Staying Power Book 14 in the Action! Series (19 page)

"You still here?" Steve teased, tossing the
magazine at him.

Danny caught it to his chest and said, "You
two…damn."

Mark hooked Steve's elbow and purred like a
cat. "Oh, love, you have no idea."

Seeing Danny drool, Steve chuckled. "Been a
hellavuh weekend, Rothschild. A hellavuh weekend."

Mark began making his way out of the office,
walking by Danny. Danny leaned in for a sniff of Mark and moaned
sensually.

Mark glanced down at the magazine. "You read
that horrid rag?"

"Bruno and I spotted it at the checkout stand
when we went food shopping yesterday."

"Well, burn it. It's old news." Mark kept
walking.

Steve stood in front of Danny. "Told ya."

"Oh, well. That's why I like getting my info
from the horse's mouth. Or should I say…model's mouth."

Steve pretended to straighten Danny's tie and
when Danny looked down, Steve gave him a light hit to the nose.
"Behave."

"Not gonna happen!" Danny said, as Steve
followed Mark down the hall. Mark stopped to pick up his briefcase
and continued on.

Walking past the receptionist to the
elevators, Steve said to Amber, "Mark and I will be at a
meeting."

"Okay, Steve."

He and Mark stood at the elevator, looking up
at the lighted numbers. They entered it, turning to face the door.
Mark poked the lobby button. The second the doors closed, Steve
attacked Mark, pinning him to the wall, sucking on his mouth.

Mark grabbed Steve's crotch and groaned
loudly against his lips. The elevator stopped at the lobby level
and the two of them straightened up and walked calmly out, passing
co-workers and saying hello.

Mark and Steve exchanged wicked glances as
they left the building, headed to Mark's car.

~

"Jack Larsen, can I help you?" Jack answered
the phone, sitting at his desk in his office in downtown LA reading
case law.

"Jack?"

"Yes." Jack didn't recognize the man's voice
and took off his reading glasses.

"It's Dan Smith."

Dan Smith? "Yes?" Jack hadn't a clue.

"I'm the handler for Travis Banks'
horses."

"Oh! Dan. Yes. Hello. What can I do for
you?"

"Look, I know what happened on Saturday was
vile. But I just wanted to let you know something."

"Okay." Jack rocked in the chair, curious as
hell.

"Mrs Banks mentioned you and Mark were
interested in buying two of their horses to their son, Bernie."

"And?"

"Well…"

Jack leaned on his desk, looking at the
amount of work he had to do today. "What?"

"Bernie came out to his parents."

Jack tried to think. "Mr Banks has a gay
son."

"Yes."

Jack opened his hand in a gesture which was
meant to ask what it had to do with him, but obviously it could not
be communicated to Dan. So he waited.

"…well…it shook the old man up."

"I believe it."

"Jack, I think if you and Mark are still
interested in the two horses, all you have to do is find decent
boarding."

"I don't know if I want to give that asshole
any money."

"Hey. I understand. I'm not gay, but I'm a
huge supporter of equal rights. And working for that guy…it's tough
sometimes. But I deal with the horses, not him."

Leaning back in his leather chair, Jack
thought about it. He knew damn well how much Mark loved Piccadilly.
"Right. So, if we find a nice stable here near LA, Banks will
negotiate…since now his son is gay. Am I getting this right?"

"You are. I think the shock really nailed the
old bastard. But he and his wife have not spoken badly about
Bernie. At least not when I'm around. As a matter of fact, Bernie
has come by a few times. I think they're still trying to iron it
all out."

"Iron it out." Jack shook his head. "Fuck
that. So his son is gay. Jesus. Look, Dan, I appreciate your
calling. I do. But dealing with a fucking asswipe like Banks? After
what he did to Mark?"

"Jack, I totally get it. I just thought Mark
really wanted Piccadilly. Sorry to bother you."

"No. Dan. No bother. I really appreciate your
telling me. The irony is amazing."

"No kidding. I figure in the end, Bernie will
be out of the will, shunned, you know. Typical shit for a gay son
and a douchebag dad. I doubt Mr Banks will be able to deal with it
after so many years of homophobia. But…heck. Even hell may freeze
over once."

"Okay. Let me look into some stables in my
area. Can I get back to you?"

"Sure. No one is calling to buy those horses.
Not many can afford them. You know?"

