by Chloe Adler
“Alec,” I touched his leg gently, “I enjoyed last night in a way I haven’t enjoyed being with anyone. Ever. I don’t know what we are. Do we have to define it? All I know is that we’re good together and it doesn’t have to be more than that.”
He nodded, not looking at me. “Of course. Yes. Whatever. It was great. Gotta finish getting ready now.”
I tried to catch his gaze. “Can I see you after you’re done?”
“Maybe, we’ll see. Might be too tired.”
“Okay, let me know. I’d like to.” I gave his leg a little squeeze and then left.
I went to Burgundy’s dressing room and plopped down on her faux leather couch. She looked up from her vanity. Burgundy’s private dressing room was a complete contrast to the main one. The communal room had bright lights and all those mirrors, with all the countertops and stools in white Formica. Burg’s room was subdued. She only had one wall of mirrors and a vanity spanning half that wall. A very comfy black couch took up almost the entire six-foot length of another wall. She had insisted on it so she could have sex there when she wanted to. At first she had wanted to a lot, but then she’d grown fond of the sex rooms.
The beds were more comfortable, she insisted, but I knew it was because most of the sex rooms didn’t have doors and she loved to be watched. The ceiling and walls of her dressing room were painted red and she had these marvelous Oriental rugs on the floor, similar to the ones at Casa Mañana. Her lights were all red paper or brass lanterns with candles, and hanging from the ceiling were more of her trademark billows of red and black fabric. Her boudoir was styled like the inside of a genie’s bottle. She even had her costumes in an enormous carved cherrywood armoire. The only bright light was the one on her vanity, a moveable LED for applying her makeup.
“Hey, you.” She smiled at me. “S’up?”
“It’s Alec, he’s acting . . . strangely.”
She stopped applying her makeup, switched off her light and swiveled to face me.
“He thought I was on the phone with a lover this morning,” I continued.
“And so what if you were?”
“I know, but his situation is a little complicated and I can see how that might have upset him. But after I told him it was my sister, he still acted strangely.”
“Strangely how?”
“Like he’s suddenly not interested in me.”
“Oh, well, maybe he’s not.”
Burgundy was more like a guy than I was much of the time. “Your masculine is showing, Burg. I need your fem right now.”
She laughed. “Okay.” She swiveled back to the mirror and studied herself for a long minute. “Well, without knowing his,” she made air quotes, “ ‘complicated details,’ I’d say that he’s probably feeling vulnerable and that’s making him uncomfortable. My advice—” She stopped. “Do you want my advice?”
I loved her for asking first and not assuming. “Yes please.”
“I’d give him some space. If he’s like most people, when you back off, he’ll come running.” She shrugged. “Stupid, but that’s how we all work. We want what we can’t have or what we think we’re losing.”
“Perfect.” I stood up and hugged her from behind. “I love you so much. Back to work.”
“I love you too, superstar,” she called after me.
An hour later I was still waiting for Alec’s set when the music swelled and female tittering drew my eyes to the stage. And there he was, in all his glory.
“Hey.” Carter leaned over.
I jumped, completely captivated by the gyrations of acrobat man in gold lamé. Nice choice.
“Go watch him, I’ll cover. Benedict’s not here tonight,” Carter said in a low voice, and without even thanking him I dashed to a quiet corner near the front of the stage. I didn’t want to distract. I wanted to admire.
Alec started slowly, grinding to the music, and this man could dance. There was a fierce intensity to his gaze as he swept it over the audience, whereas last night he hadn’t focused on anyone. Was he looking for someone? When his eyes settled on me, I smiled. He did not smile back but refocused on the back wall, just like before. Everyone else was entranced, staring at him open mouthed. When he stripped and started climbing the pole, there were gasps and cheers. The club was fuller than last night. Even more people had piled onto the floor and it was standing-room only. Word must have gotten out.
