Gravity of Love

15


Needless to say I was not a happy camper when I got home that night. Fuck, would you be? I didn't want to believe it at first even now. That maybe it was just some wild scheme Ren might have cooked up or even---To hell with it, there was no explaining this away. No escaping it. Can't help blame a guy for trying, right?

My mind was reeling with questions the whole ride home, but all of them were drowned out by the single question that screamed the loudest.

Why?

I thought of Ren's "payback" and shuddered as I tried to force images of him and David out of my mind. The thought both disgusted and pissed me off. And what about Mannix? I briefly wondered if he knew but the answer to that was probably 'no'. Knowing Mannix, he'd be beyond pissed and would be in Ren's face right now. Since this was, after all, a smack to his face too. I knew Ren was never really interested in David, sex or otherwise, but I couldn't tell him that. Actually David was one of his least favorite people, Mannix's "house whore" as Ren called him on occasion. But David was just a pawn; Ren's knife was aimed at Mannix more than me.

I mean it's not like I didn't see that he and Ren were more than just business partners. Sure they fucked around and everything but I knew that they had been together one way or another years before Ren ever found me. I didn't want to think about that, didn't want to look on as I saw Ren give more to Mannix than he ever did me.

I sat in my car in front of the house staring into space. God, I didn't want to face him and I was feeling like such a fucking coward. With a heavy sigh I opened the car door and slipped out.

A few of the lights were on but it was about midnight so I knew Ren would either be one of four places. Bed, study, living room or out. I'd sell my soul in a heartbeat for Ren to be out right now. I unlocked the door and slowly closed it behind me, delaying the inevitable. I peeked in the kitchen and found it empty and dark and then the dimly lit study. I let out a breath I didn't realized I was holding and took the shortcut to the bedroom.

I had just pulled off my boots and was tossing them in the corner when the faint sound of running water drifted to my ears. I froze and listened. It stopped after a few minutes and I heard the shower door slide open and shut. Fuck. Guess my soul didn't have a high market value, after-all. I stood there and waited and he soon emerged in a thick cloud of steam as the door flew open and the heat from the closed room rolled out. He had a towel wrapped loosely around his waist and was drying his hair with another. He rubbed at it with his head down and slowly made his way in the room, not noticing me yet. He pulled away the towel he was drying his hair with and looked up, freezing in his tracks.

"Gavin…. about time you brought your ass home," he muttered and walked over to the big closet, disappearing for a few seconds.

"I got held up at the club," I said.

"What's that?" he called. He emerged from the closet with a dark green shirt thrown over his shoulder and was yanking a pair of leather pants up his slender hips and buttoning them up. I caught my eyes traveling down his bare sculpted chest, his toned stomach and his navel before the rest was covered in black leather. He was sexy as hell, but that wouldn't change my anger. He was dressed in leather, which meant he was going clubbing and it made me wonder why Mannix wasn't here since the two of them were usually joined at the hip for shit like that. Ren walked closer to me and tilted his head to the side.

"You said something to me or not?"

"I got held up at the club," I repeated.

"Held up? Something went wrong?"

"Very wrong," I replied softly.

Ren was closer to me now and he carefully touched my cheek and I saw, to my own amazement, a touch of concern fill those green eyes. They searched my face for some clue as to what happened and when I jerked my face away he frowned.

"You alright, love?"

"No I'm not, Ren," I reply. "I had a visitor today."

"A visitor?" Ren repeated and frowned even deeper. "Who--?"

"David," I said.

I watched as Ren's deep frown disappear and his lips curved into a lazy smile. "Ah." He simply said.

"Why?"

Ren looked back up at me. "Why what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said softly through clenched teeth.

Ren chuckled and gave my cheek a few quick pats. "Don't worry about it; I just thought he was more of the festering type is all."

"I will worry about," I snapped back, "until you give me a reason." I was silent for a few more moments as I realized just what he had said. "You wanted him to confront me? You lousy fuck!"

Ren's eyes flared and he lost all traces of mirth on his face. "Watch your tongue, Gavin," he sneered, "or I just might finish what I started that morning at The Coffin."

