Up Close and Personal

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL by Jayson Leigh

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or locations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent.

Author's Note: I'm not dead yet. Apologies for the unexpected hiatus. Hope this chapter is worth the wait. I got all your emails, and I'm responding to them all. Thanks for writing and I do love feedback. Email me to get on the update list- jmleighwrites@gmail.com.

Also, thanks to my very patient Beta, Scott!

Chapter 13A

Thirty Days of Night

Salt Lake City...

Shane wished he'd never powered his phone back on. Eight voicemails from Dominic were not a good sign. He didn't want to risk Dominic's call-back while the phone was still on and was just ready to power-off when a face appeared on screen. His heart clenched and he inhaled sharply.

Jen.

His thumb hovered over answer' then ignore', then back and forth, again and again. Finally, he closed his eyes, hit `answer', and put the phone to his ear.

"Hi," he said in a low, hoarse tone.

A sharp intake of breath then a stunned admission, "You're really ill."

Shane let out an unexpected burst of laughter even though it hurt to do so. Trust Jen to get it in her head that this was all some sort of cover-up. As usual, she'd hit the nail on the head even though he wasn't going to admit it.

"I wasn't sure what... Trent said you were... then Bill said... fuck, Shane, what happened?"

"I'm okay," he replied, then added after a short pause, "Well, I'm getting better."

"Shane, I..." her voice trailed off.

He said nothing, unwilling to do anything to breach the awkwardness between them. They'd barely communicated in the past month. He'd stepped back, giving his best friend space, not because he wanted it but because she'd demanded it. It hurt to swallow but he pushed down the bile in his throat that reminded him how alone he'd felt since she'd walked out of his life. He didn't understand why she was calling now. So much had happened to him recently and she'd been absent through all of it; Jen, who could relate to every moment of significance in his life for the past nine years simply because she'd witnessed every single one of them. He'd been there for her too. He'd been a good friend. A really, fucking good best friend. He'd gone to bat for her, would have done anything for her, and she'd walked away, seemingly, with such ease.

He paused before saying softly, "I've got to go."

"Wait," she said pleadingly. "I didn't mean... Look, can I come over, I think we need to talk..."

"No, can do," Shane said flatly. "I'm on vacation through the rest of the month. I'm not even in New York."

"Oh, are you with... Leo?" she asked.

It was a simple question. A yes or no answer would suffice. And yet Shane hesitated. Once upon a time, Jenny had been his person, his alone. They'd helped each other get through everything life had thrown at them: one divorce, loads of family issues, horrible bosses, and too many bad relationships to count. They'd stood together against the world. And it had been awesome.

But that wasn't so anymore.

Leo had seen deep into his soul, scaled every wall he threw up to get to the truth hidden deep inside, and stayed. Leo was his person now. It was he and Leo against the world now. He didn't owe Jenny shit.

"Let's talk when I get back. Take care." He ended the call and powered off the phone without a second thought.

Alone in their hotel suite in Salt Lake City, Shane felt bereft of Leo's presence. He'd been gloriously distracted from himself by the other man and was only now starting to remember how dismal it felt to be alone again. As he walked around the room, toeing off his sneakers to feel the plush carpet beneath his bare feet, he remembered how he'd begged off accompanying Leo to the arena tonight because he didn't want to be seen with bruises around his neck.

A nearby table held a silver tray with a thick ivory-embossed card with gold script welcoming Mr. Malone to the hotel and inviting him to enjoy the complimentary champagne and caviar. Shane smiled, quite happy to oblige in the Presidential Suite's offerings in the absence of Mr. Malone. He was accustomed to making do with a complimentary chocolate truffle on his bed. He scooped up a small mound of caviar with his finger and dipped it in his mouth, then wrinkled his nose with distaste because he'd never understood the appeal of the fishy delicacy. He considered the champagne next, knowing better than to mix alcohol with pain meds, but he couldn't resist. He popped the cork, not bothering with the crystal flute, and took a long swig directly from the bottle. If he was going to be here alone, might as well do so with some bubbly.

