“It’s not like I don’t know about him. Now I know what to call him.”
“You can’t tell Brian I told you.”
“I’m not going to tell him anything, but I need your help.”
Alex sighed. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Not likely. I need to get to Brian and after what Steve did to him, having the protection of The Club is the only way.”
“Fine, but you have to go through all the steps everyone else does, and there will be no special treatment.”
I almost whooped with excitement, but I didn’t want Alex to change his mind. “I understand,” I said solemnly.
“That includes going to open call even if you don’t think you’re going to click with one of the other patrons.”
“That’s fine.” I was smug. The other patrons wouldn’t be able to handle me. Hell, I wasn’t sure Brian could, but I was willing to give him a shot at trying.
“I know you, Jeremy. Don’t screw this up.”
“I won’t. When is the next open call?”
“Two weeks, which is just enough time for you to complete the recruitment process.”
“So what do I do until then?”
“When someone comes to pick you up for your wardrobe and makeover, make sure you answer the damn door.”
The next two weeks passed quickly, and as promised, it was a blur of people showing up at my door and whisking me away to one thing or another. By the time my open call rolled around, I’d been waxed in all the right places, dressed in expensive Italian suits, and had more shoes in my closet than I’d ever owned in my entire life combined. When the car service arrived to take me to The Club, I was overwhelmed with excitement. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen Brian in the past few weeks, but he’d been expertly dodging me, and when we did end up in the same room, he was cold and cordial. To make matters worse, Garret was constantly talking about his new boyfriend, and it was like listening to nails on a chalkboard. If the man didn’t hurry up and take Garret to bed, I was going to call him up myself. Or pour a pitcher of ice water on Garret’s head. Either possibility would ease my suffering for a little while.
The car took me to a back entrance where Alex met me and several nervous-looking guys about my age. There were a few that were a bit younger, but still old enough to drink. And one man in his early thirties who didn’t look the least bit bothered to be there. Alex walked us through the rules one last time, then he opened the door and led us to a back room where we would wait until we were announced.
One by one everyone’s name was called until Alex finally looked at me with a forced smile. “You know what to do, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ve only gone over this with me a thousand times. Yes. I’ve got this. I promise.”
“All right. Confident, not cocky on the dais. You want to give the impression that you haven’t already picked your dream patron.”
I scoffed. “Whatever it takes.”
“I was afraid of that.” He led me down a long hall and pointed to a heavy curtain. “You’ll go through there and walk across the catwalk to the dais. It spins slowly so plaster a smile on your face and work the room.”
“Got it,” I said.
“You won’t be able to make eye contact with it being dark off the stage and everyone wearing masks, so keep your eyes focused on foreheads and nod a little now and then. It gives the appearance of making a connection.”
“Won’t they see right through that?”
“Most of the men out there have never been on the other side of the curtain. They’re here for the eye candy and a potential consort. Very few of them really care about what goes on in the background.”
“Good to know.”
“You’re up next. Are you ready?”
I took a deep breath, ignoring the knot in my stomach. Then the curtain parted and a man dressed almost identical to me rushed out with a huge smile on his face and a spring in his step.
“Next we have Jeremy Hughes,” the announcer said. I felt Alex give me a little nudge. This was it, and there was no going back.
The light was so bright that it was hard to see into the crowd at all, but as the announcer talked about my music tastes and my hobbies, I worked at forcing the smile I’d practiced in the mirror. I searched the crowd, but I couldn’t pick out Brian anywhere. A few of the men moved their heads as I watched them, then leaned over to comment to the person next to you. I felt my smile slipping, and embarrassment crept in.
“Jeremy also loves animals, attending music festivals and exploring new places. Young and fit, he’s known to enjoy outdoor activities as well as a quiet night inside.”
My stomach clenched and I could feel my cheeks turning red. I pursed my lips, desperate for the announcer to finish his spiel so I could leave the stage. As soon as he was gone, I stepped down off the dais without completely finishing the turn.
A few of the masked patrons looked amused, and more than one moved closer to the stage when it was time for me to step down and mingle. But Alex reached me first, his expression flustered. “What happened?” he asked as his hand went around my arm and he whisked me into a small, office-sized room.
“I felt awkward. Being on display isn’t my thing, and it was uncomfortable, all right?”
“I told you that, and you said you could handle it.”
“I can. The whole thing is more rigid and ritualistic than I had imagined it was going to be, that’s all.” I frowned. “It just feels weird not knowing if Brian even saw me. It’s next to impossible to tell who is who with those masks on.”
“Brian’s not here,” he said. “But that still doesn’t mean you can’t do your best to look the part. You’re supposed to be on your best behavior, not broadcasting why you’ll never measure up to expectations.”
“Why does it matter if I’m not trying to attract anyone else? I don’t want to meet anyone’s expectations but Brian’s.”
“Well, until he’s here, you’ll have to make do. And you can do much better than Brian. He’s a hot mess.” I felt the heat rising in my throat, but Alex kept pushing. “What about Tamsin? He’s gorgeous, and I bet you he’d be willing to switch in the bedroom.”
I gritted my teeth. “I don’t want Tamsin, I want Brian. I told you that.”
“Brian has to want you. That’s how this works.” He caught his bottom lip between his teeth, then took a deep breath. “And you’re going to have to do more than just play at being a consort. Brian has certain kinks and he’s never been one to compromise.”
“Maybe he should learn.”
Alex chuckled. “I hope you’re not being serious. I mean, sure, he’ll step out of his comfort zone for the right guy, but don’t expect him to turn into a submissive or anything.”
“What do you suggest I do then?”
“Truth? Consorts are mostly subs or at the very least switches. Men like Brian expect that, and if you want him to be willing to compromise, you’re going to have to lead the way.”
“Are you suggesting I switch?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s up to you, but you’re asking my advice and I’m giving it. If you want to prove to Brian that you care about him and you’re not going to hurt him like everyone else has, you have to start somewhere.”