“Hey.” She patted his thigh. “We were going through our own stuff. You can focus on it now. Get him some help. Be there for him.”
Dominic took a deep breath. “I have to be… He needs an authority figure. Jon controls his money, but that doesn’t seem to stop him from getting his hands on drugs.”
“What’s he on?” She only heard snippets of Dean’s issues.
After he turned to her, he replied, “Pot and pain meds, that I know of. There’s gotta be something else, though. He used to do coke and some days, it’s like he’s on that again.” He reached into the center console. “I need to call Tommy.” He grabbed his phone and pulled up Tommy’s phone number.
“Took you long enough.” Tommy laughed as he walked outside so he could hear. A new band performed in the main room. He and Jon owned Demonfire, a small record company. “Still in bed with Noelle?”
Dominic rolled his eyes. “In the car with her. I’m out by you, but I’m heading over to Dean’s. Wanna be my backup?”
“Wish I could.” Tommy growled, “Motherfucker roofied me.” He took deep breaths and tried to calm down. “I’m at the studio. Wish you woulda called me earlier. Jon’s here, too. Sorry, man.”
Disappointed, Dominic frowned. “OK. Guess it’s just me and Noelle, then. I’ll let you know what goes down.”
With a hand on the door, Tommy replied, “You do that. Let me know if he’s a dick about it.” He ended the call and walked back inside.
Dwayne stepped out of the security room. “A car just pulled into the lot that I don’t recognize. Are you expecting anyone else?”
Tommy shook his head. “I’m not. Can you find out who they’re looking for, and let me know?” They had pretty tight security, but most of it was hidden. Dwayne rarely exited his office. “I’ll be inside.”
He continued onto the main room where a punk band played. The name escaped him. It was one of Jon’s finds. He leaned against a wall and listened. They were good, but needed to work on interacting with an audience as they played.
His phone vibrated again. He pulled it from his pocket and swiped the screen. A text from Dwayne.
It’s a woman named Emma looking for Jon. She says they know each other.
He quickly replied:
Does she seem sketchy?
No.
Tommy looked up at Jon who nodded his head to the beat. Then he typed:
Escort her in and don’t let her outta your sight.
He hoped he didn’t make the wrong decision. After he put away his phone, he walked over to Jon and tapped his arm. When Jon leaned down, Tommy loudly said, “Someone here to see you. Some chick.”
“Who?” Jon had no idea who would show up unannounced.
Tommy shrugged. “Emma. Know an Emma?”
“Not that I remember.” Jon didn’t always take names, though. He hoped it wasn’t one of Tommy’s psycho fans, who pretended to be there for him. When the song ended, he swiped a hand over his throat as he turned to the band. “Take a break, guys.”
“Want me to come with?” Tommy was curious.
Jon tilted his head. “If you want.” He headed to the conference room for privacy.
Dwayne walked just in front of Emma as they entered the room. “Jon, an Emma is here to see you?” His eyebrows went up when there was no sign of recognition. “Should I walk her out?”
“No, don’t.” Jon watched Emma. She was nervous, but it did not seem to be because of who they were or where she was. She twisted her fingers again and again. Her eyes darted around the room. They rarely settled on him. He had a feeling she wasn’t just a fan. “Emma? I know you?”
She toyed with her bottom lip as she pulled it in and out. “Uh, you can say that.” She glanced from him to Tommy. “I’ve kinda been looking for you for a while. Thought we’d never meet again.” She knew he had no clue. “You don’t remember, do you?”
“I’m sorry. No.”
Jon felt guilty. He heard disappointment in her tone. Most likely, he had fucked her, and she thought it was more. At least, that was what he thought. “Should I?”
Her right shoulder lifted as she checked out the floor. “It was a long time ago, like 18 years. You were in the band Demon’s Fire back, then.” Tommy looked familiar, so she figured he was there that night as well. Her hands shook. For a few seconds, she thought she should forget the whole thing. However, she promised herself she wouldn’t back down. “In Vero Beach… Spring break, motel room…” She took a deep breath and met his confused stare. “We fucked. The condom slipped. You told me it would be fine.” She closed her eyes and braced for him to call her a liar. “It wasn’t.”
