Past, Darkly (The Dreams Book 2) Page 14

  Unfortunately, without Sugar, the relationship between the two men changed, and their sexual chemistry wasn’t really there. They lived as friends and roommates, and James found that the majority of his time was spent in the little studio. Frank worked out of the main house and James did see him occasionally. Sometimes they met for dinner and drinks, or they had food delivered. They had weekly business meetings to discuss James’s finances, and Frank was working with a few private detectives who were attempting to find James’s grandparents. James tried several times to initiate something more than business, but Frank no longer surrendered to his advances, except on occasion. James longed for the intimacy they had once shared. Sugar had snagged her first movie gig in Europe and didn’t have time to fly to see them. Frank flew to her from time to time, and James noticed that he wasn’t invited. He knew Frank loved him, but their relationship had matured.

  He was unsure of American women and men, although he loved the anonymity New York City offered him. He discovered that, left on his own, he was more comfortable having sex with people he knew. James had girls flown in from Amsterdam for a weekend or a week. Once he had a guy he’d met in Paris visit, but the it factor wasn’t what he paid for and he sent him back to France, giving the guy a $10,000 tip because he was a nice man. Without Frank, the excitement…the illicitness of the act wasn’t the same.

  One afternoon as the sun set, James was walking through the Village and saw a small dark girl. His heart leapt from his chest, as he thought it was Sugar. He followed her for a few blocks and she disappeared into the Old Peculiar Pub. James entered the old building, stood in the doorway, and finally saw her sitting in a booth at the end of the bar. She met three guys, all like her with long raven-colored hair and dressed in black. James walked across the dimly lit pub and sat at the end of the bar, closest to their booth. Thinking back, it was one of the only regrets in his life up to this point.

  By the second drink, the girl and her friends were discussing their band. James took this as his opportunity by sending a round of drinks to their booth. The bar was darker and he looked over at the girl, shaking his long hair. She recognized him immediately, smiled, and raised her drink as a toast to him. By the end of the night, when the bar closed, he and Natasha were taking a car back to his place. She was so wild, she mounted him before they reached the townhouse. James asked the driver to pull the car into the garage, then shut the partition. Frank will like her. She is uninhibited.

  The drunken pair stumbled into the library portion of the rental, James practically zipping his pants as they entered. To his surprise, Frank sat in the room, reading a book in the leather wingback chair that sat in front of the bookcase. James introduced him to the girl and disappeared to get them drinks. Tossing his hair to one side, he opened the mahogany cabinet to reach for drink glasses. This will be like we used to be…Frank, me, and the girl. As he sat the clean glasses on the bar and moved toward the ice machine, he heard Frank’s footsteps, then he heard the door close softly as he entered the room.

  “You’re drunk,” Frank said.

  “Not the first time,” James slurred, smiling.

  “Who is she and why did you bring her into our home?” James was stunned and sat the Absolut bottle on the countertop, then shut the freezer door.

  “We do this all the time, Frank. C’mon, man; let’s have some fun.”

  Frank took James by the shoulder. “We do this when I have checked our partners’ backgrounds and know their history. We don’t know who this girl is and what her motivations are.”

  Looking into Frank’s dark eyes, James said, “Are we having our first fight?”

  “Not yet, but I have an instinct about people and she doesn’t have a good vibe.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “Tell me what you know about her,” he said bluntly.

  “Man, are you serious? She’s just some horny, wannabe rock chick from Atlanta or Alabama or somewhere. She’ll be gone by tomorrow morning. She’s looking for sex, that’s all. That’s it, Frank.” James poured vodka into one of the glasses and drank it in one shot. “You’re ruining my buzz, Frank. What’s this about anyway?”

  Frank adjusted his shirt collar, looked at the floor, and turned to James. “What this is about is you. You are the hottest rock star on the planet, and this creature knows where you and I are living. Does that not scare you a bit?”

