Chapter Seventeen
Ravi
“Guys, I’m not so sure about this.”
I’m standing on a weird fabric-covered platform while a stooped, ancient man named Cornelius is crawling around me on his knees, double-checking the hem of my pants or something. His head is between my legs. There’s itchy fabric rubbing my thighs. People are staring at me.
I don’t think I’ve been more uncomfortable in my life, and I’ve done some really questionable things.
I’ve scaled a barbed-wire fence to rescue a calf stuck in a ditch. Had to get a tetanus shot.
I’ve overdosed.
I’ve walked in on PJ and Mr. Monroe—
Actually, I prefer not to think about that one.
The point is, I never had to do any of that in a tuxedo that costs more than my car. Every bit of money Daniel Corvus decides to spend on this auction is wet cement in my stomach.
Over to the side of where I’m standing, there’s a sitting area where a bunch of my fellow escorts are seated.
They all look fancy while they drink champagne and kick back on brocade-covered chairs and couches.
You know a store charges a lot for their stuff when they’re willing to give away champagne for free.
Which I guess is why everyone decided to tag along?
Well, when I mentioned it on the group chat, Alexis said she’d always wanted an excuse to try on dresses at this place, and things took off from there.
“You getting cold feet, Rav?” PJ asks.
Only every five minutes. When I first decided to do this, I was certain. Now my idiot heart keeps coming back to help me understand, baby.
Did Liam even realize he called me baby? Was it more manipulation? Another way to control the silly kid with a silly crush?
“It’s too late for me to have cold feet. I’m just not sure about this tuxedo. Do I look stupid? I’ve literally never worn one in my life.”
Is it a bad sign that “I Knew You Were Trouble” is playing on the store’s sound system? It feels like a sign that’s not good.
“You wear suits when you go on a dinner date with a guy, right?” Simon puts in. He’s perched on his boyfriend Sebastian’s lap, in a window seat. On the street outside, a couple of kids who look high school aged are laughing and using the curb to do skateboard tricks. They seem so carefree.
What’s that like? I don’t remember.
“This is stuffier, though, with the vest and the bow tie and everything.” I force my attention back to my reflection in the mirror, where Cornelius has me all trussed up. This is my second fitting in as many weeks, but he’s been measuring and pinning for what feels like forever.
“It all feels like overkill.” I jiggle my legs a little. “And I’m not good at standing still for this long. It’s honestly getting painful.”
“Do you want to look handsome in your tuxedo, or do you want to look like a little boy who got a hand-me-down from his older brother?” Cornelius mutters from around a mouthful of pins.
“Uh, I don’t have a brother?” The tailor shoots a dirty look from between my legs. “But, okay. I do see your point. And, uh, I guess I would like to look handsome?” Not sure I’ve ever been handsome. Not that anyone’s said. I get adorable a lot. Way too much.
With the wealthy escorting clientele in Belle Argo, I’ve learned “adorable” is code for “I’ve assessed you thoroughly and determined that it would take no effort at all to squash you under my thumb.”
So, if this tailor can pull off handsome, then I suppose I’ll take it.
“He might get more bids if he looks like a little boy,” Adam points out. His dark shoulder-length hair is up in a bun again today.
“Uh…” Is he joking? Because I can’t tell, and now I kind of wish I could disappear.
Literally everyone in the group turns to Adam, making hissing sounds and shut-up gestures. PJ seems to be threatening to slit his throat.
I distinctly remember Eve and Alexis spending an entire brunch one week trying to convince him that man buns were “out,” but considering the way Cornelius’s two female assistants have been eyeing Adam? Not so sure man buns are out, honestly.
“Am I really the only one thinking it?” Adam asks.
“You’re the only one dumb enough to say it out loud, and that’s coming from me,” Dean says. He’s got his long legs awkwardly folded on a love seat that’s too low to the ground. Mostly he’s watching his daughter, who’s across the store, staring in awe at a rack of sparkly dresses.
Michael, on the seat next to Dean, gives him a sharp jab in the ribs. Dean glares daggers back before returning his attention to his daughter.
“Listen,” Troy says with an unusually serious face, “if you really don’t want to do this, we could all talk to Brennan for you. Surely you could come up with the money some other way.”
Troy doesn’t seem to realize he’s idly tugging at a strand of Adam’s hair that’s escaped the bun. Neither of them do.
“Yeah, we can help you find a way out of this,” PJ insists. “Brennan is reasonable. There’s got to be some kind of deal we can make.”
