Self Preservation (14 page)

“How about that, folks,” the bandleader yelled into the microphone.

Davis looked at Deseree. “I do love you.”

“Aw, shucks, Davie,” she said, in her best little girl voice, giggling.

He yanked her back toward him and put his arm around her waist as they walked off the dance floor. Tadd and Jack met them before they'd made it back to their table.

Jack looked back and forth between the two of them. “That was wonderful, right out of an old musical. Davis, I…”

“You were both great!” Tadd chimed in, shaking his head and smiling at Davis. “I'm thinking I should be asking if there's anything you can't do.”

“When did you learn to dance like that?” Jack asked excitedly.

“You don't remember?” Davis asked.

Deseree pulled Davis close. “He didn't make it to our recital, remember.”

“That's right.”

“Damn,” Jack said, nodding and shaking his head, “that was the semester I was directing and starring in
Othello
. I do remember that.”

“We should go on tour,” Deseree said, giggling.

Alex had crossed the room again and stopped to stand behind Jack and Tadd, then moved between the two of them. He grabbed Davis, wrapping his arms around his waist, and kissed him. He dipped Davis back as he slid his tongue into his mouth. Davis placed his hands behind Alex's neck, kissing him back as Alex ran a hand down the small of his back and over his ass. Jack's smile began to fade as Alex lifted Davis back up slowly and pulled his lips away.

“You are a constant surprise,” Alex said, breathing heavily as he put his hand on Davis's cheek. “Would you like to grab a cocktail after?”

“Love to,” Davis said, and Jack's smile disappeared.

“It would be so great if the two of you wound up together,” Tadd said, smiling. “We could all vacation together.”

A half smile spread across Deseree's face as if mulling the possibilities. “That would be precious.”

“Yes, it would,” Jack said stiffly.

Alex stared into Davis's eyes. “Sorry, Taddious, but I doubt we'd make it out of the room long enough to congregate with others.”

Davis bit his lip, still trying to catch his breath, unable to take his eyes away from Alex.

Tadd whacked Alex on the back and spoke again to Jack. “Honey, we should probably go mingle a little.”

“Yeah,” Jack said as they turned and walked away. Jack glanced back for a moment, watching Davis and Alex stare at one another. He smirked and turned back around. “Can't you keep Alex away from Davis?”

“What?” Tadd eyed Jack, shocked.

“Well, he's not exactly right for him,” Jack said with a shrug. “Alex is kind of a man-whore.”

“I think Davis can take care of himself,” Tadd said. He took Jack's hand as they wove back through the tables. “How would it look if either of us stuck our noses in it? Seriously.”

“Have they stopped watching?” Alex asked.

“Yep,” Deseree answered.

“How'd I do?” Alex asked, breaking his gaze with Davis and stepping away.

Davis blinked a few times and tried to get his bearings back.

Deseree reached over and pinched Alex on the ass. “You are a treasure.”

“Yeah,” Davis said, clearing his throat. “If I weren't trying to break up my ex's wedding, I'd be totally loving you.”

“There's always something,” Alex said, smiling as he turned and walked off.

Davis scowled, irritated that Alex seemed completely unaffected by the kiss that had started to get him hard. “Scalawag.”

Deseree laughed and held his hand as they went back to the table.

Davis watched Alex dance with Deseree. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tadd and Jack get up from their table. He waited till they passed his chair, and got up, following them from a distance. A group of people stepped in front of him, but he kept his eye on the engaged couple. He thought he caught a glimpse of Jack going into the bathroom, and he hurried through the crowd, making a beeline for the bathroom door.

The bathroom was decorated in the same rich colors as the ballroom. It had smaller crystal chandeliers and matching wall sconces scattered throughout the room. Davis stood quietly, listening as the bathroom door closed behind him. He went around the corner, walking softly over the creamy marble-tiled floor and saw Tadd standing at a urinal. He began to back up as Tadd turned his head to the side and spotted him.

“Hey,” Tadd said, turning back to face the wall.

Damn, damn, damn. Davis stepped up to the next urinal. He unzipped as Tadd flushed. Tadd moved over to a sink and as soon as the water came on Davis began to pee.

Davis looked up at the ceiling. “Nice party.”

“Yes,” Tadd said, washing his hands. “Candace did an incredible job here tonight.”

Davis flushed and zipped up, heading to the sink next to Tadd's.

Tadd watched Davis through his reflection in the mirror. “I know why you came to Chicago.”

“I came because Jack asked me to,” Davis said, rinsing his hands.

