Chapter Seven #3
“I think so. Let me check.” Zane regarded Kurt. “Thanks for keeping me in the loop. Let me know if you find out anything.”
Zane slid off the stool and gestured for him and Eli to follow. Avery kept pace with his friend, while still maintaining the physical connection with Eli.
“I hope I didn’t take you away from anything important,” said Avery.
“It’s important, but there’s nothing that can be done about it right now.” Zane heaved a sigh. “More fallout from—“ Zane glanced sideways at him, but his attention was on Eli. “Well, that Dom who used to be Tate’s Daddy.”
“Oh, gotcha.”
Avery knew exactly what Zane meant, and why he was being so vague. Whatever issues Eli was struggling with, discussing serial killer Doms wouldn’t help to ease his mind any.
When they reached the other side of the reception area, Zane knocked on a door marked for staff only.
A bear of a man appeared in the doorway, covered head to toe in studded leather.
Looney Tunes tattoos covered his amber skin, cartoon portraits of Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, and Porky Pig smiling cheerfully against the backdrop of his otherwise intimidating ensemble.
He gave them a big smile. “Good evening, gentlemen. Master Zane, what’s up?”
“Ray, this is Sir Avery and his…” Zane cleared his throat. “This is Eli, who started working at the restaurant last week. Would you happen to have a consultation room available? Julio is the only dungeon master on duty tonight, and he’s handling the second floor. It’s busier than usual.”
“You want me to hit the floor? I’m almost done with next week’s schedules.” Ray turned to Avery. “Both rooms are available. You can have your pick.”
Zane clapped his hands. “Great. That’s all settled.” Zane patted Avery’s arm. “Let me know if I can help with anything else.”
“Appreciate it, man.”
Zane quirked a smile, and Avery gave him a slight dip of his chin. He knew his friend well enough to tell that he approved. He turned to Ray.
“The smaller one is fine. It’ll just be us.”
Avery glanced down at Eli, who smiled up at him. Good. It didn’t appear as though Eli was having second thoughts about talking, or was nervous about being alone with him.
Ray produced a key from the ring clipped to his belt.
“Room two it is. Take all the time you need. No one’s reserved the room tonight.
” He unlocked the door and pushed it open, revealing a cozy space furnished with two leather armchairs positioned at comfortable angles.
Warm lighting cast a golden glow over neutral walls decorated with tasteful abstract art.
“There’re water bottles and tissues on the side table.
There’s also a pad of paper and pens in the drawer if you need them. ”
“Thank you.” Avery placed his hand on Eli’s shoulder to guide him inside.
The door clicked shut behind them, muffling the distant sounds of the club.
Avery had been in these rooms before during his early days at Club Sensation, back when he was still learning to navigate the complexities of Dom-sub relationships.
The space felt different somehow, almost a monument to his earlier years after the resort was sold, and he’d begun to explore Zane’s world.
He discovered that the experimenting he’d done in his twenties was more than a bit of fun.
Power dynamics were what made his heart race, kink energized his soul.
Avery inhaled a deep breath. And now the room was also charged with the anticipation of connecting on a deeper level with Eli, but also with the weight of whatever secret he was carrying.
“This is nice.” Eli stood in the center of the room, seemingly grounding himself as he glanced around, his slender fingers trailing over the back of one of the armchairs. “Cozy.”
Avery watched him, trying to decipher the shift in Eli’s demeanor now that they were alone. The panic from the elevator seemed to have subsided, replaced by cautious curiosity.
“Please, sit wherever you like.”
Avery kept his tone light, careful not to come across as demanding. Whatever was going on with Eli, giving him the chance to adjust to his surroundings would make him more likely to want to open up.
Eli chose the armchair nearest the door—a detail that didn't escape Avery's notice. He settled into it, tucking one leg beneath him, his posture less rigid than before but still alert. Avery took the other chair, angling his body toward Eli without crowding him.
“Would you like some water?” Avery reached for one of the bottles on the side table.
“Sure, that would be great. Thanks.” Eli accepted the water, his gaze still roaming the room, but never landing on Avery.
“You don't have to tell me anything you're not ready to share, Eli.” Avery crossed his legs, easing back in the chair. “But I want you to know that whatever it is, you're safe here.”
