"Cayden," Szymon Skubisz said as he stood in the bathroom staring at the young man. Cayden seemed lost in thought as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, unaware of the world around him. "Cayden," Szymon said again, getting slightly frustrated that the other man wasn’t responding. He stared at him for a moment before shaking his head and stepping into the bathroom and placing his hand on Cayden’s shoulder.

Cayden King jumped slightly and glanced at Szymon. "You scared me," he said with a sigh as he shook his head.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to," Szymon said. "I’ve been calling you for like two minutes," he explained.

"I’m sorry," Cayden apologized, "I didn’t hear you."

"Well, that’s obvious," Szymon said as he looked into Cayden’s eyes. "What’s wrong?" He questioned. "The other day when you came home you were crying and now you’re acting all distant and strange," he noted.

"Nothing," Cayden responded as he shook his head, "I’m fine."

"Are you sure?" Szymon questioned, "because if you’re not fine, we don’t have to go out tonight, you know that, right?"

"No, I want to go out," Cayden responded as he forced a smile. "I have a new job. I think we should celebrate," he explained.

"We don’t have to stay out late if you don’t want to," Szymon informed him. "We can leave at any time."

"I think I’ll be fine," Cayden responded. "I haven’t been out in quite a while. I want to have fun," he said with a smile.

"Me too," Szymon agreed as he watched Cayden glance down at the floor. He couldn’t help but to think that Cayden was lying to him. He knew Cayden King, probably better than Cayden knew himself, and he could tell when there was something wrong. Still, he didn’t want to press the issue because Cayden assured him that nothing was wrong.

"Hey," Szymon said as he raised his fingers to Cayden’s face and lifted his chin slightly. "You know that I love you, right?" He questioned.

Cayden King glanced into Szymon Skubisz’ eyes and smiled. "I love you too," he responded.

"Good," Szymon said as he leaned in close and gave Cayden a kiss. "Now, let’s get a move on," he said after pulling away.

"I’m right behind you," Cayden said as Szymon stepped out of the bathroom. He glanced in the mirror one last time and couldn’t recognize the person that he’d become. Slowly, Cayden reached for the light switch and shut it off.

"I’m coming with you," Victoria King said as Cayden stepped out of the bedroom. She was wearing a black dress and heels and her hair and makeup were done nicely. Cayden paused as he stared at his mother. "I just got a new job too," Victoria said, "and I feel like celebrating."

"Okay," Cayden said with a smile as he glanced over at Szymon, who has a smile from ear to ear. Cayden glanced back at his mother. He was happy for his mother and hadn’t seen her so alive in such a long time. "You do know that we’re going to a gay club, right?"

"So what?" Victoria responded. "I have a gay son, I have to get used to it, right? And besides, I can’t think of anyone else in the world that I’d rather be celebrating with right now," Victoria explained.

"Me either," Szymon agreed. "Congratulations to the both of you."

"Thank you, Szymon," Victoria said as she grabbed her coat, "Now, I do believe that we have some celebrating to do," she explained as glanced over at her son.

Cayden smiled and shook his head. "We certainly do," he agreed as he stepped to his mother’s side and offered his arm. She accepted it graciously and the two of them walked toward the door where Szymon was standing. He nodded and opened the door for them, allowing them to step outside before he followed and pulled the door closed, locking it behind them.

"Wait a second," Victoria King said before they continued down the hall. "This isn’t right," she said.

"What?" Cayden questioned.

"Well," Victoria said with a smile. "You’re Szymon’s date tonight," she explained, "and I’m holding onto your arm."

"No, it’s fine," Szymon Skubisz said with a smile. "I don’t mind. In fact," he said as he stepped up to Victoria, "why don’t you take my arm too. That way, you’ll have two handsome men as your dates tonight," he chided.

"Oh yes," Cayden chimed in, "you’ll be the envy of every queen," he joked.

"Handsome, yes," Victoria said as she grabbed Szymon’s arm as well and glanced at the two of them, "but no one can ever accuse either of you of being modest."

"You want to go to a gay club?" Gage Matthews questioned as he stared at Devon curiously. "Why?" He couldn’t fathom why Devon would want to drag him to a gay nightclub, knowing full well that he was straight.

"We’re celebrating," Devon responded as she stood in the bathroom with her hair wrapped around a curling iron.

"What are we celebrating?" Gage questioned.

"Cayden got a job and Elijah didn’t get fired," Devon explained.

"Well good for Elijah for actually doing his job," Gage teased.

"I h-heard that," Elijah called out from the living room.

Gage shook his head and smiled. "Does he live here now?" Gage questioned, lowering his voice. "He’s here all the time."

"How would you know? You‘re never here," Devon rejoined.

Gage paused for a moment. "Did I do something to upset you?" Gage questioned, "because I feel like your giving me attitude or something. Is it because I cancelled dinner?" He questioned. "I told you baby, I had a meeting that I couldn’t get out of."

"It’s not about tonight," Devon responded. "It’s about every night. It’s about the fact that I can’t seem to count on you anymore," Devon explained. "When you found out that we were going to have a baby, you made all sorts of promises to me," she explained. "You said that you would be here for me to help me, but I hardly ever see you anymore, and when I do see you, you’re cancelling dinner dates or running out the door."

"I’m sorry baby, this is a really hectic time for me. I’m diversifying my portfolio and investing money left and right. I’m doing all of this for us," he explained, "I’m doing it for our family," he explained.

"Did you gamble for our family too?" Devon questioned as she stared at him through the mirror. "Did you put my life and our child’s life in danger for our family?" Devon questioned. "Is that why that man came to my apartment to collect your debt, for our family?"

Gage stared at her in silence for a moment before speaking. "Baby, I told you that I was done with that," he explained.

"Oh really?" Devon questioned. "I followed you today," Devon admitted. "You weren’t at any goddamned music store."

Gage’s face went blank with surprise. "You followed me?" He questioned. "You shouldn’t have done that," Gage said as he shook his head and stepped away from the bathroom door to sit on the edge of the bed. "Why did you do that? Did anyone see you?" He questioned.

"How the hell should I know?," Devon responded as she set the curling iron down and unplugged it, stepping out of the bathroom. "And why would I care? Who was in that building anyway?" Devon questioned.

"Devon, listen to me," Gage said as he stood up from the bed. "Promise me that you’ll never go to that building again," he said as he looked into her eyes.

"Promises don’t seem to get kept around here," Devon said as she tried to turn away.

