Chapter 20

20

I let my eyes follow the streaks of red. The bubbles sloshed back and forth for a moment before the spinning continued. Sitting at the laundromat wasn’t how I wanted to spend my night, but I didn’t want clown makeup leaving a stain. This was probably the least fabulous part of being a superhero.

The fluorescent lights overhead flickered, the buzz loud enough to be heard over the wall of washing machines. A pouch on my utility belt held enough quarters for a wash and a round in the dryer. I could afford to buy the machines, but there was something human about the experience.

At least I wasn’t the only one sitting in my underwear.

I gave a slight wave to the person in a jockstrap and high heels. I thought they might be a superhero. Their entire body shimmered when they shifted in their chair. They were beautiful but similar to a rose. I suspected beneath that beauty, thorns laid in wait.

I sat in one of the plastic chairs in my briefs, boots, and utility belt. Only a few minutes to go, and I could throw the suit into the dryer. Though I could think of a thousand things I’d rather be doing, I couldn’t wait to put on a warm costume. It always made my legs tingle.

When the buzzer rang, I glanced back and forth. Only one patron in the laundromat. I took out my suit, careful to not let them see. In the middle of the room, a dozen dryers stood with their lids open. I tossed my suit in and closed it. Grabbing a dollar in change, I fed them into the machine. Not long before I got to put on a toasty costume.

The joy of having snug, toasty testicles didn’t override the worry clinging to the back of my mind. Almost midnight, and I still hadn’t received a text from Dustin. Worse, I might have called the security desk at Synergy and discovered he never showed up for work. My worry had shifted from having done something wrong. Now, I feared Dustin might be in danger.

I gripped my phone.

Social protocol said not to text again until I received a reply. When I first texted with Drew and Orion, they gave me a list of rules to follow. They claimed I abused emojis. The first time I called Orion, he reacted as if I had come storming through his door demanding a movie night. Years of living amongst humans, and I still didn’t understand their nuisances.

“What’s causing that frown?”

My jockstrap-wearing companion sauntered over, heels clacking against the tile with every step. They leaned against the dryers as their skin shimmered. The sides of their head had been shaved down to the skin, making the large hoop earrings stand out.

When I didn’t respond, they took the seat next to me. They folded one leg over the other, hands resting on their thigh. They were indeed pretty. The heel of their shoe was long and pointy and, if necessary, could serve as a deadly weapon.

“Girl, I know that face.” Their hand waved in front of my face. “This screams girl trouble. Let Lady Cleo help you.”

I turned to see their face. The long lashes fluttered as they waited for an answer. They not only had bold blood-red lipstick, but their eyelids were covered in tiny diamonds. Pretty had been an understatement.

“A boy,” I said.

“You’re family!”

We weren’t related. At least, I didn’t think so. They held out their hand. I reached out, and they took my fingers, giving my knuckles a kiss. “Well, honey, this changes things. What stupid thing has this boy of yours done?”

“I’m waiting for him to text me.”

“Waiting? Bestie, love does not wait for a text.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Lady Cleo’s regal accent held nothing but empathy. They must have telepathy. It explained their insight. I didn’t want to out them, but I had no doubt they were a superhero. Within seconds of meeting, it was as if we were old friends. Now that I thought about it, I bet they were washing their cape.

“I called him my boyfriend.”

Lady Cleo clapped their hands with a quiet squeal. “Young and in love. I remember those days before I turned into a bitter queen.”

A queen? That explained the regal accent. Did they have a scepter and a crown? I couldn’t put my finger on it, but if I had to guess, they resided in a country somewhere in Europe. Though, why were they in the Ward doing laundry at midnight? Perhaps they were in hiding or partaking in a secret mission.

“Did he do the same for you, my beefy best friend?”

I nodded. I couldn’t refrain from smiling. Lying in bed after another session of sex, he said the words and my heart leapt. I couldn't believe that this beautiful man, this brave soul, returned my affections.

“You’re smiling, but Lady Cleo can tell something’s amiss.”

