by Stasia Black
“Anyway, tell the boys AJ sent you. They’ll put you to the front of the line.” The man winked. Ashley looked like she’d seen a pile of dog vomit in the booth right where Cora was sitting.
Cora could feel her cheeks flushing with embarrassment and anger. Who did this man think he was?
But AJ still smiled at her, eyes narrowed as he waited for her reaction. Cora took a deep breath and channeled her Inner Ice Queen.
“Excuse me—” she started to say—she still couldn’t help being polite, even in Ice Queen mode—when Hype, in a tux and bright blue hair, ran up to the booth. Together with his twin brother Thane, he managed Elysium, and he more than lived up to his name. Thane did the books took care of the back office while Hype stage managed and, on nights Elysium wasn’t booked for a show, played as the House DJ.
“Mrs. Ubeli?” Hype gasped. His blue eyes were wide and frantic under his shocking hair. Both Cora’s unwanted visitors stepped aside as Hype leaned in. “Have you seen your husband?”
“No, Hype, why, is something wrong?” Cora rose, relieved to have a familiar face in her corner.
“It’s The Orphan. The singer for tonight—he’s refusing to play.”
“What?” Cora and Ashley said at the same time. The latter immediately looked disgusted that she shared the same thought with Cora.
Meanwhile, AJ was studying Cora with a shrewd look on his face. Cora felt his gaze, and, even though red burned on her cheeks, she refused to look at him.
“He just stopped tuning his guitar and started freaking out. Thane sent me to find help.” At this, Hype turned to AJ. “Has he ever done this before?”
AJ shrugged. “He’s an artist. He’s temperamental.”
“You’re his manager, for gods’ sake.” As the blue haired man’s voice cracked, it got louder. “Why aren’t you in the green room with him?”
Cora’s eyes shot back to AJ. He was The Orphan’s manager?
“Thought I’d meet the locals,” AJ said. “Look, I discovered him. I got him here for you. If he doesn’t sing, it’s on him. Not my problem.” AJ reached down to a bowl of bar nuts the waitress had left on Cora’s table, took a handful and slapped them into his mouth. His jaws shook a little as he chewed. Cora looked away in disgust.
Hype looked like he was about to explode and Cora took pity on him.
“Ok, calm down,” Cora said. “Let’s go see Thane.” She put a hand on his arm. “We’ll figure something out.”
Relieved to have a reason to escape, Cora started walking away.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Ubeli,” AJ called after them, spraying pieces of food onto the carpet.
“What an ass,” Hype muttered.
“Who is he, and why is he here?” Cora couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice. “A simple band manager wouldn’t have dared take the liberties he did. And the things he said—”
Hype glanced at her. “What’d he say to you?”
“He, uh, told me he admired my body.” She shook her head in revulsion. “He offered me a job.”
“What, really?” Hype looked ill. “Don’t tell Mr. U that.”
“Why, what does he do?”
“He produces pornos.”
“What?” Cora cried out.
“Don’t worry,” Hype said drily. “Once Marcus finds out he’s here, he’s going to kill him.”
“What? Why?”
“Those two go way back. Before Marcus was—” Hype lowered his voice and intoned solemnly, “Lord of the Underworld.”
“Don’t let him catch you calling him that.” Cora grimaced, but she knew what Hype meant. Before the age of thirty her husband had become a juggernaut in the city of New Olympus, with business on both sides of the law. She knew firsthand how impossible it was to cross him. “So why is AJ here?”
“AJ is like a cockroach; disgusting and indestructible. Careful around him…he’s smarter than he looks. Makes good money off his porn business and his club. Hustles on the side. One of his boys had a bloke who owed him a debt, and turns out the bloke was just about to discover the world’s newest hot rock star.”
“The Orphan.”
Hype nodded. “AJ took over the debt and signed the Orphan. We booked the show and then found out it came with AJ. Marcus doesn’t want him around.”
Cora considered this. She couldn’t imagine Marcus not getting his way. Although, given the boost The Orphan would give to Elysium, she understood why Marcus compromised.
