But I didn’t think anyone ever had looked out for him, had his back, and simply been there for him. And I hated that for him.
Lost in my own thoughts of Seb and my attraction and concern for him, it took me a moment to realise Mitchell was silently grinning like a fool. I huffed out a breath. There was no point in asking him why. He read people well and knew me well enough to know he’d never seen me claim a man before.
“Shit just got real, huh?” He nodded, approval shining in his eyes.
Ignoring him while internally agreeing, I asked, “So he’s not been out here in the last five minutes or so?”
The easy-going smile disappeared off Mitchell’s face. I could almost see understanding slam into him as his gaze swept the area. “No,” he answered, still looking. “Should he be?”
A new tension had me stiffening as I wondered where he could have gone. There was the office, I supposed, out back, but I’d assumed this was his direction. “I just need to find him.”
“Should I be worried? Need me to call Jada?”
Jada was the other security detail who worked these nights, but she remained vigilant inside, not only keeping an eye on our performers, but making sure the crowd was only here to have a good time and not start anything.
“Yeah, please,” I said. “If she spots him, ask her to keep him with her. Call me if you—”
The loud music and chattering from the indoor crowd disturbed the air as the door opened, drawing our attention to the doorway.
“Seb,” I said, relief carrying his name. My tension didn’t drop though. Worry creased his brow, and he was pale, not what I’d expect from someone who’d just been in a crowded bar. “What’s wrong?” I asked immediately, stepping into his space and reaching out to touch his forearm.
Soft skin and peppermint overwhelmed my senses, but not enough to distract me from my concern.
“Can I speak to you?” he said. His voice was unnaturally low, controlled, and my concern grew.
“Of course. Inside?” I asked, but he was already shaking his head. Seb flicked his eyes over to Mitchell, who stood alert and a little to my right and behind me. I had no doubt so he could be ready to jump in if need be. “Okay. Here or the wall?” I indicated to the low brick wall about ten metres away.
“Wall’s good.”
I slipped my hand down his arm and took his hand, holding it. Before walking away, I turned my attention to Mitchell. Alert and apprehensive eyes stared back at me. I simply nodded, and received one in return. He knew I’d reach out to him should I need to.
Begrudgingly I acknowledged Mitchell liked Seb. But then, everyone did. Even those who didn’t necessarily understand him well. I expected some struggled with working out the outgoing and talkative Seb compared to the clumsy and sometimes painfully shy and uncertain Seb. All I knew was that I didn’t have to understand these variations of him. I simply respected each trait and appreciated each and every one for making up the man beside me. The man who made me feel that he was worth the risk.
For him, I could be brave.
But first, I needed to find out what had him spooked. The trepidation on his face didn’t scream of a man jealous of an old hook-up. This was something more.
I sat, not releasing Seb’s hand, and angled to look at him. Even in the darkness, only lit by the few streetlights, his handsome face was visible. While he wasn’t feminine, there was a softness to him. It spoke of kindness and compassion. And amongst all of that was fierce resolve I’d only seen a time or two.
“Okay,” he said, surprising me that he didn’t need prompting. “I’m pretty sure I saw something out back and would never come to you about this if my spidey-senses weren’t tingling”—I swallowed my smile at that, not wanting to distract him—“but they were off-the-charts tingling to the point I was considering how I could create some makeshift web.” My lips twitched, but it didn’t interrupt his flow as he continued. “I think Tom is doing something dodgy.”
Immediately, my humour slipped away, and I tensed, completely focussed on Seb’s words.
“The guy from the whole Carrie incident—”
“Was in the bar?
Seb shook his head. “No, he was out the back.”
“As in the rear alley?” I clarified, my brain already whizzing and coming up with scenarios rather than waiting patiently for him to continue.
“Yeah. I didn’t hear what was being said, but he was clearly talking to someone and not on a phone. He also sounded angry.”
“Did you see who?” I asked, my brows pinching together.
“No, but as soon as I slipped back inside, Tom came in from the back entry.”
Tom and the paint guy? Surprise had me leaning back. The kid hadn’t worked here long, maybe three months, but his references had checked out and there’d been nothing but positive feedback about him. He kept to himself but was always friendly enough with the customers.
I also knew for a fact the guy was pan. So him being in cahoots with the paint guy and homophobic didn’t sit right.
“Tom Miller?” I checked.
“Yeah, the bartender. He came in, seemed surprised to see me. When I headed back to the main bar to find you, I watched him serve someone, head to the till, then his hand went into his pocket before handing the change and maybe something else to the bloke he was serving.” Seb was wide-eyed and a little breathless by the time he finished speaking. “I didn’t see what he passed over, but after being sure he met with that guy, and after your suspicions about the graffiti, it just screamed dodgy. I had to tell you. I’d hate for something to happen to you or the bar.”
The concern in his voice was almost enough to have me reaching out to him with more than my hand currently gripping his, but I couldn’t handle the distraction, not when my mind was working overtime. I had to think how to play this. There was no real evidence, but Seb, even though I’d known him for less time than Tom, I believed and trusted. If he saw more in the situation, then I’d be chasing it up.