The open French windows across the room beckoned and he headed out to the balcony where he could see a light shower had started. He shuddered when a cool gust of wind hit him unexpectedly. Granite floor tiles were cold and clammy beneath his bare feet as he made his way to a reclining chair. He set the chilled champagne bottle down on the ground and considered listening to the voicemails from Dominic. Calls from him were few and far between so Shane knew, without a doubt, that something was wrong. He felt like a bad friend for not wanting to know more, not wanting to get caught up in someone else's drama when he was barely making it through his own...

He startled awake when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He blinked, and then looked up to find Leo watching him closely. "Hey," he said in a low, hoarse tone.

"It's cold out here."

Shane smiled. "I guess I fell asleep."

"Scoot over," Leo said, before settling into the lounge chair and pulling Shane into the v-part of his thighs and running his hands up and down his arms to warm him up.

"How'd rehearsal go?" Shane asked.

Leo shrugged. "My voice is shot."

"Why?"

"Smoking."

"You always smoke."

"I might've over-indulged recently," he admitted reluctantly.

Shane sighed. "Now that we're okay, are you going to cut back?"

Leo stared at the top of Shane's head, surprised anew at the other man's intuitiveness. He realized that he might've underestimated how well Shane knew him. He felt a hand sliding down one denim-clad thigh, then squeezing his knee and he leaned forward to cover Shane's hand with his. "Yeah, I'm cutting back."

Shane nodded and then returned to fiddling with his phone. "You know smoking's going to kill you."

Leo bit back a laugh, "What isn't?"

Shane rolled his eyes as he scrolled through photos on his phone and lingered on one he'd taken with Jenny at the office Christmas party just last year.

"Who's this?" Leo asked with a nod at the photo.

A short pause, then, "Jenny'"

"Who's she?"

"A friend," Shane answered reluctantly then added again, "My best friend... or she used to be... I don't know anymore. I miss her."

"So call her."

Shane worried his lip. "I don't want to."

This was the first Leo was hearing about Jenny and he wondered about the strained relationship between Shane and this best friend of his, someone who'd been absent even when Shane had been through the most terrifying ordeal of his life. "Does she know about anything that happened recently?" he asked.

Shane shook his head.

Leo stared at the back of Shane's blond head, aware that putting distance between self and others was Shane's default reaction to most situations. He said softly, "I'm sure she'd like to know."

Shane shook his head.

Leo sighed. He was pretty sure, from Shane's pensive mood that he wouldn't be alright until he was back on good terms with his best friend. He asked, "Have you tried talking to her?"

"She doesn't want to talk to me."

"How do you know that?" Leo asked patiently.

"She said she doesn't want to talk to me."

"Oh."

There was silence for a few seconds, and then Shane said uncomfortably, "Look, I shouldn't bother you with this stuff..."

"You're not," Leo cut in. "I want to know about your best friend and everything else about you. It feels like you know everything about me because it's all out there in public but I want to know you too. Tell me about Jenny."

"Are you sure? I don't want to..."

Leo ignored his protests. "How did you two meet?"

"Okay... Okay," Shane said as he put down his phone and stared into the distance. "I was a junior at Columbia and I was so sure I was going to be a writer. I had it all mapped out, too, journalism degree, then get a job at the New Yorker, everyone wanted to write for the New Yorker then, win a Pulitzer or two... and it would've worked except... I wasn't a very good writer."

Leo said with a disbelieving laugh, "I find that hard to believe."

"No, it's true. I mean, I didn't suck, but I just wasn't very good, or at least not good enough to get the primo internships that summer. Eventually, I did get a spot at one of the local news stations as a production assistant. You know what production assistants are, right?"

"Glorified servants?"