Tommy’s mouth dropped. She can’t be saying… He recalled that night in detail. They were on tour after they released their very first album. He Jon and Dean had met three friends, in a Florida beach town. They rented motel rooms after and hung out, drinking for hours. The next day, Jon told him a condom had slipped. He was just worried about disease. They thought everything was fine. Obviously not.
“I’m not asking for anything.” Emma felt the tension. “I don’t want money. I swear. Our son is asking questions about you I don’t know if I can answer.”
Jon growled, “You told your kid I’m his father?”
“I didn’t.” She took a step back, fearful of the large man that loomed over her. “Just that you were a drummer and didn’t know about him.”
Images flooded Jon’s mind. He too remembered a condom incident. The girl had been 17 or 18, and he had been 19. They played at a 16-and-over club that night. He had a fake ID and got them all drinks. She was hot and sexy as hell. When she told him that she was a virgin and wanted him to pop her cherry, he didn’t hesitate to agree.
He couldn’t wait to fuck her, so he didn’t check if the condom was fully in place before he sank into her. They were both inebriated, though. When he was done, the blood on his shaft told him her screams were not all from passion. It also alerted him that the condom was no longer on his dick. He had to fish it out of her. He played it off, as if it was no big deal, although the mistake sobered him up fast. That meant it was possible she didn’t lie.
For weeks, he wondered if she could fake virginal blood. Maybe she was on her period? He wished he had talked to Dominic about it. All he asked Dominic was if a chick could get pregnant on her period. However, back then, Dean was his best friend. His chest started to constrict. He glanced at her. She seemed so damn sincere.
“I’ll go.” Emma turned to leave.
Jon grabbed her arm. “Don’t.” He waited for her attention. “How’d you figure out who I was? We changed the band’s name since then.”
“Sean put up a Gasoline poster a few months ago, and I recognized you.” She blushed. “You haven’t changed much.” He was still as hot as he had been back then, in her eyes. “I asked Sean what your name was. Then I looked you up. That’s how I found this place. I’m on a business trip. I didn’t know any other way to contact you.”
Tommy couldn’t stay quiet any longer. “You want us to just believe you? That was 18 years ago.”
“I can show you pictures.” Emma took out her phone and scrolled through her pictures. “See. He has your eyes and your chin.”
Jon took the phone and tried to keep a poker face. The teenager with a short Mohawk had more than a slight resemblance to him when he was younger. He flipped through a few more photos. “I want a test done.” He stared at the boy who definitely had eyes just like his. “I’ll pay for it, and it stays hush-hush.”
“OK. He’s 17. Be 18 in December.” Emma held out her hand, to take her phone back. “He’s crazy about your band.”
Tommy folded his arms over his chest. “Do the paternity test fast, before she blabs this to the tabloids.”
“I swear I won’t.” Emma went back to wringing her hands. “I just want our son to know something about you. I can’t say who you are without your permission.”
Jon sighed with relief. For some reason, he believed her
. “Is he here?”
“Sean? No.” She regretted not bringing him along for the trip. “We live in Pittsburgh.” Unsure about the next step, she asked, “Do I have to bring him here for the test?”
With a nod, Jon told her, “That would make it easier.”
“OK. We can manage that.” She started to relax. “I’ll have to wait for him to have time off from school, though. He wants to go to Columbia University, and this is his senior year. To qualify for the scholarship he’s going for, he can’t be absent often.”
Jon shrugged. “I can pay for college.” He quickly realized he had jumped the gun. “If he’s mine, I’ll take care of it.”
“I said I didn’t want your money.” Emma glared at him. “If I wanted that, I would’ve done this publicly. I just want you to acknowledge him.”
Tommy took her by the arm. “And he will, if the kid is his.” He started for the exit and hurried her along. Jon was about to cave, and he knew it. “Call this number when you’ll be in town again.” He handed her a business card with Demonfire’s main phone number on it. “If this gets out, you’ll be very sorry.”
Dwayne got to the front door just as they did. “I got it from here.”
