by LS Anders
Searching Gabriel’s face, Tegan looked for any evidence of the guy’s true age. In his late twenties, he was not that much younger than himself, but Gabriel was gifted with a baby face and would still look twenty-five when he was fifty, and with all that skater-boy shit the guy was rocking, he looked like he’d raided Cale’s wardrobe. Even more beguiling to his age was the modified Mohawk and face piercings. He had also been a closed-door client of Cale’s, which meant he was sporting some stainless steel below the belt.
Tegan’s cock shrank back in horror at the thought of being punctured. Lighting the cigarette he’d all but forgotten was hanging off his lip, he lit up and stuffed his lighter into his front pocket, going deep enough to brush past his cock in a silent promise that nothing like that would ever happen to him.
“No, I’m cool with Avie. It’s my a-holish brother that I’m stressing over,” Cale answered, taking another deep drag off his smoke before continuing. “Avie invited him to go, but not only that, just recently asked him to walk her down the fucking aisle since she has no family. She has this notion that we’re gonna somehow become close or some shit.”
“Why do you have a beef with your bro?” Gabriel questioned, stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, a non-smoker, but he always joined them to chat.
“He’s about ten years older than me, my brother, Jake. We were both put up for adoption at different times, obviously. He was lucky enough to get adopted by a family on Park Ave and sent to medical school. I ended up stuck in the system until I turned eighteen.” Cale began to explain. “We didn’t know about each other. He was long gone by the time our mom dumped me off at the same orphanage. She kept her identity confidential, not wanting to be found. But, I do know we had different fathers, and mom wasn’t forthcoming with any names. Hell, she was probably a whore or something. After I turned eighteen, someone mailed me a copy of my brother’s adoption file. It took me the past three years to track him down because I couldn’t afford to hire a private investigator. His adoptive parents’ name was all mangled up on the form I had so it must have been damaged in the mail. If it wasn’t for Avie’s help, I don’t think I would have found him at all. He’s a dermatologist here in the city, and one of his specialties is tattoo removal.” Cale pulled down his graphic tee revealing more of the ink on his neck. “I don’t think he was too thrilled when I showed up at his office. We talk some, but I don’t think he knows what to do with me. Plus, he’s kind of stuck up too."
“That sucks. Sorry ‘bout that,” Gabriel remarked, looking Cale hard in the face. “If I ask you something about Avie, would you take offense?”
“That all depends on what the question is. Since you tend to be brutally honest, you’d better choose your words wisely or I’ll punch you in the fucking throat.”
Even though he’d just lit up, Tegan snuffed out his cigarette preparing for the worst. Cale was extremely protective of Avie and with Gabriel, there was no telling what was about to get spewed.
“You said Avie helped you find your brother. How? I mean, there’s something odd about her, like she has ESP or some shit. There was this one time, I needed some ink ordered special for this one client. I hadn’t mentioned it to her to order yet, but the next fucking day, she came walking in and set the box down on my table. What the hell, Cale? I know I’m not the only one in the studio that has happened to. I’ve heard the other’s mention her peculiarities. And, how in the hell does she change her hair color all the time? It’s pink today, but it was lemon yellow yesterday,” Gabriel finished, glancing over at Tegan.
“First off, Avie is not peculiar. She’s intuitive. And, she colors it. I’m never home when she does it, but what other explanation is there. Maybe you mentioned the ink to her and don’t remember. Why you gotta be hatin’?”
“I’m not, I think she’s adorable, I was just voicing what no one else will,” Gabriel defended.
Cale turned questioning eyes on Tegan.
“My first day working here,” Tegan said clearing his throat to take his time sorting through the jumble of words in his head before he spoke, “she’d brewed a pot of that better-than-Starbucks. The entire time I was waiting in the lobby to meet with Evana, I was jonesing for a cup, and I never said a word to her about it. Then after E gave me the tour, I was in my workspace unpacking. I turned around and boom, there was a cup of coffee just the way I like it, appearing out of nowhere. I didn’t even hear the clicking of her high heel shoes on the marble floor. It was just there, like my own thoughts had manifested it.”