  James faced the older man and said, “No. It doesn’t scare me at all. Not even a little. And not even that, it feels damn great. You’re uptight and need a good fuck.” He peered into Frank’s eyes and whispered, “She reminds me of Sugar. I thought the three of us could have some fun. I want it to be like we once were.” Then, he turned and poured himself another shot of vodka.

  Frank reached into his trouser pockets and said nothing while James prepped an ice bucket and placed everything on a silver platter to take into the library.

  As James picked up the tray, Frank touched the younger man’s arm. “No, no. Let me take these for you. Get her out of here and into your studio. Once you have her inside, I’ll leave the drinks at the door or have Adrian do it. When she leaves tomorrow, pay her fare home and give her $100. That’s all.”

  “Why, Frank? Why are you acting like this?”

  “Because there’s something about her that is fake, James. I sense it. As your Russian ancestors would say, ‘She has half a soul.’ Get rid of her. If she asks for your phone number, you give her my mobile number, got it?”

  James shook his head. “No, no, man. I don’t get it. I miss you and love you. We need to be together again. She’s just a pawn, man. That’s all. A little groupie who wants to fuck.”

  “No, this time, it’s different. I know a thing or two about women, James. That girl is on the take. Trust me. Go have your good time tonight.” He placed his hand on the younger man’s face. “I’ll call Sugar and see if she can visit us soon. How’s that?”

  James felt himself get harder, thinking about a weekend with Frank and Sugar. As if sensing it, Frank ran his hands through James’s hair, reached his arms around him, and softly brushed his lips across James’s neck. “Have fun and get back to her before she gets suspicious. Just do as I ask. Promise me?” he whispered in his ear. He ran his hand down the front of his jeans. Both men were aroused, but James knew what he had to do.

  “Yes, Frank, I’ll do anything for you.” With that, Frank unzipped his pants and James devoured him in no time. It was one of the best quickies he had ever experienced.

  Frank whispered, “Go. Get her out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  The jet slammed onto the runway, jolting him back to the present; not exactly the type of landing James enjoyed. Once they were solidly on the ground, the attendant walked by, handing him a slip of paper.

  “You have a message, sir,” she said with a breath-taking smile. James returned her smile and watched her walk up the aisle. Nice ass. Opening the paper, he saw written:

  Gina xo 404-555-1212.

  He crossed his eyes and leaned back in the seat. Maybe I am going to enjoy Atlanta, Georgia after all.

  Chapter 14

  A limo waited for him at the hangar in order to keep the curious fans away from him. The driver graciously took his bag while James hopped into the back seat, closing the partition for privacy. He dialed Gina and gave her his suite number at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta. That was one thing Frank made certain of…all employees had confidentiality clauses that were ironclad. She would say nothing of their encounter today, nor would she say anything if there were future trysts.

  They spent the afternoon in bed, with little spoken between them. James ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon, his favorite champagne, and Gina was more than happy to enjoy a glass or two with him. She left the suite by the private entrance around 3:00 p.m. James showered and stretched out in the second bedroom, clicked on the TV, and texted Frank that all was well. He would get in a quick nap before sound check. Moz had said he would call and text once Natasha and her group
left. With them taking the stage at 8:30 p.m., she should be gone by 6:00 p.m. at the latest. One crazy bitch crossed his mind as he shook his wet hair with his hands. Frank had been right about everything.

  Two days after he took her home, she had called the number – Frank’s mobile number – that James had given her. She pretended that she had left her wallet and had no money. Adrian checked the studio and library, and found nothing. Frank wired her $1000 to keep her safely away, wishing her well in finding her belongings. The next week, she called, wanting to see James. By the third week, she called from an ER saying that without James, she couldn’t go on and had tried to commit suicide. Frank had seen it before with other performers. He met with her at a local restaurant after her short hospital stay. She said she had to see James. She would die without his love. Frank placed a document in front of her, offering her $50,000 to disappear from James’s life forever. Suddenly, the girl felt better. She had played this game before. From what Frank explained later, she settled for the money with an exception, that being a one-time show with her band and TASTE, to be scheduled the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in Atlanta. Frank made a few calls, and the deal was closed by 2:30 p.m. She received a wire of $25,000 that day, along with a one-way ticket for her and a friend back to Atlanta. The remaining $25,000 would be wired to her account following tonight’s show.

