by Knight,Riley
She smiled at him, and Adam realized she was actually excited. She probably felt like Santa, giving away such a high paying job.
“What about my mom?” Adam asked, his head tilted to the side. “That job was hers.”
Christine fidgeted a little.
“I can’t speak about that because of confidentiality. You’d have to ask her about that,” the woman said, uncomfortable.
Adam shook his head, and suddenly, he’d had enough. This was just one more blow on top of everything else. Not that he could blame the bank for wanting to keep business going despite a personal tragedy, and he didn’t think that Christine was doing anything wrong.
No, that was him. He was doing something wrong, and it was time he fixed that.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to decline,” he said firmly, and then shook his head. No, that wasn’t enough. “In fact, I quit. I’ll stay until you can get someone in to take over my job, but then, I think it’s time that I focus my efforts elsewhere.”
It was satisfying to watch her face go pale. She’d walked in here so sure that he would be glad to get the job she was offering, but this had taken the wind out of her sails. But he would stick around until they could replace him, he owed the people who worked here that much.
It was amazing how just saying those words, ‘I quit’, made him feel like he’d lost the weight of the world from his shoulders. They were words he should have said ages ago, but he’d been stuck in a rut.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think it’s time for me to go get some lunch and then get to work.” That was the really amazing thing. He felt like he could work, and he could do his best, because this was no longer the rest of his life.
He wasn’t going to be his mother or his father. He wasn’t going to live their lives, and he didn’t have to.
Maybe he wouldn’t make the same money that they had, but he was willing to bet that, in doing what he loved and being with the man he loved, he would be happier than either of them had ever been.
He was happy, and he owed it all to Liam, who had never given up on him. Thanks to Liam, and also thanks to Adam’s father, who had shown him what path Adam was on, Adam was finally ready to live the live he was supposed to live.
Chapter Fourteen
Liam
Josh had gone from bad to worse. It was at the point where no one could handle being around him anymore. The man knew that the band needed him, or, at least, he thought he did, and he acted like he expected to get what he wanted, no matter what.
He rarely came to practices, which was sort of funny because if he had, he would have seen that Adam was there, playing guitar just like he’d never stopped. Maybe he would have realized that he wasn’t as irreplaceable as he thought he was,
And then, one day, he did come in. It was right before one of the new shows that their brand new manager had gotten for them, and with how Josh had been acting, Liam had been questioning if he would show up at all.
He should have known better, really. Josh would always show up when there was money on the line.
The tension in the back room where they were warming up was palpable. Josh was the only one who didn’t seem to see it, smirking at everyone and then deliberately checking Yolanda out. His gaze was one step short of an outright assault as he looked up the length of her legs, his eyes tracing the shape of her hips and waist.
She was focused on her instrument, or so it seemed, but Liam could see the tension in her shoulders. Eyes narrowed, Liam started to walk across the room, and he could feel the rest of the band, including Adam, watching, ready to back him up.
At the same time, Josh started to approach Yolanda. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she pushed it off, glaring up at him.
“Keep your hands off me,” she hissed, and the anger on her face would have been terrifying to reasonable people, but Josh had proven over and over that he wasn’t reasonable.
“Come on, you know you like it,” Josh said, and he put his hand right back on her shoulder.
From there, things happened very quickly. Liam stepped close, about to yank Josh right off of her, but at the same time, Yolanda stood up, shoved Josh’s shoulder while he was off balance, and used that momentum to spin the much larger man around and pin his arm behind his back.
“If you ever touch me again, I’ll shove my bass right up your ass,” she hissed. “Is that clear enough for you?”
Josh struggled, but Yolanda had him in a tough spot, obviously. If he fought too much, his own strength would hurt his shoulder. Liam stared, more than a little impressed, as Josh finally nodded.
“Yeah,” he grumbled, and Yolanda let him go. She turned to grin at Liam.
“I’ve been taking self defense classes. Thought it might come in handy.” She glared at Josh. “I was right.”
