Lover Unbound

Phury was half-dead as he got to his feet. "Sounds good."

As he followed the prostitute to the back of the VIP area, he had some vague thought that in a parallel universe he would be doing this for the first time with someone he loved. Or cared about. Or at least knew. It wouldn't be about a pair of Benjis and a public bathroom.

Unfortunately, he was where he was.

The woman opened a glossy black door and he went in behind her. As he shut them in together the techno music faded a little.

He was nervous as hell as he held out the money.

She smiled up at him as she took it. "I'm not going to mind this with you at all. God, that hair. Is it extensions?"

He shook his head.

When she reached for his belt he took a knee-jerk step back and banged into the damn door.

"Sorry," he said.

She gave him a strange look. "No problem. This your first time with someone like me?"

Try anyone. "Yeah."

"Well, I'm going to take good care of you." She stepped in close to him, and her big breasts pressed into his belly. He glanced down at her head. She had dark roots that showed on top.

"You're a big one," she murmured, tucking one hand into his waistband and tugging him forward.

He went with her with the grace of a robot, all numbed out and unable to believe he was going to do this. But really, how else was it going to happen?

She backed up against the sink and in a quick, practiced hop got herself up on the counter. As she spread her legs, her skirt rose. Her black thigh-highs were topped with lace. She wasn't wearing panties.

"No kissing, of course," she murmured, dragging his fly down. "On the mouth, that is."

He felt cool air slip inside then her hand went into his boxers. He flinched as she took hold of his cock.

This was what he came here for, he reminded himself. This was what he'd bought and paid for. He could do this.

It was time to move on. From Bella. From the celibacy.

"Relax, lover," the woman said in a raspy voice. "Your wife is never going to know. My lipstick is eighteen-hour smudge-proof, and I don't wear perfume. So you can just enjoy yourself."

Phury swallowed. I can do this.

As John got out of the dark blue BMW, he was sporting a spanking-new pair of black trousers, a black silk shirt, and a cream suede jacket built on the lines of a blazer. They weren't his clothes. Like the car that had driven both him and Qhui

"We are so ready for this," Qhui

John glanced back at the place where he'd taken out those lessers. He remembered the power he'd felt, the conviction that he was a fighter, a warrior… a Brother. That was all gone now, as if something else had been at work inside of him then, like he'd been possessed or something. As he walked with his friends now, he felt like a whole lot of nothing special duded up in his buddy's fancy threads, his body a bag of water, sloshing around with every step he took.

When they came up to ZeroSum, John headed for the back of the wait line, but Qhui

They sure as hell did. The minute Qhui

"Yeah. Sure," Qhui

The bouncer put something in his pocket. "You come here again, I'll let you right in."

"Thanks, man." Qhui

John followed, not even trying to pull off Qhui

"What the f-" The guy froze as he looked at John, his eyes popping. "Ah, yeah… my bad. Sorry."

John faltered at the reaction until he felt Blay's hand land on the back of his neck. "Come on, John. Let's go."

John let himself get led inside, bracing for the onslaught of the club's vibe, ready to get lost in the crush of people. It was fu

Qhui

"I thought you knew?" Blay said.

"Nah. Just didn't want to come off as an idiot-Wait, I think we have a wi

Qhui

Well, Blay and Qhui

The VIP section had its own private bar and bartenders, and its waitresses were dressed like high-class strippers, showing a lot of skin as they went around on a lot of heel. The male patrons were all in suits, the women in expensive bits of nothing much. It was a fast, flashy crowd… that made John feel like a total poser.

There were banquettes on both sides of the room, three of which were open, and Qhui

"This is the best," he pronounced. "Next to the emergency exit. In the shadows."

There were two martini glasses on the tabletop, but they sat down anyway, and a waitress came over to clear. Blay and Qhui

They'd been chilling for no less than five minutes, Blay and Qhui

All three of them looked up at the blond Wonder Woman standing in front of them. She was a knockout in a very Pam Anderson kind of way, more breast than anything else.

"Hey, baby," Qhui

"I'm Sweet Charity." She put both hands on the table and leaned in, flashing her perfect chest and her ta

"Like I want my next breath."

She bent down a little farther. "Because I taste good and I'm a giver."

Qhui

"Boys," came a deep voice.

Oh, Jesus. A huge guy had come up to their table, and John didn't think it was a good thing. With a beautiful black suit and a pair of hard amethyst eyes and a cropped mohawk, he looked like both a thug and a gentleman.

Okay, that was a vampire, John thought. He wasn't sure exactly how he knew, but he was sure of it and not just because of the size thing. The guy just gave off the same vibe as the Brothers did: power in check on a hair trigger.

"Charity, you mine elsewhere, feel me?" the male said.

The blonde seemed a little bummed as she pulled back from Qhui

As Qhui