The three story square building dated back to the eighteen hundreds with its yellow stucco exterior and wide green shutters over the front doors and windows. Outside the entrance were life-sized garishly painted statues of naked men in an assortment of compromising positions. By the look of the statues, I suspected I was in for one hell of an interesting evening. “I’ll be close by if you need me. Just signal to me if things get uncomfortable,” Dallas whispered behind me as we approached the entrance. “And stop fidgeting,” he quietly ordered. I pulled the black lace shall around my shoulders closer to my body and then nodded slightly. I did not look back at him. Dallas had promised he would be there for me. He planned on remaining hidden in the crowds to avoid being seen by Simon. I watched as a slender figure dressed in a fitted black tuxedo darted into the entrance ahead of me. I smelled his spicy cologne and instantly knew it was Dallas. I smiled to myself and then took in a deep breath as I stepped inside the door.
