Bouncer’s Folly (11 page)

74

Gracie C. McKeever

Zara used to feel the same way about his previous status as a Benjamin and the pampered daughter of a well-to-do businessman and his socialite wife. But he didn’t have that sense of entitlement anymore. He wanted to earn his own way honestly and through his own merit.

Maybe he needed to think about setting up a meeting with Quincy to discuss him working at
Zara’s
in some capacity. The place was his baby after all and he was definitely intimate with the workings of the club. He was sure Quincy wouldn’t deny him that, not this time at least.

“So what do you say, Trevor?” Vale got up and walked around the desk to stand behind Zara, placing his hands on his shoulders and firmly massaging before he released him and went back around to the front of the desk. His touch had been brief and comradely, the same as it had been at
Zara’s
, nothing sexual or anything that made Zara feel uncomfortable.

He glanced up at the older man, the hint of silver threading through the blond hair at Vale’s temples telling him the man was in his late thirties, maybe early forties. Either way, he was a handsome man in that distinguished, well-preserved, Nordic kind of way and, as with Jazmon, Zara wondered whether anything had been going on between Vale and Trevor. Maybe this was the reason no one had bothered him all morning.

Vale was protecting him and had given the staff a message to give Trevor a break. The thought both relieved and vaguely troubled Zara.

Damn, it was hell being inside a body, thrust into a life and have to operate totally blind, not knowing the man’s history, not knowing what he was supposed to do or say in any given situation. Even improvisation had its limits and he couldn’t play the memory-loss-due-to-illness-and-trauma card forever. Eventually someone was going to notice that Trevor wasn’t himself anymore and act accordingly.

The idea of being fired didn’t bother Zara as much as the thought of someone figuring out the impossible, or worse having him committed because he claimed to be another soul reincarnated in Trevor’s body, like he’d actually admit to
that
.

What he needed to do was perform a little preventive maintenance and figured the best way to learn anything and perhaps preserve Trevor’s job—

at least for the time being—was to pump Vale for information. It shouldn’t be too hard. The man was friendly and seemed more than receptive to Trevor’s charms. Another place and time and things might have been
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75

different between him and Vale. He figured a guy could certainly do worse, and might have considered it if he wasn’t already more than halfway in love with Ramsey.

Thinking of his sensitive and sexy bouncer sent a sliver of guilt slicing through him. Zara quickly tamped it down with cool-headed logic and self-assurances that he was doing what he had to do and there was nothing personal between him and Vale. This was just business.

Decided, Zara closed the program he’d been playing in, gave Vale his most charming grin and stood from behind his desk. He grabbed his jacket from the coat tree as he preceded Vale out of the office.

Vale patted him on the back and wrapped an arm around his shoulder as they headed down the hall towards the elevators. “Good boy.”

* * * *

Ramsey jerked awake a little before noon missing Trevor’s warm body beside him and vaguely uneasy about his going off to work alone.

He got up to go to the bathroom, smiling as he remembered the big deal Trevor had made getting dressed for work that morning, as if it was his first day on the job.

You’d think he’d been getting ready for a date instead of work.

Maybe Trevor’s anxiety had rubbed off on him, but Ramsey had a moment of uncertainty at the thought, the image of Trevor in the arms of another man, especially that tall blond at the club, stirring a rare jealous streak inside him.

He had a feeling asking Trevor directly about any of his dance partners would needlessly put him on the defensive and he didn’t want to jeopardize their burgeoning relationship with mistrust. Of course, this didn’t stop him from going behind Trevor’s back to talk to his brother.

Ramsey had a feeling Travis knew what was going on, could probably shed some light on this undefined sense of danger with one of his premonitions.

He retrieved the business card Travis had given him at the hospital before Ramsey left Saturday, picked up the handset and dialed the numbers.

As the phone rang he registered the address on the card as being within walking distance of Equinox and Trevor’s apartment.

