Chapter Two

Nico

N ico had taken one last look at Jace before he left. Jace was five foot twelve and had a lean, athletic build from countless hours of performing and practicing. His skin was lightly tanned, a testament to the time he spent outdoors, whether it was at the beach or on the road with the band. Jace’s style was effortlessly cool, fitted jeans, graphic tees, and a leather jacket that had seen better days. Tattoos peeked out from under his sleeves, each one telling a story of a moment or memory that was important to him.

Nico walked into the dimly lit bar, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Sal, his cousin. He was seated at a corner table, a half-empty glass of whiskey in front of him. Nico took a deep breath and approached, his heart pounding. Sal had always been a looming figure in his life, ten years older and deeply entrenched in the world that Nico had tried so hard to escape.

Nico had always found his cousin Sal a bit of an enigma. At thirty-five, he had a presence that was hard to ignore. His curly chestnut hair seemed to have a life of its own, often falling into his equally brown eyes, giving him a mysterious, almost brooding look. Those eyes truly set him apart. His father always compared him to Sal, who had taken over Nico’s spot in the family business.

“Nico.” Sal greeted him with a nod, his voice low. “Sit down.”

Nico slid into the seat opposite Sal, his jaw clenched. “What do you want, Sal?”

Sal leaned back, his eyes narrowing. “Your father has a message for you.”

“So, why did he send you?” Nico asked.

“You know I’m his right hand.”

“You wish you were his son. That will never be, Sal. And you’re more his left hand.”

“But you are his son! Do something about it.”

“Like what? Tell me, what’s in it for you?”

“He wants you to quit that band of yours and come back to New York. He needs you to work for him.”

Nico’s fists tightened on the table. “I’m not quitting the band to work for him. Ever! You can tell him that.”

Sal’s expression darkened. “You know how he gets, Nico. He won’t take no for an answer. You think playing the drums is going to protect you from him?”

Nico’s eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t care what he wants. He’s never cared about me. All he does is hate and control. I’m not going back to that life.”

Sal leaned forward, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “You think you can just walk away? You think you have a choice? ”

Nico stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “I do have a choice, Sal. And I’m choosing my own path. Tell my father he can go to hell. It’s not that bad. I’ve been there.”

Without waiting for a response, Nico turned and walked out of the bar, his heart racing but his resolve stronger than ever. There would be consequences, but he was determined to live his life on his own terms. This was the soft demand from his father. The next time, he wouldn’t let him off so easily. He knew how his father worked. He had been gone for a couple of years, so why now? Was it because he was in California?

Nico wasn’t moving back to New York to work with his family. His father had made it clear he wasn’t welcome in the family because he was gay. He’d told him to act straight to get by in the family, but when he refused, made his life miserable. The men in his family, under the direction of his father, took pleasure in calling him derogatory names, intent on publicly humiliating him. That’s when Nico left New York for Los Angeles and met beautiful Jace.

As Nico walked towards the van at the service station,

Nico had strong feelings for Jace. He could sense when he was around, especially when Jace was in trouble and Nico would heedlessly run to his rescue. As much as Nico wanted him, Jace needed to grow up before he could make him his. Jace had a striking presence, making him stand out in any crowd. His tousled, golden-brown hair framed a face looking both boyish and rugged, with a strong jawline and high cheekbones. His eyes, a deep shade of blue, often sparkled with a mix of mischief and an intensity reflecting his passionate nature. He was the most beautiful man Nico had known. Day and night, he could stare at him endlessly, captivated by his wild magnetism and charm.

Nico knew Jace followed him around as if he were a jealous lover, but Nico acted like he wasn’t aware of what Jace was up to. They never spoke a word about it. One day, Nico would reveal the truth to him because no one followed him without his knowledge. He had too many enemies, but Jace wasn’t one of them. Jace was lonely, lost, and loveable.

He waited at the service station until they processed his bill for the van’s tune-up, preparing it for their tour of Nevada. They had decided to camp out, but that would go by the wayside if the boys changed their mind because of the heat. All pussies. But he loved all three of them.

As he was driving, he saw the three of them sitting on a bench—waiting for a ride—so he pulled over and used his head to direct them into the van. All three piled inside, Jace taking the front seat beside him. Of course, that was his place. He knew that much, and so did the other two.