When Tommy returned to the conference room, he found Jon frozen in shock. He put a hand on Jon’s back. “I don’t think she’ll—”
“He’s mine,” Jon blurted out. “I can just feel it.”
Tommy scrunched his face up. “What the fuck, man? How many chicks have pulled this over the years?”
“He looks like me. The timing’s right.” Jon’s mind went wild. He never expected to have kids. “Dude, she was a virgin when I fucked her, and I lost the condom. When I came, I knew it felt different. Maybe if I wasn’t so fucking drunk.” He ran his hands over his face several times to try to focus. “God, I had her blood all over me. I popped her cherry and never called her. It was such a dick move.”
At a loss for words, Tommy wished Dominic were there. Then he groaned. If the kid turned out to be Jon’s, Dominic would most likely regress. Sean was two years older than Annabeth would have been. It would bring back memories. Unless Noelle’s around when he finds out. Jon was so sure it was probably true.
“You a’right, man?” Tommy stood in front of him and waited.
Jon nodded. “Confused, but OK. Don’t know what I’m gonna do either way yet.” He exhaled loudly. “This is life changing. I might be a father.”
“And maybe not.” Tommy put his hands up when Jon glared at him. “OK. OK. Maybe you are. Please, just wait for the results before you do anything for the kid.”
Chapter 4
Dominic looked up at Dean’s building. It was larger than Tommy’s and had less security. He didn’t want to spook Dean, so he didn’t ring the bell. Good thing the doorman knew him.
“Come on,” Dominic said as he held Noelle’s hand. “Let’s get this over with.”
She followed him into the building and hoped there wasn’t an altercation. “What floor does he live on?”
“Twenty-fifth.” He waved at the doorman as they were let in. “Thanks, Ernie. See you later.” He sighed when they reached the elevator. “I saw both his cars and the new truck in the lot. He should be home.”
Noelle’s eyes flitted around. The building was fancy, nothing like the one she lived in. She wondered what Jon and Tommy’s places looked like. In the elevator, she clutched Dominic’s hand, because she wanted him to know she was there for him.
Dominic paused in front of Dean’s door. Music came from inside. “If he takes a swing at me, back away, and let me handle it.”
They had gotten into only one physical fight over the years. It wasn’t long before they forced Dean into rehab the last time. Dominic knew Dean’s weaknesses. He panicked if hit in the face, unless he was high. Then he went ballistic. Dominic prayed he wasn’t back on cocaine again. The fight would be short, and Dominic would most likely end up in the hospital.
“You sure about this?” Noelle saw the worry in his eyes.
With a nod, Dominic lifted a hand and rang the buzzer. He heard footsteps over Metallica’s “Whiplash” that played in the background. When the door opened, he gave Dean his best smile. “Hey, man. We need to have a talk.”
“Great.” Dean wished he had pretended he wasn’t home. “Tommy tell you how much of a dick I am?” He stepped back and waved them in, with a shaky hand. “He tells me at least once an hour. Blew up my phone so much the other night it died while I was at this chick’s place.” Sex and alcohol were the only things that helped Dean with the withdrawal symptoms.
Dominic led Noelle to the vast living room and sat on the loveseat with her. “He mentioned he was still pissed you roofied him.”
As subtle as possible, Noelle gawked at the furnishings and décor. Everything looked expensive. Almost her entire place could fit into that one room. If they weren’t there for something so serious, she would ask if she could look around.
Dominic looked up at Dean as he paced. “Tell me you’re not high now. Please.”
“No.” Dean sucked air in through his teeth. “I need something, though.” Hands on his hips, he felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. He hadn’t had a drink yet that day, and it looked like he would have to down a fifth of vodka once he was alone. “I’m trying, Dom. I am. I swear.”
Dominic was shocked. “You didn’t take anything today?” His eyebrows lifted when Dean shook his head. Maybe this’ll be easier than I thought. “I have a few things I wanna say.”
“Go ahead.” Dean’s fists clenched and unclenched.
“What’d you give Tommy?”
Dean glanced up. “I don’t know. Some shit Ash told me would make him chill out.” He sighed. “I won’t do it again.” Jon had threatened to cut him off financially if he fucked up again.
