Rock 01 - FRET (14 page)

Harley ran around Achilles, giggling like an idiot. As soon as he was within arm’s reach, Achilles grabbed him and threw him over his shoulder. Harley struggled, smacking Achilles on his wide back.

“Put me down!” Harley shouted.

Achilles walked back to our group, motioning to the moron over his shoulder.

“I’ll get him back to the hotel; throw him in a cold shower. Can you guys grab his clothes for me?”

“I can walk! Put me down!”

I chuckled as Achilles rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out for Harley’s clothes. Buster and Hammer stood nearby; arms crossed — as usual — unreadable looks on their faces. Jinx elbowed me and I glanced over at him.

“Are these guys going to be with us for the long haul? Cuz I gotta say, they’re pretty fucking scary.”

“That’s the point,” Axel cut in. “According to Mac, they’re thinking of staying on full time. You guys are big time now. You need professional security.”

“Well, that should be fun.” Jinx glanced over his shoulder at Buster and Hammer and wiggled his fingers in a wave. “Will they talk more over time?”

“Nope.” Axel replied cheerfully.

“Look on the bright side. Achilles talks. Kind of.” I grinned.

“Put me down, asshole!” Harley shrieked from behind us.

“Bye, Harley.” I smiled and waved.

“Where’s Paul?” Axel directed the question to Ransom.

“At the hotel. He’s making sure all our equipment was packed. Speaking of which, are we ready to head back?”

I had to laugh as Harley fought Achilles’ grip as the big, burly bodyguard carried him down the street. Even I had to admit that Achilles was one hot motherfucker. Too bad Harley wasn’t gay. They’d make a cute couple. I turned to Axel with a grin.

“What’s the story with Achilles?”

Axel took my hand and we began walking back toward the hotel. The guys were ahead of us, laughing and joking.

“He’s former Delta Force. Those tattoos on his arms?” I nodded for Axel to go on. “They cover bullet scars.”

“What?” I gasped.

“Do you really think we leave the military unscathed? Achilles and his team were ambushed in Ramadi. He was the only one who made it out alive. He recovered in the hospital for four months.”

“Holy shit.”

“Buster and Hammer are former Rangers. All of us have our own stories, Gareth. The point is, we’ve seen a lot of shit and we’re prepared to do what we have to do for those we protect.”

“I can’t even imagine.” I was quiet for a moment. “To watch your team killed right in front of you.”

“Most of us end up in jobs like this. I think for Achilles, it’s his way of making up for the fact he couldn’t save his guys.”

I turned to Axel on a gasp. “He couldn’t have saved them all!”

Axel stopped and pulled me into his arms. I sighed and rested my cheek on his chest. His strong arms tugged me close to him and his lips brushed my temple.

“I love how fierce you are, Gareth Wolf! I’m sure Achilles would appreciate how you feel. I know he carries guilt. Mac made him go to a shrink before he hired him. Achilles will die to protect your bandmates, as will Buster and Hammer.”

I pulled back and searched his eyes. “And you?”

“I’ll die for you with a smile on my face, Gareth.”

I wanted to say something, I really did, but Axel’s lips met mine and anything I wanted to say flew right out of my head. Axel’s hands cupped my face as he kissed me softly. Axel broke the kiss and pulled back a bit. My eyes were still closed and I heard Axel chuckle softly. I opened them to find him smiling at me.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

~*~

The next morning, Axel was with Buster and Hammer as I hit the hotel lobby for coffee. Jinx stumbled a bit behind me and I handed him a cup. Most of the guys were hung over, but Harley was by far the worst. Ouzo was indeed very deceptive.

I headed back upstairs and unlocked the door. We have a whole block of rooms, all connected, and I headed to Ransom’s room. He was still sleeping, his head buried under the pillow. Harley was across from him in the other queen bed, snoring so loudly I was surprised the walls weren’t shaking.

I laughed quietly and headed to the last room. Papers littered the bed and a paper shredder was swallowing the last of a document. I heard the shower running and walked toward it. I was about to call out to Paul when my eyes landed on a piece of red paper beneath a stack of manila folders. I glanced over my shoulder at the bathroom, and then walked to the bed. I lifted the folders and saw the end of a plane ticket.

Only it wasn’t a ticket to Hawaii.

I stared at the date and the destination, then back at the bed. I grabbed the first folder and flipped it open. It contained dozens of stapled receipts — all for surgeries performed in Switzerland! Anger built inside me as I found more and more receipts, along with a sales receipt for our fucking tour bus!

Checking to make sure the water was still running, I booted up Paul’s computer and found the band’s bank accounts.

“That’s a little rude, don’t you think?”

I jumped up and spun around, floored by the sight of Paul training a gun on me.

“Why?” I barely whispered.

