by Megan Derr
"Yeah, yeah, stop fucking hitting me," Misha said.
Dai jabbed him in the chest. "Stop saying horrible things."
Jet rolled his eyes. "Knock it off both of you. And I'll have you know I got this information through perfectly reasonable means. Everyone stop suggesting I only get stuff done by way of blowjobs."
"Yeah, there's probably some women he's eaten out for favors," Kim interjected, then yelped when Jet swatted him upside the head. "You two are so violent today."
"Tone it down with the smartass," Dai retorted, and heaved a sigh when they all just laughed.
Ricky clucked his tongue. "You try to be scary, and in the studio and shit you definitely are irritating as fuck, but you're never going to be as scary as your brother, sorry."
"Jason is going to take over the family business someday, and he's our father's protégé, of course he's scary," Dai said. "If I'd stayed and been a good son, too, I'd probably be the exact same way. No fucking thank you." He'd never stop being grateful that Jet had come up with his crazy ass rockstar scheme and talked Dai into giving it a try. They'd both worked hard to get the band where it was, but it had all started with Jet. "Oh, my god, I can't believe we did that. I've never been so scared in my life. I don't think I'm cut out for this roughing people up thing."
Misha snorted. "I admit it's hard to take threats seriously when they're coming from a dude with anime hair, but you and Jet work well together, as usual. I'd certainly be pissing myself right now. He'll keep his mouth shut, at least until he can figure out how to safely put a hit on us."
Dai moaned.
"Shut up, you whiny baby," Jet said and gave Dai a shake. "Honestly. That went really well."
"Let's just not make a habit of it," Dai replied and practically fled the building once they were out of the elevator.
Outside, Kim wiped off the phone he was carrying and threw it in a rain gutter. "So can we get breakfast now?"
"Drop me off at my brother's office and then you can do whatever the hell you want," Dai said. "Christ, I need more fucking coffee." He yawned as he slid behind the wheel of the car. Once everyone was settled, he pulled away from the curb and into traffic, headed away from the edge of the city into the heart of it. "After all this traffic I might need a spiked coffee."
"Five o'clock somewhere," Jet said beside him, looking entirely too cheerful for a man who'd woken up hours early to go blackmail somebody.
Nearly an hour of excruciating traffic later, they pulled up in front the skyscraper where Jason was temporarily working. Dai climbed out, letting Kim take the wheel. "We'll call if we need a ride, otherwise see you when we see you."
"Got it," Kim said. "Hope everything works out for your man, Dai."
"Thanks," Dai replied quietly and watched them drive off before following Jet into the building and up to Jason's floor.
The receptionist buzzed them straight in, and Jason's secretary, who'd come along with him, waved them in the moment she saw them.
Jason was standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, cell phone pressed to his ear and a sheaf of papers in his hands. He said something terse and sharp, then hung up and tucked the phone away. "Do I want to know why you're both up this early and walking into my office smirking like cats?"
"No," Dai said. "But I have it on good authority you'll probably be going home way early."
""Are you going to need a lawyer?" Jason asked, giving them both a look that said the answer had better be no. His gaze lingered a beat on Jet, who only scowled back.
Dai shrugged. "Probably not."
"Good. I have enough to do without cleaning up yet another mess of yours," Jason replied as he returned to his desk and sat down, setting the papers he held aside and putting a paperweight on them. "I hope whatever you've done actually helps my client, because it would be nice to get back to the work I dropped to come here."
Dai snorted and gave his brother a look as he helped himself to the nice leather couch on the far side of the stupidly large office. "Please, you were probably salivating at the idea of pinning them to the wall like something in a bug collector's display. I know how much the firm hates Dominic."
"I have plenty of other bugs to pin, and they'll look much finer in my collection than a mid-life crisis housefly," Jason retorted. "Now go away so I can get work done. I'll call you if there are further developments."
"Yeah, yeah," Dai replied and reluctantly rolled off the comfy sofa. "I'm going back to fucking bed."
Jason and Jet both gave him knowing, unimpressed looks. "What? It's not my fault I have a hot boyfriend and you two only have your bitchiness to keep you warm. You coming?" he asked when Jet made no move to join him.
