Addicted to Love

by Deborah Cooke

“I’m going to find out who she is,” Kyle muttered. “The mysterious Natalia.”

  “Not tonight,” Theo said. “We’ve got work to do. I made some calls and there’s a cast coming here at ten, although officially we don’t know anything about it.” He named a trio of actresses who were currently making a movie in the city.

  Kyle gave a low whistle. “Look at you, Mr. Connections.”

  “We need to have the hottest party in town tonight,” Theo said. “Next week, we can follow Damon.”

  “You two schemers!” Cassie charged. “I think it’s sweet that he has a commitment to someone somewhere.”

  “And you’re not curious?” Kyle asked and she shrugged, admitting it. “Our best DJ is in tonight, so that’s a good start,” he said to Theo.

  “You want me to call a couple of photographers?” Cassie asked. “If this group shows up and has fun, we want to leverage it.”

  Theo gave her a hard look. “Can you do it without saying who we expect?”

  “Sure.” Cassie pulled out her phone. “There’s one photographer who would be perfect. She’s very discreet, until something happens. She trusts me.”

  “Then do it,” Theo said. “We need to add some security,” he continued. “There could be more where this is coming from, but only if there are no issues at all tonight. I want to win my contact’s trust on this one.”

  “Game on,” Kyle agreed. “Let’s do it.” They bent over the schedule and began to call in some extra staff to work in the club that night. Kyle, for one, was glad to have a challenge to distract him from his thoughts.

  He had to immerse himself in work, and this was exactly the kind of challenge to seize his interest.

  * * *

  The club was busy. It was a great night. The women were gorgeous, the music was excellent and the place was filled with the hum that Kyle liked best. They had a line out the door and down the block, one that only grew after the two stretch limos with the actresses and their entourages arrived. Theo gave Kyle a thumbs-up when the beautiful people spilled through the doors, just as anticipated. The hum in the club kicked up a notch as the famous slid into the crowd and the DJ turned up the dance music a little louder.

  This was what F5 did best.

  One actress, the one with dark eyes and flowing dark hair and legs that went on forever, surveyed Kyle and smiled. He smiled back, knowing he looked good, and let her see his appreciation. She was wearing a teeny tiny sequined dress and sky-high heels, a combination that showed those legs to advantage. Her smile turned flirtatious and she spun onto the dance floor, glancing back to give Kyle a come-hither look.

  He took a step toward her when some guy spoke behind him.

  “K. Stuyvesant?”

  “Got it in one,” Kyle agreed easily, then addressed one of the new waiters. “Matt, there are some ladies at forty-two who need a drink.”

  “Got it, boss.”

  The actress laughed and beckoned to him as she danced, offering an invitation Kyle wasn’t going to refuse.

  Even if he didn’t find it as interesting as usual.

  “The K. Stuyvesant who lives in Hell’s Kitchen?” the same man asked, and Kyle glanced over his shoulder.

  “Who’s asking?” he said, realizing in the same moment that it was Lauren’s ex confronting him. They’d never met, but Kyle remembered the video all too well.

  “This is for you, pretty boy,” Mark snarled. “For doing my wife.” And he threw a punch.

  The trajectory was completely predictable. Kyle ducked and spun, seizing Mark’s arm and propelling him into the bar with his own momentum. He could have done it gently, but he chose not to. Glasses clinked and patrons gasped as they moved away. He heard the air rush out of Mark’s lungs as his chest collided with the bar.

  “Always encourage the energy to continue in its established direction,” Kyle said to the wide-eyed redhead who had jumped off the next barstool. “It’s easier to redirect it than to stop it.”

  “I’ll remember that,” she said and took a gulp of her drink. Her friends giggled.

  The bigger bouncer was hovering behind Kyle like a shadow, but Mark sagged against the bar in defeat.

  “No fighting at F5,” Kyle purred into Mark’s ear. “It’s not what we do here.”

  “I know what you do here.”

  “And I know what you’ve done here.”

  The other man’s eyes flashed. “Bastard! And you had to tell her!”

  “I’ve got no reason to keep your secrets.”

