Page 121 of Back Room Host

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Did you guys talk about it openly?”

“It was at least no secret how he earned his money. Plus, I patched him up a few times after one of those perverts beat him up. You showed up at just the right time. I couldn’t have guessed that you two would click so well right away. But I’m glad. He needs someone like you.”

“Someone like me?”

“An idiot who falls in love with him. And one he’s fallen in love with.”

I chuckled.

“At least now I know where he’s been hanging out all this time. And if he shows up with bruises again, I’ll come over and take you down—no matter how good you are at boxing.”

I nodded in response to those last words. His stature alone told me he wouldn’t stand a chance against me, but it was sweet. Plus, I was prepared to accept any punishment if I ever hurt Juri again.

As the band left the stage to thunderous applause, I had lost sight of Juri. I had texted him that I would be waiting with Cléat the bar, but he just didn’t show up. Instead, his other two friends, Sandro and Kevin, appeared.

Maybe he’s backstage?

But I saw Alex next to the stage, packing up his equipment. If he wasn’t backstage, then Juri probably wasn’t either.

I took out my phone and opened my messages with Juri. We had been texting regularly for two weeks now. And I still looked forward to seeing his profile picture every time. It was another one where you could hardly see anything, but it was one of both of us. In white fonts, it said: “permanently closed for orders”

“Where are you?”I texted him.

“I’m waiting for you.”

“Where?”I immediately replied.“I don’t see you.”

“Downstairs ;)”

What downstairs? Does he mean … in the back room?

“Knock five times.”

Fuck …

“I need to leave,” I declared tersely, rising abruptly before leaving Clé and the others at the bar and descending down the stairs. This time, there was much more going on here than last time. The concert was still in full swing then. Now there was even a line outside the men’s restroom.

I squeezed past the people and approached the back room, with a sign that readPRIVATE. My heart was already racing wildly. Could it be that Juri was already waiting for me here? Knock five times, he had written. I did so, hesitantly but hard enough, and the door opened. I recognized the host who had let me in last time to record.

“He’s already waiting,” the man said, pulling aside the thick curtain and leading the way.

Dark synthesizer sounds filled the room, and the air exuded with lustful noises and the scent of sex. Not only was my pulse racing, but my arousal surged as I passed by the alcoves.Without looking up, the host turned around and gestured politely to one of the alcoves before disappearing again.

My breath caught as I turned the corner and found Juri on a couch. Where I would have preferred to sling him over my shoulder and take him home before, his mere sight now completely froze me in place.

Sitting on the sofa with his legs spread and his fly open, one hand shoved into his pants, he massaged his penis. With the other, he stroked his naked stomach and played with the stud in his nipple. His intense, predatory gaze assessed me. I still couldn’t believe that this guy had chosen me. That he loved me!

“Fuck …” I muttered. “What did I do to deserve this?”

Agitated, I tousled my hand through my hair, eliciting a wicked grin from him.

“Come here,” he whispered. He never took his eyes off me for a second.

My mind had checked out, as my body moved on its own toward the couch. When dim light reached my face, Juri abruptly withdrew his hand out of his pants and jumped up.

“Holy …! What happened to you?” He hurried around the table to me but dared not touch my split lip or the bruise. Pain showed on his face, and I sighed because he interrupted his hot show for this.

“Don’t worry. I took care of the guy and won the competition.”

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