Cavalier (Crimson Elite 1)

“It’s a bar. Invitation only.”

“So fancy.” If only she knew how fancy it was she’d lose her shit. Stepping out in precisely ten minutes as requested, I spin for her and she wolf-whistles loudly. Passing me the tequila, we walk out the door to the waiting cab. The club we attend is right near where I used to work, some nights when we would close we’d go over for a drink. The bouncer waves us in, knowing us already, and Tracey grips my hand to pull me to the back where the booths are located. The first person I see is Billy, and he offers me a small smile and wave as I get to him.

“Didn’t think I’d see you again. After what happened.” He laughs and watches me, so I shrug my shoulders.

Leaning into Tracey, I whisper in her ear carefully so he can’t hear me, “If this is a setup, I will kill you.” She turns, kisses my cheek, and disappears, leaving Billy and myself standing in the same spot awkwardly.

“We should find you a girl to dance with,” I say looking around the club.

“You aren’t free?”

Ignoring his words, I point to a girl who’s by herself at the table next to us. “She’s lonely, why don’t you go and talk to her?”

He looks to me then shakes his head staying where he is. “I’m fine exactly where I am.” His eyes leave mine after he finishes saying it, then Tracey walks over with drinks in hand. Here, right now is the last place I want to be.

“Tracey said our regulars offered you a job.” Billy brings up his glass to cheers with mine. “I’ve heard stories about what they do. Supposedly, for your first time to go there, you need to be blindfolded and picked up. They need to assess you’ll be an appropriate customer before they let you know where it’s located.”

“Holy shit,” Tracey says.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of that. But then again, I never really see anyone coming in. They all seem to just appear. Maybe there’s a back door.”

Her hand covers mine. “Is that true? What kind of place is it?”

Billy answers before I can, “It’s a sex place, so I heard.”

Tracey’s eyes go even wider as her hand squeezes mine tighter. “You told me it was a bar.”

Pulling my hand back and shaking it from her death grip, I say, “That’s what I do. I work at the bar like I told you.”

“But is it a sex club?”

“No.” That word tastes sour as it leaves my mouth. The lie. She stares right at me, seeing if I’m lying, then looks back to Billy.

“El would tell me if it were a sex club because she’d know I’d want to go. Your source is a liar.” Billy looks to me, and he knows I’m lying so I try my best to not look at him. “El, don’t look up, just don’t look up.” Tracey’s hand grips mine again, and this time her grip isn’t so forceful. It’s gentler. Just a light squeeze. “Mickey’s here.” As the words leave her mouth, my eyes seem to find exactly where he is. They go to his exact position. My heart beats a flutter then it’s gone. I didn’t love Mickey. I had fun with Mickey, until I found out he also likes to have fun with other women too. But as usual, I got over him and moved on with my life. I haven’t seen him since, and that was over two months ago when I cut all contact with him, and not once did he call to find out why.

“Look away,” Tracey commands.

I do as she says because he looks up. “Tell me if he comes this way—so I can escape,” I say to Tracey.

“Too late.”

“Elicea, how are you?”

“She’s good, Mickey. How’s your girlfriend?” Tracey asks before I can look up to him and answer. But his words get the better of me and I know I have to look up just to see if he looks as good as he did when we were together. Glancing up through my lashes, he appears exactly the same, I hate to say it. But it was his looks that attracted me to him in the first place. I didn’t care how he spoke. Still don’t. That was probably my downfall, maybe why we didn’t work because both of us weren’t really in it for the right reasons. Mickey reminds me of Billy, just older, bigger and manlier. Both have light-colored hair, nice bodies. And a great smile. Mickey still looks the same, so of course, I look him over. I can’t help myself.

“I’m good, Mickey.”

He does the same thing, his eyes flicking over me. Then he looks to Billy who’s still next to me before he looks back to me. “I’d like to talk to you, if you want?”