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chapter 10: Bad Taste

Indigo sat in the crowded booth, the line of glasses lined up like soldiers in front of her. She didn’t bother to look for Shireese, just joined the other band members and started to drink. She pounded the shots back, not spreading them out or waiting for the buzz to hit. Her mouth burned like fire, her stomach a knot that only oblivion would undo.

Luca had seen her.

Eyes watering, Indigo threw another shot back, coughing when it scalded her throat. She had the change left from the hundred dollar bill Jude had given her, and she intended to spend it all, and perhaps more if someone was generous, before the night was over. Before they’d arrived on 5th, Jude had insisted she might need money for drinks. She had no idea where he’d gotten that type of cash, but who was she to say no? Years of living hand to mouth had taught Indigo that you didn’t question the reasons why fortune was bountiful. She’d learned a second lesson, which was equally true. Life was just as likely to pull those gifts away if you waited too long.

It had almost happened tonight.

She lowered the glass to the table, waiting as her stomach roiled. The first wave of alcohol rushed through her bloodstream and she wobbled in place. Her eyes fluttered closed, but the only thing that awaited her in the darkness was Luca’s leering face. That had been far too close a call!

“Indigo?”

Her eyes fluttered open to find Shireese and Tanis, arm in arm, a few feet away. Tanis was dressed for the stage. Sparkles adorned her shoulders and upper lids, an animal print shirt and tight jeans wrapped her frame.

“Indigo, hon,” Shireese repeated. Indigo swivelled, another wave of alcohol spinning the room on its axis. Yes, she was definitely drunk. “Are you okay?” Shireese asked, slowing her words.

“Jus’ fine.”

Shireese reached out, brushing back a lock of hair that had worked itself free from its bobby pin. Indigo jerked her head away, reaching for another glass. When she set it back down, empty, Shireese was waiting.

“Something happen with you’n Jude?” she asked quietly.

“Jude’s fine,” Indigo mumbled. “Jus’ fine.” Shireese slid into the booth as Indigo continued. “He’n the tech guys are out tonight.”

“But you’re not,” Shireese finished.

Indigo took a sharp breath, pressing her knuckles to her mouth until the urge to scream passed. Shireese watched, her brown eyes worried. She reached out, rubbing circles in her friend’s shoulders. This time Indigo let Shireese touch her.

“Seriously, hon, you’re scaring me,” Shireese said.

Indigo turned, the room rotating, but not stopping. Her eyes prickled with unshed tears, but she forced them away, breathing through flared nostrils.

“That nice club Jude wanted to take me to?” Indigo gasped. “Wasn’t just any club. It was The Vault!”

Shireese hand on Indigo’s shoulder went still.

“And I couldn’t go in. And I couldn’t tell Jude why!”

“What did you do?” Shireese whispered, her tense pose abruptly matching Indigo’s.

“I told Jude I was coming here,” she said, “and that he could come if he wanted. But then when I was walking to the subway, I… I…” She blinked, and two tears rolled down her cheeks, her words halting. “I ran into Luca and his friends.”

“Oh Jesus!” Shireese hissed. Emotion rippled over her features: horror, then fear, then finally an old layer of indignant anger.

“And he was laughing, and talking,” Indigo continued, voice choked with sobs. “Luca wanted me to come in with them! And I said I couldn’t, but he was touching me, Shireese! And I just kept talking and talking, and he must’ve believed me.” Shireese reached onto the cluttered table, grabbing an untouched cocktail napkin and dabbing at Indigo’s cheeks. “I ran to the station… and then I came here.”

Shireese pulled Indigo against her while Tanis waited nearby.

“Have to go,” Tanis mouthed, pointing to the far side of the room to the stage.

Shireese nodded, and Tanis reached out, squeezing Shireese’s arm before heading back into the crowd. After a few seconds, Indigo sat back up, and Shireese used her thumbs to smudge away the last traces of smeared mascara on Indigo’s cheeks.

“You did good,” Shireese said with a nod. “Handled that like a pro.”

Indigo laughed, but it was a broken, desolate sound.

“Two minutes earlier, and Jude woulda known.”

“And you still would have handled it.” Indigo opened her mouth to argue, but Shireese pushed on. “And Jude would have gotten it, or not, but you’re tough, Indigo. You’d still be fine. I know it.”

“I dunno…” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t let him find out.”

“He will eventually,” Shireese sighed. “You just have to decide if you’re gonna be the one who tells him or someone else.”

Indigo’s chin dropped, her gaze going back to the table and the remaining shots. She reached out for another, but Shireese caught her hand. On the stage in the corner, Tanis and her band began to play, the loud twangs of guitars meshing with an electronic beat. Shireese stood up, offering her hand.

