Page 12 of Dreamers Often Lie

“Well, it looks like Roam has moved on. How fast until this becomes an epic disaster?” Ben slapped me on the back as he walked up.

“Tragedy is so underrated and rarely achieved,” I responded happily. “Here’s to the show.”

Ben chuckled. He had been drinking, and his face was flushed. “I saw you talking to that asshat, Ty. How did that go? Was he annoyed that we were here?”

I turned and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Not really. He knows as much as I do about what’s actually happening, though. Listen, we really have to keep an eye on everyone tonight and make sure they behave. Got it? Monty made me promise.”

“Monty made you? Ok, That’s strange. But sure. It shouldn’t be that hard. Abe is already laying pipe on the dining room table with a Cappie boy. As long as we keep our masks on, I think we’re fine.”

I glanced over and pointed at Roam and Jules making out on the couch. “They really are too pretty for each other, don’t you think?”

Ben chuckled. “Or maybe they’re the kind of pretty that is onlygoodfor each other?”

“Whatever? I’m tired of watching Roam suck all the air out of the room while he eats Jule’s face. God, they’re not even trying to kiss politely.” Jules and Roam had hard-ons that were already poking out of their very short shorts. People were pointing. “I’m gonna walk around.”

Ben grabbed my arm. “Don’t make me watch this train wreck alone.”

“Do you want me to make you some popcorn and bring a box of tissues? The ending always makesmecry.”

“Maybe. But I’m not watching this either.” Ben turned and kissed me quickly on the lips. “Be careful, ok?”

I turned to walk away. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about, babe.”

“Uh… What the fuck is Monty doing here?” Ben grabbed my arm again. “That is him, right? I’d recognize that big belly anywhere.”

“Yeah, probably.” I shrugged. “I better go over there and…”

“What the fuck is going on, Merc?” He sounded scared.

“Damned if I know. Have fun and let go a little, Ben. You deserve it, bro. Go find a Cappie boy to bend you over and treat you the way you want.” I grazed his cheek and walked away.

I pushed through the crowd and shimmied around a very drunk girl who looked like she was about to lose her cookies all over the floor. Why Monty and Cappie invited all of these half-rate celebrities still confused me. They didn’t share on their socials that they were here most of the time, so it couldn’t have been marketing. But those types could never really hang with the likes of us. We were a special breed of human who could take a punch and stay on our feet.

“Merc,” Monty breathed heavily. If he walked more than twenty steps, he breathed heavily. “I was afraid I was going to have to send someone to find you.”

“What’s wrong? Do I need to get everyone out of here?”

“No, let them enjoy themselves.” He glanced around, and I stepped in front of his view to where Roam was sitting. No use raising Monty’s ire in public. He wouldn’t be happy with the way Roam was acting right now. “I would like you to join me. I need someone with a level head, and I suppose you will have to do. Besides, most people like you. They can’t help themselves once they start talking to you. You have a way with people.”

I stared at him, completely lost. “What’s… Go where, Monty?”

“Upstairs to the office that I used to share with Poppa Cappie back when things were less chaotic. We’re meeting tonight to discuss a new normal for our studios and to try to put an end to the violence. We have both been told that if we don’t, there will be hell to pay. The city has gotten too many complaints, and neither one of us wants to deal with the legal hassles, if you catch my drift.”

“I don’t.” But it now made sense when Monty handed me the invitation and told me take some of the boys to the party. At first, I had been incredibly confused, but he said it was fine and we were expected.

Monty sighed and pressed his finger into my forehead. “You’re as thick as the rest. I expect more from you, Merc. The boys look to you as if you were their leader. They could do much worse. Of course, they don’t know the real you, do they?” he asked pointedly.

“No, they don’t.” I swallowed. I had hidden the truth about my past from everyone and didn’t want them to know that part of me.

Monty leaned in and pulled me toward him by my arm. “I wonder how they would feel if they knew you were just slumming, for now.”

“It wasn’t like I had much of a choice, was it?”

“I took you in and have treated you as one of my own. Now, I am afraid I need you by my side. Cappie didn’t give me much time to get the team together, so it’s just me and Walter.” He nodded to the small man with round glasses that I knew to be his lawyer. It wasn’t just money that he paid Walter with. He also used our services. Walter was a dirty pig bottom who liked it rough and cruel. His issues had issues.

“Whatever you need.” I shrugged. I couldn’t tell Monty no, even if I had wanted to. But I was curious about what was going on, and now I was given a front-row seat. Who was I to say no?

“Who knows who Cappie has in there with him? Probably his whole team. I don’t want to look like a fool and be coerced into something that I don’t want to agree to. Do you understand?” He asked so seriously that I could only nod at him dumbly.

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