by Jet Mykles
“Doesn’t sound like he wants to talk to you.”
“I could make him.”
Brent snorted, running the water. “Because that went well.”
Luc breathed in hard, hands up to dig through his hair. “You could talk to him.”
“I doubt it.”
“He likes you.”
“And everyone knows I’m your best friend.”
He was back to gripping the counter edge. “I need him.”
Sighing, Brent turned so that he was leaning against the counter where their arms just brushed. “Probably best to give it time. Make plans to come back here in a few months. He’ll have calmed down by then.”
Luc nodded, staring at his knees. That sounded like a good, solid approach. It even made sense. But the thought of leaving Reese for a few months tore at his gut.
“You can do what Johnnie did. Keep in touch, send him presents, butter him up.”
He nodded again, lips pursed.
“Then when you come back, he’ll be dying to see you.”
Luc said nothing. He continued to say nothing for a good five to ten minutes while they sat there.
Then Brent pushed up. “Come on.” He slapped Luc’s knee. “Let’s get out of here. You can show me this rental house I haven’t had a chance to see.”
“No.”
He was still staring at his knees when Brent turned to face him.
“I think I’ll stay at the hotel tonight.” The thought of going back there when Reese maybe never would didn’t hold appeal.
“Okay.”
Luc hopped to his feet then immediately led the way out of the crappy little apartment.
“Luc?”
Brent stopped him at the bottom of the outside stairs, right next to the fire door that led into the back rooms of the club. Back here, they couldn’t hear the crowd and a security gate kept stragglers away. He searched Luc’s face and Luc didn’t know what he saw. “You’re going to let this go, right? For now?”
Luc stared at his best friend. And blinked.
Brent sighed.
Chapter Eleven
“Maybe you should stay home tomorrow.”
Reese paused chewing, glancing up to see his sister watching him. Dave kept eating, but slowly.
After swallowing, Reese stabbed another chunk of pork loin. “I’m fine.”
“Reese…”
“No. It’s not a good time to be away from work. It’s finals week.”
“Is it so hard for a sub to give out a test and watch that kids don’t cheat?”
“Reegan…”
“I just don’t think you’re up for it.”
He pushed the pork under the mashed potatoes, watching its progress toward the broccoli florets. “Tomorrow is a review day. It’s better that I’m there.”
“Are you sure you can concentrate?’
“Right. Because you’re worried about my concentration.” The meat finally reached his mouth.
“I’m worried about you.”
Unfortunately, she had cause. He’d been an absolute baby since Friday night. Reegan and Dave had followed him home, seen him rant for a few minutes then watched him crumble. He’d cried in his sister’s arms while her poor husband had watched in sympathy and discomfort. He’d let Reegan convince him to go home with them, where he proceeded to spend the rest of the weekend curled on their couch mindlessly watching television.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
He put on a bright, fake smile that she wouldn’t buy for a second. “I have to be fine. Right? I have to get back to normal life.”
Her shoulders fell and her eyebrows slanted out in sympathy.
He picked up his knife to cut more chunks of delicious pork that he barely tasted. “Normal life, without some rockstar to throw everything out of whack. Who knows? They might be ready to fire me. Who knows if anyone saw Luc kiss…” He swallowed over the stutter. “Kiss me Friday.”
“I still don’t think that should make a difference.”
He shrugged. “It shouldn’t, but it probably will. Then I’ll be out of a job. Ha!” Letting the knife clatter to the placemat, he stabbed a piece of meat. “So Luc’ll get what he wanted. Part of it anyway.” He shoved the bite into his mouth. “I should’ve just let him whisk me away.”
Silence but for the scrape of Dave’s silverware on his plate.
Reese met Reegan’s flat stare. “What?”
“Maybe you should have.”
His fork hovered in front of his mouth. “What?”
“What if he was telling the truth?”
Without thought, he dropped the fork and stood.
“Reese, wait.”
