Page 136 of Cold Hard Cash

Yes, it was dangerous, but this part was sorta fun.

“All I need you to do is perform beautifully, wear this ring, and meet me in the dressing room immediately afterward,” Cold said firmly as he pulled out the Luchesi ring from his pocket.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” Cold smirked at Jimmy’s pout as he slid the ring onto his finger. “Don’t look so disappointed.”

“Fine,” Jimmy lamented. “I guess I need to go get prepared? Throw some things? Be a diva?”

“If you’d like.” Cold gave him another kiss. “Let’s go.”

Cold led him downstairs to Rowena, who barked some more and dragged Jimmy off backstage to go over the setlist one more time. After that, it was really a game of trying to stay out of the way as everyone continued to prepare for the big night.

The club finally opened and the band began playing as guests filtered in. Jimmy hadn’t seen Dario yet and peeked out from behind the curtains to see if anything interesting was going on. There were four large tables pushed together at the front of the stage, and the Gentlemen occupied almost every seat, with Cold sitting in the middle.

Jimmy couldn’t quite make out what was happening at the front of the club, but as far as he could tell, everyone was being thoroughly searched. A new group of suited men had appeared, slick and predatory, their eyes scanning across every inch of the room. Jules guided them in and then sat them at a bunch of tables to the left of the Gentlemen.

“Luchesis,” Dario suddenly hissed beside Jimmy, making him jump.

“Shit! Be easy, man!” Jimmy laughed nervously. “Where have you been? Wait, is that lipstick on your neck?”

“Probably. Rowena needed to, uh, relax for a few minutes.”

“Say no more.” Jimmy peeked back out to the audience. “Seriously, those guys there. Those are the Luchesis?”

“Yup. The tall one in the blue?” Dario nodded. “That’s Matteo Luchesi. And oh, look who’s hanging out with them.”

A new figure had appeared, sitting proudly with the Luchesis.

Rufus Corman.

“That freakin’ traitor. He really is working with the Luchesis! What are they doing here?” Jimmy wondered out loud.

“Ha, Cold invited them!”

“Wh-what? Why?”

“I am not about to try and understand the inner workings of your man’s brain. That’s just what Rowena told me.”

“The crap, man?”

“Worry about it later.” Dario patted Jimmy’s shoulder. “You ready for the show?”

“Ready.”

Dario took his place on stage, and Jimmy walked out toward the microphone with a calm smile. He didn’t worry about gangsters or murderers. When he was on stage, he only had to focus on the performance, the music, the songs.

He could do this.

Jimmy took a cleansing breath and smiled lovingly at Cold, and the room erupted in light applause as he took the microphone. As soon as Dario hit his cue, Jimmy sang. His body moved with the music as he guided the band through Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight.” They had agreed it was easier to use some songs they had already performed before, following that up with another riveting rendition of Halsey’s “Hold Me Down.”

Cold was just as captivated as before, only looking away once when Jules came to whisper something in his ear. He glanced over at the Luchesis and nodded, but his eyes snapped back to Jimmy in a heartbeat.

Next was one that Jimmy was a little nervous about, Patsy Cline’s “Crazy.” He tried to capture the same sorrow and beauty as he had heard when Suzanne sang it, pouring his very essence into each word. Dario joined him on the piano here and there, but for almost all of the song it was only Jimmy’s voice that rang out through the club, clear as a bell and strikingly haunting. He had barely finished the last few words before there was an adoring round of applause, and he offered the audience and Cold a shy smile.

Cold’s face was nearly unreadable, but Rowena had leaned close and pressed a comforting kiss to his cheek. He casually wiped his eyes, brushing Rowena aside with a quick smile.

Jimmy felt proud for having moved his icy boyfriend so, grateful that the last song was a bit more cheeky and uplifting. Once Dario hit the first few notes, Jimmy quickly said into the microphone, “This song is for a very special birthday boy. Hope you like it.”