It could all be in my head. The new person might leave things be, but I had Alexandra and Nolan to think about. They needed their jobs. And my mother. She was upstate in the best facility money could buy. It cost fifty thousand a year to keep her there, but they took great care of her. Her dementia was to the point where she rarely, if ever, had great moments anymore. I visited when I could, but each time it tore a piece of me away. She didn’t know who I was, sometimes she had fits of rage, or massive depression, and while she couldn’t remember huge parts of our lives, I knew every second.
Her well-being, my studio, my whole life as it was now, was built on terrible lies. I hoped I didn’t have to choose between Alexandra’s and Nolan’s jobs and my mom’s care. I hoped this new person let life go on as it was. I hadn’t destroyed my soul for it to all go up in flames now.
I sealed the box and returned it. I was going to meet this person and figure it out. The studio was making good money, and with the amount I had in my savings, I was sure we’d get out of this. Please don’t let me be wrong.
Chapter Five
Max
“I got good news for you,” I heard Ciro say through my earpiece as I handed a guy a shot of tequila.
“Do you? Is it like Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans just got here and are asking for me to join them in a game of slip-n-slide Twister?” I could hear Shane laugh as he passed behind me to get a beer to someone.
“No,” Ciro answered, “but Sparkles just walked in.”
I’d asked Atlas and Toby if they’d heard from him. Toby said he spoke to him briefly, that he was going through a work thing but would pop in soon. Seemed like tonight was the night.
“How’s he look?”
There was a beat of silence, and Ciro was either rolling his eyes slowly at me or there was reason to worry. “He is all dolled up and looks ready to dance.” Rolling his eyes it was.
“Thanks.”
I moved to the next person, then the next, eyes scanning the club, hoping to spot hot-pink hair. Why was it that when you were looking for something, it seemed everyone had it? I turned to tell Shane I was taking fifteen, when Sparkles slipped between two guys waiting for a drink.
“Hey, stranger, haven’t seen you in a while.” I couldn’t hold back how happy I was to see him, and judging by the creeped-out expression on his face, I wasn’t hiding it well.
“I do have a life outside of this place.” He hopped onto a stool.
“Yeah, I know. But I had no one to annoy. It felt like ages.” Smiling, I leaned against the bar. Sparkles arched an eyebrow. “What can I get you, gorgeous?”
“Sometimes I wonder if you say things like ‘sweetheart, honey, babe, gorgeous’ because you can’t remember the person’s name.” Sparkles narrowed his eyes. “I’ll have a watermelon margarita, dumpling.”
God, he drove me crazy. “You got it.” I went to work making him the best watermelon margarita he’d ever had. Shane smiled as he passed me again. It was no secret that I wanted Sparkles. But everyone, including Sparkles, thought it was to just fuck him. But the more I was around him, the more I wanted to know everything about him. What was his real name? What did he do for a living? I knew nothing, yet I saw him all the time. Outside of Ciro, he was the most secretive person I’d ever known.
“Here you go.” I slid the drink to him and watched as he took a sip. His shoulders eased and he closed his eyes as if that sip took away tightly knotted stress. “Good?”
“You’re still here?” he asked sarcastically. I usually had to keep moving, but I was also the boss behind the bar, so I chose to stay.
“Funny thing about me, Sparkles. I’m always here; you can never get rid of me.”
He smiled and took another sip before leaning a little closer to me. I moved in to meet him, and just when I thought he might kiss me, or do something sweet he said, “Like herpes.”
“One of these days, Sparkles, you’ll come here wanting me, maybe even needing me, but someone will have swooped me away.” He hadn’t pulled back, and neither had I. His eyes were the most beautiful color—cyan, if I had to guess. I hadn’t ever been this close to him, so I took all of him in.
“I guess we shall see.” Then he did push away with his drink. He didn’t leave; instead he made himself at home on the stool.
“Excuse me, some service please?” It was rude, and when I turned to tell the person to hold on, I realized it was one of the suits from the other night. This time they were dressed more casual, but I remembered the face.