“Fuck off, Tegan,” Cale scoffed. “A cup of coffee? Maybe she was just being nice, and you didn’t hear her walk in your room because you weren’t paying attention, dude.”
Gabriel sucked in a sharp breath, his eyebrows shooting to his hairline, no doubt recalling the ass chewing he’d received from Tegan his first week there over using that term to identify him.
He hated it when people called him that for reason’s no one knew but him. He let it slide. Tegan knew Cale was baiting him, but picking a fight the kid couldn’t win wasn’t going to fix his issues with his brother.
Cale relaxed his posturing and plowed his fingers through his mop of hair, dropping his head as if the whole world was hanging from his neck. Tegan’s newly acquired fondness for the kid jumped to do damage control and decided to keep his other bizarre experience with Avie’s intuition to himself. “We aren’t saying there’s anything wrong with her, Cale, because Avie is cool. It just seems… interesting that she is overly sensitive to other people’s needs.”
“Yeah, Avie is fantastic. We all love her like a little sister,” Gabriel tacked on. “Sorry, if I pissed you off. I wasn’t trying to disrespect your girl, Cale. I was just curious.”
Tegan tensed up when Cale raised his head and looked over at Gabriel. He had no doubt that Gabriel could hold his own, but he would rather avoid a schoolyard brawl.
“Nah, it’s cool. I’ve noticed that about her, but never thought too much of it. Just took it as her way.”
As the two fist bumped, Tegan released a breath he hadn’t been aware of holding.
“Please tell me you two assholes have already picked up your tuxes,” Cale bitched, abruptly changing the subject. “Avie left me in charge of my half of the wedding party, and she will have my balls on a plate if anyone of you dickholes screws this up.”
“She don’t need a plate, sounds like she already has your balls in her purse.” Gabriel’s comment had Cale tossing his cigarette to the ground and lunging for the guy.
Fuck it. Those two were determined to fight. Tegan took that as his cue to leave, turning away from the carnage that was about to ensue. If Gabriel could dish it out, then he could take the beating he had precipitated.
Avie came walking towards him as he opened the breakroom door that opened into the hallway.
“Is Cale still out back?” she asked.
“Yep and you may want to go check on him. I have it on good authority that he and Gabriel are duking it out.”
“Are you kidding me?” Not sparing him a moment to reply, she rushed through the breakroom door. Before the panel could close behind her, she had swung open the back door to the courtyard gasping when she saw the two tangled up together on the ground. “Gabriel, you better not leave any marks on his face. We have wedding pictures in a week!”
“Pfft,” Tegan smirked, nearly chuckling. That little pixie was going to give those two degenerates hell, and they both deserved what they got.
His bad habit strong at work, he gave Rayna’s room a cursory glance, but she wasn’t there. His internal radar lit up when he heard her voice coming from the front as she spoke with the woman she had been tattooing before he’d followed the boys outside.
Picking up his drawing pad to finish up a design for tomorrow, he plopped down on his stool and wheeled over to the long console table that took up the majority of one wall.
Drawing was therapeutic for him and as he settled into a relaxing calm, his sub
conscious mind began to wander, random thoughts coming and going until one stuck to his frontal lobe. A wave of guilt flushed all other thoughts away and pinned a snapshot of the last time he'd seen Tracy. She had a pitifully shocked look plastered on her face when he had left her behind bars. She was probably dead now that she was in the hands of her dealer and didn’t that just slather on a thicker layer of guilt for him to try to swallow and digest.
Laying his pencil down, he put his head in his hands and tried to rub the image away.
“You did the right thing, Tegan.”
“What…” Tegan’s head whipped around. But instead of finding Avie there, he found himself alone.
