Page 16 of Last One Standing
“May I ask a question? And I apologize in advance if it’s too personal.”
I swallowed down the fear he was going to ask about the MC. I didn’t like to talk about them—Brick would kill me.
“You can give it a go, and if it’s too personal I’ll let you know.”
“Fair enough.” Still no smile but tiny lines formed in the corner of his eyes. “Do you prefer she, he, or they?”
Oh, that wasn’t what I’d thought he was going to ask. “That’s not personal, that’s actually sweet and respectful. When I’m in drag I go by she, but out of it, I’m he.”
“Angel!” The big guy called him over.
“Well, my order is ready. It was nice meeting you both, and hopefully we’ll see each other again.”
“Come to the show on Saturday,” Pika blurted. and I wanted to wallop him. He had no idea how suspicious Brick was of Angel. Pika thought the guy was nice and likely a fan.
“Um…” Angel’s gaze went from me to my brother. “Aren’t reservations impossible?”
Pika waved his question away. “I’ll put you on the list. Cindy, who does reservations, is always asking me to bring a friend or two.…I’m fifteen, I don’t really have friends whose parents let them come to the club…not to mention, even I’m not technically allowed in there.”
“Yeah, okay, I’d like that. Could I bring a friend?”
Did he mean a girlfriend or boyfriend? I didn’t vocalize it, and this was Pika’s invite.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll tell her there will be up to five, so if you wanted to bring more than one it’ll be cool.”
Angel nodded. “Sounds good. See you Saturday, then.”
He walked away and I would deny it later, but his ass was a masterpiece.
CHAPTER NINE
ANGEL
“I appreciateyou taking me to the show with you.” Phoenix was an obvious choice to bring to Kona’s show. He was a huge fan, he didn’t annoy me, and he was truly grateful to be thought of.
“Well, I know if there’s anyone who would appreciate this the most, it was you. I’m just glad Noel didn’t want to come.”
Phoenix chuckled. “Why’s that?”
“He’s insufferable at times.” I said it lightly; I loved my brother. “And if he came, Nick would want to, then Matt…I wanted low key and not to take advantage of the invite by bringing too many.”
He nodded and stared out the window. “Someday you’ll have someone who will always be your first choice.”
Phoenix was sweet and sentimental. “I dunno, I’m good on my own.”
We turned onto Main and stopped at a light. “Can I ask you a question, Angel?”
I turned and noticed he was nervous. I didn’t want him to be afraid to ask me anything. “Always.”
“Um…I don’t really know a lot of the story. Noel tells me things sometimes, but there are things people should only ask those involved with the…” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter, I justwanted to know if you and that guy Two were together, and is that why you’re sad he’s gone?”
Two, who Phoenix had never met, had been with us for a short time before he’d transferred somewhere with people who could help him better than I could. He was never far, and I’d visited him a few times a week. He was so broken when I’d met him, and watching him come to life had felt like an honor.
“No, we were never an item or anything like that.”
“But you wanted to be?” Phoenix’s voice was timid, and while I didn’t like talking about this, I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.
“I’d hoped, but Two is very straight first of all, and even if he wasn’t, all he’d ever known until we found him was abuse, pain, and deceit. Aziza doesn’t know if he’ll ever truly be able to form a romantic relationship, but if he did it wouldn’t be for a long time.”