“That's not exactly what I mean.” Tadd dried his hands with a paper towel.

Davis stared at him and bit his lip. He turned off the faucet and grabbed a paper towel.

“I don't blame you. Jack's a great guy.”

Davis stared blankly at Tadd with wide eyes. “I don't follow.”

“Sure you do. The wide-eyed innocent routine isn't working with me, Davis.”

Davis frowned and then smiled back at Tadd. “Let's cut through the bullshit, then. It's insulting to both of us.”

“I knew from the second I first laid eyes on you what you were up to,” Tadd said, smiling as he looked at Davis. “Jack's description of you didn't quite mesh with the person that showed up at my condo that night.”

Davis searched the room for a trash can to throw his towel away. “What are you expecting to get out of this, an apology?”

“Of course not. If the situation were reversed, I'd have done the same thing. We've both probably done some things the past few days we wouldn't normally do. You using Alex, pretending to be my friend, and I suspect the NBC thing, though I have to say I'm still not sure how you pulled that one off.”

“I had nothing to do with that blogger thingy, if that's what you're getting at.”

“I know,” Tadd said, shaking his head as a look of disappointment swept over his face. “I did that. The guy that runs that Web site can't stand me for whatever reason. I suppose he has good reason now after the way I painted him at the press conference.”

Davis's eyes widened and his arms fell to his sides. “Why…why would you do that?”

“I could tell you were getting to Jack. I got a little nutty thinking I might lose him. I guess I thought if Jack saw it he'd… Shame on me.”

“You're crazy,” Davis said, mouth hanging open.

“I knew I could prove myself innocent,” Tadd said, tossing a hand through the air. “I thought there was zero risk. I never dreamed the papers would pick up on it. I felt like a real idiot when Jack turned down the television gig. I still can't believe he did that.” Tadd smiled, shaking his head. “I fell in love with him all over again in that moment. Guess I have you to thank you for that.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Davis asked, suppressing an urge to throttle Tadd.

“They both care for you a great deal, Davis. Like it or not, you and I are going to be thrown together again. I just thought I'd try to clear the air. I do hope at some point we might actually be friends.”

Tadd turned and walked out of the bathroom. Davis leaned back against the wall.
Of all the… Well, I'm glad he thinks this is actually over
. He glanced at himself in the mirror. He reached up with his paper towel and tried to rub out his reflection.

“Idiot,” he said to himself. “I have to tell Jack.”

Davis stood up straight and turned, then practically ran out of the bathroom. Back out in the banquet hall, he found Deseree.

“Have you seen Jack?”

“No…why?” Deseree asked. “What happened?”

“We've been duped by the Toad,” Davis answered, scanning the room. “The jig is up, and he leaked his own rumor to that stupid blog thingy.”

“Sneaky,” Deseree said, realizing by the look on Davis's face that this wasn't the time to stand back admiring Tadd's deceit.

Davis's eyes were flitting from one area to the next. “I have to find Jack… I have to tell him.”

“You're going to rat out the Toad?”

“No, I'm no better than he is in that respect,” Davis said, starting to walk. “I'm going to tell him I still love him. If I don't, I'm going to lose him forever.”

They looked for Jack but didn't find him. Instead, they saw Candace standing alone by a buffet table, speaking into her cleavage. They joined her.

Davis took Candace by the arm. “Have you seen Jack?”

“He and Tadd just left,” Candace said, pointing toward the entryway.

Davis turned and took off for the door as Deseree smiled at Candace. Candace eyed her with a little alarm. “What's all tha—”

“You know,” Deseree interrupted, “you should really think about coming to New York. We could do some major shopping.”

Davis ran out of the banquet room and into the wide reception hall. He saw no one, but he heard laughter followed by the tone warning that the elevator doors were closing. He sprinted toward them, getting there just after they shut all the way. He pressed the button furiously and checked the floor indicators for the bank of elevators behind him. He muttered under his breath and turned to find the door to the stairwell. He ran toward it, full speed, slamming into the bar, only to get knocked back onto the floor. He let out a little whimper and lay there for a moment before climbing to his feet. He pushed furiously on the locked bar.

“Who locks the goddamn stairwell doors?” Davis screamed. “What if there was a fucking fire? Hello…
Towering Inferno
, anyone?”

He heard a bell
ding
and he whipped around as the elevator doors began to open. He ran back and through the open doors, then started frantically pressing the Close button and jamming his finger against the Lobby light.

