“Wait, what?” Tariq took off pacing again, this time just one tight, frantic circle, and then he got up into Julius’s face. His tone was laced with betrayal. “You did this?”
“I told you not to come, T.” Julius’s expression was pained.
Tariq threw his hands into Julius’s chest and attempted to shove him back, but it had barely an impact. “I thought you were my boy. What the fuck?”
“Yeah.” Julius’s deep voice was heavy with anger. “What the fuck? How could you do it to her, man? I’d kill to have a girl like that, and you don’t care. You’re here, buying pussy week after week, throwing her away. You don’t deserve her.”
Joseph sensed it at the same instant I did, the terrible shift in the air as their friendship headed toward a violent end. We both straightened and tensed, preparing to do whatever we could if these two freight trains decided to run at each other.
“Man, shut the fuck up,” Tariq barked. “You think you’re better than me? Who’ve I been buying pussy from, Julius?”
“Didn’t say I was better than you. I kept my mouth shut too long. Court deserves a man who ain’t gonna cheat on her every chance he gets.”
Tariq scoffed loudly. “Fuck you, you don’t know what it’s like. I’m getting it from all sides. Sometimes I just gotta get out and be me.”
“Yeah? Lemme help you.” Julius’s tone was as dark as his expression. “Get out of my club, and don’t fucking come back.”
Disbelief ran over Tariq’s face. “Her? You gonna pick her, over me?” He slapped his palm to his chest. “We played ball together. You and the whole D line were my brothers.”
Julius shook his head. “You and me . . . We’re not those guys no more. Go, Tariq, before I make you.”
Tariq’s sneer was ugly. “Like you could.”
“By myself, nah, maybe not. But I’m not alone. Guess you didn’t notice the enormous white boy when you came in.”
The sneer slid away, and although Tariq tried to disguise it, he seemed to realize he was outnumbered. His narrow gaze swung from Julius to the exit, and then landed on me. My pulse roared, but I steeled myself.
He cleared his throat and spat on the ground, like the whole situation left a bitter taste in his mouth. “Fuck you all, and fuck this bullshit.”
Julius’s large hands curled into fists at the disrespect, but he stayed silent as his former teammate stalked down the hall, and Tariq disappeared into the payment room.
I watched my friend’s shoulders sag as he spoke into his earpiece and called for Nina to report to room six, most likely to assist Tariq’s girl, and his sad eyes focused on me. “What are you doing here?”
“I asked him,” Joseph said. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it. If I’d known you were taking clients, we would’ve met Mr. Dufrane somewhere else.”
Julius waved the statement off. “Nah, you didn’t do anything wrong. I forgot you were coming.” He turned and headed up the stairs, getting us to follow. His voice boomed on the narrow, steep staircase. “I shoulda never told him about this place. Shoulda turned him away.”
We trailed behind him into his office, and as he sat in his chair, he looked defeated.
“I was the one,” Joseph said, “who gave him membership, so you could say that’s on me.” His expression was plain. “But it isn’t. Half the members here are married. A guy like Crawford? He’s getting ass somewhere on top of this place, guaranteed.”
Julius’s gaze darted away, staring off vacantly. So, he already knew that for a fact.
“It’s no one’s fault Crawford’s a piece of shit,” Joseph added, “except his own.”
“Does Courtney know?” I asked. “How he’s been cheating on her?” She’d never brought it up with me.
“Maybe.” Julius hung his head. “But I don’t think she ever called him out about it. It’d hurt her too much.” He ran a palm over the smooth dome of his head and dropped his hand on the desk with a thud. “Do you have to tell her, Kyle?” His gaze lifted and trapped mine. “Can I talk you outta it?”
I didn’t want to tell a woman her husband was a frequent visitor of a brothel, and I certainly didn’t want to explain who was running the establishment. “I’ll do my best to avoid it, but it depends on what he does. I might not have a choice.”
He nodded, but looked resigned.
The supplier arrived. After we left Julius in his office, it was hard to pay attention. I was distracted while considering what Tariq would do. A wise man would accept the alimony offer I’d suggested and hope everything would conclude quietly. Only, Tariq was a loose cannon on the field. I assumed his emotional, fiery temperament extended to his regular life, too.
That led my thoughts to Ruby. I wanted to talk to her. Get her take on what to do, only I couldn’t. Thank fuck she wasn’t on the case anymore. I stood beside Joseph, not paying attention while he talked about products, and I hoped any moment my phone would buzz with an incoming email from Sterns and Clifford. It would announce Crawford’s acceptance of terms, and we’d finally put the divorce to bed.
In the end, I only bought one thing. A simple black flogger, and Joseph explained how to vary the technique to maximize Ruby’s enjoyment of the experience.