23. Elton

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Elton

This place looks amazing.

In a matter of hours, the team and I managed to transform XO into a gothic brothel. Where the neon strobe lights are usually an array of mixed colors, they’re solid red tonight, giving the smoky air around us a thick feeling of lust and sensuality. The theme ‘Angels and Sinners’ is a hit. People are lining up outside the door, all dressed in their costumes, and Cassius even prepared a special set just for tonight. It’s a huge success, more than I ever dreamed it would be.

But then why am I not enjoying myself?

“Why are you so grumpy?” Everest asks from beside me, smoothing his hand down his pressed white shirt, having chosen to be an angel tonight. “This is awesome, bro!”

“Yeah...” I nod as I fuck with the halo I put on earlier. “It seems like everyone is having fun.”

Butch snorts, popping his head in from outside where he’s been watching the line. “Forget fun. You brought in a crap ton of cash tonight, kid. The boss is going to be very pleased.”

I nod once again, in a daze as my eyes track through the crowd. “Wonderful.”

“Seriously, Elton. What’s wrong?”

I sigh heavily. I could tell Everest all about the fight Knox and I had today, but it’s not worth it. I don’t particularly want to relive the details because I’m still sour about it all.

I pushed— again —and wound up creating a mess I didn’t want in the first place, but can you blame me? I don’t regret telling Knox that he could do so much more than sell drugs, because it’s the truth. I guess I could have waited until he hadn’t just been assaulted by some greasy-looking guy with a goatee, and chosen my words more carefully, but I couldn’t help it. Knox is so intelligent, caring when he doesn’t try to be, and he deserves a job that isn’t so…dangerous.

And maybe that’s another part of it. Seeing that guy’s hands wrapped around Knox’s throat nearly sent me into a rage. I’m not someone who usually feels like punching others, but I could have kicked that guy in the balls for putting his hands on Knox. In truth, I’m mature enough to say it scared the fuck out of me.

But I can’t think of that right now. Right now, I’m working, and thoughts of Knox and where he is have to wait. “Nothing. This is great. Go hang out with Rhys.”

Everest hesitates. Even though I know for a fact he wants to go see his boyfriend, he's too much of a nice guy to just leave me. “You going to be okay on your own?”

Aren’t I always?

“Yeah, for sure,” I say, smiling fondly at my little brother as I ruffle his hair. “Go have fun with Rhys on his break.”

I watch Everest walk away and smile when he meets Rhys by the corner of the bar, jumping into his demonic boyfriend’s arms. Making my way deeper into the club, I pluck a red smoking shot from one of the passing shot girls and observe my work. While I’m incredibly proud of having put this together, it doesn’t feel the same without having someone to share my success with.

Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn, eyes widening as I’m handed a white filigree mask. “What’s this?”

The person who handed it to me is wearing an all-black mask that covers the top half of their face. They drop their voice to as much of a whisper as possible, leaning in close. “You’ll find that the stroke of midnight brings much more than a new day.”

“The fuck? Is this a riddle?” It takes me a minute. The white filigree mask, the creepy stranger, the out-of-place sentence, but then it hits me. “Holy shit! It is a riddle!”

Another hand lands on my elbow, and I turn with giddy excitement. This time, I’m handed a single red rose by a woman wearing a similar black mask. “The demons don’t have to win for something to fall from grace.”

“Jesus, okay. Cool.” I put my mask on and secure the red rose in my lapel, jumping on my toes as I think through my next words. What do people do in movies when this happens? They ask questions, right? “Um, any more tips?”

Through her mask, I can see the woman’s eyes widen. “Ugh…”

“Walking away is good too!” I yell to her as she runs off in the opposite direction.

I don’t have time to think about what this means or what’s going on, when I feel a presence behind me. I turn to see a large burly dude in a black mask, holding a tiny pink flamingo, looking entirely displeased with himself. He shoves it into my hands, causing me to drop my shot glass. “Sometimes the fuzzy ones kill.”

“That’s not morbid as fuck.” Smiling down at the cute little flamingo, I snort. “Seriously, who made this riddle?”

“Ugh, Skylar owes me one.” The tough guy goes to turn away, but stops and sighs. “Fine. He’s in the center of the dance floor waiting for you. Red mask with black horns.”

Well, that was easy. Trying to get to the bottom of this riddle, I search out the man in the red mask with black horns. I weave my way through the crowd of slutty angels and erotic sinners, and turn in circles when I reach the center of the dancefloor. Clutching the little flamingo tightly, I try to look over some shoulders, until a particularly irritated voice shouts at me.

“What the fuck? It’s only eleven-thirty. How did you find me already?”

Bingo. I can recognize that angry cadence anywhere.

I turn to Knox who’s standing just a few feet away from me, looking like some sort of demonic dream. He’s not dressed in his usual clothes, not even the ones he told me he was going to wear the other day because he refused to dress up. No, he’s wearing a full red satin tux, blood red bowtie and everything, with a matching red rose on his lapel. His mask only covers the top of his face, stark red with black horns that look like they were dipped in smoke.

“I’m just that good,” I say, taking a step towards him.

He levels me with a look I can read, even through his mask. “Someone told you, didn’t they?”

“It was a sucky riddle!”

“Hey! Shut up! I put a lot of thought into it, dick!”

I laugh, feeling all sorts of fluffy and gross. Waving the little flamingo’s leg at him, I cock my head to the side. “So, you did this for me, huh? Am I supposed to forgive you for being an ass?”

He shrugs, trying to appear casual, but I can see the red-tinted worry in his dark gray eyes, and the way his shoulders hold tension. “I was hoping this might convince you.”

It shouldn’t be this easy to forgive him, but—fuck me—he has to have swallowed his pride to go through the trouble of setting all this up. “Consider yourself forgiven.” The smile he gives me is breathtaking, and he’s already taking a step to reach for me when I hold up the pink toy between us. “Just one thing.”

“What?” he snaps, seeming to have come to the end of his patience.

Just wait, Knoxy. It can’t be too easy.

“Call yourself grumpy bear and apologize.” I’m milking this for all it’s worth.

He gasps, as if offended. “I’m not doing that shit.”

I shrug and move to walk away. “Guess you don’t want my forgiveness after all?—”

“Wait! Shit!” He hangs his head, crossing his arms over his chest like a petulant child, and sighs. “Grumpy… Grumpy bear is sorry.”

Fuck yes! I didn’t think he was actually going to say it. I burst out in laughter, tucking my new flamingo in my suit so I can wrap my arms around Knox and bring him to my chest. “See? Was that so difficult?”

“I’m dying on the inside,” he mumbles, but I can hear the humor in his voice as he returns my embrace. “Fuck you, Elton.”

I put some distance between us while keeping him in my arms. Dropping my forehead against his, our masks bump together as I smile. “This was really sweet, Knox.”

“Well, I’m trying, aren’t I?” He looks at me with a nervous smile on his lips. “I really am sorry, sweetheart.”

“I know,” I say.

He must reach his cuteness overload, because he shrugs himself out of my hold, instead reaching for my ass, and pressing me against him. Tipping his head to the side, his horns cock in the red lights, and he smirks. “The masks were a nice touch to themed night. How does it feel to be an angel amongst sinners, sweetheart?”

I lean in so I can brush my lips against his. “Like I’d fall from grace every damn time for the right demon.”

His breath catches in his throat, and then he’s kissing me. Wrapped up together on the dance floor, nobody knows who we are. Just two people in a sea of everything and nothingness, floating together as Hell takes over Miami. Just two people in a crowd of forgiveness, moving our lips to the symphony of Heaven around us.

Just two people realizing how much they enjoy the blasphemy of it all.