Present Day
Age: 28
Diamonds at their throats. Fringe tassel dresses swaying at their thighs. Silk that catches the light when they dance. Finger-waved hair and feathered headbands. Mesmerizing red lips.
That’s how the ladies dress when visiting The Scarlet Mirage, like they’ve stepped into a real-life 1920s speakeasy. Gorgeous, sophisticated, sinful vixens. All of them have their eyes on me, hoping for an invitation to my bed.
It’s a shame not one of these women holds my attention.
They’re attracted to my power and that I own this place, Manhattan’s best kept secret, where only the elite are invited. I have fun with the ladies, the petite redheads especially. Often times, there are multiplewomen in my bed at once. But my thirst is never satisfied for long.
The lights are dim and cigar smoke swirls through the air. I lean back in my booth, sipping on liquor while watching the jazz band on stage. The tune is slow, creating a sultry ambiance that would have even the sweetest girls thinking sinful thoughts.
“Blackwood.” Theo slides into my booth. “I have a lot to report on.”
Like myself and every other man here, Theo is dressed in a three-piece suit. Tattoos mark his dark skin, more so than mine. He has a buzz cut and a head covered in ink.
“I’ve sourced a new list of developers for you to consider,” he says. “They all do off-the-book work.”
I have a vision of expanding The Scarlet Mirage into more than just a speakeasy but a gambling den and sex club. A one-stop destination for a night patrons will never forget. The issue is finding a trustworthy developer to make the vision a reality. No reputable business will work with an illegal establishment. The ones whoarewilling don’t have their name advertised. They’re found through word of mouth.
But I don’t easily trust new people regarding my business. My registered venue is Limerence Land, the cocktail lounge this speakeasy is hidden beneath. I’m running the empire of sin I always dreamed of, existing outside the law. I’m well aware of my rivals and how my success threatens them.
When I returned to the city after my breakup with Harper and Tyler, I had too many fires burning,trying to establish my speakeasy while dealing eclipse with Theo. We were young and inexperienced, selling to anyone interested in the drug.
Eclipse was growing in demand, more than we could handle. We were over-confident and reckless. Theo started bringing in other dealers. People who hadn’t proven themselves to him. That’s when things got out of hand. There were a lot of back-alley deals that went wrong, ending in violence, even a few deaths. Theo and I had a lot of cleaning to do. We weren’t trusting the right people, nor were we selling to the right clients.
One night, a deal turned south and Theo took a bullet. That’s when I realized things needed to change; otherwise we’d both end up dead. I had a proposition for him.
I would bow out from dealing eclipse. Afterall, eclipse was Theo’s territory, not mine. My focus would shift to running The Scarlet Mirage and turning it into the most prestigious venue in town. I asked Theo to sell eclipse exclusively at my speakeasy. But that wasn’t all.
I told him I’m nothing in this game without people who are loyal to me. I trustedhimwith my life and neededhimas my right-hand man. My confidant. My Fixer.
He believed in my vision. That was the turning point for The Scarlet Mirage, where success beyond my wildest dreams became a reality.
Over the years, my speakeasy has brought Theo a lot of clients. I’ve made him alotof fucking money. He’s loyal to me beyond a doubt. Anything I ask of Theo, hedoes. Nothing is off limits for him. He’s violent at heart and takes pleasure in getting blood on his hands.
As the jazz band transitions to a new song, Theo slides the list of potential developers along the tabletop to me. I scan the names, not recognizing a single one.
“Who’s the man Beaumont recommended? Is he on this list?” I ask.
Beaumont is the owner of a joint in Brooklyn. I wouldn’t call him a good friend, but I’ve invited him to a few poker games over the years. He met his wife while visiting The Scarlet Mirage and always praises me for the introduction.
“Yes, Mitchel Gregor is on the list. Beaumont highly recommends him.”
My hand clenches into a fist. Fuck, Ihatetrusting new people. “What do your instincts say?”
Theo laughs while signaling the bar staff to bring him a drink. “We both know there’s someone better suited for this job. Someone with the perfect skill set. But as for my instincts, they’re telling me to shut my mouth and not piss you off.”
I shoot Theo a foul look. “Good instincts. I’m not asking for Tyler’s help.”
Shortly after my father started Forever Families, he passed the reins of his hotel empire to my brother. Tyler develops luxury hotels. He would be perfect for this job. But aside from not trusting the asshole, working alongside Tyler on this expansion would bring up too much shit from the past. The Scarlet Mirage was supposed to beourspeakeasy.
“If you won’t work with Tyler, I suggest we look intoMitchel Gregor.” Theo’s drink arrives. He raises the crystal glass to his mouth, smirking as he sips. “So… this weekend should be interesting.”
“Man, fuck off.”
I don’t know what’s up with Theo, mentioning Tyler twice in the space of a minuteandacting smug about it. It’s Monday night; come this weekend, I’ll be in close confines with Tyler and Harper while attending Dan and Ally’s engagement party at the Blackwood beach house. But I can be civil. Chances are, I’ll barely interact with Tyler and Harper. It’s been this way for years.
