Page 29 of Wicked

“Fuck, I hadn’t thought of that. Is it bad that I don’t think that’s wrong? I kind of want to congratulate you for getting away with murder.”

I pause. “Maybe, but if it was the Viagra that did it, I’m not sorry.”

There are so many people whose lives will be better now that Dorian is gone. Most importantly, Buddy is free.

If someone would have let me close enough to Dorian with a weapon in my hand, I think I would have been up for doing it that way too. He was a cruel man with way too much power and money. He deserved to die.

“Viagra really is a miracle drug,” Revolver says.

We bust up laughing. Damn, it feels good to joke around with him again.

“In all seriousness, you can’t keep forcing people to deal with their shit. They have to make the choice to do it,” he says.

The problem is that people don’t. They let it fester. And then they meet their fated mate, and they can’t have sex because they have too much baggage.

Revolver lays his head on my shoulder. “You could stay with us if you wanted to.”

That sounds nice. “Thank you. I’d like that.”

“Is it stupid that I miss your thrall? I can’t sense it anymore now that I’m bonded to Lester.”

“Nah. I miss yours too. It’s weird to be sitting right next to you and not be able to feel it.”

He opens his eyes and stares up at me, so close we could kiss if we wanted to, but it’s never been like that between us.

“People have been weird since I lost my thrall. Not the escorts. They’re still the same. Probably because Lester is still the person who connects them with clients. But a lot of people are different. They don’t invite me to their parties anymore. Sometimes they don’t text me back. I missed you so much, Candlewick. Every time someone was an asshole to me, I kept wanting to text you or call you.”

I really fucked up. And all because of a guy who’s now dead.

“I’m sorry, Revolver. I should have been there for you.”

“It’s David now. Just so you know.”

That makes sense, but it still fills me with a deep sense of loss. The years I escorted for Lester were the best years of my life. It’s hard to realize that time has permanently come to a close.

Even if Revolver—David—was still at it, I’m not sure I could return to escorting. I think it would remind me too much of the interactions I had with Dorian.

“Okay, David. I still don’t want you to call me Isaiah.”

He smiles. “That’s because Candlewick is a better name for you. A genius thought of it.”

We laugh again, and in that moment, I realize there is one part of my life Dorian wasn’t able to ruin.

“I’m still tired. Would you lay here with me for a while?” I ask. “I’m not ready to be alone.”

He wriggles underneath the covers and doesn’t comment that I’m only wearing my underwear or that I’ve lost weight. I turn off the light and snuggle in next to him.

“Your breath smells like someone died in there,” David says.

“Maybe that’s where I killed Dorian Gray.”

He winces.

“Too soon?” I ask.

“No, I was just going to make a horrible joke, and I wasn’t sure if you were ready for my moral depravity.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course I’m ready. Lay it on me.”

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