Millstone - Novel 02 Ch. 06

"Overall, Millstone's bigger than me; why haven't you asked him?"

"Actually, you are mistaken about that. I was curious, so I did the math for volume, and- "

"No!" I said, cringing behind my raised hands. "No. No. Don't tell me! I don't want to know how much more of a freak I am than Millstone."

"Oh, very well," he said, "I won't tell you but know this, you are not a freak. You are a wonderful, excessively blessed man, and I'm certain your detective boyfriend would agree. Mr. Millstone is a handsome, extraordinary man entirely in a league of his own for length, but more importantly, you are not only more attractive than him, but also 10 years younger."

"I see. I appreciate the compliment."

He shrugged. "Just stating an obvious fact."

"Well, I admit the idea of being an underwear model intrigues me, so let's talk compensation for a moment. You've seen me naked, so you know what you're getting. I even let you touch and measure my dick, so the question is, how badly do you want to see it wrapped in your underwear? I can whip it out for you, if you need a reminder."

"No need, I remember every beautiful veiny inch of it."--he stared at me for a moment--"Here's what I'm willing to do. I'll give you $1200 for a four-hour shoot, and if all goes well, I will rehire you for subsequent shoots. And as a further incentive to keep you coming back, for you only--not the other three--after every photo shoot, I will specially make anything you like for free, regardless of what it is, a suit, a coat, whatever you want."

"Holy moly, given what you charge for special items, you really want me to do this, don't you?"

"I can replace the others with relative ease, but not you. You are a rare gem, and I'm not just talking about your size."

"I don't know what to say to that."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, for goodness' sake, just say yes."

"Okay, fine. You had me at 'free clothing' anyway, so yes. The Jeep needs more tint for the windows, so I could always use the money, and it sounds like fun, but no face shots."

"Deal!" He shook my hand on it. "You'll hear from me within the next few weeks. Now, with my business concluded, what was your something important?"

"For as much as I wish you could, I know you can't go into the backroom and magically reappear with the perfect set of clothing for me, but I need to look like a genuine vampire goth tonight. So, I ask you, who would I go to for that? And this is work-related, by the way, so I would need their complete discretion."

A customer walked in, and Taylor told the man he would be with him in a moment.

"That's an interesting question," he said as we began to whisper. "Being a tailor and clothier, I know several people who could do it. In her abilities, Jezebel would be perfect, but she could never keep her mouth shut, a terrible gossip, that one. I will send you to Denarius Black. He has a balance of trustworthiness and expertise, and he owes me a favor."

He picked up his phone and called Denarius, and once he invoked the return of the favor, Denarius said he would meet me at his shop the Emporio Oscuro in twenty minutes. I thanked Taylor and left him to his customer.

For years, my relationship with my dick had vacillated between pride and embarrassment, dependent upon the circumstance and company. And while I canceled the Bare as You Dare Day challenge, it hadn't bothered me to stand before a camera for a few hours in my underwear, and frankly, I felt like I owed Taylor. Sure, he got paid big bucks for it, but his vest design had saved me, and so long as it wouldn't involve my face, he hadn't asked too much.

I called Max when I returned to the Jeep. Wade had called them to the precinct for an update on the forensics. I told them what Wade asked of me, and that I would find a disguise for the memorial service, for as much as anyone could disguise me, anyway. Neither of them liked that Wade asked me to go to the memorial without discussing it with them first, but they admitted that someone probably should go. I told them to talk to Wade about it, and that I accepted his reasoning for why it should be me. Millstone told me to use the company credit card and keep the receipts so the police department could reimburse the agency.

The Emporio Oscuro sat outside the pedestrian zone, just west of Gothwick, on a short connecting street called Windicott, and after parking in their empty lot, I checked my phone while I waited and noted that I received a text from Albert Sawyer. He had completed the detective exam and would know the results soon. He said he felt confident that he did well, and I was happy for him.

An old-style Volkswagen Beetle in black pulled in beside the Jeep. I don't recall what I expected, but it wasn't the slender thirty-year-old, shirtless punk goth that I met that day. He had a couple of spike facial piercings, hair in a crimson Mohawk, and his black jeans had numerous, tightly packed rows of safety pins holding them together. He looked like he had almost no body fat, and his abs beneath his pale skin were clearly visible in the daylight.

"Hello Hello!" he said in a jaunty British accent, chocked full of glottal stops. With a smile on his face showing a nice set of teeth, he held his hand out and I shook it. "I'm Denarius Black, but everyone calls me Denny."

"I'm Tucker Caillen McEach, and please call me Tucker."

"I will. So, helpin' you will wipe me slate with T-squared?"

"T-squared?" I asked.

"Three T's, Taylor the Tailor." He raked his eyes over me. "Lookin' at you, that won't do at all. Looks like I still owe him somethin'."--he winked at me and tipped his head toward the door--"Come on in."

