Chapter 6
Serenity
“There you go, sir.” Franco eased Mr. Harding onto the couch in Hunter’s office then looked to Hunter for more direction.
“Keep watch in the club, Franco. Make sure everyone’s cleared out. And no one comes in.”
Franco nodded and lumbered toward the door.
Hunter sank into the chair behind his desk. “How’s the pain, brother?”
“Manageable,” he sighed.
“Do you need anything, Mr. Harding?” I asked from where I stood near the door, shifting out of the way to let Franco leave.
“Please, call me Bryce.” His voice was thankfully much stronger than it had been in the dressing room.
“Sure… um, Bryce.” I rubbed a hand on my cutoff shorts.
Bryce managed a smile. His face was far less pale, but his thick brown bangs were matted to his sweat-covered forehead. “Can I get you some water?” I motioned to the small fridge Hunter kept in the corner.
“I should’ve thought of that already.” Hunter nodded toward the fridge. “Thanks for offering, Serenity. My mind is all over the place right now.” He rubbed at his temple.
“Water would be great, thank you.” Bryce leaned back, resting his head against the wall behind the couch, and closed his eyes.
When I returned with a bottle and cleared my throat, Bryce blinked his eyes open and sat up.
“It’s okay being close without gloves?” I asked, trying to figure out what was going on and why Franco had worn them.
“Yes, we’ll be careful not to touch.”
He slowly took the bottle from the end I wasn’t holding, his hand trembling, whether from exhaustion or not wanting me close, I couldn’t be sure. I quickly stepped back to stand by Hunter’s desk.
Reaching into his dress slacks’ pocket, Bryce pulled out a small plastic baggie, filled with red specks.
They looked like… chopped chili peppers.
They were. He opened the bag and their powerful scent spiced the air.
He cracked open the bottle and gulped the peppers down with the water. As he drank, his hand stopped shaking.
Whatever was up with the peppers, I needed to give him a moment, so I turned toward the wall behind Hunter’s desk, skimming my eyes across the floor to ceiling shelves and rows of books.
Everything from business know-how to philosophy to Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens and other classics.
I loved that Hunter actually read them too, his powerful appearance masking such depth.
Hunter looked better himself now that Bryce seemed to be recovering. He glanced at me with soft eyes. “I’m sorry your first night of dancing ended like this.”
“My fault.” Bryce groaned. “You were fucking fantastic. And I cost you tips. I’ll have something couriered over tomorrow.”
“That’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” I wouldn’t take money from him like this. “I just hope you’re going to be okay?” I was still unsure exactly what happened and why he thought it was his fault.
He held up the empty baggie. “This helps. Bit of a painkiller for me. And I’ll be back to normal soon.” He drank the last of the water and looked over at Hunter. “I’m so sorry about shutting your club down too. Though I know you won’t let me make it up to you.”
“I won’t.” Hunter gave him one of his rare smiles and my heart warmed at seeing the ease between them.
“I’m just sorry it happened.” Hunter’s tone was tinged with shame.
“Tara was late for her shift. I forgot to have her briefed on your condition. I thought she would’ve known, you know, with you being who you are, but clearly not. ”
Bryce’s eyes met mine and he read my confusion easily.
“I’m just glad not everyone reads about me in the news.
” He gave me a small, tentative smile of his own.
“How about we have an honest chat? All of us?” He glanced at Hunter who nodded.
“Serenity, I’ll tell you why I caused such a disruption earlier, and you tell us about that vampire. Deal?”
A shiver coursed through me at the thought of Conrad, much less talking about him. But I knew I owed them answers, especially Hunter. “Okay.”
“I’ll go first,” Bryce said, distracting me, at least for the moment.
His button-up shirt was half-soaked with sweat, but his voice was full and deep and completely calm now.
“Either way, you deserve an explanation.” He sat up straighter on the couch and his citrus and spice scent filled the room, relaxing me like it had in his office.
“So, it’s pretty widely known—but not by everyone it seems—that I can’t be touched. ”
“Can’t be touched?” I shifted my weight from one boot to the other. “You mean at all?”
“Not exactly. Over clothing is fine. Touch me, my bare skin, and murderous pain. Both ways. That poor waitress touched my bare hand.” He paused and gestured to his soaked shirt with a wry, despondent expression.
“This is the result on my end. And I’m used to it.
For that young girl, I can’t imagine.” He dropped his head.
“Oh God. I’m sorry. And for trying to shake your hand yesterday.”
He shrugged. “I’ve been blessed with many things in this life.
Unfortunately, the warmth of touch wasn’t one of them.
I’ve learned to live with it. Or without it, I guess you could say.
A lot of times I wear gloves, but I’ve mostly just learned to stay away from people.
It just saddens me when things like this happen and people get hurt because of my problem. ”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I assured him. “Tara just didn’t know. An accident. The main thing is, everyone will be okay.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate that. Any questions about it?”
I didn’t want to pry, but maybe talking was helping to distract from the last of his pain, just like it was doing for me with thoughts of Conrad. “Has it always been this way?”
He nodded. “I’m afraid so. Almost from the time I was born. My poor parents. Had a house full of gloves and other precautions.”
Wow. Even I, having suffered so much from unwanted touch, had been lavished with my real parents’ hugs, been able to play games with kids without fear, held hands with and kissed a boy when I was fourteen.
“And I’ve searched for a cure,” he continued. “Never found one.”
“I’m sorry to hear, all of it.” I wished I could say or do more. I respected him so much for what he’d done with Midas and now learning this, and seeing what a good guy he seemed to be and a close friend of Hunter’s. My heart ached for him, and I absentmindedly rubbed a hand over my chest.