“Was it okay that I came to you about this?” he asked, his gaze roaming my face. “The last thing I want to do is cause issues, and honestly, I hope I’m wrong, but—”
I squeezed his hand, having forgotten for a moment I was still clasping him to me. “You did the right thing, thank you.”
Relief entered his eyes as he stared back at me. “That’s good,” he said with a nod. He then swallowed, the sound audible in the pocket of quiet we had. “What are you going to do?”
I pulled my lips into my mouth before huffing out a breath. “I’m not sure yet. I need to figure this out. Work out the right way to handle this.” The last thing I wanted was for the incidents to step up. By far the attack on Seb was the worst, but it would be so easy for the situation to spiral to something more serious, destroying my place in the process while taking down these arseholes who were stirring shit up. Cole was the obvious answer, and I needed to act fast. If Tom was connected in some way, I needed to intervene.
That also meant I needed to talk to him tonight, which would be a shitshow with how busy the bar was.
“You think you can do me a favour?”
Seb was bobbing his head before I’d finished speaking, settling the anxiety churning my gut a fraction. “Of course, anything.”
A genuine smile lifted my lips as I looked at him, not something I’d thought possible considering the situation. “Do you think you can help work the bar tonight? I’m going to pull Tom away and have a sit-down with him. As soon as I do, can you help?”
The barest of hesitations preceded his “Sure, but full disclosure, I’m not great at bar work, but I’ll give it a go. Shit,” he then said. Worry dipped his brows low.
“What’s wrong?”
“My last bus home is soon, but it’s fine, I’ll—”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll make sure you get home.” Ideally, I’d be doing that task myself. I wanted to make amends for the other day. Plus, any chance to spend some extra time with Seb was something
I could get on board with.
He eyeballed me a little, making me curious about what he was thinking. I didn’t have to wait long before he said, “Are you planning to take me home, or will you be passing that chore off?”
Guilt flared to life in my chest, even more so that he wasn’t being pissy. There was no snark in his tone, just what seemed like genuine curiosity. It was time to make good on my internal promises. “If you’ll let me take you home, I’m more than okay with that.”
Seb tilted his head to the side, his eye contact steady. “And you won’t change your mind at the last second, because honestly, Elijah, I’m not sure how much more of the mixed messages I can handle.” Even in the darkness, I could see the flush spread over his face. “Uhm, perhaps I shouldn’t have said that. It’s not fair of me to—”
“No,” I said immediately. “It’s okay, and it is fair. I was a jerk the other day. That was on me. Let me make it right.”
The twitch of his lips sent my heart soaring, and when it turned into a full grin, it was only reality hammering away in my head that kept me from saying screw it all and taking him home right now.
“Making it right sounds good.”
It would be easy to stay here like this for as long as possible, but a conversation with Tom was imminent. “Okay, if you head back to the bar and prop it up for a while longer while I take a quick look at the security cameras, I’ll let you know when to take over. Is that all right?”
He nodded and stood, hand still in mine. I followed his movements and peered down at him. Bright eyes gazed up at me. It was impossible not to react to the expression on his face. Impossible not to lean down and finally capture his mouth with my own.
The touch of our lips was soft, gentle, a combination of tentative touches and smooth caresses. We brushed against each other, the rhythm natural and in synch. There were no false starts, no worry about how to move; instead, the connection was effortless.
My groan matched his at the contact, and I held him closer, unconsciously tugging him firmly into my arms. I engulfed him, his body snug and feeling so very right against mine. My tongue swept across his for the barest of moments, the touch lighting a fire in me that if I didn’t stop, I’d struggle to remember my responsibilities.
After slowing the kiss, I reluctantly pulled away, breathless and wanting nothing more than to take things so much further than acceptable out on the street.
A glassy-eyed Seb stared up at me, mouth still slightly open, his gaze roaming my eyes and my lips. “So,” he said, “that just happened.” His mouth spread into a smile. “We can definitely end the night doing that tonight.”
His words drew a laugh from me, the sound too loud in the darkness. “Good plan,” I answered, finding the willpower to tug his hand and lead him back to the front door.
“Just checking,” Seb said quietly, “I’m keeping all of this super quiet, right?”
“I don’t care who knows we kissed.” My response was quick and fierce. He chuckled. “Oh,” I said, chagrined. “You mean Tom?”
He nodded, a cute smile on his lips. “Yes, but I’m happy about not hiding the kiss.”
I shook off my embarrassment, allowing his words to warm me instead. “Me too,” I responded, adding, “And yeah, on the keeping it quiet. Nobody’s to know anything, please.”
“Got it,” he said. “My lips are sealed.”
I smirked at the man who managed to make me feel like I was walking on air, despite the drama about to unfold. Once sure my bar was safe, I could only imagine the sparks we’d create. Without distraction, and my attention solely on Seb, the kiss we’d just shared would reach levels I was sure would change me, quite possibly forever.
Ten
Seb
As warned, I was not a natural at bar work. But I tried my hardest to get orders right, and as the evening progressed and the amazing Lady Bra Ga performed a show that kept distracting me with its brilliance, the customers didn’t seem to care so much.