76

Gracie C. McKeever

“Powell Securities, Travis Carmichael speaking.”

“Travis, we need to meet.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

* * * *

“I am worried about him, Micah.”

“Do not be silly, Jamaereh. He will be fine. They all will.”

“Are you sure we gave Ramsey and Travis a big enough nudge?”

“We gave them both enough of a nudge.”

“What if they do not figure it out?”

Micah put an arm around Jamaereh and squeezed his shoulder. He felt
his uncommon nervousness and wanted to soothe him. “All will be well.”

“How can you be so calm?”

“You forgot the first rule of any assignment. Do not get emotionally
involved with your charges.”

“Easier said than done.” Jamaereh smirked. “Zara was right. We
abandoned her.”

“Him.”

“Whatever. It does not matter. We left him high and dry when he needed
us most.” Jamaereh rung his hands, pacing. “Maybe we should give him a
little warning.”

“Any further action on our parts is forbidden at this juncture. You know
that.”

“When has that ever stopped you?”

“Our Father knows what’s best.” How many times in the past had he
gone along with a plan he did not totally agree with? And how many times
had everything turned out all right in the end and without their
interference? “He knows what He is doing.”

“I hope you are right.”

“I hope so too.”

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77

Vale watched Trevor as he sat across from him and ate, concentrating on the boi’s mouth, how the full lips looked when they opened and chewed, this simple act of mastication one of the sexiest things he had watched in a long time.

He smiled at the way Trevor enjoyed his food, cock twitching in his pants at the thought of how that sensual mouth would feel on him, heart speeding at the thought of what he wanted that mouth to do to him. What he would do to that mouth.

It took everything in him not to drag the boi away from the table, out of the restaurant and back to his apartment to ravage him the way he’d longed to since he’d first met Trevor.

He’d been patient, more patient than he had been with any other sub he’d taken under his wing. But it was long past time for him to stake his claim before that muscle-bound bouncer benefited from all his hard months of seduction and took what belonged to Vale. “How are you enjoying your food?”

“Everything’s delicious.” Trevor grinned. “I didn’t know I was so hungry.”

“You should stop skipping breakfast.”

“You sound like my mother.” Trevor looked at Vale’s plate, his meal barely touched. He frowned. “You haven’t eaten anything.”

“I guess I wasn’t as hungry as I thought.” He sat back and crossed his right ankle over his left knee, appraising his prey. “I’m enjoying watching you eat though.” When Trevor’s tawny complexion flushed a flattering red at his words, Vale’s shaft throbbed painfully, clamoring to be free and buried deep inside the boi.

He had to have him!

78

Gracie C. McKeever

Easy. Don’t rush. Stick to the plan.
“I think we should take the rest of the day off once we leave here. What do you think?”

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but why the special treatment?”

“Your wariness is understandable.” Vale laughed, intending to knock down all barriers between them by afternoon’s end. “But I assure you, I have no nefarious motives. I only have your health and best interests at heart…as always.”

“Maybe the afternoon off would be a good idea.”

Didn’t need much convincing, did you? Probably weighed the pros and
cons and realized you could catch some quality time with your muscle-bound bouncer once you ditch me.

Vale read Trevor like a digital clock. God, he was so transparent, probably even now fantasizing about his chocolate Prince Charming when it was
Vale
who cared about him.

Ungrateful slut!

He took a deep breath, pasting on his most engaging smile. “I’d like to see you home. Just to make sure you’re okay and following doctor’s orders.”

“You’ve done more than enough already. That won’t be necessary.”

Vale dropped his mask of civility altogether and glared. “I insist.”

* * * *

Zara felt cornered.

This was Trevor’s boss, the man who paid his generous salary. Not to mention he got a possessive vibe from the man that told him there must have been something between Vale and Trevor that was definitely unfinished.

He told himself he only needed to put up with the man for another few minutes, once he said his thank yous and got inside his apartment he could relax in solitude, maybe take a hot bath and worry about his options tomorrow.

