Page 115 of Carnage
“I have no idea. He seems fun, but his life outside of work is a mystery.”
“So you don’t know if he has a man?”
“Pretty sure he doesn’t. He said something about being too young to settle down.”
Whisper frowns. “How old is he?”
“Thirty-three. He’s not too young for shit.”
“Oh. I was afraid you were gonna say he was twenty-one or something.”
“Nah. Like I said, I don’t know much about him, but he does party.”
“I can handle that.” Whisper winks and darts up the stairs again, calling out, “Be ready at nine.”
Specter grins. “He’s obsessed.”
“Sometimes obsession works out,” Colson replies in his sultry voice.
“I think I’ll go upstairs now,” Bellamy says.
Carnage closes in on me, taking my hand and kissing my palm. “Got you something.”
“What?”
“A new outfit. The one you were looking at last week online. Figured it would be nice for a night out at Segreto.”
“You spoil me.”
“Yep. Told you I would.”
“I got you something too.” I walk over to the little table where I left my shopping bag and hand it to him. I hope he likes them, and more importantly, I hope he uses them.
Carnage opens the small cardboard box inside, a smile spreading over his face when he realizes what they are. “Gloves.”
“The finest leather. Supposed to feel like a second skin. You need to protect your hands more.”
He kisses me softly. “I love them, and it’s so thoughtful.”
“Will you wear them?”
He nods. “I promise.” After kissing me again, he says, “Want to go up and try on the outfit for me?”
“If that’s code for ride you like a rodeo bull before we go out tonight, then yes.”
“Excellent.”
Epilogue
CARNAGE
A few months later
“Is everything ready?”
“Calm down, man.” Specter pats my shoulder. “We’ve got it handled.”
I nod, rubbing my hands together. “I just want it to be perfect.”