Cora shook her head. “I think he may have been…testing me.” She remembered the intent look in his beady little eyes.
“Testing for Mr. U’s weaknesses,” Hype nodded. “AJ looks like a slob, but don’t underestimate him.”
Cora shook her head like she could shake off the encounter. “His companion certainly didn’t think much of me.”
“Please. I own shirts longer than that skank’s dress,” Hype cracked.
Cora smiled. Of all Marcus’s employees, the blue haired Hype was her favorite. Even when he was acting jittery—which he was about half the time she saw him. The other half he seemed almost too mellow.
Hype slowed abruptly as they turned down a new hall and saw two large men guarding a nondescript door.
The door opened before he could address the guards and Thane, Hype’s brother, faced them, solemn faced. Thane wore a grey suit and a pale violet tie, and, other than his clothes and plain brown hair, he looked exactly like his blue haired brother.
Just like the first time she met them, she marveled at how one twin looked like an accountant and the other looked ready for a rave.
The two men stared at each other like they were looking into a mirror at a fun house. Hype seemed even more agitated when juxtaposed with his dignified brother.
“He won’t play,” Thane stated and Hype started up a fit of cursing.
“What can we do?” Cora interjected.
“Get Mr. Ubeli. Or Sharo—Sharo can threaten to beat his head in.”
“Brilliant,” said Hype at the same time Cora said, “No!”
She frowned at both brothers. “Can I see him? Maybe I could talk to him.”
Thane and Hype exchanged glances that might as well have said, Couldn’t hurt. Thane led them into the room.
The green room was, in fact, green. Stage hands in black rushed around and more bodyguards in suits stood like statues around the room. Brightly lit mirrors lined one wall; two makeup artists stood at the counters fussing over their supplies. A knot of people were in the corner beside them, looking bored and drinking designer water.
“He’s over there.” Thane nodded toward the corner.
Cora hesitated, suddenly nervous. “I don’t know if I should do this. He has ties to AJ, right? Marcus might not want me to meddle.”
Thane blinked. “You met AJ?”
“Back in the lounge. He cornered her,” Hype explained. “I practically rescued her. That man never misses an opportunity to make a bad impression.”
“I’m just saying, if he’s one of Marcus’s enemies then maybe I should lay low,” Cora said.
Thane scowled at his brother. “You’ve been talking too much.”
“What?” Hype threw his hands up. “You want this concert to happen, right?”
Thane looked at Cora. “We need him to do this, for PR. There’s a lot of support in the lounge.”
Cora nodded, catching his meaning. Business support. People who came out to see The Orphan in private before the show. People who would owe her husband a favor.
She took a deep breath, because though her husband might always see her as only her mother’s daughter, she was determined to make a life for herself here. She would prove herself indispensable and she would start by somehow pulling this off. “Ok. I’ll do it.”
Smoothing her dress, Cora practiced her model glide all the way to the huddle of people in the corner of the room.
Thane fell into step with her. “Look, he may be rude. He may just ignore us. We’ve been trying not to strong arm
him and risk offending his…artistic sensitivity.”
“Thane, I can handle sensitivity. I’m a model, remember? And a woman.” She stopped on the edge of the huddle and looked for a way to break through the throng of bodyguards, managers, assistants and groupies.
Thane cleared his throat. “Excuse me, Mrs. Ubeli would like to meet The Orphan.”
All eyes turned to her. The groupies looked annoyed. Cora blushed a little, realizing they thought she was just another rich man’s escort, in her expensive sheath dress and diamonds.
A path cleared and Cora found herself approaching a young man sitting on a stool in the corner, hunched over a guitar. His blondish hair had fallen into his eyes, his head bent towards his fingers. Other than his extreme concentration, he looked almost normal. He wore jeans and a plain white button-down shirt, and with his unruly hair he looked like a kid made to wear church clothes. Not like a rock god at all.
“Orphan?” Cora made her voice as soft and dulcet as possible. She felt awkward saying it. Everyone put The in front of Orphan but surely people didn’t address him that way. Apparently it didn’t matter how she addressed him because he didn’t move or look up either way.