He slid the key into the door and unlocked it. I noticed the sign in the little window stating the hours and he closed the shop on the weekends, which wasn't unusual for Franklin. Many shops only opened during the week, but he'd come in on his day off and seemed pleased about it.

The shop had a good-sized footprint, easily the size of a single-level major department store. The interior had a warm and cozy feel to it as they had saturated its decor with dark colors on the walls or draperies that sectioned off the place.

"Welcome to all things Goth at the Dark Emporium," he said. When he closed the door behind me, he locked it, and I followed him to the checkout counter he leaned against. "So, I need information, the who, what, where, when, and why of it, and we'll start from there. And while you're at it, get your kit off down to the studs, or in your case, Stud."

"You want me to remove my clothes? What is it with people wanting me naked?"

"Have ya got a mirror at home?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Then you should know why. Besides, when doin' a remodel, you should always strip the wallpaper. So, getcha wallpaper off. Chop chop! And don't worry about ya feet, the carpet's clean."

I started with my boots, socks, shirt, and then my pants as he watched me, and of course, as people do, he couldn't let my cock go without a comment.

"Wow," he said, tipping his head almost completely to the side staring at it. "You're not just well fit, are ya? That's a doozy of a Dickory Dock ya got there, innit?

"It's my ass wrecker."

"It wouldn't wreck mine," he said and sighed. "Fuck 24/7, we would. I'd probably lose me shop and become destitute. Mind you, it might be worth it. Got a boyfriend, have ya?"

"Yeah, and he mentioned the M-word today."

"Of course, you have," he said, sounding disappointed. "Can't let a bloke like you get away now, can he?"

"I thought Goths wouldn't find me all that interesting."

"Let me give you a little secret. Never let the appearance fool ya, we all have our preferences and idiosyncrasies that--in other people's opinion--might seem an unGoth-like peccadillo rangin' anywhere from smilin' too much to enjoyin' pop music. But we are who we are, and there's no accountin' for tastes. I've had personal experience with bigger blokes like you, and I know of what your lot's capable, so you wouldn't need to look like a Goth stereotype to be of interest. I don't mind tellin' ya, if it were you and me, after givin' me a good poundin' every night, you'd find me sleepin' like a baby, wrapped around them legs of yours like a tree hugger savin' an oak from a bulldozer. But right now, we've lots to do, so give me the info and leave nothin' out."

"Okay, I don't know what to say to that," I said, "but here's what you should know..."

I told him I needed to look like a genuine vampire goth, where I intended to go that evening, and who I would be around, but I hadn't told him for who or why. Taylor may trust him, but we had too much riding on it, so I made something up on the spot. I told him I was doing a favor for a reporter who would be recognized immediately if they went, and I asked for his discretion.

"A mate told me today about the memorial service," he said. "It's informal, so people will dress in their usual attire. What that might be, depends on the individual." He looked me up and down. "You're a bit big for a vampire goth, but you could get away with it if you make it work for you rather than against you."

"You couldn't just dress me and me just go with it?"

"No. I should take things into account. This is about an aesthetic that speaks to you. If I dress you with no thought to that, you wouldn't wear the clothes; the clothes would wear you, and everyone would avoid you as an obvious poser."

"Okay. How do we make my size work for me? And what about my hair?"

"You've got several problems we need to address. You've more muscle than the average goth, vampire or otherwise. You should play up your assets, and not try to cover them. It needs to look organic, and not pre-packaged. You have a rugged look about you, so I can't send you out in anything looking like you preen.

"As for your hair, it's auburn, so that's not so bad. Not that it's necessary, but also, you've nothin' pierced or tattooed. Since this is a one-off, I suspect you wouldn't want anything pierced. Have you ever considered a tattoo? You have a beautiful blank canvas, and you wouldn't have to have anything elaborate. I could recommend someone to you if you might ever consider it. For the moment, I will give you a temporary tattoo."

"Wouldn't people know it's fake?"

He shook his head. "Temporaries are perfectly acceptable, and I'll tell ya why. A tattoo is nothin' to jump into, especially your first one, and smart tattoo enthusiasts know this. You could be stuck with one you've decided you don't like for a long time, so make sure it's the one you want, and a temp is perfect for trying somethin' out. And I figure if you don't already have one, at least look like you're thinkin' about it.

"You mention your hair. I have a spray product to blacken it, but I don't recommend it. Your beard would still be red, and two-tone's not a good look for you. I have an idea, but you've got to embrace this and own it, but not everyone can. Bein' Goth is more about the music, the attitude, and how you carry yourself than it is about the aesthetic. We just use the aesthetic to express ourselves, but I think I have the perfect thing for you. So, let me ask you this, Mr. MacEach, have ya ever worn a kilt?"

I wasn't so sure how it would work out, but with the mention of the kilt, he started speaking my language, and that gave me confidence that Denny knew what he was doing.