Everyone’s head was turned up, watching Alec as he expertly twisted his body on the pole. When he jumped to the pole next to him, at least four feet away, and caught it with one hand and one foot, the audience clapped and whistled. More and more dazzling tricks built, one on top of the next, until I could barely breathe.
Flipping upside down, he angled his legs toward the far end of the ceiling, then slid down the pole using only his arms. At the last possible moment he inverted to land upright on the floor.
Everyone jumped to their feet for another standing ovation. Men and women alike ran forward to tuck money into his gold G-string, and some of them touched his body, running their hands up and down his chest. His large muscular thighs. I was not a jealous man by nature, but my legs propelled me forward to push the grasping hands away. Unreasonable and completely out of character.
“Alec.” A man I hadn’t noticed, wearing a three-piece suit, came striding forward. Alec’s head shot up, his face stricken. Everyone backed away as the man approached. He commanded complete authority. I knew who it must be the second I saw his face. Alec resembled his father, a distinguished, handsome, older man. He pulled on his son’s leg until Alec was forced to jump off the stage. Grabbing him by the ear, the man hauled Alec toward the door.
“This is what you do with your training? This is how you thank me? I won’t have it. You are repulsive and a worthless being to upset your mother. We told you to get a job, not become a hooker.”
“Let go of him,” I said, keeping my voice even and firm. “Now.”
Alec’s father let go of his son’s ear and whirled on me, surprised. “Who are you?” he asked and then held up his hand. “No, don’t tell me. You’re the one my son picked to go home with last night, right?”
The shock and heat on my face was all the confirmation he needed.
He looked back at his son, whose head hung low, eyes cast downward. “I told you no more boys. You are a man. You are my son and you are not a faggot. Women only or nothing. You understand me, boy?”
Alec said nothing and pain exploded in my chest. “Alec,” I crooned, “you’re a grown man, you don’t have to listen to this. Please, come with me.”
His father laughed. The sound of a nail scratching against glass seemed melodic in comparison.
“He goes nowhere with you.” For a moment it looked like he was going to shove me away, but then a security team surrounded all of us, their batons and stun guns drawn.
“You have to leave now, sir,” one of the bouncers said firmly.
“Do you know who I am?” he responded, not looking worried at all. “I could buy and sell this town twice over. Actually, I may just do that.” He crossed his hands over his chest. “Alec, we’re going, now. I don’t care if you’re naked. You’re coming with me.”
Alec looked up and met my eyes. I shook my head at him and mouthed the word no. He gave me a very tiny nod.
He squared his shoulders. “I’m not going with you, Dad. I’m staying here.”
“Like hell you are.” He lifted a hand to slap his son but one of the security guards blocked him. He reeled toward the guard. “You cannot keep me from taking my own son out of here.”
“Your son is an adult, sir. Legally he gets to make his own decisions and it doesn’t sound like he chooses to go,” said the guard calmly. “Now unless you’d like to be arrested . . .”
He emitted a sharp laugh. “You can’t arrest me, I’m world-renowned.”
“We can and we will, sir. Let’s not let it come to that.”
“This is your last chance, boy,” Alec’s father said to
him. “If you don’t come with me now, you won’t see your mother or your siblings ever again. I’ll make sure of that. Plus, I’ll cut you out of my will. Your choice.”
Alec’s face turned green. I wanted to tell him to stay but after that threat, even I couldn’t come up with a reason not to follow that asshole. I’d lost my family and I knew the pain it caused. I didn’t want Alec to lose his.
“Go,” I whispered softly. “He’s not giving you a choice.”
“Smart kid,” his father said snidely. “Glad your faggot boyfriend has more brains than you.” He grabbed Alec by the arm, and when the security guard took a step forward, Alec held a hand up. Then he turned and let his father lead him out of the club without looking back.
Chapter Six
I wanted to take a sleeping pill after the fiasco Alec’s father had caused at the V and sleep in but—Sam would be arriving in the morning.
