“I’ll stay near you the whole time,” Mark assured her.

“I get him to write ‘I’ve been a bad little boy because’ and then tell him to list the reasons.”

“If he won’t do it you tell him you’ll spank him with your ruler,” I added.

“We get the sample and we get the hell out of Dodge,” Mark finished.

“We’re here if you need us and we can come in to help you if necessary,” Cam offered.

“We’ll try to stay in touch by phone as much as possible,” Jess said.

“Okay, team. I think it’s go time. I just want to thank you all for doing this.”

“Yeah, right, Lucy,” Mark replied. “When Ricky finds out he’s probably going to have my ass.”

“I’ll tell him I made you do it. Good luck.” He sighed and rolled his eyes at me, then he and Jess got out of the car and started walking in the direction of the warehouse as Cam and I sat nervously waiting. Ten minutes later I had a call from Jess.

“We’re in. There was no problem with the doorman and the code worked fine. Everyone is standing around mingling right now and we think we’ve spotted Cole. Oops, gotta go.”

“They’re in and they’re mingling. They’ve spotted him.” We sat waiting for a couple of minutes quietly and then Cam spoke up in a slightly hesitant voice.

“So Gabrielle, you and Braden are pretty serious now, huh?

“Yeah, we are. We’re very happy together and very compatible.”

“That’s good. I want you to be happy. I’m really sorry that I hurt you back in college.”

“I know you are. It wasn’t all your fault though. I had a big crush on you. I should have told you that before we… beforehand. I should also have told you that I was a virgin.”

“Yeah, that was the thing that freaked me out the most. I did really feel something for you — more than friendship — but you were so nice and so sweet. I had just messed up my relationship with Braden and I was pretty down on myself at the time. I didn’t think I deserved somebody like you and then when I realized what you had just given me, I didn’t feel worthy, you know?”

“So you’re saying it wasn’t just a casual hook up to you either?”

“No, it wasn’t but I couldn’t really deal with my feelings at the time. When you didn’t want to see me anymore at all I was really depressed. I realized that I f**ked up royally, yet again, and I didn’t want to make it worse, so I just left you alone.”

“Cam. I never knew. I figured you didn’t want to have to deal with me pining for you and I was just so embarrassed.”

“I wasn’t a really great communicator.”

“I know it’s none of my business but why did you hook up with Marla when she was dating Braden?”

“Braden was sick of her and on the verge of breaking up with her. She knew that and she figured if she made him jealous it might make a difference. I was out drinking with a bunch of my friends one night and Marla started hitting on me. I knew Braden didn’t have any feelings for her and I knew she was just using me. I was pretty drunk and she convinced me to go off into a dark corner with her while she applied her oral skills. I felt really shitty about it as soon as I sobered up the next day but word had already gotten back to Braden. He and I had an argument. He said he could care less who Marla blew but he was mad that I had betrayed him and made him look stupid. I got defensive. I was immature. Whatever. The point is, it wrecked our friendship.”

“It seems like you’re getting along pretty well now.”

“And I want to keep it that way. He’s my cousin and he and I were good friends once. I’m still attracted to you, Gabrielle, but I really do want you to be happy and I want Braden to be happy too.”

“You’ll meet somebody, Cam. You’re a great guy.”

“To tell you the truth, I’ve enjoyed spending time with Jess and I do find her very attractive too. I think maybe I should explore that a little, if she were interested that is.”

“I think she would be if she knew that you were interested in her. Make sure you communicate.” “I’m glad that I’ve worked things out with you and Braden. That makes me feel a lot better.” Just then a call came in.

“We got it!” Jess whispered excitedly.

“You got it?” I almost couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to get it out of here. They’re careful about what you carry in and out. I had to hide the phone and we’ve been getting some weird looks.”

“You’ve been getting weird looks? At a kinky party?”

“Because we’re not, you know, engaging.”

“Oh.”

“Look, we may actually need to sneak out of here. Meet us at the back of the building in case we need help. We may have to come out a window and I’m not sure what’s back there.”

“Shit!”

“Don’t worry. Just meet us.”

“Okay. We’re on our way.”

“They may have to come out a back window. They want us to meet them at the back of the building.”

“Okay, make sure you bring the pepper spray. This isn’t exactly the Upper East Side.” We walked toward the warehouse, circled wide to avoid the bouncers in the front, and crept as quietly as we could to the rear of the building, crouching behind some boxes. I looked up and saw a window open. In the next minute Mark jumped out and Jess started through. Suddenly, I heard a voice shouting.

“Hey! What’s going on?”

I stood up and called out, “We’re over here!” Mark caught Jess as she dropped to the ground and held her hand as the two of them bolted in our direction. I heard more voices at the front of the building and it sounded like they were directing someone to come after us. We ran like hell, no easy feat in stilettos, incidentally. A group of burly bouncer-like guys swarmed around to the back of the building as we took off for the spot where we had left the car. Unfortunately when we got there, the spot was empty. Have I mentioned that this was a bad neighborhood?

“My car!” I cried.

“Are you sure this is where you parked it?”

“Yes!” I could hear voices in the distance. “What the fuck?! Why are they still looking for you?”

“Gabrielle, this is an illegal gathering and there are important people here. We just snuck out the f**king window. That may cause them some concern.”

“Well, then we have no choice.” I took out my phone.

“Who are you calling?” Cam asked.

“The police. We’re about to give them an anonymous tip.” I called it in and we set off on foot trying to get as far away as possible before the cops arrived and raided the place. We ran until we were all out of breath. Finally, we paused to rest in an alleyway.

