Page 110 of Counterpoint
Oh. “That clashes rather hard with my non-Domino life.”
“So?” A huff of laughter. “Before today, before all this came out, when was the last time you worried about stepping out onstage?”
God, it had been years and years. “Um. Probably sometime before Mish joined the band.”
“What was it like on your last tour?”
Dom closed his eyes. The pulse of the crowd, the energy that vibrated through every venue. The thudding of his heart and the absolute certainty he had each night that they’d blow their fans away. “We were on fire. Felt like I could take over the world.”
“I bet that was as much Dominic Bradley as it was Domino Grinder.” Adrian’s voice was as beautiful as it was soothing. “I know you. You’re made of steel, babe.”
The tears were back. Dom opened his eyes. “You’re still not my fucking therapist.”
“No. I’m still just a man who loves you with all his heart.”
He took a shuddering breath. “You have no idea how much I love you.”
“Well, I want to learn. I want you to tell me. But for that to happen, we need to have more time together.” The slyness slipped into Adrian’s voice.
Dom really hated this hotel room now. Wanted to be with Adrian in his house and in his arms. Or kneeling at his feet. “Okay. Fuck you, but okay.”
A chuckle from Adrian. “I could come to you, you know. Wherever you are.”
So tempting. So utterly tempting. But also dangerous. “If they know who you are...”
“They’ll follow me to you.” There was the bitter edge Adrian’s voice had lacked before. “Makes sense.”
“It’s gonna be like that, Adrian. Forever.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” A long pause. “But you’re worth it.”
Was he, though? There were other men—other people—Adrian could love. Lovers without complicated lives. But he kept those words behind his mouth.
Didn’t seem to matter, because a frustrated sharpness bled into Adrian’s words, as if he could see Dom, or hear those thoughts. “Listen to me. Youareworth it. I’ll take what the world throws at us.”
“Adrian—”
A breath, and a voice that was layered with worry, fear, and love. “Please don’t shut me out.”
Dom blinked away yet more fucking wetness in his eyes. “Okay.” That came out as a whisper. This was hell. No matter which way he turned, he was going to hurt Adrian. “Then at least let me tell you what to look for?”
“You mean with photographers and shit?”
“Yeah. And like...prep for what people might ask you.”
Again, it was almost as if they were in the same room. He felt Adrian’s sigh. Imagined him combing fingers through that auburn hair of his. “All right. Tell me.”
So he did. He listed all of the invasive questions he’d ever heard the gossip press throw at the band, all the shit he’d seen Ray and Zavier go through. All the questions he, as Domino, had refused to answer. Hell, the press had already pestered his mom and dad. “And they’ll probably dig into your family, and ask them shit, too.”
That got him a dark chuckle. “Is it bad if that pleases me on some level? Especially if they start asking Father Patrick about his queer little brother shacking up with a loud, tattooed rock star?”
Okay, that was kinda amusing in a weird way. “Your silver linings are interesting.”
“I’m not always the nicest person,” Adrian replied wryly.
Everyone had their moments of spite. This one, Dom understood. But there was another part of that whole exchange he wanted to know more about.
“Are we shacking up?” Despite everything, despite knowing the best thing to do was to let Adrian go,thisthought warmed Dom straight to his bones. To have Adrian, to be home with him permanently was a fuckingdream.
