by Maggie Walsh
“How is he getting into town? He doesn’t have a car. And home, how is he getting home?” Gabriel asked, worried.
“Dale,” Bass said quietly.
“Dale? As in bartender Dale?” Gabriel asked.
“That’s the one. He hasn’t talked to anyone here in the house all week. Not even Jesse or Lexi. Dale picks him up. They go into work, Taylor does his job. He hangs out with Dale and a few of the other guys at the club. They go out into the city to a club there after ours closes and then they come home when the sun comes up. Dale picked him up about an hour ago.”
“I need to get showered and speak to Jesse, Lexi and Micah. Then I need to get my ass to the club. Wanna come with?” Gabriel asked.
“Yeah, I’ll come with you, just find me when you’re ready to leave,” Bass answered and Gabriel ran into the house.
* * * *
“Come in.” Micah called out from inside his office after Gabriel knocked. Gabriel opened the door and walked in. Micah and Jesse were sitting on the couch, Jesse on Micah’s lap. They both just looked at him with anger in their eyes. Gabriel swallowed and closed the door.
“It’s about time you came home. Where you been, Gabe?” Micah asked sternly.
“I’m sorry, Alpha. I was upset, I went for a run and didn’t realize how long I was running. I found myself a long way from home and exhausted when I finally stopped. I needed a few days to think. I’m sorry I didn’t call.” Gabriel looked down at the floor.
“You’ve been needed here. We have a situation,” Micah said sternly and cautiously.
“I know. Bass filled me in. I’m heading to the club now to talk to Taylor.” Gabriel said, not looking at either of them.
“No, you’re not,” Jesse said coldly, making Gabriel’s eyes snap to his. “He needed you and you weren’t there. Stay away from him.”
“But he’s my…” Gabriel stopped.
“Mate.” Jesse sneered at him. Gabriel’s eyes went wide. “Yeah, we know. All you’ve done is deny your mate and hurt him. Now he’s going off the rails and he won’t even talk to me. He completely ignores me or blows me off. He…” Jesse broke off crying and buried his face in Micah’s chest.
“That’s not fair, Jesse. I didn’t know he was going through all of this,” Gabriel said softly.
“But you knew he was your mate, Gabe. You’ve known since as long as I’ve known Jesse was my mate. You’ve had plenty of time to talk to him, to tell him. What’s going on with you, cuz?” Micah spoke calmly.
“I…” He looked down again.
“Your dad.” Micah sighed heavily.
“What does your dad have to do with this? I thought you guys left them behind hundreds of years ago?” Jesse said as he looked between Micah and Gabriel.
“We did, but you and Taylor don’t own the market on shitty parents,” Gabriel said, still looking at the floor.
“Go to the club, Gabriel, try to talk to your mate, but be warned, he may not want to talk to you,” Micah said.
“No, Micah, I don’t want Taylor upset any more than he already is,” Jesse pleaded.
“We can’t keep mates apart, baby. Not unless there’s abuse, and that’s something unheard of in our world. It’s against our laws to get between mates,” Micah explained gently.
“But isn’t ignoring your mate and failing to tell him, emotional abuse?” Jesse asked coldly.
“Don’t be like that, Jesse. When you and Micah met I was one of the ones who got you here so you could talk and work this out. I have been on your side since day one. I haven’t tried to hurt Taylor. I’ve tried to protect him. He deserves better than me.” Gabriel had tears in his eyes and looked back at the floor.
“Damn, Gabe.” Micah moved Jesse off his lap onto the couch and then stood up and went to Gabriel. Micah grabbed his shoulder in support. “Your father was a dick, Gabe. He was wrong. You are not worthless. That’s why I took you with me when I left, Gabe. I wanted you away from that bastard. You are a good man and you deserve to find your mate and have love just like the rest of us. Go to him, grovel if you have to, but you need to tell him about your past, too. What you’ve suffered and why you do or don’t do in this case, the things you do.”
“I’m sorry, Gabriel. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. I’m just so worried about Taylor. I can’t lose him in my life as much as you can’t. Go, try to get through to him. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.” Jesse walked over and hugged Gabriel tight.
