by I. T. Lucas
On the other side of it was the employee entrance, and if she didn’t stop him, he would leave before she had a chance to talk to him.
Holding the door opened, Franco turned and scanned the crowd for his caller.
She waved at him.
He lifted a brow.
“Do you have a moment? Or are you in a super hurry to get out of here?”
He smiled. “For you, I can spare a moment.” He opened the door wider. “Please, step into my office.” He waved her on into the supply room.
“I heard you guys are holding a class down there. Can I watch? I mean, during my break.”
He shook his head and patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Callie, but I have a policy about keeping the nightclub’s personnel and that of the lower level separate. If you worked downstairs, it would have been a different story. But you’re not old enough.”
Disappointing to say the least. “Any chance you’d change your mind about the age limit? I know that until recently it used to be twenty-one.”
He shook his head again. “It works better this way. Most of the members are older. And we want to make sure no one gets in with a fake ID. Other nightclubs have got in trouble because of nonsense like that, and those were just regular clubs.”
“But you know me. You know I’m over twenty-one.”
“That’s enough, Callie.” Franco used his drill sergeant’s tone. “I don’t have time for this.”
That commanding tone and that stern look might have scared most people into compliance, but not Callie. Not while she was mad and on a mission.
Another day? Maybe?
“Can you at least tell Brad to call me? Or come up and see me?”
He cast her a curious look. “I will when I come back.”
“Thank you. And sorry for bothering you, sir.”
The formal address seemed to mollify him. “It’s okay.”
The thing was, Franco didn’t come back. Or if he had, Callie had missed him.
She’d waited and watched people leave from that freaking side corridor all night, but there had been no sign of Brundar or Franco.
“Come on, Callie.” Donnie looked impatient. He’d been waiting outside and then came in looking for her.
She buttoned up her light jacket. “Let’s go.”
“Finally.”
It was after closing time, and she was taking her sweet time getting ready to head home, just in case Brundar finally showed up. But it wasn’t fair to Donnie. With both Franco and Brundar busy elsewhere, he was stuck with walking her home.
“You can drive me home. It will take less time.” It wasn’t fair of her to take more of Donnie’s time than necessary, but after the noise and the smells of the nightclub, Callie preferred walking. The ten minutes’ stroll in the crisp night air was relaxing, and listening to Donnie talk about his latest comic starring Bud, the mighty slayer of rogue vampires, was fun.
Most nights Donnie seemed to enjoy it too.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Are you kidding me? Walking you home is the best part of the night for me.”
Talk about awkward. Maybe Miri was right.
Had Callie been too preoccupied with her own problems to notice that Donnie wanted to be more than a friend?
“I want to ask you something, Donnie. What do you think of Miri?”
He shrugged. “I’m thinking of a comic she could star in. She’d make the visuals stand out. But I can’t think of a story for her.”
That wasn’t what Callie had in mind. But maybe she could steer him in the right direction. “She could be Bud’s girlfriend.”
Donnie shook his head. “Nah. They don’t fit. A comic needs contrast. The strange looking guy with an ordinary looking girl or the other way around. You can be Bud’s girlfriend in the story.”
She lifted her hand. “Please, don’t. I need my privacy.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll change the way you look. But I can base a character on you.”
“I can live with that. Who would you cast as Miri’s boyfriend?”
“Let me think…”
Donnie looked up to the sky for inspiration, which meant he didn’t see himself in that role. A pity.
“I know. A computer nerd. Maybe a hacker.”
A more direct approach was needed. “How about a comic book nerd?”
It took him a moment to catch her meaning. He laughed, his big body shaking. “Me? No way. Miri is cool, but she is too cool for me.”
“What’s your type?”
“Someone like you, or Fran.” The way his voice got all soft when he said Fran’s name said it all.
“Fran is cute.” The girl was a student and worked only on weekends.
“Yeah. But she ignores me. Probably thinks I’m a dumb bouncer. All muscle and no brains.”
“She doesn't know you. You need to talk to her. Show her that you’re much more than muscle.”
“How can I do it when she barely says hi to me?”
“Easy, give her one of your comics. With a dedication.”
“What, just shove it in her hand?”
“Yeah. Bring a few to give to other employees too if it makes you feel less awkward.”
Donnie nodded. “It wouldn't hurt to do some PR.”
“Exactly. That way everyone will know how extremely talented you are. Just don’t bring the ones starring Brad.”
“No way. Even I wouldn’t want to mess with your boyfriend.”
And just like that her good mood vanished. “Stop saying that. He is not my boyfriend.”
“Then what is he to you?”
“I wish I knew. For a few days, I was stupid enough to think he was. But how can he be when he spends nearly all his evenings and nights downstairs? Playing with other women? That’s not my definition of a boyfriend. I have no wish to become one of his many whatever he calls them. His playmates or scene partners or whatever.”
Donnie stopped and turned to face her. “He owns half of the club, and he is into that shit. A guy like that can’t be monogamous. Part of his job is to teach and demonstrate, and he can’t do that while keeping his hands off. What did you expect? That he would quit everything because he likes you?”