"No, I have some questions about that new contract and I'm going to ask them while I have Jason here and unable to easily escape."
"Fine, have fun," Dai said and waved to them both before getting while the getting was good. He was all for ironing out contracts, but not when he had a hot, naked cowboy waiting for him.
When he reached the condo where Cooper was staying until everything was sorted out, his cowboy had, unfortunately, moved from naked in bed to dressed on the couch. "I thought you'd still be in bed."
"Could say the same," Cooper said with a slow grin. "Ain't never known you to be up with the sun if you could help it."
"Jet wanted to get some shit done. I drew the line when he went to see Jason to fuss about a contract." He toed off his shoes and crossed to the living room, went easily when Cooper grabbed his wrist and pulled him down to straddle Cooper's lap. "Hi."
Cooper dragged his tongue across Dai's mouth before plunging in deep and kissing him like he only had a few seconds and wanted to make every single one of them count. Dai moaned and pressed in closer, rubbing and grinding against him, fingers digging into Cooper's shoulders. Those huge hands he loved cupped his ass, fingers pressing hard, urging Dai to keep on with the grinding.
Tearing away, sucking on Cooper's bottom lip for a bit, Dai then squirmed free and wriggled down to the floor. He reached back to shove the coffee table out of his way and settled more comfortably between Cooper's spread legs. Getting Cooper's fly open and pushing his underwear out of the way, Dai pulled out his hard, wet-tipped cock and wasted no time getting his mouth around it. His body flushed hot as his stuffed-full mouth woke memories of that morning, the early-dark hours when the whole world seemed still.
Except for Cooper as Dai had slid back into bed after running to the bathroom. Hot hands had fallen on him, stroking and teasing until Dai was a writhing, mewling mess desperately begging for the cock that had slid easily into his well-used hole. Cooper had pressed him into the bedding and fucked him like a man on a mission, extracting screams that even the bedding couldn't entirely muffle. Dai had drifted off back to sleep with Cooper's cock still softening inside him.
Cooper moaned as Dai sucked harder, tongue working the underside of his cock, lips moving, cheeks hollowed out as he worked, pulling Cooper as deep into his throat as he could manage, not stopping until Cooper's hands fisted tightly in his hair and he came crying Dai's name. Pulling off, wiping away traces of come and spittle from his lips, Dai looked at Cooper—and yelped when he moved fast, turning Dai around and practically throwing him over the coffee table.
"Coop—" Dai broke off with a gasp as Cooper yanked his pants down and off, then came back to push one huge, hot hand beneath the waist of his gold lace panties, teasing fingers over Dai's hole.
"Somebody's used you good, honey," Cooper said in his ear, voice low and rough. Teeth grazed Dai's lobe. "Sore?"
"Nah," Dai said. "I'm still fit for use, do your best."
A rough chuckle, and then Cooper pushed a finger inside him, twisting and teasing in just the right way to make Dai buck and yowl. The finger vanished and Dai whimpered. He tried to sit up, but a firm hand on his back kept him where he was, bent over and spread open.
Cooper's fingers returned a moment, warm and slick this time. Without ceremony or even a hint of warning,
Cooper shoved two fingers into him and set Dai right back to yowling and begging. After a couple of minutes of torment, Cooper worked a third finger into him. "Come on, rockstar. Show me what you got."
Dai tried to gasp out a reply, but Cooper took that moment to give another evil little twist of his fingers, and the ability to word was lost. Dai settled for holding tightly to the table and fucking himself on those fingers, moving forward and thrusting back, meeting Cooper's every movement. Close, so fucking close.
He screamed in outrage when Cooper abruptly withdrew again. "You son of—oof." Now spread out on the floor, limbs too noodle to function, he lay helpless as Cooper stripped off his panties and thrust his fingers right back inside before dropping his mouth over Dai's cock.
It only took a couple of minutes after that, and Dai screamed his name as he came hard enough his vision whited out.
"Christ," he said when he could function again. "You're gonna be the death of me, and I totally don't care."