The words came out of nowhere. “What if I’m not good enough for him? He’s amazing, and I’m…”

Lady Cleo pinched my chin and turned my head until I stared them in the eye. “Good sir, what on this crazy planet makes you think you’re not good enough for him?”

I couldn’t voice the insecurity without letting it swallow my thoughts. Instead, I wanted to focus on how Dustin inspired me. “He makes me want to be a better man, a better…” I let the words drift.

“Did he tell you to shape up? Did this, most likely equally beefy man, say you had to change?”

I shook my head. “It’s a me thing. I want to deserve him.” Saying it out loud sounded odd, uncomfortable even. Did I really think I wasn’t worthy of somebody like Dustin? He had thrown himself into danger without hesitation. I wanted to be like that, but did it make me less than?

Lady Cleo pinched my chin harder. “You are enough.”

“I am?”

They nodded. “Dear, welcome to the insecurities of being in love. Bask in the warm fuzzy feelings. When those scary emotions rear their ugly heads, and I promise you, they will, you’re not alone. You have a partner now.”

With and without a cape.

“I wish more humans were like you.”

“You and me both, sweetie.”

My phone shook. Lady Cleo and I glanced down at my hand. I expected another text from Janet’s bra shopping excursion. “Dustin.” The name hovered in the center of the screen. I had waited all day, and yet, something in the pit of my stomach tightened.

“Is that him?” Lady Cleo poked at the alert. “Only one reason a man texts at this hour.”

Dustin had sent a photograph. I lifted my hand, trying to make sense of the image. It wasn’t Dustin in his normal clothes. He had gone out as Discord. His suit had been ripped from what appeared to be an epic battle. His hands were bound with white rope and a gag covered his mouth. While my brain processed, my stomach did somersaults.

“You two are into some kinky shit,” Lady Cleo said. “No judgment. Get your freak on.”

Dustin had been bound to a table. I gasped. The memories of being strapped down in preparation for the experiments came flooding back. He was in a lab somewhere. The butterflies had turned ravenous, and I let out a low growl. Whatever had happened today, I wanted to punch the person who did this to my boyfriend.

“He’s been kidnapped,” I mumbled.

“Girl, if my boyfriend looked like that, he’d be kidnapped, too.”

“He’s in danger.” Where I expected to find fear, the need to hide, I only found anger. Whoever touched my sidekick, my boyfriend , deserved to be thrown behind bars.

“Fly your ass right on out of here.”

It took a second before I stopped grinding my teeth. How did Lady Cleo know I could fly? Had they seen my costume? I ran through the list of statements Arthur provided for these situations.

“I can’t fly.” Not exactly what he suggested, but it did the trick. Lady Cleo wouldn’t suspect a thing.

Girl, don’t lie to a mind reader .

My eyes widened as the god-like voice echoed in my head. When I glanced over, they stood in a slow and graceful manner. They held out a hand with nails long enough to be weapons, each covered in tiny diamonds. I took their hand, standing so we were almost chest-to-chest.

“I can feel the love,” they said. “Go save the day.”

“But what if?—”

Lady Cleo shook their head. “Life doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle. For that hunk? Be the hero you are.”

I reached over to the dryer, opened the lid and pulled out a damp suit. There was no point in being discreet, not with a mind reader. Telepaths could read our every thought, as if they were tuning in like a car radio. If they wanted, they could shuffle through every thought and memory. They most likely knew I was a superhero the moment they walked in.

“Hardly,” they said. “The utility belt. It’s a dead giveaway.”

Oh. I slid my legs into the suit, feet poking out through the holes. When I got it over my shoulder, I reached around and zipped it up. With a quick clip of the cape, I was ready to resume my duty as Mr. Supreme. I hated a damp suit, but not as much as I cared for Dustin.

With a quick salute, my feet left the ceramic tile. A second later, I was out the door and soaring through the door. Thank you . I thought the words as if I were yelling in my head. Lady Cleo’s giggle echoed like wind chimes in a storm.

Give him a spanking for me. The bad guy… and the boyfriend.