CHAPTER 16 - CRY YOU A RIVER FINE...BUT NO ONE WILL CRY A RIVER OVER YOU
KITCHEN
JUSTIN
I hope he won’t be long. I hug Sonata hard and decide to make myself a hot chocolate. As I reach for the mug and the jar, the door starts to knock…
DREW’S MANSION - SAME TIME
RECEPTION HALL
EMMETT
“Now, Drew. You are overreacting!” I exclaim as I try to work out if I could make it to the front door without him catching me. “It was a lucky shot in one frame!”
“Lucky shot, my ass!” He growls and reaches in his pocket and I hear a click. “You hustled me!”
“I did not! And what did you just do?!” I demand, edging to the front door centimetre by centimetre.
“Locked the front door, Mr Colour of Money.” He drawls. “So what you gonna do now?”
“Locked the…” I pull myself to my full height and fold my arms. “I have no idea who this Mr Colour of Money is that you are calling me. If this is a reference to me wanting payment for doing anything sexual with you, I resent the implication! I will have you know that…” My ire is further fired by him starting to laugh. “Let me out this instant! You are clearly not the gentleman or the man I thought you to be and…”
The door clicks unlocked but he is still smiling. “Mr Colour of Money, my adorable streak of propriety, is in reference to a Tom Cruise movie about a pool hustler. And if I wasn’t a gentleman, I would’ve wrestled you to the ground and fucked you the moment I saw you.”
“The first time you saw me was…”
“In class outside. You were wearing an all black ensemble with lime green detailing. And…”
“Chartreuse, not lime green. It’s subtle, but there is a difference.” I mutter.
“Uh huh, and there is a difference between me and a caveman. I won’t hurt you, Emmett. Now that I am out, I do believe I have found my perfect fit...my perfect tight end.” I keep still as he approaches me and I can feel his hot breath fanning on my lips. “Now, with his permission, may I steal a kiss to soothe my ego after that soul crushing ass kicking I received on the table?”
“You may and I…”
“You want to sit down?” He growls at me and I frown. “If you are about to apologise for reacting as you should’ve done to my behaviour, I will spank your ass.” We lock eyes and he raises his eyebrows. “So what are you going to say?”
With a grin, I kiss him softly. “Sorry.” I then squeal as I am upended over his shoulder and with a sharp rap to my ass, he carries me upstairs.
Oh shit, he is serious!
“Drew! Be gentle, at least! It’s been ages since…” I am cut off when he dumps me on the bed and I try and scramble to the other side. But he grabs my ankle and pulls me slowly back towards him, then reaches underneath me to unbuckle my belt and undo my jeans.
“You’re sorry, are you?” He questions as my jeans slowly slide down my legs. “You have no idea how much you will be.”
Soon I am grunting with each spanking and moaning with each tug on my cock.
“Still sorry?” He demands, his hand hovering higher and higher. “Answer me.”
“No, definitely not.” I pant, and watch his hand lower and start to stroke my heated globes, and lazily flick the head of my cock. “Um...oh my goo...Drew! Please! I...can’t...hold....off...oh fuck!” I scream and cum across his silk sheets. Just as I am coming down, he flips me over and starts to clean me from tip to belly button with his tongue. “Oh sweet mystery of life at last I found you!” I warble as the second orgasm floods my body.
“Oh Christ!” He yells and immediately my eyes snap open and I find myself looking at his ecstatically wreathed face as he comes in his pants! He slowly lowers himself down on top of me with a goofy grin. “That was fucking awesome!”
“No, that was awesome! I haven’t even fucked you yet, but when I do, that will be way past awesome.” He goes silent and gently traces the contours of my lips. “Drew?”
“Can we do that now?” His voice is soft and nervous and I look into his eyes and see why.
“No, not today. But we will. Now take me to your shower!”
He grins and once again hauls me over his shoulder with a sharp smack to my butt!
WOODY’S - THREE HOURS LATER
ETHAN
I am fucking steamed! I am waiting for Brent to return my many calls! I look across the bar for a stress relief. Finding the pickings slim, I leave another message for Brent.
“Hey, Chyna! Oh man, what’s that face for?!” The barman shouts across to a furious looking woman.
“Pinchpenny has been spreading his poison again! Eagle called Cloud, and it seems that he and a combative cunt paid him a visit and now we are on mop up duty! Ooh, wait till I get that mouthy meathead in class!”
“I see. Well I would suck on that and dial it back. Pinchpenny’s bait is in the room. 4 down to the right.”
CHYNA
I look 2 down and to the left and see him. Some greasy haired mopatop with the back end of a rat stuck on his chin. I sit down next to him and smile. “Sorry about the c-word. Don’t normally say it, but am good and steamed!”
“I know the feeling. Ethan.” He holds out his hand and with a swallow of revulsion, I shake it.
“Who’s pissed you off?” I ask all the while wanting to jab a cocktail stick up his nose.
“Oh, you wouldn’t know him. Some popinjay called Justin Taylor, a wannabe cellist superstar. I have no idea why since he has no talent.”
Popinfuckingjay?! Breathe, Chyna! Breathe!
“And he’s done what?”
“Tried to imply that I only got my current gig because he didn't want it. The fool!”
Lightbulb!
“Oh, excuse me, I have to take this.”
“Sure, sweets, you crack on. I’m done here.”
“Hey, Chyna, where you going?” The barman calls out.
“To call Petal, I have me an idea!”
