Were Zach and Julian now weak, having given up their independence by falling in love? He’d never dare say something to Julian’s face, but Marcus had carefully watched his friend since his rekindled relationship with Nick to see if he’d be proven right. Surprisingly, Julian remained the same: infuriatingly insightful and honest in his convictions. In all their years together he’d never known Julian to be a prevaricator.
But if he was wrong, that meant the foundation of what he’d built his own life on was faulty, constructed on a base no stronger than the clouds in the sky. He drank his coffee, heedless to its cooled bitter taste. It all began when Tyler expressed disbelief that Marcus could be nice, forcing him to question who he was as a man.
Marcus had always lived by his own code of ethics, and while most people didn’t understand, it made sense to him: He didn’t believe in cheating, which explained why he never wanted a relationship or a steady lover. He never lied, because he had nothing to hide. Life was too short and meant to be lived in the moment. Planning in advance for the future set a person up for heartbreak because, as he’d discovered at an early age, eventually everyone would let you down.
His phone vibrated and with an exasperated sigh, he pulled it out of his pocket. Of course it was Zach with a long text.
We’re sorry if you’re upset with us, but you know we didn’t mean to tease you. Don’t hide from us, Marcus. We won’t let you shut us out. And don’t hide from your heart.
When had his life become a movie of the week? He grimaced, and without answering, slid the phone back in his pocket, collected his undrinkable coffee and the cookie he’d crumbled into an inedible mountain of crumbs, and tossed them in the trash. That familiar itch returned, and his body warmed, his neglected libido stirring. What he needed now, more than well-meaning friends and a hot-bodied dancer with the face of an angel who kissed like a porn star, was release. Antonio’s shift had already started, and Marcus wondered if he’d be up for a quickie to take the edge off.
His phone buzzed again. Maybe the time had come to get an unlisted number.
“Get off my fucking back already.”
“Marcus, where are you?”
“Darius?” Dread slid up his spine, chilling him. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Tyler. Come to the club now.”
“On my way.” He hit the door to the coffee house so hard it bounced back on its hinges several times, but he paid no mind and took off running to find a cab.
Chapter Eight
‡
“Uncle Ty, willyou teach me to dance like you?”
Lillie sat cross-legged on the floor of the living room and watched as he practiced. This had become their daily routine from the beginning, after his sister Amber said one morning she’d be right back and never returned. For weeks afterward, Lillie suffered from nightmares, and bit by bit had told him in her sad little voice of his sister’s drug habit and the parade of strange men in their lives.
Tyler shuddered to think of what might have eventually happened to his sweet little niece and vowed that even if his sister came back, he’d fight her in court if she tried to take Lillie and leave. If it ever came to that, he’d be more than happy to march into Marcus’s office and accept that offer of a lawyer.
“Sure, honey. Stand up and put your feet together like this.” He showed her all the different ballet positions he learned when he was only a little older than her, when he first fell in love with dance. He’d go to the library and look at books on ballet, then memorize how he should stand. He’d practice at home and try to sneak in some time at school as well where none of the other boys would see him. Later on, when Mrs. Henderson noticed him staying late in the gym after school, struggling to do his exercises, she knew enough to keep it secret, but to his delight, she taught him everything she knew from her time as an alternate with the Alvin Ailey dance crew.
And Lillie was better at four than he had been at thirteen. Even on her chubby baby legs, she possessed a natural grace and charm that startled him. He took her hand, and they danced around the apartment until they were both breathless and laughing.
“Enough,” he groaned, flopping down on the sofa. “You’re too much for me.” But he held out his arms and with giggles galore, Lillie crawled on top of him and rested her head on his chest. Little puffs of her sweet breath drifted across his neck, and an overwhelming sense of loss stole through him at all the joy his sister missed by skipping out and leaving her. Before Amber had turned up at his door Tyler hadn’t even been aware of Lillie’s existence, but now that he’d had her in his life for the past two years, the hounds of hell couldn’t pry her away from him.
He’d almost drifted off to sleep when a knock sounded on the door. He jerked awake and winced at the painful dig of Lillie’s knees and elbows as she propelled herself off him.
“I’ll get it. Let me get it.”
He heaved himself off the sofa and raced to the door, knowing with absolute certainty Lillie would open the door without asking who it was, and since he wasn’t her official guardian, he always remained on guard and kept her presence a secret.
“Wait a minute, please. Remember what I told you.”
She skidded to a stop in front of the door and gazed up at him with reproach in her eyes. “I know. I wasn’t gonna open the door. I just wanted to see who it was.”
He peeked through the keyhole to see the diminutive figure of their next-door neighbor, Sylvia Kirsch, standing there. Breathing a sigh of relief, he undid the battalion of locks he’d had installed when Lillie came to live with him and threw open the door.
“Hi, Mrs. Kirsch.” It never ceased to amaze Tyler how fresh and chipper the elderly lady looked, no matter what time of the day he saw her.
She frowned. “I’ve told you to call me Sylvia, haven’t I?” She peered around him, her eyes blinking owlishly behind her huge, purple-framed glasses. “Where’s my little Lillie? Is she going to keep me company while I do my baking today?”
“Yes.” Lillie poked her head out from behind him.
“Thanks, Sylvia. You know you’re a lifesaver.” He stepped to the side for her to enter and watched as Lillie hugged their neighbor.