Eli’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I made my friend promise not to say a word to anyone, so telling you feels wrong.” He looked up. “Not that I don’t feel safe with you. I don’t think you’d let anyone hurt me.” His face crumpled. “I mean, to the best of your ability.”
Avery’s thoughts went back to Eli saying that sleeping on a cold floor in a laundry room was better than the alternative. More than ever, the urgency to find out what trouble Eli was facing plagued him.
“Well, I believe your friend would want you to be okay and would understand if you told someone about your situation so you could help.” Another concern struck Avery. “What about him? Is he also in trouble?”
Eli squirmed in his chair. “I don’t think so. Lenny hasn’t gone back ever since…” Eli dropped his head in his hands. “I’m not sure of anything anymore.”
Avery tilted his head. “Are you talking about Kiss of Leather? Did something bad happen to you both there?”
Eli’s head snapped up. “No! That place is awesome. We went there together that night and were thinking about joining.”
“So, you’re from LA?”
Eli finally met his gaze and nodded. “Yeah. I’ve never lived anywhere else. Lenny’s my best friend. We went to high school together.”
“I see.” Avery ran a jumble of questions through his mind, each one competing for priority. “How old are you?”
For all he knew, Eli was just out of high school and should return to his family, if he had one.. The thought was gut-wrenching, but it might be in Eli’s best interest.
“Twenty-five. I’ve been living on my own for a while, worked in a laundry there.
” He gave a small shrug. “I couldn’t…” Eli heaved a sigh.
“I didn’t know what to do after high school, and I couldn’t decide on anything.
I went to a community college in the Valley—that’s where I’m really from—but every semester I’d change my mind about what to study. I finally gave up.”
Avery noted that Eli’s demeanor had changed as he spoke about typical life challenges. Instead of being frightened, he was frustrated. Maybe now he’d be able to discuss the real problem.
“What made you choose Boston? It’s a tough city to be homeless in.”
Eli snorted. “Yeah, no kidding. When I bailed on you and was freezing my…er…behind off in the park, I was thinking the same thing.” He tucked curls behind both ears, a few of them springing free in defiance.
“It was a panic decision. Combination of getting as far away from LA as possible and what city do I at least know a little something about.” He shrugged again.
I used to visit my grandparents here every summer, but they’re gone now. ”
Avery nodded. “That makes sense.” He adjusted his position in the chair, readying himself to dig deeper into Eli’s situation. Eli seemed ready to finally unburden himself. “Tell me about Kiss of Leather. I’m not sure how it fits into whatever happened to make you run from your home.”
Eli groaned. “I think somewhere deep inside, I’ve always known I couldn’t hide forever.
” He sucked in a deep breath, then locked eyes with Avery.
“The night Lenny and I went to Kiss of Leather was incredible. But after we left, I drove Lenny back to his place in the Valley, and we witnessed a murder.”
Avery swallowed hard, fighting to keep his composure. He’d imagined several scenarios that could have caused Eli to run. He’d been certain that it was due to abuse of some sort. But this? Never.
“Tell me what happened.” Avery’s voice was steadier than he felt.
Eli twisted his fingers around the water bottle, the plastic crinkling under his grip.
“We were sitting in my car, just talking. It was late, maybe one in the morning. Out of nowhere, this SUV pulls up behind us on the street, and a woman tumbles out of the truck, then runs past us. Next thing I know, this guy shoots her. Right next to me, right freakin’ next to me. ”
Eli’s breathing accelerated, and it seemed as if he was having trouble catching his breath.
Avery couldn’t stand to see him so upset.
He leaned toward him, opening his arms in a silent invitation.
Eli shot across the short distance between them, falling into Avery’s embrace, and throwing his arms around Avery’s neck.
Eli broke into sobs, his face pressed against the crook of Avery’s shoulder, his body shaking as he cried uncontrollably.
Avery rocked him as he rubbed his back in slow circles.
He didn’t shush Eli. What Eli needed was to express his emotions freely.
He’d been suffering for too long by holding everything in.
After a few minutes, Eli’s crying began to slow until he was taking in the occasional shuddering breath or sniffing. Avery reached over Eli to snatch a few tissues from the box.
“Here you go, sweetheart.”
Eli accepted them, wiping his face and nose. “I’m messing up your nice outfit.