“C’mon, hon. Let’s go dance. Just like old times.”

Indigo’s expression tightened with pain, but she took her hand, and followed.

: : : : : : : : : :

The Vault was nothing like Jude had expected. It was opulent, to the point of obscene. Crystal chandeliers scattered the light over what looked like an old world ballroom. Mirrors along the walls reflected back blood-red velvet chairs with lacquered wood detailing, the sound of clinking crystal blending with the sounds of laughter and music.

Far more than the decor, it was the women Jude couldn't stop staring at.

There were no male servers. Bevies of beautiful women of all ethnicities, all of them young and slim, wove between tables. They ushered patrons to their booths, smiling cheerfully as they served drinks and refreshments. The women wore clothing that pushed the boundary between dressed and undressed, long legs and jutting cleavage blatantly on display. One woman walked through the room, selling cigarettes. Another danced in a cage behind the bar.

Reaching the table where Marq and the rest of the group waited, Jude was relieved that Indigo hadn’t come. Kimbra averted her eyes in embarrassment, while Marq and the others stared lasciviously at the display. Jude slid into the booth next to Kimbra, giving her a one-shouldered shrug.

“Marq’s got… bad taste.”

She pulled her eyes away from a woman who looked barely out of high school, cheeks ruddy with colour.

“You’re telling me,” she grumbled. “I’m just waiting for the valet to bring my car back around.” She nodded to the woman behind the bar, swivelling in place. “Sorry, Jude, this isn’t my thing.”

He shook his head, turning again to look at the room.

“Not really mine either.”

His words faded as he caught sight of a group of men crossing the floor. It was Luca Brin and his thugs. He waved as he caught sight of Jude and the rest.

“Marq! Jude!” Luca shouted. “You made it!”

Jude turned, just as a young woman arrived carrying Kimbra’s coat and a set of keys on a silver tray.

“I’m out of here,” Kimbra said with a terse smile. “See y’all Monday.”

Jude waited until she’d stepped away before turning on Marq.

“You set this up!” Jude snarled.

Marq rolled his eyes.

“Luca wanted to talk shop, and I thought we could have a little fun at the same time.” He lifted his drink, looking away from Jude. He and Marq had been drinking buddies since Jude had been hired in the Tech Department. He was a great guy to party with – always up for some fun – but there were times when Jude hated him.

“You’re an a*shole!” Jude hissed, just as Luca reached the table.

“Jude, my friend!” Luca laughed. “You’re exactly the person I wanted to talk to.”

Jude swallowed hard, his eyes taking in the sight of the mobster, beaming down at him. His teeth were a little too white, like fangs.

“Why’s that?” Jude asked warily.

Luca pushed into the booth next to him, putting his elbows on the table, and penning Jude in.

“Mr. Fischer is very impressed with your progress so far,” he said. “Told me he might have another project for you.”

“Look, I don’t think I’ll be able to—”

“King wants a full report on what you’ve found. Start making a list of details,” Luca continued. “And when you give that, I’ll explain what else King is looking for.”

“I… I’m not even done with this one,” Jude stammered. “I can’t take on anything else!”

“Ah, but you must be getting close,” Luca said, waving Jude’s words away.

“I still need time. I’m trying to get it done, but it’s not an easy thing to do!”

Luca put a heavy hand on Jude’s shoulder, leaving it there. It was a weight, holding him down. Jude could barely breathe, let alone talk.

“Get your report ready, Jude,” Luca said darkly. “I’ll be coming to talk to you soon.”

Jude nodded, and Luca let go, standing to go to the other side of the booth.

“Marq, my friend! I knew I could count on you to get everyone out tonight!”

Jude felt the blood drain from his face. This wasn’t just a ‘get together’ for friends, this was Marq following orders. In his mind, the maze grew smaller, his exits disappearing. Nausea rising, Jude staggered to his feet. Halfway to the exit, he saw Abhishek. Jude put his head down and walked faster. Jude needed an escape, but even more than that, he needed to see Indigo.

She was the only thing in his life that made sense anymore.

: : : : : : : : : :

Indigo had been dancing for what felt like hours, alcohol and music, and the hot press of bodies, wrapping her in a haze of motion. She and Shireese moved together, arms half-wrapped around one another. Indigo twirled, her eyes moving to the stage where Tanis sang, her voice a throaty growl. The sound was another layer, buffering her from the world. She should be upset, Indigo knew, but the whiskey had pushed away the fear, leaving numbness instead.

She liked that.

