Page 4 of Dark Passion

Chapter 3

Daniel

“Fuck no, Daniel, where’dyou think I’d get the money to buy one of these high-cost medallions, or even this cab? After I’d been thrown out of my Master’s mansion, he took everything from me. I tried to buy a medallion once when I was with a friend to get out of the situation I’d been in with my boyfriend, and I lost all my money, and my boyfriend. Well, I thought he was my boyfriend, and he wouldn’t give me any more money. He said that I was finished, and he wanted someone younger. I was twenty-two for fuck’s sake. He kicked me out because I wouldn’t recruit men for his games, and I stopped recruiting for Julian. Remember, I was the one who turned you on to Julian, and don’t hate me for that,” Mason said.

How could I hate him? I thought Julian was what and who I wanted in this life, and for me to live with Julian and the way I did for those years, I thought there was nothing better than living in a mansion, expensive clothes, and the cars. Not to forget fucking when and whom I wanted. I was young and I thought my life began and ended with Julian, and my cock.

“I don’t hate you,” I assured him. “You didn’t know better, Mason, and I’m sorry that you ended up like this.”

“I’m not. I may not have the mansion and cars, and travel the way I used to with my Master, but I have much more. I have my freedom. Freedom to work, wake up and have a life if I want one apart from a man who used me, until there was almost nothing left of me.” The car stopped. “You never said what happened to you, but looking at your clothes, you look like you’re doing well,” he said, after telling me the price of the ride which was shown on the meter.

I sat for a moment, then pulled out my credit card. “I guess I am if you take into consideration that my life is about to come crashing down on me.” Then I thought I may need Mason’s help in finding Charlie. He knew all the areas of Manhattan and the boroughs. Queens had a significant number of gay and bondage clubs, and Mason would probably know them.

“Look, Mason, I could use a friend. When you get off, come over to my bar and I’ll buy you a drink. Maybe we’ll hang out or something.” I handed him my card and he glanced at it and smiled.

“Are you going to be there tonight?”

“Yes, I’ll wait if you come by.”

“I have to shower and dress, and I should be there around seven. I hope that’s not too late.”

“Not at all. I have things to do, and I should be finished about that time.”

“It’s a date,” he said, and I stepped out and looked around waved at Mason as he drove off. Seeing him again saddened me, and I thought about all the young men Julian and his cohorts had ruined and tossed away.

When I entered my club, the first two people I saw, but wasn’t expecting this early, were Jay and Ryan. The smell of smoke was still in the air, but faintly, and when the patrons would get their first drinks they wouldn’t smell the smoke at all. Well, I hoped that would be the case.

“Did you find them? Did you find Sam?” I questioned, glaring at Jay, grasping onto Ryan’s hand in a nervous death grip, as if they were twins in their mother’s womb who couldn’t be separated for a moment. But I knew even twins could be disconnected through birth and death.

“Look, you two. You had all night to clean this place up, but I still smell smoke. It’s lingering in the air, and that’s not good. Not for me, or you two. That means I may have to get me a team who can handle something this simple. If I have to close down the bar and get it renovated, I’m not going to be happy.”

I watched Jay shudder against Ryan’s shoulder, lay his head on it, and I knew he had been worried for his job and Ryan’s, which meant he’d lose access to men with money which would cramp his style immensely, not to mention the generous paycheck Ryan brought in. I’d be the first one to admit he deserved it and then some.

“Get someone to freshen the place up before I open for lunch,” I insisted.

“But that’s going to cost,” Ryan said.

“You have insurance,” Jay said, disregarding what I’d said earlier. As much as he had been afraid of my bark, Jay had balls, because I was angry enough to fire them on the spot, and he took the chance to answer me. I admired that about him, but he was pushing me, and he knew it when I narrowed my glance, and locked angry eyes with his terrified eyes.

“Did anyone think to call the insurance agent?” I bellowed. “They glanced at each other, and it was Jay as usual to speak up.

“I thought that was your job.”

“My job is to fire you and Ryan if you don’t get your ass in there and talk to your boyfriend, Jay, and get him to call the adjuster.” Jay turned glaring at Ryan. “Aren’t you going to say something, Ryan?”

“It was our fault—”

“I know it was your fault, but are you going to do something about the situation without me having to fire you now at this moment. You two have given me good reasons, but I won’t do anything this day because you still haven’t found out where my dogs went to.”

Jay raised his hands as if he was a child answering a question he didn’t know the answer to, but he still had the balls to ask when the others didn’t. Ryan hit his hand to signal to put his hand down.

“Where are my dogs? Is that why you raised your hand because you found them? Baby is still a puppy, and he needs his food regularly—”

“I know that because I’ve been acting as his mother, since you deserted him and Sam because you wanted to play house with Cole.” That was the wrong answer. Now I was seeing red and was pissed beyond pissed.

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