"No, Devon, please!" Gage said as he pulled her back, jostling her slightly. "Promise me that you will never go to that building again," he said.

Devon stared into his eyes silently and saw fear registering back at her. "Gage, what is going on?" She questioned. "I need you to be honest with me," she explained. "Tell me what’s happening."

Gage Matthews turned away from Devon and sighed. "I got mixed up with some really bad people," Gage admitted. "I couldn’t wait for my parents to send me my allowance so I borrowed some money. It was a sure thing," he explained. "My horse was supposed to win."

"You borrowed money to bet on the horses?" Devon questioned loudly. "You son of a bitch!"

"No, baby, listen. It was a sure thing."

"You lost, didn’t you?" Devon questioned as she stared at Gage. "You don’t even have to answer," she explained, "because I know you lost."

Gage nodded in silence.

"And now they want their money back, don’t they?" Devon questioned, "and you can’t afford to pay them. How much did you borrow?" Devon asked. Gage fell silent. "How much did you borrow?" She asked again.

"Thirty grand," Gage responded.

"Holy shit," Devon said as she shook her head. "Thirty fucking grand?"

"That’s nothing to these guys, Baby, it’s chump change."

"And you’re the fucking chump," Devon declared. "What happens if you can’t pay it back?"

Gage stared at her in silence.

"What happens if you can’t pay it back?" She asked again.

"I’m going to pay it back," Gage explained. "I made a deal with them, it’s all been taken care of," he explained.

"What kind of deal did you make?" Devon questioned.

"Don’t worry about it," Gage assured her. "It’ll all be over with soon, I promise."

"Don’t you dare make promises to me that you can’t keep," Devon explained as she grabbed her coat and stepped out of the bedroom and into the living room. "Let’s go," she said to Elijah. He was standing in her living room in silence.

"Is e-everything okay?" He questioned.

"Everything is fine," Devon responded, "Gage is going to take care of it," she added sarcastically. "Cayden must be waiting downstairs," she said. "Let’s go."

"O-okay," Elijah responded as he reached for his coat and followed her out of the apartment. Gage slowly walked into the living room in silence. He reached into his pocket for his cell phone and sighed as he dialed.

He waited patiently for the phone to ring. "Hello," He said when he heard someone’s voice. "Mom, it’s Gage again . . ."

"Steven, have you seen my black coat," Ryan Clarke questioned as she searched her closet. "I can’t find it anywhere."

"I haven’t seen it," Steven Harris responded from where he stood at the bedroom door staring at Ryan. "You look like a whore," he said.

"Steven, please," Ryan said as she glanced down at her outfit, "no I don’t."

"Your skirt is too short, and your tits are practically hanging out of that top. I think you should change," he noted.

"I don’t have time to change," Ryan explained. "I have to be at the club in fifteen minutes. If I change, I’ll be late for my first day. I don’t want to make a bad first impression."

"So you’d rather make a cheap one?" Steven inquired.

Ryan paused and glanced at him for a moment. "Thank you," she said with a sigh. "You always know how to make me feel like shit," she explained.

"I’m just being honest," Steven replied. "You look like a prostitute. Why are you dressing up anyway? It’s a gay bar. Fags aren’t into tits," he explained.

"Steven, that’s not appropriate," Ryan said with a sigh as she found her coat and grabbed it off of the hanger. "If you’re going to come with me, then you can’t talk like that, especially in the club."

"The only reason I’m coming with you is to check out what kind of place this is," Steven assured her. "If I don’t like it, then we’re out of there. You can find another job."

"Steven, we need to pay the bills. Even if I end up not liking it, I have to stay at least until I find another job. I can’t just quit because you don’t like it," she explained.

"Yes you can," Steven assured her.

"Look, let’s just go and see what it’s like before we jump to any conclusions, okay? Can we at least agree on that?"

"Fine," Steven sighed as he shook his head. "We’ll go."

"Good, then let’s get moving, I don’t want to be late," Ryan said as she walked past him. Steven followed he out into the hall and locked the door and Ryan headed toward the elevator and pressed the button. Further down the hall, Sarah Mulberry stepped out of her apartment and glanced at them.

"Hello," she said as she saw Ryan. "Wow, you look nice, where are you guys headed?" She asked as she approached them. "I’m headed to work," Ryan responded. "I just got a job bartending," she explained.

"At a gay bar," Steven mumbled as he joined them by the elevator.

Sarah glanced over at him uncomfortably. "What’s wrong with that?" She questioned.

"That’s what I told him," Ryan agreed. "There’s nothing wrong with gay people or gay bars. A job is a job," she explained.

"Exactly," Sarah said. "I’m actually headed out to a gay bar myself," she explained. "A bunch of us decided to go out and celebrate. We’re going to Xstatic."

"Really?" Ryan said with surprise, "That’s where I was hired."

"Cool," Sarah said as she glanced in her purse. "Shit, I forgot my cell phone," she said. "I see you guys there," she said a she turned back and walked down the hall.

"Okay," Ryan called out as the elevator doors opened. She stepped inside and Steven followed her. She smiled at him as the door closed and Steven turned toward her and in one quick movement, lifted his arm and backhanded her across the cheek. Ryan lost her footing and crashed into the wall.

"Don’t you ever try to make me look stupid in front of anyone ever again," he said softly as he pressed the button and waited for the elevator to descend.

"Jesse, you’re going out again? Where are you going?" Liliana Martinez asked as she stood in the doorway of the bedroom watching her grandson tie his shoes.

"I’m just going to this club with some of my friends," he explained as he stood up and glanced around for his jacket. "It’s no big deal."

"You can’t go out to a club," Liliana explained. "There will be alcohol there and you can’t mix your medication with alcohol," she reminded him as she shook her head. "No, I don’t think this is a very good idea, I think you should stay home."

"I don’t recall asking you if it was a good idea or not," Jesse responded after finding his coat and walking over to the door. "I’m going."

Liliana Martinez glanced over at her grandson and in one quick movement, reached out and slapped him across the face. "No me hables asi," she said sternly, "don’t speak to me like that, Jesse," she repeated.

"Then don’t treat me like a child, Abuela. I’m not a little kid anymore. I can make my own decisions," he said as he rushed past her.

"Look at you," Liliana said with frustration. "You have no respect for me anymore. You openly defy me and you brush me to the side like someone you don’t even know," she explained. "How else am I supposed to treat you when you act like this?"

"How about like a person," Jesse said as he turned back toward her. "Why don’t you treat me like a person instead of like some poor little dog?" He questioned.

