UNTIL WE BURN

Part Two

UNTIL WE BURN

By Courtney Cole

 Part Two

 

I duck in the back of my favorite restaurant, Providence, and make my way to my regular table.  It’s in the back, in the shadows, and that’s just the way I like it. 

I’m different from most of the people I know who eat here. Most celebrities like to make an entrance through the front because they enjoy how the fans rush up to them, surrounding them with pleas for autographs or pictures.

Not me.

That’s never been me.  

I’ve barely slid into my booth before a waitress slinks over to me, her bright green eyes lighting up as she sees me. 

“Dominic,” she exclaims, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and squeezing.  I grin up at her, genuinely pleased to see her.  Since she’s one of the only women who have ever turned me down, I shouldn’t be so partial to her. 

But that’s not the case.  I actually like her.  

“Hey Alex.” 

She glances around me.  “Where’s Miss Ashby?  Should I watch for her?”

I shake my head, remembering how I spent most of the night tied up in silk cords and getting my ass beat by her.  She’d slipped out of my house before nine a.m. 

“Nope.  She’s at work today.  I’m here on my own.”

“Just the way I like it,” Alex announces smirking.  She sits across the table from me, comfortable now that she knows Amy isn’t coming.  “How are things?  I haven’t seen you in a couple of weeks.”

I shrug.  “I’ve been busy.  Just wrapped production, and I have a couple of weeks before the next film starts.  I’m thinking about going to my brother’s for a weekend or so.  It’d be nice to go home for a few days.”

Alex shakes her head.  “You know that your family has been blessed by the Gods, right?  I mean, you’re gorgeous, sexy as hell and you’ve got the freaking world on a string, Dominic.  Your brothers are in the most famous band in the world and so you’ve got a built-in soundtrack to your life if you want it.”

I have to laugh at that.  “Oh really?  You think that the Devil’s Own will just stop what they’re doing and write some songs for me?  Not hardly.  I love my brothers, but Sin and Duncan aren’t going to interrupt a tour schedule just for me.  But you’re right. I’ve been blessed and I need to remember that.” 

I pick up my menu, even though I know exactly what it says.  As I peruse the food offering, Alex stares at me, her brow furrowed. 

“What’s going on with you, dude?  You don’t seem like yourself.  You seem…off.”

I laugh again. “I am off.  I’ve been off for a long time, but nothing’s wrong.  I’m just feeling a bit tired.  I think going home to Chicago will be good for me. It’ll recharge my batteries, so to speak.”

Alex continues to examine me, her head cocked.  “Okay. If you say so.  But if you want anyone to talk to someone who won’t just tell you what you want to hear, you know you can talk to me.  I’m not concerned with sleeping with you, so I’ll always be honest with you.”

“You’ve got that right,” I tell her wryly. “You’ve never been concerned with sleeping with me.”

She taps her wedding ring.  “Sorry, dude.  You’re hot and all, but I’m one of the few out there who believes that marriage is sacred.  Well, there are only a few here in LA. I’m sure that there are plenty more like me out in the real world.  But us Angelinos are a different breed.”