“Let’s go to the car,” Jase said. His voice was even and his eyes were clear and steady.
“I’ll explain everything.”
Jase led him outside to a large black town car parked at the curb. It was a dark, wet day.
The rain was coming down so hard they were soaked by the time they reached the end of the sidewalk. A tall driver in a black suit was waiting to open the back door for them. He was holding a large black umbrella but it wasn’t doing much good because his dark pants were drenched. When the driver opened the door, Luis went in first and Jase followed. When Luis sat down, he saw a small Louis Vuitton dog carrier on the floor and he heard his dog bark twice.
He’d know his dog’s bark anywhere. It was a distinct noise that was a cross between a yelp and an actual bark.
Luis unzipped the bag and pulled the dog out. He held him on his lap and hugged him.
“There you are, dog. I’ve been worried about you.”
The dog barked again, jumped up, and licked Luis right on the lips.
While the driver sat down behind the steering wheel, Luis turned to Jase and asked, “Why is dog here?” His voice remained cool and even. At first, he wanted to confront and ask why Jase had lied to him. But it didn’t really matter anymore. He was on his way to start a whole new life and Jase was insignificant now.
Jase pushed a dripping wet shock of hair back and wiped his forehead. “After I spoke to my attorney, I went back to your apartment to get him. Mr. Gordon was standing out in the hall, tapping his foot. I’ve never seen him so mad. He said he wanted us both out of the building and he was changing the locks this week. I tried to explain, but he wouldn’t listen. So I got the dog and I picked up the suitcases you had in your bedroom.”
“Your attorney?” Luis asked. He thought Melvin’s attorney had taken care of things.
“I called my own attorney late last night,” Jase said. “He had all the charges dismissed based on insufficient evidence. He’s the best in the country, and I pay him well to do his job.”
Luis knew he should have thanked Jase for doing this. But he didn’t. He was trying to process everything. Besides, after the way Jase had lied to him, getting him out of jail was the least he could do. After all, Luis hadn’t done anything wrong in the first place.
“Mr. Gordon has no right to throw me out in the street,” Luis said. “I’m paid until the end of this month.”
“I’m afraid there’s no talking to him,” Jase said. “Mr. Gordon was adamant.”
Luis kissed his dog on the top of the head and said, “Well, it doesn’t really matter. I was leaving this morning anyway. Did you get all my bags?”
Jase nodded. “They’re in the trunk.” Then he leaned forward and told the driver, “Trump Towers, please.”
“Trump Towers?” Luis asked. “Why are we going to Trump Towers? I’m going to the airport.” It was getting late. He didn’t want to miss his flight to Vancouver.
“I keep an apartment there,” Jase said. “It’s the best place for now. We’re both all over the newspapers. We need to keep a low profile for a while.”
“But I’m going to Vancouver this morning,” Luis said. “I’m adamant.” He liked this new word. He had a feeling it was going to stick with him for a while.
Jase leaned to his left and pulled a note from his back pocket. He handed it to Luis and said, “Last night while I was leaving your apartment with the dog, Melvin stopped by to drop off this note. He was going to slide it under the door, but then he saw me. He didn’t say much other than he got your voice mail. He just handed me the note and said, ‘I have a reputation to consider. I come from a prominent family in Vancouver.’”
Luis’s stomach tightened. He handed the note back to Jase and said, “I can’t read it. You do it.” All at once, the familiar feeling of disappointment began to seep into his body and it left him feeling exhausted.
Jase took a deep breath and opened the envelope. He looked at Luis, then looked down at the note. “It says, ‘My dearest Luis, you’re a good kid with a good heart. I know you’ll forgive me for this eventually and you’ll move on with your life. It just wouldn’t work out. I’m too old to change my ways. I have a reputation and a family to consider, and your recent publicity regarding this known drug dealer wouldn’t bode well with them. Please don’t be angry, and please find it in your heart to forgive me. I wish you the very best, Melvin.’”
Luis’s chest tightened. He leaned forward and wiped a tear from his eye. “I guess I just can’t win,” he said. He made a fist and pounded the seat cushion. “Damn it. I should have expected this. Guys like Melvin don’t want to be associated with guys like me unless it’s on the down low.” Then he bit his bottom lip and wiped more tears from his eyes. “I keep setting myself up for it all the time. Melvin is just like all the rest, including you.”
“That’s not true,” Jase said, reaching forward to put his arm around Luis to comfort him.
“Melvin was nice enough to explain. You can’t blame the guy for being honest. And I didn’t desert you. I’m here.” He slapped his chest. “I’m not the invisible man.”
Luis jerked away. “Of course it’s true. And don’t you talk about honesty. Isn’t that the reason why you lied to me? Isn’t that the reason you didn’t tell me you’re The Virgin Billionaire?
Give me some credit: I may be a loser but I’m not an idiot. The only mistake I made with you was sleeping with you. I never did that with the others.”
“I didn’t lie to you,” Jase said. “I was going to tell you the truth but you wouldn’t let me.
And, as I recall, I didn’t have to force you to sleep with me. You had my pants down around my ankles before I could stop you, and you weren’t complaining.”
The driver cleared his throat and gripped the wheel tighter.
Luis didn’t reply. Jase was right; he’d enjoyed the sex they’d shared and he’d wanted it just as much as Jase. But he still felt like punching the backseat of the car. “Then why didn’t you tell me who you were right from the beginning?” Luis asked. “You had plenty of chances. You could have at least told me before you got into my pants.”
The driver pressed his palm to his chest and rolled his eyes.