  The other man growled.

  “Maybe you’d like to leave now,” Kyle suggested.

  “Yeah,” Mark said, sounding suddenly humbled. “Yeah, I would.”

  Maybe he’d realized that their dispute was attracting attention.

  Maybe not.

  Kyle stepped back and released the other man, but remained on his guard. He figured that a guy who would lie to his wife would lie to anyone and he was right. Mark turned, then abruptly took another swing at him. Kyle ducked again, then sucker-punched Mark on the way up. Mark fell over top of Kyle and seized him around the waist, fighting for a grip.

  “Don’t make me do this,” Kyle muttered, because the obvious hit was a blow to the groin. “It’ll hurt me as much as you.”

  “You prick!” Mark pulled away then lifted his foot to knee Kyle in the groin.

  No one, but no one, ever hurt the jewels.

  Kyle kicked Mark’s feet out from beneath him, sending him to the floor. On the way down, Mark threw his arms around Kyle’s knees. They hit the floor together and rolled toward the dance floor as Mark tried to land a punch and Kyle tried to control him. The music had stopped and the patrons were gathered around, several of them taking sides. The pair came to a halt when Mark’s head collided with the base of a table and he closed his eyes in pain.

  He went very still and Kyle feared the worst.

  “You okay?” Kyle leaned over Mark and had a glimpse of the triumph in the other man’s eyes before that man drove the heel of his hand hard into Kyle’s nose. There was a crack and a spurt of blood, and Kyle was done being the nice guy.

  He landed three solid punches—eye, jaw, gut—then picked Mark up and cast him at the bar. It was poured concrete and didn’t even vibrate, but Mark slid down it, stunned. Kyle fought his urge to do more. He was furious and wanted to do some serious damage to this loser.

  Instead, he got up and gave Theo a hard look. His partner nodded and stepped forward with two of their bouncers. Kyle walked toward the back room, leaving Mark slumped on the floor. The chatter started immediately and the DJ began the music again.

  He’d make sure his nose wasn’t busted and calm down. He was vaguely aware of the actress hovering in his peripheral vision but was too angry to talk to anyone.

  He was aware of the bouncers urging Mark to his feet and toward the door as Theo tried to restore the mood.

  “You only told Lauren so you could have her yourself!” Mark shouted after Kyle, his words carrying over the music. The patrons gasped. “You ruined everything, you bastard!”

  That was more than enough.

  Kyle strode back to the other man and guessed that his anger showed because Mark recoiled. “Let’s get this straight, Mark,” he said, jabbing a finger into Mark’s chest. “You were the one who ruined your marriage, not me.”

  “You helped.”

  “You were the one playing games. It was only a matter of time before someone saw.”

  “It was you...”

  “You did it to yourself,” Kyle snapped. “How stupid are you to throw away your marriage? How stupid are you to not have appreciated what you had?” He took a breath as Mark sputtered. “And how stupid are you to have done that here? It’s the only place in the city where you would be recognized as her husband!”

  The other man’s eyes flashed. “Bastard,” he muttered.

  “Maybe you wanted to be caught,” Kyle said through gritted teeth. “Maybe you wanted out of your marriage but didn’t h
ave the balls to make the break yourself.”

  Mark swore, calling Kyle a variety of unflattering names. “You’re sleeping with her!”

  Kyle smiled even as he simmered. “You’re mistaken. The night we were together, nobody slept.” He gave the bouncers a look that was a command and strode toward the back room again. He ignored the applause, because he was pissed off.

  “I’ll sue you for assault!” Mark shouted.

  Kyle pivoted on the threshold of the back room and faced the crowd. “We’ll be taking a list of people willing to testify as to what they saw tonight. They all saw you start the fight, Mark, so don’t be surprised if the charges end up being pressed against you.”

  There was a cheer from the F5 regulars.

  “Line starts here,” the bartender cried. “Give me your deets!” Dozens of patrons pushed forward to vouch for Kyle.

  “Thanks, everyone,” he said before making his exit.

