by Sol Crafter, Diana Sheridan, Talya Andor, Lacie J. Archer, Angel Propps
"He did you good last night, didn't he?" I glared at his amusement, refusing to answer him. Snickering, Z patted my side. "Garrett isn't used to giving up control to anything. He's a dominating man, Rich, you need to recognize that side of him if you two are going to have a chance of making it."
Cheeks flushed, I muttered, "I like that he's domineering."
"Oh sugar, I bet you do; not often you end up on the receiving end in bed, is it?" I growled at Z, shoving him onto his back on the couch. Hooking his legs around my hips, Z grabbed my ears and yanked my mouth close to his, crooning, "Promise me you'll sit and listen to Garrett later today? Truth be told, he's terrified that by pursuing this relationship with you he'll be hurt like he has been in the past. He wants to trust you, he really does, but he's gotten himself so ingrained in the world of escorting, he's kind of forgotten how to let people in."
Lips brushing mine, he whispered, "I want to see him happy, and I think you can help make my wish come true, if you want to."
"You're a horrible man Z," I rasped, accepting another gentle kiss from him, "putting all this pressure on me."
"Isn't he?"
Cheeks burning, I glanced over at the door, a soft groan escaping when I saw AJ leaning against the wall. Hazel eyes dancing, he sauntered over to gaze down at us. Pushing my hair off my forehead, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my temple. Arms wrapping around my chest when I straightened up, he asked, "You going to be okay for tonight Rich?"
Smile weak, but still there, I nodded. "We'll figure this mess out, don't worry about me."
*~*~*
Raking a hand through my hair, I wove my way through the high-energy crowd gathered outside the arena. Hands shoved in the pockets of my worn leather jacket, I fingered the small box I had tucked inside it. I wanted to give Rich something, as a part of my apology; however, Rich had accused me of using my money to try and buy his affection, so I'd chosen this gift out of my own collection of jewelry.
I pulled the box out and popped the lid; the tarnished silver ring glimmered in the fading sunlight. The trio of emeralds reminding me of Rich's eyes, I swallowed around the lump in my throat. My father had given me this ring a few months before he passed away, and I had never even considered that I'd be driven to give it to someone. But somehow, it had ended up in my luggage without conscious thought, and now I almost felt as though my father were urging me to offer it up to Rich.
Chewing on my lip, my outer calm cracking, I waved away the vendor attempting to push Darkest Mercy merchandise off on me. I didn't care about T-shirts, CDs, or dog tags with Rich's face plastered on them, I just wanted to have him back in my arms, willing to work through the rough patches our fledgling relationship was certain to continue hitting.
As the crowd grew tighter, I dodged a flailing arm only to have an elbow jammed into my side. Grunting, I shoved the ring back in my pocket as the elbow's owner twisted to apologize. Vibrant green eyes widening in shock, the petite man stammered, "G-Garrett, what are you d-doing here?"
"Trying my best to fix a mess I made this morning, Cody," I murmured without thinking. Flushing, I scrub a hand over my face. Why had I mentioned that? I was normally more put together than this; I was dangerously close to coming off as a lovesick—
Fuck, I was a lovesick idiot. Somehow, Rich had managed to worm his way beneath years' worth of defenses, ruining me for anything less than an actual relationship. There was no way I could settle with the business interactions the escorts offered me anymore; I wanted Rich by my side, even if it meant risking more hurt.
Candy apple red nails tracing the line of my jaw, Cody asked, "Have you been alright, Garrett? Word in the agency claims you've all but vanished from the ranks. I know you haven't asked for me since February, and only one of the other angels says they've seen you more recently than myself. Is it because you lost your Seraph?"
"Not in the least, Cody," I murmured. My phone buzzed against my thigh and I tugged it out of my pocket.
"I don't understand; if it wasn't the loss of Dane that's driven you away from us, then what has?"
"If you are your own man tonight, I can show you," I said with a smile as I answered the call. "Sorry pet, I ran into Cody in the crowd, and you know how that boy can talk almost anyone to death."
Laughter filling my ear, Zidane demanded, "Drag him with you. I miss the little chatterbox."
