4: Another Saturday Night
The party was already in full swing when Dee arrived fashionably late with a hot chick on each arm. As he crossed the gangplank, his little group attracted quite a share of open stares of approval. It looked like they had been party-hopping but Dee was definitely the center of attention. He looked like he didn't know what sleep was and still looked fresh despite the late hour. Dressed to the nines with his Armani jacket, open collar, and Rolex watch, it was his midnight-black hair and moss-green eyes that warranted a second or third look. The other guests felt a twinge of honor that he had bothered to grace them with his presence.
He escorted his lovely ladies to the bar area, subtlety letting the salivating wolves know he was keeping an eye out on his companions. He then swatted them on the butt, received an expression of coy indignation in return, and told them to have a good time.
He wandered around from group to group, jumping in when he heard a familiar name and gave a private little anecdote that didn't necessary place the person under discussion in the best light. He gave tips on upcoming sporting events, confessing he had insider tips when it came to placing his money and a group of people gradually started to gather around him. In-between his beguiling stories he was scanning the scene.
He listened in on private conversations, witnessed covert exchanges, he recognized a wanted suspect and some people connected with organized criminal activities from the books he perused during his work-study at the local precinct. He saw big wagers at the gambling table and could hear sounds of immense pleasure coming out of the outlying rooms.
Other men and women encouraged him to partake of the night's proceedings. They offered him drinks and other things guaranteed to make him feel good, hung onto his arm, invited him to play a friendly game of poker but he was easily able to disengage himself and left them ever hopeful.
Randy's eyes had been following this dynamic individual since he boarded. Seeing the dark-haired man flit from one location to another as if he owned the place gave him relief that he didn't have to fill the role himself. What he didn't realize until it was too late, was that every movement was bringing this player closer to his host.
He turned to make his escape but found himself trapped by another toady who had been trying to talk him into a real estate deal. He felt a tap on this shoulder and instinctively looked over his shoulder to see a pair of brilliant eyes leaning towards him. "Excuse me but may I borrow a moment of your time."
It was an opening line he had heard countless number of times. But the presence of a this stranger aroused curiosity as a new source of entertainment, a change from the monotony he was beginning to see at his weekly get togethers.
"Good evening, Mr. Maclean. Let me introduce myself. My name is Dee Laytner."
He shook the offered hand out of politeness. "You don't need to be so formal. It's pretty much 'Come As You Are'."
"Well some people in this crowd could use some camouflage. Would you like a drink?"
Ryo's bravado attempted to assert itself. "Wait a minute, this is my place, if you had asked I would have ordered you a drink."
"You seemed preoccupied. Though it's understandable. There's a lot going on to catch the eye and provide amusement, isn't there. Drink?"
Giving in he said, "Scotch. Who invited you?"
Dee signaled the bar for two Scotches on the rocks, who acknowledged his request even though people were clamouring for his service. The barkeep knew you didn't keep people like him waiting.
Ryo was casually lead by the elbow to a table next to the window. The couple currently sitting there had enough sense of decorum to concede that the master of the house could sit where ever he wanted. As he no longer had to make the effort to stand upright, his back was towards the crowd and he allowed the sea breeze to lightly caress his heated countenance.
"I didn't wait for a formal invitation but I assure you we have mutual friends, Ryo, but I doubt it's anyone here."
Ryo's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who do you think you're talking to? My name is Randy."
Dee was taken aback for a moment. Could this be the wrong guy? When Elena was laying out the story, she kept saying Ryo. But there was no mistaking that flawless complexion and burnished shade of chestnut-blonde hair that revealed kinship. The only thing that hinted at his Asian ancestry were the almost pitch-black eyes looking at him warily, trying to figure out his angle. But even if his mission was derailed, this was certainly an attractive man.
"I just felt you needed a break from your watchdog duties," as the drinks were delivered to the table.
The slightly built man disclosed his tolerance by tossing the contents of his glass to the back of his throat. "Don't tell me what's good for me, I could have you bounced."
Dee calculated that he didn't look beefy enough to take him out himself so he took a chance. "Getting bounced from one of Randy Maclean's parties would certainly add to my notoriaty."
When the man didn't respond, he noticed that not only was the blonde preoccupied, his eyes were unfocused, Dee recognized the signs from his training and most of all from personal experience. 'He must of already had a few.' Softening his voice he said in his most integrating manner, "Hey it's the weekend everybody has the right to unwind even you."
Ryo muttered. "Weekend, weekday, freaking 4th of July, every day is the same."
"You just need to find a way to direct your energy."
"And my money. Got a proposal I'd be a fool to pass up?"
Wanting to distract his host from the bitterness that was eating him inside, Dee pointed to the view outside the window. "Randy. Just look at that skyline at night. I've lived in the city all my life. The only time I ever saw the stars is when I got sent into the country for my own good. Only thing I learned was that milk doesn't come from jugs but shit is everywhere."
Mesmerized by its magnificent glow, Ryo got kind of dreamy. "I remember going camping with my parents. My dad loved nature and making things with his hands. That's how he got interested in art. He loved the creative process and he talked about how nature was the greatest artist."
Dee leaned forward taking in Randy's features. He was trying to improve his observational skills. If he was going to be a cop he wanted to be able to quickly and accurately describe a crime scene but with Randy, there was no sense of urgency. He wanted to linger. He was noticing his delicateness and his soft lips, the overall impression marred by his dull, dark eyes that had only sparkled when he was lost in his childhood memories.