“Yeah, I kind of did. Silly me.”
“Come here.” Donnie pulled her into a bear hug. “You can either accept Brad the way he is or find someone else. Those are your only two options. You can’t change him into who you want him to be.”
“I know.”
CHAPTER 5: BRUNDAR
Brundar collected his equipment and put everything into a large gym bag. His demonstrations always drew a crowd, and this evening was no different. He liked that part. Teaching others how to do it right. Hopefully, this time Gloria’s husband was paying attention to what Brundar had been doing to his wife and would be able to replicate the intricate knots in their private play. Next class would be a hands-on for the participants, with the couples experimenting and Brundar only supervising.
It would be interesting to see how much they remembered. Worst case scenario, if they messed it up so badly that the knots couldn’t be untied and they couldn’t get their partners free, the ropes could be cut off.
“Brad, can you come into my office? I need to run a couple of things by you.”
Brundar lifted his head and regarded Franco. “About?”
“Your expansion plans.”
“You said you didn’t want the hassle.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Good.” Brundar’s ideas would bring much needed additional profit to the club. Franco’s reluctance hadn’t made sense. Just because they were finally breaking even, didn’t mean that everything was going great. In business, not moving forward didn’t mean staying in place—it meant going backwards.
Besides, if Brundar stayed to talk to Franco after closing, he couldn’t see Calypso as he’d intended, which was a good thing. He needed time to think, and if he went home with her, thinking would be the last thing he’d do.
/> It was shameful that he needed outside help to stay away from her. He had no willpower when it came to Calypso.
Gym bag in hand, Brundar followed Franco into his cramped office. The memory of Calypso sitting in the same chair he now took was playing a number on him. Franco said something, but Brundar wasn’t with him. All he could think of was Calypso’s lips as she worried them while going through the paperwork, and what they’d done after that.
“Callie asked me to tell you to call her, but you were busy. So I’m telling you now.”
“Did she tell you why?”
Franco smirked. “She tried to convince me to let her see the demonstration. I told her no. Obviously, she is going to try you next. Tenacious little thing.”
“You have no idea.”
Franco shook his head. “Pretty girl, but too mouthy for my taste.”
Brundar stifled a growl. “You have nothing to worry about. She is not after you.”
“Didn’t think she was, my friend.” Franco smirked. “Not for a moment. I’m just commenting on the fact that she is mouthy and far from submissive. I saw that you had her fill out paperwork.”
Damnation. He’d forgotten to destroy that file. “Shred it. She was curious. The paperwork was meant as a scare tactic. I had no intention of making her a member. Too young.”
“And too vanilla,” Franco added.
Brundar closed his eyes and counted to five, waiting for his fury to subside. Franco read Calypso’s file. It was worse than if he’d seen her naked. Her soul was bared on that questionnaire. But it wasn’t Franco’s fault. It was Brundar’s.
“Give me her file.”
When Franco just looked at him, Brundar felt like baring his fangs. Instead, he repeated, “Now, Franco.”
His tone must’ve penetrated Franco’s momentary stupor, and the man scrambled to riffle through the files in his filing cabinet.
“Here.” He threw the file to Brundar as if it was about to catch fire.
Franco was an ex-Marine, not a guy who spooked easily. Brundar must have looked terrifying.
“Thank you,” he said, his speech sounding something between a slur and a hiss.
“Your eyes are glowing.” Franco pointed at Brundar's face.
“Contact lenses reflecting the light.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. Your eyes fucking glow. What are you?”
Hell and damnation.
Brundar leaned closer. “Look at them now. Do they look like they are glowing?”
“Yes.”
But it was too late for Franco. Brundar had him in a thrall. Justified this time. But as long as he was already in the guy’s head, he might as well erase the memory of that fucking file. In fact, he was going to erase this entire conversation.
In the time it took Franco’s eyes to regain focus, Brundar stashed the file in his gym bag.
Franco rubbed his temples. “Where were we?”
“Expansion plans.”
“Right. The liquor store next door is willing to let us have their basement. They are not using it, and we can connect ours to theirs by cutting out a doorway.”
“How much do they want for it?”
“That’s not a problem. A few hundred bucks a month. The remodeling is. I don’t have the funds for that, you know that. Are you willing to invest more?”
“I will invest my share and lend you for yours. I don’t want to own more than half of the club. But first, let me crunch the numbers again.”
Franco nodded, then rubbed his temples. “I know there was something else I wanted to talk to you about, but I can’t remember what it was. I must be getting old.”
“Are we done?”
“Yeah. We can talk about the other thing tomorrow if I remember what it is.”
“Goodnight, Franco.” Brundar lifted his gym bag and walked out.
Pulling out of the club’s parking lot, Brundar had every intention of going home. Instead, he drove to Calypso’s.
Not wanting to wake the girl, he let himself in using the spare set of keys the landlady had given him.
His careful steps were soundless as he entered Calypso's bedroom. For a few moments, he just looked at her, but then the compulsion to get closer animated his feet. He took a few steps and stood by the bed, watching her beautiful sleeping face for a few moments longer.
