Inked Music Read online

  Rene was surprised enough to exclaim, “Oh.” He blinked a few times.

  The man looked up at him, eyes so dark they were like holes in a blanket. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I just didn’t expect to find anyone back here,” he admitted, fascinated by the skinny man in a faded T-shirt and even older jeans in front of him.

  “Oh. Sorry. I’ll move.” The man stood, preternaturally graceful as he moved. “Enjoy your book.”

  Rene felt like he’d met this guy before, but he couldn’t figure out where. Maybe it was the electricity between them that made him think he knew the man. “No, you were here first. You don’t have to go. There’s lots of chairs.” Of course this one was big enough for two.

  “That’s fine. I know a longing look when I see it.”

  “Oh, you do, do you?” He grinned, imagining a look of longing on the guy’s face. He was hit with a wave of desire. Damn. He hadn’t felt lust at first sight like this since… since that night at the club with the guitarist. And that’s where he knew this guy from. It was the musician himself. What a happy coincidence.

  “Yep. Have a good night.” He got a nod, and then the bare feet padded toward the far back of the store. “I’ll be back here, Drake.”

  “You’re fine, Gavin. Relax,” Drake called back.

  Gavin. Now Rene knew the guy’s name. Cool.

  He settled in his chair with his book, but he had a hard time focusing on the story. He kept thinking about Gavin. About what he’d seen of the man here and back at the bar a couple of months ago.

  There was an air of hunger around Gavin, a strength, a vulnerability. God, it was intriguing. He screamed submissive, and Rene hadn’t had anyone really call to that part of him in so very long. Maybe ever, not like Gavin did.

  He finally closed his book, giving up on pretending he was reading. His mind wasn’t into it right now, being consumed with thoughts of Gavin instead.

  Tea. Maybe tea. He wandered to the front of the store. “What are you brewing up here?”

  “Magic. Pure magic. This is vanilla and cinnamon chai.” Drake meant it about the magic too. It was one of the reasons he made such a good nighttime manager for a place that encouraged homeless youth to use it as a refuge.

  “And the cookies?” They looked homemade.

  “Snickerdoodles.”

  Rene snorted. Snickerdoodles. Right. “No, seriously. What kind?”

  “Snickerdoodles,” Drake said again. Rene let one of his eyebrows rise, and Drake explained, “Cinnamon cookie. They’re delicious. And for real.”

  “If you say so.” He poured himself a mug of tea and grabbed a couple of the hilariously named cookies.

  “You’ve got a barefoot customer back there, you know.” That was from a pinched-face young man who was carrying a handful of graphic novels. “That’s not cool. You don’t know where he’s been.”

  “He’s my brother. I know. I’ll take him some socks.”

  Drake’s brother? What were the odds that the night manager here would know the man Rene wanted an introduction to? He waited until Drake had rung up the young man’s books and the door had clicked shut behind his skinny ass.

  “Your brother?” he asked.

  “Yeah. He hangs out one night every couple weeks. He drinks tea and buys thirteen books to make it through the rest of the time.”

  Through the rest of the time? What did that mean? “The rest of the time?”

  “When he’s not here. You know. The other days.”

  “So it’s a lucky coincidence that I came in tonight.” Very lucky. When he hadn’t been able to meet the guitarist after the show, and then the Painted Dog owner had been a dead end as well, Rene had figured that was the end of it. He hadn’t been able to forget the man, though, his thoughts often returning to the inked body and the incredible music.

  “I guess?” Drake shrugged. “He’s here every other Wednesday like clockwork.”

  “Is he really your brother?” Could he get an introduction this time? Rene was a regular here himself, and now it seemed like kismet, like they were meant to meet. Fate had put them together yet again, after all.

  “He really is. He’s my younger brother.” Drake sighed softly. “Please, he’s no trouble. He buys books. He’s polite and quiet, and I’ll ask him to wear socks. This place is important to him.”

  “I wasn’t going to make trouble—I was going to ask for an introduction, actually.”

  “Yeah? Uh… he’s pretty shy.” Drake paused, clearly thinking it over. “But you’re a regular too, huh?”

