10

I fly off the mattress and let out a dramatic gasp, my heart thundering behind my ribcage as my eyes blindly search the darkness. In an attempt to hide from the black night, I close my eyes while I focus on the rise and fall of my lungs, letting my brain catch up to the fact that it was only a dream.

This is the third night in a row I've done a reenactment of Frankenstein's monster, nightmares plaguing me as soon as I drift off to sleep. Visions of being chased through endless hallways haunt my dreams, fleeing an unseen danger that I can never outrun.

Every time, I push my body until my legs give out, and the moment I collapse, my eyes snap open.

I hate that he has this grip on me.

The bouncers removed Jesse from the property, and no one has seen or heard from him since the night of the party. Dante and Tai pleaded with me to press charges, but I only want to erase the memory of what happened.

I've never spent my life dwelling, and like hell I'm going to start because of this.

The rest of the event went off without a hitch, although my eyes were still bloodshot when we rejoined the masses. The lights were dim enough that no one noticed, and if they did, they probably just assumed I'd been doing coke in the closet.

Musicians, amiright?

Our numbers are looking great from the release, steadily climbing the rankings. The album itself hasn't hit the top hundred yet, but one of our singles reached number eighty-six on the charts. While that might not seem significant to others, for us, it's monumental.

I should be out there celebrating, not cowering under my blankets.

With a sigh, I reach for my phone and take a quick glance at the time, realizing it's only five in the morning. Yet another night without sleep; another reason for the dark circles under my eyes. Rather than staring at the back of my eyelids for the next three hours, I climb out of bed and wrap my robe around my shoulders, grabbing the book off my nightstand.

Gay monster smut is my latest obsession, and I curl up on my couch and crack open my book. My eyes move over the pages faster as I lose myself in the story, waiting for the tension to break between the unsuspecting human and the hooded monster with the twelve-inch cock. I scoff as I read the descriptions.

Why are authors so obsessed with a foot-long shlong?

I throw my robe aside and look at my wonderfully average penis. "You're perfect just as you are," I say out loud, giving myself a little pat. "Honestly, twelve inches just sounds like a horrible nuisance, anyway. Where does it even go?"

This is how I end up on my couch with a tape measure laying on my abdomen, figuring out exactly where twelve inches would land.

If you're curious, the answer is past my belly button. Let me repeat that… past my belly button , people. My side-eye game is strong right now, because that… that's just horrifying.

A knock jolts me out of my daydream. The tape measure whirs as it winds back into its little metal box as my penis envy settles, and I frown as I see that it's barely seven. Cautiously, I walk towards the door of my apartment and glance through the peephole, but the hallway is empty.

Double checking my deadbolt and chain are in place, I return to my book. It was probably just one of the building's many kids running through the halls on their way to school, but you can't be too careful.

After a few more chapters, I decide to get out and run errands, so I throw on lounging clothes and head out the door. As soon as my foot lands, a hard object underneath my shoe causes me to stop and take a step back.

I furrow my brow and crouch to pick up the item, twirling it in my hand. It's a watch, made of black metal with a rose gold face and tiny crystals to mark the numbers. It's delicate for a man's watch, something that I would absolutely wear.

Well, that explains the knock.

I slide it into my pocket as I lock the door behind me.

In the lobby, I walk over to the concierge desk and tap the bell. "Hey Theo!" Brenda says as she walks out of the office, sorting a handful of mail as she glances at me over her glasses.

"Morning, beautiful!" I pull the watch out and drop it on the desk. "Someone left this in front of my door earlier. They probably assumed it was mine, but whoever lost it will want it back."

She picks it up and looks it over before smiling at me. "You're such a sweet boy, Theo. Most people would've just kept it."

I wave my hand, dismissing the thought. "Karma is a bitch, and I don't need anyone trying to outshine me as the biggest diva in the room."

"I'll put it in the lost and found in case somebody comes looking for it."

"Thanks, angel face!"

She chuckles, calling after me as I turn to walk away. "You know, my granddaughter is single again."

"Still very, very gay!" I shout back, and she laughs even louder.

"Can't blame me for trying."

The rest of my morning is spent thrifting, piecing together a few fun outfits, before making a stop at my favorite lingerie shop. Your panty addiction is becoming a problem when the cashiers call you by name, but there's no shame in my game. After finding a bag full of pretty shiny things, I grab myself an iced coffee before heading to practice.

"Quit watching me like you're afraid I'll fall apart like some fragile little flower," I say without looking up from my bass as I put it away. Practice was smooth, though I can't shake the feeling that everyone is walking on eggshells around me, like I might shatter at any moment.

"There are countless words I could use to describe you, but fragile is not one of them." When I raise my gaze and meet Eric's hazel eyes, they're filled with careful observation rather than the pity I'm getting from Dmitri and Tai.

"Oh? Give me some examples."

He presses his lips together and taps his forehead, as if he's lost in deep thought. "Sassy, for sure."

"Naturally."

"Pretty," he says, adding a wink that makes Dmitri scoff and roll his eyes, like he's not standing over there looking like a Greek god chiseled straight out of heaven's marble.