I watch her sprint out of the bar and take my time following her. I want to hear him explain himself. “Brent, how nice of...what are you shouting at me for?! I should be shouting at you! I went to see Justin and...yes, I admit it. Why wouldn’t I, since it’s true. Fired? He fired you?! What for? Breach of privacy? What the hell are you talking about?! Yes, I told him you gave me his address. Yeah, I know it wasn’t true but...fired? What do you mean fired?! You can’t fire me! I am the greatest talent the world has ever...hello? Hello? Brent, are you still there?”
This is Taylor’s fault!
OPERA MANSION - SAME TIME
MASTER BEDROOM
BRIAN
I hang up, knowing that Cyn and Ted will handle the business. I look down every so often as Justin hiccups in his sleep. Daph, when I called her, said it’s what he does when he’s super stressed out. He is anchored to me, and I want to break Michael’s face. The lies and bitchiness he heaped on an already upset Justin was unreal…
Start of flashback
OPERA MANSION - TWO HOURS EARLIER
As I saunter down the strip of No Man’s Land, I whistle to Shadow, who is investigating something. He immediately comes to heel and then Silver goes on point. It’s then that I hear the nasty whine of Michael Novotny at the same time as I feel the buzz in my pocket. A text from Justin. Please hurry.
“And you know what?! Brian told me to do this! This was all a ruse to get you to take the fucking hint! He is not interested in you! Oh he wants to fuck you and I said he could if he must! Although he doesn’t normally like fat and well used asses! We are both in this contest to win by any means necessary, and you are a means to an end! I mean, look at you! You are a whispy thing with a fat ass. It is sickening and pathetic that you think you have a chance with him. We’re in an established relationship, but we’re keeping it on the down-low. He values his privacy and I respect that! You are nothing! Nobody! No one! I have been kind thus far, but that stops now! Keep away from my boyfriend for the last fucking time! I know people; I know how valuable your hands are. If you want to keep that lame ass career of yours, then back the fuck off!”
I watch him limp away and hold hard onto the boys’ collars after having ordered them to be quiet. I do not want that fucker to know that I heard every lying word he said. I sit down, and even though every part of me wants to go inside, I need that fucker gone. Twenty minutes later, the cab turns up and he finally goes. Leaving my bag where it is, we start to run, and I hammer on the door. “Justin! Open the door! It’s me, open the door!” I bellow.
When he opens the door, I wish he hadn’t. His face is red raw with tears and he is shaking. I just open my arms and he slams into me. “It’s not true. Nothing he said is true.” I stroke his back and card my fingers through his hair. Ten minutes later, my shirt is soaked but he has finally stopped crying and looks up at me. “If you say the pussy word I will give you something to cry about. Okay?” He nods. “I need to pick up my bag, but do not move from that spot.”
I get back as fast as I can and he hasn’t moved. I put my bag in the doorway and as I pick him up, he buries his face in my neck. I carry him to the loveseat in the kitchen and place a kiss on his tremulous lips. “Two seconds. Let me lock up, okay?”
He’s back in my arms and I am trying to stop him from rubbing his already red raw eyes. “So who was that?”
“Ethan Gold. The second cellist in the orchestra. Has been causing me problems for a while and…”
“What do you mean problems?” I demand. “Before you explain, why is there milk on the floor?”
“I was going to make a hot chocolate when Michael came knocking.”
“Stay put. I will clean up and make you a hot chocolate. Then while we are all snuggly, you can tell me.”
Twenty minutes later, he is resting on my chest and telling me how Ethan Gold questioned each and every note he wrote since he joined the orchestra. No matter how friendly Justin was, Ethan would always be unfriendly and then he walked in on him and Brent one day and that was that. But it was when he told me that he found out that Brent had given Ethan his address that I was really pissed.
“Why would he give him your address?”
“I don’t know. I told him to give him the lead in the Australia tour, but I don’t know why Ethan turned up here.”
“I’ll bet that Brent doesn’t know he is here.” That makes him look up. “Give me your phone, please. I want this guy to learn what happens when he pisses off someone I care about.” He hands it to me. “Needs to be unlocked, Brat.”
He gives me an abashed giggle and unlocks it. “What are you going to do?”
“Fire your agent.”
“What?!” He gasps, trying to take the phone off of me. “Brian, no! I can’t let...mmmpfffh!”
When I lift my head, he is looking a touch dazed and very well kissed so I take that opportunity to place the call. “May I speak to Brent? This is Brian Kinney of Kinnetic, I wish to speak to him about promoting his orchestra.”
Two seconds later. “Mr Kinney, hello. This is Brent. I must admit that I am surprised but delighted to receive your call. You see we…”
“Operate a shoddy operation where you give out the details of your high profile clients in return for a blow job. The purpose of this call is threefold: To tell you that Kinnetic will never advertise for you; to advise you that Justin Taylor has fired you as his agent; and, finally, that the reason for all of that is called Ethan Gold.”
When I hang up, he is looking at me incredulously. “I can’t believe you just did that. I don’t have an agent!”
“Yes, you do.”
“Who?” He demands.
“Your talent. You have got, as you pointed out, this place through that. You don’t need an agent.”
End of flashback
“Justin.” I shake him gently and he opens his eyes. “Have some water.” He blinks a couple of times before he sits up and takes the glass and drinks slowly.
“Chyna called.”
“Mmmm, what did she say?”
“She wants you to write the music for the pole dancing contest. She’s going to get together a Babylon Orchestra.” For the first time since we got here, he gives me a smile and then sighs. “You want me to heat the wings, don’t you?” His smile gets wider. “And maybe set the bath?”
He answers me with a scorching kiss, that takes me a few minutes to recover from, much to his smug delight...but I love him and he’s had a shit time so he can have that...oh God, I love him!