And, now there’s the stalker too. When it rains, it fucking pours.
A chill ran down Ethan’s spine as he studied the flower and the note. He crushed them both and shoved them in the trash can.
Chapter 3
Joe stretched his arms above his head and yawned. It was five in the afternoon and almost time to open up shop.
He’d been up since ten and had spent most of the day doing his accounts. The final figures had sent a warm feeling of satisfaction coursing through him; he was pleased to see the healthy profit the club had made over the last month. He looked out the window and watched the dying rays of the sun streak across the patches of sky visible between the Shinjuku high rises.
Though he could easily afford to rent a place where his best friend, Cam Sorvino, lived in the exclusive Ebisu area of Tokyo, Joe wouldn’t have traded his tiny apartment above Saron for anything in the world. It was the first place he’d ever owned outright and the only true home he’d ever known.
He rose from his desk and grabbed his jacket; he’d made it a habit to go for a walk at this time every day since he first got the keys to Saron. He headed out the door and took the stairs that led to the back of the club.
* * *
Shit.
Ethan picked up speed, his gaze on the alley exit some hundred feet ahead.
He’d taken this shortcut to Saron plenty of times before and never had any trouble. Ethan cursed himself when he realized he’d ended up in this situation through his own fault.
He’d found another note in his mailbox when he returned to his apartment in the early hours of that morning. Though Ethan suspected it had come with the second delivery of the day, he’d still checked his place for signs of breaking and entering and slept fitfully until after midday. He had all but forgotten about the note until five minutes ago, when he was making his way back to the club for his evening shift.
The sensation of being followed had started as a faint itch on the back of his neck. By the time he’d entered the series of back alleys that cut across Shinjuku to the club, Ethan was convinced someone was tailing him.
That asshole was probably waiting for me somewhere outside my building.
He’d stopped and looked over his shoulder time and time again but had seen no one in the shadows rapidly growing around him. Still, he couldn’t shake the icy feeling skittering across his skin.
The sound of a foot kicking against a can reached Ethan’s ears a second later. He froze in his tracks before slowly twisting on his heels. He stared into the gloom, his pulse racing.
A figure stood watching him from behind a dumpster some sixty feet away.
Oh, fuck.
Ethan turned and ran, fear roiling his stomach and sending a wave of bile up his throat. The alley exit blurred ahead of him as panic constricted his vision and his rib cage. He gritted his teeth and pounded the asphalt, refusing to give in to the terror threatening to drown him.
A choked cry bubbled past his lips when he finally escaped the suffocating confines of the passage and came out onto a main road. His breath locked in his lungs in the next moment as he slammed into someone.
* * *
Joe grunted when a man darted out of an alleyway and plowed into him, bowling them both to the ground. He landed on his back with a curse, the other guy on top of him.
“Hey, asshole, watch where you’re—”
The rest of Joe’s rebuke died in his throat when he registered the identity of the man lying against him.
Ethan’s expression was wild-eyed and ashen, his pupils dark and dilated in a sea of green, his breaths coming hard and fast. Alarm filled Joe when he felt the tremors running through Ethan’s body.
He sat up and gripped Ethan’s shoulders.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Ethan startled. Recognition dawned on his face. He jerked back from Joe’s touch and landed hard on his ass. Joe’s heart twisted painfully at the physical rejection. He had barely begun to register his own shocking reaction when he saw dread wash across Ethan’s features. Ethan twisted and stared over his shoulder toward the mouth of the alley.
Joe’s stomach plummeted, unease slowly filling him.
“Ethan?”
Ethan blinked and turned to look at Joe. His gaze dropped to his trembling hands where they lay in his lap. He sat with his legs out and his head bowed, unheeding of the passersby staring at them.
“Shit,” he murmured hoarsely.
Deep beneath the fear Joe could read in Ethan’s voice, he detected a thread of anger. Joe frowned, trepidation sending his pulse racing.
“What the hell is going on?”
* * *
“You fucking idiot!”
Ethan winced and wrapped his hands around the steaming cup of coffee. He and Joe were in the staff room back at the club. Though the hot drink warmed Ethan’s skin, it had yet to take away the coldness still coursing through him. He sat on the couch with his shoulders hunched and quietly bore the wrath of the angry man pacing the floor in front of him.
“Why the hell didn’t you say anything?” Joe growled. “Damn it, Ethan, you could have been hurt!”
Ethan swallowed a sigh. He deserved that one too.
Joe suddenly stilled, his hand stopping midway through raking his hair.
“Do any of the staff know about this?”
Ethan glanced at Joe’s stormy expression and shook his head, grateful he hadn’t involved his coworkers.
“I asked them whether they’d seen anything, but I didn’t tell them what it was about.”
Joe stared at him for silent seconds. He strode across the floor and violently kicked the trash can.
“Fuck!”
Ethan startled, fingers twitching around the cup. He’d expected Joe to be furious if he found out about the stalker, but he had not anticipated the rage visibly burning through the man. A flame of hope shot through him and licked a treacherous path along his veins.
Does this mean he cares? Even a little?