I took a few steps back from him and my hand went to my throat instinctively. It was that morning I had missed my set at On the Lash, desperate to slip into sleeping oblivion after that night with David. The moment that I looked in Ren's eyes and wondered if he was going to keep squeezing until I was dead. Would he regret it? Would he even care? He might miss me, maybe. I wasn't blinded by my love for him enough to believe he'd shed a tear. He didn't love me as much as I loved him.

To think so much has happened since then and it's only been a few days seems unreal to me. How did I latch on to David so quickly? Was I naïve to think for a second that the David I saw that night would be the real him? In this business nothing is real, you have only masks and lying smiles. I was so not cut out for this shit. Ren's laughter brought me away from my thoughts.

"That's what I thought," Ren said, still laughing and started to walk out of the room.

There. He was fucking doing it again. Dismissing me like I was nothing.

Like I didn't matter.

Like I never mattered.

My jaw trembled from the growing anger and my hands curled into fists as I attempted to swallow it all down and keep my mouth shut like I was supposed to. Lately, however, my mouth has been getting me in trouble more and more. Now was no exception.

"I'm not done talking to you," I whispered.

Ren stopped dead in his tracks and looked back over his shoulder. "What did you say?"

"I'm not done talking to you," I said louder. "You still haven't answered me."

Ren turned around and squeezed the tip of his nose and licked his lips, a quick sign that he was no longer pissed but full on angry. His body spoke more than his mouth did sometimes and after five years he was a book I translated easily. I took a few more steps back when I saw the look in his eyes. His eyes darkened and the look on his face was downright murderous. Instead of yelling like I expected him to, he simply grinned. Hmmm, maybe I read him wrong.

"Really?" He said in a light tone that didn't match his posture. His grin widened. "Since when do I ever have to answer you? Do I answer to you? You forget your place, or rather, you think too much of it."

I swallowed hard, not really sure how to handle Ren in this calm anger attitude. But I had opened my big mouth, no need to back down like a dog with its tails between its legs.

"I never said you did," I replied softly. "I know my place with you and I wish I didn't. All I want to know is why, Ren."

"You don't deserve to know why," he spat back.

"So you fucked him to get back at me?" I continued, ignoring what he just said. "Is that why you did that to me?"

I studied his face and caught a strange look in his eyes that I'm sure he didn't want me to catch. I remembered what I had thought earlier and smiled sadly.

"But it's really about Mannix, isn't it? Why, Ren?"

Ren's face closed down and before I could react he rushed me, grabbing me by the upper arm and shaking me.

"Why? Why?!" He dragged me to the bed and shoved me on it. I landed on my stomach and he took my right arm and twisted it behind my back while the other was pinned beneath me. I cried out from the sudden shock of pain and I tried to not struggle as he put his weight on me. I was taking deep breaths, trying to think past the fear and the aching pain in my arm. I froze when I felt his warm tongue trail along the outside of my ear and his hips moved down against me slowly.

"Since we're on the subject of 'why's' love," Ren whispered, "I've got a few of my own." He did something to my arm and I writhed and cried out from the pain. He nibbled at my ear and then his mouth moved to the nape of my neck where he bit down hard. I shivered despite myself but it now it was simply because that spot was being touched, not because I was aroused.

"Why did you stand up for Mannix that morning?" Ren whispered against my skin. "Why do I get the feeling that something else happened at The Gates that neither you nor Mannix is telling me? Why are you changing? Why can't I hate either one of you for it?"

I stayed silent, unsure how to answer him.

"Can you answer those?" Ren said and bit hard on my ear. When I didn't answer he yanked at my arm so hard I screamed. "CAN YOU?"

"No--I don't know," I said quickly.

Ren's kisses turned soft and he moved his head up so he could kiss my cheek. "I didn't think so." He trailed his tongue back down to my neck and twirled it in slow circles before he sucked the skin in his mouth and nibbled at it with his teeth. It was like he was a predator enjoying the flesh before sinking teeth in and tearing the prey apart. When he finally pulled away the spot on my neck was sore and I knew I'd be sporting a hell of a hickey later.