But seriously, back to her performance. Lady Bra Ga was incredible. She’d taken on the whole Lady Gaga persona, but times that by a gazillion of awesome.
Energy thrummed around the bar, the customers responding to her energetic performance. The whole time I remained transfixed.
“Amazeballs, right?” Lenny said next to me, drawing my attention from Lady Bra Ga’s set of “Bad Romance.”
“I’ve never seen anyone like her,” I said in awe, returning my gaze to the woman on stage wowing the crowd spectacularly. Despite being out since a teenager, my situation had limited experiencing the wonders of live shows and performances to zero.
“Holy shit, you’re a show virgin,” Lenny said, glee evident in his voice.
I jerked my head in his direction, my brows lowering until finally his words registered. I snorted. “Yeah, suppose I am. I think I may have a new obsession.”
A smile so filled with wonder and happiness crossed his face that it was impossible to not laugh.
“You okay there?” I asked.
He nodded immediately. “Yep. She just has one more song, though, so why don’t you take a break to enjoy it?” He indicated towards the open bar stool.
I glanced around the bar. While the place was still full, there was a lull in the need for drinks, the audience too wrapped up in the performance. Maddie was also serving tonight, but she was handling her area well and wasn’t rushed off her feet.
“You sure?” I finally asked.
“Absolutely. Here, hold on a minute.” He turned around, grabbed the vodka—the good stuff from earlier—and poured me a drink. “You saved my arse today stepping in when Tom had to race off. Enjoy.”
My grin stretched wide. “Thank you.” I happily took the drink off him and made my way back around the bar and to the empty bar stool, my mind briefly wandering to Elijah and what was happening.
My curiosity didn’t last long, my focus turning fully to the stage.
Lady Bra Ga, covered in sequins, red lace, and wearing the highest heels I’d ever seen, finished with a frozen “Vogue”-esque position before there was the briefest of movements and sparklers crackled and flared on the bra contraption she’d been wearing during the performance.
I laughed and cheered, stood and hollered right along with the rest of the crowd.
“Thank you, you beautiful souls,” she said over the applause. “With just one last song, be prepared to finish… big!”
The blast of “Poker Face” came over the speakers, and the whole bar cheered. The lights of the stage dimmed before rising, and four hot-as-hell men stood there, posed and leaving very little to the imagination. Wide-eyed, I looked on, excited for the performance as I gazed around the stage, realizing Lady Bra Ga had disappeared.
I swiped my drink and took a large gulp, wincing slightly at how strong it was before setting the glass down and directing my whole focus to the stage.
The beat of the song continued, and the men started to move, the oil on their bodies glistening. A moment before the first words, she stepped onto the stage, bold and brash and looking incredible wearing black and white.
And then, she nailed it, performing with ease, stepping off the stage into the crowd of fans. A path parted for her as she made her way around while she rubbed her hand through heads of hair and stroked down chests. I grinned the whole time, the atmosphere explosive, taking large sips of my vodka, only to pause, my eyebrows springing up to my hairline when her eyes connected with mine and she strutted over, her sights apparently set.
She sang before me, her hand in my hair, and my wide smile was back, laughter flittering through my chest. Just before she reached the final chorus, she bopped my nose, threw me a wink, blew someone behind me a kiss—which I realised was Lenny when I peered over my shoulder—and strutted her long legs back to the stage.
The final chords of the song played, the spotlight focussed on her, and once more, I was out of my seat, cheering and making my voice hoarse. I then spun and looked at Lenny. “Did you do
that?” I asked, and when he nodded, the kindness directed my way made me practically giddy.
It didn’t matter that there were parts of this evening that were a shitshow and admittedly freaked me out a bit. I’d never been more grateful to have been dragged into this bar a few weeks ago and thrust into Elijah’s world.
“Thank you so much. You’re the best.” Kindness had been rarely genuine or free in my past. But after meeting this bunch of good people in recent weeks, I realised decent human beings really did exist.
“Anytime, Seb. Another drink?” he asked as I placed down my empty glass.
It would be so nice to say yes. That last drink had gone down easily even though it had seemed to take a long time to drink in the ten-minute set, but with the performance over, the customers were beginning to move. I squinted a little, wondering whether I was actually moving, or perhaps the bar was. I wasn’t quite sure.
“He’d love one.”
The voice made my heart leap. It was the perfect blend of low and gruff. I turned, my gaze landing on Elijah. I was able to zero in on him. And while he was a little fuzzy around the edges, his exhaustion was clear. Tiredness pinched his brows, but the smile lifting his lips seemed only for me.
“There’s only fifteen minutes before we close. Have a drink. I’ll jump behind the bar and then we’ll look at getting you home.” He stepped closer midway through his words, fully in my space to the point my head angled backward to peer up at him.
This time I had no choice but to squint, trying to get him into focus. His nearness sent a thrill through me, closely followed by desire.
“You don’t need to get me drunk to get me home.” The words spilled out. “Not that I’m saying that’s what you’re trying to do, but I’m just saying.” I heard Lenny’s snort behind me but decided it was better if I ignored him. Not that I wanted to look away from Elijah. With his piercing eyes and the light stubble shadowing his strong jaw, he was too pretty to not simply gaze at.
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