“I’m going home.”
Both Reegan and Dave shot to their feet.
“Reese…”
“Thank you for dinner and for putting up with me,” he said, mostly to Dave, who was glancing at Reegan in panic.
“God damn it, Reese, wait.”
She rounded the table but he went the other way, evading her. He didn’t have anything to gather but his keys and wallet. He’d changed at his place Friday before letting Reegan drag him here.
“You don’t have your car,” she reminded him acerbically.
Or his shoes apparently, he discovered when his head dropped in defeat.
She grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to turn around in the little entryway of their house. Shoving, she backed him against the wall. “Wait a God damned minute and I’ll drive you home.”
He wanted to ask Dave to do it, but he knew better.
They were halfway through the ten minute drive before she started talking. “You’re not ready to think about it. I get it. But let me just say one thing?”
“Just one?” he asked morosely, chin jammed on the fist of the arm he had resting in the passenger window.
She grumbled something under her breath. “Maybe, just maybe, he really does care for you.”
He tensed against the onslaught of emotion that burst from his heart.
“What he did was fucked up, but let’s face it, that’s Luc. He’s overbearing and so full of himself that you want to kill him. I can’t imagine fame and fortune has made those qualities any less.”
Reese found it in him to snort.
“Right?” She parked on the curb outside of his townhouse, reaching over to grab his arm before he could escape. She shook it so he’d face her, which he did after a fortifying sigh. “He wouldn’t have done it if he didn’t care. No—” she clutched him harder when he would have turned away, “—if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t have kept after you. Face it, he could have had anyone.” She squeezed his bicep. “But he wanted you.”
◆◆◆
At school on Monday, Reese expected doom to crash down around him at any moment. He had no idea what news might have spread. Reegan and Dave had found grainy videos on social media of Luc kissing him and also of him taking a swing at Luc, but both of them agreed that he hadn’t been recognizable. He disagreed, pointing out that the zipper shirt was a dead giveaway. In the end, he’d had to wait and find out what happened and deal with the fallout at work.
The day was odd anyway, anticipation of finals inserting tension in the air. Math finals were on Wednesday so while his kids were dealing with tests in other classes, in his they’d be preparing and asking questions. At least, that’s what he expected.
First period. Second period.
Nothing out of the ordinary. A few questions about the show Friday night from those who hadn't attended, but that was it.
At break, he did see Haley in the break room. She gave him a bright smile and thanked him so much for introducing him to Brent. She regaled him on how her husband had been jealous—he doubted it—and how a bunch of her friends were dying with envy, but nothing more. Nothing about a kiss. Nothing about a fight. No suggestive looks. Shocked, he took his coffee back to his room.
Third period. Fourth period.
Again, normal. Tina an
d her friends asked about the performance and squealed over the autographed pictures that he’d finally remembered to deliver. Thank God he'd thought to get those before the show. Luc had even brought him a few from the other guys in the band so he’d have a stack to give out. Thoughtful.
At lunch, he saw Toni.
“Wow! Wasn’t Friday night awesome?!” She beamed at him as she and Betty sat beside him at an outside table. “I’m so bummed that Haley and I had to go so soon.”
“Oh? When did you head out?”
She sighed, pulling yogurt and a thermos out of her lunch bag. “Right after you introduced us to Brent.” She sighed happily, then gave him a sharp look. “What happened to you after? We looked for you but you disappeared.”
“Oh,” he shrugged, lifting his burrito, “I saw some friends and lost track of time.”
“Did either of you see the fight?”
He tensed while Toni’s eyes went wide. “Fight?”
Betty, who he knew hadn’t gone, puffed up. “Luc Sloane was making out with some guy on the roof at that club.”
Toni’s hands flattened on the table. “What?”
Slowly, Reese lowered his burrito, waiting for the running train to smack into him.
Betty was nodding at Toni. “Yep. There are videos of it all over.”
“What guy?”