“Okay,” Mark panted. “I say we call a cab from here.”

“Hey! Isn’t that your car?!” Jess cried. I looked up. It was the Mini Cooper about three blocks away! Somebody had just boosted it for a joyride! We ran toward it and dove in. I pulled away with my tires squealing and headed home. Fifteen minutes later the four of us, bedraggled and sweating, were staggering into the lobby of our building, when I heard a voice. Oh shit. Ricky was home early from the club.

“And I thought the garbage was good,” Adam said, sounding amazed.

“Gabrielle?!” You know, I had never actually heard Braden sound incredulous before. “Why are you dressed like that?!” He looked over at Cam. “Why are you dressed like that?!”

“Mark? Is that you?” Adam asked, cracking up. “Nice shorts, man.” It wasn’t long before he was actually doubled over with laughter. I hoped that he peed himself.

“Baby! What the f**k are you doing now?!” Braden was not laughing.

“There’s an explanation for this,” I said in a timid voice.

“Does it involve something kinky that you and Cameron were doing together?”

“No!” All four of us started trying to explain at once.

“Let’s go up to your place,” Braden said loudly over the top of the noise. This was also the first time I had heard him sound absolutely furious.

We all got on the elevator rather uncomfortably and rode in silence as a MUZAK version of Send in the Clowns played in the background. We entered my apartment to the sounds of joyful yips. At least Bruno was happy to see me. We went into the living room where everyone sat down and Bruno jumped up by Braden. He was happier to see him. I think that Bruno had clued into the fact that Daddy was the more stable parent.

“I know that you’re probably going to beat the shit out of me, Braden, and I accept that,” Mark said, sounding resigned. “But if it makes any difference, I did everything that I could under the circumstances to keep her safe.”

“He did!” I backed him up. “This wasn’t his fault. I made him do it.”

“And I want you to know that Gabrielle and I didn’t do anything together,” Cam said desperately. “I swear to God, Braden! I didn’t touch her!”

“So, why are you dressed like that?”

“Because we were trying to get a handwriting sample,” he explained.

“And for that you had to dress like one of the Village People?” Adam asked.

“The person whose sample we needed was at an underground sex party,” Jess offered helpfully.

“At a what?!” I had also never heard Braden yell before.

“She didn’t go in!” Mark said in a panicked voice. “Only Jess and I did. They just wore costumes in case they had to come in to help us.”

“Help you to do what?!”

“Get out after I spanked Cole Stephenson into giving the sample,” she answered.

“The state congressman?” Adam asked. “Wow, Gabrielle, you really are dangerous.”

“That’s all I did – when they crawled out the window and the bouncers started coming after us – I told them where to run so that they could get away. That’s all.” My voice was starting to quaver. I hated seeing Braden this upset.

“Oh that’s all, huh?” Braden stood up and plowed his fingers through his hair and started pacing angrily. “You promised me that you wouldn’t knowingly put yourself in danger and you lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie to you! I didn’t think it would be dangerous!”

“Why would you even do this?”

“Because you and my parents are worried about me. I didn’t want you to worry. I honestly believed that either Marla or Cole or possibly Mrs. Mason was the anonymous letter writer. I figured if I just had a little proof I could tell them to back off.”

“Why couldn’t you just have told me that, or told the police that?”

“Because if you had them investigated it could cause a backlash for you and your family. I didn’t want to see that happen over a couple of stupid notes.”

“A couple? You got more than one?”

“I didn’t want you to worry. I thought that if I told you that I had gotten another one, and I told you who I suspected, you might do something rash.”

“I might do something rash?! You went to a f**king orgy dressed like the fifth member of KISS!”

“My plan worked! We got the handwriting sample from Cole!”

“Did you know that Marla’s a call girl by the way?” Jess asked.

“She’s a what?!”

“Don’t worry about that now!” I glared at Jess. “I just wanted to find a way to make the letter writer leave me alone so that you wouldn’t worry. I love you and I don’t want to cause you stress.” Finally his expression softened a little.

“Well, I happen to love you too and if you don’t want to cause me stress then you can try actually talking to me rather than assuming that you know how I’ll react to something. From now on, and I mean this, Gabrielle, you will not keep this kind of information from me. Do you understand?”

“Yes. Braden, baby, I’m so sorry.”

“Do you promise me?”

“Yes. I promise you.”

He paced some more and raked his fingers through his hair some more. We all sat quietly, not wanting to say anything to make him any more agitated. Finally he stopped pacing and turned to face me with a very determined look.

“Okay, you really want to make sure that I don’t worry about you?”

“Yes, of course.”

“And you love me?”

“Yes! So much.” I could feel tears start to sting my eyes.

“Then marry me.” Huh?

“Did you just ask me to marry you?”

“Yes. And believe me, it never would have occurred to me that one day I would be proposing in front of four other people to someone dressed as a dominatrix. Yet here I find myself. And the fact that I’m still standing here extending this offer should tell you something, Gabrielle.”

“It does!” I smiled with incredible, almost irrational, joy as I felt the tears completely filling my eyes. “I thought that my dad was the only guy in the world romantic enough to knowingly marry into pure insanity just because he really loved somebody.”

“So is that a yes?”

“Yes!” I ran over to him and hugged him tightly. I heard a yip and Bruno ran over and started humping Braden’s leg.

CHAPTER THIRTY

“Mazel tov. Does this mean you’re going to convert?” Adam asked.