"Pretty much... Well, I met Jenny there. She was an assistant director at the time and we worked together a lot. Come to think of it, her job wasn't much better than mine. We'd sort scripts for the director and anchors, run the Teleprompters, do coffee runs... all the fun stuff no one else wanted to do. I don't know how it happened, but we just clicked. We went from strangers to best friends almost instantly. After I graduated, I did a couple of years as a correspondent at a local news station and later I got my first break as a weekend anchor on a network morning show. By then Jen had moved on to Up Close and Personal, but it was being anchored by the old guy, Keith Sheldon."

"The one with the mustache?"

Shane smiled, "Yeah, that's the one. He was only forty-nine years old but he might as well have been a hundred to the entertainment industry. Jenny told me that the show was being revamped. The producers wanted to go for a younger audience..."

"And they needed a younger host?"

"Exactly. Never in a million years did I think they'd actually choose me. I auditioned just to get her off my back but I got a call back, and another, and then I actually got the job... Jenny's always believed in me, even when I didn't. She's one of the most important people in my life... but... she's like a force of nature sometimes."

Shane stopped to think, then began uncertainly, "I told her about you. About wanting to be with you and she didn't think I should give you a chance... We sort of got into it a little... we know exactly which buttons to push in each other, and I said some things... she did too... and it's just really awkward now..."

"You've got to talk to her." Leo said, then after a brief pause he added, "It doesn't matter what she thinks about me as long as you know we're good together, then no one is gonna stand in the way of that. But it's obvious this is eating you up inside and unless you figure it out..."

"I tried before. I really did."

"Try harder."

"You don't know Jen. She's loud and obnoxious and she's got an opinion about everything. And it's always all or nothing with her. But she's got a big heart, and she loves so hard and she's passionate about everything but overprotective too."

"Sounds like everything you love about her is exactly what's making you stay away."

Shane considered it for a moment. Jenny's instinct to love and protect him was the biggest factor in the blow up but he was no longer the twenty one year old who needed to be shown the ropes. She had to learn to respect his decisions but he just didn't think she was there yet. "I miss her," he said honestly, "But I kind of like taking a break from her too."

"Really?" Leo asked with a hint of skepticism.

"Actually, I like taking a break from everyone except you." He blushed, lowering his eyes to look away before admitting in a hesitant tone, "I just want to be with you."

Pleasantly surprised at Shane's spontaneous show of vulnerability, Leo also couldn't help the twinge of possessiveness that it sparked in him. He pushed further still, "And no one else?"

Shane leaned forward to tuck his head into the crook of Leo's neck and placed a hand over his rock solid pecs. "When I'm with you, it doesn't feel like there's anything else out there for me."

Placated, Leo encircled Shane's waist, pulling him closer, then pushing his fingers into the loose waist of Shane's jeans to caress the warm, smooth skin on his hip. He asked, "So how much time have we got together?"

"Forty-four days," Shane whispered against his neck.

He ran circles on Shane's hip. "Only?"

"I'm pretty sure you'll tire of me before then."

"Or vice-versa."

"Never," Shane whispered fiercely.

Leo bit back a laugh. "So are you coming to the show tomorrow?"

Shane shook his head.

"You know it's pretty dark in the arena, no one's gonna be able to see the bruises."

A short pause, then Shane shook his head again, his face still hidden against Leo's neck.

"Alright, when you're better then..."

"Yeah," Shane said softly

"So, we've got forty four days together?" Leo said, as soft puffs of air from Shane's steady exhalations tickled his skin.

Shane nodded drowsily. "Just you and me..."

Leo closed his eyes, before mentally adding, "...and Jake, the band and crew, and let's not forget, Paul fucking Golden." He opened his eyes to look down at Shane who'd now fallen asleep and whispered, "Should be a blast."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

Leo muttered "Keep your voice down" as he swirled the amber contents of the cough syrup bottle his hands. He glanced around the backstage area of the arena and found Trey napping on a couch while Ray and Dave argued over Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation.

"Where is he?" Paul demanded.