"You answer mine," he panted, "and I'll answer yours. Fair?" He kept grinding his hips against me but now there was a familiar hardness with every thrust that I felt through my clothes. He was getting off on this!

I could only nod, hoping he didn't take this weird foreplay any further. He nibbled at my neck some more before I felt him release my arm and he got off the bed. I quickly rolled over, nursing the injured arm and stared up at the ceiling avoiding eye contact.

"I want you out."

I sat up quickly, winching from the pain and concentrated on Ren slipping on boots. "O-out? Where?"

"Pick a car, grab a credit card from my desk drawer and get out, just don't be back until morning," he replied.

I slowly scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up. "But—" I stopped, realizing that 'why' was about to come out of my mouth again and I quickly bit my tongue. Ren was looking at me as if he was expecting something and when he saw me stop he smiled.

"I'll see you later," he said grabbed his shirt from the floor and was pulling it over his head as he walked out of the room.

What the hell just happened? I was beyond confused and stood there like a slack-jawed idiot, unable to move. Why was he sending me out like this? If it were for a client or something at least that would make sense and knowing that he didn't want me back home for the rest of the night…what the fuck was that about? Stop kidding yourself, Gavin, you know the answer to that. Ren's going to come home with some piece of ass and fuck their brains out. He just doesn't want me around for it. If that's what he wants, fine. Let him have all the fun he fucking wants to, I'll just do the same.

I washed up and changed clothes, going back through the study I grabbed two credit cards instead of one and planned on grabbing the keys for one of his precious Jaguars instead of his other garage cars. What the hell did he expect me to do after he basically tossed me out? Did he think I'd slunk away, sleep the rest of the night in some hotel and then come back in the morning begging his forgiveness? Hoping everything is okay? Fuck no. It hurt, I won't try and deny that and it was mixing with a whole of anger. Anger at him and anger at myself. I felt like a used rag, tossed to the side, a useless piece of trash that was walked on dozen of times. It was feelings that I didn't want to deal with and Ren had given me the perfect means to forget. I was hungry for distraction and desperate to get lost in anything or anyone. And I couldn't care less.

* * * * * * * * **********************************************

I ended up at The Freaky Coffin, sure it was also where I worked but it was the only club that I really enjoyed going to whether it was for business or pleasure. I parked to the side and got out and headed to the stairs that led down and was met by Soren.

"You alone tonight, Gavin?" he said with a surprised tilt to his voice. Of course, he was always used to me working, bringing back some man or woman up to my room and not coming down for hours later.

I gave him a small smile. "For right now, anyway."

Soren blinked and started laughing and just pointed at the door at the bottom of the stairs. Of course I could just let myself in, being the pet of the guy who owned the joint had its advantages after all. I was hit by the familiar odor of booze and walked through the thin white haze of people smoking, some legal, some not. I instantly went to the main floor; giving hellos to a few people I recognized and lost myself to the middle of the crowd. The music was heavy industrial, slow and easy but with deep bass and addictive beats. There was a reason why I loved this stuff so much; it was the best to dance to. I closed my eyes and moved. There was nothing now.

No Ren.

I rocked my hips as my breathing quickened.

No Mannix.

I arched my back and rolled my shoulders and moved my head to the side, my hair flowing around my face and tickling my cheeks.

No David.

My body was in full swing, lost to the singer's voice as it reverberated deep inside me like a lover's would. Coaxing, soft and smooth, it was calling to me to lose myself, daring me to fall.

Nothing mattered. I gave into the bliss that only music and dance could give and I fell gladly.

"Gavin?"

I turned around at the sound of my name and opened my eyes to try and find the source. Didn't take long since the person in question was standing right in front of me. The face unfortunately wasn't one that I recognized and I gave a small smile instead.

"I know you?" I said a bit loudly so I could be heard over the music.

The guy grinned and shrugged. "I didn't think you'd recognize me. But I saw you and thought it was you, you haven't changed much in all these years."