Liam sighed and shook his head. It wasn’t that he wasn’t glad that Yolanda could take care of herself, but the fact of the matter was, she shouldn’t have had to. Liam had let Josh stay around, and he never should have done that.
“You’re fired,” he told the guitarist, who was rubbing at his shoulder and staring sullenly at the ground. Those two words got his attention, though, and his gaze snapped back up.
“What?” he asked, and then shook his head. “You can’t fire me. I’m on the contract with you. You’re stuck with me.”
Liam snorted softly.
“Oh, you mean the contract that you didn’t sign? Looks like your games are catching up to you, man. Now get out of here. You’re no longer a member of this band.”
“He’ll never replace me,” Josh sneered, looking at Adam, who froze. And that’s where Liam, for one of the first times in his life, lost his temper. His patience abandoned him and he walked right up to Josh, looking into his face.
“No. You never replaced him.” Liam growled out the words, tempted to physically throw Josh out, but he didn’t want to give the man any lawsuit fodder. “Now get out.”
What else could the man do other than gather the tattered shreds of his dignity around him and do as he was told? As much as Josh had to hate it, he had no leg to stand on, and he knew it. As soon as he walked out, the atmosphere in the room immediately lightened.
“Five minutes, guys,” their manager popped her head in, and Liam turned toward Adam. This was the first show that Adam would be doing with Rapture Coil in years. He had to be nervous.
“Ready?” Liam said, and Adam nodded. Right there in front of everyone, Adam slid closer to him, pushed his fingers into his hair, and then kissed him lingeringly.
“For luck,” he said, and Liam grinned like an idiot. All around him, he could see the rest of his band grinning, too. They seemed like they were somewhat getting used to having Adam around again, and Liam knew they would come around fully before long.
“My mom and dad are out there,” Adam commented, and Liam knew that meant a lot to his best friend. Then again, since Adam’s parents had just flat out retired from their jobs, they had a lot more free time.
“Then let’s go knock their socks off, baby,” Liam said, and then the group, as strong as ever despite everything they’d been through, turned and went out to face the biggest show of their careers.
At least so far.
The End
Share Your Thoughts
Thank you for reading Rapture Coil by Riley Knight.
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or on Goodreads.
Your support means the world to our authors!
More from LoveLight Press
LoveLight Press is a small independent publisher specialising in LGBT Romance. Why not visit our website or join our mailing list to see our latest titles?
More from Riley Knight
Riley Knight is an avid reader and has always had a soft spot for gay romances. What could be better than a sweet story between two beautiful men who need each other? It only seemed logical for Riley to write these steamy, emotional romances, focusing on an emotional an
d happy ending.
When not reading or writing, Riley can be found wandering the landscape and loves to go for long walks and observe all sorts of people and situations.
Newsletter
ARC List
Painting the Cowboy
After the loss of a lifetime, a heartbroken cowboy gets another chance at love...
It's been years since Karl's wife, Deanna, died in a tragic accident on their Oklahoma ranch, leaving him with the land and their son, Hunter, to care for. Struggling to pick up the pieces for his little boy, the handsome widower works hard every day to make enough to keep them afloat, but it's too much for one person, especially with a little boy to raise. Despite his desperation and loneliness, Karl keeps to himself, creating walls around his heart to keep from ever having to lose someone again.
Vincent, an older artist from New York, is the only person he knows he can trust, and when the man asks to use his ranch as a painting retreat, even Karl has to admit that he could use the company. Life is easier with Vincent around, and five year old Hunter immediately takes a liking to his father's best friend. However, when a romance starts to build between Vincent and Karl, fear of loss and change overwhelm the cowboy.
Confused about his sexuality, guilty about tarnishing the memory of his dead wife, stressed about money, and concerned for his son, Karl isn't sure he can love again, and he's reluctant to try. But if there's one man that could change all of that, it's his best friend, calm, wise, and passionate Vincent, who's there for him through it all. If only Karl could stop running long enough to realize it.
Painting the Cowboy is a standalone gay romance with a HEA ending. It features explicit scenes.