Becoming aware of Dee's gaze, Ryo shared his aunt's uneasiness at being scrutinized. He was used to it but this time he felt himself blushing and looked away.
His unexpectedly, shy demeanor, after such an initial harsh reception, revealed that his true nature was coming to the surface and Dee found himself captivated by Randy's unconscious charm.
Like others before him, Ryo felt the magnetism that this man generated. He mentally kicked himself. 'What am I doing? I can't let my guard down, he's just a smoother operator than the rest of those blood-suckers. Although... this is the first time anyone's ever sat down and just talked to me.' The novelty of the situation was pulling him out of his own thoughts and onto the enigmatic man before him.
Dee reached for his hand but Ryo quickly pulled away and hastened to stand up. Sitting down again, he closed his eyes, a wave of dizziness threatening to overtake him. "Excuse me, I've been ignoring my other guests." His movements were slow and deliberate as he rose from the table and walked away.
It was obvious to the observers in the room that the seemingly intimate conversation was over. A couple of hustlers approached Ryo, hands slapping his back in a chummy fashion. They escorted him to the bar and ordered him a drink while a pen and paper were shoved into his hand. They were urging him to make good on a promise (he had never made) during a mutual conversation (that had never taken place).
As Ryo was attempting to gather his thoughts without exposing the state he was presently in, Dee ran interception put off by the excessive expression of familiarity. "Oh, how rude of me. I didn't introduce you to my friends." He laid his drink on the paper like it was a coaster and used the pen as a swizzle stick.
The entrepreneur, bristling at the interruption and finding he no longer had the attention of his target, grabbed the paper from off the counter and shoved it back into his pocket before grumbling, "We'll catch up later, buddy."
Dee led Ryo by the shoulders to the table procured by one of the young women's admirers who upon returning with one of his friends found all the seats occupied.
Seeing their stooge was being monopolized by this upstart, the two racketeers planned their next move.
"What's his name?"
"Calls himself Dee Laytner."
"Laytner... Laytner... Why does that name sound familiar? Look into it. The Boss could probably use a boy with that much chutpaz."
Ryo was having a pleasant conversation. Upon closer inspection, it could be seen that the girls' beauty came from a healthy glow and not out of a chemist's bottle. They were getting ready to graduate from the local college in social sciences and Ryo felt a stab of regret that he couldn't share in their bright futures.
Of Dee, he said little about himself, letting his friends' good humor set the mood but there was no evidence of an amorous attraction between any of them.
Dee suggested they dance to get their circulation moving and burn off the booze to which Ryo unexpectedly agreed. He was quite a good dancer, his parents insisting that he learn, and Dee had been to enough mixers with the other orphans that he was never lacking a practice partner. As they led the girls, their elegant movements raised the level of the revelries into something more respectable, especially since the host had never been seen to be so social before, mingling with the guests less and less as each party progressed.
Another one of the guests had had enough, rebuffed and ignored week after week by the object of her desire, she was alone after her date had ditched her for another woman to make out in one of the rooms. Perched on a stool near the bar for easy access to the refreshments she slid off and interposed herself between Ryo and his dance partner and wrapped her arms around him like a vise. Ryo struggled to pry himself out of her inebriated grip without hurting her but his companion had no such compunction and hauled her off of him. That set off a fuse. A crowd soon encircled them, bets were placed, and whistles were directed towards the two scantily-clad women pulling each other's hair while the escorts struggled to separate them getting their jackets ripped in the process..
Accusation of cheating could be heard from the library along with the sound of breaking furniture and it sounded like supporters and detractors were getting ready to defend the gentlemen's code of honor
A jealous wife stormed in and kicked open all the doors to the rooms looking for her husband. Groups of naked people in compromising positions could be seen through the door frames.
The scene was total, complete and absolute chaos. It was like a scene from a Western when bullets were flying and glass was breaking while the piano continually played. But that illusion came to a screeching halt when the system went crashing onto the hardwood floor.
Stunned by the silence, people quietly decided to call it an evening, while others made their escape, their love of voyeurism made them want to witness what will happen next, they just didn't want to get dragged into it.
Dee saw the girls out after making sure his friends were all right. He had recruited the girls from his class knowing they were prepared to handle tough situations because they all shared the same ambition. "You'll get hazard pay for this." He assured them.
The one who had been in the cat fight was proud she had been able to put her assailant in an arm-lock. "Call it field experience and extra credit, Laytner. And next time you touch my butt without permission, I'll flip you." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "See you in class Monday unless no one pays your bail."
After the party had shut down for the night, Ryo looked around from the center of Ground Zero and saw that he is alone. He would probably have to pay overtime to his cleaning crew and call the glazier to replace the glass on the French doors. He needed to buy a new stereo system, the present one having been ripped out of the walls. The locksmith would have to replace the locks but that would be useless if the doors were off their hinges and... he then collapsed on his knees in the middle of the main room and promptly threw up. Seeming beyond consolation, he curled himself up into a ball and made no attempt to stop the heart-wrenching sobs from shaking his entire body.
Dee, standing behind the door frame, quickly went to Ryo, gathered him up and rocked him like the many babies he had held in his arms, hoping to chase the nightmares away.
TBC.