Stepping out into the hall, he looked towards the breakroom where her voice could still be heard chastising the two males for fighting, but he could have sworn she had just whispered in his ear.
WTF!
Later that evening, Vehn met Callie and the rest of the group at Exotic Ink before they all hoofed it over to the restaurant. They all gathered around Vehn in a tight circle on the short jaunt over so he would be less noticeable by the general populace.
He had retired from modeling a few months back to follow his dream of pursuing a career in photography and was currently using the third floor above Exotic Ink as a photography studio. His final modeling campaign was just now in full swing, and Tegan had seen the countless magazine covers and the larger than life D&G swim suit ad in Times Square featuring his longtime friend. That Jumbotron was way worse than the photograph he had come face to frame with in Callie’s workspace his first day working at the studio.
Rayna bumped into him as she walked along beside him, jarring him away from the picture permanently etched onto his retinas of Vehn in butt hugging swimwear.
“Sorry,” she apologized, looking up at him with a sweep of her long lashes.
Her demureness was always his undoing and despite the predatory dance they maintained around one another, he wasn’t always sure which one of them was the prey. Wanting to hold onto that spark of warmth she stirred inside his frozen heart, he captured her hand, holding it in his larger one as they walked the remaining distance to the Burger and Barrel.
Following Vehn around to the back of the restaurant with Rayna’s fingers interlocked with his, he held opened the door for everyone, appearing to be the gentleman of the group, he was merely prolonging the moment when he’d have to relinquish her hand.
The last time he and Vehn had attempted to dine here, had turned into their orders to go as Vehn was immediately recognized and descended upon by a horde of fangirls. Tegan had never experienced anything of the like and had no wish for a repeat. By the time they'd escaped the curious hands of the women, their hair was disheveled, their clothes were in disarray, and one girl had even undone the belt and top button on Vehn's pants.
It was a disturbing experience to say the least, to be mauled by a mob of women who weren't interested in who he was, only that he was with a celebrity. He had no doubt any one of those women would have dropped to their knees in the middle of that restaurant and blown him had he given her a command.
Feeling dirty, he'd immediately jumped in the shower once they were back in the safety of Vehn’s penthouse so he could scrub off a particularly nauseating perfume that had been left behind, the scent as brazen as the girl who had worn it. The unabashed woman had even been bold enough to pop a kiss just below his ear while grabbing a handful of his bits and pieces. Appalling behavior that this lovely woman currently beside him would never dream of doing. That was the most attractive thing about Rayna, her innocent sexuality.
She walked just ahead of him as they all followed the waiter into the private room Vehn had managed to secure at the last minute. The guy had some serious resources and cold hard cash to make happen whatever he wanted. Just ask Callie, she had firsthand knowledge of private dinners.
Bringing up the rear, the others had already found their seats around the huge table leaving two empty seats together for him and Rayna.
Perfect.
Another waiter joined the first, shutting the door behind him and blocking out most of the noise from the main restaurant, creating a more intimate space even though they were a group of eight. It would have been nice to enjoy the ambiance of the place with its large centered oval bar and high ceilings, but the private room still held the same appeal as the main restaurant. The aged brick and wood paneling lending the same warm charm only an old building could possess.
Menus had already been laid out, and Tegan wasted no time flipping to the selection of craft beers. He relished trying new microbrews and quickly decided to order the sampler of all twelve the place offered.
Rayna kept glancing over at him, the overhead lights catching and reflecting the pale golden highlights of her blonde head every time she moved.
“Which one are you going to order?” she asked. “I can’t decide, and I’m not really in the mood for a mixed drink.”
“I was going to go with the sampler. Last time I was here, Vehn and I barely made it out of here with our pants on, so I didn’t get a chance to taste everything they had.”