“
Why?
” Paul practically spat. “You little shit! From the day you were born, you’ve been a fucking thorn in my side! Ransom was my best friend! We did everything together; we were as close as two people could be — and then you came along and everything was about
poor, sickly Gareth.
” Paul snorted. “Ransom doted on you from the second you came home. I barely existed after that. He never spent the night at my house anymore. Everything was about
you
and how
you
would feel. It made me sick! Then, on the night of the wreck, you had to fucking whine about being hungry —”

“So this is about your
jealousy
?” I spluttered. “Because my brother loves me?”

“He used to love
me
!”

I step back in shock. “What are you saying? Ransom and you …?”

“Oh, don’t look so fucking shocked! I wanted him, I loved him, but he didn’t want to be with me in that way. Oh no, it was
all
about you, Gareth. It has ALWAYS been all about
you
! God forbid anything should happen to precious Gareth!”

“So — what? You’ve been taking money off the top and secretly jetting off to Switzerland to have surgeries on your hand?! You sold the bus! That’s
our
money!”

“It’s MY fucking money! I started this band —”

“The fuck you did!” I shouted. “What? You’re going to off me and take my place? Tell me, how will that go over with my brother?”

“I wanted to scare you into leaving, Gareth. I even picked that muscle-head gorilla because he’s never done this kind of babysitting shit before. How was I supposed to know he would step up and actually do his fucking job? I framed Stan, and they fell for it. Now it’s just a matter of taking care of you.”

“Paul?”

I spun around. Ransom was in the doorway, a look of complete disbelief on his face.

“You don’t get it, Ransom,” Paul began.

“I don’t get what? That I trusted you? That I thought you were my best friend? And all this time you’ve secretly been trying to kill my brother?!” Ransom’s voice accelerated to a shout.

“I wasn’t going to kill him, I swear! I just wanted to scare him into leaving the band —”

“So you could take his place?” Ransom yelled.

“You forgot all about me!” Paul screamed, practically jumping up and down in his rage.

A blur on the left caught my attention and the next thing I knew, Paul’s gun went off. Axel flew in front of me and I heard a grunt, followed by a thud across the room. Axel came down on top of me and all the air left my lungs.

“Gun is secure!” Achilles shouted.

“Axel?” I pushed on his chest and tried to move him. He was a dead weight on top of me. “Axel!” I yelled, trying to get him to stir at least.

“Achilles!” Ransom fell to his knees in front of us. “Oh God, there’s blood everywhere!”

“Axel? Talk to me!” My eyes filled with tears as I tried to move from beneath him. Blood was all over the front of my shirt and on my hand. “He’s been shot!”

A flurry of activity surrounded me as Buster and Hammer moved into the room along with the rest of the band. Harley was standing in the middle of the room, jaw hanging open, staring at Paul — who was laid out on the floor, disarmed and watched carefully by Buster.

“Paul?” Harley shook his head in disgust.

“He needs a doctor!” I shouted in a panic. Blood was seeping from Axel’s side and his face had gone pale.

“Gareth…” Axel rasped.

“I’m here, hang on!”

“Sorry …so sorry.”

“Don’t you fucking leave me!”

Axel’s eyes fluttered closed and I screamed.

My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the low light above me. It seemed as if it was nighttime, but I couldn’t be sure. There was a pressure cuff on my arm and a pulse monitor on my finger. Beeps sounded from the side and I turned my head a fraction to see wavy lines displaying my heartrate. My first thought was of Gareth. Did they get Paul? Is Gareth safe?

“Hey. Calm down.” Mac stepped up to the side of the bed. “I sent Gareth out for food. He wouldn’t leave you, but he needed something to eat and Ransom finally dragged him off.”

“He’s okay?” My throat hurt and I sounded raspy. “Surgery?”

“Yes. The bullet nicked your lung.”

“Paul?”

“On his way back to America even as we speak. Ransom wants him put in a mental hospital.”

“Prison …”

“I concur but the guys all agreed with Ransom, even Gareth. They’ll have to work it out with the law, but …” he shrugged.

I sighed in exasperation.

“I know what you’re thinking, Axel, but this is their call. You have to see it from their point of view.”

“Stan?”

“Back at work as their new manager.” Mac smiled. “He’s a trouper, that one. He was relieved to hear we caught Paul.”

Using Stan as bait for Paul had been risky, but we needed Paul to let his guard down and that’s just what he did. It was just unfortunate that Gareth found out the truth and confronted him before we could prove our case.

Mac picked the story up again. “I was on my way with the proof we needed. One of our contacts got the flight manifest. Paul would actually go to the gate for the flight to Hawaii and make sure he was seen, but then he’d board a different flight. Stan gave me access to the band’s bank account. Paul sold the tour bus, which was worth a pretty penny, and was using the money to get experimental surgery on his hand in Switzerland. Who knows how much more he embezzled? We had it all in hand. I headed straight to Stan’s when you guys left for Europe and found what Paul had planted for the cops to find. Poor Stan was a wreck, but he agreed to make it look like he’d done it.” Mac sat down and tried to smile. “The guys are devastated. I’m sure you knew that would happen.”

