Page 10 of Dark Passion
Chapter 7
Daniel
Ididn’t see Julianagain that morning, and fuck if it wasn’t morning when I got myself together. When I stumbled out of his bedroom, I was handed Sam and the puppy on my way out the door, hoping Mason didn’t give up and leave me here. I didn’t want anyone to see me coming from this place. Most men and women knew what transpired behind these walls and this old stately home.
After all, it was hard to keep anything a secret from the papers, and social media, not to mention you could find a picture of this place, and I hoped no one updated google maps and happened to catch me stumbling outside with my dogs.
I couldn’t call Cole if Mason had decided to leave when I didn’t come out, but I had an excuse. That excuse would only be good if he’d rested and had slept through the night, and didn’t take the time to call around and look for me. I was betting on that, and since I was not a betting man and I had no luck, anything could happen.
Mason sat up, when he spotted me. He had a paper cup in his hand. I’d been relieved to discover it had been coffee instead of liquor. I’d heard after he was thrown out of his Master’s mansion he’d gone on a drinking and pill binge. I never asked him about it, and we’d lost contact during Covid. I had my problems and most assuredly he had his.
Once Mason saw me in front of Julian’s home with one dog tucked under my arms, and Sam on a leash and I was having a hard time controlling Sam, he scrambled out to open the car door. Being close to him, I didn’t smell liquor on his breath, but a strong odor of black coffee. I breathed a sigh of relief, because I was in no shape to drive. After I’d secured the dogs in the back of the taxi, Mason handed me a cup of warm coffee.
I stood outside and took a large gulp, then climbed in, and Mason sat behind the wheel and headed the car in the direction of my apartment. There was silence, except for the dogs barking with excitement, and Sam showing his affection, and the morning traffic which I hardly noticed.
I rubbed Sam, and said, “You thought I wasn’t coming to rescue you, didn’t you?” Sam laid his head against my arm, and closed his eyes.
When I glanced over at Mason dodging in and out of traffic, I hadn’t decided what I needed to do first.I have accomplished one thing, and destroyed something else,I thought. I had a lot to think about, and foremost was to protect Cole from Julian. How was I going to do that when I might have damaged my relationship by having a face to face with Julian? My brain was scrambled, and I couldn’t think straight. I knew Julian had drugged me, even though he wouldn’t tell me with what.
With the next turn of the cab, and it stopping at the light, Mason glanced in the rearview mirror, “Where are we going?”
“It’s still early, and I need to drop off the dogs first, because we have to find Charlie and I have to text Cole.” I didn’t know what to tell him about where I’d been all night, and who I’d seen. The whole ordeal I’d walked into was spiraling out of control, and soon I’d be hanging over a cliff, with no one to rescue me if I didn’t make the right decisions.
“I need to stop at my friends’ apartment first.”There goes that word again.At this point I didn’t think Ryan and Jay thought of me as a friend the way I’d ordered them around, and threatened them. But I needed them. I think the saying was “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Before the light changed from red to green, I gave Mason instructions to Ryan’s apartment.
I’d been afraid to let Jay take care of my dogs again, but I had no choice at this point. Mason and I had to look for Charlie, and who knew where that would take us. We couldn’t leave them in the car in front of every dive and sleazy bar or bondage club in Manhattan, and that was what we were looking at today.
Mason would be the only one who could help me cruise spots that Charlie might have been holed up in. I’d heard when I checked with some acquaintances, he’d been seen in some places I’d been afraid to visit when I had been at my lowest point when Cole left me.
I had a dilemma. Should I go home first and have to explain, or find Charlie and then go home and have an excuse. I called Jay as a last resort.
“Jay, this is Daniel. I need a favor.”
“Haven’t we done enough favors for you?”
“I don’t have time to exchange banter with you, Jay. I’m parked in front of your apartment, and I need you to come down and pick up the dogs, and keep them for at least two days. Can you do that?”
“I can do that, but do I want to is the question.”
“Never mind your fucking quips, get dressed and get down here.” I knew how to talk to Jay. Had I reasoned with him, we would still be talking, and he’d do it anyways. I didn’t have the time.
It didn’t take him long. A matter of minutes had passed when he stepped down the stairs and stood near the cab. I lowered the window. “They’re sleeping now.”
“Somebody should be sleeping,” Jay said, peeping at Mason yawning. “I haven’t had any sleep all night with Cole coming by the bar and then calling us all night looking for you and your dogs. I don’t like to lie,” he said, eyeing Mason. Now that was a lie.
“What did he say?”
“You need to call him. I’m not your messenger.” I raised an eyebrow and tightened my jaw. “You know I’m not the only one who could use a rest and probably a shower.” I thought he meant Mason, because he looked in his direction and leered at him.
“You look like shit, Daniel.” I knew then he was talking about me and not Mason. I was still left over from what Julian had put in my drink. I’d heard stories about Julian, but I refused to believe them. Now I knew the truth.