I frowned. I didn't like situations or guys like this. They saw me dance at the Lash or heard about me from someone who could afford me and suddenly "knew" me. I had a couple of past customers follow me claiming that they loved me and wanted to free me from my life of prostitution. Some I could easily dissuade, others got downright leech-like and scary.

"Look, pal," I started.

"You really don't recognize me, dirt head?"

I froze at the name and narrowed my eyes, becoming even more distrusting. I stood back a little and really took a good look at the guy. He had his hair cropped short and seemed to have it dyed some reddish tint. Dark blue eyes watched me intently and his thin mouth was curved into a lazy smile. I only glanced at his body but saw enough from the tight t-shirt and equally snug pants that he was slender but firm. But I concentrated on his face and tried to think of who he was that would call me---

Holy fuck. My mind went spiraling back to when I was still in school before I ran away. There was this boy in school, part of the popular click that I was so not a part of. They'd tease me, call me fag and worse but it was one of them that helped me after they poured sand over me at a beach field trip. It was the only time the dude paid attention to me and whenever he saw me he called me dirt head and acted like a jerk.

"Jon?" I said carefully.

The guy's smile brightened. "Thought you wouldn't recognize me."

"I almost didn't," I started slowly, still frowning at him.

"I didn't know it was you for second…what the hell happened to you?"

I smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. "Life happened."

"Everyone wondered about you…"

"I didn't think anyone would," I snapped.

Jon surprised me and actually looked apologetic. "We were stupid kids, Gavin and I'm sorry. But when you just stopped showing up for class---days turned into weeks and then cops came asking questions about you…we had thought the worse."

"You always become popular when everyone thinks your dead," I said with a soft laugh.

Jon nodded and smiled back. "Ain't it? Fucked up how that works like that. But I'm glad you aren't, I mean I—we--all felt bad that something may have happened to you, especially with how your folks were. But tell me what's up with you? How are you? Well, that's an easy question, you look great."

That was a mouthful; did he even take a breath for all of that? I pushed back a few strands of hair behind my ear, coming out of my dance induced high. "Thanks…so do you."

"This would be the last place I'd ever imagine you being at, Gavin, I swear."

"Because you're still caught up in the Gavin you knew in school," I said back with a nasty tone. "I figured YOU wouldn't be caught dead in a place like this."

Caught in his own game Jon nodded and shrugged. "Yeah, I've changed a bit too."

Enough with this walk down memory lane bullshit. "Why did you come over here, Jon?" I asked.

He blinked, taken off guard by my blunt question. "I had to see if it was you, I just—"

"And now that you know it is me...?" I began slowly so he could pick up my sentence.

"I wanted to know what you're doing later," he added quickly.

Interesting, was he just asking me out? I couldn't help it, I laughed. He frowned so deeply his face wrinkled.

"All you had to do was just say no," he grumbled.

"I didn't mean to laugh," I lied, "it just makes a bit more sense to me now." I eased a bit closer to him until I was invading his personal space. "Is that why you were such a dick to me?"

Jon sighed. "Jeez, Gavin, I said I was—"

"Maybe it would hide the fact," I interrupted, "that you wanted yours inside of me?"

Jon's mouth closed and opened like a fish out of water, trying to be careful about his next words. I leaned closer until the front of our bodies were touching, I was pushing my theory but the less Jon fought back the more he proved me right.

"You liked me, didn't you?"

Jon took a deep breath and back away from me a little. "Yeah, I did. But I couldn't, y'know?"

"Your issues not mine," I snapped. I went through high school with those feelings inside me and it was Ren who finally broke me out of that fear. I had to deal with mine, so did he. I was about to turn away when he reached out and grabbed my hand.

"I still do," he said quickly, "and I can."

This was his lucky day; he had officially become my next distraction. I pulled my hand away from him but let it travel up his arm until it was under his sleeve and I was touching his shoulder. I felt the bare trembling of his shoulder as he shivered.

"You telling me you couldn't stop thinking about me after five years, Jon?"

If the lights weren't so dim I would swear that I had him blushing.

"It's not like that," he said quickly. "But, yeah, you ran on my mind from time to time."

"Time to time?" I asked, fishing for more.

"A lot," he whispered.