"At the hotel. Listen, some shit went down back in New York and I-"

"Yeah, I heard he got strangled," Paul snapped impatiently, "or choked or something..."

Leo arched a brow inquisitively. "Heard?"

"The doctor... Osbourne."

Leo considered laying into his manager for invading his privacy, yet again, but there was something more pressing to deal with at the moment. "So what are we going to do?"

"We...?" Paul scoffed, with a loud laugh, "We are going to put him back on the plane, a one-way ride back to New York, where he'll stay until the need arises to see him again."

Leo knew bringing Shane along wasn't one of his better ideas. He hadn't thought through the logistics of the thing, and anyway, combing through fine details of any plan wasn't his job. That's what he kept Paul around for.

When Paul noticed Leo wasn't forthcoming, he pinched the bridge of his nose, then shook his head before adding, "You know you can always go see him in New York if you need a fuck. Christ, you could get laid at every stop on this tour; you don't need to drag a fuck-buddy along with you."

There'd been many girlfriends over the years, fuck-buddies, one-night stands, friends with benefits, and everything in-between. It wasn't a conscious decision, he realized, but he'd never brought any of them on tour with him. Typically, he'd arrange hook-ups or meet-ups, depending on the state of the relationship, along various tour stops. It worked out quite well, especially when he was juggling a couple of women at a time. Shane obviously wasn't just a piece of ass but he wasn't going to spell that out to his manager.

He took a sip of the honey cough syrup that Ray swore would soothe his dry vocal cords which had suffered greatly from all the smoking he'd done recently. He grimaced at the sickly sweet chemical taste and then chugged the entire bottle.

"Catch," he said, nonchalantly tossing the empty glass bottle at Paul, who yelped before reaching out hastily and catching it just in time. Now that he'd considered everything Paul had to say, he'd come to a conclusion. "No."

Paul stared at him, nostrils flared and eyes narrowed in anger. "No, to what exactly...?"

"No, to everything you've just said and everything that's just occurred to you since I said no." He knew he was leaving Paul in a bind, but leaving Shane alone in that state, injured, hurting, and unhappy, presented an even worse option. He knew he needed Paul on board, knew that he couldn't do this without his manager handling all the arrangements that would be needed to keep Shane mostly invisible throughout the tour.

He also knew that his default reactions to his manager opposing him were threats or taunts, and those worked, for the most part. This time, though, he decided to be a bit more diplomatic. "I know I give you shit sometimes..."

Paul snorted loudly.

"... but I need you to do this for me. Whatever you need, just... look, he's ill, okay? Going through some shit right now and probably won't be attending concerts for a while... and even if he does, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be the first talk show journalist-type joining us back stage, right?"

"Only, he won't just be backstage. He'll be going back to your hotel room... with you. Are you going to tell the guys?"

Leo didn't even pause before replying briefly, "No."

Paul exhaled a loud, long breath, tossing the empty cough syrup bottle from one hand to another before replying. "You'll have to stay at your own hotel away from the guys. The Langford Hotel chain is one of the tour sponsors; they expect you to use their hotels. We're going to have to breach the contract. You'll foot the bill."

Leo hummed.

"And travel. You'll use the Gulf Stream alone. I could probably get the promoters to pony up for another jet if I say there's been a fight between you and the band and you want to travel alone... they always buy that prima donna shit anyway."

He was slower to nod this time. "Anything else...?"

"It's going to cost you. Arrangements, logistics, legal work to contractually obligate hotel staff at every stop to shut the fuck up..." There was a prolonged silence before Paul added softly, "Are you sure you want to do this? He's costing you a lot... he's just a piece of ass."

Leo wondered what Paul's reaction would be, if he ever found out about the hefty donation he'd made to the Keating foundation because of Shane. He decided to save that bit of information for a day when he really needed to drive Paul up the wall. Miffed at Paul's derisive take on Shane, he got up abruptly, and growled as he brushed by him, "He's my piece of ass and I'll take him wherever the fuck I want. Make it happen."