“Thanks, Jesse, and I am sorry.”
“I know. Let’s just all move forward and do whatever we need to do to help your mate, my best friend, okay?” Jesse pulled back and smiled at him.
Gabriel nodded at them with a sad smile and left.
* * * *
Gabriel walked through the club with Bass by his side as they searched for Taylor. After the second walk around the whole club, including behind the stage, Bass spotted Taylor behind the bar in a dark corner, laughing with Dale. Bass elbowed Gabriel to get his attention, then motioned with his chin to where Taylor was. Gabriel spotted him and his heart stopped. He looked incredible. The new hair was perfect on him. The blue tips made his beautiful blue eyes even deeper, the black liner around them made his eyes pop and the clothes he was wearing were sexy as hell. Tight black leather pants and a glittery purple skintight mesh top, which showed his creamy white skin. He was sex walking. As Gabriel approached he could see the exact moment that Taylor spotted him. Taylor’s eyes went wide with a happy and excited look in them. Then Dale spotted him and whispered something in Taylor’s ear. Whatever he said changed Taylor’s whole posture and facial expression. The excited look left his eyes and was replaced by a cold stare. His body went tense.
Gabriel approached the bar without breaking eye contact with Taylor. He stopped at the bar and took a deep breath, but just as he was about to open his mouth, Taylor spoke.
“So, you decided to come back. What happened, run out of pussies?” Taylor and Dale laughed.
Gabriel ignored the question. “Taylor, can we talk?”
“Sorry, no can do, wolfie. I’m working. Gotta keep the boss happy.” He winked. “Wouldn’t want to get a spanking.” Taylor and Dale started laughing again.
“Yes, you would.” Dale laughed and spanked Taylor on the ass.
“Don’t do that again.” Gabriel growled fiercely. Which made Taylor and Dale both shut up. Dale lowered his eyes and lifted his chin, exposing his throat in a sign of submission. Gabriel looked back at Taylor and his eyes softened. “I really need to talk to you. Can I drive you home later?” he asked hopefully.
“Sorry, no can do. Me and my boys are heading out to have a little fun after work. Maybe I can pencil you in for…hum…let me check my schedule.” Taylor held out his hand, palm up toward his face and then licked a finger on his other hand and made believe he had a book in his hand that he was leafing through. “No, that won’t do. No, that’s not good. Oh wait, here’s a good day, the day hell freezes over come find me.” Taylor dropped his hands and turned away. He left from behind the bar and headed across the crowded club, Gabriel following. Taylor made it to the door at the side of the stage that lead to the back, but Gabriel gently grabbed his arm.
“Taylor, please wait. Please.” Gabriel just about begged.
Taylor sighed heavily then turned to face Gabriel. “Look, Gabriel, I’m sorry, but I need to get ready for the next show. Jesse goes on soon and I have a headache that I need to get rid of.”
“Another one?” Jesse asked as he stepped through the door. “That’s like what, three this week?” Jesse asked.
“It’s fine, Jess, no big deal. It’s not like the others, it’s just a small one. But I’d like to go get something for it before the show.” Taylor left through the door, closing it behind him. Gabriel sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
“You didn’t think it would be easy did you?” Jesse questioned.
“No, I didn’t. But I need to get him alone.” Gabriel answered.
>
“Okay, tell you what, I’ll go talk to Frank, have him delay the show. You probably only got about fifteen extra minutes. That gives you half an hour. Go back to our dressing room. He’s most likely in there,” Jesse offered.
“Thanks, Jess,” Gabriel said and went through the door.
* * * *
Gabriel walked back to Jesse and Taylor’s dressing room and found the door open and Taylor was lying on the couch with a compress on his head and he was crying quietly. Gabriel walked in and kneeled down on the floor next to Taylor’s head. He reached out and adjusted the compress. Taylor’s eyes opened and looked right at him.
“Your headache that bad?” Gabriel asked softly.
“Yes,” Taylor whispered. “It’ll go away soon. It always does after I rest for awhile. It’s no big deal.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“If it’s causing you pain then it’s a big deal, Taylor. What can I do to help you?”