Pulling out the vacuum cleaner instead, I set to cleaning the house. Although Burg, Chrys and I took turns, Burg was the least fastidious, often leaving cake crumbs on the sofa or dishes piled in the sink.
Burgundy padded out in one of her gorgeous silk robes and flipped the switch, turning the vacuum off. “Is there anything I can do? It’s not like we can sleep through the noise.”
“I closed all the doors. And I’ll be as quick as I can,” I snapped.
She held both hands up. “Hey, Mr. Irritable, I’m just trying to help here.”
I pulled my T-shirt away from my chest. “Of course, sorry. I’d love your help. Would you mind doing the dishes?”
She smirked and patted my ass. “Your wish . . .” she threw over her shoulder, sauntering off.
We worked in silence for an hour before we were both yawning.
“Hey, do you know where the futon is?” I asked her as she moved down the hall to her room.
“It’s in the shed out back. Is she staying here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Let’s find out first. I’ll help you set it up tomorrow if she is.”
“All right. Thanks, Burg.”
She walked back over and pulled me in for a long hug. “I know that what happened tonight with Alec was awful. You have a lot on your mind right now. I’m here for you to lean on. Always.”
Hugging her back with a fierceness I hadn’t let myself acknowledge, I breathed in her relaxing cinnamon smell.
A few hours later I awoke to the delicious aroma of fresh coffee a second before Burgundy crawled into bed with me.
“Come here, sweetheart,” she said, throwing her arm around me and sitting me up like a baby about to be fed milk. My morning drug was coffee instead and she held the cup out with a ravishing smile.
“How did I get so lucky?” I asked her, taking the cup and blowing on it lightly.
“I could ask you the same question.”
I snuggled into her as she pet my hair, running her fingers gently through it the way I adored.
“Do you want to tell me what happened last night?” she asked.
“Nah, I’m sure you heard all about it.”
“I was in my dressing room getting a little somethin’ somethin’ from Candy when it all went down.”
“That super young dancer?”
“That’s the one.”
“Is she even legal?”
Burgundy snorted and had the audacity to look smug. I didn’t blame her. All of the straight men had been trying to get into little Candy’s pants for the past four months but she’d kept her legs tightly shut. Now I knew why. Although Burgundy could probably persuade a virgin nun to have sex with her.
“Stop trying to change the subject. Are you okay?” She ruffled my hair as I sipped my coffee.
“Wow, yeah, I have no idea why his father showed up like that but Alec left with him, so I guess that’s been decided.”
“Maybe,” she shot the word out the side of her mouth like a cowboy popping his derringer pocket pistol.
“Looked pretty final to me.”
“We’ll see. I bet you’ll find his balls are pretty big.”
I sighed. “I’ve seen them. They’re lovely.”
She laughed. “Braggart.”
“His dad really is something.”
“That’s one word for him.”
“I can’t fix anyone, you know? I can barely fix myself. I also can’t fight his battle, but if he decides to come back here, I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“I know you will.” She slid down on my bed and put her head on my stomach. I stroked her hair with one hand, putting the coffee down on my bedside trunk with the other.
The doorbell rang and she looked up from my belly to exchange glances with me. “Him?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Samantha.”
Burgundy jumped up and rushed to the front door. They’d never even met but Burgundy knew practically everything I did about my sister. After all, since I’d first moved here at the ripe old age of eighteen, I’d never shut up about Sam. And over the years, I’d obsessed over trying to find her but had never been able to.
Burgundy was talking quietly outside my bedroom door and then she peeked in. “Can I?”
Covering the distance to my bedroom door in three strides I yanked the door open and, without a thought, threw my arms around my sister. When I finally released her and held her at arm’s length, I gasped.
Sam looked completely different from the last time I’d seen her, so much so that if I’d passed her on the street, I would never have recognized her. Her hair, which had been the same lustrous brown as mine, was dull and greasy, hanging almost to her waist. Gone was the giddy pixie cut that had framed her plump, almost childish face. The face that was now gaunt and sallow, weary and wary.