"Ay Jesse, por favor," Liliana sighed.

"No, it’s true. You treat me like I can’t make a single decision on my own. You watch everything I do and listen to everything I say. I’m not going to break," Jesse assured her. "I’m stronger than I was before I went into the hospital," he explained.

"I don’t think that’s true," Liliana interjected.

"You’re welcome to your opinion, Abuela, but that’s all it is, your opinion. You’re staying with me because you want to help me, right?"

"Por supuesto," Liliana answered. "Of course I’m here to help you."

"Then help me," Jesse said with frustration. "Help me get my life back to something that resembles normalcy. Help me get back on track with my friends and my family and everything else. Don’t stop me from doing the things that I want to do, help me do them. That’s the only way that I’ll get better, Abuela, and you can either help me, or you can keep trying to stop me, but either way I’m going to do them."

Liliana Martinez fell silent as she stared at her grandson. Jesse Martinez stared back. "Do you have anything to say?" He questioned. "Anything at all?" He waited for Liliana to respond. "I know you have the best intentions for me, but I have intentions of my own," Jesse explained. "We can sit here and fight all the time or we can come to an agreement. I know that I need you," Jesse admitted. "I can’t do this alone. I need someone here with me and I want that person to be you, but I need you to understand that there are things that I want to do, things that you may not agree with. I’m still going to do them," he explained.

"Okay," Liliana Martinez said with a nod. "Go and do what you have to do," she said.

"Thank you, Abeula," Jesse said as he rushed toward her and gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek. "I won’t be back too late," he said as he rushed out of the door.

"You go do what you have to do," Liliana repeated as she walked toward the telephone, picked it up and began dialing, "and I will do what I have to do."

"Oh, Sweetie, you are absolutely delicious! Come on over here so I can get a better look at you," Ms. La Diva Jackson called out as Szymon and Cayden walked through the doors of the Xstatic nightclub.

Cayden smiled with surprise and glanced at Szymon. "Holy shit, that’s a man," Cayden said with surprise.

"Of course it is," Szymon replied, "you’ve never seen a drag queen before?"

"Only on television," Cayden admitted with awe as they walked toward the towering beauty.

"My, my, my, Szymon," La Diva said as she glanced at Cayden. "This one is absolutely scrumptious. Where did you ever find him?" She questioned as she walked around Cayden, eyeing him carefully.

"New Hampshire," Szymon responded happily.

"They make boys like this in New Hampshire?" La Diva questioned. "I’m definitely in the wrong state. Where’s my travel agent? I need a first class train ticket to New Hampshire! What‘s your name, Honey?" She questioned.

Cayden blushed. "Cayden," he responded.

"Cayden, I love the name! Szymon, you’re going to have to watch out, Ms. Jackson’s feeling a little jealous here and you know there’s nothing worse than a jealous drag queen," she informed him.

"Or an angry police detective," Szymon chided.

"Message received," La Diva said as she put her hands in the air. "I promise not to touch him, if you promise not to frisk me," she smiled. "On second thought, maybe you outta frisk me anyway," she laughed. "Now come on over and give Ms. Jackson some sugar," she said.

Szymon smiled as walked over to the tall drag queen, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Where is Sebby?" He questioned as he glanced around at the crowd.

"I haven’t seen him this evening. I think he might be in his office," La Diva replied. "But you know how Sebby is, he probably found some cute little thing and brought him back to his office. He’s a man-whore," La Diva said to Cayden.

Cayden blushed. "Okay," he said awkwardly.

"Go and get you some drinks at the bar, Baby," La Diva said to Szymon. "Ari’s working tonight. She’ll take good care of you."

"Thanks, I‘ll catch up with you later," Szymon said as he reached for Cayden’s arm and walked toward the bar.

"I’ll be here, Baby. Just come by and sit on Momma’s lap," she added with a wink.

"You know her?" Cayden said as they walked toward the bar.

"La Diva?" Szymon questioned. "I’ve known her for years. Of course, when we first met she was still going by the name Lawrence," he laughed.

Cayden smiled and began laughing before he realized that something was wrong. "Where’s my mother?" He questioned as he glanced around.

"She was just behind us," Szymon answered as he searched for her. "There she is," he said as he pointed in La Diva’s direction and began laughing.

Cayden glanced over at his mother as she conversed with Ms. La Diva Jackson. He smiled as Victoria approached him. "Cayden," she said excitedly, "that was a man!"

Both Cayden and Szymon glanced at one another and began to laugh.

"I need a drink," Devon James said as she stepped into the club and glanced around.

"Y-you can’t," Elijah Montessori interjected, "you’re pregnant."

"No shit, Sherlock," Devon responded, slightly annoyed, "it’s kind of hard to forget, my stomach’s practically out to here," she explained.

"It’s n-not that b-bad," Elijah noted.

"You try carrying around a bowling ball and then tell me if it’s bad," Devon grumbled. "Besides, I think I deserve the right to have a drink right about now. My life is falling apart," she explained.

"It’s n-not just your l-life," Elijah reminded her.

"I know," Devon said as she turned toward him, "and I’m sorry. You’re in this mess every bit as much as I am."

"We-we’re friends," Elijah admitted.

"I just wish we knew who was behind the phone call," Devon sighed. "Who the hell do you think it is?" She questioned.

"I d-don’t know," Elijah said.

"Let’s go get that drink," Devon sighed as they headed to the bar. "I think I’m going to need it," she sighed as they reached the bar.

Standing behind the bar, a beautiful black woman shook her head as they approached. "Well, here’s a sight I thought I’d never see in a million years," she said as she stepped forward. "Devon James in a gay bar," she said with a smile.

"Johnny?" Devon said as she noticed the woman talking to her. "What the hell are you doing here?" She questioned. "Are you a bartender here?"

"Hell no," Johanna Leonard responded. "I own the place. Well, my partner and I own the place," she explained. "What brings you here?" She asked.

"I’m here with some friends," she explained as she glanced at Elijah. "This is Elijah," she said, introducing the two of them.

"Johnny," the woman said as she reached over the bar and extended her hand for a shake. Elijah accepted it and smiled.

"N-nice to m-meet you," he said, causing Johnny to look at him strangely.

"Head injury," Devon said, "long story."

"I see," Johnny said with a nod. "What’re you drinking? It’s on me," she said with a smile. "I remember babysitting her difficult ass," Johnny said to Elijah. "Even then I knew she’d be a force to reckon with," she explained.

