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“Rude,” I griped, but she was probably right. I had a bad habit of sticking my nose in when it came to business matters, a by-product of my years at my father’s company.
I left them to their planning and crossed the hallway back into Reese’s apartment. I paused in the doorway, glancing down the hall to 408. The idea of acting in porn had never interested me, but I couldn’t deny there was an appeal. Even Reese had admitted that there was good money to be made in porn - if you could make it big. It was tempting, especially on the days the bills arrived. But I wasn’t that desperate.
At least, not yet.
Chapter Three
Friday nights at Requited were large and loud, and I loved them.
Neon lights bathed the swarm of bodies in a pink and purple haze, transforming the space into something out of a dream.
Katie had put me on the floor, bringing drinks and chatting with the members. If Reese was the foundation of this place, then Katie was the ground beneath it. They worked well together, and everyone liked her. Some of the members wereespeciallyfond of her - which wasn’t unheard of in an establishment such as ours - but she had never shown any interest. Her personal life was hers alone, and I respected that about her.
The front doors of Requited opened into one of the saddest excuses for a bar you could imagine. It was our camouflage, of a sort. A few customers would find their way in now and again, but in the sea of New York’s bars, ours had little appeal. The real beauty of Requited lay safe behind a combination lock, but it was truly something to behold.
Most of our regulars had shown up for the night, and I enjoyed seeing them. When I first started it had taken some getting used to, but now I appreciated our relationship. It was a special thing, as strange as it was. This was a place where people could express themselves and their desires without fear or shame. Reese had created a haven for anyone afraid to be true to themselves, and I wanted nothing more than to help protect it.
“Logan,” Katie’s voice called.
I had been picking up empty bottles and glasses but paused when she came up behind me.
“What’s up?”
She took some of the glasses I was struggling to balance and nodded me towards the bar. “Would you do something for me? If you have time.”
“Of course.”
I left the empties on the bar for someone else to deal with while Katie motioned to Steven, the nearest bartender, and was handed a bottle of chilled Moët and two flutes. I raised an eyebrow. “Special occasion?”
She grinned. “The Byrnes are here, and Reese wanted you to bring them this on the house.”
I turned on instinct to scan the room. I hadn’t noticed the couple yet, but it was busy enough that it wasn’t surprising. “Sure.”
I liked the Byrnes, and I knew they were fond of Reese. They had been coming by more often recently, but not just to visit. They owned a club of their own, a relatively new one called Mirror House. It was a regular nightclub, not like Requited; at least, not yet. They were working on transforming their top floor into a members-only club for those with similar tastes.
Reese was happy to meet with them and answer any questions he could. There was more than enough room in the city for multiple places like ours, and there was no sense of competition.
Finally, I spotted them, sitting at a table close to the entrance.
“Tell them he’ll be over soon,” she said. “He’s finishing something up now, but then he’ll be out.”
I nodded, and we parted. Camila saw me first, and her ruby-red lips turned up in a smile. “Logan,” she purred, stretching out her hand to me as I reached their table.
I took her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “It’s always a pleasure to see the two of you.” She giggled as I took a seat, and slid her eyes over to her husband, sharing a glance.
Sean accepted the bottle of Champagne with clear appreciation. “My favorite.” He tapped the neck of the bottle with a finger, “Reese has a fine collection.”
“It’s a gift to both of you. He’ll be out soon to talk, but I hope my company will satisfy you till then.”
Camila dropped her head into her hands, her nails the same dark red as her lips. “I’m sure you’ll have no problem keeping us satisfied.”
This was how it always went.
I had suspected it for a while now, but signals were easy to confuse in the club. All of our interactions were charged with a raging sexual undertone, though the Byrnes had yet to proposition me. I did my best to keep my relationships brief and noncommittal, a side-effect of my one-sided love, and I wasn’t willing to risk harm to the club. Still, if I were to mix business and pleasure with anyone, it would be the Byrnes; and I was sure they knew it.
Sean saved me from having to come up with a response by popping the bottle. He poured a glass for his wife then one for himself. He took a slow sip and sighed. “Delicious.”
It wouldn’t have been so hard if they had been less attractive. The two of them oozed sex appeal. Camila’s dark hair always managed to fall in such a way as to perfectly draw attention to her breasts. She had an incredible figure and she took great pride in showing it off. Sean had a quieter air about him, like a carnivore stalking his prey. His eyes were bright above a soft spray of freckles, and his shirts werejusttight enough to show off muscles I wanted to sink my teeth into.