Callie’s head whipped around in Vehn’s direction, jealousy darkening her hazel eyes. She had significant issues when it came to her supermodel fiancé, hence the all-male wait staff. Tegan had no doubt that had been at the request of Vehn, but they seemed to be making their relationship work if the moaning that rolled out of Vehn’s bedroom was any indication. He was glad they stayed at her place in Brooklyn most times, because their joyfulness was beginning to grate on his nerves. Not that he wasn’t happy for them, it was just a stabbing reminder of what he would never have.
Vehn held his hands up in surrender, shaking his head at her.
“Sheath your claws, She-Ra, it was before you and it wasn’t his fault.” Tegan didn’t leave Vehn to flounder. “Trust me on this, if a hundred naked women walked in this room, your boy wouldn’t even spare them a glance.”
“Yeah, Callie,” Cale never missed a chance to needle her. “It’s not Vehn’s fault he’s a good-looking motherfucker.”
“Pfft, heavy on the motherfucker,” Tegan added.
Vehn laughed along with the rest of the table, but flipped him off just the same.
Ditching his vow not to get involved with Rayna, it was too irresistible an opportunity to pass up. He used everyone’s laughter as a distraction as he leaned back in his seat placing an arm across the back of her chair. A totally old-fashioned flirty date move, but he was going to use any means necessary to get closer to her tonight. Resigning to mind-fuck himself for one evening that she would one day be his, be the doting wife that affectionately looked to him for warmth and support, be the family that was truly his.
What could it hurt?
Leaning forward again, he turned to the side, sharing his menu to school her on the different types of craft beers they brewed. Tilting his head to the side, he pulled free the elastic band so the fall of his black hair would shield his face from the rest of the table. No need for the curious onlookers to get a look at the dopey expression he always felt he wore when he was around this blonde beauty.
The antiquated date moves worked, because Rayna scooted closer to him seemingly hanging on his every word. Tilting her chin up, she inhaled deeply, momentarily closing her eyes as if to smell his hair. His cock instantly hardened. The moment her eyes blinked open, he noticed they were glazed over with that same steamy look she had bestowed on him in the storage room just before she’d cum for him for the first time. Wiggling in her seat, her thighs visibly squeezed together. He knew beyond any doubt that her little cotton panties were soaked.
What he wouldn’t give to be alone with her right now. To toss her up on that damn table and have her sweet pussy for dinner—
The waiter was at his elbow waiting patiently for his drink order, pulling him away from his sexual fantasy.
“We’re going to share the brew sampler and decide from there,” Tegan took it upon himself to order for
her. She was still looking up at him as if she were reading his mind and was more than willing to offer herself up as his meal.
Tegan couldn’t help but notice everyone’s undivided attention, their curious stares beginning to annoy the fuck out of him. Being the center of attention was never where he wanted to be. He was aware of the rumors floating around about the two of them, even Vehn had questioned him, and it pissed him off that no one could mind their own damn business.
“Take a fucking picture already,” he complained, glaring at the lot of them, but especially Vehn who was smiling so wide, he was showing off every tooth in his head.
To his chagrin, several cell phones made appearances, clicking off shots of him and Rayna. She giggled, scooting closer and turned her face into his chest in an attempt to hide, her pale hair sticking to his goatee and tickling under his chin. He took advantage of the opportunity to loosely drape the arm he had resting on the back of her chair around her shoulders.
Still scowling at the assortment of people around him, that homey vibe he got from Vehn’s mom hit him hard in the sternum. He belonged with these people, even if they did get on his damn nerves. They were quickly becoming his makeshift family.
That internal cynical bastard, born when his father left, growled at the little boy he used to be that now stood alone in the darkness. Taking a tentative step into the light, the boy wanted desperately to belong, to feel as though he was important to someone, that he mattered and would be missed when he was gone. The bristly man he had become was growing softer with each passing day he spent with them. Those unfamiliar feelings of acceptance endearing these fuckers to him much the same way Vehn’s family had. Pfft, he had even smoothed over Cale’s hurt feelings on their smoke break.