  Theo raised his voice. “Who came to F5 tonight to dance?” he demanded and several women pretended to swoon at his accent. He spun one onto the dance floor as the DJ took the cue and turned up the music. The club was hopping again in a heartbeat, much to Kyle’s relief. He ignored the actress and went into the back, locking the door behind himself.

  There was blood all over his shirt and worse, it was his own.

  * * *

  Kyle was sitting with a towel full of ice on his nose by the time Theo came into the back and surveyed him. It had been about half and hour since the fight and the club was rocking to its usual rhythm.

  “Tell me disaster was averted,” Kyle said.

  “Narrowly. But you’re shagging Ty’s sister?” Theo winced. “I can’t believe that even you would follow your dick into that forbidden territory.”

  “Good to have you back,” Kyle said.

  “Cassie’s right. You are cranky,” the other man mused. “Is it love?”

  Kyle gave him a look that should have warned him but Theo just laughed.

  “How the mighty have fallen,” he said. “I’m so glad I came back in time to see the show.”

  “Don’t tell Ty.”

  “Too late,” Theo said as Kyle’s cell phone rang. “Some helpful soul already did.”

  “You?”

  “Not me. You probably didn’t notice how many pictures were being taken out there of you in action. I’m sure someone shared the conversation, too.”

  The caller was Ty. There was no point in ducking the call. Kyle winced and answered, not in the least bit surprised to hear his friend roar.

  “What in the fuck are you doing?”

  “Ooo, he swore,” Theo said under his breath, obviously having overheard the greeting. They probably overheard it on the street outside the club. “This is going to be spectacular.” And he settled into a chair, his expression pert as he shamelessly eavesdropped.

  “You look like you’ve bought tickets to the greatest show on earth,” Kyle muttered.

  Theo looked unrepentant. “I think maybe I did.”

  “Well?” Ty demanded.

  For once in his life, Kyle didn’t have a glib answer to deflect attention. He licked his lips. “I have ice on my nose. He hit me.”

  “I hope your beauty isn’t marred forever,” Theo said.

  “I’ll break more than your nose if it’s true,” Ty replied.

  “She called me!”

  “Why would she call you?” Ty argued. “Lauren is a rational individual.”

  Kyle rolled his eyes. Even that hurt. “Because she wanted uncomplicated sex, on demand, with no expectations, and she is a rational individual.”

  Theo laughed. Ty swore again.

  “Do you think he’s pinching the bridge of his nose?” Theo asked.

  “Probably,” Kyle replied, feeling a little better, then spoke to Ty. “I didn’t lie to her. I didn’t charm her. I didn’t promise anything.”

  “But you gave her what she wanted.”

  “I’m thinking those particular details aren’t your business, big brother,” Kyle said. “Lauren is an adult and can make her own choices.”

  “She can, but she better have all the facts. If you lie to her...”

  “I don’t lie,” Kyle snapped. “It’s a matter of principle. Honesty is the best policy.”

  “Now, I know why she spouted that line to me,” Ty said with irritation.

  “I couldn’t quite hear that,” Theo said.

  “The volcano has erupted and is settled back to a simmer,” Kyle told him.

  Theo made a sad face. “Then I’ll have to find some other entertainment tonight.”

  “Sorry. ’Fraid so. What about your actresses?”

  “They’re dancing. I think they liked the show.” Theo stood and clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “Let me see your nose.” His expression when Kyle lifted away the ice wasn’t encouraging. In fact, he gave a low whistle. “It’s going to be spectacular.”

  “Great.”

  “It’s over, right?” Ty demanded. “You did what she asked and it’s over?”

  “Why don’t you talk to Lauren instead of me?”

  “Then it’s not over,” Ty concluded.

  “It is over. But if she calls me again, it’ll be on again.”

  “You could decline.”

  “But I won’t. There’s your serving of honesty tonight.”

  “Stud service,” Theo murmured as he tentatively moved Kyle’s nose. “What a life. Always on call. Always in demand.” He moved it the other way.

  “Ouch!”

  Theo stepped back. “It’s not broken.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Theo.” Kyle glared at the phone. “Are we done?” he asked Ty.