  Chills ran down James’s spine as he thought about what a manipulator she was. But this time tomorrow, she would be someone else’s problem and he would be back in Manhattan. He fell asleep with a sense of relief he hadn’t known since she and that wack friend, Philancie, had been on the scene. He placed a pillow underneath his head and drifted into a peaceful afternoon nap.

  Moz began blowing up the phone with calls around 6:15 p.m. “C’mon, man, get in the car and get over here. I’ve been trying to reach you for forty-five minutes. The guys are hungry and want to get outta here for a while before the show.”

  That dream. Where was I? Somewhere in Georgia, like a cowboy scene or something. Maybe a TV was left on and that made my subconscious tune in to it. There wasn’t time to analyze it. He paged the limo driver, put his long hair in a bun, and grabbed his sunglasses. The driver waited for him at the side door and they drove in silence the few blocks north to the Fabulous Fox, as he learned it was called locally. Sound check ran smoothly and he looked around with one of the guides, overwhelmed at the beauty and opulence of the theatre. They went upstairs to the Egyptian Ballroom, where a DJ would be set up for the main party. The after show party would be in the smaller private room called the Grand Salon. James fell in love with the rich velvets and Deco colors used to decorate the room. The word lavish wasn’t enough – this room was one of the most elegant he had ever seen in his life. The guide walked him to the adjoining open air Grand Terrace, which was an open rooftop garden, and would be like a hideaway from the crowd. This is where I’ll be most of the night. Once he knew his plan, James called the driver and returned to the Ritz. He had time to work out, eat, and get back to the venue in time for the show. A quick hello to everyone upstairs, stay an hour or so, and then he planned to call the driver to get him out of town. He felt good and looked forward to getting everything handled. In a way, it seemed that tonight would enable him to move on with his life. All he had to do was shake the negativity and a beautiful new door would open.

  ~~~

  Maggie arrived at the Fox around 11:30 p.m. When she walked into the Grand Salon, she saw that her instincts had been in sync. She spotted her first. Natasha was trashed, maybe even high on something. Rhett stood at the bar, one hand on his hip as he stared into a beer. It was as if he felt Maggie enter the room. He looked up as soon as she spied him. They smiled at each other as they always had. I really miss him, her heart cried. He hugged her and kissed her on both cheeks, like a European kiss, which made her laugh for some reason.

  “You look gorgeous, Maggie. Your new hairstyle is perfect for you,” he whispered. “Let’s get you a drink.” As they walked to the bar, Natasha spotted her and came running over as if they were still the best friends in the world.

  “Congrats, Natasha, you’ve come a long way,” Maggie said, wondering why Rhett would ever prefer her. Through clenched yet smiling teeth, she said, “And you are as beautiful as ever. I’m so happy you are getting what you deserve.” Maggie wondered why she lied, but then thought maybe it was a prophecy.

  Natasha slurred her words, laughed, and said too loudly, “You look like a school teacher!” This made her little drunken squad, which included the strange psychic from New York, erupt in laughter too. Rhett saw how uncomfortable Maggie was and took her elbow. “Let’s get you a glass of champagne. Do you like Dom?”

  “I love it,” Maggie said as she tried to hide the tears of humiliation. Rhett ordered two glasses from the bartender, handing her one. “Let’s toast to new beginnings.”

  “Maybe we should toast new endings, Rhett. I’m going to have this drink and go home. These aren’t my type of people and I don’t belong here.”

  “You look too beautiful to run away. Stay for two, then leave. Let me look at you for a while.” He smiled that grin that always broke her heart in two.

  She returned his look and said, “Any chance you’ve seen a guy named Joe that we had a few classes with undergrad?”

  “Yeah, he dropped by earlier, but he’s gone already. Why?”