“Nothing. I just need to lay here quietly for a little while with my eyes closed.” Taylor closed his eyes.
“Okay Taylor. I’ll just sit here and make sure you’re okay,” Gabriel whispered and shifted so he sat on the floor.
“Why?” Taylor asked.
“Because you don’t feel good and you’re important to me. I care about you and I want to make sure you’re okay,” Gabriel answered.
“No, I meant why don’t you want me? What’s so wrong with me that nobody wants me?” Taylor sobbed.
“Oh Gods, sweet baby, that’s not true.” Gabriel lifted his hand to Taylor’s face and cupped his cheek. “I want you. I want you so much that it hurts.”
“Then why haven’t you told me that I’m your mate?” Taylor whispered.
Gabriel’s eyes went wide. Does everyone know? “You know?”
Taylor looked him right in the eye, “Of course I know. I’ve known since the first time Jesse and I came to the pack house and you were doing all that growling. Then I touched you and the same feelings Jesse said ran through him when Micah touched him, ran through me. I put two and two together.”
“How come you didn’t say anything?” Gabriel asked in shock.
“I’m the human here. You’re the wolf remember? You’re supposed to tell me…You’re supposed to want me. Not deny me and run away.” Taylor’s voice was getting louder. He sat up and put his feet on the floor. The pain shot through his head like a knife. He closed his eyes tight and clenched his jaw against the pain.
Gabriel touched his knee softly. “I didn’t run away, sweet baby. I needed to think, to get my head straight before I talked to you,” he said gently.
Taylor just sat there quietly for a moment, then he sat up straight and looked at Gabriel, still not saying a word, just looking at him. Gabriel started to squirm a little under Taylor’s gaze. Finally after about five minutes Taylor answered him. “I don’t believe you,” he said quietly with a chill in his voice. It caused Gabriel to flinch back as if Taylor had slapped him in the face. “You’ve had all this time to tell me. I was right there. I was teasing you and flirting with you, and making a fool out of myself in front of your whole pack to get you to tell me, but you wouldn’t.”
“You were?” Gabriel asked in confusion.
Taylor looked at him in shock. “You’re freakin’ kidding me, right? All the touches, the comments, the dressing up like a ho bag from the eighties, and you didn’t know I was teasing you? That I was flirting with you? Unbelievable,” Taylor huffed.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never been very good at any of that stuff,” Gabriel whispered and looked down at his lap.
“Unbelievable,” Taylor said again and stood up shaking his head. He walked over to the vanity table and started fixing his makeup. “I don’t even know what to say at this point, Gabriel.”
Gabriel stood up and walked up behind him, their eyes met in the mirror. “There’s a lot of things I need to tell you. Things about my past, and it’s hard for me to talk about.”
“Yeah, well me, too, but I was willing to tell you. To open up to you because you’re my mate. Honestly? Part of me wants to hear what you have to say.” Gabriel’s eyes got hopeful and he gave Taylor a small smile. “A very small part of me.” Gabriel’s face fell. “I’m sorry, Gabriel, but you don’t get to just waltz in here when it’s convenient for you and say now I want to talk. You should have told me from the beginning and then we could have gone from there. Now…I don’t think we can.” Taylor broke eye contact with him and went back to fixing his makeup.
Gabriel just stood there looking at him for a minute as tears gathered in his eyes. “I’ll make it up to you, sweet baby. I promise.”
Taylor’s eyes snapped back to his in the mirror again. Seeing the tears in Gabriel’s eyes almost made Taylor fold. But he knew he couldn’t. He had to stay strong.
Gabriel held their gaze, then said quietly, “You look so beautiful, Taylor. I love the new hair. I didn’t think it was possible for you to get any more beautiful, but you did.” Gabriel leaned forward and softly kissed Taylor’s cheek. His eyes closed at the contact. Then he opened his eyes and stepped back. He gave Taylor one more longing look and turned. Without another word, he left.
Taylor just stood there frozen, staring at the empty doorway.