Denver...

"C'mon Shane, just five more minutes," Leo mumbled against his neck.

"I'm starving," Shane protested. As his fingers traced the curve of Leo's shoulder blade, he remembered the itinerary Jake had given Leo the previous night. Then he remembered that deadlines were non-existent in Leo's world; no matter what time he was expected, he would inevitably arrive an hour or two later. "You should get up; you've got to be somewhere in a few hours."

He wriggled out from underneath only to be pulled back down.

"You know, we're down to thirty six days on the road," Leo whispered before leaning over to nip at the lobe of Shane's ear. "We should make the best of every moment."

Shane moaned agreeably. "You're right. I promise to fuck you till dawn..."

Leo grinned and loosened his grasp, allowing Shane to squirm free.

Shane finished off his sentence, "when you get back tonight."

"Promises, promises," Leo said with a pout, watching Shane get off the bed.

Hiding a smirk, Shane looked into the pile of menus. "Do you feel like breakfast?" he asked thoughtfully, "I know it's almost nighttime but I'm craving breakfast."

Leo didn't respond.

It was a little after six p.m. They'd flown into Denver at midday and promptly fallen asleep in their suite.

"What do you want?" he asked Leo.

Leo sighed, but remained silent.

Shane chose to ignore his lover's sulking; if it were up to Leo, they'd stay in bed all month long making love. "What do you want?" he repeated.

Leo sat up after a few moments and raked a hand through his disheveled hair. It was obvious Shane wasn't coming back to bed soon. He headed to the bathroom and called out as he walked away. "Yeah, I can do breakfast. Egg-white omelet with spinach and feta. Toast – whole wheat, hold the butter. And coffee, lots of coffee."

Shane looked up, faintly amused. He'd taken note of Leo's eating patterns and was quite tickled at how healthy his choices always were. He remarked wryly, "You're such a health nut, at least sometimes..."

Leo shrugged. "What can I say? I'd like to avoid a heart attack before the age of..." His voice trailed off when he noticed Shane's expression. "What? I'm touring!" He began again, defensively. "I can't afford to get sick. A sore throat, an upset stomach or even a headache could mean a cancelled show and that's lost revenue... What?"

"I don't know... forget it."

"What is it?" Leo demanded. "What's wrong with showing a little concern for my body?"

"Well, you smoke like a chimney for one, and you drink sometimes like the world's running out of liquor. But you're cautious about what you eat, and you work out a lot... it's just... it's inconsistent... and a little odd, that's all."

Leo felt the air go out of him, as if from a blow. This was the last thing he'd expected to hear from Shane. He took in a deep breath and asked, "What's this about? Why are you bringing this up now?"

Shane bit down on his lip nervously, wondering if he'd made a mistake broaching this issue before deciding, to hell with it, and pushing on. "I care about you but sometimes, I don't think I really understand you..."

Leo held on to the bathroom door-knob tightly as he considered how to get out of this. "I've got that appointment..."

"Oh, so now you're worried about the time?"

Leo tried to appear calmer than he really was. As shy and unassuming as Shane tended to be sometimes, it was easy to forget how intelligent and intuitive he really was. He also knew Shane's tendency to talk around issues and decided to play along, like he really didn't know what the other man was referring to. "So you want me to quit smoking and drinking, is that it?"

Shane pursed his lips and looked away. "Amongst other things..." he said in a low voice.

Leo nodded. He might've had a little too much to drink at a couple of after-parties last week. He'd have to do a better job at staying sober, especially with Shane around. "Fine," he said, "I'll work on it."

When he noticed that Shane was staring at him, he arched a brow. His tendencies towards addiction and self-destructive behavior were as much a mystery to him as others. Whatever Shane's expectations were, that a look of disapproval or a stern talk, would fix him... well, he was sorry to disappoint him. "Anything else...? he asked defiantly.

Shane sighed, "No."