Cooper chuckled and stretched out alongside him, pulling Dai up so they lay chest to chest on the floor, one of Cooper's heavy thighs pushing between Dai's. "Likewise." He kissed Dai softly. "I'm glad you came, even though I'm sorry I messed up things in Europe."
"Eh. We'll just do another European tour sooner than initially planned and make certain the people who lost out this time definitely don't lose out next time. Shit happens. I pleaded personal emergency and we've got people who will handle the details. I'm sure rumors will fly connecting our drama to yours, but hopefully it'll stay minimal."
"I don't even care anymore," Cooper replied. "I want this mess straightened out, one way or another, and for other people to stop being bothered by it. I hope coming home early doesn't do ya'll any harm."
"It won't. Even if it did, you're more important." Dai grinned. "I didn't even want to go in the first place, so stop worrying about." He kissed Cooper again. "I hope all of this ends the way you want. I know you love Shine; I'd hate to see you lose them."
Cooper lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "Depends on whether or not Jake can get his head out of his ass. I should have just killed Dominic, I swear. That man ain't nothing but trouble."
Dai kissed him once more, soft and sweet, then pulled away and sat up. "Sexy as you are, this floor is getting cold, and my well-used ass needs a shower and some rest."
"Well, I'm all for keeping your ass in good shape," Cooper drawled. He rolled to his feet then helped Dai stand. "We'll get showered then I'll figure out who's willing to deliver break—" He stopped as a knock came at the door. "Now who the hell could that be?"
Dai's heart began to thud in his chest, so hard he was almost surprised Cooper couldn't hear it. "You're not expecting anyone?"
Cooper shook his head, gave Dai a light squeeze, and helped him get dressed before doing up his own jeans and crossing the room to the door. He pulled it open, and all the happiness fled from his voice as he said, "What the hell are you doing here? Anything you got to say, you can say it tomorrow when the lawyers are present."
"I just fired the lawyers," came Jake's voice. Dai almost fell over in relief. He spotted his panties still lying on the floor and hastily grabbed them, shoving them into a pocket. Lord, he hoped Cooper realized they both looked like they'd just been fucking. "Can I come in? Please? We need to talk."
There was a long stretch of silence, then Cooper heaved a sigh and tersely replied, "Fine." He stepped back, swung the door wider, and Jake stepped into the condo, a distressed leather messenger bag slung over one shoulder.
And froze as his gaze landed on Dai. Much like with Dominic, Dai could see the tick-tick-boom as his brain cycled through what it was seeing and put it together. Jake rounded on Cooper. "Why the hell didn't you ever just fucking tell me?"
"'Cause it ain't your damned business, and after all this shit, why the hell should I trust you?" Cooper replied, voice colder than Dai had ever heard it.
Definitely time for him to leave them alone. He caught Cooper's eye, offered an encouraging smile. "I'm going to get a shower. Give a shout if you need me." Spinning on his heel, he escaped to the master bedroom.
Track 08
Use Your Mouth
Cooper watched Dai leave, feeling far too alone once he was out of sight. He dragged his eyes to Jake, and hell if he knew what to say. Heaving a sigh, he headed into the kitchen to wash his hands and then get something to drink. He stared at the contents of the fridge, then closed it and went to make coffee instead.
Every time he heard Jake move behind him, he tensed tight enough to snap. When the coffee was finally done, he poured a cup and carried it into the living room. "Seriously, what the hell are you doing here?" He supposed it must count for something that Jake looked as miserable as Cooper felt, but he wasn't feeling all that generous. "Why didn't you come fucking talk to me before you lawyered up? And waiting to start shit until I was out of the country was extra fucking shitty."
"It wasn't like that," Jake said, moving stiffly over to the windows on the far side of the room, a small stretch of them by the kitchen that went floor-to-ceiling. "Dominic came to me, said he saw you at that club we went to forever ago. Watched as you snuck out to talk to somebody who looked familiar, but he couldn't place. Then he saw the guy's picture in a magazine spread, and I realized it was the lead from Forever and a Dai—and that you'd both stayed behind after dinner that one night. Thought it was weird but didn't think much of it past that until you started vanishing more and more, and got so vague about explaining it. Plus you were choosing to stay in more and more, even when it was just gonna be Shine hanging out together. It hurt, but like I said, I figured you'd say something eventually. I told Dominic to let it go, but he went and talked to our lawyers—"
"Why the hell didn't we fire them when Dominic divorced Henry and turned into an even bigger shithead?" Cooper asked.