* * * *
Gabriel and Bass were sitting at a table in the corner of the club as the employees cleaned up. The place was closed except for them and a few of the people who worked there. Frank, the manager of the club, walked over to the bar and spoke with Dale. He smiled and came out from behind the bar. The tall, skinny twink bounced as he walked. His long straight black hair swayed back and forth against his back as he went. He walked over to the stage and yelled into the back, “Come on bitches, quittin’ time, let’s go, party’s waiting.”
One of the waiters and two of the strippers walked out from the side of the stage, smiling and laughing. “Yeah, yeah, we’re coming. Don’t have a cow,” the little twink stripper with the pink hair said. They hopped off the stage next to Dale.
“Where’s my Tay Tay?” Dale yelled into the back again.
Jesse walked out of the door next to the stage. “Maybe you guys should go without Taylor tonight. He still has that headache.”
“No, I don’t. I’m ready to go, bitches.” Taylor laughed as he stepped through the door.
Jesse stopped him and turned so that he was standing in front of Taylor with his back to the others, “Tay, why don’t you come home tonight? Get some rest for that headache.”
“My headache is gone, Jesse. I’m fine, but thanks, babe,” Taylor said sweetly and tried to step around Jesse, but Jesse stopped him again.
“Taylor, please come home,” Jesse pleaded in a whisper.
Taylor’s face hardened. “Why? So I can go sit in my room all alone. While you go to your room and fuck Micah’s brains out? No thanks,” Taylor said in an angry whisper. His eyes were dark and cold.
“Where did that come from?” Jesse asked in shock.
“It’s always about you, Jesse. It’s always Jesse this and Jesse that. Jesse, Jesse, Jesse, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. Well, I’m not Jan. You have your life with Micah now, you don’t need me anymore. So go home to your ball and chain and leave me the fuck alone,” Taylor was still whispering angrily. His eyes were full of hurt and anger.
Jesse just stood there in shock. Dale walked over. “Are we ready to go, Tay Tay? Damn you look fabulous and the club is waiting. Doesn’t he look fabulous Jesse?” Taylor and Jesse just continued to stare at each other.
“He always looks fabulous,” Jesse whispered.
“The new hair is awesome, isn’t it? He looks so hot,” Dale said as he touched Taylor’s hair.
Jesse and Taylor still hadn’t taken their eyes off each other. “Yeah, it’s very Tommy Joe Ratliff, Glam Nation Tour. Looks better on you though, Tay,” Jesse said.
“Tommy Joe who?” Dale said. Taylor and Jesse’s eyes both went wide and their heads turned slowly toward Dale to look at him like he had twen
ty heads.
“Adam Lambert? Glam Nation? Glamberts?” Taylor asked. Dale shook his head no and shrugged his shoulders. The two twink dancers squealed and ran over to them. “Are you kidding? You don’t know who Adam Lambert is? Or Tommy Joe Ratliff? Adommy?” They huffed and Dale just shook his head again. “How are you a gay man on this planet and not know who Adam Lambert is?”
“Oh, Dale, my friend, we have so much to show you,” Taylor said as he threw an arm over Dale’s shoulders and turned them to walk out and away from Jesse.
Gabriel looked at Bass. “Who’s Adam what and Tommy who?”
Bass looked at him like he had twenty heads. “Really? Damn you need to get out more. Seems like they’re important to your mate, maybe you should Google them and find out. Let me just say this, so fucking hot.” Gabriel raised a brow at his friend.
Micah came down from his office and started heading over toward Jesse. He approached Taylor and the others as they made their way to the exit. Micah raised an eyebrow and looked at Dale pointedly. Dale lowered his eyes and exposed his throat. “Alpha.” The other three did the same.
“Gentlemen,” Micah said and nodded at them.
“Hi, Micah,” Taylor said happily.
Micah gave Taylor a very bright smile with soft eyes. “Hi, Taylor. You look very nice tonight. You boys going out again?” Micah asked in a friendly voice.
“Yeah, were heading out,” Taylor answered. “Don’t wait up.” They walked past Micah and went to the exit.
Micah turned and watched them go. “Gabriel, Bass?”
Gabriel and Bass were already up and heading for the door. “We’re on it, Micah.”