"How sweet," I said. I started pulling my hand away but he grabbed me by the elbow and kept me from drawing back any further.

"Don't stop," he whispered and his own hand started to move up my arm and his fingers snaked in my sleeve.

"Alright," I said softly and moved a bit closer, moving my hips a little as the song ended and another just as steady and hypnotic as the first crept in with a soft piano tune and a synth melody and then roared to life with the same lulling voice and rhythmic beats. It was exciting to do this, knowing damn well I shouldn't be. I shouldn't get this close, shouldn't dance like I am, and definitely shouldn't let my hands wander under his shirt not to mention letting him do the same to me. Ren would kill me if he knew what I was doing. Well, then, Ren just isn't going to know, now is he?

Peers might have trapped him years before but there was nothing holding him back about how he felt about me now. As we moved closer I felt his hard cock press against me as our crotches rubbed together. A heat was rising between my legs and traveling along my body, making the already stuffy club even worse. Light caresses followed as our hands explored each other and our dancing turned into a grinding which ended up a slow humping. I leaned forward and kissed him softly, more sucking than anything else and he quickly followed suit. He was the first to slip out his tongue with a soft moan as his hands slipped away from my chest and cupped my ass.

I pulled away from the kiss so I could breath. "You really do like me," I teased.

Jon smiled. "I do," he replied softly and bit on his bottom lip as he searched my face with lust hazy eyes. "I really do."

I pushed him away a bit but still held on to the bottom of his shirt. "C'mon then."

He followed me because I still was holding on to his shirt. "Where are we going?"

"Upstairs," I replied as I led him through the crowd and out the club.

"Upstairs? But that's for…" he stopped walking and I was pulled back with him.

"For what?" I asked innocently.

"If you're paying for it," he replied quietly and narrowed his eyes at me. "Gavin, are you—?"

I smiled. "Not tonight, Jon."

He visibly relaxed and when I gave him another yank he started walking again. I always had my keys with me and I fished them out of my pocket when we exited the club. I caught Soren's eye and he gave me a little shake of his head and a wide grin as Jon and I walked along the gravel parking lot and to the more dark side where the special rooms were.

"You know enough about these," I said softly as he followed me up the steps. "You ever been?"

"It was alright," he muttered.

I stopped walking and turned to look at him. "I'm not asking for a customer survey, Jon, just a 'yes' or 'no'."

"You've turned into a smartass," he said with widened eyes and a smile.

"I've turned into a lot of things," I simply said and stopped at my personal room and opened up the door. I let him go through first and closed the door behind us. I flicked on the nearby lamp and walked over to him as he stopped by the bed waiting for me. We resumed the kiss from earlier but now that we were in private it became more heated and urgent. He swallowed my mouth and I backed us up and I sat down on the bed. If he wanted to keep the kiss going, he'd have to follow me on the bed. Yeah, a no brainer.

We settled on the bed, still locked at the mouths and only pulling away for air. He had pushed me on my back and was kissing up and down my throat while his hands worked at unbuttoning my pants. I reached between us and unzipped his jeans and reached inside and wrapped my fingers around his cock. He groaned loudly in my mouth and twirled his tongue even faster against mine. I sucked on it and pulled away so I could sit up and I hurriedly pulled my shirt over my head and lay back down. His eyes seemed to soak in my body and he ran his fingers over my chest and stomach.

"You're sexy as hell," Jon muttered.

I just smiled and impatiently tugged at his shirt as a sign that I wanted it off. I wasn't interested in talking of any kind now unless it dealt with us fucking. The more he talked the more thoughts of Ren were beginning to creep inside my head and downpours of guilt and anger were rising to the surface. Jon finally took the hint and his top went to the floor to keep my shirt company. Our pants soon followed and he was on top of me kissing down my neck and groping at my chest and sides. I stared at the ceiling as Jon's mouth and hands moved over my body and even though I was aroused I still wasn't feeling it. I had to….I had to…

I grabbed Jon by the shoulders and rolled him to his back before he could stop me and settled between his legs. He let out a soft sound of surprise but quickly pulled my head back down for a kiss. I pulled away before our lips met and kissed his neck instead and worked my way down until I was in-between his legs. He writhed and moaned while my tongue played along the head of his cock, I dipped my head lower and pushed his legs further apart and he cried out as I pushed at his ass hole with my tongue. I lapped at him and when I figured he was wet enough I pressed my tongue inside. His hips jerked and I had to hold him down so he wouldn't move around. I pulled away from him and climbed back on top of him and kissed his neck while I positioned myself. He was writhing beneath me and his hands pulled at my hips as he spread his legs.