"Th-that’s such an un-understatement," Elijah laughed.

"Let me get the new girl over here, just a second," Johnny said. "Hey Ryan," she called out to the bartender at the other end of the bar. "These two get free drinks all night," she explained as the girl walked over. "They can have whatever they want," she explained.

Ryan Clarke glanced over the bar at Devon James and Elijah Montessori and paused.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Devon James questioned with disbelief.

"She’s my new bartender," Johnny explained.

"She’s you’re new what?"

"Are you as fucked up as your friend here?" Johnny questioned Devon while motioning to Elijah. "No offense, kid," she said.

"N-none t-taken," Elijah responded.

"She’s my new bartender," she repeated.

"Okay…" Devon said softly. "I’ll have a cranberry and vodka," she said.

"M-me too," Elijah agreed.

"Are you serious?" Ryan questioned. "You expect me to serve you alcohol?"

"Um… yes," Devon responded.

"But you’re pregnant," Ryan said.

"You’re pregnant?" Johnny questioned. "Holy shit, when did you get knocked up?" She questioned.

"About four months ago," Devon sighed.

"Your mother never said anything," Johnny said curiously. "Holy shit, you haven’t told her yet," Johnny laughed as she shook her head. "You’re playing with fire, Devon. When your mother finds out, you know what‘s going to happen, don‘t you?"

"Of course I do, and that’s the only reason I haven’t told her yet," Devon explained. "But I will."

"Good," Johnny said. "Give her what she wants," she said to Ryan as she began to walk away, "but hold the vodka," she added with a smile.

"Thanks a lot," Devon sighed as she rolled her eyes at Ryan Clarke.

"This place is off the hook," Sarah Mulberry said as she spotted the group by the bar across from the stage. "Holy shit, that’s guy’s dong is sticking out!" She exclaimed as she pointed to the stage, her mouth open and eyes wide with surprise. "What the hell kind of place is this, and how come I’ve never heard of it before?" She questioned.

"Nobody here wants your skinny ass," Devon responded as she rolled her eyes. "Besides, the men here are all gay anyway," she explained.

"Are you kidding me?" Sarah questioned, unable to take her eyes off of the man on the stage. "But he’s gorgeous…"

"And all he’s thinking about is penis," Devon assured her.

"You’re so disgusting," Sarah rejoined.

Devon smiled and shook her head and blew a kiss at Sarah. "Takes one to know one," she smiled.

Sarah rolled her eyes and turned to the bar. "Ryan!" She called out. "Lemme get a Long Island iced tea," she said.

"Sure thing," Ryan responded with a wink.

Sarah turned back toward the stage. "Maybe he’s not completely gay," she said. "Maybe he’s bisexual."

"Y-you wish," Elijah Montessori said.

"I do, I really really do," Sarah agreed.

"Keep dreaming," Cayden said. "He’s totally gay."

"How can you be sure?" Szymon inquired.

"Yeah, you really can’t tell these days," Sarah said.

"I can tell," Cayden assured them.

"Oh yeah, how?" Sarah asked.

"I don’t know, I just can," Cayden said with a shrug.

"He’s a fag," Victoria King said as she set her glass down on the bar, causing everyone to turn and look at her.

"What?" She questioned.

"Mom," Cayden said, laughing slightly, "you’re not supposed to call people fags," he informed her.

"Why not? That’s what he is, right?" She questioned as she stepped off of the barstool. "He’s got on a pink speedo," she said as she pointed to the stage and glanced in that direction. "Oh my God, where’s the pink speedo?" She questioned as she realized that the man on the stage was now completely naked. Her face turned red with embarrassment.

"Mom, are you okay?" Cayden questioned.

Victoria King stared at the man on the stage and shook her head. "I’m fine," she said with a nod as the redness began to go away. "For the first time in a long time, I am fine," she explained. "I have a job and a new apartment," she explained.

"You have a new apartment?" Cayden questioned. "Congratulations!"

"I wanted to tell you later, but now’s as good a time as any," Victoria explained. "I should be happy, right?" She explained. "I shouldn’t be sad."

"Why are you sad?" Cayden questioned.

"I just got the divorce papers," Victoria explained. "It’s real, Cayden, I’m getting a divorce," she explained, causing everyone to glance at her sadly. "It’s okay," Victoria explained, "It’s what I want, but after twenty years of marriage, it’s hard to admit that things just didn’t work out," she explained.

"Mom, it’s going to be okay," Cayden explained as he stepped up beside her. "You have us now," he explained. "We’re your family now," he smiled.

"That’s right," Devon said as she raised her glass of cranberry juice. "To Victoria," she said, "she’s finally free."

"To Victoria," Elijah repeated.

"Yeah," everyone else said as they raised their glasses.

"I am free," Victoria realized. "I’m free," she repeated.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and men," Ms. La Diva Jackson said as she took the stage. "Xstatic is proud to present one of our most popular dancers! He’s here tonight to give you an extra special treat," she continued. "Let’s give it up for Nicolae!" She declared as the crowed went wild and the music began playing loudly.

The dressing room door opened and Nicolae Federov walked toward the stage as the lights sparkled and flashed and the music went into full swing.

"Oh my God," Elijah Montessori said with surprise, choking on his drink.

"Hey, isn’t that . . ."

"That’s him," Elijah said with shock as he watched Nicolae dance on the stage. He couldn’t take his eyes off of him and he found himself slowly walking up to the stage through the crowd.

Nicolae Federov moved his body in sync with the music as he began to remove his clothing. He smiled and tossed his tank top toward a group of young men, who fought over it. Turning, he scanned the crowd as the music poured into his soul.

"Nicolae!" Elijah Montessori called out as he waved to him.

Nicolae continued to dance, crouching down beside an older man who shoved money into his shorts. Smiling, Nicolae moved away slowly and cupped his hands into his shorts, sliding them down slowly, careful not to reveal anything too quickly. He scanned the crowd again, realizing that their anticipation was growing and in one swift movement, his shorts were gone and he turned and presented his naked body to the crowd.

Nicolae’s eyes locked with Elijah Monessori’s and each of them paused with surprise. Elijah watched him for a moment, then turned away. "Elijah!" Nicolae called out and he jumped from the stage. "Wait!" He caught Elijah’s arm and pulled him back. "I’m sorry, I meant to tell you," he said softly.

"T-tell me wh-what? That’s y-you’re a st-stripper?" Elijah questioned. "Th-that you g-give the s-same st-story to all the g-guys?" He asked.