“I was with a patron, sir,” I snapped, but the guy simply smirked.
“Great, now that I have your attention, I’d like a Heineken, two of them.” He never dropped eye contact, as if he were trying to play chicken with me or something. I had no time for this.
“Here.” Two Heinekens were set on the countertop by Shane.
“Thanks.” He dropped a fifty down—far too much money—took the beers, and left.
“Oh, he was charming,” Sparkles said with a roll of the eyes.
“You’re not much nicer to me, you know.” I wiped off the bar before the next person moved in to take the place of the rude guy.
“Oh, please. When I do that, it’s charming.” Sparkles laughed and yeah, something about the cat and mouse with Sparkles never angered me. It was familiar.
“Then you should defend your title. That guy beat you in meanness.”
Sparkles chuckled. “He was an amateur. He didn’t like you though, that’s for sure. Maybe he was one of your conquests, and he’s scorned because you don’t remember him.” He held his hand to his chest and sighed dramatically. “Oh, Max, his heart is broken, and only your manly ways can mend it.”
“I’m cutting you off,” I said as I threw my bar towel at his face. It made me happy to see him laughing.
Sparkles hung out on the stool for about half an hour, had another drink, then said he was going to dance. Sparkles usually opted for the stage to dance over the floor, and why wouldn’t he when he had a free pass to do so?
The bar was insanely busy, but every spare chance I got, I looked toward the stage and saw him moving expertly to the beat. Other dancers on the stage began gravitating to him, but there was no denying how much he was in his own head.
I didn’t know when he’d left the stage, but at one point I glanced at the dancers, and he was gone. I spent the remainder of my time helping customers and making sure my bartenders were doing their best. Everyone was happy, and that was what mattered.
By closing I was ready to go home and pass out. Shane said he’d close for me, so I went to the back, grabbed my leather coat, and left through the side exit. I’d just straddled my bike when someone spoke—not just someone, Sparkles.
“Why does it not surprise me that you ride a motorcycle?”
Grinning, I patted the space behind me. “Want to go for the ride of your life? And I’m not just talking about the bike.” I winked and he chuckled but walked closer.
“I guess it makes sense. I’m not sure I see you as a ‘make out in the back seat’ sort of guy.”
“Not my thing.” I shrugged. “So, you hanging out in parking lots now?”
Sparkles’s eyes darted around almost nervously but maybe more like he was uncertain. “My friend…well…assistant, was supposed to pick me up, but he’s running late.”
“You don’t have a car?”
“Oh, no, I do, but when I know I’m going to drink, I arrange for an Uber or something. In this case, Nolan, my assistant.”
My watch read three in the morning. “Why not text Nolan and say you got a ride, and I’ll drop you off?” I didn’t want him standing in a parking lot at this hour alone. I’d make the offer for anyone, but I wanted him to say yes more than anybody else.
“Hop on your hog, so you can take me home and know where I live?” he asked sardonically.
“Why would I need to stalk you at your home when you relentlessly come to my place of work and creep all over my bar, sucking down my dri
nks and begging for more?” Yeah, there was massive innuendo there, and I wasn’t sorry because when Sparkles’s head flew back and he laughed, it was worth any and all the cheesy lines.
“Fine. Honestly, I’m tired, and I have a class at eight and need rest.” He pulled out his phone and texted his friend. “Got a spare helmet?”
“Actually no, but take mine.” I handed it to him, but he just stared at me. “You just slip it over your head and then take the strap—”
“I know how to put a helmet on, but what about you?”
“Aww.” I put my hand on my chest. “Are you worried about me?”
“No, I just…forget it.” He put the helmet on, keeping the visor up, and slipped in behind me. When he pressed his body against mine, it felt so good I almost moaned.
“You’re going to have to wrap your arms around me.” I felt Sparkles’s breath on my ear.
“Like this?” He squeezed so tightly I couldn’t breathe.
