Chapter Eleven -- Hurtful Truths
Adrian traced invisible lines on Edward's hand, profiting of the fact that it laid flat between them, like an invitation. Edward smiled as he stole a glance at him, but one of his fingers began tapping, so Adrian placed his entire hand on top to stop it. "You can't be nervous," he said matter-of-factly. "These are your people, right?"
In the backseat of his luxury car, in his luxury clothes, spelling privilege, and money from head to toe, Edward Hastings was nervous. Adrian couldn't quite believe it, but it didn't take a psychic to realize that a lot went through Edward's mind at the moment.
"You don't have to do this if you don't like it," Adrian added, seeing how Edward remained silent, lost, most probably, in his own head.
A short laugh was the answer. "There's nothing I like more in the world." The voice inflections were a tad harsh, and, for a second, there was a glint of something foreign in Edward's beautiful eyes. From smooth green, they turned to cut emerald, and Adrian looked engrossed at the transformation. Edward was, undoubtedly, a man with layers and shadows, too.
"All right. If you say so. What am I supposed to do, again?"
"Be polite. Tend to me and only me. Refuse any invitation, even if it may sound harmless. These are not ordinary people."
"Am I joining the Freemasonry or something? Now I get why you wanted me to wear better clothes," Adrian joked. "I would appreciate knowing about it in advance."
Edward laughed, but it wasn't his free laugh from before when they had been at the house. "Nothing of the kind. But rich people, Adrian, are in the position of enjoying freedoms like no other. That means they mostly believe that they have a right to treat others like objects or pawns for their little games. I believe you have the mental strength to resist. Others have failed before."
"Damn. The plot thickens. All I have to do is to stay true to you, right?"
Edward confirmed with a small grunt as he kicked off some invisible lint from his suit jacket.
"Then, it's the easiest thing I've ever done."
Edward stared at him for a long second.
"What?" Adrian asked.
"I was expecting a follow-up to such serious words."
Adrian laughed. "You won't get a confession out of me so easily, Your Majesty." He relaxed and stretched like he was already bored out of his wits. "I'm a tough one, and I'll show it to you."
"Counting on it, Adrian." Edward leaned in and placed a small kiss on the corner of his mouth.
Adrian cursed inwardly for not catching the move so that he could enjoy kissing Edward thoroughly.
"We're almost there," Edward said, straightening back into his place and looking ahead like he was expecting to go to war.
The moment was lost. But there would be plenty of other moments, and right now, Adrian didn't mind. Edward had given him some heavenly head just earlier so he couldn't complain. Whatever Edward thought was so important about this stupid sex club, he would forget about in due time. Adrian had a plan to make Edward spill out ill-timed confessions. And, when that happened, he would have the man all to himself to do as he pleased.
"Man, are we in Monaco?" Adrian whistled as he looked at the rows of expensive vehicles that had to be all limited editions or something. No, limited couldn't cover what he was seeing. Exclusive sounded more like a term that fit the fleet of cars already parked in front of what seemed to be an old, but majestic building. "Are they really okay with having sex at the museum? It doesn't sound that kinky to me. More like creepy."
Edward smiled. "I love your sense of humor, Adrian, but let's just keep it to ourselves. And, of course, it's not a museum."
"Right. It's more like a crypt for vampires. Wait, is that why you're so sexy? Are you secretly a vampire?"
"If you haven't noticed, I have no trouble walking in the sun."
"You're a hotshot vampire and a doctor on top of everything. In all your thousands of years of existence, you might have found a cure to that."
Edward shook his head. "I'll take that as a compliment. Hopefully, I'm not as pale as those creatures of the night."
Adrian caressed his lover's cheek briefly. "Maybe you could use more time in the sun."
"Well, it's already evening, so let's plan such an outing for a different time. Now, let's face the music."
"As you say, boss. Your wish is my command."
The chauffeur came to hold the door for them, and Adrian somehow expected to be welcomed by the harsh lights of cameras when he climbed out of the car. Luckily, there was no such thing, and there was no red carpet, either, which was, again, something he had expected.
The impressive marble staircase that took the guests inside the belly of the beast was just the beginning. Adrian leaned and whispered into Edward's ear, "Am I supposed to act impressed? Because I am, and trying to keep a straight face might make my muscles hurt."
"It's your first time. All is forgiven."
"All right, then. Wow."
"Duly noted."
Adrian noticed the somewhat rigid stance of Edward's body but didn't comment on it. Before getting to know the guy better, he had thought him to be a cold fish. It was all right. Edward could be as much of a cold fish as he wanted with anyone but him.
It was a bit childish of him, but when the back of Edward's hand brushed by his, it took him some effort not to grab it so that they could walk inside holding hands.
At the entrance, he allowed Edward to walk in front of him, but he kept one possessive hand on the small of his back. Already, Edward was greeting all kinds of nobodies, and Adrian felt instantly territorial.
Everyone seemed rich, dressed nicely, and by how they greeted Edward back, they might have had more than friendly interest. Something in their eyes told Adrian Edward was a prize, whether he knew it or not. Lingering stares were aimed at him, as well, but he focused on Edward, not wanting to gawk like a child taken to see the circus for the first time. Also, he wasn't entirely sure he could control a teeth-showing snarl if he looked too hard around.
The place had a vibe, and it wasn't a pleasant one, Adrian could tell. It wasn't creepy, or a museum, or a crypt, but it was cold. It might have had something to do with those tall granite walls. The interior was lit a giorno by impressive candelabras and chandeliers that appeared to take up more real estate than it was physically possible. The light came out of everywhere, and yet it still felt like there was something inside sucking it in.
It could be the heavy burgundy curtains draping the large windows, but Adrian doubted that. The place was supposed to give the illusion of warmth, but it performed poorly. Around them, people have already started to mingle, and Adrian allowed himself a few looks around.
There were clearly at least a dozen people who looked striking and as they had just descended from the covers of fashion magazines. Adrian noticed a man in his late fifties who was quite clearly showing his age, touching the ass of a twenty-something who laughed and threw his head back, for the instant delight of his handler.
He shrugged. So rich people came here to flaunt their young and beautiful lovers. Was that the only thing he was to Edward? He could playfully ask, but that was a question for later. For now, he needed to act like he wasn't that impressed at all by the lavishness of the place or the behavior of the guests.
"And who is this handsome fellow you've brought with you tonight, Edward?" A man in his thirties, just expensively dressed as the whole lot, approached them.
His angular features made him unique, and Adrian supposed that some would consider him handsome, but, instinctively, he felt put off. Maybe the man used too much hair product because it shone a dark blue in the bright lights.
The way he held his lips as he talked was presumably pleasant, and it could be a method to sweeten the poisonous words spewed if Adrian's intuition was correct. Everything about him was too studied, to the point of looking fake. Probably, even his icy blue eyes were contacts, not real.
"William," Edward greeted the stranger politely. "This is my companion, Adrian."
William offered a meek hand, and Adrian took it, stopping right in time from grimacing at the sensation that he held something wooden and at least partially dead in his hand.
"I was hoping to see you tonight alone for a change. It has been a while since that pretty thing you used to bring along -- what was his name? Raphael something? --"
"Ralph," Edward corrected the other promptly. "His name wasn't that exotic."
"But the things he did with his tongue surely were," William replied, his full lips stretching into a strange smile.