“No one seems to know.” At that, Betty was disappointed. Then she perked up. “But the guy didn’t like it because right after he tried to punch Luc. Twice!”
Reese flinched while Toni raised a hand to her mouth in horror.
Betty waved a hand. “He didn’t hit him. It was a kind of lame punch. That was it. They argue then Luc leaves. No one got any audio so no one knows what was said.”
“And they don’t know who the guy was? Are they sure it was a guy?”
Betty paused. “Everything said it was a guy, but none of the videos I saw were all that good so I suppose it could have been a woman.”
Toni moaned. “I hope it was. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with being gay but Johnnie’s already gone there. Life just wouldn’t be fair if Luc was gay too.”
The girls embarked on a slightly offensive discussion after that, but Reese tuned them out. They didn’t know! It was entirely possible that no one at school knew what had happened. It didn’t mean that he was entirely in the clear. If anyone ever identified him in those videos he was screwed, but until then he was in the clear.
Could he be that lucky?
Fifth period.
A knock sounded at the door. Reese looked up, then nodded for Ally, who was seated nearest, to answer it. He turned back to the chalkboard, prepared to continue with his explanation.
Ally’s low squeal turned him back toward the door.
Luc strolled in, lifting expensive shades to perch them on top of his head. He winked at the doe-eyed girl before turning to the front of the room. Those sable eyes focused on Reese above a sensuous mouth that wore a lazy, dangerous grin. “Hey, Reese.”
Reese’s heart froze. He swallowed, trying like hell to act normal. Which was a feat, since Luc was at his stunning best. His hair was spun blood with golden-orange highlights, caught in a loose tail at the back of his long, bare neck. Errant curls framed the face of a modern god. An overlarge, hunter green button-down shirt hung about his slim, muscular frame, sleeveless to show off lean arms. A wide belt banded his hips over jeans too tight to need a belt.
“Luc,” Reese managed only after the man had taken three predatory steps toward him. Instinctively, he stepped back, colliding with the chalkboard. He juggled the textbook in his hands and managed to keep it, but dropped the chalk. “What are you doing here?”
Reese’s kids muttered, hissing as they whispered to each other. There was no doubt that most of them knew exactly who this was. All eyes were glued to the man stalking Reese.
“I came to see you.”
“I-I’m working. You shouldn’t be here.” How was he here?
“I know.” Luc stopped at the corner of Reese’s desk and turned to face the class. Flashing that million-dollar smile, he waved. Expensive bangles clattered about his slim wrist. “Hi, kids. Sorry for the interruption. This won’t take minute. Got those phones handy?”
As two dozen kids scrambled to lift their phones, Reese hurried to the other side of the desk as Luc stepped behind it. He had to keep Luc from touching him. Mainly because what he really wanted was for Luc to touch him. That would be very bad in front of the kids. “Luc, can’t this wait?” What was he still doing in town? He should be in Italy!
“No. It can’t.” Luc stopped at the opposite end of the desk from where he’d started, smiling evilly at Reese over the paper-crowded surface. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. Reese saw clearly that it was one of those envelopes that held plane tickets. “I’ve got a plane to catch, and I want you to come with me…” He paused for effect.
Reese opened his mouth, sensing what was coming. His eyes widened. He wouldn’t!
“…lover.”
He would!
Gasps and a few feminine squeals from the kids.
The textbook fell from Reese’s nerveless hands. He shook his head. “No,” he breathed.
“Yes. Please?” The beguiling pout that twisted Luc’s lips was all fake, but it was a good effect. “I love you. I need you with me.” The bastard carefully enunciated each damning word, hammering the nails into Reese’s coffin.
“Oh, God!”
Luc reached for him.
Reese had just enough flight instinct to evade his grasp and keep the desk between them.
“It was him!” someone squeaked.
“Oh my God!” another answered.
The whispers got louder.
Ignoring the kids and their avid interest, Luc leaned on the desk, concentrating on him.