“Fine. How’d you cheat the test?” That really bothered Dominic.
“Wait. What?” Dean froze and stared at Dominic. “Cheat what test?”
Noelle squeezed Dominic’s hand to reassure him.
“The last drug test came up clean except for pot.” Dominic glared at him. “Have someone else piss for you?”
Dean’s eyebrows furrowed and lips parted. “No. That’s all I been doing since I dosed Tommy. Jon had some crew come here and search everything. He took away my cash. Now I gotta use this card.” He held up a pre-paid Visa card. “I couldn’t get anything if I tried.”
“Fine.” Dominic wished Jon had let him know what was found during the search. “Pot and painkillers bring you down. You were aggressive and anxious. Kinda like on coke. What were you taking?”
As he still fidgeted, Dean watched the floor and paced again. “Does it matter? I quit all of it.” He gritted his teeth, not sure how he would deal with the insanity he knew would come.
“Spill. Now,” Dominic growled.
Dean paused and glanced down the hallway. “Bars, Adderall, a bit of Molly…” He sighed. “I’m sorry. But at least I stayed away from candy.”
“Oh, that makes it all better.” Dominic slapped his thighs then stood up. “Dean, you’re a mess. You were clean for three years. What the fuck happened?”
Shoulders slumped; Dean met Dominic’s angry eyes. “I couldn’t resist anymore.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Dom, I’m going crazy.”
Noelle watched Dean. He looked like he was about to fall apart. She wanted to say something helpful, but nothing came to her. It was not actually her business, anyway. She stayed seated and decided to only say something if Dominic needed her.
It was obvious to Dominic that Dean was in withdrawal. The drugs he mentioned didn’t stay in urine long, so he understood why the test came back mostly clean. There were still a few concerns, though. He had looked up the doctor who prescribed Dean Oxycodone. It had been a pain clinic.
“First off—” Dominic paused and waited for Dean’s attention. “No more going to doctors for bullshit pain. Second, if you can’t function sober, you’re going
to rehab.” Dean began to protest, but Dominic put up a hand. “Don’t talk yet.” He took a deep breath. “From now on it’s daily drug tests. Either you piss in front of me, or we do blood tests.”
Dean’s mouth dropped. “Please, Dom—don’t.”
“Too late.” Dominic glared at him. “You fucked up for the last time. If you can’t stay clean, you hurt all of us. I’m not going down with you. Last time we had to deal with the fallout while you were in fucking jail. The trip to rehab after was supposed to be your last.”
A bit of guilt came over Dean. He knew he had ruined things. “I know. I’m sorry. Things’ve been weird for me I guess.” He was scared to admit his bandmates from Raining Black had pressured him. That was something he hadn’t thought about when he started the side project.
Dominic saw the conflict in Dean’s eyes. “Who’s your supplier? Someone in your band?”
“I don’t have just one,” Dean admitted. “You know tours; stuff is available everywhere.” He shrugged. “I just stopped saying no. It’s not as easy as you make it out to be.”
Noelle stood and grabbed Dominic’s arm. She could sense his anger built as he moved closer to Dean. “He’s trying.” She pulled him back. “Maybe he can stay clean. Give him a chance.”
“We gave him 10 chances,” Dominic half-growled. Then he turned to Dean. “We only have one more show until the next tour. Can you stay clean? Or do you need rehab again?”
While he closed his eyes and tried to stay still, Dean replied, “I can do it. Daily tests. I promise.”
He had finally realized that if Gasoline dropped him, they could find a new singer and start over again. However, his career would be over. No one would trust him but his other band. That bunch couldn’t stay sober if you paid them to. If Dominic knew what kind of drugs they were into, he would make sure he lost that gig as well.
“I swear, Dom.” Dean took a step toward Dominic and met his eyes. “I’ll stay clean.”
Dominic sighed. He had never seen Dean so hell-bent to be clean. He usually fought it and claimed not to have a problem. Is it possible between Brandon and Jon they finally got through to him? Did he cross a line that woke him up?
Evolving Urges (Gasoline Book 2) Page 3