To Die For - Davidson King Page 0,15

discreet, as I gave him the finger. He just laughed and continued talking to Mary, who lived on the floor below me.

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to run from him again; it had taken everything just to get away from him the last time. I knew why he was angry. I knew he wanted everything I took from him and more. When I left, Dorian had no idea what I’d been planning; I’d had the upper hand. He was so lost in his own world and never thought in a million years I’d best him. I’d won, gotten away, something no one had ever done to Dorian before. It had taken me awhile to relax and not look over my shoulder every second. But it was his game now, and I wasn’t sure I’d win this time.

Chapter Nine

Max

“Drag and Drinks Charity Event?” Ledger asked as he looked over the paper from the LGBT Community Center Director. “This was your idea?” We were having our weekly meeting, which was the only day each week I had to get up early.

“Yes,” Atlas answered. “We’ve done shows before, but not this. It will draw in even more people, and we’ll have a cover charge that will go to the community center, and a percentage of drink sales too.”

I thought it was a great idea. Joker’s Sin was a pillar in Haven Hart, but some politicians and such snubbed their nose at the gay club. If it was seen as a place charity could make money, it might help keep the Karens off our backs. “It’ll be good for the club. And that center is great for LGBT kids.”

“Are we going to make it a habit of doing charity events?” Ciro asked, echoing my thoughts about other charities wanting in on this.

“No,” Atlas answered. “This center is a place a lot of us would have loved to have had when we were kids. So, let’s help it out.”

We all agreed and took some time to eat the fresh bagels and drink coffee.

“Max,” Atlas said just as I stuffed my mouth. “Since you know where Sparkles works, maybe you can go by there and see if he, and his dancers or whatever, want in on this. I know it’s a drag show, but he may have some ideas…Maybe he will even participate?”

I chewed as fast as I could and swallowed so hard it hurt. “Why me?”

Atlas shrugged. Fucking shrugged. “You know where he works.” He gestured to the room where Ledger, Ciro, and Toby were doing their best to hold back laughter. “None of us have ever been there.”

I chugged my lukewarm coffee and slammed the mug down on the table. “This is workplace abuse.” I didn’t know why I was protesting—he was giving me an excuse to see Sparkles. But, still. I had to sell this to a man who compared me to herpes.

“I want a raise.” I stood, grabbed the paper, and left the club to the sound of all of them laughing.

I wasn’t quite sure how to describe what I walked into when I stepped foot in Ashley’s Haven, but a bunch of tiny little humans tapping, horribly and not at all together, wasn’t it. In the middle of the terror tapping circle was Sparkles. He had a smile on his face and was trying to encourage the little monsters to count. A few were getting it, but most weren’t. One kid had two fingers up his nose, eyes closed, and was just jumping up and down. I wondered if standard drug testing was allowed for kids.

“Can I help you?” I turned toward the voice and saw a man staring at me expectantly.

“Oh, um. Sorry, I must look like a creeper, watching little kids,” I said, and then the guy’s smile dipped, and I realized he probably wasn’t thinking that until I said it. “Shit.” Now his eyes widened, likely because I swore with little ears present. “My name is Max, I’m here for Sparkles.” This guy was inching toward the phone now, and if I didn’t explain he’d call the cops on me. “Lane, sorry, I’m here to talk to Lane.”

“I see.” He scanned me from head to toe, assessing, no doubt to see if I was stable. “He’s teaching right now.” The kids all stopped tapping when Sparkles blew a whistle. “But it’s ending, so have a seat over there, and I’ll let him know you’re here.” He pointed to a small area with chairs. A few parents were