But it wasn’t enough either.
Defeated, Brundar took off his boots and his socks and climbed on the bed next to Calypso, lying on top of the comforter while she was bundled underneath it.
Better.
Some of the tightness in his chest eased. Brundar inhaled Calypso’s scent, feeling as if he was drawing his first full breath of the day. The thing was, he hadn’t been aware of the tightness and the shallow breathing until he came home to her.
A moment later, she turned in her sleep and threw an arm over him, then sighed as if until now she hadn’t been able to take a full breath either.
CHAPTER 6: CALLIE
Callie had slept better than she had in years. There had been no tossing and turning, no disturbing dreams about running away from monsters, no impossible puzzles to solve, only complete relaxation.
If not for the sudden loss of warmth, she would have kept sleeping, refusing to wake up and lose that peaceful feeling.
As it was, she reached her hand for the spot beside her, searching for the source of warmth. There was no one there, but there had been. The top of the comforter wasn’t cold.
She popped her eyes open to see Brundar’s back. Holding his boots in one hand and his socks in the other, he was trying to sneak soundlessly out of her room.
I knew it! He has an extra set of keys.
The thought should have bothered her, but it didn’t.
How could it?
To come in the middle of the night and just lie in bed next to her, meant that he couldn’t stay away. Callie felt like pumping her fist in victory.
The change in her breathing pattern must have alerted him to the fact that she was awake, and he turned his head. “Did I wake you?”
“I guess you did. But I don’t mind. Why are you leaving?”
“I need to be at work.”
“Guarding your big shot cousin?”
He nodded.
“Can you at least stay for breakfast?”
“I don’t have time.”
“Coffee?”
He glanced at his watch, then nodded.
“Great. Give me two minutes to get ready. Do you know how to work the coffee machine?”
A small smile pulled on one corner of his lips. “That’s the only thing I know how to make. I’ll get on it.”
If she hurried, she could make him a quick breakfast, and not send him on his way with an empty stomach.
After a quick visit to the bathroom, Callie pulled on a pair of leggings and an oversized T-shirt, ran a brush through her hair and padded to the kitchen.
The coffee machine was just starting to make hissing sounds, which meant she had a couple more minutes before it was ready. Plenty of time to stick a few bread slices into the toaster and scramble some eggs.
Passing him by, she kissed Brundar’s cheek. “Thank you for coming and keeping my bed warm.” She loaded the toaster first, then grabbed a frying pan.
“You’re not mad that I let myself in?”
“No. I figured you had another set of keys. You’re welcome to come in anytime you want. It’s not like I’m afraid you’ll catch me naked.” She winked at him.
If Callie hadn’t been so attuned to the slightest change in Brundar’s expression, she wouldn’t have noticed the impact of what she’d said had had on him.
He looked stunned, though to anyone else he would’ve looked as impassive as always. The guy wasn’t as unfeeling as he pretended to be. A lot was going on underneath that stoic exterior. She just wished he would lower his guard around her, just a little, and let her glimpse the man inside.
“You’re too trusting, Calypso. The world is full of evi
ldoers, and it’s difficult to tell the good guys from the bad.”
Callie cracked two eggs into the pan, then reached for two more. “I know. But you’re not one of them. If you wanted to hurt me, you could’ve done it anytime. Besides, I seriously doubt that this building’s security system or the locks on my door would’ve posed much of a challenge for you. Right?”
Getting up to tend to the coffee, Brundar nodded. “You happen to be right about me. But promise me you’ll be much more careful with everyone else. Don’t let anyone in here without telling me first.”
Callie lifted a brow. “Now, that sounds creepy, Brundar. Don’t you think?” That was something Callie would have expected Shawn to say. She loaded Brundar’s plate with most of the scrambled eggs and added three pieces of toast. “Butter?”
He nodded. “It’s not what you think. You live alone, and anyone who comes in here knows it. You’ll be safer if they hear you call a friend and tell him or her who you’re with. Right now I’m the only one you can call.”
That made sense. But there was one problem with that. “You told me to call you only in case of emergencies. If I invite Miri over does that count as an emergency? Or Donnie?” She cast him a sidelong glance, checking his reaction to her mention of the hunky bouncer.
Bingo!
Brundar’s jaw tightened. “Why would you invite Donnie?”
She shrugged. “He walks me home. I feel like I should at least offer him coffee.” Callie stifled a smile. She was willing to bet that from now on Brundar would be the only one walking her home.
“I can’t always answer calls. But you can text me anytime. Just make sure that whoever you let in knows you’re texting me about them.”
Well, well, wasn’t that a major breakthrough? He was allowing her to text him.
“How are the eggs?” she asked.
“Excellent. Everything you make is.”
Callie waved a hand. “You’ve seen nothing yet. All you had until now were quick impromptu meals. How about I invite you to dinner this evening and show you what I can really do?”
Brundar barely managed to keep his stoic mask on. But Callie caught the excited gleam in his eyes.