"No," Nicolae responded. "Come with me," he said as he pulled Elijah in the direction of the dressing room, much to the disagreement of the crowd.

"Alright," Ms. La Diva Jackson called out, "settle down. We can’t all be the lucky ones," she said. "We’ll have more dancers in just a minute, but until then, let’s party!" She cried.

"Wait, stop!" Nicolae said as he prevented Elijah from fleeing and pulled him into the dressing room. "Guys, I need the room," he called out to the other dancers sitting in there. "Now!" He shouted. They rolled their eyes and stood up, exiting the room and leaving Nicolae and Elijah alone.

"Let me explain," Nicolae said.

"Th-there’s nothing to explain," Elijah responded. "You’re a st-stripper. I g-get it."

"Yes, that much is true," Nicolae said, "but that doesn’t change anything."

"It ch-changes everything," Elijah said. "You l-lied to me."

"No," Nicolae said as he shook his head. "I never lied to you. Everything I told you was the truth. I really do like you," he explained.

"I b-bet you tell th-that to all the g-guys," Elijah rejoined. "Th-the ones you c-can get money fr-from, right?"

Nicolae Federov paused. "Is that what you think I’m doing?" He questioned. "Do you honestly think I’m trying to pursue you for money?"

"A-aren’t you?" Elijah questioned.

"No," Nicolae said as he shook his head. "I take my clothes off for money. I dance on a stage for money. I don’t use people for money," he explained. "And I would never use you."

"L-let’s not f-forget how we met," Elijah explained.

"Who cares how we met? So we screwed around in a closet at the magazine, so what? I really like you, Elijah, and that’s not a lie."

"Th-then be honest w-w-ith me," Elijah sighed.

"I am. I will," Nicolae nodded.

Elijah glanced at him for a long time. "Y-you’re hot," he said with a smile.

Nicolae shook his head. "You’re not so bad yourself," he laughed as he leaned forward and kissed Elijah softly.

"I'm gonna go look for Sebby," Szymon said, "he's an old friend of mine that owns this place," he explained.

"Okay," Cayden said. "I'll be right here," he said as he glanced around the bar.

"Cayden, what the hell are you doing here?" Vivian Powers questioned as she saw the young man standing by the bar. Cayden stared at Vivian with surprise.

"Oh my God," Vivian, "I’m… I’m…"

"Relax, Kid," Vivian said as she shook her head. "You’re having a good time. I won’t fire you for that," she explained.

Cayden sighed with relief. "What brings you here?" He questioned.

"We’re doing a story on New York nightlife," Vivian explained. "We’re going around to different bars and taking pictures and interviewing people," she said as a man approached her. "Cayden, this is Michael Carter, he’s a senior reporter at the magazine. Michael, this is Cayden," she said, introducing the two of them.

"Nice to meet you," Cayden said as he extended his hand for a shake.

"Nice to meet you, too," Michael responded. "Vivian won’t shut up about you, I’m finally glad to get the chance to meet you in person," he explained.

"Let’s not get all sappy," Vivian said. "We need some good shots," she said. "Tell the photogs to set up on the balconies. We’ll get some good shots looking down, and make sure you get some good quotes. Check with the manager for a staff interview," she explained. "You know… do your job," Vivian explained.

"Will do," Michael said with a nod. Glancing at Cayden, he smiled. "I’ll see you around," he said with a wink.

Cayden’s face flushed red. "Okay," he said with a nod.

"Michael’s one of the best," Vivian explained. "He’s an asset to the magazine."

"I’m looking forward to working with him," Cayden explained.

"You should be," Vivian responded as she glanced around the club. "This place is amazing," she explained. "After we write this story, every gay man in New York will be banging on the door to get in," she smiled. "Look, that woman just jumped on the stage," she exclaimed.

"Where?" Cayden questioned. "Oh my God, that’s my mother!" He shouted.

Victoria King danced on the stage with one of the half naked strippers. She waived her arms and laughed as she reached for his cowboy hat and put it on her own head. The stripped took her presence on the stage in stride and reached for her, lifting her up in the air. Victoria screamed with delight as she circled her legs around his waist and bounced crazily.

"Mom!" Cayden King shouted with surprise.

"Oh damn, Cayden," Devon said as she ran over to him. "Your the mom’s the shit!"

Szymon Skubisz knocked on the door of the office and reached down to open it. He peered inside. "Szymon!" Sebastiano D’Agostino said, "come in," he waived. "Ari was just telling me that you were here," he said with a smile as he stood up from his desk.

"Ari," Szymon smiled. "How are you, you’re looking well."

"Of course I am," Ari responded. "I always do."

"So what’s the status on the bar tonight," Sebby questioned his head bartender.

"Everything’s looking good. Even the new chick is doing well," she explained. "Hasn’t broken a glass yet," she added with a smirk.

"Good, let me know how it goes tonight, Johnny’s looking to make some changes. She wants to raise the prices," he explained.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Ari said with a shrug. "They’re buying drinks out there like it’s water," she explained.

"That’s what I like to hear," Sebby smiled as Ari headed for the door.

"And you," Ari said as she stopped by Szymon’s side and pointed to him. "If you see my sister, tell her that she needs to bring that little rugrat by my place soon. I haven’t seen Sammy in weeks," she explained.

"I haven’t spoken with Cecilia in a couple of days," Szymon explained, "but I’ll let her know," he added with a nod.

"I should call Andrea, at least she has the decency to remember be once in a while, not like my sister," Arianna Nakamura explained.

"Cici’s having a rough time," Szymon explained.

"Oh please, that bitch recovered from her falls weeks ago, she’s just milking the worker’s comp people now. I know how she is," Ari laughed. "I’ll talk to you later," she said as she stepped out of the door, pulling it closed behind her.

"Is it safe to talk in here?" Szymon questioned as he glanced over at Sebby.

"It’s safe," Sebby nodded as he motioned for Szymon to take a seat. "What’s up?"

"Your brother," Szymon explained.

"No, Szymon, you know that I have nothing to do with my brother’s business."

"Don’t give me that shit," Szymon said as he sat down. "You know Vinny better than anyone else. What is he up to?" He questioned.

"I have no idea."

"Sebby, it’s only a matter of time before we take him down."

"He’s my brother, Szymon," Sebby responded.

"I know that… and I also know what he did to you," Szymon explained. "When he found out about you."

Sebby sighed and shook his head. "Let’s not get into that," he said.

