Chapter 18: Friendly Gestures

            After the performance the guys lined up on stage and prepared for the 15 minutes of heaven raffle drawing.  They each took turns drawing a name from their bucket.  JC drew last and Lexi just looked at him confused when he read her name off, then she turned to the VIP area where Isadora was standing.  The smile that was on her face said it all; she had put Lexi’s name into the drawing.    At first Lexi wasn’t sure if she should do it, but it was her friend’s money and she had won fair and square so she climbed into the cage with JC as Miss Gaillard watched her somewhat displeased.

            The cage door slammed shut and JC looked at his feet.  He wasn’t sure what was going on and if Lexi had actually entered herself into the contest just to get to kiss him again.  This time they couldn’t get into trouble.  He felt her wrapped her arms around him and she pulled him close to her. 

“I just want you to hold me, please.” She whispered.  He embraced her and rested her head on his shoulder.  On lookers here disappointed with her actions, but it was her 15 minutes and she could spend it any way she wanted, and this was what she wanted.  So she ignored their calls for more.   Lexi couldn’t explain it but she felt safe in his arms.

JC pulled away just for a second so that he could kiss her.  He wanted to thank her for saving him from being molested by some other woman, but he had no way of knowing that it hadn’t been Lexi that entered the drawing herself.  Now Lexi was confused, what on earth was Isadora up to?  Had calling her been a mistake?

            They almost didn’t hear the bell ring, he released her and she quickly climbed out, being in the cage was kind of creepy to her.  Miss Gaillard grabbed her arm as she passed and spun her around.  The guys watched them intently but said nothing; it was the first time someone else was under Miss Gaillard’s wrath. 

“I hope you know that I am not paying you for the time you just wasted.”  Jade explained.  Lexi smiled and pulled her arm free. 

“I figured as much and it was so worth it.” She beamed looking at JC and then calmly walked off.  She was so over playing this stupid game with Jade.  She was really going to enjoy the day that she could finally tell Jade how she really felt about everything and put the horrible woman in her place.  This also however put up a red flag in Jade’s mind; perhaps Lexi was getting a little too close to the guys.

 “Hungry fella aren’t you?” Isadora observed, after Chris had returned to her table and woofed down another piece of cake.  Chris froze, he was sure that Jade wouldn’t want everyone to know the truth, he was starving.  So he swallowed hard to clear his mouth. 

“I work up an appetite when I perform and this is really good cake.” Chris lied.  It was good cake though, hell even if it wasn’t he would have still happily ate it.

Isadora leaned in and kissed him on the fore head, taking note of how warm he felt, but she didn’t say anything.  She knew that he would just lie about that as well.  The night was drawing to a close and she was going to be sad to see him leave. 

“I don’t suppose that you and the guys would be interested in the rest of that?” Isadora asked pointing to the fruit tray from earlier and the rest of the cake, there wasn’t a lot left but too much to just throw away.  It had been sitting out far while and couldn’t be very cold, but she didn’t think the guys would mind. 

“They would love it, but you’ll have to ask Miss Gaillard first.” Chris said.  Isadora nodded; she would have to settle her bill with the club owner any way, and she was sure the two of them would have plenty to talk about.  It was almost time for Chris to go for the last performance, but he didn’t want to leave her.  Isadora had been the best date he had since arriving at the club.  She was nice, polite and she even feed him.  No one else would ever compare to her, she had spoiled him.  Chris hugged her and thanked her before leaving with a heavy heart.  Jade stopped him again when he reached the staging area.  She was smiling so that must have meant she had seen them go into the bathroom.

“She gave me a gift.” Chris said softly, holding the bag from earlier out, Isadora had made sure that he took it with him this time.  Jade took the bag from him and peaked inside.  With a smile she handed it back to him. 

“Perfect, one less thing I have to buy for you.  Just try not to ruin this one.” Jade snapped. The guys where hard on clothes, things ripped and tore a lot on stage, but it wasn’t their fault.  Chris just hung his head and nodded. 

            “I am on my way to settle the bill with your date, I saw you two going into the bathroom but were you able to seal the deal?” Jade ruddily asked.  Chris just shook his head yes.  He felt bad but that is what Isadora had told him to do and Jade had instructed him to do whatever Isadora wanted.  “That’s my boy.” Jade teased patting him on the cheek and then headed off in the direction of the VIP area.  As she walked off Chris approached Lexi.

            “Would you hold this for me?” Chris asked handing Lexi the bag.

            “Sure, but what is it?” Lexi asked.

            “It’s a gift to me from my date.  Jade let me keep it and I don’t want to lose it.  If I set it down you know one of the other girls will take it.  It’s a really nice shirt.” Chris explained.  He didn’t have anything that was really his anymore, which only gave the shirt that much more value to him.  Lexi nodded, she understood that it was important to him.

            Once they were on stage Lexi watched Isadora and Jade as they talked outside the VIP room.  This was just a weird night and Lexi was ready to put it behind her.  She was pretty sure that this night had either been a horrible mistake or the best thing ever, which may have been why she had never tried to plan anything, it usually back fired on her.  And there was still some lingering guilt about Chris.

