CHAPTER 12: Theo
I rode up to Madam X’s. Sure enough, there was Piper’s car in the parking lot. What made me feel worse, though, was the sight of a big black Mercedes pulling away from the club. Vinnie had been here. I tried to remain calm. Maybe he’d had a business meeting with Anna, or been to see one of the other girls. I successfully managed to lie to myself all the way up to the side door.
I tried it and it was locked. Who was it Frost had said he’d sent to replace me? Oh, yeah. Joey. I knew him. A little older than me, a little fatter, but a good guy.
“Joey!” I shouted, waving at the security camera. “Let me in, dude. It’s Theo.”
“I can see that, dumbass,” came Joey’s voice over the intercom. “Sorry, brother, I got orders not to let you in.” There was a pause. “Hold on, someone’s coming out to meet you.”
My heart leaped, spreading a nice warm feeling throughout my chest. I knew I shouldn’t have got my hopes up, but I was elated to hear that Piper was coming down to speak to me. I saw the light moving inside as the inner door opened, and I heard high heels clicking across the stone floor.
As quickly as it had leaped up, my heart sank as I saw Anna at the door. She had that same playful, predatory smile on her face as the time she came out of her shower naked to seduce me.
“Unless you’re here to repeat the praise-worthy performance you delivered to me on my couch, you need to go, Theo,” she didn’t take her cold eyes off me the whole time she spoke.
“Please, Anna, just let me speak to Piper.”
“She’s… indisposed at the moment, not that it matters. The deal with Vinnie is going ahead. You’ll never see her again,” she announced, then lowered her tone. The smile dropped from her red lips also, as she spoke. “I like you, Theo, despite my best efforts. Don’t worry, I’m not going to show up at your door with flowers and a ring. I just don’t want to see anything too bad happen to you and, if you keep hanging around Piper, it will. She’s Vinnie’s now and he’ll kill you both before he’ll see you together.”
I believed she was actually trying to help, for once. I didn’t believe it was for mine or Piper’s benefit, though, not for a second. It was more likely she didn’t want dead bodies turning up all over, putting Vinnie and, by association, her in the spotlight. Still, I appreciated her honesty.
“Okay,” I conceded, “I’ll go. Once I’ve heard it from her.”
I saw Anna’s eyes narrow in anger but, after a few second’s thought, she seemed to reach a decision.
“Wait here,” she instructed, then quickly walked away.
I smoked two cigarettes while I was waiting, the hot night air making it hard to even feel the smoke going into my lungs, then I finally heard the door open again. I peered into the gloom and saw Piper. I almost didn’t recognize her. Her long blonde hair was everywhere, her smile had disappeared, and her mascara was bleeding down her face. Added to that, her usual confident, sexy way of walking had gone too, replaced by a slow, hunched shuffle, like someone had literally sucked out her spirit since last night. I was lost for words. I’d never been heartbroken before, just figured it was something boy bands sang about to sell records but, seeing her like this, I was sure I felt mine fall to pieces.
“Theo,” she croaked, her voice sounding hoarse. She didn’t open the door more than a foot, didn’t lean out, didn’t take my hand. Nothing.
“What happened?” was all I could manage.
“I’m fine, I’m just a little upset, that’s all,” she replied.
“I saw Vinnie just leaving, did he…”
“No. He didn’t touch me,” she interrupted. “Listen, Theo. I’ve decided to stay. I’m going to go with Vinnie. I need you to forget about me. I’m a big girl and I can look after myself.”
She turned to go, like that was the end of it. I couldn’t let her. I reached in and put my hand on her shoulder. “Piper, I…” love you, I was going to say, finally, only I couldn’t finish the sentence. The look of revulsion and hatred that appeared on her face when I touched her, it was frightening.
“Theo,” she said, her voice low, “I don’t love you. And, despite what you think, I never will. Please just go.”
I was wrong earlier. That was when I felt my heart breaking.