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Chapter One: Milo
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”
That’s debatable, I thought, as I wove around my parents’ massive Christmas tree with a bottle of wine in my hand Every year, they invited hundreds of celebrities and musicians to a holiday bash at their Chappaquamy parents’ second ho as I could re up a Saturday evening at The Gallery to be here That was love
And I loved my parents Since my brother died of a respiratory illness in our childhood, I’d been theirto fill the hole my twin had left Well, hts, I wasmy salacious rounds at The Gallery, a BDSM club for those who enjoyed the more serious side of dominance and submission
“Massimiliano!”
That wasmy full name to irritate irlfriend Ella Fort and Juliet were there too My two best friends had both settled down into relationships in the same year-and-a-half period Great for them, not so fun for me
“Who invited you guys?” I joked as I joined their circle
“Hey, you gotThanks” Fort lifted the bottle of thousand-dollar Bordeaux from my hand, then promptly handed it back “Too rich for my tastes, especially since I’m already drunk”
“There’s chalass of bubbly “Your parents’ house is crazy, by the way”
“It’s a nice place,” I said, an understately ostentatious, al estate in Italy, butthe party I wished I were as drunk and happy as they were
“How’ve you been, Milo?” asked Juliet “You’ve seemed…busy”
“Well, ’tis the season A lot of people are hoping for violins under the tree”
“Santa’s violin elf has been in his workshop” Devin cracked a shts I hear you haven’t ht at The Gallery in a while”
Ella nudged him “Shh, people will overhear”
He waved off her concern “This hoity-toity croill assuallery No offense,” he said to Juliet, orked for an artist-photographer
“No offense taken,” she chirped
Yeah, they were all drunk I was about an hour behind, since I’d stopped off for the wine “I’ve been to The Gallery every Saturday since…” Since you guys found love and happiness
“Since forever,” Fort said, slapping et back there one of these days”
Maybe they would, to visit, but they weren’t regulars anyh for the tieons No uniforn And I was at The Gallery every single fucking Saturday, because…
Because it was round up Because I was looking for a new sub, someone to replace my ave me a safe venue to unleashthe same
But not tonight, because I was a good son and it was Christoodbye topeople until I found ether at these parties, because they were one of those old-fashioned couples who actually loved each other
“Massimiliano!” My full name was called for the second time, this time by my mother It wasn’t that I didn’t like my nae non-Italian to pronounce She hugged me, bottle of wine and all, then passed me over to my father
“We’re so glad you’re here,” he said, pulling away “What have you got there?”
I handed over the wine, eht you could use this in the wine cellar”
He squinted at the bottle, pursed his lips, then slad you did Aren’t we, Luciana?”
“Look at you,”to ether People loved my parents, and my parents loved all people, which hy their parties were so well attended “Are you still getting taller?” she asked in her thick Italian accent
“Ma, I’m almost forty”
“Your hair’s getting longer, that’s for sure” She was teasing My dark hair had been long forever “Did you bring anyone tonight?” she asked, a hopeful lilt to her tone
“No, I’ anyone at the moment”
“You know, I think Lala’s here Isn’t Lala here?” she asked, prodding my father
He nodded “Last I saw, she was over by the Christmas tree”
Had I walked right past her? Thank God “She goes by Alice now,” I muttered Lilly-Alice Nyquist had been “Lala” from her earliest days, because of her first two initials, and her natural affinity for e of thirteen, she’d put her foot down and said she would be Alice fro Lala
No matter her name, I had to stay away from her
“I didn’t know she was in New York,” I said
“Shewith the Metropolitan Orchestra, now that her father’s retired,” said my dad
Her father, Stefan Nyquist, had been uidedto adolescent confidence over the space of ten years He was a longtihter My parents wished he’d become my father-in-law They’d pushedto believe it was impossible
“Maybe I’ll run into her later,” I said, although I’d do everything inI excused myself from the circle around reat room Christmas classics wafted from my parents’ state-of-the-art sound syste off the frescoed ceiling
A waiter stood at the bottom of the
widea tray of glistening cha on top I took one of the flutes as I made my way upstairs
I loitered in the second floor hallway a while, and the balconies overlooking the great roo hello to family and friends If Lala—Alice—was downstairs, then I’d stay upstairs, and everything would be okay I took a sip of chaue So carols ineach line with obnoxious glissandos It was fun to belong to a roups toward the food tables, and gestured up to me to join them I would, eventually
For now, though, I waved and , narrow charaphs and fas It had always been ested “The Gallery” ere brainstor names for our BDSM club
Not that this gallery had much in common with The Gallery where I hurt and fucked hts that sparkled in the sun and glowed by the light of the aze went there first, to those skylights I’d stared at since I was a boy
“Milo?”
The soft, feer danger Alice Nyquist stood on the other side of the rooelic ss Her tits
“Milo Fierro! I haven’t seen you in so long” She started toward me, half at a run, her arms thrown out in welcome “Your parents said you’d be here”
I sed hard, trying not to shudder as her scent assailed ainst her wispy, ginger-blonde hair “You’re the one who never makes it I was surprised to hear you were in New York”