I arched my brow at Cody in inquiry, offering him my arm. Flashing me his trademark naughty grin, he hooked his elbow with mine. Zidane ended our call without another word. I shook my head at his lack of phone etiquette. Patting Cody's hand, I resumed my quest to reach the still-barred entry.
"You still talk to Dane?" Cody asked, pressing close to my side as we squeezed through the front of the crowd.
Guiding Cody around a corner, I murmured, "Of course. His boyfriend is remarkably unconcerned with Zidane remaining in contact with me, considering our former relationship." The muscled security guards recognized me and shifted with a nod, allowing us to pass. I spotted a familiar head of black hair dancing to the music filling the air just ahead and added, "Besides, how else do you think I just managed to get us past the mountain men Darkest Mercy uses for security?"
Leather shorts hugging his ass, Zidane twirled around to face us with a brilliant smile. Throwing himself at Cody, he cried, "Fucking hell but I've missed you, little bird!"
Meeting Zidane's eager kisses, Cody curled his arms around his hips. "Dane, fuck, stop trying to rob me of my oxygen and let me look at you!" he demanded, arms pushing at Zidane.
Tossing his head back, Zidane shrieked with laughter as he skipped back a few steps and spread his arms wide. He was wearing his favorite pair of battered combat boots, with his legs encased in green and black socks. Nails painted neon green, he asked, "Well? Do I meet your approval?"
Rich rounded the corner and I swallowed, my instincts screaming for me to run rather than face him. His dirty blond curls barely tamed by a skull covered bandana, he pursed his lips, tucking his hands into his pockets. Heart pounding against my ribs, I refused to back away from his stare as he walked towards me, barely giving Zidane and Cody a glance.
Voice tense, he murmured, "We need to talk Garrett."
Nodding without a word, I cautiously reached out for him, daring to brush my fingertips over the skin peeking above his waistband. God, help me survive this moderately whole. I'm willing to take the pain, as long as he's willing to give us another chance. "I'm sorry I can be such an ass, drummer mine," I said. "The only excuse I can offer is the fact that every time I'm around you, I forget every smooth move I've ever learned." I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't push me away.
Eyes fluttering, Rich released a soft sigh, body shifting closer. The heat of his breath filled my ear when he rasped out my name, fingers sinking into my hair. Yanking my head back, he crushed his mouth over mine. The world around me faded as I fisted my hands in Rich's curls, drowning in the taste of him. Teeth catching my bottom lip in a stinging reprimand, he growled, "Don't you ever, for one second, think you're not good enough for me."
"Rich, baby—"
Hand in my hair jerking me silent, I hissed quietly as he trailed kisses over my skin, fighting my compulsion to take control. Pulling my fingers from his curls, I slid them down his spine. Shoving them down the back of his jeans to cup his ass, I grunted when Rich sank his teeth into the flesh of my throat.
A flare of white-hot pain made me whimper and I squirmed against him. Box digging into my side, I sucked in a deep breath and murmured, "Gorgeous, don't hit me, but I brought you something."
Lifting his mouth from my neck, Rich scowled at me. His lips parted to snarl at me and I quickly pressed my mouth to his, needing to stall the words before he could spit them out. Anger still colored the lust in his eyes when he pulled back and growled, "Explain."
"I brought it, not went out and bought it. I'm not trying to bribe you, or buy you, I just—I wanted to give you something of mine so a piece of me would always be
with you, even when you're off on tour." Cringing at how ridiculous I sounded trying to plead my case, I started to remove myself from his arms, embarrassed beyond belief.
What was I thinking trying to make an actual relationship work? I knew next to nothing about sharing an equal partnership. All I knew was how to protect myself from getting too attached, and how jealous I was of what Zidane had found with AJ.
His grip on my hair tightening, Rich smiled when I froze. "That's better." With his finger under my chin, he lifted my eyes, forcing them to meet his, and crooned, "Joseph Garrett, you're as obsessed with me as I am with you, aren't you?"