Ten years ago, this would have been the time to go into the back room of the club and shoot up with some of the other girls, but Indigo had learned that lesson hard, the first time someone had passed out, and never woken up. Nowadays, alcohol or pot were her drugs of choice. Something strong enough to muffle the pain, but not so strong as to kill her. ‘Don’t need any help with that…’ she thought in dark humour. She twirled around, losing Shireese and bumping into a dark-haired man in a too-tight shirt. He laughed, reaching out, but she shimmied away, eyes on the crowd. She couldn’t see Shireese anymore. Moving in larger circles, Indigo danced, waiting out one song, and then a second, Tanis’ voice growing hoarse as the set continued.

Finally reaching the edge of the dancers, Indigo paused, panting, her eyes on the exit door. It was propped open with a sand-filled bucket full of cigarette butts. The scent of cannabis wafted forward, and Indigo laughed at her good fortune. ‘Yes,’ she thought happily, ‘tonight is the perfect night for that.’ She wove her way unsteadily to the door, heading outside, surprised to see Shireese and a man near the end of the alley. Backlit by the streetlight, she couldn’t see either of their faces, but Shireese’s voice, raised in anger, echoed forward.

“And you stay away from her!” she bellowed. “Indigo’s done! Don’t you get that?!”

Indigo put a hand on the brick wall, staggering forward.

“Look, Shireese,” the man answered, his voice strangely familiar, “I saw the posters and I figured if you were here, she’d be here and—”

“You’re not welcome!” Shireese roared. “Do you know what you did to her? Indigo’s strong, but everyone can be broken!”

The alley was cold, winter air chilling through the sweat on her back. Indigo took shallow breaths, her legs weak and shaking. She stumbled, catching herself on the wall, and the man turned at the sound. In the light, she could see his face. The terror of Luca folded back in on itself, replaced by excitement.

“Cal?”

Indigo expected Shireese to say something, but she didn’t. She just walked away, disappearing around the front of the building by the time Indigo made it to Cal’s side.

“Why are you here?” she asked thickly. Nothing made sense tonight.

“I had to see you.”

He held his hands at his side, not touching her. Indigo knew how hard that was for him. She was every bit the drug to him that he was to her, and she liked the feeling of it tonight. Emboldened by the alcohol in her veins, she stepped closer, watching as his eyebrows pulled together as if in pain.

“Well, you’ve seen me now,” she purred. “So go.”

He took a sharp breath.

“I can’t! I thought I could, but then I saw you the other night, and all those feelings were back.”

Indigo watched him, every word burned into her mind. Drunk, she was in no state to argue. All she knew is that she wanted to forget.

“I’ve moved on,” she taunted. “You waited too f*cking long to figure it out.”

He reached out, grabbing her upper arm. He wasn’t squeezing hard yet, but he would be. That was Cal too. She hated and loved him for it.

“It’s that kid, isn’t it?” he sneered.

“He’s not a kid,” she said coolly. “He’s older than me.”

Cal’s lips turned down at the edges, and he leaned forward, looming.

“Might be,” he ground out. “But does he make you feel like I do?”

His hands on her arm tightened until they hurt. Indigo’s heart was pounding, the rush of fear and lust riding one another.

“Don’t!” she hissed.

Cal leaned in and kissed her.

: : : : : : : : : :

When Jude arrived at O’Reilly’s the place was standing room only, the music so loud the front windows were vibrating in time to the bass. The band was onstage, surrounded by dancers and drinkers. Jude caught sight of Shireese standing next to one of the large speakers, but she was too far away to shout to, so he moved on, searching the crowd for Indigo. He did two tours of the bar, without success. There were simply too many people to be able to see, everyone jostling for position. Fighting the urge to start shoving, Jude pulled his cell phone from his pocket, walking out the front doors to the street to call her.

Ears ringing, Jude wandered away from the entrance, hoping to get far enough away he could hear. Nearing the alley, his eyes were drawn to a couple standing up against a wall, wrapped around one another, kissing. The woman’s long leg was hitched around the man’s hip. He had one hand in the woman’s hair, the other under her skirt, exposing a wide swath of skin between boot and hip.

Jude lurched to a stop as the realization hit him full in the chest.

“What the f*ck! Indigo?!?”

The man lifted his face, though he didn’t release her. ‘Callum Woodrow,’ Jude’s mind announced. Shock flickered in Woodrow’s eyes, followed by rage.

“Jude Alden,” he growled.

Indigo squeaked, pushing against the man’s chest, but he had her pinned against the wall and it appeared he had no intention of letting go. Her leg dropped to the ground and her skirt pulled up higher, revealing the lace edge of her panties.

“Jude, wait!” she cried. “Wait! I can explain!”

Jude turned, stumbling away from the alley and out onto the sidewalk, sick with grief.

He was done. They were done.