  “I am.” Rene was more than a regular, wasn’t he? But it was something he didn’t share, and he didn’t want to make it weird for Drake, to suddenly find out Rene was actually his boss.

  “Let me see if I can tempt him up to the front with cookies. Hold up.”

  Rene sat in one of the chairs catty-corner from the sales counter and ate one of the aforementioned cookies. They weren’t bad at all and went well with the scent of the steam rising from his cup of tea. He knew he was trying to distract himself, and it wasn’t really working. His entire focus was on the path Drake and his brother would have to take to come up to the front of the store.

  Drake came back with the man in tow, heavy clothes like a costume around the slender body. Drake wasted no time in making introductions. “Gavin, this is Rene. Rene, Gavin. He’s a regular like you.”

  “I’m sorry about stealing your chair.” Gavin winked at him and gave him a smile.

  Rene chuckled and offered his hand. “It doesn’t have my name on it.”

  “Good to know.” Gavin shook with him. “Still, you looked so disappointed, I had to move.”

  “Well, I appreciate that you did. But I thought I should make it up to you if I could.” Rene mentally thanked Gavin for the opening to more than an introduction.

  “Oh, you don’t have to. I don’t need anything.”

  “You’re not hungry? Zak’s is open twenty-four hours and is just around the corner….” They had the best milkshakes in the city too.

  Gavin shook his head without even letting a moment pass. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly, but thank you.”

  Rene frowned at the immediate dismissal. “Why not?”

  Gavin looked to Drake, a panicked expression on his face, and Drake smiled, one hand on his brother’s arm. “You’re cool, man.”

  “I am. I appreciate the offer, but I’m really not comfortable going out with someone I don’t know.”

  Rene pointed to the other chair in this area of the bookstore. “Then how about tea and cookies and a chance to get to know you?”

  “Tea and cookies is acceptable.” Gavin offered him a smile. “What are you reading?”

  “A Perfect Spy by le Carré.”

  “Ah. That one is good.” Gavin made himself a cup of tea, then went to sit. “I’m rereading Salem’s Lot.”

  “A big King fan, eh?” Rene enjoyed the odd horror novel, and King was, well, the king of that genre.

  Gavin settled against the back of his chair. “I am. I’ve read almost everything. You?”

  “I’m partial to thrillers and mysteries.” Rene nodded at Gavin’s feet. “What have you got against shoes and socks?”

  “My feet hurt.”

  “Oh yeah? Do you walk a lot?” He took a sip of his tea.

  Gavin’s expression went blank. “They were broken. They’re sensitive.”

  Rene’s eyes widened. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you.” Gavin curled his legs up in the chair, hiding his feet away.

  It was clearly time for a subject change. “So what do you do, aside from haunt the bookstore late at night?” He wanted to know more about this fascinating man.

  “Not much. I write some. I’m a homebody for the most part. You?”

  “I make money and attend parties to raise money.” His life was boring, really, when he had to talk about it.

  “That doesn’t sound very fun. Lucrative, though.” Gav
in’s smile was back. “What are you going to do when you retire?”

  “Oh God. Read. Travel. Enjoy life.” Retiring meant doing whatever the fuck he wished and not having to attend another party unless he actually wanted to.

  “Good. Good, I’m glad to hear that. We should all do that.”

  A too-skinny kid slipped in through the door, looking nervously at him and Gavin. Rene was curious to see how Drake dealt with someone who was clearly looking for a bit of food and a safe place to sleep for the night.

  Drake smiled at the boy, nodded. “Hello, Timothy.”

  “Drake. Are you looking for help tonight?”

  “I am. Can you pick up an order at Zak’s for me?” Obviously this boy was a regular and someone who Drake looked after. That pleased Rene. It was exactly what he’d hoped for with this place.

  “You want something more substantial than some cookies?” Rene asked Gavin. Just because Gavin had refused to go to the restaurant with Rene didn’t mean he wasn’t hungry.

  “Can I have fries, please, Drake? And a Coke?”