"I do." Jack looked at his phone for the
caller ID number. "And I can reach you directly at the number you
called me from?"

"Yes. It's my personal cell phone."

"Okay. Thanks, Dan. Thanks a lot."

"My pleasure. I know it's a long shot. But I
think Mark and Piccadilly deserve to be together."

Jack's hatred of Travis Banks took a slight
back step to giving Mark what he needed. "Maybe you're right. I'll
be in touch."

"Bye."

Jack hung up and turned towards his computer,
searching for local boarding stables. He remembered one he and Mark
had visited back in June in Glendale.

~

"Alskander!"

Alex cringed as he heard Tadzio calling him.
Alex relaxed on a chair near the craft food area at the TV studio,
reading his new lines for today's scenes.

"Oh, Alskander!"

"What?" Alex replied in exasperation.

Lithe, androgynous, blond, Tadzio sauntered
over, holding a magazine. "Trouble at home?" he said with his thick
Swedish accent, tossing the magazine on Alex's lap.

Alex nudged it to the floor. "Nope." He kept
reading his script.

Tadzio picked up the magazine and opened it,
reading aloud, "It seems there is trouble between the LAPD
lieutenant—"

"Captain," Alex interrupted.

Tadzio paused in his reading.

"He's been promoted. Piss off." Alex waved
him away.

"…between the LAPD…'Captain'…and his juvenile
delinquent partner…" Tadzio kept reading. "…Alskander Richfield was
seen being carried…caveman-style…" Tadzio snickered. "By his
forty-four-year-old police commander…"

Alex tried to ignore him.

Tadzio whacked Alex with the magazine lightly
on the arm. "Forty-four." He curled his nose in distaste.

"Get lost. I need to memorize my new lines."
Alex tried to swipe at Tadzio but he stepped back.

Tadzio kept reading, "…it appears there is
trouble in the Sharpe-Richfield household as…" Tadzio paused and
Alex figured he wasn't perfectly fluent in reading English yet.
"As…tomurl?"

"Turmoil," Alex said, rolling his eyes.

"Tomurl seems to be rearing its ugly head."
Tadzio showed Alex the pictures as if Alex hadn't seen them. "So?
When do you get tired of the old man and want a young one?"

"Go away." Alex didn't take the bait. All
Tadzio wanted was a reaction.

Another cast member, Ryan Davis, stood at the
food display and picked up a bottle of water and a power bar.
"You're not reading that crap," he said to Tadzio.

"It's an American celebrity magazine. So?
They know when the time is finished for Alex and his old man."

"That shit is all bull, Tadzio. I'm surprised
you even buy it." Ryan leaned on the wall beside Alex. "Is that the
new version?"

"Yeah. Didn't you get it?" Alex asked.

"No! Fuck."

"You don't believe this?" Tadzio held up the
pages with the photos of Alex to Ryan.

"Nope." Ryan crouched down to read the new
script with Alex, chewing on his power bar as he did.

"Tadzio wishes he was in those rags," Alex
said, "Right, blondie?"

Charlotte appeared, headphones draped around
her neck, dark rimmed glasses on her nose, and her hair tied up in
a high ponytail. "Chop, chop…get going for the rehearsal."

"New lines, Char?" Ryan asked, standing.

"Not for you, cookie." She nudged him towards
the set. "Scoot."

Tadzio lingered.

"You too, trouble," Charlotte said to Tadzio,
taking the magazine from him and pointing to the set.

Alex rolled up the paperwork in his hands and
stood.

"Alex."

Alex looked down at petite Charlotte as she
threw the magazine into the trash.

She smiled brightly. "I am so proud of
you."

"Then it's done?" he asked, still slightly
nervous after what Billy and Steve had put Randy through. But Alex
had a lot of faith in the power of his father's persuasion.

"Yup. Will and Derek are discussing with
George about how to keep our schedules from colliding, but you're
good as gold, sweet cheeks."

Alex hugged Charlotte and picked her up off
her feet, spinning her around.

"Whoa! Hang on, star-boy. No twirling the
director."

He stood her back on her feet. "Sorry." He
grinned impishly.

"Christ," she said, holding her headset.
"Even fair rides make me spew."

"So? I mean, we can tell people?"

"They are making up a press release as we
speak."

