Broken Angel

Chapter 7


The whole time back to the apartment, Jai hope that Tara wasn't there. He really had no desire left to be with her and had finally convinced himself of that. Once pulling into the parking lot and climbing out, he sighed deeply then headed inside the security hall. Taking out the silver key, he placed it into the lock then turned the handle. Peeking in, Jai noticed the five boxes that had belonged to Tara, were gone as well as the chair, making him realize that it had been hers. He looked around closely once stepping completely within and noticed that what mattered the most to him, still remained. That bethe the guitar his parents had bought for his twenty first birthday. He called out. "Tara?" Hoping there was no answer.

She didn't respond. Jai walked towards his former room No one was in there either and her bed was gone as weHe gHe grabbed the instrument along with his CD player and cell phone that still sat on the kitchen counter. Once checking the place over again, he walked to the door and back outside. Leaving the key in the lock for the make-ready staff, he left the hallway without looking back.

Once he arrived at Damian's estate, he looked over the exterior of the spacious building and the grounds it sat on. A rich brown wood trimming and brick made up its main design. The thing that stood out the most for him was the big bay window that adorned the second floor. Several magnolia trees sat on either side of the driveway and a sculptured lawn spread out behind them for as far as he could see. Jai folded his arms across the steering wheel then spoke to the empty car. "This place is gorgeous." He then stated with a question. "Why would he give up that kind of income to be part of band that isn't even signed yet?"

He blinked a little as if to remind him why he was here to begin with and reached out of the window then entered the code that Damian had given him. Seconds later, the heavy iron-cast gates slowly opened. He waited until he had full clearance then put the firebird in gear and slowly rolled forward. The closer he came to the house, the more impressive it became to him. The details up close were magnift. Ht. He noticed a piece of paper on the front door as he parked the car. Climbing out and grabbing the items that he had retrieved, he strolled up the sidewalk and sat down his guitar then took the note that was addressed to him and read it.

'Jai. If you're reading this, then it's safe to assume you didn't change your mind. :). The security key I gave you will automatically switch off the alarm and there's need no to re-set it, as it will do so after thirty seconds. I had to go to L.A. on short notice but I'll be back sometime tomorrow afternoon. Ashton, my house servant is somewhere on the estate grounds, you'll know him when you see him and he knows you were coming here so don't let him fool you. Anyhow, please make yourself at home and get acquainted with the place. Your room is on the second floor across from the main staircase. I wish I could be there to show you the house myself but I know that Ash will take good care of you. I will see you later. Damian.'

"You've got to be joking." He stated aloud placing the key into the lock. He turned the handle and it clicked softly then opened. A wide foyer with a marble floor design greeted him first, and then spilt into a huge living room just ahead of where he stood. Jai picked up his guitar and quickly went inside. Carrying what he had with him further in. He sat them down when seeing a sunken room on his left that seemed to be an entertainment area. Walking down the three steps, a huge wall unit caught his attention instantly and he walked over to it. A full screen TV glared back making him feel slightly inferior and to the left of it a digital stereo, silver in color, sat silently, waiting to be played. The rest of the center held storage sections that consisted of books, CDs and old vinyl records along with apparent family heirlooms or collectibles. He couldn't decide which.

Once checking the center out again, he went back to the entrance of the room then headed towards the main stairs to find his room, choosing to check out the rest of the house once he put away what he had. Jai climbed the wide spiral case noticing that it opened up into a wide airy looking hallway. A huge walk-in closet sat on his right along with the bay window he'd seen from outside and a bedroom sat straight ahead of him that he assumed was the one Damian meant. Jai walked towards it and stood in the doorway. Although it wasn't too big, it would be just enough for him. The bed that sat in there, reminded him of the one he used to share with Tara and thought it was at first until noticing the color had a dark red wood finish. Hers did not.

Jai carefully sat his guitar case against the desk chair and placed his jacket on the back. After sitting his CD player down next to the nightstand, he went back out into the hallway to finish his tour. Another bedroom was directly to his right with a bathroom situated between them. There was another staircase leading to a third floor and Jai walked towards it, looking upwards as he ascended the steps. The hallway up there was a little narrower than the one below. To his immediate right sat a computer room and another bedroom, which sat adjacent to it. A fourth room was off to the left as well as another bathroom. He folded his arms looking around the area again then said. "I feel like I've walked straight into a rag to riches story. This is un-real."

A few more seconds passed before he went back downstairs to the main level of the house and noticed another entryway just to his left, by the front door and didn't recall seeing it earlier. As Jai approached it, he noticed that it was a formal dining room and studied the furniture as he walkewardwards another doorway straight ahead of him. A spacious kitchen greeted him as soon as he walked through its entry. To the right of the refrigerator sat another room which seemed to be a casual dining area that had it's own bathroom. Jai noticed once turning slightly to his right a darkened doorway that taunted him to investigate. He walked cautiously towards the gaping blackness and saw stairs leading downwards. Skimming the wall in search of a light switch, he found it and turned it on.

