Open Your Heart

Chapter 23

The music in the club was loud, pounding in his ears at such a volume that he couldn't even hear his own voice. That was a good thing, though, since it meant that he also couldn't hear Valentino barking his usual lines. The dancing also made it easier to ignore the way his skin always crawled when the moth was close. Tonight his objective was to dance and look pretty in the crowd until he landed easy customers who, hopefully, had money to burn. So far he'd already landed three, but he was hoping for some big wig to come in and snatch him up, just so that he didn't have to do it anymore.

Looking around the room, he made his way into the middle of the dance floor and started to use his years of training. When he was sure that every eye in the room was on him, he made sure to move his body in just the right way. A lot of men rushed up to him, but none seemed terrible interesting or wealthy, so the entire idea seemed a bust. That is, until someone came up behind him. This feeling was different from the men before, but he could definitely tell it was a man. They danced without him turning around for a few minutes until the song changed. In the small lull between the blaring music, the man leaned in to whisper in his ear. "My boss wants some... quality time with you. Are you up for that?" There was am Irish accent that he could plainly hear, but everything was perfectly enunciated for him so there was no confusion. Angel thought about it for a moment before turning around to look at his dance partner.

The man was a bit taller than himself, blond with pale yellow skin, and silver colored eyes that Angel found intriguing. Looking at the man's body, there was a specific hourglass shape that was accentuated by the black, lacy corset he was wearing. The black leather pants he'd paired with it hugged his hips perfectly, and Angel couldn't help but be jealous of the man's generous backside. It was the small details, however, that sold him on this proposition. Like the diamonds scattered all over the corset, and the ones dangling from the mans ears to match. Around each delicate wrist was an even more delicate bracelet of silver, embedded with emeralds and amethysts. The man was a walking jewelry store, and he wore it like he did so all the time. As though such gems were nothing for him.

Smiling, Angel nodded and let the blond lead him off the floor. Before, they could leave the building, though, he needed Valentino to agree. Quickly dragging he blond to the far corner, where the moth was overseeing everything, he gave the man a smile. "Gotta check in with the boss, you know. Don't wanna leave him hanging." Walking up to the pimp, Angel put on his best smile, even if he didn't feel like smiling. "Hey, Val, I'm gonna head out for a bit. You didn't need me or anything, did you?" The large pink-red eyes narrowed on them, specifically on the blond and the pimp smiled.

"So, you wantin' my Angie's services?" Without missing a beat, the blond smiled.

"Not me, but my boss. He even requested him by name." Valentino hummed and blew out a cloud of smoke.

"Well, he better know that Angie doesn't come cheap." Still, the blond kept his smile, but now his expression changed a bit. It was confident and the slightest bit cruel in Angel's opinion.

"Oh, trust me, the pay off will be well worth it." It was only then that Angel noticed the tail that waved idly behind the blond's back and the large stinger at the end. A scorpion. For a moment, the two merely stared each other down before Valentino's lips curved into a sickening grin.

"Well then... have fun." The next minute, he was being dragged away by the blond towards the door. Once they got outside, they headed down the street a bit, away from the crowds, until they were at the other end. Just as he started to get skeptical of the whole thing, a limo rounded a corner and pulled up in front of them.

"This is your boss'?" Looking at the blond, he watched the man smile knowingly.

"Don't worry. This will be a very rewarding trip for you." Angel turned to face the limo and felt the blond come up behind him, putting his hands on either shoulder. When the door opened, he was being pushed inside and into a seat. The door closed and he felt he car jerk into movement before he even had time to look up. When he did, though his heart sank into the deepest parts of his body. Staring into the blood red eyes, he knew without a doubt who the man was without looking at anything else. He was tall, but he had been in life as well. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black and gray pinstriped suit, with a simple black tie. The large man was relaxed in the seat with an arm laid across the back, and the other to his side with a cigar in his hand. No matter how many differences there were, all Angel saw was the painfully familiar visage of the last person in Hell he wanted to see. His father.