“No, I need to be able to stay conscious to drive.” He loosened his grip. “Better.”
“Sorry, I just get this overpowering sense of rage around you.” He chuckled.
“Whatever. Just hold on and try to move with my body. But if you hold close, you should naturally move with me.”
“Mmm. How sexual.” Hearing the purr of Sparkles’s tone made my cock stiffen, and now I’d have to drive with a hard-on.
When the motorcycle roared to life and Sparkles closed the visor of the helmet and gripped me just a little tighter, I loved the moment just a tiny bit more.
“Where do you live?”
“You know the studio, Ashley’s Haven?” I nodded because I’d passed it quite a few times. “I live in the building across the street from it.”
“Okay, hang on.” I drove out of the parking lot, smiling the whole way to his apartment building.
Chapter Six
Lane
As Max and I drove through the streets of Haven Hart, the chilly autumn breeze numbing my fingers, I found that I sort of wished I could take the helmet off and breathe in the scent of his leather jacket. I already knew the man smelled amazing. But I’d never been this close before, aside from earlier at the bar, but there were too many scents mingling around us then. I shook those thoughts off, quickly remembering I didn’t want to be another lay. I wouldn’t be that person anymore.
I obviously wasn’t paying attention, so when the motorcycle stopped and shut off, I looked around. We were in front of my building.
“Oh wow, that was quick.” I pulled off the helmet and handed it to him.
“Not many people out at this hour. It’s kind of nice.” Max smiled. His cheeks were red from the wind, and I felt like shit for taking his helmet.
“Your face is bright red.” It was on the tip of my tongue to invite him up, but I stopped myself.
“No big, just the chill of the air. I’ll be fine.” He jerked his head toward my building. “This is a nice place. You must make a decent living.”
Hearing him say that made my heart twist painfully. “I do fine.”
“Can I ask what it is you do exactly?”
There was no point lying or hiding what I did, so I pointed to Ashley’s Haven across the street. “I own that studio, I teach dance.”
Max stared at the building, a small smile playing on his face. “That totally makes sense.”
“It does?” I mean, I danced well at the club, but a lot of people were great dancers there, and I knew for a fact many had other jobs—they were accountants, doctors, lawyers.
“Something about you, I dunno, it just makes sense is all.” He shrugged and put the helmet on, lifting the visor so I could see his eyes. “See ya later, Sparkles.”
I was surprised he didn’t ask me why it was called Ashley’s Haven, but I was finding Max to be almost like an enigma. Maybe not who I thought he was after all.
“Yeah, see ya.” A snarky comment didn’t even cross my mind. And when he waved as he pulled away from the curb, I briefly regretted not inviting him up.
I’d just opened the door to my apartment when I heard it. Teeny, tiny clacking. It got faster, louder, and suddenly my leg was being attacked with pathetic nibbles and a half barking, half chirping noise.
“Oh, you have to be kidding me, Tank, I wasn’t gone that long.” Tank was a teacup poodle I’d adopted a few months ago. I went to the pound looking for some big scary guard dog I could take walks with, and he’d keep the creepy people away. But as soon as I stepped into the pound, there was this wee little black ball of fuzz sitting in a basket on the counter.
The woman said he was just brought in, found in the gutter. My heart broke, and my sudden need to get a guard dog reversed when I realized this little guy needed protection.
I didn’t expect the battle that ensued over him, but I was relentless, and with a sizable donation to the pound and a background check that would make the FBI proud, I was the owner of that wee little pup. Tank would never get bigger than my hand, but he was perfect for me. And as he gnawed on my pants pathetically, I realized he tried to be a guard dog.
“I paid five hundred dollars for these.” I lifted him into my hand, and he began licking my face. “Yes, yes, I missed you too. Were you a good boy?” He wagged his tail and a second later, he peed all over me. “Dammit.” I should’ve known better. When he got super excited, he peed. “It’s okay, little guy. Let’s take you out after I wash my hands.”