"No, let’s get into that," Szymon said, leaning forward. "How long were you in the hospital after those guys beat you half to death?" Szymon questioned. "How many bones did they break? What did your face look like?"

"That’s enough!" Sebby said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "When my brother found out I was gay, he freaked out. So does every other Italian man," he explained.

"That’s no excuse, you’re his brother."

"And now I’m dead to him," Sebby explained. "I go to visit my Ma and if he’s there, he ignores me. It works out for us that way. I don’t talk to him and he doesn’t talk to me."

"Sebby, he’s hurting a lot of people. Something has to be done. I just need your help. I know you‘re not the kind of guy that forgets," Szymon explained, "and I know you still haven‘t forgotten what your brother did to you. Isn‘t that why you built this place, to rub it in his face that you‘re gay?" He questioned as he stared at the man. "Come on, I know you want to get back at him."

"Fine," Sebby sighed. "I have some of my guys looking into Vinny’s business," he explained.

"I knew it," Szymon said, "give me something," he pleaded. "Anything to help take Vinny down."

"It’s hard, you know," Sebby said as he shook his head. "When we were kids, me you and Vinny would hang out all the time. Now look at us. Vinny’s a mobster, you’re a cop and I’m stuck in between, like always."

"It doesn’t have to be like that," Szymon assured him. "You can help me take him down. You won’t have to be in the middle anymore."

"What happened to us?" Sebby questioned. "How did we get here?"

"We grew up," Szymon responded.

"Hey, remember the time we were in my room looking at that gay magazine and touching eachother and Vinny almost caught us?" Sebby questioned with a laugh.

"I thought he was going to kick our asses," Szymon smiled.

"What happened to my brother?" Sebby questioned, his face going serious.

"He made the wrong choices," Szymon explained.

Sebby nodded his head slightly. "He’s putting pressure on this lawyer named Talbot," he admitted. "He wants the guy in his back pocket."

"Why do you think he’s doing that?" Szymon questioned.

"I don’t know, but I think he has a plan. Vinny’s been trying to take control of the city. He already has a few cops and politicians on his payroll, but I don’t know what he’s planning for this Talbot guy. That’s all I know, that and his main enforcer went missing."

"What happened to him?" Szymon questioned.

"I don’t know. I had my guys tailing him and he went into this building over on West 10th and never came out," Sebby explained.

"West 10th? That’s where I live," Szymon noted.

"Oh yeah?" Sebby questioned. "Well, this was over on 415 West 10th. Do you know the place?" He asked.

"Yeah, I know the place," Szymon Skubisz nodded. "That’s my building."

"Look at all of these fags," Steven Harris said with disgust as he glanced around the club. "This place is disgusting," he noted. "Ryan," he called out. "Let’s get the hell out of here," he said, trying to get her attention.

Ryan smiled as she set a couple of drinks down on the counter and collected the money. She turned and saw Steven waving at her and walked over to him. "What’s up, Babe? Do you want another drink?" She questioned.

"No, I’m all set, and so are you," he explained. "We’re leaving."

"I can’t leave," Ryan explained. "I still have three hours left on my shift."

"No, you’re done," Steven explained to her. "We’re leaving and you’re not coming back."

"What’s wrong?" Ryan questioned.

"This place is crawling with degenerates. I don’t want you working here," Steven explained.

"It’s not that bad," Ryan said.

"I’m going to take a piss and when I get back, you’d better be ready to go," Steven said. "You don’t want me to get upset, do you Baby?" He questioned.

Ryan glanced at him for a moment.

"Well, do you?" Steven questioned again. "You know what happens when I get upset, Ryan. You don’t want that to happen do you, because if you stay then you know I’m going to get angry, and when I get angry, I can’t control myself and it’ll be your fault, Baby. You don’t want that to happen, right?" Steven questioned.

"No," Ryan said, shaking her head. "Let me get my coat," she said softly.

"I gotta piss. Be ready to leave when I get back," Steven said before walking toward the bathrooms.

"Okay," Ryan said with a nod as she turned away.

"You must really love him," Jesse Martinez said.

"Excuse me?" Ryan questioned when she realized that he had been sitting by the bar.

"I said you must really love him," Jesse repeated.

"What’s it to you?" Ryan inquired.

"Well, any woman who would let a man beat on her must really be in love," he explained.

"That’s none of your business," Ryan Clarke explained.

"Maybe not," Jesse said, "but it must be true. Do you like getting hit?" He questioned.

"What is your problem?" Ryan asked. "Why won’t you just leave me alone? What do you want from me?"

"I want to beat you," Jesse responded calmly. "I want to make a nice tight fist and slam it in your face," he added.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Ryan questioned.

"Well, that’s the way that people show love, right?" Jesse questioned. "So, basically, if I beat you, you’ll love me, right?"

"Fuck you."

"No, that’s basically what’s happening here, right? He beats you and you stay with him, so it stands to reason that you love him because he beats you."

"He doesn’t…"

"Doesn’t what?" Jesse interjected. "Doesn’t beat you? I can probably find half a dozen bruises on your body that would say otherwise," Jesse explained, causing Ryan to fall silent.

"Do you enjoy it?" He questioned.

Ryan Clarke stared at Jesse Martinez in silence before shaking her head.

"Do you want it to stop?" Jesse questioned.

Ryan nodded her head.

"Then keep working," Jesse said. "Keep pouring drinks, keep smiling, and keep having a good time," he said as he turned away from the bar and began to walk toward the bathroom.

"Jesse!" Ryan Clarke shouted. "Jesse, what are you going to do?" She called out. Jesse Martinez was already halfway toward the bathroom. "Oh my God," Ryan said to herself, "what did I just do?"

"Cayden, this is Diego," Victoria said with a laugh as she and the stripper she was dancing with approached the bar. She had her arm around his shoulder as he danced beside her. "He’s from Puerto Rico," she explained.

"Your mother is a wonderful dancer," Diego said with a Spanish accent.

"Mom, you’re drunk," Cayden smiled.

"Go Cayden’s mom!" Sarah Mulberry said as she raised her drink. "She’s got game!" She added before knocking back her drink and slamming her glass on the counter. "Get me another!" She said to the bartender.

"Honey, I think you’ve have too many already," Ari said as she shook her head.

"What, are you my babysitter?" Sarah questioned. "Don’t worry about me, I’m fine."

"Whatever," Ari said as she shrugged her shoulders and started to make another drink.

"Now that’s what I’m talking about!" Sarah shouted as she turned back toward Victoria and her new friend the stripper. "So, are you gay?" Sarah questioned.