Slipping inside him was the final escape and I let out a heavy moan and wasted no time driving my dick in as hard as I could. Jon was moaning and crying out beneath me but he had become secondary. I felt a little bad that I was using him for sex like this; that he was just now a body to get off in. How better was I than my clients? Ren? Jon's fingers dug into my arms and I knew he broke the skin and the pain jolted my senses and I quickly pushed all other thoughts out of my head. Yes I felt very bad.

I'd get over it.

Orgasm pulled me under and I ceased thinking, forgot about caring and just wanted to be as deep as I possibly could as I rode wave after blissful wave of pleasure. Jon was grunting and moaning beneath me and I slammed harder until it became loud cries, matching my own. I gave one last deep thrust and laid still on top of him, drawing air into my lungs in deep gasps. Regaining some higher brain functions, I slipped out of him and gave Jon one last deep kiss before I rolled off him and settled on my back. Neither one of us said anything, I mean, what was there to say? I was used to silence after sex, I'd actually come to enjoy it, listening to our breathing and the small sounds of skin brushing against skin.

"You're not the Gavin I remember," Jon said softly, breaking the silence.

I stretched on the bed a little and laughed. "You're concentrating too much on the past. You didn't know the Gavin then so how do you know the difference?"

Jon chuckled. "Touché. I guess what I mean is I expected you to be different." He reached over and grabbed my wrist and started playing with my hand and fingers. It was an extremely intimate gesture but I let him since it was oddly relaxing and blissfully distracting.

"How different?" I asked softly, watching him as he stared intently at my hand as if it held some secret.

He shrugged. "I dunno. Had an image in my head of who you were…how you would be. Softer, maybe."

I frowned. "Softer?"

"Not that I'm complaining, fuck no," Jon said and brought my hand to his mouth to nibble at my fingertips. "I didn't take you for the rough sex type. It hurt a little, but that's okay."

I was moaning softly as Jon's tongue played along my fingers but I instantly sobered and sat up. "I hurt you? You didn't tell me to stop."

"I didn't tell you stop," Jon said slowly "because I didn't want you to. Fair enough?"

I nodded and settled back down on the bed but that still didn't make me feel any better. I didn't even think about how rough I was being, didn't think if I was hurting him or not. I was too caught up in wanting to feel. I could tell myself that if he had asked me to stop I would have but there was a nagging feeling in the back of my head whispering that I might not have cared to listen. I quickly shook the thought off and concentrated on Jon.

"Fair enough," I said and scooted closer to him so I could put my tongue where my fingers had been only moments before. I pulled back and sat up, resting my back on the headboard; Jon sat up too, but he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He turned his head slightly to look at me in the corner of his eye.

"You wanna go back down stairs? Maybe come back to my place?"

I had to smile. "I don't think so, Jon."

I saw his shoulders rise and fall as he sighed and he nodded as if he expected that answer. He got off the bed and redressed and when he was done came back on the bed and kissed me.

"It was nice seeing you, Gavin," he said against my lips. "Maybe I can run into you again some other night."

I licked at his lips and smiled. "We'll see."

He left without another word and closed the door softly behind him. I lay back down on the bed, stretching like a lazy cat and sunk deeper into the sheets. I let the feelings of contentment wash over me. All the screaming voices and bullshit from earlier today were thankfully silent and I slipped into a much-needed sleep.


* * * * * * * * * *********************************************

I woke up the next morning feeling pretty damn good. Nothing like great sex the night before to make a man feel at peace with the world. I took my time going back, not completely sure what would be there waiting for me. Ren was getting harder and harder to read these days and I didn't know if it was because he was changing or because I was. Either way things were taking a rather shitty turn and I could only ride the waves and try not to get too pummeled in the process.

