Chapter 27 Harrison
HARRISON
Damn. Bianca lives in a nice apartment building. And in a great part of town, right in the middle of everything.
She texted me her address earlier, and I’ve been looking forward to spending the evening with her.
Yeah, we have an ulterior motive, but it’s still a date. And our last date ended with me fucking her in the snowy courtyard in the back of an oyster restaurant, so my prospects of getting laid again are pretty good.
But even if I don’t, even if the night ends with nothing more than a chaste kiss on the cheek, I’ll enjoy it.
Spending time with Bianca is like taking the most noxious drug. Constant stimulation, not just in my dick but everywhere in my body. She’s so sweet, so elegant. But she’s also a Montrose, so there’s an element of danger with her.
I pull up in my gold Cadillac DeVille to the apartment building’s long circular driveway, where a valet driver waves me over.
I get out of the car. It’s pretty chilly tonight for mid-March, and I’m bundled up in my long camel peacoat—a gift from Maddox.
Underneath, I’m wearing a tan tweed blazer over a blue and white gingham shirt with dark wash jeans.
Brown shoes and a matching belt complete the look.
It’s a little casual, but I figured we’re visiting clubs that aren’t as exclusive as Aces, so the dress code might be a little more lax.
The valet driver approaches me. He’s quite tall, and bundled up too, with several scarves, a high-collared overcoat, and large sunglasses almost completely obscuring his face. He extends an arm, probably expecting me to hand him my keys.
“One sec,” I say. “The woman I’m picking up is probably on her way down. I’ll save you the trip.”
The valet nods silently but then points to a sign hanging overhead. Five-minute parking. No exceptions. Violators will be towed at vehicle owner’s expense.
“I got it.” I punch Bianca’s number into the phone and bring it to my ear.
A few rings, and then her sweet voice. “Harrison?”
“Hey there, babe. I’m parked outside the apartment building.”
“Wonderful. Do you mind coming up? I’ll buzz you in.”
“Sure. I’ll have the valet park my car.”
“Perfect. You don’t have to pay him. He’s included in my rent.”
“Good to know.”
“I’m on the thirty-second floor when you get inside.”
“Great. What apartment number?”
She pauses. “Just…the thirty-second floor. I’ll buzz you up.”
I nearly drop the phone. She has an entire floor to herself? Damn. She must make great money.
“Sounds good. I’ll be up in a jiff.”
“Wonderful. Bye.”
“Bye.” I pocket my phone and hand my keys to the valet. “Guess I’ll be needing your services after all.”
The valet nods and takes my keys.
I walk through the revolving door into the lobby of Bianca’s apartment building, and I’m nearly blinded by the atrium with polished marble floors beneath a cascading crystal chandelier.
Walls of rich walnut paneling accented with bronze inlays lead to a long concierge desk of black granite manned by a man in a dark-green uniform.
Damn. I’m a doctor, and I don’t make the kind of money to live in a place like this.
There’s no way Bianca’s salary is high enough to live here.
Then again, the Montroses are old money. Bianca probably isn’t dependent on the money she makes from the club.
Must be nice. I came from next to nothing. My parents could barely afford the mortgage on our mobile home. Of course, it didn’t help that they kept pushing out babies like their lives depended on it.
I cross the lobby to an elevator and press the button with a gold-lined number thirty-two on it.
The doors close, and the elevator rushes up.
It’s one of those high-speed lifts that makes you feel like your organs are going to come out your ass when you ascend.
I chuckle when my ears literally pop as I go up.
It opens to Bianca’s apartment, and damn!
Modern grandeur, coated in marble accents and light hardwood floors, with contemporary art on the walls. Bianca is sitting at a piano, singing a song I instantly recognize. Johanna’s song from Sweeney Todd, one of my favorite musicals.
She’s singing ethereal high notes, far higher in pitch than the sultry jazz standards she performs at Aces.
I had no idea she had this kind of range.
Each notes pings perfectly and reverberates across the whole apartment.
She’s playing block chords on her grand piano as she finishes the song, ending on a gorgeous high note.
I applaud, and she turns around, her cheeks reddening.
“Sorry.” She gets up from the piano bench. “I thought I’d be finished before you got up here. I didn’t mean for you to hear that.”
“Don’t ever apologize for singing like that, Bianca. It was beautiful.”
I walk toward her, my arm extended to caress her check, and I drop my jaw. She’s chosen a different makeup palate tonight. Thicker eyeliner and nearly black lipstick.
And my God…
A green ribbon snaking around the back of her head.
If she dyed her hair jet black...
She’d look just like Ray Sinclair.
* * *
My heart is pounding at Ray’s words. “What do you mean a lifetime of pain?”
Ray grins. “Come on, Brother Harry. Think outside the box. What are Hector’s weaknesses?”
Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t think he has a trick knee, or whatever. He’s a huge guy. That’s why he’s able to beat up on me so easily. I’m scrawny, weak. With these damned ears.
“I don’t know.” I look up at Ray. “Do you?”
He taps at his temple. “Use the old noodle. Think about it.”
I stand there, blinking.
He rolls his eyes. “Stop thinking about physical weaknesses. Think about other weaknesses. Who does Hector love more than anything else in the world?”
I shrug. “His mom?”
“No, dipshit. His mother died in childbirth. Don’t you know anything about the guy?”
“We haven’t had the chance to talk about each other’s families between blows to my stomach, actually.”
He chuckles at that. “You’re funny, Brother. Dumb as a sack of bricks, but funny.”
I’m mildly insulted at Ray’s words, but he seems to know something about Hector that can help us get even with him, so I let it slide.
“So he was raised by his dad.”
“Exactly. His father, Hector Dimpsey, Senior. He never remarried. He’s the only parent Hector has ever known.”
“So what, we’re supposed to go after his dad? He’s a fully grown man, and if he has the same build as his son, he could easily take on a few skinny teenagers like us.”
“Not if we catch him by surprise.” Ray reaches into his backpack and pulls out a large sheet of paper, unfolding it on a nearby table.
“What the hell is that?” I ask.
Ray smirks. “Blueprints. Of the Dimpsey house. Swiped it from City Hall.”
“How on earth did you—”
Ray raises a hand. “I have my ways. There’s a sliding glass door leading into the Dimpsey basement.
I scoped the place earlier, and we can easily break in without anyone hearing, especially if it’s the dead of night.
From there”—he traces along the blueprint—“we’ll go up the stairs into the master suite on the ground floor.
Daddy Dimpsey will be sleeping, and we’ll be able to restrain him easily. ”
I widen my eyes. “And then?”
Ray’s grin nearly splits his face open. “And then, we do the same to Hector. Tie him up, make him watch as we do to his father what he does to you.”
I drop my jaw. “We beat him up? In front of his own son?”
He shrugs. “Something like that.”
I shake my head. “No way. Hector’s a dick, but his father’s an innocent man. I mean, Jesus, he lost his wife in childbirth. Raised his son all by himself.”
Ray takes a step toward me, his gaze unwavering. “It’s precisely because he raised his son the way he did that Hector is such an ass, Harry. Who else do you think is responsible?”
I swallow. I didn’t think about it that way.
Ray continues, “Think about it. By doing harm to Hector’s father, we’re actually correcting a great injustice.”
“Still, though…” I bite my lip.
Ray glances to his goons, who have been flanking him the entire time. “Corey. Max. Take a hike.”
Without a word, Max and Corey leave the area.
Ray locks his gaze onto mine. “Harry, Harry, Harry…”
“Yeah?”
He cracks a small smile. “I’ve seen the way you look at my sister.”
I blink. “I don’t know what you’re—”
“No use denying it. Don’t worry. I don’t care if you have the hots for my sister. In fact, you’d be an improvement over the creeps she’s dated, if I’m being honest.”
I try to break free of Ray’s grip, but he’s stronger than I am.
“Stop wiggling, Harry, and listen. If you follow through with this, I’ll have a word with my sister. I’ll convince her to let you do whatever you want to her tight little body when we’re done.”
I widen my eyes.
“Yeah. Whatever just crossed your mind, she’ll do that, too.” His lips twist and his eyes shine. “Do we have an understanding?”
I think it over.
Regina Sinclair is all I’ve been able to think about for the last few years. To no longer pine after her, to know what it’s like to have her, to see what she looks like under those tight sweaters and short shorts…
All my blood goes straight to my dick.
And I slowly nod.
“Good.” Ray nods. “Glad we were able to make a deal, Harry.” He smiles once more and then reaches down and kisses me right on the lips.
I jump back, wiping my mouth. “What the fuck, Ray?”
He chuckles. “Regina and I are twins. So my lips are the same as her lips. Wanted to give you a little foretaste.”
Fuck. My first kiss, and it’s from a guy.
I’m not into guys. I have eyes for Regina and Regina alone.
Yet… my dick just got harder.
* * *
Fuck.
Bianca’s makeup is driving me crazy.
And I hate to admit it, but part of it is because of that moment with Ray all those years ago.
I was confused for a while after that. Was I bisexual?
But I wasn’t. Turns out that when you’re a teenage boy, it doesn’t take much to get you aroused.
Still, that dark lipstick and that thick eyeliner. And that damned green headband that makes me think of the highlights Ray wore in his hair…
I’m brought back to that moment.
And I grab Bianca’s arm, whip her to me almost violently, and crush my mouth down on hers.