Under my shocked gaze, Sam’s eyes filled.
“Let’s go to the kitchen for some tea?” Burgundy suggested, shooting me a look.
Walking down the hallway behind Sam, I couldn’t deny the toxic emotions bubbling to the surface. Sam had abandoned me after our parents’ death, and I’d spent the last six years vacillating between hating her and missing her. Now that she was here again, anger was winning.
She stood near the kitchen table. I studied her face. Where was my beautiful sister? Who was this creature with the haunted eyes so dark and bruised? Her face was lined too. Wrinkles had sprouted between her brows, along her forehead and below her cheeks. They were not smile or laugh lines.
“Jared, you look well. I-I’ve missed you.” Her voice was clipped and laced with an accent I couldn’t place.
“Sam, what the hell?”
“I know. I know.” She hung her head. “I have a lot of explaining to do.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” I didn’t want to sound so snippy but I was seething. How dare she just traipse back into my life like this after years of silence?
“Can you let me get my bearings first? And then, if you’re open to it, we can talk?”
“I don’t know.”
I made my way to Burg, who stood at the stove, watching. She handed me a cup of hot tea and I have her a thin-lipped smile in thanks. Should I go? she mouthed, but I shook my head fiercely.
“Jared, I know this is going to sound insane and will be difficult to believe, but I had to stay away for your safety.” Tears welled in Sam’s eyes.
I wanted to scoff or yell but instead I stood there, dumbfounded. That was the last thing I’d expected her to say. She hadn’t run off for fun, that much was obvious from her appearance. Heat coursed up my body but instead of bursting out my mouth, it melted a fragment of the igloo I had built around my heart. I nodded toward the table and she pulled out a chair and sat. Burgundy brought her a cup of tea and we both perched across from her, waiting.
Sam sucked in her bottom lip, her eyebrows pulling toward each other. The sadness in her eyes broke something inside me.
“Sam,” I started. “It doesn’t matter right now. You’re back and you’re going to make amends, yes?”
&nbs
p; Furiously her head bobbed. “I want to. I just hope . . .”
“What?” Burgundy asked.
Sam looked anguished and her already-jaundiced complexion darkened. “I can’t say, but—” Her eyes darted to the kitchen window. “It has to do with the Trackers.”
“Trackers? Here?” Burgundy practically hurled herself at the window, glancing left and right.
“Trackers can’t get into Distant Edge. There’s a perimeter spell. Remember?” I said to Burgundy. “The Council had it set up when the town was first created.”
“Right.” Burgundy visibly relaxed and rejoined us at the table. “They can’t get in,” she said to Sam. “We’re safe.”
“I don’t know about that,” said Sam.
We both waited, not saying anything, but I couldn’t help wondering. Was my sister paranoid?
“They’re more conniving than you think. Some Signum are on their payroll.”
“Wait a minute.” Burgundy held up a hand. “Let me get this straight. They’ve hired the people they slaughter?”
“Yes, well.” My sister scrunched up her eyes, looking even more tired and distraught than when she’d arrived. “Sometimes they use blackmail to get those of our kind involved.” Her chin fell to her chest as she looked down at her hands. “And then there are others who will do anything for a buck.” Her head lifted, holding my gaze. We both knew firsthand what “anything” meant. “The Trackers promise them asylum.”
“And they believe those religious fanatics?” My voice was too loud but I could no longer keep it in check.
Burgundy placed a hand on my shoulder.
I whirled on her. “They killed our parents, in cold blood.”
“I know,” her voice was soft, “and if I could kill every single one of them for you, I would.”
My sister visibly flinched at that. “ ‘An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind,’ ” she intoned.
“Really, Sam? Now you’re quoting Gandhi? What the hell happened to you?”
She pushed her chair out from the table and stood up. “Look, this was a bad idea.”