Leo hesitated for a few moments, aware that he'd totally shot down Shane's concerns without really giving him a chance. "Look, we're in this together, right? I hear you, and I'm going to work on it, okay."

Shane managed a small smile before turning away to place their room service order.

Thirty something thousand feet above Houston...

Shane could barely keep up. The Blackbones had completed shows in Phoenix and Dallas and, as the pilot announced they were nearing the Houston airport, he marveled at Leo's ability to adapt to the grueling tour schedule. He felt like they barely had time to catch their breaths in one city before they were packing and jetting off to another.

Bored, he asked Leo, "Have you ever calculated your carbon footprint?"

A prolonged pause before Leo said with a smirk, "Nope."

"What's the capacity of this thing, ten, fifteen passengers?" Shane asked, looking around. Jake was slumped uncomfortably in a fully reclined seat. Despite its generous allowance, the bodyguard's heft took up every inch of the leather chair. "I can't believe you've been flying this jet around the country and it isn't even half-full. Can you imagine how much carbon's being emitted just to move your ass around in style?"

Leo sat up, watching as his lover grew ever more passionate in his criticism of Leo's carbon footprint. He could sense Shane was bored by the plane ride and was talking purely out of the need to keep himself busy.

He bit back a grin when Shane asked if knew that some private planes could emit, in one hour, more carbon dioxide than some people would, in an entire year? No, he admitted, he didn't know that.

When Shane began rattling off grim statistics about global warming, he tried to appear interested and engaged. "So, how do you know so much about the environment?" he inquired.

Shane appeared startled. "We, ah, we did a show for Earth day, a few months back and I interviewed some experts on the matter. I'm really committed to a greener earth. It's just alarming, the rate at which global warming is affecting our environment and planes, in particular, cause major havoc..."

Leo cut in with an appropriate level of concern, "So how do you suggest I reduce my... ah... carbon emissions?"

"Well," Shane said thoughtfully, "we could use a smaller jet..."

Leo shook his head. "I don't think that's enough. If you're so committed to the environment, then we should go all the way...?"

"What do you mean?" Shane asked curiously.

"See, I personally feel no guilt about the environment, or flying around in this thing. I donate to a couple of environmental and climate organizations. I recycle, and hell, I'm going to be long dead by the time this planet's burned to a crisp... but you, babe, since you feel so guilty, how about we do this? Starting in Houston, I drop you off with the stage hands and crew. They travel around in these great hybrid buses; I hear they're green, run on vegetable oil or some shit like that, and environmentally friendly. They probably get great mileage too. So, I'll take the jet, and you do your part for the environment by taking the bus. We could meet up in Austin... say in a few days when you finally get there."

Shane considered Leo's suggestion, eyeing him carefully, then creatively declined by rolling up the newspaper and aiming it at the other man.

Leo laughed and ducked just in time. He returned his attention to the set list he was putting together on his computer, figuring it would be quite some time before Shane questioned his commitment to the environment.

Houston...

Shane's lips were flushed red and plump from Leo's kisses. As he lifted his head to stare into the wide, blue eyes below him, he knew he could never tire of working his mouth like this. He bent over again to seek entry between Shane's lips, his hands came up, angling Shane's face to just the right position, so that every lick, every movement of his mouth, and every thrust of his tongue was perfectly placed. Shane kissed him back greedily, his chest heaving underneath Leo with every breath he took.

Leo reached down to palm Shane's cock which was starting to jut up against the seams of his boxers. He pushed down the soft cotton apart to palm Shane's hardening length. At the other man's barely stifled moan, he asked playfully, "You getting hard for me?"

Shane laughed at his lover's teasing. It wouldn't take much for his cock to thicken in Leo's hands. His breath hitched when he realized the other man was crawling down to spread his legs apart. He watched Leo push down his boxers, then take him into his mouth, sucking lewdly, while his hands gently massaged his smooth balls at the same time. Leaning back into the pillow, he felt Leo grip the root of his shaft, then lick a wet, slippery line along the prominent vein of his cock, murmuring, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm a cocksucker and I fucking love it."