Jai began slowly descending the stone steps as dark carpeting spread out below. A frightful thought invaded his head as he neared the bottom then mused aloud. "Feels like I'm walking into hell." Once reaching the last step, other thoughts he had vanished when seeing the space he was in now. It was wide and open with dark blue carpeting and off-white walls. A pool table, dark cherry wood in color sat before him and aside from chalk marks and pool cues laying neatly across the pure green top, it hardly looked used. A practice area, with a complete set-up, sat over on the left of where he stood and another bathroom was close by. As he was beginning to go back upstairs, he noticed an open room slightly hidden on his left and walked over to it.

A fully stocked wet-bar greeted him with a counter that had a dark brown marble finish with thick wood permanently holding it stationarai iai investigated the different assortment of beverages that the small place held and stated with a grin as he picked up one dark bottle that held a cognac label. "Yeah, I think I'm really going to like it here."

As Jai was about to set the bottle back down, a soft male voice spoke. "You must be Jai."

He spun around almost dropping the bottle then answered setting it down. "Yeah I am. Ashton right?"

"That's me. Nice collection there, huh?" The blond asked walking fully into the room leaning on the counter top.

"Yeah it is. I've only seen this kind of set-up at work."

"How much of the house have you seen so far?" Ashton asked him rising back up.

"Just the inside." Jai replied finally putting the cognac back where it belonged.

The blond nodded then said. "Then you've only seen a small portion. Come on. I'll show you the rest then help you get settled in."

Jai agreed and followed him back upstairs. He asked when they went out to the backyard that sat off of the living room. "Can I ask you something rather personal? I mean you don't have to answer if you don't want too."

"I don't mind personal questions as long as they aren't meant to be degrading."

Jai weighed what he wanted to ask carefully then decided to continue, but found the words didn't want to flow as freely as he would have liked. "Are you, uh. Well, I mean,"

"Am I gay?" The young man asked with a smirk.

Jai smiled a little then said. "I wasn't going to ask that. But since you brought it up."

"I like you, Jai. You're not like anyone I've ever met before. I do enjoy being in both fields, but I have a significant other, and no I'm not sleeping with Master Damian. Although I did at one time, but that was years ago."

Jai laughed and said. "Okay, fair enough."

"Just between you and me. I haven't met any guys or girls yet, who know him, that hasn't at least considered it."

"Really?"

”I feel like I can be honest with you, Jai. He is damn good at what he does, even his former clients will tell you that."

"Former clients? I don't follow." Jai said stopping causing Ashton to do the same.

"You mean he didn't tell you what he used to do before moving here to California?"

"Well yeah he did. I mean, he’d shown interest in playing bass for my band, but after seeing this place, I get the feeling that he does something a little more important.”

"Those people that I’ve talked to are from his past not something recent. Damian quit working as an escort after he left Japan. Some of the former clients that I spoke of are exclusive members to a major agency out of New York. When he was still doing that, they would most of the time request him. Those who are most requested, are what agency owners refer to as their number ones, because they tend to be the highest paid and the most sought after."

" Does he still do that?"

"No, honey. Not anymore. Damian does works for an exclusive agency but only as a right hand man to one of the main guys. Sometimes it's helping out the staff and important clientele. And then sometimes he has to deal with people who cross the agency, like missing payments, member or client abuse, etc. Damian has known Kielan Ashland, the main guy he works with, for quite a long time. I've met him on a few occasions and I must say that he is very gorgeous. If I didn't already have boyfriend, I seriously wouldn't mind sitting in his lap."

Jai laughed then said. "Then you can understand what my thoughts about Damian are."

"Of course I do. And if you ever get the exclusive chance of allowing them to surface, go for it. You will not be disappointed." Ashton said with a sly grin.

Jai smiled then stated. “Noted.”

Ashton nodded then said. "You mentioned earlier that Damian was going to play bass for your band. Well, he had mentioned something to me about a band called Youthful Sin needing a singer. Is that yours?"

"Yeah it is. Do you sing?"

"Used to in a cover band. But I still like to keep my vocal chords loose and in tune. I use his bass playing as a way to do that. It helps me with the different pitches. I prefer singing lower pitched songs, although I can do both."

"Would you be interested in joining us?"

"If you'll let me audi for for you the way my voice is now, without the use of anything, we’ll go from there." Ashton answered standing up from the chair he was in.

"It's a deal." Jai answered and walked with him towards a modest sized sound room, both totally unaware that they were being watched from beyond the estate grounds.