"Sometimes," Diego responded with a smirk, "and sometimes I’m not."

"Oh shit," Sarah said as she wobbled slightly, "I don’t feel good. I’m going to the bathroom…"

"We’re going to get something to eat," Victoria explained as Sarah stumbled past her. "Diego’s taking me to this place that serves breakfast all the time. Do you guys want to come?" She questioned.

"It’s a nice place," Diego assured them. "You should come with us," he added as he stared at Cayden, smiling.

"I can’t," Cayden said as he shook his head and tried to talk louder than the music. "I can’t find my boyfriend."

"Then find a new one," Diego said with a shrug. "Just look around, you’ll find one."

Cayden laughed and shook his head. "No thanks, I like the one I’ve got."

"Okay then," Diego said. "We’re leaving then."

"Mom," Cayden said as he caught her hand. "Are you okay?" He questioned.

"I’m fine," Victoria responded.

"Do you know this guy?" He asked.

"His name is Diego," Victoria answered.

"I know that, but do you know anything about him?" He questioned.

"I know enough," Victoria explained. "I’m just having fun, Cayden. It’s not the end of the world."

"But Mom…"

"Cayden," Victoria sighed. "If there’s one thing that I did wrong in raising you, it’s that I sheltered you too much. You’re a lot like me, you rarely take chances and you always play it safe. Let’s stop being those boring people," she sighed. "Let’s take chances and live life to the fullest. I’ll be okay, honey. Don’t worry about me."

"Okay," Cayden said with a nod. "Just be careful."

"Okay, Dad," Victoria chided as she allowed Diego to lead her out of the club.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Steven questioned as he stepped into the bathroom and saw two men staring at him. "Fucking fags," he said as he shook his head and walked over toward the stalls. He opened the door of the stall closest to him and saw two men standing in there making out.

"Jesus Christ!" He said as he turned away and walked toward the very end of the row where he found an empty stall. He unzipped and began to urinate, sighing with relief. In just a few shorts minutes he and Ryan would be on their way home.

Finishing up, he zipped his pants and turned to open the stall door where he found Jesse Martinez standing there.

"What the fuck do you want?" Steven questioned.

"It’s simple," Jesse responded. "I want you to leave Ryan alone."

"Oh yeah," Steven laughed, "and who’s going to make me?" He questioned.

"Me," Jesse explained. "It’s easy to beat on someone that can’t fight back," Jesse noted. "Let’s see how you do with someone that can fight back."

"You’re going to fight me?" Steven questioned.

"No, I’m going to kick your ass if you don’t leave Ryan alone."

"What is she, you’re girlfriend?" Steven questioned. "Get away from me," he said as he tried to walk past Jesse. Jesse swiftly pushed Steven back into the stall, causing him to lose his footing and fall onto the toilet. He looked up at Jesse with shock. "What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem is you and men like you," Jesse explained. "You all seem to think that you’re big tough guys, but the truth is you’re not. You beat on women," Jesse noted.

"Screw you," Steven said as he stood up.

"Let’s see how tough you are now," Jesse said. "Hit me."

"Are you crazy?" Steven questioned.

"Hit me," Jesse repeated.

"What is your problem."

"I said hit me, damnit, because the only way you’ll ever beat on Ryan again is through me," he announced.

Steven tired his best to push past Jesse, but Jesse was too quick for him, he reached back and swung his fist across Steven’s face, connecting just shy of his cheek. Steven stumbled back into the stall and fell over the toilet on to the floor, staring up at Jesse with shock.

"Leave her alone," Jesse repeated before stepping away from the stall and walking out of the bathroom.

"Holy shit," Sarah Mulberry said as she stood in the unisex bathroom and witnessed Jesse hitting Steven. "That was hot!"

"Fuck you," Steven Harris said as he scrambled to his feet. "Are you laughing at me?" He questioned.

"Of course," Sarah admitted with laughter. "You just got knocked the fuck out!" She squealed.

"Devon," Gage Matthews said as he approached her by the bar.

"Gage," Devon said with surprise. "I thought you weren’t coming," she said.

"I wasn’t going to," Gage admitted, "but then I started thinking and… Baby, I don’t want to lose you," he said. "What I did was stupid and I’m sorry," he admitted. "Please don’t leave me," he said.

"I don’t want to leave you," Devon admitted.

"I promise I’ll be honest with you," Gage explained. "I’ll tell you everything. I called my mother. She’s going to send me the money to pay off those guys. It’s all going to be over with," he explained. "We won’t have any more trouble, I promise."

"You called your mother?" Devon questioned. "You told me that she told you never to ask her for anything again," she explained.

"I needed to do this," Gage said. "I needed to do this for you… for us… for our family," he explained. "It doesn’t matter, she agreed to send the money. We're free," he smiled.

"Oh thank God," Devon sighed.

"No more secrets, Baby," Gage said.

"I have to tell you something," Devon explained.

"What is it?"

"Not here," Devon explained. "Let’s go somewhere private," she said. "This way," she said as she grabbed him by the hand and lead him to the back of the club. "In here," she said when she saw the private room area. She lead him into one of the rooms and shut the door behind them.

"What is it?" Gage questioned. "Baby, you’re scaring me," he said softly.

"Sit down," Devon said. "Gage . . . Something terrible happened."

"What happened?" Gage questioned.

"That guy Luis," Devon explained.

"What about him? Did he hurt you?" Gage questioned.

"No Gage," Devon said as she shook her head. "He’s dead."

"Bitch," Steven said as he stepped toward Sarah Mulberry.

"Hey," a young man said as he got between the two of them. "Relax. Let’s just calm down," he said as he placed his hand on Steven’s chest. "It’s not worth it," he explained. "Just go splash some water on your face and get over it," he said.

"Whatever," Steven said as he stared at Sarah angrily.

Sarah rolled her eyes and turned to walk out of the bathroom as Steven walked over to the sink and turned the faucet on.

"He got you pretty good," the man said.

Steven glanced over at him and realized that he was one of the strippers. The young man was dressed only in underwear. His body was covered in some kind of glitter. He stared at Steven. "What?" He questioned.

"You’re a fag," Steven mumbled under his breath.

"Well there’s an understatement," he responded. "This is a gay bar," he explained.

"No shit," Steven replied after splashing his face with water. "You’re a fucking degenerate," Steven explained.

"Oh baby, talk dirty to me," the man laughed. "Look, I’m just trying to help you out here. It’s a fault of mine, I’m genuinely concerned about others. That guy hit you pretty good."