"What?" Shane groaned out distractedly.

"Cocksucker," Leo repeated, eyeing Shane who was sprawled out beneath him. "Just imagine the next time someone says to me, Leo, you fucking cocksucker', I could be like, I know, right...'"

Shane's laugh came out loud and ragged, in between gasping breaths, "Are you," he started then paused to flex his hips in an effort to move his cock back to Leo's mouth, "Are you trying to kill me?" It was like torture, he thought. He wanted his cock in Leo's mouth now.

Leo smiled then stuck his tongue out, allowing Shane to brush the underside of his cock on the tip. He noticed that the other man's cock was leaking now, so he tongued the slit allowing a long sticky thread of come trail from the tip of his tongue to Shane's cock.

"Kill you?" he asked, letting his tongue slip back in his mouth so that the trail of come broke and splashed on his chin, wet and obscene, "No, babe, I'm just trying to suck your cock."

With that, he swallowed Shane whole, from root to tip so that Shane jerked frantically, scrambling for leverage. "You fucking cocksucker," he moaned as Leo pulled back, letting Shane slip out his throat.

"Thanks, man, that's quite the compliment," Leo grinned, his lips were wet and shiny with spit before going back in and sucking Shane again.

Leo sucked cock like he did everything else: enthusiastically and completely invested in his actions. His cheeks were hollowed and Shane could see the shape of his cock prominently digging into the side of Leo's mouth. He fucked in with varying thrusts, short and shallow, then long and deep.

Watching the always poised and thoughtful Shane lose control was awesome to behold. He was like this only when they made love: free, loose, and totally out of control. He'd suck Shane's cock every second of everyday if it meant getting to see him desperate and scrambling on the bed just like this. He smirked when he heard Shane's breathless whisper of his name, "Leo...fuck, Leo..."

He didn't pull back or reduce the pressure of his suction; swallowing the bursts of cum that Shane was pumping out. He watched Shane's hips roll helplessly and only pulled back when he felt his throat constricting with exertion.

For a few more seconds, pearly fluid splashed on his chin and Shane's chest when he let the cock slip out. He watched Shane lay back boneless and was elated that he'd done that to him. He crawled back up and covered his lover's mouth in a sloppy kiss, wanting Shane to taste himself on his tongue.

"Wow," Shane murmured, in between kisses.

Leo smiled. "Am I a cocksucker or am I a cocksucker?"

"You're a fucking cocksucker," Shane affirmed while nuzzling Leo's jaw. "I'd return the favor,' he whispered, "but I don't think my throat would cooperate just yet."

They lay back in silence, wrapped around each other, as Shane's breath gradually returned to normal. After a few moments, he reached down between them to slip a hand beneath Leo's jeans. He found that Leo had foregone underwear. "Lube's in my shaving kit."

Leo exhaled into Shane's neck, and thought, lube, he should get lube... but that would require him actually letting go of Shane and leaving the bed. And then, he thought of Shane's ass clenching tightly around his cock... he bounded off the bed as fast as he could in search of the suitcase. He rummaged through everything, then dumped out the contents of Shane's shaving kit until he came up with the elusive lube.

He whirled around to find that Shane was already kneeling on all fours. His spine curved elegantly as he rested his head on one folded arm and inserted a finger in his mouth to wet it with saliva and then reached behind to trail it through the crease of his asshole. He stood there, transfixed as Shane fingered himself, stabbing one, then two moist fingers deeper into himself.

Leo unbuttoned his jeans, wet his hand with lube and began jerking himself off. "Fuck", he groaned, pulling raggedly on his cock.

Shane's wrists flexed as he penetrated himself deeper, his knuckles were prominent as the finger disappeared inside his hole. Glancing back, he found his lover there, watching him and jerking off. He smiled without stopping his penetrating motions. "Like what you see?" he teased.