“How did you find me?” No, that wasn’t the most important thing to know, but Reese was having trouble getting his mind around what was happening. Simple details seemed to be the easiest to grasp.
Luc smiled. “The lovely ladies in the office were kind enough to give me directions. One even showed me the way.” He waved vaguely toward the door.
Reese blinked. Looked. Haley stood just inside, registering everything with wide eyes and an open mouth.
Shit!
Reese shook his head. “No, Luc. Please don’t…”
Some of Luc’s grin died into an all-too-serious stare. Volumes were spoken in that stare, but Reese didn’t want to translate. “Too late.”
“Why?”
“I love you.”
Reese balled his fists, righteous indignation burning away some of the fear. This was it. He’d almost escaped and now he was fucked. “Fuck you! Quit saying that!”
Luc clucked his tongue. Muscles in his arms tensed. “Language, lover. Not in front of the kiddies.”
With an inarticulate cry, Reese shot toward him.
Kids shouted. Some screamed.
Luc danced back to the chalkboard.
Reese rounded the desk, snarling. The end of his tie brushed the surface of the desk. “You son of a bitch!”
This time Luc retreated to the other side of the desk, dark eyes gleaming.
Student tables clattered as those in the front row hastily pulled back to make room. Some of the larger boys stood, watching the two men.
Luc and Reese focused on each other across the desk, two predators waiting for an opening to attack.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Reese hissed, balling unfortunate papers that lay under his hands.
Luc’s eyes narrowed. “If I’m going to ‘ruin your life,’ I’m damn well going to do it properly.”
Reese went ballistic. He launched himself at Luc, roaring in rage. Luc sped back, those long legs keeping him out of reach. Students scattered behind him. Haley shouted his name.
Reese’s two tallest, largest students caught him by the arms, halting his attack. Reese strugg
led with the boys, demanding they let go. All he wanted at that particular moment was to beat Luc’s face in.
“I’m going to kill you!” he screamed at Luc.
The door opened, sealing Reese’s doom. Mr. Tarkington walked in, followed by the vice principal, one of the male teachers, and one of the security guards. Reese froze again, unable to believe this was actually happening to him.
Tarkington saw him first, held by two of his students. Scowling, the principal took in the array of excited teenagers around the room’s perimeter before his gaze came to rest on the rockstar.
Luc now stood at perfect ease. He was easily a foot and a half taller than Reese’s boss. The two men sized each other up.
Luc tossed an evil glance at Reese.
“Luc!” Reese fought the hold on his arms.
Luc stuck his hand out to Tarkington, smiling brilliantly. “Hey, baldy, how’s it hangin’? Are you the gay basher Reese has been telling me about?”
Reese cried out, unable to believe what Luc was doing to him.
Tarkington’s eyes bugged out and he ignored the friendly gesture. “Who are you?”
Luc raised the long-fingered hand to his chest, a look of surprise on his face. “Me? Luc Sloane. I play bass for Heaven Sent. Maybe you’ve heard of me?”
Surprisingly, steam was not pouring from Tarkington’s ears. “And why are you on school grounds during classroom hours?”
Did he not hear the gay basher comment? The kids certainly had, more than one of them giggling. Reese caught sight of a few phones, clearly recording.
Reese lurched forward but the boys caught him again. “Luc, no!”
Luc ignored him. “I came to get my lover.”
“Goddamn it, you asshole!”
“Mr. Schuyler!” Tarkington shouted.
Finally he got free of the boys and shot toward Luc.
The taller man was faster than he was and darted behind Tarkington.
Reese froze, glaring daggers at the rockstar over his boss’s head. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
The principal’s eyes got even wider.
Luc’s head tipped back for a laugh. Haley was staring at Luc in wonder. The teacher hid a smirk behind his hand while the security guard stepped close enough that he could get to Reese or Luc, since he didn’t seem to be sure who the threat was.