It took what seemed an eternity, but suddenly the elevator doors opened on the lobby and Davis flew out in time to see Jack and Tadd climbing into a cab outside. He ran toward the revolving doors and jumped in as an old lady entered from the outside, slowly hobbling through it. Trapped and panicking as he watched the cab pull away, he had little choice but to wait for the woman to get out on the other side.

He jumped out of the door onto the sidewalk. He looked up the street and saw several cabs sitting at the stoplight at the next intersection. He took off running down the sidewalk, dodging people, trying desperately to reach the taxis.

“Please…please,” he said, picking up speed as the light changed.

Putting his all into it, he ran with renewed energy. The cabs began to take off as he got about three car lengths behind. He tried to call out for Jack, but he was too out of breath. He slowed to a stop, watching the cars pull farther away. He broke down, bending over as he placed his hands on his knees, trying to recover his wind.

“Damn it!” he screamed, turning around to return to the hotel. He saw Deseree and Alex standing on the sidewalk, watching as he made his way back.

“Are you okay?” Deseree asked.

“I couldn't catch them,” Davis answered, smacking his hip.

Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “Just call him.”

“I can't tell him over the phone,” Davis said, circling like a caged animal, feeling defeated.

“So, we'll go over to Tadd's,” Deseree said, nodding her head.

“That's good,” Davis said, immediately hailing a cab.

Alex placed his phone back in his pocket. “I don't think that's going to work.”

“Well, you don't have to come,” Davis snapped back at him.

“It's not that,” Alex said, following Deseree to the curb. “It's just that they aren't—”

“Blah, blah,” Davis said as he opened the cab door and Deseree slid in. “If you can't offer anything positive to say, then just butt out.”

“Fine,” Alex said, climbing in after Davis and settling back into the seat. He shut the cab door and gave the driver the address.

“Thank you,” Davis said, looking at Alex.

Alex stared forward, tapping his fingers on his knees. “No problem…wanker.”

“I didn't mean to be so snippy,” Davis said, touching his arm.

“No need to apologize, darling,” Alex said, reaching over and patting Davis's hand. “Why start now?”

Davis ripped his hand away. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Boys!” Deseree screamed, placing her hands over her face. “Honestly, two adult men acting like babies. Just fuck each other and get it over with already.”

“Now that's an idea. I'm thinking—”

“I'm thinking no,” Davis said, cutting Alex off with a sneer.

Alex smiled.

* * *

They asked the cab driver to wait as they jumped out of the cab and walked up to the outside door of Tadd's building. Davis yanked on the door. It wouldn't open. He turned, looking at Alex.

“The doors lock automatically after ten,” Alex explained.

Davis sneered and whipped around, pressing the buzzer for Tadd's apartment as Alex stood back, folding his arms and tapping his foot.

“Maybe they haven't made it back yet,” Deseree said, looking at Davis.

Davis pushed the button again. “No…that chicken shit just isn't answering.”

“Yes,” Alex said, rolling his eyes. “I'm sure that's it.”

“You would take his side,” Davis said, pressing the buzzer again. He turned to face Alex. “Exactly why are you friends with him? You constantly cut him down.”

“As tedious as he can be,” Alex said, unfolding his arms and standing over Davis, “he is actually an extremely kind and generous man. He's a good, loyal mate that's always been there for me when I really needed him. And he's always accepted me for exactly who I am. There aren't many people in my life I can say that about.”

Davis bit his lip as a rush of guilt sweep over him. “Then why are you trying to help us break off this wedding?” He turned around, pressing the button, and cast his eyes up at Tadd's windows.

Alex cringed as if he'd hoped that question wouldn't come up. “That's my affair. Perhaps I don't want Tadd marrying a man that might still be in love with his ex, though that scenario is becoming questionable at this point.”

“Perhaps,” Davis said in a mocking tone, punching the button, “you can't even commit to a reason! Everything always has to be very vague with you, doesn't it?”

“Let's just call them,” Deseree suggested. She opened her purse to look for her cell.

Davis looked toward the corner of the building. “Maybe there's a fire escape on the side or back of the building.”

Alex tossed hands into the air. “Breaking and entering…brilliant. You're off your trolley.”

“Well, hell,” Davis said, whirling back around. “He won't answer. I love how all of a sudden you get a conscience.”

“Fine,” Alex said, motioning toward the cab, “but only if Deseree leaves now. I won't be responsible for her spending the night in jail.”

Deseree looked up from her phone. “I'm so not going anywhere.”