I ignored the sound of Cody's surprise and curled an arm around Rich's broad shoulders. "I'm hopelessly obsessed with you, drummer mine. Can barely go five minutes without thinking about you." I shifted up onto my toes, brushing my lips over his cheek, loving the way he easily slipped an arm under my ass to hold me up on the balls of my feet. I never thought I'd find myself attracted to someone who was taller than me, but with Rich, his height didn't intimidate me; it made me feel safe.
"Mm, I think I like the sound of you not being able to get me out of your head. Makes me feel special."
*~*~*
The crowd screaming wildly, I raked a hand through my sweaty curls as I took a bow beside Tobin, the strobe of thousands of camera flashes temporarily blinding me. I loved this part; the rush following a concert was better than any high I'd ever experienced. Lips quirked in a smirk, I jammed my drumsticks into my waistband.
Tobin hooked an arm through my elbow.
Leaning close, he asked, "Well big man, you ready to take some downtime before we return to the studio?"
The cacophony of sound a sort of white noise in my ears, I waved as I turned, striding towards the back of the stage. Tobin prowling alongside me, I rasped, "It's been quite a while since we've had anything remotely close to a break between recording and touring. I'm not sure I'll know what to do with myself with all that time available."
"If you're thinking at all, you'll spend a good chunk of the next few weeks buried balls deep in your Garrett," he teased, his free hand smacking my shoulder.
My face burning under the combination of embarrassment and lighting, I shoved him away from me. Not that I wasn't turned on by the thought of Garrett below me, at my mercy. I was, but if his reaction this morning was any indication, bottoming wasn't something he was at all accustomed to. Cock twitching behind my zipper, I licked my lips. It was definitely something I wanted to try, if we managed to make it through the remainder of the week without breaking each other's hearts beyond repair.
I rubbed my thumb over the smooth underside of my new ring as I approached Garrett's perch. Maybe we could find a middle ground. He did seem like he honestly wanted to try, and according to the pint-sized Cody, he had all but disappeared from the escort circles.
Emeralds on the ring catching the stage's lighting, I smiled at Garrett. He'd said it had been a gift from his father, and if the look of utter shock on Z's face when he offered it to me was anything to go by, it meant a hell of a lot to him.
Slipping down from the railing, he held his arms out to me in silent inquiry. I sank readily into his offered embrace, brushing my lips across his jawline. With a twist of his head enabling him to capture my mouth, Garrett wrapped his arms around me. The heat of his identical arousal rubbing against my thigh, I tugged free of his kiss. Combing my fingers through his hair, I asked, "Come home with me?"
His blue eyes skittering away from me briefly, he tightened his grip, worrying at his lip. I walked him backwards, further from the thousands filling the arena, until he hit the wall. Fretting teeth drawing blood, he nodded slowly.
I darted down, lapping at the split skin, attempting to soothe the sting he had to be feeling. "I really want to see you in my bed, but I promise I'll respect your boundaries."
Fluttering his lashes against my cheek, Garrett breathed, "Need you to push, gorgeous. I'm not going to be able to find the guts to change otherwise. I want you, Rich, and I'm not sure I can relearn how to live without you if it comes down to doing so. All I ask, is for your patience because this is a completely new direction for me, and I'll admit, it kind of terrifies me."
Snagging a copper-tainted kiss, I trailed my hands down his sides to rest at his waist. I knew this wasn't going to be an easy road. Couldn't be, not with our two dominating personalities clashing as frequently as we were bound to. But if we both put forth the effort, we could work, and I desperately wanted this to work.
Freeing myself, I nudged him towards the dressing rooms. "For you, Fancy," I said softly, my heart in my throat, "anything."
*~*~*
My pulse electric beneath my skin, I followed Rich's figure through a cavernous parking garage. As we headed for his apartment, I found I was not so egotistical that I couldn't admit to being scared shitless about agreeing to spend the night at his place. My angels had always come to a location of my choosing; I had never set foot inside any of their homes, save Zidane's, when he'd caught pneumonia during his last year of university. But Zidane had been different, which was why I had made certain we remained in contact after he left the agency.
