Page 22 of As I Am
CHAPTER TEN
Ky flipped through the stack of pictures sitting on the desk, taking in all the photos of tattoos that his friend Angel had done over the last few months. He was amazed by his friends work. Maybe someday he'd be brave enough to let Angel give him one, but the thought of a needle pressing repeatedly into his skin made his stomach turn. He never could stand needles of any kind.
"So, let me get this straight. The biggest rock star in the country right now has offered you ten thousand dollars to spend three weeks with him?" Angel stared at him from behind the desk.
"Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. Hell, I didn't even know who he was the first time we slept together. Seth was the one who figured out who he was and told me." Ky pushed the stack of pictures back. "It's a lot of money, but I just can't do it. I can't leave Bryan."
Matt stood across the room, hanging several new photos up on the wall of the tattoo shop. "It's a lot of money to turn down."
"I know. More money than I ever dreamed of having. It could change everything. I could finally get a good place for Bryan and me to live. I'd lose my job at Trevor's, but it's not like I am getting a lot of hours there anyway right now. I could find something new to do when I get back. Still, it comes down to I just can't leave my brother for that long. He's already touchy about me being gone for a day or two at a time. Last time I left him for more than a day he freaked out and thought I was leaving him for good."
"He was fine with us Friday night. He didn't really talk about you at all." Matt came back to the desk and placed his hands on Angel's shoulders. "If you really want to do this, Bryan is welcome to stay with us while you're gone."
"I couldn't ask you guys to do that." Ky sighed.
"You didn't ask. We offered," Angel said. "It's nothing for me to drop him off at his school and pick him up since I'm doing the same for Jess around the same times. You know he loves staying with Jess. It might be hard having you gone for so long, but it's not like you can't call and check in from time to time. It is only three weeks."
"I've never been apart from him that long." Ky fisted his hands in his lap.
"It's a lot of money to refuse." Angel rested his cheek on Matt's hand on his shoulder. "I've never hid how much I hate what you do. I know I have no room to speak because I have done the same thing more than once, but I hate thinking of you out there with those men. I know what they are like, what they ask for. This is enough money that you wouldn't have to do that anymore."
Ky bit his lip and nodded.
"What's this Carson guy like? Is he asking for sexual favors you don't want to do? Into bondage or something?" Matt moved away from Angel, pulled a chair up beside the desk, and sat down.
Ky's cheeks heated and he ducked his head, sure that Matt and Angel would see his blush. "He's amazing really. It's not even about the sex, though the sex is great. He wants me there more for companionship. He seems to need a friend. He says I don't treat him the way others do. I let him forget he's famous and I'm not always staring at him like I'm in awe. Honestly, most of the time I'm with him, I forget he's famous. I just think of him as another guy."
Angel glanced at Matt and smiled. "That's good. If he was some pervert, then I'd worry, but it sounds like he just wants someone who isn't a huge fan."
Ky nodded. "That's kinda what he said. He sounds like he hates being famous."
"It can't be easy. I'd hate never having any privacy." Matt leaned forward. "I think you should go. Bryan will hate you being gone, but we'll keep him busy. Halloween is coming up and that will distract him some."
"Shit, I forgot about Halloween. I can't leave him. I promised I'd go out with you guys." Ky sighed as he stood and started to pace.
"He'll be fine for Halloween. We can take him out and find a costume. I know he said he wanted to be a police officer. That should be easy enough. We'll hit the neighborhood and trick or treat, the church by me has a trunk or treat the night before, and I know the other church down the road is having some kind of carnival. We'll keep him so busy and high on sugar he won't even think about you," Matt told him.
"Thanks." Ky rolled his eyes.
"You know what we mean." Angel smiled.
"I know. I just feel like I'm failing him." Ky stared out the window into the parking lot.
"Don't feel that way. Think of what the ten thousand dollars will do for him. It's life changing really for you two. You know I hate that you sell your body, and normally, I would never push you to do it, but this sounds like it's something more. You're not some pervert’s dirty little secret. He's planning on introducing you to people as his boyfriend. You said yourself it wasn't about sex. If all you have to do is smile and hang on the arm of a very sexy man for a few weeks, and maybe get a chance to travel and see the world a little while doing it, then I say go for it," Matt said.
"You guys are sure you can take Bryan? I really hate making you guys take care of him for so long." The more Ky thought about going with Carson, the more he really wanted to. He trusted Angel and Matt to watch Bryan, but would Bryan be able to forgive him for going?
"He'll have a great time. He keeps Jess occupied. When he's there to play, we hardly see them. It's not going to be a problem. You just let us know when we need to pick him up from you and we'll take care of everything else." Angel ran his hand down one of his tattoo-covered arms. "You know this is too good to pass up. You might have fun. Look at it as a vacation."
Ky blew out a long breath. "Okay, I'll do it. I owe you guys huge for this. I promise I'll make it up to you sometime. You can leave Jess with me someday and go on that honeymoon you've been putting off."
"We might just take you up on that." Matt reached for Angel's hand.
"Okay, so now that you have no excuses to stay home, make your phone call and tell Carson that you'll go." Angel pushed the office phone toward him.
"Then go see Trevor and ask for some time off. I bet he'll work with you." Matt stood. "We'll be in the back if you need us." He tugged Angel up and the two headed into the back room.
Ky stared at the phone for a moment, trying to really finalize talking himself into agreeing to this. He kept thinking about the money, but even more, he kept thinking about how it felt to have Carson hold him. Even thinking about it his stomach fluttered. Just like Carson wanted him there because he accepted him, Ky wanted Carson for the same reason. He was somebody when he was in Carson's arms. Not just some dirty street kid who was looking to make a few bucks.
