Page 29 of Dark Promises

Chapter 18

Daniel

Ilooked all day forSam, talked to people in my apartment building, hoping they saw that little Jack Russell terrier someplace. Trouble was they were seeing him everywhere. I had been on so many false leads that I’d almost given up. I combed the blocks and streets on foot, and then I had my driver take me through several neighborhoods, only to discover I wasn’t tired, and I should be doing more. I decided to stop at my club and see what Ryan had attempted to further this along.

I left Sidney to babysit for a puppy I hadn’t named yet. He’d agreed to take the puppy with him to see his new boyfriend. He thought it was a good impression to show his new love how compassionate and genuine he was.

“Drop me off at the club and pick me up in an hour.” It looked like the bar was packed when I entered. Tonight there was a different crowd, and guys were dancing to different music. I’d forgotten it was all-dude’s night, but it was welcome to everyone. Ryan had come up with that theme when I’d been moping around and was on his ass about just about everything. Not enough sleep would do that to you.

The first person I saw was Jay socializing with my bartender. When Jay saw me, he kept talking and my bartender moved away to service the waiters. They had a brief relationship if I recalled correctly, but lately I had other things on my mind besides Jay and Ryan’s relationship. For all I knew they were into threesomes. I didn’t judge anyone because of what I was into and had once enjoyed.

And just about now, I was ready to tie and spank anyone who looked at me twice. There was no way I could hold out any longer and with Sam gone, I would have no problem getting someone over to my place. Although there lay the problem. Sam and Cole had been like a specter, and they haunted me to the point where I didn’t want anyone.

“Where’s Ryan?” I asked Jay after I caught up with him.

“He’s in the storeroom taking inventory.”

“He left you to watch everything?”

“You have codes on the liquor and beer, no one can have a drink without you knowing and what’s up with these cameras?”

“Only you know they’re there, and you can blame yourself for them. I wouldn’t have needed any if you’d paid your bill.” I left Jay standing around and smiling at every man who passed his way. He was a draw because he had an easy manner, and the men loved to talk to him. I couldn’t understand it, but he appeared to have a little knowledge about things and sports, and for some reason they’d go to him to ask about the local sports players in Manhattan. He did claim to have known the important ones, whether in baseball, hockey or football. He claimed “These are the hands that hugged... This is the fist that gave... And this is the mouth that sucked... cock.”

He was a celebrity in his own mind.

I strolled to my office, only to find Ryan sleeping on my couch. When the door closed, he sat up. “What’s up with you, Ryan?”

“I’m catching up on my sleep. What do you think?” He didn’t want an answer to that question.

“Since you lost my dog, we both haven’t slept—”

“Not with you threatening me every minute. I’m a nervous wreck,” Ryan said, looking up. “I bought you another one.”

“Supposed you loved something, and someone lost it and gave you a replacement, what would you do...?”

Ryan bit his bottom lip and thought about what I’d said. “You didn’t act as if you loved Sam.”

“It doesn’t matter what I said. No one can gauge what’s in a man’s heart. Only that man. I can’t fathom why you’re in love with Jay, but I’m not offering you a substitute for him. That’s how I feel, and if you think that puppy will make up for you and your boyfriend being inept when it comes to small things, then you can forget it. I shiver to think what you will do with a baby.”

“There will be no children or babies. Didn’t you tell me that you didn’t want children either?”

“Yes, and I meant it, but Sam taught me a lesson.”

“And what is that?”

“I don’t have time to explain. I left the puppy with someone, and he’s charging by the hour.”Dogs like children are costly,I thought. From what Sidney borrowed from me, in the end it could be a costly situation to have him around.

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