“Why, Ethan? Tell me why,” Joe said harshly. “Why haven’t you talked to me about this when it’s been going on right under my nose?”
“I—” Ethan swallowed. “It—it didn’t concern you. And I wanted to take care of this myself. I’m a man, for fuck’s sake!”
Joe gritted his teeth and glared at him.
“Men rape and kill other men every day.”
Ethan felt blood drain from his face at Joe’s stark words.
“And, just in case it escaped that moronic brain of yours, I actually happen to own this place,” Joe continued hotly. “The place where this all started. As far as I see it, this concerns me one hundred and ten percent. So, tell me, Ethan. Why?”
Ethan briefly closed his eyes. He couldn’t very well reveal to Joe the real reason he’d lied to him by omission.
Joe drew a breath in sharply.
“Is this because I refuse to fuck you?”
Oh God.
Ethan suddenly wished the floor would open up and swallow him.
* * *
Joe’s anger reached boiling point when he read the truth on Ethan’s shocked face.
The little—
“I don’t fucking believe it,” Joe said, clenching his teeth so hard his jaw ached. “How could you put yourself at risk for such a stupid reason?”
Ethan blinked before narrowing his eyes.
“Well, excuse me for being a moron.”
Joe stared.
I can’t believe the stubborn prick is challenging me right now.
The thought of all the terrible things that could have happened to the young man glaring at him so daringly sent an icy chill down Joe’s spine once more. He’d seen this kind of thing plenty times before, when he was still working the strip clubs in New York. Men and women who were relentlessly chased by clients who wanted to own them, body and soul. Most had escaped their stalkers unscathed. The few who hadn’t almost always ended up in the hospital, violently raped and beaten to near death.
Although he refused to acknowledge what it was exactly he felt for Ethan, he couldn’t—no, he wouldn’t let anything happen to the cocky bartender who had wormed his way into his life and continued to frustrate the hell out of him nearly every single day since their first meeting.
That shocking realization had led Joe to one undeniable conclusion. Even if he had to lock Ethan up in a basement, he’d keep the young man safe until he figured out the identity of the man stalking him and gave the bastard a piece of his mind. Preferably with his fists.
Chapter 4
“Is there anything else you want to tell me before I decide what to do about this?”
Ethan stared at Joe. A strange expression had washed across the club owner’s face mere seconds ago. He was still wondering what it was when Joe scowled, suspicion darkening his eyes.
“Ethan?”
Ethan stiffened.
Oh, crap. He’s gonna be SO pissed.
“Well—,” Ethan rubbed a hand across the back of his neck and lowered his gaze to the floor, “—he’s also, er, left notes at my place.”
Deafening silence filled the room. Ethan peeked up and swallowed hard.
Yup, fucking livid.
“What?” Joe said silkily, hands slowly fisting by his sides.
“And flowers,” Ethan added meekly. “He started leaving flowers in the back alley.”
“Flowers?” Joe repeated in a lifeless voice.
Ethan grimaced.
“To be fair, it was only ever a single rose at a time.”
Joe inhaled deeply.
“So, let me get this straight. For the last three months, this guy’s been leaving you notes at the club. He found out where you live and has been leaving you notes at your apartment, too. And, now, you’re telling me he’s been giving you fucking flowers?”
“Er, like I said, only the one rose—”
“I don’t care if the guy’s wooing you with a goddamn forest full of blooms, Ethan!” Joe snarled.
He marched toward Ethan, took the cup from Ethan’s grasp, and slammed it down on the coffee table.
Ethan gasped when Joe grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet.
“Here’s how we’re going to do things from now on,” Joe said icily. “You’re going to tell me the next time you get one of these notes or—flowers! We’re going to inform the rest of the staff about this, so they can keep a lookout for this jerk. And I’m going to install cameras everywhere in the club.”
Ethan gulped. Warmth spread across his chest where Joe’s fingers twisted in his shirt. He’d never been this close to the club owner before.
“And another thing,” Joe said harshly, hazel eyes boring into Ethan’s, seemingly oblivious to the slow ache building in Ethan’s groin. “We’re now officially dating.”
All thoughts of how good Joe smelled up close and the delicious heat radiating off the hard body so close to his fled Ethan’s mind in a flash.
“What—what did you just say?!” Ethan stammered between numb lips.
“You heard me right the first time,” Joe said frostily. He tugged Ethan closer. “We’re going to play pretend lovers until we flush out this bastard.”
Ethan’s heart slammed against his ribs as he found himself suddenly pressed against Joe’s body.
Oh God.
Ethan swallowed hard.
“Um, how pretend are we talking here?”
Joe blinked slowly. He looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes.
“Jesus, give me fucking strength.”
Ethan watched Joe’s Adam’s apple bob a couple of inches from his nose. The urge to stick out his tongue and lick it washed over him in the next instant. He peeked up at the man scowling at him and decided that now was not the time to push his luck.