I nodded.

“Ransom is taking it the hardest.”

The door to my room opened and Ransom entered. He looked from me to Mac and then approached my bed.

“Can I have a few with him?”

Mac stood up and put his hand out to the young man.

“I hope you guys will be okay. Hammer, Buster and Achilles are fulltime now. Stan is getting their paperwork in order.”

“Thank you, Mac.”

Mac left the room, closing the door behind him. Ransom sat down and stared at his hands.

“I’m sorry.” It was all I could think of to say.

“Don’t be. I didn’t want to believe it was Paul. We’ve been friends for so long, I never would have guessed he hated Gareth that much.”

“Were you two…?” I leave the question hanging.

“In high school we fooled around a little, but I didn’t think he loved me. I mean, it was just us experimenting.” Ransom sighed and ran a hand though his hair. “I’m just grateful Gareth didn’t get hurt worse than he did. I’m sorry you got shot.”

“Eh.” I shrugged, and then winced at the pain in my side.

“Gareth completely freaked out when he saw how much blood you were losing. He used his shirt to try to stop it before the ambulance arrived. He’s not good with blood, you know? He’s quite squeamish. But when he saw you? He went into some kind of daze where he just saw that you needed help.”

“Squeamish, huh?” I tried to smile.

“One more of his quirks that you’ll have to love.” Ransom tilted his head. “Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Love him?”

“I’m not sure I know what that is, Ransom,” I admitted.

“Maybe you should take some time away to figure that out. Mac told me that sometimes these jobs turn into relationships because of the close quarters and imminent danger, but they don’t last. You need to be sure that your feelings for Gareth are genuine. I think you guys are good for each other; then again, what do I know?” Ransom stood up and took my hand. “When you come to Gareth, come to him and give him everything. He deserves that.”

Ransom left and I closed my eyes again. Did I love Gareth Wolf? I wanted to see him every day. I wanted to hold him and kiss him and make love to him. Gareth made me human. I’ve been alone for so long, I don’t know how to be anything else. I like who I am with Gareth.

Warm lips touched my temple and I opened my eyes. Gareth was smiling at me.

“Hey there,” he whispered. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got shot.”

“Nothing new for you, huh?”

He was smiling but I could read the fear in his eyes. I reached out a hand and Gareth took it and held it tightly.

“I’m going to be fine. I promise.”

“I was so scared. I saw you all covered in blood, and I couldn’t help but think I was going to lose you.”

“Listen, I —”

“I know.” Gareth nodded. “I figured you were going to leave. I was ready for it, or at least I thought I would be.”

“I have to know, Gareth,” I tried to explain. “I have to know if this is real.”

Gareth leaned in and kissed my lips softly.

“I know.” He said against my lips. “I’ll be waiting.”

~*~

They discharged me a week later. Gareth had gone on with the rest of the tour and Mac stayed behind with me. I knew Achilles and the guys would watch Gareth for me. Achilles said so when he came by to visit.

I grabbed my vest and bag and turned to look at the room. I hate hospitals, always have. Mac took the bag from my shoulder and I shot him a look.

“Fuck, just let me help you, jackass.” Mac tilted his head to the side, studying me. “You miss him already.”

“Yeah. Tell me you got something for me to do.”

“I will, but not yet. Christy wants you at my house where she can hover.”

“Wonderful.”

“Please. You know you love her pecan pie.”

“How did you know?” I turned to look at Mac.

“That I loved her?” Mac asked.

I nodded.

“It wasn’t just one thing. When I was gone, I felt an ache in my chest.”

I snorted and Mac smacked me in the stomach.

“Ow. Fuck, don’t hit the guy who just got shot!”

“Then don’t be an asshole. I just remember whenever something good happened, she was the first one I wanted to tell. I thought about her all the time. She gets me, you know? She knows what I’ve done and she doesn’t give a fuck.”

I smiled. Gareth knows what I do and he doesn’t give a fuck, either.

“It’s rare to find someone who can still look at you with love knowing what kind of a monster you can be,” Mac added.

That startled me.

“Don’t even go there.” Mac put his hand up. “We both know what we’re capable of. This world isn’t black and white; there is all kinds of shady shit going on and we’re just wired to deal with it. Gareth knows what he wants and so do you. But if you guys feel like you need some time apart to make sure it’s the real deal, then by all means, have at it. Now, get your shit and let’s go.”

~*~

Christy did hover.

Like an Apache helicopter.

