Page 8 of Last One Standing
Once the song was done, I picked on a few more patrons, trying very hard not to look to the left, but I also didn’t look to the right, where I knew Brick was.
“To close off this sickening show…and it was the best you’ll ever see, I’m bringing out all the queens.” I lifted my arms in the air. The curtain opened, and they all filled the stage just as Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A.” started. While some of the girls only lip-synched, the background vocals would run through the speakers.
It was the perfect song to close off the show, and though Brick hated when I drew attention from my performance for theothers, I didn’t give a fuck. These girls were fire and deserved the same amount of attention I received.
The house was jumping, singing along, and having the best night of their life. By the time the song concluded, I was out of breath.
We thanked the audience and right before I slipped behind the curtain, I glanced up and to the left one more time. He was still watching me. It was foolish, but I shot him a quick wink and walked off to my dressing room.
CHAPTER FIVE
ANGEL
I was a proud bisexual man.I loved both the female body and the male body. Many times I’d watch couples meandering along the street hand in hand and admire them, thinking I’d totally be with the guy or the girl. But Anita Pounding enamored me in a way that also confused me. Was I in awe of the queen or the man beneath the queen? What did this mean?
“You okay?” Mason gently tapped my arm.
“Yeah, why?”
He chuckled. “The show is over, but JJ said that as VIPs we can stick around and talk to the performers if they come out.”
A chance to speak with Anita, I couldn’t say no to that. “Sounds good.”
Apparently, we had to go down to the lower level, where a select few of the general audience had been asked to stay, like that guy Brian and his sex-shop-owning girlfriend. We were given drinks, and we waited.
“Did you all love the show?” Leo, who was the bartender here—we’d helped him out once upon a time—was smiling.
“It was fantastic!” JJ gushed, and he and Phoenix regaled him with their favorite parts.
My eyes kept scanning the room, waiting to see Anita exit. Would they come out in their costume or dressed as they did every day? I found I was excited to see the other side of Anita just as much.
We ended up waiting half an hour for anyone to come out, and it turned out some queens were still in drag —those with the elaborate costumes were still in them, but others weren’t. I couldn’t spot Anita, so it made me wonder which man she was.
I knew she’d seen me, and that wink had set my body on fire, so there was no doubt she’d recognize me, and I’d watch for that.
“Fuck,” Gabe groaned from beside me and I turned to him only to follow his line of sight to the Dead Kings.
They lounged around at the bar like they owned the place, and I realized that was likely true. I’d be digging into that…well, I’d ask Nick and Noel to. Because fuck computers.
Two men walked out. One was quite tall with short, blond hair—good-looking, but in no way was that Anita. My gaze slipped to the shorter man beside him. He had long, dark, gorgeous hair, tanned skin, and brown eyes. On anyone else would probably be ordinary, but the second they met mine across the room it was like seeing a full moon on a clear summer night. Breathtaking.
He smiled softly but glanced away quickly, almost as if he didn’t want to be seen ogling anyone. He went over to Brian and Molly and sparked up a conversation, and I simply watched his every move, mannerism, and when his head flew back and he released a belly laugh, I found myself chuckling.
“You appear smitten,” JJ whispered in my ear.
“Smitten? Who says that anymore?”
He nudged my arm. “I do, dickweed. I just said it, didn’t I?”
“Whatever. He’s a beautiful man; I’m not blind.”
JJ snorted. “Okay, well, try not to drool on him if he comes by.”
I rolled my eyes, downed the rest of my drink, and walked to the bar to drop the glass off. I’d had two the whole night and since I was driving, that was all I’d have.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” a rough deep voice spoke from next to me, and I looked beside me. I knew who he was, but he likely had no clue who I was.
“I don’t believe we have. I’ve seen your club riding through town, though.” I begrudgingly shook his hand. “I’m Angel Saint.”
