for a while now, but I want you to be honest. Did you mean it when you said yes to everything in the ballroom?”
“Of course I did. I...I like you a lot too.”
A smile grows on Blake’s face. “So, what would you like now? I can stay or go, whichever makes you most comfortable.”
Inez grips the legs of her shorts, staring at the floor under her shifting bare feet. “You can stay for a little while.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I um—I like when you’re around.”
Blake smiles and makes his way toward her bed, looking around at her bookshelves and art pieces that line the walls. A book rests on her bed with a scrap of paper stuck between the pages. Blake lifts it to inspect the cover and flips it over to read the back. “You like to read?”
“Yeah, I really like fantasy. To be honest, I kind of wish I had magical powers, too. Being stuck here made me feel so powerless, so the thought of magic is just...better, I guess.”
Blake puts the book back in its place before stepping over to put his hands on her hips. Her cheeks flush at his touch, as he leans his forehead on hers. “You
are magical. You’re an amazing woman. And so, so beautiful.”
Her wide eyes make Blake’s heart race as he draws his face closer, stopping just far enough to give Inez a choice. With her face burning red, she leans in to press her lips to his, gently at first, then harder, their lips parting to make the kiss deeper. Blake wraps his arms tight around her waist, Inez wraps hers around his neck, and their breathing becomes heavier, hungrier.
Finally. Blake trails kisses down Inez’s neck, reveling in her soft moan and her body’s heated response. “I’ve craved you for so long.”
“Blake,” Inez whispers, “this has to be a secret, okay? What you tried in the ballroom earlier, you can’t do that. Anyone could see us.”
Blake runs his fingers through her hair before kissing her forehead. “I’ll do whatever you need. But what exactly is the danger?”
Inez lets out a heavy breath, pulling away from him to sit on her bed. She pats the space next to her, and Blake drops by her side.
“It’s Rex,” she mutters. “I finally turned down Allistair for good, and Rex might blame you for it. To be honest, I’m not sure what he might do. I mean, you saw what happened with Mishkin.”
“You told me that was all Ian’s fault.”
“No, Allistair did. I said everyone was blaming Ian. But it makes sense when you put the pieces together. Rex wanted Allistair to take his place, and Ian went against him. Ian has always been terrible. If Rex really cared about us, would he have waited until Mishkin almost died to fire him?”
“But how could he have known Mishkin would go into cardiac arrest?”
“I’m guessing he didn’t. In his mind, he could kick Ian out for putting someone in danger or have him lose because he held back on his performance. That’s probably why he had Axel on Allistair’s team too. Either way, his son wins, just like he wanted.”
Blake thinks back to his time at the office. His heart races when he remembers his bold confession. I guess that means I’m next. He leans his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes and swallowing down his anxiety. “Thank you for telling me.”