"Yes! Yes!" Alex pumped his fist into the
air.

"Let me tell ya, pumpkin, if anyone on this
little gay vamp-schtick is going to go someplace, it's you."

Alex tried to come back to earth as his feet
felt like they were floating off the ground. "Nooo, come on.
There's lots of talent here."

"Cookie?" Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "Not
like you."

"Damn!"

"What?"

"Now I want to hug you again!"

Charlotte nudged him to the set. "Go. Scoot.
We still own you until George sinks his claws into you."

Alex walked towards the set for his
rehearsal, holding the rolled up paperwork in his hands. He entered
the familiar surroundings of the vampire drama, and saw most of the
cast and crew already there, chatting, laughing and setting up the
scene.

Charlotte clapped her hands and said, "Can I
get everyone's attention?"

Alex stopped and spun around, looking at
her.

"I want you all to be the first ones to
know." She gestured to Alex. "Our baby boy has just been offered a
starring role in a George Ford production!"

Squeals and cheers rose up and Alex was
surrounded by his friends and colleagues.

Alex laughed and accepted their
congratulations with gratitude. He caught Tadzio's sad gaze and
then his proud smile. Tadzio threw Alex a kiss. Alex threw him one
back.

"Work time, people!" Charlotte waved her
hands. "We'll have one hell of a cast party when we wrap this
season. And Alex will be our star."

Alex dabbed at his eyes and tried to get his
emotions under control since he had to get into his character.

Staying power. Sometimes you just had to run
the course of bad shit, and then good things would happen.

"Cookie?"

"Huh?" Alex woke out of his daydream.

"Gavin's first line?" she asked.

"Oh!" Alex hustled to his marked spot on the
set and cleared his throat.

~

Lt Billy Sharpe held a cup of coffee as he
walked towards his desk in the IAG offices of the Los Angeles
Police Department.

He placed his mug down on the desk and took a
look at the stack of paperwork in sealed envelopes that had
accumulated over the weekend. Adjusting his gun belt before he sat
down, Billy sifted through the ridiculous pile of complaints and
noticed an 'inter-department' mail envelope. He peeled it open and
sat back to read it.

'Priority dispatch: New Orders…Captain
William Paul Sharpe. Report to your new assignment at the West
Bureau division immediately at 0800 hrs November 18…'

Billy checked his watch. He hopped up out of
his chair and left the office, bumping into Captain Bryant
accidentally.

Captain Bryant asked, "What are you doing
here? You've been transferred to West."

"I know! I just read the paperwork." He held
it up. "I had no idea."

"Back to your old stomping ground." Captain
Bryant grinned knowingly.

"Did you have anything to do with it,
sir?"

"Sir?" The captain gave him a look of
disbelief. "We're the same rank now, Sharpe."

Billy laughed shyly.

"And no. But someone obviously up there likes
you. Get the hell out of IAG."

"I won't let the door hit me on my
ass…Bryant." Billy waved and jogged to the exit, not looking
back.

~

Jeff and Mickey slouched in their usual seats
in roll call, listening to the sergeants at the front of the room
ramble about the latest crimes in their district and any updates to
their training information.

Jeff was brought out of his exhausted stupor
by Mickey nudging him with his elbow. When he glanced at Mickey, he
spotted Mickey gesturing with his head, tilting it to the door of
the roll call room. Lt Billy Sharpe was there, leaning on the
doorframe, as if listening and trying not to interrupt the
session.

Jeff whispered, "What's he doing here?"

"Don't know." Mickey rocked back on two legs
on the chair, hands interlaced between his thighs.

"Captain…" one of the sergeants acknowledged
him with a gesture. "Come in, sir."

Jeff gaped at Mickey and mouthed, 'Captain?
He's ours?'

Mickey set his chair right and pumped his
fist under the desk. "Yes! Yes!"

Billy walked into the crowded room and up to
the front, standing beside the two sergeants and smiling at the
rows of uniformed patrol officers who were staring at him in
awe.

Sgt. Atkins stood and announced, "Lt Sharpe
has just been promoted and we are thrilled to have him as our
division captain." He started to clap and the room filled with
applause.

Billy waved modestly. "I don't have my
captain bars pinned on yet, but fuck technicalities."

Laughter filled the room.

Jeff grinned at Mickey as if they had won the
lottery.