Chapter 48

48. Lowdown Bar.

“I regret that I was not there with you,” Gerald says after we track him down at the banquet, conversing with a group of executives from a company located in Wisconsin. He had been accosted by them to engage in conversation as they were old friends, so he could not follow us when we met Carlton Collins. I felt bad when the fond expression on his face morphed into a frown as soon as we mentioned who we met just minutes ago, “I trust that he was polite with you?”

་་།

“Oh, yes, he was,” Coraline provides, “he was apologetic as well for crashing into Jace. But the fact remains, he is Aiden’s father, isn’t he?”

Gerald shoots her a look of surprise, “did you not recognize him?”

Coraline blushes again, “we were never introduced to one another.”

Gerald nods in understanding and doesn’t ask further questions. I feel grateful for his wisdom.

“I have to admit, I haven’t seen him around for a while, not since the allegations against his son came out,” Gerald states. “If I had a guess, I would say Carlton was embarrassed about his son’s conduct. And furious. Somewhere in between.”

“How long have you known him?” I ask, curious.

Gerald’s lips tighten, and some sort of an expression that I can’t place flashes through his face.

“Long enough,” he utters, and shakes his head, “well, no harm was done, so there’s no need to worry about it further. As long as he steers clear of us, we will avoid him in return. Don’t think he’ll seek us out on purpose.”

And so the banquet continues. As Gerald had predicted, Carlton Collins does not seek us out.

We settle down in our respective hotel rooms after the events of the day, and the clock reads the time as six in the evening. I peel the suit off my body, and for the first time in the day, feel freedom. Business events are just so tedious, I can’t believe this is going to be my life for the forcible future. I feel too restless and too nervous. This has got nothing to do with meeting Carlton, I’ve been feeling jittery for a while now. I wonder if it has got something to do with the shootings. Briefly, I wonder if any more of those had taken place back home. I also wonder if the detectives had managed to find some sort of a lead about the assaults.

Suddenly, a knock comes on the door as soon as I start to make my way toward the shower.

“Jace, are you there?” Coraline’s voice comes.

I sigh, “What’s up? I’m going to take a shower.”

“Oh! Sorry, then. I’ll wait until you’re done!” Footsteps clatter away and I assume that she returns to her room. I continue to the shower.

After taking a well-deserved soaking session, I feel like a new man. After getting dressed in some loungewear, I make my way to Coraline’s room and knock on the door.

She opens the door and says, “Oh, are you going to settle in for the evening?”

“That was the plan, yes,” I reply, “why did you want to do something?”

She bites her lower lip. “Yeah, actually. I wanted to see if we could hit a bar. There’s a cool one here at the hotel, but I really want to get out of here. Besides, we’re in New York.”

I try not to let my face screw up at the mention of a bar, “I don’t know, Coraline. You know I’m not all that fond of drinking.”

“Oh, come on, Jace, please?” she widens her eyes at me, reminiscent of a puppy, and pouts. I narrow my eyes at her, she knows exactly what she is doing. Dammit, that expression is too hard to say no to. “The incident this afternoon shook me up too much. I really need to have a night out, and you’re the only one!

can cunt on.”

“Coraline...”

“Please, Jace, you don’t even have to drink or anything. Just come with me. I just need to let go of the steam and,” she lowers her voice, “I haven’t been able to do that in Clandestine city after the whole shooting incident.”

I sigh, “Alright, fine. Let’s go. But I’m not drinking!”

A smile crosses her face. “You’re the best, Jace!”

And that is how I find myself, mere minutes later, dressed in a black colored button-down shirt and dark wash jeans with Coraline hanging on my arm, dressed in a sparkly blue cocktail dress, bouncing down the street to an establishment that advertises itself as the ‘Lowdown Bar’. The city of New York is as busy as ever, and I’m absolutely floored by the noise and flurry of activity here.

So many people milling around, going on with their lives, each so unique yet so uniform in their energy. So many billboards wink and so many stores advertise their goods. Music comes from the nightclub at the side of the road, and there is an unholy length of people lining up near it. The Clandestine city is a large city, and so is the Empire city. But none of them are as vibrant as this one is.

When we stop near the bar, I take a look inside the establishment through the large window at the side and see the sheer crowd within and feel my introverted self-shudder.

“Man, that place is packed!” I observe lamely “It’s one of the most famous bars on this side of the city,” Coraline gushes, practically vibrating. Her energy amplifies my own jitteriness, and I feel like I want to run laps around the city.

God, am I excited about this too?

“Well, then. What’s our battle plan here?” I ask, only for her to give me an incredulous look.

“Battle plan?” she repeats, and laughs, “dude, we’re going to a bar. There’s no battle plan. We’re just going to let ourselves loose and have fun. Drink, dance, flirt...”

“Flirt?” I raise a brow and feel...odd.

“Harmless flirting. I’m not going to go home with someone, promise,” she winks, “you should try it sometimes. Harmless flirting is fun and good for the ego. Very exciting.”

Still reeling from my past experience, I give her a droll stare and reply. “Pass. I got more than enough excitement at the moment.”

She laughs again, “okay, grumpy pants. Let’s go!”

With that, she drags me into the bar.