  “And I’ll have onion rings and a milkshake.” Rene pulled a couple of twenties out of his wallet and handed them to Drake.

  “Oh, you don’t have to….” Drake gawked at him. “We’ll buy your snack.”

  Oh, this was a good, good man. Rene was very pleased. He might have to see about getting Drake a raise, as well as making sure Drake was taking money out of the register to pay for this sort of thing rather than out of his own pocket.

  “You sure? I don’t mind picking up the tab tonight.” He had the money to cover everyone, and more.

  “Thank you—you’re very kind. Very.” Drake turned his attention back to the kid. “Burger and fries, Timothy?”

  Timothy’s head bobbed. “Yes, please.”

  “Good deal. I’ll order. You finish your homework today?”

  Another head bob accompanied Timothy’s “Yes, sir.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Drake picked up the phone and put in an order while the kid made sure not to make eye contact with anyone.

  Gavin didn’t seem stressed out, didn’t seem worried by Timothy in the least. In fact, the kid got a smile. “Did you like the book I recommended?”

  “I did. Thank you.”

  “Good.” Drake handed the forty over to Timothy. “They said twenty-five minutes. I told them to give you a milkshake when you got there so you’ve got something to do while you wait.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Timothy put the money in his pocket and slipped out the door.

  Rene was both impressed and pleased. “I take it you know him?”

  “He’s just a kid who needs a little help. He’s skittish, but kind,” Drake said.

  “That’s partly why you keep the store open overnight, right?” It was good to see the place fulfilling one of its roles. Its most important role, really.

  “That’s it.” Drake looked pleased. “We’re a haven, right, Gav? A safe space?”

  “Totally.”

  That had his eyebrows going up. What did Gavin have to do with the bookstore? “I didn’t realize you were involved with the store, Gavin.”

  “I’m not. Not at all.” Gavin didn’t quite meet his eyes.

  “Gav has a charity that supports LGBTQ people who have been victimized. One of the things the charity does is make a list of safe spaces and then fund things like blankets, books, tutoring, etc. The bookstore gets a piece of that.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Not that the store needed a piece of that. He kept the place running despite the loss and was more than happy to pay for anything they needed or wanted. He didn’t advertise because he didn’t do it for recognition, and given Gavin’s attitude, he figured the guy felt the same way.

  “It is.” Drake beamed at Gavin. “I’m proud of him.”

  Gavin waved at Drake, the move dismissive, confirming Rene’s instinct about Gavin’s motivation.

  “So what else are you passionate about?” he asked Gavin. Would the man admit to his playing?

  “Reading, writing, music. Coffee.”

  “I thought I recognized you, you know?” Rene admitted, now that Gavin had brought up music. “But it took a while to put two and two together.”

  Gavin went white. Not pale. White as a sheet. He stood in a rush and ran, sliding behind the counter and out the back, disappearing so fast Rene couldn’t even comprehend it.

  Rene looked at Drake. “What the fuck was that?”

  “Sorry. Sorry, man. Just a sec, okay?” Drake grabbed his phone and dialed. “Silas? Hey. Someone recognized him. Can you come? I know, but he only trusts the two of you. I know, but…. Okay. An hour. Thanks.”

  “What the hell is going on?” Rene asked. That had been an extreme reaction to his having admitted to having seen Gavin play.

  “Please don’t tell anyone you met him. He’s harmless. He never even goes out anymore without his security except the nights they drop him off here.”

  “Who am I going to tell that I met the musician I saw play at a small, quiet bar? And what’s his problem?” Was the guy crazy? That would be a damn shame because Rene felt drawn to him.

  “Oh. Oh God. You… you don’t recognize him. Jesus. What a mess.”

  Rene tilted his head. “I just said that I did recognize him. He’s the guitar player from the bar I was in a few months ago. I liked the guy. There was something between us. But if he’s crazy….”

  Drake’s face fell. “That’s the easiest answer, yeah. He’s a nutcase.”

  “I want the truth.” He did. He was confused, and he didn’t like being confused. It wasn’t a state he was in very often.