Jake's mouth pinched. "Cause Dominic being an asshole wasn't their fault, I thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt, you know? Trust them to act like professionals and do their damn job."
"See that worked out."
"Anyway," Jake said, scowling, "they decided to have you followed. They saw you with Forever and a Dai, Hard Play, some other folks."
"Yeah, 'cause it's so fucking strange that I might talk to other music industry folk," Cooper snapped, setting his coffee down hard so he wouldn't throw the mug against the wall. "What bothers me is that you never fucking talked to me. Not once did you ever say, even so much as hint, that something was bothering you. I thought we was friends, Jake. You act like we're barely acquainted."
"Says the man who didn't once bother to tell me he's gay," Jake snapped, rounding on him, anger overtaking his face, eyes practically snapping with fire. "That's a hell of a thing to keep from someone you always claimed was your best friend. Don't think you get to lecture me about not talking."
"Fuck you," Cooper snarled. "You ain't the one who's gonna get his ass whooped in a parking lot or bullied out of the business. Ain't your life on the line."
Jake's hands balled into his fasts. "Goddammit, I'm your friend. Though why the hell you're calling me that when you don't even trust me—"
"You're the one who wouldn't trust me!" Cooper bellowed. "I had barely landed in London when all of a sudden I get calls from Henry and my mama telling me you're asking questions and acting all funny, like you think I'm some sort of damned criminal. Don't you go taking issue with me. I have a right to my privacy. But you ain't got no right asking everyone but me about my life."
Jake turned jerkily away, muttering rough curses. "I told you it wasn't like that. You've built up some damned sordid affair in your fool head that don't actually exist. I don't think I'm the one struggling to trust people."
"Go to hell." Cooper picked up his mug but immediately slammed it down again, sloshing coffee all over the table. "I ain't the one who called the fucking lawyers."
"They came to me!" The words thundered through the condo, damn near fit to break Cooper's ears.
Never argue with somebody who'd had vocal training nearly as long as they'd been in school. "Dominic told me about your weird behavior, and like I said: I shrugged it off. They came to me after you flew to England, showed me all these pictures and shit…" He shrugged off the leather messenger bag he'd been carrying, a fancy, designer thing Cooper had bought him two years ago for his birthday.
Crossing over to the couch, he sat on the edge of it, opened the bag, and slid the contents onto the table. There was a thick folder, two small, fat manila envelopes that proved to be filled with photos. Many of them were of him and Dai, others of him with Hard Play, a couple with a producer he chatted with occasionally. Others were of him sitting alone in various clubs and cafes, mostly places he'd gone to hook up with Dai or find some space to talk to him. Other shots were of him in hotels he'd snuck off to meet with Dai, a few of stores where he'd popped in to buy gifts for Dai or his family.
The rest were records of his phone calls and texts, though it only looks like it marked who he'd called, not what he'd said. "What the hell are ya'll even doing with this?" Cooper asked.
"I don't know. I didn't like it either, but no one would listen to me," Jake said. "They insisted on talking to Henry and your family. I agreed to go along just to keep them from doing something especially stupid." He slumped, falling heavily against the back of the couch. "I tried to get them not to do it for hours. We sat in that office 'til I was so fed up I could have pitched them right out the window. How the hell it got out to the press so fast… Well, I'm gonna lay that at Dominic's feet. Ass never could keep his fool mouth shut, especially when he got to see suffering come to people he don't much like." He scrubbed at his face and seemed to sink further into the couch. "I did my damnedest to keep this from happening, Coop. I swear. They wouldn't let me call you, seemed sore convinced you was up to something. They had me between a rock and a hard place, and I was just hoping to keep the peace long enough for you to get back here and sort it out."
Cooper's anger faded some, leaving him feeling wrung out and stretched too thin. To hell with coffee, he was ready for a damned beer. "Why didn't you just call me?"