Page 50 of Play Dirty

“Correct,” I say.

“Well,” she says. “It wouldn’t be the strangest game we ever played, would it?”

“What?” I smile.

“You came here for help. Do you want it? Or not?”

“You think we should play a game with them? Take their power away and give them what they want at the same time?”

“Why not? I think we can make everyone happy in the end. You get your building, they keep their marriage together, and no one gets hurt.”

I agree and we spend the afternoon coming up with their treatment.

But those words echo in my head.

No one gets hurt.

They don’t ring true.

Because when you play a game like this everyone gets hurt. It’s the only way past the roadblock. It’s the only way forward. You have to rip it all apart and put it back together again.

And that always hurts.

My phone is oddly silent the rest of the afternoon. Which can only mean one thing.

I’ve overplayed my reluctant participant card and now they’re angry at me. Gonna wait me out and make me go to them. They’ve laid all their cards on the table and now it’s my turn.

Which is also bullshit. No one puts all their cards on the table. They always hold something back

I leave work early and text Alexander as I walk to my car.

Drinks at my house tonight. Eight-thirty.

The title notification says delivered, then changes to read. I check the screen one more time as I get in my car, just to see if he’ll reply, but he doesn’t.

I don’t care if he answers me. I don’t even care if they show up. If they suddenly decide, Yeah, we’ve had enough of Jordan’s bullshit, I’d be pretty OK with that.

But that’s not how it’s gonna go. You don’t upend your whole life for a gamble like this and then suddenly pull out at the last second.

You fuck that bitch hard and come inside her before you finish.

I make three stops on the way, and when I finally get home I make an effort.

Candles. Dozens of them. Pillars, not tapers, because even though I know I own some fancy fucking candelabras, I have no clue where they are at this moment.

Wine for Augustine. Good stuff. A 2007 Sequoia Grove Cambium that comes in a beautiful black bottle with gold lettering.

And of course, a nice whiskey called Hedonism Quindecimus for Alexander and me. Chosen for the label (though it does taste nice too) because it features a very detailed illustration of a dark-haired woman.

And the name. Because… hedonism.

That’s pretty much what this whole game is all about. The pursuit of pleasure and sensual self-indulgence.

I change into a fresh suit. Not one I wear to court, even for the most important trials. But one I wear to… things. A gallery opening. A new ballet. The symphony.

Because this is a performance. This entire setup has always been an act, but up until now it has been their act.

No more.