“It’s nice to meet you.” She searched for something to say. The Orphan still hadn’t looked at her, instead remaining focused on his instrument. His fingers moved, ghosting across the neck of the guitar, forming chords, playing soundlessly.
Cora waited a minute, watching him play silently, in his own world. A lock of hair fell away from his face and she tried again. “Is there anything you might need? Some water maybe?”
One of the groupies stepped forward, offering a water bottle. The Orphan ignored it. Cora could hear whispers start to circulate around her.
“Mob boss’s wife,” she heard someone say, but when she turned all she saw was a circle of blank faces, staring at her. Cora felt her own face stiffen, become a mask. She had to remember she was playing a role, typecast by their judgment.
She always hated being surrounded by people like this—fake, judgmental hangers on who hoped a little fame or power would rub off on them simply by being in proximity to it. Maybe The Orphan hated it too, maybe not. Judging by his closed off body language, she’d say he didn’t love it… Or maybe he was just really into his music.
Either way, there was no way she could talk to him like this.
“Clear the room.” When no one moved, she squared her shoulders and said it in a far louder, no nonsense, do-not-fuck-with-me voice. “Clear the room.”
And people started to move. Slowly at first but Cora said to Hype, “Should I go get my husband?” and everyone started scurrying at a much quicker clip after that until just she, Hype, Thane, and The Orphan were alone in the room. She waved out Hype and Thane.
The Orphan finally looked over at her. “You’re the club owner’s wife, right?”
She nodded.
“You look a lot younger than him,” he said thoughtfully.
“He just looks older sometimes,” she smiled.
“How old are you?”
“You and I are the same age, I think. Nineteen, right?” She blushed a little under the Orphan’s intense scrutiny. He was a good-looking boy.
“You look about sixteen,” he laughed and sang a little phrase from a song she recognized, Sixteen Summers.
Cora stilled and listened until the Orphan was done. “That’s one of your songs?”
He nodded, a genuine smile lighting up his face.
“Wow, I didn’t realize you wrote that. They play it all the time on the radio.”
“I wrote the lyrics and they bought it for a female artist to sing. That was before I was discovered.”
“You sold your song?”
He shrugged. “Practically gave it away, so I could eat and keep on. I just want to make music.” He started humming the song again, eyes closed reverently. His fingers flew in a riff on an air guitar and didn’t stop until he sang the last chorus.
When he opened his eyes, Cora clapped. She couldn’t help it. He looked so charming.
He was oblivious to it, she realized, this light that shone from him. His gift. When he accessed it and shared it freely, he shone like the sun.
“That was amazing.”
“Thanks. Wrote it for Iris.” His brow furrowed. “I’m waiting for her. I can’t go on until she’s here. It’s a big night.”
“She’s your girlfriend?”
The Orphan lit up again, smiling impishly. “I have a secret. I’m hoping she’ll be my fiancée. I’m gonna propose after the show tonight.” His brow pinched. “But don’t tell anyone. AJ wouldn’t like it.”
Cora shook her head. “Your secret is safe with me.” She wanted to ask him more about AJ and why he’d taken the sleazy man on as a manager but the door pushed open.
“Christopher?” A tall, lovely young woman pushed forward. Her dark curls were a halo around her head, emphasizing her full lips and beautiful mocha skin. So he had a real name after all.
“Iris,” The Orphan, Chris, said in the gravelly voice of a hipster singer. He swung his guitar down and the young woman stepped straight into his arms.
Her height put her perfectly face to face with him still on the stool.
“You okay, babe?” Chris searched her eyes, worried lines etching his brow.
Iris nodded. “Always. I’m so sorry I’m late.” She wound her arms behind his neck. “I missed you.”
“Nothing’s right until you’re here,” he whispered. “It’s you and me against the world.”
They gazed into each other’s eyes with a look of such love and longing…
Cora’s breath caught and a pain she couldn’t explain clenched her chest. She wanted to look away, to give them privacy, but most of all to shield her eyes from the aching sweetness of their love.