I quickly washed my hands, changed my shirt with the pee on it, put my coat on, and grabbed the leash. Snapping it to Tank’s collar, I went outside so he could relieve himself for the night. He smelled everything and of course, wouldn’t do his business.
“You know once we go upstairs, that’s it for the night. None of this ‘I need to pee’ in a few hours.”
Tank looked at me with his teeny tiny eyes, and I could practically read his mind. “You’re my bitch, Daddy, you’ll stand in the rain for me.” And he was right.
So, we walked for a good twenty minutes, all around the building. We turned the corner back to where the entrance was, and I noticed two cars outside of Ashley’s Haven. There was nothing over there except the studio, and the cars were directly by the front door. Tank stopped and finally peed, and I observed what was going on. Which was a whole lot of nothing at first. The cars were just there.
I started for the entrance to my apartment when I heard car doors close. Turning, I saw four very large men walk toward the door of Ashley’s. One tried the handle, obviously finding it locked. I lifted Tank in my arms and shouted from across the way.
“Hey, the place is closed.”
All four guys turned in unison…Creepy. One spoke, “Yes, we’re aware. Our boss bought the building from Earl Hester.” He said it in such a way that it excused him from entering my place of business.
“Are you the new landlord?” I stayed across the street. I was no match for those guys, and no one else was around at this hour.
“My boss is, yes.”
“Well, you need to contact the tenant of that building and give them twenty-four hours’ notice before any sort of inspection or whatnot.” Tank started wiggling, likely disliking how I was shouting.
“I see,” the man said. “I must’ve misunderstood Earl. I will contact the tenant. Have a good evening.” It was so odd, the whole thing, I mused as I watched them get in their cars and drive off.
I rushed inside my apartment and not caring about the hour, called Earl. He seemed as surprised as I was, seeing as papers weren’t signed yet. Apparently the new landlord, who wanted the dinner with all his new tenants, was going to sign the official papers with Earl after that.
Earl promised to make a few calls and let me know what he found out sometime this afternoon. By the time I calmed down, showered, and got ready for bed, it was already five in the morning. I hoped to get at least two hours of sleep before my class, but I had a feeling rest wasn’t going to come easy.
Class the next day was rough. I got maybe thir
ty minutes of sleep, and my legs felt like tree trunks. Alexandra, being the angel she was, took over most of my classes. Around two, Earl came by, and we went to my office.
“So, any news?” I asked.
“It seems it was a miscommunication. Dates got mixed up, but they promised not to show up again until everything is official and will give notice.”
“Earl?” I propped my elbows on my desk and rested my chin in my hands. “Who is this new landlord? What’s his name?”
“It’s more of a corporation—”
“Last night one of the guys said ‘Our boss,’ Earl.”
He shrugged. “From what I understand, there’s a project manager for each property, so at the dinner you’ll meet the one for this building and the guy at the head. There are so many names, Lane, I—”
“This doesn’t feel right.”
“It’ll be great, he just…the guy said he wanted to meet everyone at once. Asked to keep it under wraps in case the deal fell through. He didn’t want hard feelings or anything anywhere.”
Nothing about this sat well with me, but at least no papers were officially signed. “Fine, when is this meeting dinner thing?”
He smiled and handed over a card. “Tomorrow night. Seven. He got a private room at Vayne’s.”
Vayne’s was one of, if not the best restaurant in all of Haven Hart. Private rooms were booked out months in advance, so something told me this guy was a bigwig.
“Okay, I’ll see you then, Earl.”
Chapter Seven
Max
I wasn’t proud of myself…Well, I wasn’t proud of myself after I had the information I finally had. As soon as I got home from dropping Sparkles off, I booted up my computer and googled Ashley’s Haven Dance Studio. I read the entire site. Lane Ashley. That was Sparkles’s real name. As I stared at his picture on the site and looked at the gallery of photos, I was enthralled. He was in so many different poses…The guy was seriously talented. Why wasn’t he dancing with some company, why teach?
To Die For (Joker's Sin Book 2) Page 3