Bryce’s eyes followed my hand. “Your compassion means more than I can say. I don’t usually like sympathy. But I promised honesty. And it has been tough and sometimes—” His voice cracked with emotion.
Hunter chimed in. “Take a deep breath. It’s been one of those nights.” They gave each other a long look then Hunter turned to me. “So, if you’re ready, it’s your turn to talk about tough things. Bryce mentioned a vampire?”
It was my turn. And while I hadn’t shared personal things with anyone in years—seven long years—Bryce had been open with me and deserved the same.
And more than that, Hunter had already earned my trust and deserved to know what had just happened in his club.
“There was someone in the audience,” I spoke quickly.
“Someone who hurt me very badly in the past.” I tried to get the words out faster, so I wouldn’t feel their weight, but my eyes blurred with tears.
Hunter’s hand tightened into a fist on his desk and he leaned forward in his chair. “And who would this someone be?” he growled, but I could tell his anger wasn’t directed at me.
“He was… one of the worst. Of the ones that… hurt me.” I struggled to admit the feeding den details.
Hunter’s face was calm, but a vein pulsed in his muscular neck. “One of the worst that hurt you? Who were the others?”
Bryce’s attention was also focused on me, though he sat quietly, waiting for my answer.
“All vamps.”
Neither looked surprised by my answer.
“I’m sorry, Bryce,” I said softly.
He jerked back. “Why?”
“I never finished high school or went to college. Like I led on. I was sold to a feeding den when I was fifteen. By my foster parents. They betrayed me.” My legs shook and I shuffled over to perch on the desk.
Bryce made a move to get up, maybe instinctively wanting to help me, then took a deep breath and settled back down.
“My grandma was almost ninety. In a care home with early-stage dementia. I had nobody but her. After my parents died in a car crash.” My chin trembled.
“So, I went to foster parents, the ones that sold me. I had no idea when we drove across the border to New Nebraska why we were here. They told the border patrol it was just a day trip to visit a vamp friend.” I paused, waiting to see their reaction.
They didn’t show any signs of judgement.
Though Hunter looked almost as pale as Bryce had before.
“I was used for seven years in the feeding den.”
“Seven years!?” Hunter’s eyes went wild. “And you said this guy was the worst?”
I nodded, my tears finally spilling over. I sniffed and wiped at my face as Bryce leaned over for a box of tissues on the side table by the couch. He nudged it across the floor to me.
I reached down, plucked out two and dabbed at my eyes. “Conrad. He gave me this mark on my neck.”
Hunter stood, both hands clenched into fists now. He eased them as he spoke to me. “You know this feeding den location? Or this Conrad guy’s last name?”
“No. Neither.”
Hunter pulled out his phone, and swiped and tapped as he spoke to me.
“We’ll start by asking Franco and the guys if they know this vamp.
At the very least, we have him on camera tonight and I’ll make sure everyone’s seen his photo and knows he’s blacklisted.
Forever. But if they see him, to have Franco or Stratos grab this Conrad Fuckface by his scrawny neck and hold him till the cops come. ”
I nodded. “Thanks, Hunter.”
“I’m going to dig on this guy too,” Bryce said. “If he doesn’t show his face again, maybe we’ll still find enough out to hand it over to the police, and nail his slimy ass.”
“God, I can only hope. Thank you so much. Both of you.” My worries about Conrad were slowly easing.
“But in the meantime, it’s possible this bastard might try to hurt you again, right?” Bryce asked.
I pressed the soft tissues to my eyes. “Yeah. He said, um, well he said ‘until next time’ before he left.”
“Then you’re staying at my place.” Hunter said it like he was talking about the weather. Not like it was about me moving in with my boss.
“Uh, what now?” I slipped off the desk.
“I have another suggestion.” Bryce scooted to the edge of the couch.
“I have several properties across the city. All of them with solid security. There’s a penthouse that looks over the whole city.
The view’s stunning. I rarely use it, but it has housekeeping and the best security of the lot. Why don’t you stay there?”
“That’s an option,” Hunter acknowledged. “But I’d feel better if she were with me. And Serenity, I have something to confess.” His Adam’s apple bobbed in a subtle gulp.
“Okay?” I fidgeted with the hem of my tank top, already feeling nervous about the prospect of staying with Hunter, but quickly coming around to the idea when I stopped to think of what Conrad had threatened. I needed a safe place to stay, for at least a few days until I sorted things out.
“I was concerned about you, so please don’t be angry, okay? But… I checked out where you live last night. That area’s not safe. Not at the best of times. Come stay with me. It’ll work well, I promise.”
How had he known where I lived? Had he followed me?
Was he the one outside the window!? A flash of anger passed through me, and also embarrassment about what he’d seen.
I quickly calmed though. I trusted Hunter and was sure that he hadn’t done anything with bad intentions, and he’d just confessed.
As for embarrassment, I reminded myself I was proud of working my way to a better future.
“I can’t say I’m happy about you snooping around.
” I rubbed the back of my neck. “But I know you care about your employees and I think I understand the reasons you checked on me.”
“I care. Deeply,” Hunter said. “I’m glad you’re not too upset. I’m sorry how I went about it. Please, come stay at my place. It’s close by. We can walk to work.”
There were so many reasons to refuse, but I didn’t want to be alone after seeing that monster, Conrad tonight.
“I’ll have to pick up my cat.”
Hunter and Bryce both grinned.
Bryce pulled out his cell. “I’ll tell Gerald we’re picking up a VIP kitty.’
Oh goodness, Bryce was coming too?