I was feeling ten times better but that didn’t matter to her. She fed me chicken and steak and plied me with pecan pie. I was going to have to buy new clothes if she didn’t stop. I was just about to sip my freshly opened cool, crisp, frosty bottle of beer when Christy snatched it from me.

“Hey!” I balked.

“No alcohol with your meds.” She waggled a finger at me.

“Oh, my God! I need a job. Maaaaac!”

“He’s out. Suck it up, ya big baby,” Christy giggled. She sobered and sat beside me on the couch. “Why aren’t you with him?”

“Who? Mac?”

“No, stupid. Gareth.”

“Because I need to know if what I felt with him was real or if it was a product of the situation. If I’m going to go to him, it will be because I can’t live without him. He deserves someone who will put him first.”

“How do you know he’s okay right now?”

“Achilles calls and gives me updates.”

“That man is just nummy.” Christy’s eyes got all moony.

“Nummy?” I cocked a brow at her. “Does Mac know you drool over his employees?”

“Hell, half the time he does, too!” Christy laughed.

“You are bent.” I pointed at her.

“You can spend months away from Gareth, Axel, and it won’t change anything. The only thing you’ll do is put both of you through hell.”

“I’m already there,” I admitted.

“Then go to him.”

“I will. Eventually.”

“Oh God, Axel. You’re in love with him.” Christy smiled at me sadly.

I was beginning to think the same thing.

~*~

I ground my teeth in frustration as my newest babysitting job face-planted on the sidewalk. After being stuck with the son of a high-ranking political figure, I missed Gareth ten times more than I already did. I honestly didn’t think that was possible, but there you have it. This kid couldn’t stay sober, or out of trouble, to save his life. His father’s career was going to go down the shitter if I didn’t get this kid into rehab. He was driving me nuts.

There had already been a kidnapping attempt. Whoever wants this kid is insane; they’d probably bring him back after a few hours because he’s a massive pain in the ass. I’ve been away from Gareth for over a month and I’ve hated every damned second. Ransom calls and gives me updates, as does Achilles.

“Who put the sidewalk down here?” Dumbass mumbles.

I picked him up and stood him up. Blue eyes stared into mine, trying to focus.

“Aidan, you’re going to die of an overdose or liver poisoning if you don’t get your shit together.”

“You don’t tell me what to do!” He pointed in my face.

I grabbed his finger and squeezed. Aidan’s face turned red with anger as I kept a hold on him.

“Grow the fuck up! Is this what you want to do for the rest of your life? Party and fuck?”

“What’s wrong with fucking?” Aidan stared at my lips.

“Oh. Don’t even
think
of hitting on me. I’ll spank your stupid ass.”

“Oooh, I like spankings!” Aidan giggled and almost fell backwards. If I hadn’t been holding his finger he would have.

A van screeched around the corner and I pulled my gun. Three men jumped out of the sliding side door and headed toward us. I pulled the trigger. I shot all three in succession, and then shot out two tires. Police immediately rushed from the club and four cop cars surrounded the vehicle.

“What the fuck?” Aidan twirled around.

“I love it when a plan goes down perfectly,” I drawled. One of the police officers approached us and stuck his hand out.

“Good work, Mr. Blaze. Smart idea taking him to the club.”

“You used me as bait?!” Aidan gaped in disbelief.

“Yes, I did.” I crossed my arms and glared at him. “It was the fastest way to bring your kidnappers out into the open.”

One of the men I’d shot was being hauled up by his arms. A cop pulled off the mask he was wearing and Aidan swore. I smiled to myself. I’d known the kidnappers were part of a much bigger picture; this wasn’t about something as simple as a ransom grab. Aidan’s father was running for re-election and there stood his rival, staring straight at me.

“How did you know?” he snarled at me.

“I do a thorough check of everyone in my client’s employ. His aide used to be
your
aide. It wasn’t hard to make a connection.”

“You fucking shot me!”

“Yep, but don’t worry — it went through and through. Your leg will heal in prison.” I laughed as I got the middle finger from the guy. I turned to find Aidan scowling at me. I took him by the shoulders and leaned into his face. “Get cleaned up, kid. The next time, you may not be so lucky.”

I left Aidan in the care of the cops and went to my hotel room. I kicked off my shoes and removed my bulletproof vest. I have a lot to live for these days and I plan to go right back to Gareth to start that living. Mac and I have discussed it, and I’m going on as head of security for the Skull Blasters band.

It’s time to retire my old life.

I dropped down on the couch and flipped on the TV. The news was just ending and “Hollywood Now” came on. I reclined on the couch and crossed my legs. The Skull Blasters emblem flashed across the screen and I smiled as the screen lit up with the band live in concert.

“I’m here with the members of Skull Blasters.”
The blonde talking head turned to the band with her white smile and her microphone. “
Word is you guys went through a lot recently. Among other things, your manager, Paul Vincent, was hospitalized
.”