They kissed gently, and Cora did look away but not before seeing the naked intimacy on their faces.
“Ma’am?” the young woman called. Cora glanced back; Chris and Iris were still in a clinch, and Iris was looking back at her. “Can we go backstage now?”
“Yes,” Cora managed to say, her throat suddenly dry. “I mean, I think so. I’ll check…if you’re ready.”
“We’re ready,” Chris said, face lit up. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of the lovely Iris, whose smile bloomed easily on her lips.
Cora backed away, signaling Thane, who stepped in.
“That went well.” Hype appeared at her elbow, looking way more mellow than when she last saw him. She suspected he’d stepped out and taken something; his blue eyes looked a little glazed. “He’ll play?”
“Yes, he was just waiting for—” Cora broke off when the crowd jostled her to the side. The Orphan’s entourage moved towards the door.
“Good work, toots.” A rough voice made both Cora and Hype turn. AJ stood there smoking a cigar.
“You can’t smoke in here. It’s a fire hazard,” Hype sputtered.
“Beat it, freak.” AJ stared the shorter man down. AJ was as broad as he was tall, but his bulk only added to his menace. “I’m here to talk to the lady.”
“Mr. Ubeli won’t like it.”
“Mr. Ubeli doesn’t like a lot of stuff I do.” AJ gestured with his cigar holding hand, sprinkling bits of ash on the floor. He turned to Cora and she shrank back. He was the last person she felt like dealing with right now. “I’d like to continue our earlier conversation.”
“I’d rather not.” Cora tried to keep the quiver out of her voice. He was just a man and they were in public. She didn’t have to be such a coward. This was her life, she tried to remind herself.
“Oh, I think you do.” And AJ slung his arm around her shoulders, steering her towards the door. Cora tried to step away, but he was built like a bear and easily blocked her. She felt panic rising as he bullied her forward.
She could see Hype’s wide blue eyes following her worriedly and she tried to halt in her tracks, but AJ’s arm caught her and pushed her towards the door with him
. What the—
She tried to twist away from him but his hands gripped even tighter, hard enough to leave bruises. She was on the verge of freaking out when a voice rolled across the room.
“Get your hands off my wife.”
Marcus stood in the doorway, glowering at AJ. As always, Cora felt his presence like a physical thing, a storm front moving into the room. Everyone, including AJ, froze.
“Marcus, man of the hour.” AJ grinned at the new arrival. His arm fell away and Cora scuttled to the side.
Marcus put his hand out for her and, gods help her, she went to him. He pulled her close and she sank against his side, “Are you ok?”
“Yes,” she lied. She could feel the heat of his anger, but he kept it controlled. She wished she hadn’t had to be rescued, least of all by him. She needed to pull away from him if she was ever going to keep her sanity.
But Marcus only put his arm around her shoulder and tucked her more firmly to his side before facing AJ. And it felt so good, so safe in his arms.
The room had mostly cleared. Hype had retreated near the makeup tables and was instructing the people there to take a break and move out. Two of The Orphan’s bodyguards stood hulking around; Cora guessed they were AJ’s men.
The mobster faced Marcus and she realized that if his shoulders weren’t so stooped, he’d almost be as tall as her husband. AJ was larger than Marcus, too, and although Marcus had the frame of an athlete, the older man struck an intimidating figure. She felt a little better about not standing up to him. Even now AJ smoked his cigar casually, acting unfazed as he studied Marcus.
“AJ,” Marcus finally acknowledged him. “I see you met my wife.”
“Beautiful girl you have there, Marcus. Real sweet too.” He winked at Cora and she stiffened in shock. Was he trying to imply she’d been flirting with him?
She shuddered in disgust and Marcus’s arm around her tightened.
“We’ll have to forgive AJ for being so rude,” Marcus said to Cora, although he kept his eyes on AJ. “He hasn’t been to New Olympus in a while.”
AJ lost all interest in Cora as he narrowed his eyes at Marcus. “That’s right. A bunch of riffraff showed up. Didn’t like the way the neighborhood was going.”