  “For the moment,” Ty said and Kyle lost his patience.

  “No, we’re done for good on this topic. I’m not your son and what your grown sister chooses to do is not your concern.”

  “Grumpy grumpy,” Theo teased, but Kyle continued.

  “Go choose some tiles for your bathroom renovation or find out what color panties Amy is wearing or eat something she cooked and leave the rest of us alone.”

  “It’s my business because you broke your promise to me,” Ty said quietly. “And because Lauren is vulnerable right now.”

  “Don’t I know it?” Kyle snapped his fingers. “And you know how I know it? Because I talked to Lauren. Give it a try,” he advised, then ended the call. He shoved his phone back into his pocket, feeling even more disgruntled than he had earlier.

  Then he realized Theo was watching him closely. “It is love. My, my, my.”

  “I am not in love.” Even to Kyle, that sounded like a lie.

  “So, don’t forget it,” Theo sang. “It’s just a silly phase...”

  “Stop it!”

  The other man raised his hands. “Your secret’s safe with me,” he said, then headed toward the club. “But really, Kyle, if you’re going to wear your heart on your sleeve, don’t be surprised if everyone notices it beating away in broad daylight.”

  “I’m not in love.”

  “If you say so.” Theo stepped through the door, then leaned back around it. “I suppose the better question is whether Lauren’s in love.”

  “She’s not. It’s sex. Plain and simple. No expectations.”

  Theo nodded. “Got it,” he said with a smugness that made Kyle want to hurt him. “It’s probably easier that way,” he said then winked and disappeared again.

  Kyle fingered his nose. It was tender but didn’t feel broken. Theo was probably right about that. By morning, his face would be half purple, which was not his favorite look.

  No doubt about it, the razzing had only just begun.

  But what else could he have done? He wished it hadn’t been Mark and now wondered whether the other man would be waiting outside the club to continue the fight.

  Kyle knew he hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d given Lor what she wanted, no more and no less. If it hadn’t been him, it would have been someone else.

  Maybe he�
��d tell Mark that, if the other man dared to start the fight again. Kyle had faced down bullies before and even though it had been a while, he hadn’t forgotten what he’d learned twenty years before.

  Let Mark bring it. He’d get more than he expected.

  Maybe some honesty. Kyle doubted that would be welcome, but the prospect of serving it up made him smile.

  He’d have smiled more, but it hurt too much.

  * * *

  Lauren took the train to Mamaroneck as she did about once a month. On this particular Saturday, she had a load of hair products in her bag. Grandma Trixie had decided she wanted Lauren’s professional help.

  At eighty-one, Trixie wanted mermaid hair. She’d seen pictures on Facebook of women with silvery tresses touched with purple, green and blue, and loved them. Lauren had warned her grandmother that it would be a long process, because she knew Grandma Trixie tired more easily than had once been the case. That wasn’t a deterrent, evidently.

  This would be the day.

  Helping people become their vision of themselves was one of the things Lauren liked best about what she did. It wasn’t just cutting hair or even coloring it. She had the power to transform people and she liked when a client sat straighter after an appointment. She felt that with scissors in hand, she had the ability to change the world, one head at a time.

  Who knew how much this would transform Grandma Trixie?

  Lauren wanted to find out.

  The village hadn’t changed much over the years and it felt familiar to be walking from the train station to her grandmother’s house. Trixie’s home had always been a haven for Lauren and a place to escape her siblings. She had a special bond with this grandmother and taking the train to Trixie’s had been one of her first solo adventures as a teenager. She’d been coming regularly ever since. She didn’t miss the fact that Trixie was becoming a little more frail and relied upon her to either take care of small maintenance issues in the house or give her advice about seeking someone to do them. Lauren was glad to help.

  On this Saturday, there were a few weeds to be pulled in the garden, a leaking faucet to tighten, and a light bulb to replace in a spare bedroom. Trixie had lunch prepared, not because she was a better cook than Lauren but because she had become more accustomed to having prepared meals delivered from her local grocery store.