Page 14 of Busted String

Nico’s anger flared. “A disagreement? That’s not a disagreement, Jace. That’s abuse.” In the old days, Nico would have made sure his father never touched him again. His desire for revenge hadn’t disappeared, but he had forced his behavior to change. He would not be that man anymore. He was better than that.

Jace looked away, avoiding Nico’s gaze. “I know.”

Nico took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “You need to get some rest before the gig tonight.”

As he guided Jace back to their hotel room, Nico’s mind raced with thoughts of Jace’s safety, imagining how his jackass father had again damaged his well-being. A weight of anger and sadness settled heavily in his heart, the anguish of knowing Jace had endured a harrowing ordeal without him there to provide protection. He had upset Jace so much that he stormed out of the hotel room. He should have had more patience with him. Maybe Sammie was right, he needed to love him.

As soon as they entered the room, Sammie jumped out of bed and raced towards Jace. “What happened? Did you and Nico have a fight?”

“No. He wouldn’t hit me. My father punched me.”

Mark walked over to check out Jace’s jaw. “Damn, that’s why Nico told us to stick together.”

“I know. I didn’t listen. I got what I deserved. I never want to come back here again.”

“You didn’t deserve that. No one touches my Jace,” Nico growled. “I’m pissed I upset you so that you left. My job is to protect you. I fucked up.”

“I wasn’t pissed at you so much as I was at my situation here. I don’t want any more Bakersfield gigs. I’m so done here.”

“How did your old man find you?”Mark asked.

“Hell, if I know. It’s no secret where we’re staying. He could have had someone watch for me.”

“Did he just punch you for nothing?” Sammie asked.

“No, he told me to get out of Bakersfield. And a ton of other shit I didn’t want to hear in front of all the people in the coffee shop.”

“You know he’s nuts,” Sammie said. “You did the right thing when you left home.”

“Jace is right. We shouldn’t have accepted this gig. I knew there might be issues, but I was hoping to avoid shit like this.” Nico inched closer to Jace. “Let’s rest for an hour, then we’ll get ready. We’ll order something light to eat in here.”

They returned to bed.

“Come closer, Jace.” Nico embraced Jace, feeling the warmth and weight of his body against his own. “You and I need to have a talk about us.”

“What about us?”

“Just clear the air about how things are right now, and how they might be.” Nico pressed his lips against Jace’s, feeling the warmth and softness of their touch.

“I want you near me like this,” Jace said.

“I know. We’ll have our talk alone about it soon. Let’s rest.”

Nico stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the colorful turban on his head. His fingers, adorned with rings, skillfully fastened the last of his bracelets. The room buzzed with the energy of pre-show excitement. Jace,already dressed in his leather skintight jeans and a midriff see-through top, was tying a bandana in his hair. His boots, like everyone else’s, were ready for the stage.

Sammie, as usual, was the last to finish getting ready. He meticulously applied his makeup, his hot pink jeans and sequined top catching the light with every movement. Nico watched as Sammie leaned closer to the mirror, carefully drawing a perfect line of eyeliner. The room was filled with the scent of hairspray and the sound of laughter.

“Hold still, Jace,” Sammie said, turning to apply eyeliner to him. Jace stood patiently, his eyes half-closed as Sammie worked his magic. Mark, dressed entirely in black, waited his turn.

“You’re a perfectionist, Sammie,” Mark teased, earning a playful glare from Sammie.

“Someone has to make sure you all look good,” Sammie said, finishing Jace’s eyeliner and moving on to Mark. The friendly banter continued, easing any pre-show nerves.

Nico felt a swell of pride as he looked at his bandmates. They were more than just a band; they were family. And tonight, they were ready to set the stage on fire.

When they were done, they jumped into the limo outside waiting for them. Jace wanted a shot, but Nico shook his head in disapproval.

“Hey, there’s my high school,” Jace pointed out.

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