            Lexi reached into her pocket and pulled out a note the Isadora had slipped her toward the end of the night after all they couldn’t risk being seen together again, Chris already seemed to be on to them.  The paper just had the address and room number where Isadora was staying and said to stop by either after work or tomorrow afternoon so they could catch up.

The club had closed and Lexi was about to bolt out for the evening when she heard footsteps following her toward the door, but it wasn’t who she was expecting.  Chris just smiled at her as she stopped to greet him.  There was concern in the tone of his voice as he spoke to her but the words didn’t make any sense to Lexi.  She was tried, her mind was racing and it was getting late. 

“Is everything alright?” He repeated.  She wondered to herself what he was talking about and how to answer him.  He was giving her a chance to come clean about whatever was on her mind.

“Yeah everything is fine, why do you ask?” She replied. 

“No reason.” Chris said and the paused.  There was more that he wanted to ask her about the woman that was there tonight and Lexi’s possible connection to her.   But he was starting to wonder what side she was on, thing weren’t so clear any more.  “You just seemed pretty sad when you saw me come out of the bathroom, but I wanted to let you know that nothing happened.  My date, she was very nice and just went in there with me so that I would get into trouble.  Are you sure that everything it alright?” He repeated.

“I was just worried about you.  I can’t stand to see you guys get hurt.” Lexi explained, not wanting to tell him too much but it was clear that he was on to her.  It didn’t matter really there was nothing he could do to stop Lexi and Isadora’s plan and Lexi still believed that being with Isadora was in their best interest.

Chris just smiled and walked back toward their room, passing JC along the way.  He got what he wanted out of Lexi and it had nothing to do with what she said.  She was hiding something and it wasn’t sitting right with Chris, he needed to warn the others.

JC followed her toward the door like he usually did.  Lexi tried to run away from him she couldn’t standing lying to them specially JC.  But when she tried to open the back door and slip out he held it shut.  For some one as tiny as he was now, he sure was fast and strong.  It was clear that she was upset.  She tried to shove him out of the way but he refused to move.  When she looked up at him with tears in her eyes, he felt his heart break.  He wrapped his arms around her and just held her for a moment, shhh-ing her and telling her that it was okay.

“It’s not okay, JC.  I feel like this is all my fault.  I have no power and I can’t protect you guys anymore.” Lexi explained.  “That woman that came here tonight for Chris, I just have this feeling that we have not seen the last of her or at the very least people like her.  Jade has run you guys into the ground people are starting to complain and ask for their money back.  Something has to give JC.”

JC was a little thrown off by her confession but he didn’t let go of her, he just rubbed her back.  He couldn’t blame her for wanting to give up and he had seen the signs as well.  There wasn’t much more of this that they could take, they would end up in an early grave or sold off to the highest bidder.  Lexi was toying with the idea of truly confessing everything to him but she just couldn’t but there was no harm in warning him.  Even if Isadora failed her mission there would be someone else at some point that would succeed in buying the failing boy band.  It was clear to JC that she needed a friend, someone that she could trust.  As much as he wanted to be that person for her, there wasn’t much he could say or do for her. 

“It’s not your fault; you have done everything that you can to protect us and help us.  What happened to Chris tonight was not your fault and he seems to have had an ok time.  And I know what you are thinking but that woman didn’t rape him.  You probably are right there will be more of that to come, I guess you could say that we are losing value.”   JC explained. “And I take it that your job search is not going well?”

Oh if he only knew just how much of this really was her fault.  The closer they got to wrapping this up the better; the guys were at their ends.  The faith in her was already fading so it would take a lot for them to trust her again if this deal goes through.

“Everything it not as it would appear, or so it seems.  Apparently nothing happened between Chris and that woman tonight.  Or at least that is what he told me just now, I spouse me could be lying to me.  That doesn’t make me feel better because it doesn’t mean the next woman won’t.” Lexi paused as pulled away from him for a minute.  “I have a line on a job, a great job.  I am going to meet my potential employer tomorrow afternoon.  I will let you know how it goes.  I would be lying if I said I didn’t really want it.  It sounds so amazing; I think you would even like it.  But I don’t want to say too much about it, I tend to jinx myself.”

JC fought back some tears, it wasn’t that he wanted her to leave, he just needed to see her happy again.  It sounded great and he wanted it to work out for her, especially since it didn’t seem like he would be around long himself.  Lexi was right they were to the point where Jade would either sell them of kill them.

“So if Jade ordered you to have sex with a customer, you would do it?” Lexi asked.

“No, or at least I would put up one hell of a fight and yes that would be rape.  But I am not Chris.  He has been through a lot and he just doesn’t want any more trouble.  I’ll talk to him tomorrow to confirm his story, but either way it wasn’t rape.”  JC explained.

“You’re a good friend.  I wish I had a friend like you.” Lexi sighed. 

 “Go home Lexi, tomorrow is another day.” He said then kissed her like he always did.  “You deserve better than this.”