* * *
Joe watched Ethan broodingly from the top of the steps leading to the sunken floor, one shoulder propped against the wall and a Scotch in hand. Despite the incident in the alley, Ethan had insisted on working his shift. He stood behind the bar, full of his usual smiles and quick banter while he served the club’s patrons.
“Christ, you wouldn’t think there was anything wrong, looking at him,” Joe muttered.
“You talking to yourself, Joe?”
Joe turned at the familiar voice. A tall man with dark hair and gray eyes stood grinning at him. A wave of warmth and affection washed through Joe as he studied his best friend.
That he and Cam Sorvino had found each other again twenty years after they ran away together from the children’s home where they’d spent the best part of their early teens was both a miracle and a blessing.
“Cam.” Joe gave Cam a quick hug and dipped his chin at the blue-eyed man beside him. “Good to see you, Gabe. It’s been a while.”
Gabe Anderson nodded and murmured a quiet greeting.
Joe still found it hard to believe that Cam had hooked up with the gorgeous design consultant from Damon & Tucker, breaking his lifelong tradition of one-night stands and shelving his previous abhorrence of relationships. Yet Joe could see why the two of them made such a good pair. They complemented each other perfectly, Cam’s hard personality moderated by Gabe’s quieter temperament. And the sexual chemistry between them was so obvious a blind man could see it, as was the fact that they clearly cherished one another.
Joe wondered whether Cam and Gabe realized yet that this was more than a casual connection. That the bonds between them were fast growing into love. He grinned.
“What’s that smile for?” Cam said, puzzled.
“Nothing.” Joe signaled one of the waiters and ordered a double Scotch for each man.
“Thanks,” Gabe said. He linked his fingers through Cam’s.
Cam smiled at his lover before cocking an eyebrow at Joe.
“Catch you later?”
Joe dipped his chin.
“Sure.”
The pair headed down the steps, Cam hovering over Gabe as heads turned their way.
Joe shook his head.
Like a fucking mother hen.
He turned his attention to the crowd of men filling Saron. Though it was a Tuesday night, the club was buzzing. Tension wound through Joe as he scanned the sea of shadowy faces.
Is he here? Is he watching Ethan right now?
He glanced at the other bartenders working the counter. They were sticking close to Ethan, their protective stance evident only to him and the rest of the staff.
They’d all been shocked when Joe had gathered them before Saron opened its doors that evening and told them about what had been going on with Ethan. Even Kiba the doorman had scolded the bartender, while Michelle the singer called him several unsavory names.
Though the high color in Ethan’s cheeks had told Joe he’d been overwhelmed by their concern and just a tad embarrassed at the fuss, the hint of vulnerability in the depths of Ethan’s normally carefree eyes had sent a sharp pain shooting through Joe. He’d pushed the feeling down into the cold depths of his heart, unwilling to admit its existence.
Anger twisted Joe’s gut as his gaze swept the club floor once more. It was time for Act One.
Let’s show this asshole just who he’s gonna have to deal with from now on.
Chapter 5
“Here you go.” Ethan placed the cocktail on the counter and slid it toward the man who’d ordered it. “Enjoy,” he added with a smile.
The guy nodded and twisted on his barstool, stirring the drink with a cocktail stick while he conversed with his friends.
Ethan ruled him out as his stalker, took the next order, and turned to grab a bottle of gin from the shelf behind the bar.
One of the other bartenders sidled up to him and reached for the Courvoisier.
“How’re you holding up, kiddo?”
Ethan bit back a sigh and looked at the handsome Japanese man with the retro black-rimmed specs
studying him with concern in his eyes.
“Akihito, I swear to God, if you ask me that question one more time, I’m gonna floor you. And you’re, like, two years older than me.”
Akihito frowned and tut-tutted.
“You can bitch all you want, sweet cheeks, but I ain’t letting you out of my sight.” He twisted away and flashed a bright smile at the man who’d ordered the Sidecar.
Ethan shook his head slightly while he mixed a G & T. Movement to the left caught his gaze when he turned back to hand the drink to the patron. Joe was headed for the bar, his eyes locked on Ethan. The expression on the club owner’s face sent a sudden shiver down Ethan’s spine.
Oh, fuck. Now what?
Surprise darted through Ethan when Joe came around the counter and opened the hatch. He dropped it, closed the distance to Ethan in half a dozen steps, grabbed him by the waist, and kissed him hard.
Ethan froze and stared up blankly into Joe’s stormy gaze while the latter pressed his hot lips against his own, his stubble grazing Ethan’s chin.
Shocked gasps echoed along the counter. The noise level in the club dropped fractionally before rising to fever pitch, the entire room reeling as word spread.
Intuition flashed through Ethan.
Though it hurt to acknowledge it, he understood Joe’s intent. Still, he wasn’t about to let their first kiss be born out of anger.
Ethan ignored Joe’s bruising touch, lifted his hands to Joe’s face, and melted against him.
* * *
Joe blinked when Ethan softened below him, his fingers achingly gentle where they lay on Joe’s cheeks, his long eyelashes fluttering against his face as he closed his dazzling green eyes. Ethan let out a breathy moan.
The Escort (Nights Series Book 2) Page 2