"Of course."

"Confident and talented."

"Oh, yeah, baby," I say with a porn star moan. "Don't stop now." I add an expectant wave of my hand.

He cocks a brow at me as the others make their way in our direction. "Are you planning on forcing me to compliment you for the rest of the day?"

"I wasn't going to, but now that you've mentioned it, it seems like a superb idea. I think… yes, I think we shall. Continue."

Eric's chuckle is deep as Dmitri lands at his side and slides his arm around him. "Seriously, though. Are you doing alright?"

My eyes shift beyond them to where Dante stands, not even trying to hide the fact that he's eavesdropping. "I'm getting there," I finally say, and Eric nods and claps me on the shoulder.

"If you need anything…"

Dante's head suddenly pops up between Eric and Dmitri, with a sly grin in place. "Actually, Theo told me something you could probably help him with. Both of you, to be exact."

My eyes widen, then my mouth drops open as I glare at him.

Dmitri gets a small frown on his face. "Of course, man. What is it?"

Mischief absolutely gleams in Dante's eyes as he pretends to think. "Gosh, what was it we were discussing the other day? It had something to do with France."

"…France?" Dmitri asks, glancing at Eric as he shrugs.

"Dante Barrera," I growl, and all three heads whip in my direction, two of them confused and one positively gleeful. "A wise man would stop while he's ahead."

"What's that, Theo? You're going to give me an ear full or an Eiffel ?"

"Muuuuurderrrrrrr," I hiss between my teeth as Eric and Dmitri look even more bewildered. My finger slices across my throat in case he didn't get the message from my not-so-subtle words.

Dante grins wider as he claps the two of them on their shoulders. "It's always the small, sweet ones that are the most dangerous."

"Dangerous… I'll show you what true danger looks like, big man," I mutter as Dante chuckles.

"Right… then…" Eric says, hiking his thumb over his shoulder. "We're just gonna… go over there." He tugs Dmitri after him as I shake my head.

I jab Dante in the chest with my pointer finger. "You're an ass."

He smiles as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. "You were distracted… it was the best way to pull you out of your head."

"You could've just offered to Great Wall of China me," I say as I lean into his chest. "That would've done the trick."

"That's a new one."

"Yep, and maybe even more shocking than your Leaning Tower move."

He chuckles, the motion bouncing my head that lays against him. "I've got to hear this."

"Oh, this one is simple. Two partners…"

"Scandalous," he whispers, echoing my previous response and making me grin.

"Don't make me lose focus," I chide as I swat his back. "Two partners, and one stretches out on the ground and does nothing while the other does all the work."

"That… sounds like every relationship I've ever had," Dante says, and I bark out a loud laugh at the brutal honesty in his tone.

"You've just not been with the right partner," I say, still grinning as I look up at him.

A gentle thumb lands on my chin as he smiles, a touch of melancholy behind it. "You're absolutely correct," he murmurs, pressing a soft, almost imperceptible kiss to my lips. He hesitates, hovering just an inch away before closing the distance again, letting his lips linger for a few seconds this time.

They're soft and careful, an almost imperceptible moan hidden in an exhale blowing across my skin as his hand tilts my face. The world around me freezes as he deepens the kiss, moving his lips against mine with more pressure, and I'm focused on nothing but this perfect moment in time.

When he pulls away, my fingertips land where he just kissed me. "What was that for?" I whisper.

"If you're allowed to replace bad memories, I figure I am, too."

I nod, nestling back into his chest as every cell in my body begs me to go back for more. "That's probably fair." My fingers trace aimlessly across his stomach as we stand there listening to the guys' chatter in the background. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he says, giving me a little jostle that makes me smile.

"You know how to fight."

"That wasn't a question."

I roll my eyes, even though he can't see them. "Okay, fine. Let me rephrase. It was obvious from watching you that you're a trained fighter, and I didn't know that about you. None of us did. Where did you learn to fight like that, and why was it a secret?"

"Now, technically, that's two questions," he says, and I smack him again for the snark. His humor quickly fades, though, from the way tension overtakes his body. Reluctantly, I untangle myself from the warmth of his chest and gaze up into his eyes.

Hesitation is written all over his face, so I give him an understanding smile. "You don't have to tell me if you'd rather keep it to yourself."

"No, no, it's not that," he says quickly, his expression turning almost pained. "It's just a long story."

"I've got time, and now you've piqued my curiosity. Feel like grabbing a pizza and hanging out at my place? You can share the harrowing tale of your rise to Street Fighter, and I'll tell you about seducing a man while wearing a Sailor Moon costume."

"You seduced a man in a Sailor Moon costume?" he repeats, like it's so unbelievable he needs to cause an echo.

"Well, not yet, but I've got the outfit ready to go as long as I have time to change." My lips twitch as I try not to grin.

Dante lets out a surprised laugh before he smirks at me with a nod. "I'll grab the food and be over to your apartment in a half hour. That should give you the chance to get your pigtails in place."