Handing in his resignation was at the top of his list. He couldn’t go through another day at that office not knowing where he stood or what he was supposed to do and feeling like the old Zara—stupid and useless.

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The old Zara was dead along with the old Trevor. This Zara had a family and a place to go to, a refuge with Zack and Quincy. He would go to them and start earning his keep.

And he would tell Ramsey and Travis the truth as soon as he saw them.

He owed them both at least that much.

Zara paused in front of Trevor’s apartment door. “Well, this is me.”

“I know.”

Zara froze when Vale stepped closer and curved an arm around his neck, quickly putting him in a headlock. “What the—”

Vale tightened his hold, cutting off Zara’s oxygen.

He struggled against the steel band of muscle wrapped around his throat, kicking air as Vale lifted him off the floor and held him against his chest. He tried to scream, world growing smaller and smaller, dimmer and dimmer until there was just a sliver of light before his eyes and he felt like he was falling down a deep dark hole before he finally gave in and passed out.

* * * *

Ramsey was glad he had taken his bike to meet Travis rather than walked. After the story Travis told him about the sexual-harassment-suit-waiting-to-happen at Trevor’s job, he knew that Trevor was in trouble and he needed to get to him as soon as possible.

Trevor’s boss was the big blond at the club!

“Whaddaya, trynna get killed!”

Horns blared all around him and Ramsey watched in his rearview as the cabbie gave him the finger. But he didn’t slow down, recklessly weaving in and out of heavy afternoon traffic as he neared Trevor’s loft.

But it isn’t Trevor, is it? Travis is sure Trevor is dead and someone else
is in his body.

Ramsey realized this didn’t matter to him. As crazy as it sounded and in just a weekend, he had already, astonishingly fallen. His soul was engaged.

He loved the person he had pulled from death on that bathroom floor. He loved Trevor’s shell and the spirit inside him.

Never before had he put much credence into premonitions, soul mates and the supernatural, but after talking to Travis and comparing notes from the last few days, he was a believer.

80

Gracie C. McKeever

Ramsey screeched to a stop at the curb, barely turned off the engine before he dropped the bike on its side and fled towards the building.

He pushed through the heavy glass door into the building lobby and rather than take the elevator took the stairs three at a time, praying he wasn’t too late.

* * * *

Disoriented, Zara blinked opened his eyes to find Vale sitting by his side, and tapping the side of a large hypodermic syringe with the back of his fingertips before placing it down on the bedside table.

He reached out a hand to cup his face and Zara jerked away from his touch, pulling against the Velcro cuffs securing his wrists and ankles.

“I like your toys.” Vale caressed one of the wrist cuffs. “You must have been expecting me, hmm?” He ruffled Zara’s hair right before grabbing a fistful of it and drawing his face an inch in front of his. “Do you have any idea what sort of trouble you’ve caused me?”

Zara screamed against the duct tape stuck on his mouth and Vale laughed as he released his hair and stood to circle the bed.

He watched Zara from the foot of the bed in an assessing way that made Zara’s skin crawl and his stomach queasy. “This could have all turned out differently if you had let me take care of you the way I wanted. But you had to be a hard ass. Now I’ll have to finish what I started in that bathroom.

Only this time I’m going to extract my pound of flesh before I let you go.”

Zara shook his head, desperately glancing around the room as he screamed and pulled against his bonds. The closer Vale came to him, the more he struggled, the cool, calculating look in his eyes more frightening than had he been demented. Here was a man who carefully planned things and carried them out. Here was a man who would kill and didn’t care about the repercussions. How could he? He had to know people saw Trevor leave the office with him, and until a little while ago they had been in a crowded restaurant together.

Vale sat down beside him again, gently caressed his face with the back of his hand and Zara steeled himself, fighting not to cringe. “I don’t know how you managed to survive that dose I gave you, but we’ll just have to make sure to give you enough to do the trick this time.”