Billy Jeffers: Rockers of Steel (3 page)

“Yes. Yes, of course.” I close the door and turn around, trying to ignore the scent still wafting through the air.

Memphis sits at the island while Tales goes through every cupboard, trying to find the dishes.

I walk over and open the door left of the oven, and she smiles.

“Thanks. Hope you don’t mind us making ourselves at home.”

I may mind, but I certainly wouldn’t say it. I had plans, big plans that included alone time.

“He doesn’t mind,” Memphis says. “Do you, man?”

“Of course not. Let me take your coats.”

Tales shrugs hers off and hands it to me. She then pushes up her sleeves and looks around. “Silverware?”

“Next to the dishwasher,” I answer as I walk over to take Memphis’s vest. Then I walk over to Madison who is standing in the middle of the room, eyeballing my place. “Madison, may I take your jacket?”

She shrugs and unties the red trench coat. “You need some pictures, knickknacks … things.” She points to my empty mantle, and I see her mind working.

“I’m still not fully unpacked.” I am terrified she will offer her design help.

She hands me her coat, her blue eyes looking into mine.

“I’ve got it all under control. No need for—”

“I wasn’t offering,” she huffs quietly before turning and walking over toward Tales. Her face softens, and she smiles. “Tallia, what can I do to help?” With her eyebrow raised, she quickly glances at me.

Little brat
.

I hang the coats in the coat closet and turn back around.

“Dinner is ready.” Tales smiles as she sets the plates on the table.

Memphis sets down the basket and pulls out a casserole dish. “Chicken Florentine, Italian bread…” When he pauses and winks, I know he’s up to something.

“Don’t forget the tossed salad.” Tales smiles.

“Baby, I would never forget the delectable tossed salad.”

Her cheeks burn bright red.

“Pig,” Madison says and giggles.

Tallia looks at her, mortified.

I look at Memphis, who is grinning, clearly happy with himself that he has made them both uncomfortable. Yet another difference between me and my bandmates. I would never try to embarrass my woman in public. What happens in the bedroom between lovers is no one else’s business.

“Do you give back?” Madison asks Tales, and I want to send her to the corner, ground her, bend her over my knee, spank her ass, and send her to bed without dinner. It’s inexcusable behavior for the petulant child who is Madison Black.

To distract myself as well as stop myself from acting ungrateful for the meal Tales made, I grab a carafe and fill it with water, then set it on the glass-top dining room table. Then I go back to grab glasses.

I take in a deep breath and attempt to stow the irritation it brings me when I sit next to her, praying she has some table manners. Though, Madison is already sitting in a skirt cross-legged.

I slide my plate toward me and lean back in my chair, shielding my eyes from the deep red strip of silk that’s in contrast to the black skirt that I was pleasantly surprised by when she threw her coat at me. That is, until she sat down and did whatever the hell it is she is doing, blatantly fucking with me.

I take a bite and close my eyes. “Delicious,” I say then look at Tales and check to see if either of them notice Madison’s little display; they don’t. They are always too wrapped up in each other to notice anything else when not at work. “You are a great cook. I appreciate it.”

“Thanks. It was a joint effort.” She nods to Madison, and I look at her.

“You helped?”

What does she do? She looks at me with her eyebrow raised, and I swear she spreads her legs a little more, showing me more of the red, silk panties covering her pussy.

I look up to see she has a shit-eating grin on her face before it changes to a look of annoyance. I look away, hoping like hell her brother or Tales didn’t catch her little public display of inappropriate behavior.

The rest of the dinner is now ruined. I can’t focus on anything except my utter disgust at her and at myself for wanting to scold her ass with my bare fucking hand.

Later, I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to fall asleep, but I can’t. All I can think about is how the hell I am going to get as far away from that little cock tease as possible. She pisses me off, and she does it intentionally.

Fuck her.

Fuck this lifestyle.

I need to make a change … soon.

But first, I have this to deal with.

I throw the covers back and look down, disgusted with myself.

“That’s never gonna happen.” I wrap my hand around my hard dick. “This will have to do.”

It’s Sunday morning, and I have nothing planned. After my post-run shower, I throw on my bathrobe, grab my key from my nightstand, and head to my office.

I unlock then open the door, and my breath almost falters as I look around. On the desk are three computer screens, my computer, and shelves lined with my most prized possessions. My collectibles.

I pull out the leather, overstuffed chair and sink down in it. Then I turn on all the monitors and rub my hands together as I wait for the computer to boot up.

“This is the perfect way to spend a Sunday.”

I stroke the keys on the computer’s keyboard and watch as the screens come to life.

I get a new kind of rush, the ultimate for a man like me. The numbers light up, and I swear I chub up a little.

“Show me how much we’ve made today, baby. Show Daddy what we’ve got.”

After an hour, I am almost satisfied … almost. I decide to move around some money. I even decide to be a little less conservative by taking a chance on some new penny stocks, which is very out of the box for me.

I push back in my chair and spin so I can look at my collection.

Priceless.

It’s Monday morning at Forever Four, and I am the first one here, which isn’t unusual anymore. I have little to do now that Mom has gone to Europe for the spring. She has wanted to do that for as long as I can remember. It was Mom and Dad’s retirement plan. Well, he apparently had other plans, like burying his dick in Tales’s father’s
righteous
ass.