Lost in thought, I crashed into Rich's back, squeaking, my cheeks flaring what I'm sure was a brilliant shade of red. Could the floor just open up and swallow me whole, saving me the embarrassing situations I kept tumbling into? Knuckles grazing down my throat, he pressed a ghost of a kiss to the corner of my mouth. Green eyes teasing, he said, "Breathe, Garrett. Coming home with me isn't the end of the world. Think of it as a step necessary to be allowed back in my pants."
"Very funny," I growled, hooking my fingers into the waist of the worn jeans he'd put on at the arena. "I'll have you know, the last time I went home with anyone, instead of taking them home with me, I ended up having my heart ripped out and torn to pieces."
He pinned me back against a wall, and my breath immediately sped up. Fighting my knee-jerk fight or flight instinct, I stared up at him, lips parted as I panted. Fuck, what had I said to set him off? All I'd done was stupidly admit one of the main factors that had helped me become the controlling man I was.
Palm cupping my cheek, he hummed. "Shh babe, I'm not going to do anything to hurt you." A trail of fleeting kisses chased the pounding beat of my heart down my throat as he added, "I know this morning wasn't a stellar example of who I am, but I promise you, here and now, that I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you." Eyes almost devoid of emotion, he ran his hands down my sides, settling his grip on my hips. "If you're willing to take a chance with me, even after my fuck up, I swear I will do everything in my power to never give you another reason to doubt my promise."
I swallowed and licked my lips. Oddly enough, I did believe he'd never set out to hurt me. Shifting up on my toes within the cage of his arms, I pressed my mouth to his. His hold on me tightening, Rich grumbled when I sank back down, breaking the kiss. "This morning was a mess, wasn't it, gorgeous?" I murmured.
Expression darkening briefly, he swung me away from the wall, hand taking possession of mine. Passing through the glass entryway, he mumbled, "I want to blame it on the stress of touring, and not being able to see you, but I'm afraid a big part of it was my own insecurities coming to the front."
"You? Insecure?" Pressing myself to him as the elevator doors slid closed, I tugged his lips to mine. A ding announced our arrival on his floor and I allowed myself to be towed down the hall. "Rich? Are your neighbors aware of who you are?" I asked quietly, eying the scattering of doors.
Slowing, he wrapped his arms around me and pointed to one of the doors, the Darkest Mercy logo engraved in the numbered plate. "This entire floor belongs to the band, so up here we're perfectly safe. And before you ask, yes, it does require a special key to get the elevator to stop on our floor."
Hand trailing down, fingers sneaking below my waistband, he whispered, "So if I were to decide to ravish you out in the hall all we would suffer would be the obnoxious teasing o
f the others." Moan caught in my throat at the almost touch, I blinked up at him when I found myself whirled around, back against another wall. "But we need to talk, Fancy, so said ravishing will have to wait."
I stuck my tongue out at him. He really wasn't playing fair, teasing me when my emotions were already a disaster. I did know we needed to talk, to clear the heaviness in the air that was following us, but damn it, I kind of wanted him to shove me to the floor and make me scream.
Arms bracketing my body, he turned us towards a different door, this one boasting a crossed pair of drumsticks under the band's logo. Laughing quietly as he unlocked the door and nudged it open, I tilted my head back. Adoration bright in his eyes, he said, "Welcome to my home, Garrett."
Managing to give him a shaky smile, I looked ahead of me, chills skittering down my spine. I grabbed his hand, sucked in a deep breath, and moved forward.
*~*~*
I could tell Garrett was nervous as I returned from the kitchen; his eyes were darting around, as if he were a caged animal rather than a guest. Leg jittering, his attention jumped to my face when I cleared my throat. I offered him a gentle smile and passed him one of the sodas I brought.
"So, what did you think of the group who opened for us? They have any promise?" I asked, flopping down beside him. Head canted to the side, he frowned at me, unsure of where I was going. I sighed and fiddled with my soda. How could I convince him that everything I did wasn't a ploy to get him in bed? I slouched lower in the cushions, resting my bare feet on the coffee table, and said, "Relax Garrett, this isn't an attempt to lull you into a false sense of security before I handcuff you to my bed and have my wicked way with you."