  “He asked me to bring him a copy of my book. It’s okay; I can meet him some other time.”

  “Cool. Let’s go out on the terrace. It’s nice outside tonight. You’ll like it.”

  Rhett motioned for her to follow him and walked to the main doors outside to the terrace. Maggie loved the transition from the blare of the music and crowd to the lower evening temperature. The soft hum of the traffic on Peachtree Street was muffled by the trees placed along the terrace edges. Fairy lights danced in the darkness and on branches and along the trellis. Fire flickered from a pit in the middle of the patio area, which was surrounded by pale, oversized chairs. The fabric captured the glow of the moon and the lights at night. It was a different, magical little world.

  “How beautiful this is! Why didn’t I know about this place?” she whispered.

  “That’s why this is a private party. Most people don’t even know it exists,” he said. “Let’s sit by the fire pit for a minute.”

  He moved aside to let her sit first, then he seated himself in the chair beside her. Nothing was said and Maggie stared into the crackling logs before her. Why can’t he be with me? Why am I always the one who goes home alone? As if sensing her feelings, Rhett reached across and attempted to place his hand on hers.

  “No,” she whispered. “Go back inside now and leave me alone.”

  Slumping back against his chair, Rhett finally said, “Why are you doing this? We’re friends.”

  “Please, go inside with her. I told you I’m only here for two drinks, max. Don’t make a scene and don’t hurt me any more than you already have.” She felt a tear drop on her cheek and swiftly dabbed it away.

  “Is this how you want it played out, Maggie?” he sighed, running his left hand through his dark hair.

  If I look at him, I’ll cry. She took a shallow breath and replied, “No, Rhett, it’s how you want it. You’ve made your decision, now let me go.” She looked up at the night sky as if looking for a sign from the heavens that all would be well.

  He thought momentarily, stood, and reached for his drink. He looked at her and then walked back toward the main doorway. She heard the door open, then shut, as Rhett said softly, “I meant everything I told you and I always will.” She continued to look upward and finally the French doors closed and she knew she was alone.

  She sighed and took a drink of champagne, enjoying the night air against her face. She pulled the new black Chanel jacket toward her neck to keep out a cool breeze that enlivened the fire. Reaching into her purse, she placed a pair of long leather gloves on her hands.

  From where he was sitting in t
he shadows further along the terrace, he watched as the blonde moved with a cat-like elegance toward the fire and shimmered in the night. Her bracelets sparkled in the firelight. She is a class act. Whoever has her heart is a lucky man indeed.

  “Is everyone in Atlanta so dramatic?” he said. Maggie screamed as if she had seen a ghost.

  “See what I mean?” Maggie saw a tall male move toward her in the darkness. His presence terrified her and she was actually frozen in the chair, holding her collar and the glass of champagne.

  “Who are you and how did you get here?” she said.

  “Maybe I should ask you the same thing,” he replied and she saw the smile that graced his beautiful lips. “I’m James. Mind if I sit down?”

  “No, of course not. It’s just that I didn’t know you were out here.”

  “You didn’t ask and I felt uncomfortable disturbing your moment with your friend.” Maggie noticed the twinkle in his eyes and smiled back.

  “Nice man bun,” she said. “I’m Maggie.” She extended her hand for a handshake and, surprisingly, he took her hand and kissed it.

  “Thank you. I appreciate the compliment,” he said. “Would you care for another drink?”

  “Yes, but just one. I’ve got to get out of here.”

  He laughed and removed an iPhone from his jacket. “Would you bring two glasses of champagne out here, please, and hurry because my new friend is ready to ‘get out of here.’” He said something else that she couldn’t understand and clicked off the phone.

  He must work here if he gets that kind of service. Whatever he does, he’s so gorgeous, he’ll do very well. “Are you from here or just visiting, James?”