I’m not gay bashing. I could give a damn who people sleep with. It’s none of my business, but...when it comes to my father’s extra marital relations, I bash. It’s bash-worthy. I mean, who has an affair with their daughter’s best friend’s…
father
? Okay, probably more than a few, but add to that the fact that he was a minister, a Baptist one at that. I say
was
because the man died.

Can you imagine what went on at the pearly gates when he arrived?

I can’t help snickering to myself because all I can think of are the newspaper headlines in the ‘Heavenly Blade News.’

“
Extra, extra. Read all about it!
” one of the little cherubs with a Heavenly Blade delivery bag slung over its wing yells. “
His holy hole arrives today.
”

They would make him use the back door. Fitting. The fucker would probably steal the pearls from the front gate and use them as anal beads.

I slouch forward and bang my head on the desk. I swear I’m not homophobic, but I certainly am heterosexually frustrated.

In elementary school, I met the boy I knew I was destined to be with forever: Joey Smith. He was the best colorer in the class, and he could draw like no other. All the girls liked him, even some of the older girls. On the last day of school, I stepped up my game. I wanted him to remember me for next year. I never liked competition, so on that day, I pulled him into my cubby and kissed him with all the skill a first-grader possessed. He turned green, and then he moved away that summer.

Then there was Bones, a six-foot-tall jock who was ruggedly handsome, richer than most in our high school, and extremely into me. Best boyfriend ever! He loved to shop with me, held my hand, took me to dinner all the time, bought me clothes, makeup, jewelry, and never, never, ever … ever pressured me into sex. The night of our junior prom, I decided it was time.

Let’s just say, he wasn’t
‘up’
for it. He blamed it on drinking too much and apologized profusely. I realized after numerous attempts that no one could possibly drink that much.

When he started avoiding alone time, I honed my teasing skills. My high school health teacher noticed, so did Bones’s friends.

When he caught Timmy, his best friend, and me making out at the end of year party, he came to life. He pulled me away from him, hit poor Timmy in the face, and then kissed me with more passion than I had ever felt from him. That day was also the first time I felt his erection brush against my stomach.

I was ready, past ready, and then … He broke up with me, and Timmy avoided me like the plague.

College couldn’t come soon enough.

Notre Dame was a dream come true. As luck would have it, the electives I took brought me close to another beautiful man: Charles. He and I were in two design classes together. His parents owned a clothing company that had just started up.

He was nearly six-foot-tall with brown eyes, brown hair, and he smelled like sex and money. Well, he made me think of both, anyway. His parents loved me. They invited me to all their fundraisers, gave me gifts, and so did Charles.

Unlike my pathetic attempts at relationships in elementary and high school, this one actually went the distance. I slept with him. My first time was as awkward as you hear or read about. There was the pinch deep inside, and then it was just about to get good when … Well, it ended with a muffled grunt and no fireworks.

We had sex a few times, each time ending the same. But the last time we had sex, he called me Matt instead of Mads. I confronted him; he denied it; I accepted. Then, at a frat party, I met his fraternity brother … Matt. And after my second keg stand, while on the bathroom floor, throwing up everything in my stomach, I had a revelation.

I, Madison Black, am a fag hag.

That night was not the best of my life, and the morning after was worse. I woke sandwiched between Matt and Charles with an ache between my legs that I had never experienced before.

I jump when I feel a tap on my shoulder. “Good morning, Miss Black.”

I look up to see Abe O’Donnell, the CFO of Steel Incorporated. Forever Four is nestled in the basement below the billion dollar industry.

I stand up and straighten my skirt. “Good morning, Mr. O’Donnell. What brings you in this morning?”

“Abe is fine.” He gives his million-watt, definitely straight smile.

“Then I have to insist on Madison.” I smile back, feeling my cheeks heat up.

He puts his hand behind him, and only then do I see his stunningly beautiful fiancée, Nikolette. Even more embarrassing.

“Can I get you both a cup of coffee?” I ask as I walk around them.

“No, we’re just here to leave an envelope for Xavier and Taelyn,” Nikolette replies.

“I’ll make sure they get it.” I turn around and hold out my hand.

“Thank you. Will you also have him call me or Nikki and let him know we would prefer this stays between us for now?” Abe asks, holding out the elegant looking envelope with the Name Mr. and Mrs. Xavier Steel written in script.

“Oh, my God, you’re getting married!” I gasp.

Immediately, he cringes, and I cover my mouth.

Nikolette laughs. “I told you that wasn’t very discreet, Abraham.”

“I promise, my lips are sealed.” I smile at her.

“We would truly appreciate that.” She nods.

Abe stares at the floor, his head down. “Come on, love. Let’s go. Have a great day, Madison.”

“Congratulations,” I whisper.

She giggles and turns around. “Thank you.”

“Nikolette?”

“Yes?”

“If you need any help, please let me know. I would love to help.”

She nods. “I will probably take you up on that. Abe is a stickler for paying attention to detail.”

The smirk on his face makes her blush, and in turn, I feel myself blushing.

I quickly turn around so she doesn’t see me. That would be twice in less than five minutes.

Once I hear the elevator doors shut, I sit down in my comfy chair cross-legged. There is nothing pressing for me to do here since I have already finished the travel packets Xavier and Taelyn asked for. Therefore, I pull out my laptop, pop in my ear buds, and get to work on my side project.