“Why didn’t you guys tell me you needed a ride? I thought you had things to do in town,” Nico asked.

“We did,” Mark said, “but we’re done now.”

“Yes, we’re all done and ready to pack,” Sammie piped up from the back seat.

Jace remained silent, not uttering a single word. Maybe Nico needed to tone down his reprimands of Jace’s deplorable behavior, especially in front of the others. Something else was going on with him. They had too many important gigs coming up for him to be on edge. He’d have to cheer him up.

“Did you get lucky last night?” Nico asked, tapping his thigh with his hand.

“Lucky? Ah, many times and then some. Why, are you jealous?” Jace asked with a sheepish grin.

“Yes. I never have so much fun that I don’t come home.”

“So you noticed?”

“I noticed when I went to your room to wake you up for practice. ”

“I see.”

“We didn’t even have a gig. So where did you go?”

“To a club.”

“You know, in two days we have a gig in Bakersfield, then on to Black Rock City. Those are big gigs for us.”

“I know, and I won’t disappoint you.” Jace leaned his head on Nico’s shoulder.

Jace had no idea what he did to him when he leaned on him or touched him. Jace was a touchy person. No one turned him down except Nico. It was tempting, but Jace was too unstable, and the group was more important at this point. At least, that was what Nico told himself.

After Nico packed his suitcases, he walked into Jace’s room, his eyes landing on Jace sprawled on the bed, lazily directing Sammie as he packed a suitcase. Nico’s irritation flared in his chest.

“Jace, what the hell are you doing?” Nico snapped, his voice sharper than he intended. “You’re using Sammie like he’s your personal servant.”

Jace barely lifted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. “Relax, Nico. Sammie offered to help.”

“That’s not the point,” Nico shot back, stepping closer. “You can’t just lie there and let him do everything. It’s not fair.”

Sammie glanced between them, sensing the tension. “It’s really fine, Nico. I don’t mind and I offered.”

Nico shook his head, his gaze never leaving Jace. “No, Sammie. You shouldn’t have to do this. Jace can pack his own damn suitcase.”

Jace sat up, his expression hardening. “Why are you making such a big deal out of this? It’s just packing.”

“Because you need to start taking responsibility for yourself,” Nico retorted, his frustration boiling over. “You can’t keep relying on everyone else to clean up your messes.”

Sammie slipped out of the room, leaving the two of them alone .

Jace’s eyes followed Sammie’s departure before turning back to Nico. “What’s really going on here, Nico? Why do you care so much?”

Nico took a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions. “I care because I want you to be better, Jace. I want you to stand on your own two feet. And…because I care about you.”

Jace’s expression softened slightly, but he still looked confused. “Then why are you pushing me away?”

“Because I’m not ready for this,” Nico admitted, his voice quieter now. “I’m not ready for us. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to be better. So, pack your own suitcase, Jace. Show me you can.”

Jace stared at him for a long moment before nodding slowly. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

Nico watched as Jace got off the bed and started packing, a mix of emotions swirling inside him. He wanted Jace, but he needed him to be stronger first. And maybe, just maybe, this was a step in the right direction.

“Is there something going on?”

“Nothing that I know of.”

“Don’t lie. I know something is off.” He inched closer to Jace.

“Nothing is going on.”

“You’ve got to get your head straight. You’re the lead singer and guitarist! If you fuck up, we are all fucked. This is way too important to me and the guys for you to fuck around.”

“I’m sorry.” Jace continued packing while Nico stood watching him.

“Jace, come here.” Nico softened his tone and opened his arms.

He moved closer to Nico, who pulled him into his arms, giving him his shoulder to lean on. “You know I want the best for you. With all that we went through on the streets, you can do this. You’re better than that. ”

“I know.”

Despite Jace’s outward confidence, there was a vulnerability in his demeanor, especially when he was around him. It was in the way he sometimes bit his lip or ran a hand through his hair when he was nervous or unsure. Jace’s appearance was a blend of rockstar charisma and boy-next-door charm, making him both approachable and enigmatic. One day, he wanted to love him the way he deserved.