  Drake sighed. “He was a big-time entertainer. Fallon Davies—maybe you’ve heard of him? Anyway, he was kidnapped and hurt. Now he’s very, very careful. Fair enough?”

  Rene nodded. Actually, it was. “Yes. Thank you.” Everything fell into place, and Gavin’s behavior now made sense. “I’d like to get to know him better. I’m not a fan or a stalker or anything. I had no idea he was some big star.”

  “He was doing really well. He’d even gone out for coffee a couple times.” Drake sighed. “Good thing he has the twins. They’re the best security guards in history.”

  “So why aren’t they here?” Gavin had gone running out into the night without his shoes on, and it wasn’t that warm. And who knew who Gavin would run into and freak out over. It didn’t seem like running out had been a good idea “I should go find him.”

  “It’s their night off. Everyone deserves a chance to get laid. Gavin will be up on the roof. He’s fine,” Drake insisted.

  Rene still didn’t like the idea of Gavin being out there alone, roof or not. “Well, is he going to jump if I follow him up there?”

  “Let me call him and warn him you’re coming. He’s not insane. He was tortured for hours, and it was… ugly. The perp almost got off too, saying Gav asked for it.”

  “That’s awful. Is that how his feet were broken? Who would believe someone would ask for that?” The world was a crazy place, and people could be horrible.

  “Yeah.” Drake shrugged, shook his head. “He was in an alternative lifestyle. The lawyers found out and dragged him through the mud.”

  Rene snorted, affronted. “Is that what they’re calling being gay these days?”

  “No. I mean, sure.” Drake shut his mouth with a snap, then went on. “Look, I’ve been spilling all my brother’s dirty laundry enough already.”

  “So call him. Tell him I’m coming up to make sure he’s okay and that I don’t know who he used to be. Just who he is now.” Rene didn’t really care who Gavin used to be—he wanted to get to know the man who’d played so magically, who’d spoken directly to Rene through that music, whether Gavin knew it or not.

  “Be gentle, huh?” Drake asked. “He’s a good man.”

  God, how bad must it have been? Pretty fucking awful if Gavin and Drake’s attitudes were anything to go by. Besides, breaking someone’s feet was torture, so that
answered his question right there. “I’m going up there to make sure he’s okay, not rough him up.”

  “Yeah, Silas and Dev will be here soon. So roughing him up would be bad.” Drake winked at him. “Remind him that food is coming. Oh, I should order for the beasts.”

  “The beasts?” He shook his head. He wasn’t going to ask. Instead, he headed out the way Gavin had gone, finding the roof access easily once he’d exited the door beyond the office.

  When he got to the top of the stairs, he could hear Gavin talking to someone. “…fine. I just…. God, I’m an idiot. Do you think this is the man from the club, Dev?”

  He went up far enough that his upper body could be seen. “Hello? Gavin? Drake told you I was coming up, okay?”

  “Yeah. Yes. I’m sorry. I had a panic attack.” Gavin gave him a tight, not very happy smile, then spoke into the phone. “I’m sure. I’ll be here. You and Silas go find yourself some delicious subs to play with. I love you both. Bye.”

  Rene climbed onto the roof but stayed a good six feet away, not wanting to freak Gavin out while they were up here. “Hey. I wanted to make sure you’re all right. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Gavin gave a dismissive wave of his hand but didn’t meet his gaze. “I’m fine. Panic attack, like I said. Stupid. I’m fine. Is the food here yet?”

  “No, but we could head back down and wait for it somewhere not the roof.” He took a step back and pointed at the way back down.

  “Yeah. It’s a little chilly, huh?” Gavin offered him a quiet smile, this one more real.

  “Yeah, I imagine you’re freezing.” He didn’t even have his jacket to offer to Gavin. “I’d hate to see you get sick from being up here too long.”

  “That’s kind. Seriously. I’d hate to get sick too.” Gavin gave a firm nod of his head. “Let’s go down. I want those fries.”

  That made Rene chuckle. “And I want my milkshake. After you.” He watched Gavin slowly move down the stairs, then followed him down and back in through the door to the office. The bookstore seemed extra bright and warm after the roof.