Page 10 of Fangs & Fur
I smile gently at him, and my fingers itch to snatch up the tart and shove it down my throat. Instead, I take a sweeping glance across the cafe and realize it's practically empty, aside from a few customers who also sit at their laptops.
“So, um…” Tyler wrings his hands together over the front of his apron, “Because you’re new to Moonfell, I was wondering if you wanted a tour of the town? Or maybe someone to hang out with?”
For the first time, Tyler seems unsure of himself. As if he can't trust the words he’s speaking. Saving him from embarrassment, I respond quickly and give him my best smile.
“Yes! That would be wonderful. A friend would be nice too.”
Tyler’s shoulders sag as he lets out a relieved sigh and slides into the chair opposite me. “So what brings you to Moonfell?”
Knowing this question is bound to arise, I swallow the strange taste of guilt, “I guess for a fresh start.”
Tyler nods in understanding, his eyes looking distractedly at the mountains beyond the town as he chews the skin on his lower lip. I shift in my seat, unsure of what to do until he finally returns to the current moment and gives me a shy smile, hiding under his blond hair that falls across his brow.
“Sorry. I zone out sometimes.” He murmurs, “My dad used to get annoyed at me when I did it, so I try not to.”
“It’s okay, I live in dreamland when I write my books. Zoning out is part of the job.” I chuckle.
Tyler lets out a strained laugh but avoids my gaze and instead picks at the hem of his apron. “Did you have plans tonight?”
I shake my head. “Not that I know of.”
Xander hadn’t said anything in his note about dinner, so I guess my schedule is clear tonight. Yet as I sit before my new friend, I do wonder what Xander is up to. Is he bored at work, or is he busy with whatever security guards get up to?
My imagination runs wild with visions of him sitting in a dark room with countless screens before him, all surveilling the town as he watches closely. A shiver skates over my skin at the idea of Xander watching me now.
“Did you want to go to Church?” Tyler breaks my thoughts.
Church? I didn't peg the cashier as a religious type.
Tyler must read my look of confusion as a blush creeps up his neck. “It's the nightclub.”
Realization hits me like a bus. My eyes widen, and I nearly yelp, “Oh! I’ve been meaning to check it out. It would be nice not to go alone.”
Tyler laughs easily and flicks away the strand of hair from his forehead. “I usually go dancing. The first level is a nightclub, and the basement is the kink club.”
My heart rate spikes. “Do many people go?”
Tyler nods, “Plenty, especially the fact that it has a tier system. Normies get one night a week and—” He pauses, and his eyes grow wide.
“And?” I urge, curious about the club.
Tyler shifts. “Uh, special patrons get more access while others get limited. But you can pay for special access.”
I nod. “It sounds just like most nightclubs.”
Tyler chuckles uncomfortably, “Sure. Yeah. Anyway, I'll be there around 8 tonight. See you there?”
“See you there.” I smile at him and watch as he hurries out of his chair and disappears into the kitchen, the butler door swinging behind him and leaving me to consider that might have been the most unusual encounter of my life. At least I made a friend out of it.
Chapter Four
Noah
The house is quiet as I push through the front door. Not even the cats come to greet me as I kick off my shoes and hurry upstairs to wash the day away. Xander’s gifted soaps and hair products smell fantastic as I slowly relax my shoulders under the hot spray.
Despite the hours I spent writing and making a new friend today, the weight from Richard’s words crept up on me. Usually, being so productive would fill me with a warm sense of satisfaction, as well as the knowledge that I would be going out tonight.
But I can't even muster a smile in the mirror as I dry off and find something to wear. My choices are limited to a pair of tight leather pants that cling tightly against my thighs and a sheer crop top that shows off my nipples and highlights my thin waist.