When I pulled up I noticed there was a car in the spot that I usually park in and I cursed loudly when I recognized the familiar flame decorated truck. Fuck it all! I thought about just turning around and blowing money on the credit cards I took but decided against it. Whatever was happening in there was going to involve me in some shape or form and if I ran now it was only going to bite me in the ass later. I got out of the car and slipped in the house and walked down the hallway towards the study, Mannix and Ren's usual meeting ground. Across the hallway, I peeked my head in the kitchen and gave the cook, Lorrie a friendly wave and declined breakfast. I was too high from last night to eat and I guess that's why I didn't bother knocking and just turned around and slid the study doors and slipped in.

I froze as I spotted Ren and Mannix standing close to each other. Ren was pinned against the wall and Mannix was in his face and their faces were close enough to kiss but by their posture and expressions it was clear that stuff like that was the last thing on their minds.

"I gave you what you wanted, Mannix!" Ren shouted at him. "I gave you him!"

Mannix pulled at his short hair and made a frustrated yell, pushing Ren further against the wall and pinning more of his body against him.

"Fuck that! You didn't know who I wanted! I wasn't calling for HIM, Ren, I was calling for YOU!" Mannix hissed with a tone to his voice that I had never heard before. His voice went lower and he backed up from Ren a little. "I wanted you!" Ren frowned at that and then his face softened and it was when he opened his mouth to speak that he spotted me.

"Ignore me, that's fine," Mannix grumbled but followed Ren's line of sight and they both stared at me. "Oh." Mannix said quietly.

Ren pushed at Mannix as he backed up, both of them putting as much distance between them as possible, like they had just got caught doing something bad. Holy shit, what the hell did I walk in on?

"How long were you there?" Ren snapped at me.

"I just walked in, I'm sorry," I replied softly. "I'll just—"

"No," Mannix said quickly and went to the loveseat to grab his leather jacket. "No, you stay Gavin." He pulled it on, yanking it on to be more precise, dressing with his rage. He walked towards me and turned his head to Ren as he walked past, shooting him a dirty look. "I'm leaving," he spat. Somehow those two words held more weight to it and I'm sure I wasn't supposed to catch it. Mannix pushed past me, opened the doors and slammed them shut so hard it made me jump. Ren walked over to the love seat and slumped down, looking angry and defeated. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Mannix knew what little game Ren played the other night and it had clearly bitten Ren on the ass. Was I wrong to enjoy seeing him like this?

"Ren.." I began.

"Get out, Gavin," Ren muttered, staring at the floor.

Sure I could do just that, gladly I might add, but like I said things have a nasty habit of biting me on the ass just when I think everything is nice and kosher.

"Do I…is there anyone I…" I stumbled over the question, unsure how to voice it.

"You have a set at the Lash," Ren muttered, running his fingers through his red hair slowly, "or not. No appointments, I don't care. Just get out now."

And I did and as quickly as possible. Part of me wanted to stay, wanted to sit next to him, put my arm around him and ask him what was wrong. But that was the part that loved him blindly, the side of me that wanted to comfort him and make him smile so my day would be better. A side of me that could easily be squashed into silence. Ren had caused whatever went down between him and Mannix so I refused to feel bad for him.

I went to one of the other bedrooms that had a closet full of my clothes, not very keen on being close to Ren right now. Yes, I was still going to strip even though I was given the choice not to. The high I got dancing was one that I was never able to pass up and concentrating on that would make me forget everything else going on in my life. A win-win situation, yes?

Forty minutes later I was leaving the house again, slipping by the study with no intention of telling Ren where I was going. He could easily find out where I was anyway with a few phone calls. As I drove off, still using the Jaguar from last night, I felt oddly relaxed and content. Was I happy that Ren was upset? That his little fuck with David had pissed Mannix off? And especially now that the two of them weren't going to be as close as before? I had to admit that the answer to all of those questions was yes and I felt bad because of it.

But I'd get over it.