Page 13 of Encore
“I’m actually fine with this arrangement. They’ve been nothing but great so far. I can admit some of the women they treated like trash were probably just using them. But I’m cool with them. You need to spend time alone with them to see if you’re cool with them long term.”
Beyla pulled me down for a kiss and stepped away from me. I wasn’t upset to leave her with two men that weren’t me. She was in excellent hands. I wrapped an arm around Nyx and Bevan. I didn’t know what we were doing yet, but it would have to be big if I was kidnapping Nyx. She wasn’t opposed to banshee napping, but it absolutely couldn’t be boring.
“Who are you, and what have you done with Arden?” Nyx asked as we walked out the door.
“I’m still the loveable growly motherfucker you know, but I guess I’ve upgraded.”
“I’ve heard witches can do that with their vaginas. It’s some kind of pussy magic. It can change a man like that.”
Bevan pulled Nyx into a bear hug.
“Shut up, Nyx. None of that is even remotely true. Bea is singing tonight at the Rusty Anchor. She sent me a text. I was hoping to bring Beyla, but she’s performing tomorrow, too.”
“Are you kidding?” Nyx shrieked. “I love her. We can go both nights.”
The things I did for my best friend. I’d gone to concerts with Bevan before. We had similar tastes in music. However, the only live music Nyx ever wanted us to go to with her was drag queen Bea Arthur. Bevan's safe spaces were drag queens and cabana boys in tiny shorts, but it wasn’t really my scene.
I guess it was going to be for the next two nights.
Chapter10
Nicolai
Itreasured my time alone at the studio with Beyla, but I honestly thought any minute I spent with her outside of that would be with Arden’s grumpy ass, too. I was okay with him now, and he was great to dance with. I was okay with being a minion with him, but I didn’t want to doeverythingwith him.
I would treasure this time, but there was business to take care of first. I knewwhyArden left us alone, and I appreciated it. We made our peace when we came together to help Beyla, and we sealed it working on our dance. He left her with us, expecting we kept her safe. I knew she could handle herself just fine, but we didn’t know enough about what these Unseelie bastards were plotting.
I called my cousin.
“What’s the news?”
“Is it a ballet thing for guys to spend three hours at the salon getting their hair done? It was ridiculous. I take my mom to the salon once a month to handle her greys, and she’s never in there that long. I think that pretentious fairy came out withmoregrey hairs than when he went in. Threehoursof my life I’m never going to get back, Nicolai. Can’t we just kill him?”
“I think we all want to, but the girl I’m into is a rookie agent with the Paranormal Investigation Bureau, and she’d break up with me over that,” I said.
“His girlfriend pointed a gun at yours. Wouldn’t most women find it romantic to murder the guy who allowed that?”
“This is why you aren’t allowed within fifty feet of several neighborhoods in New Jersey.”
“Those were just misunderstandings. Anyway, your boy took his time at the hair salon, had lunch with a reporter where he mostly ignored the fact that his girlfriend just died, and kept talking about some fancy party. Then, he went to some pretentious-ass coffee shop with his laptop and cellphone to plan this party. I’ve been following this fucker since you asked me to switch from the succubus to your boss. Unless he has some secret sex room in his apartment he’s got him chained up in, I’ve never seen Marsden meet with another Unseelie.”
“Merlin had an idea that Marsden might be keeping him locked up somewhere. That could be accurate.”
“My dad forced me to work in fast food in high school to teach me to keep my cool in any situation when I started working the family business. I’d be full-on vomiting right now if I found out one of my bosses had a secret sex room, but you seem pretty calm.”
“Don’t kink shame. It’s gross. Keep on him, but I may have to use some of the breaking and entering skills Uncle Angelo always taught me over holidays just in case I needed them when I retire to find out what he’s hiding in his apartment.”
“Dude, no. My dad will kill me if your ballet career gets killed over a simple burglary. He’s prouder of your ballet bulge in those tights than half the shit I’ve done. The whole family is. Ifanyoneis breaking into that apartment, it’s going to be me. Aunt Sophia is the best lawyer at making sure none of their charges stick. So don’t throw your fucking ballet career out for this.”
“I have to do something.”
“No, you need patience. You would have learned that if you had taken up the family business. You can’t just walk up and kill someone. It has to be planned perfectly. Your boss will slip up, eventually. No one is perfect.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll let you know if I decide to take that step. We don’t want him to know we’re looking into him just yet. So, keep watching for now.”
“Go be with your girl, man. Everyone is proud of you with your ballet fame, but you know no one in our family is going to be happy until you get married and give them babies to spoil.”
“Oh, shit. That iswaytoo soon. Having a baby usually means retirement for ballerinas, and Beyla still has many dancing years left if she stays. I do have to go.”
