Page 101 of Back Room Host

“Do you have painkillers?”

“I think so.”

As Alex vanished from sight, Noé reappeared, climbing onto the bed and settling beside me. His presence was a soothing balm, providing me comfort and reassurance. Just having him near made me believe that everything would be okay again.

“You’re staying here for a few days,” he said. “I won’t let you go home like this.”

“I’m ruining your Friday night, aren’t I?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“I’m sorry.”

I had no idea what was happening to me. My body trembled, and I was on the verge of tears. Deep down, I knew that what happened with Luca was affecting me much more than it should, but right now was not the right time to feel down. However, I was an open book for Noé. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer so I could cuddle up to him.

“Shh …”

Noé always had the ability to calm me down by making me feel safe. Countless times, I found refuge at his place. Although his mother had been a junkie and not always gentle with him, she had even threatened to report my father several times. At least three times, she had taken me to the hospital against his will. Once, he had actually broken my arm.

“I’ll leave the painkillers here,” I heard Alex say.

“Thanks. I’ll come by later.”

“No problem. Stay with him.”

The love between them was evident even to me, and I didn’t want to disturb the peace between them. I let go of Noé and sat up with effort.

“It’s okay. I’m a big boy and can sleep by myself. Pass me the drugs.”

Noé chuckled and handed me the water as well. I almost dropped the glass because my wrist hurt so much. The bruises were already visible.

“I’ll stay with you tonight, Rock. We both know that’s better.”

I swallowed the pill, and he took the glass back. My restless gaze went to Alex, who was pressing his lips together in disbelief. He nodded to Noé and put his hand on his shoulder. “If anything happens, call me.”

“Of course.” Noé squeezed Alex’s hand, looking at him with gratitude.

All of a sudden, my phone vibrated on the nightstand behind me. Noé reached out his hand to me, looking grim. “Give it to me. I’ll cancel your upcoming bookings and take you off the grid for a while.”

“So drastic?” Alex didn’t sound like he disagreed, but Noé’s tone seemed to surprise him.

“Trust me, he’s probably thinking he’ll be back at work by tomorrow.”

It wasn’t the first time Noé did this for me. By now, I was even grateful because it meant I wouldn’t fully grasp the extent of this incident until tomorrow. Without looking at the screen, I handed it to him and lay back down. Apparently, Alex had seen enough because he leaned over to Noé, gave him a kiss, and left the room.

While Noé checked the names of my upcoming bookings in my calendar and sent messages to the men via WhatsApp, I drifted off to sleep again. However, my sleep was restless, punctuated by frequent nightmares. Sensing my distress, Noé, experienced and compassionate, took my hand, and I finally fell into a more peaceful slumber.

I spent the entire Saturday in bed, utterly exhausted. When I woke up in the dark room, reaching out my aching body for a painkiller, I heard voices. Recognizing Noé and Alex, I felt a wave of calm wash over me, and I drifted back to sleep.

By the time I woke up on Sunday, I had finally slept enough. Although I would have liked to spend another day in bed, my mind was now wide awake. The sun streamed through the thin slats of the blinds, casting golden light on the dark green wallpaper.

I hadn’t noticed the room before. Two full walls were papered with a picture of a forest. To my left, a door led to a bathroom where my coat still hung on the door. Plus, I was lying on satin sheets. It was wonderful here.

I cautiously sat up. My body was still sore, but this time, lying down for a long time was partly to blame. After taking a shower, I slipped back into Alex’s comfortable clothes before venturing out of the room.

Judging by the position of the sun, it was midday. The modernly furnished apartment felt summery bright, even though it was only late January. Through the windows, Zurich’s rooftops were visible, and there was a steel blue sky. Noé andAlex were lying on the huge sofa, kissing and embracing each other tightly. I abruptly stopped, feeling like an uninvited guest. Just as I was about to turn around, they noticed me. Alex let go of Noé and stood up.

“Just come in. We’re done here,” he said.

---