Page 59 of Ashes

“You spoke to Mack about the money?” I ask quietly.

Luther is holding his cellphone. He glances at it and says, “It’s all in place. I can transfer it as soon as they agree.”

Reminding myself to ask Mack later where exactly all his money comes from, I follow Luther to the door. He knocks loud and hard.

He seems different this morning; last night, when he told me about his family, I thought I’d finally broken a chip off his rock-hard exterior. But this morning he was back to being moody and distant. Although, that could be because I caught him masturbating in the shower; he was in there for far too long and doesn’t exactly have the excuse of needing to wash his hair.

After what feels like forever, the door opens. A security guard—who, thankfully, I don’t recognize from last night—positions himself in the frame. He almost fills it up; taller than Luther and with shoulders, and a thick neck, like one of those weight-lifters you see on TV.

Unfortunately, he recognizes us. “You two are barred. Leave before I call the cops.” He moves to shut the door, but Luther puts his foot inside it.

“There was a misunderstanding last night,” he says calmly. “We’re here to clear it up.”

“Move.” The guard lifts his palm. It’s flickering with electricity.

Luther doesn’t fire back, just folds his arms and says, “Let me try this another way… let us inside or we’ll send video footage of your illegal stage-show straight to the SDB.”

The guard’s jaw twitches. He swallows hard. “What do you want?”

“We want to talk to the owner.” Luther puts his hands casually into his pockets. “We have a business proposition we think he’ll be very interested in discussing.”

“Wait here.” The guard slams the door shut. A moment later, it opens again. He’s holding his phone to his ear. “Okay, boss. If you’re sure.”

He hangs up and jerks his head at Luther. “Boss says to bring you to her office.”

“Her?” I whisper to Luther as we enter the elevator.

He raises his eyebrows but doesn’t respond.

When we reach the corridor, which last night was so full of writhing bodies, Luther takes my hand. This time, we veer left through a small unassuming door, down another corridor, through an archway, then stop.

A pair of large oak doors are in front of us. The security guard stands in front of a retinal scanner that beeps and lets him in.

We emerge in what looks like a bedroom. Huge white bathtub in the corner that reminds me of Mack’s, a red velvet chaise lounge, and an enormous four-poster bed. A woman emerges from the door near the bathtub. She’s wearing a long silk robe, cream-colored, and has ash blond hair that reaches down to her waist. The robe is open just enough to expose a flash of cleavage.

Luther doesn’t let go of my hand.

The guard nods at the woman, then steps back outside and closes the doors.

Sitting down on the chaise lounge, the woman crosses one long slim leg over the other, places her hands on her knee, and smiles at us. “How can I help you?”

Frowning at her, Luther doesn’t answer, just asks his own question. “Why did you let us in?”

Her smile widens. She tucks her hair behind her ear. “You don’t have video footage of the wolf dance.” She tilts her head. “You lied, and that intrigues me.” She sits back, legs still crossed, and nestles her back into the red velvet. “I do have a busy day ahead, however, so you best be quick.”

“All right.” Luther steps forward. “I’m sure you’re aware my wife found the show a little… upsetting.”

The blond woman’s forehead creases ever so slightly as she frowns. “Yes. I watched the security tapes.”

“She felt an… affinity with the chained wolf.” Luther turns away from the woman and looks at me instead. He meets my eyes and smiles. It sends a shiver down my spine. “I love my wife very much,” he says, not looking away from me.

“That’s very sweet.” The woman stands up, this time putting her hands on her hips as if she’s growing impatient. “So, what is it you’re looking for? An apology?”

Luther returns his hand to my waist. “We’d like to buy the wolf.” He fixes his gaze on the woman in front of us.

For a long moment, no one moves or speaks. Luther holds his nerve while the blond bites her lower lip. “You’d like to buy one of my wolves?”

“Notoneof your wolves. That particular wolf. The one in the mask.”