Chapter 12
Gatsby
I leaned my forehead against the slick, mint-colored tile and closed my eyes as I stroked my cock. Water beat down my back, soaking my body, washing my sweat and Will’s blood down the drain.
I hadn’t been able to help myself. The opportunity to have a little taste of this weekend’s festivities was too tempting. Thankfully, I was able to stop while he was still alive.
Just… missing a few patches of his belly.
It was fine, I had Dewayne come in and clean it all up off the floor.
The letter I’d received earlier today had me excited. While I was tattooing Will Witty, I could barely focus on my work. All I could think about was what was to come.
Hargrave Ballet Company was going to bring forth their Prima Ballerina to campaign for them. If they wanted to dance in my newly acquired opera house, they’d have to earn it.
Who better to earn my attention than Daisy?
Had I been positive they’d query me? No. But every other ballet company in the state had thus far. It felt like only a matter of time before hers did. Each day that went without contact from them had been driving me mad; I was starting to overthink.
Would I ever see my Daisy again?
My fist clenched around my hard dick moved faster, the image of her beautiful face in my mind as I stroked. Euphoria surged, and the memory of our one tryst, right before I got locked up, came to mind. The memory of her naked body against mine sent me over the edge. Cum shot out onto the wall, and I sighed with relief as my orgasm flooded my veins.
Soon.
I sighed.
Soon, I would see Daisy in person.
My green light was in full view and close to being mine.
“Where are they going, I wonder?” I asked Dewayne, as I stared out my office window again. It faced Neal’s home, and I found myself drifting toward the view more and more.
“I can have their car followed, if you want.”
I ran my tongue across my teeth. I’d done a lot of things that weren’t... good, but something about following Daisy’s cousin felt wrong. They did nothing wrong.
I turned from the window and adjusted my suit. “Actually, I’d like to go into the city. Bring a car around, please.”
We exited together and I waited by the front door as he went to the garage and returned driving my 2025 yellow Rolls Royce.
“Where to, sir?” Dewayne asked, looking at me through the rearview mirror after I got in. While I had originally hired someone else to be my driver, I found myself more comfortable with Dewayne, and asked him to drive me places instead, giving the driver a new position in my estate.
“Let’s follow my neighbor for a while.”
What had I been driven to? Stalking? This was pathetic. She was just across the lake, for fuck’s sake.
Dewayne started, heading into the city. He made sure to stay far enough from Neal’s car to not draw attention. Eventually, Neal parked their car in a parking lot and was greeted by a man who, when he turned, made my blood run cold.
Max.
“Park,” I ordered, as the pair walked across the street. I looked at the neon blinking sign attached to the building.
Athens Motel
Underneath the flashing sign was a banner faded from the weather.
Party Lounge from 8pm-4am every day.
Neal and Max walked inside, and I paused near my car to smoke a cigarette and gather my nerves. This was the closest I’d ever been to the bastard who stole Daisy from me. My hands shook as I lit my cigarette and put it to my lips. What was happening? This wasn’t me. This wasn’t Gatsby. These nerves were that of the fucking traumatized kid I was back at the base. I’d shed that body the day I touched Daisy for the first time in real life. The uneasiness settling in my belly felt foreign and gross, and I hated myself for it.
I finished my cigarette and flicked it to the ground, stomping on it with my Magnanni shoes.
Fuck that bastard for making me feel this way. I wasn’t going to allow that. I stormed across the street into the hotel and found myself at the back of a long line of partygoers. Music boomed from deep inside the hotel, getting the energy of the line high.
Hell no. I excused myself politely as I moved out of line and went to the front, past reception, to where security was waving metal detector wands.
“Can I help you?” one of them addressed me with a snarky attitude. With a tight nod, I pulled out my wallet and removed three one-hundred-dollar bills.
“Yes, I’d like to join the party.”
He took the money and raised an eyebrow. “Alright. You still need to be wanded.”
I raised my arms and allowed him to check me for weapons before allowing me entrance. I thanked them and stepped into the dark room. I blinked, allowing my eyes to adjust. I was pushed from behind by the next set of patrons, so I started forward, through the sea of sweaty bodies.
Why would they come to a place like this?
From what I knew about Max Stanton, this was very low-brow for him. Before I could spot the pair, a tall, Asian man in a blue suit approached me.
“Hello sir, we’d like to invite you to our VIP area. There’s seating and a private bar.”
I followed him to the red ropes and up a set of stairs. This area was poorly lit, but I could see people on the leather couches in various states. Some simply talking, others in various stages of intimacy.
“Enjoy,” he said before returning downstairs. Security must have told him about my generous tip to get in. I went to the bar and ordered a scotch on ice. I was served fast, and I returned to the railing where I watched the party below.
Where were they? Had I been misled? Had this just been a decoy location for where they really had gone?
Just as I began to suspect I’d been tricked, I heard a scream of excitement that made me turn.
“Maxi!” A woman ran up the stairs, her arms up and her smile wide. I blinked, my stomach tightening for a brief second. In the dark lighting, I could have sworn it was my Daisy. A second glance proved otherwise.
I turned slightly and was surprised to see Max Stanton walking from behind me. I hadn’t been able to find them down below because he’d been up here. I took a deep breath, cooling my nerves.
“Skye.” He greeted her with a deep kiss on the lips. I turned away to pretend to look at the party below, but my focus remained on the scene behind me.
“Actually, I am adopting a new name. My stage name will be Lilly Lacely.”
“Lilly Lacely, interesting,” Max said. His tone was that of unease, but I couldn’t see his face to fully understand what was going on. He didn’t dwell on it, though. He quickly introduced Neal to her. “This is Daisy’s cousin; he just moved to town.”
“They,” Neal corrected. I couldn’t see their faces from here, but I could feel the tension as Neal spoke to Max. It was an odd pairing, the two of them.
“Right, sure.” Max snickered, confirming what I thought of him. I wondered if Daisy had asked them to hang out. There was no other reason I could think of as to why they’d be here together.
Fully conscious of every move I made, I slowly turned and found a solo chair in the far end of the lounge. I was able to view them from a distance, albeit unable to hear them. Hiding my presence here was more important though, so I stayed in the shadows, and when a waitress came over to offer me another drink, I gave her two one-hundred-dollar bills to tell me what the other party was discussing.
I was disappointed and almost bored to find out that Neal, Max, and Lilly were doing nothing but having a good night out. Any tension about Max purposely misgendering Neal must have been brushed aside in favor of a fun evening. Maybe I’d read it all wrong. Were Neal and Max friends? Jealousy seeped into my soul as I watched them laughing and drinking together. Cocaine was brought out, and all three did lines right at the table. More people joined their party, and it was hard to keep track of them.
Eventually, I had to step away and stop watching. Lilly sitting on Max’s lap, facing away from me, made her look so much like my Daisy, I couldn’t take it. It was like witnessing my worst nightmares thirty feet away. I stood at the railing, looking down, when there was a commotion. I turned in time to see Max standing over Lilly.
“What did you say?” he demanded.
His mistress glared at him and muttered something I couldn’t hear. In one swift move, Max clenched his fist and pulled back, swinging at her face. It made contact before anyone could stop him.
Lilly screamed, and security came running to pull him away from her.
“Don’t you talk about Daisy!” Max screamed. His face was red, his hair wild. He was obviously coked out of his mind.
I licked my lips and went to the bar to pay my tab. It was time to go. I’d seen enough.
Now that I knew his secret, what did I do with it?