Sebastian, who rarely talks to all of us, clears his throat. “I’m sure Simon and I could work something out.”
My throat feels super tight. “That’s… Wow.
Thank you. But I’m not going to take money from you guys.
Really, I think this is the right thing to do.
I can’t keep living in Belle Argo with a guy who hates me and thinks protecting me means controlling me.
I’ve thought about other options over and over, but this is the best and fastest way to reach my goal. ”
“Honey, we’re just worried about you,” Eve says. She’s currently wearing a giant princess dress. There’s a tiara in her braided hair. This place also does custom wedding gowns. Dean’s daughter looks at her with a wide-open mouth as if Eve is actual royalty.
“I really do appreciate that.” I’m sort of at a loss here. I wasn’t expecting to get so emotional. Until they all came streaming into the store, I wasn’t even expecting anyone else to be here.
“Okay, I’ve got everything I need,” Cornelius says as he levers himself off the floor. “You can take that off when you’re ready.”
Thank God. If I had to stand still any longer, I’m pretty sure I would’ve jumped out of my skin.
“Uh, Rav.” Prince, our newest member, tugs at his lip ring.
He looks as out of place as I feel, the way he’s covered in tattoos and perched in a fancy chair with a flute of champagne.
“I think what everyone’s trying to say is there’s a chance you’re going to get bought by some shithead on a power trip who gets off on breaking you into little pieces.
Not that I can exactly see the future, but I’ve got a real bad feeling that this thing isn’t going to go the way you expect. ”
There’s something in my throat. Something so large it’s almost choking me, and I can’t get any words out. I clear my throat until I can breathe again, going over to where I’ve left my backpack on the floor by the floor-to-ceiling mirror.
“That reminds me…” I pull out a stack of papers and start handing them around.
I count, making sure I’ve got enough copies for everyone here.
A couple of the guys aren’t, but it’ll be all over the group chat, I assume.
“Since most of you are here, I should do this now. These are for you guys. In the unlikely event that anything does happen to me. Channing was nice enough to take me to a lawyer’s office yesterday.
” I gesture to my perpetually bored security guard, lounging in the back corner of the room.
Michael scans through the short document. He’s the only one actually reading. Everyone else still looks confused.
Until Michael drops his glass. “This is a will.”
Eve gasps. Adam’s mouth drops open. Simon’s face twists into anger. He stands and drops the paper in his boyfriend’s lap before walking out of the room. Dean, he still looks confused.
Every muscle in my neck pulls tight. I try to massage them with my fingers, but it’s no use.
PJ shoots up, face red. “Ravi, what the hell is this shit?”
The air leaves my lungs. I’m the one who did this, but it’s suddenly very heavy.
My eyes are burning. “I know you guys think I’m ignoring the possibility of something bad happening to me, but I’m not.
I’ve decided the benefit outweighs the risks, which I’m honestly hoping are really low.
Kind of like when I decided to do tandem skydiving for my birthday even though a kid in my class had broken his leg that way.
Anyway, uhm, this is for just in case, you know?
You guys are the closest thing I have to family. ”
“Rav, you shouldn’t be doing this,” Dean says slowly.
“Yeah.” Alexis nods. “It’s so thoughtful, but it’s too much. And if you really think something this bad might happen then what the fuck are you even doing?” She’s leaning an elbow on Troy’s shoulder, wearing, I don’t know, cocktail attire? A tiny black dress. It looks amazing on her.
Then she nudges Troy, who straightens up and adds, “Yeah, Rav. This is fucked.”
“Like I said, it’s just in case. I have car insurance too, but I’ve never been in an accident.
Look.” I point to them all. “I don’t know how high the auction’s going to go, so I’ve done it in percentages.
Half to animal rescues, food banks, a women’s shelter, and a farm animal sanctuary in Beacon Hill.
The rest is up to you guys. Most likely everything’s going to be fine and this is overkill.
If it isn’t, though, who else would I want to give the rest of it to? ”
Except for Prince, most of us fell in with Brennan because we needed money. And even Prince doesn’t exactly seem to be independently wealthy.
Eve’s the one who moves next, gathering her massive skirt up in her fists and running over to throw her arms around me.
She’s sniffling, and a wet drop hits my neck.
It’s all I can do to hold it together when the rest follow, resulting in a massive group huddle that causes Cornelius to yell at us all about being careful with the dresses before he gives up and stalks out of the room in a huff.