"He hits like a girl," Steven explained.

"Yeah, like a really big girl," the young man laughed. "I’m Vasilios," he said as he extended his hand for a shake.

Steven glanced at it then said, "I’m out of here." He turned to walk out of the bathroom, but stumbled.

"Whoa," Vasilios said as he caught him. "We need to get you somewhere where you can sit," he said as he lead Steven out of the bathroom and glanced around. "Over here," Vasilios said as he lead him to the rooms used for private dances. He opened one of the doors and lead Steven to the couch. "Just sit here for a while," he explained.

"My head feels strange," Steven whispered.

"That’s what happens when you get clocked," Vasilios explained. "Just sit down for a minute. You’ll feel better."

"Just get off of me," Steven said as he pushed Vasilios away and stared at his half naked body. "I’m not a fag," he explained.

"You don’t have to be a fag to let someone help you," Vasilios explained.

"Just get away from me," Steven demanded.

"Or what?" Vasilios questioned. "You’re going to beat me too? I heard what that guy said, you like to beat on women. Do you like to beat on fags too?" He questioned.

"Fuck off," Steven said.

"Or maybe the truth is that you beat on women because you want to prove to the world that you’re a real man," Vasilios teased. "You don’t want to hide your dirty little secret, don’t you?"

"What are you talking about?" Steven questioned.

"Oh please, I’ve watched you all night. You think people can’t notice, and maybe most of them can’t, but I can."

"Notice what?" Steven questioned.

"You’re totally into guys," Vasilios explained.

"Fuck you!" Steven retorted.

"No, it’s true, isn’t it?" Vasilios questioned. "You were checking out all of the guys. Even me," he explained.

"No I wasn’t."

"It’s okay to look," Vasilios said as he reached for the button console on the wall and hit the button that queued the music to start. "See," he said softly as he moved his body slightly, "it’s okay, isn’t it? In fact, it’s kind of nice," he added.

Steven Harris stared at the young man in front of him in silence.

"Don’t worry, we don’t have to tell anyone," Vasilios explained. "We can just keep it to ourselves," he added as he got closer.

Steven sat upright, staring at the young man in front of him. "What are you doing?" He questioned.

"I’m dancing," Vasilios responded. "I’m dancing for you," he said as he placed his hands on Steven’s knees, causing him to jump slightly. "Relax," Vasilios whispered. "Just go with it…" He slid his hands up Steven’s thighs slowly. Steven held his breath, a mix of excitement, anticipation and resentment filling within him.

"Stop," he said as Vasilios hands grew closer toward him. He glanced down into his lap. "Oh my God," he sighed.

"Shh…" Vasilios whispered and his hand reached the waistband of Steven’s jeans and slipped down underneath them.

"Oh fuck," Steven said as Vasilios’ hand grabbed his manhood gently. He bit his lip and shut his eyes. "Holy shit," he gasped as the excitement grew to a fevered pitch. "Oh fuck, yeah…" He said as the door to the room opened and Ryan Clarke peered inside.

"Holy shit!" Steven shouted as he jumped up with surprise. "You pervert," he shouted as he punched Vasilios in the head repeatedly, causing the young man to fall to the ground. Steven continued his assault by kicking Vasilios over and over again.

"Oh my God, Steven, stop!" Ryan screamed, causing a crowd to form around the small area.

"What the hell is going on?" Jesse yelled as he reached Ryan’s side and saw Steven wailing on someone. He jumped into the small room and grabbed Steven by the back of the shirt and pulled him out of the private room.

"What’s happening?" Devon James questioned as she burst out of an adjacent room with Gage right behind her. "Oh my God, Vasilios," she said as she peered into the room.

"You know this guy?" Jesse questioned.

"Yes, he comes into the store all the time," Devon said as she crouched down beside him. "What happened?" She questioned.

"Steven just kicked the shit out of him," Jesse explained.

Steven wrenched himself away from Jesse and turned to stare back at him. Ryan was standing at his side. "So it’s true then," Steven said. "You are a slut."

"Steven… I."

"Get your shit," he demanded. "We’re leaving."

"I’m not going anywhere with you!" Ryan exclaimed. "I saw you. He was touching you and you were letting him," she shouted. "You liked it," she said, unable to believe what she had seen.

"Are you crazy? The minute he touched me, I kicked his ass."

"Don’t lie," Ryan said. "Don’t lie to me. You only hit him when I caught you," she explained. "It’s over, Steven, I’m done. I’m done letting you control me."

"What’s going on?" Szymon Skubisz questioned as he joined the crowd.

"That sick freak sexually assaulted me!" Steven shouted as he pointed to the man on the floor.

"That’s not true," Ryan spoke up. "I saw the whole thing. He beat him for no reason. I'm done with you Steven," she said as she shook her head. "I am so done with you."

"Lying bitch!" Steven shouted as he tried to rush toward her. Ryan jumped behind Jesse, who readied his fists to pummel Steven. Szymon jumped between them.

"That’s enough. What did you see?" Szymon questioned.

"I saw him beat on that guy for no reason," Ryan explained.

"Are you sure?" Szymon questioned.

"Don’t do this, Ryan," Steven said as he shook his head.

"I saw it," Ryan affirmed.

"Okay then," Szymon said. "You’re under arrest."

"Are you kidding?" Steven questioned.

"Do I look like I’m kidding?" Szymon responded as he opened the door to the private room across the way. "Now go in there and sit your ass down," he explained as he pointed to the couch. Steven stared at Ryan for a moment and shook his head.

"You son of a bitch, he’s bleeding all over the place!" Devon exclaimed as she tried to help Vasilios. "Somebody call an ambulance," she shouted. "I hope you rot in jail for this," Devon seethed as she stared at Steven.

"Me?" Steven questioned. "I’m not the murderer here," he said.

"What are you talking about?" Devon questioned.

"I know what happened," Steven explained. "I saw the three of you with that body," he said.

Devon James stood up slowly and stared at Steven with shock as Cayden and Elijah joined the crowd.

"There they are," Steven said as he pointed to Cayden and Elijah. "The three of you, I saw you."

"What did you see?" Devon questioned.

"I saw you drag that body to the basement. You think you’re slick, you wrapped it up in a rug to hide it, but I saw it."

"What is he talking about?" Szymon Skubisz questioned.

"I’m talking about the dead body your boyfriend and these two bitches stuck in the incinerator the other night," Steven Harris explained.