Leo nodded as he walked forward, still dragging his hand sticky and wet, up and down his shaft. He climbed onto the bed, settling quickly behind Shane. He replaced Shane's finger with one of his lubed ones, and found that Shane was still sufficiently loosened the last time they'd made love. Aiming his dick directly at Shane's pink tinged hole, he brushed his target lightly making Shane gasp, "Yeah, fuck me."

He pushed forward, letting his cock catch on the rim and watching Shane squirm back adorably to catch Leo's cock in his hole. Giving in finally, he clutched Shane's hip to hold him still and guided his cock home. He went in gradually with shallow thrusts, until he was completely sheathed. Then he pulled out and went in again, rotating his hips in a circular motion.

He kept his movements slow and deliberate, pausing for a moment to trail a finger along the nape of Shane's neck then leaning forward to press a kiss to the warm sweaty skin.

"Don't stop," he heard Shane urge breathlessly.

Smirking, Leo responded sharply, "Then you'd better hold on." He thrust out abruptly, and then slammed back in deep, pressing his thumbs into Shane's hips to haul him closer to him. He saw Shane's spine straining as he rocked back to take more from him. He grinned, loving the Shane's wanton response to him.

He kept up a rhythm, dragging his lover back and forth, in tune to his thrusts and watching his dick appear and disappear into that tight heat. They went at it hard, even shifting the mattress at one point with their vigorous movements. Eventually, Leo's thrusts began losing their smoothness and rhythm. He felt Shane bringing himself off again, shaking underneath him while jerking his cock with one hand and supporting himself on the bed with the other.

He knew he was getting closer; his balls were pulling up tight and the muscles in his back and thighs were clenching. "C'mon," he panted to Shane. "Get me there, fucking do it."

He felt Shane clench his muscles tighter, milking his cock with his ass, and he groaned when, finally, the increased friction brought him over the edge. He ground down on Shane, who in turn collapsed under his weight, as he kept up steady thrusts, pushing his hips down in quick jabs because he thought he would never stop shooting. He leaned back from the man underneath him long enough to pull out his cock and watch the thick globs spurt out of him all over Shane's ass. If he'd thought Shane looked sexy before, now, with his ass cheeks covered in droplets of his semen, he was like a fucking aphrodisiac. If he had his phone within reach, he was sure he wouldn't have been able to resist capturing the pearly drops obscenely splattered all over Shane's smooth skin.

He reached down to smear a finger through the drops, gathering them and pushed them back into Shane's wet pink crease. "I can't get enough of you," he confessed in a barely audible tone.

Shane sighed softly at the penetration of Leo's fingers into his still sensitive hole. He was content to hear that Leo felt the same way he did. He laid there for a while, getting his breath back and faintly tickled at Leo's fascination with his ass. It was only when he realized that come was starting to dry on his skin and Leo was still touching him intimately that he nudged Leo's hand away and got off the bed.

After cleaning off in the bathroom, he came back to the bedroom where he noticed that Leo had his jeans back on and was pulling on a shirt. "You going out?" he asked curiously. He'd assumed they'd be having a quiet night in today. It was one of the rare off days on the tour with no concert, travel or publicity event scheduled.

"It's Trey's birthday. The guys and I are hosting a party for him."

"What kind of party?"

Leo threw him an amused look. "It's not a dinner party."

"Huh, I was actually hoping for a tea party."

Leo snorted. After a few moments, he said, "It's a booze, girls, loud music kinda party."

Shane rolled his eyes. "How exciting," he called out to Leo who was now in the bathroom.

When Leo returned, he found Shane curled up in bed with a book. "The party's at a club," he offered. "The Penthouse, I think it's called. Interested...?"

Shane considered for a half second then declined. He'd ventured out to a few shows and after parties but he wasn't in the mood for the wild night the guys were sure to have tonight.

Leo nodded, barely surprised at Shane's answer, as he slipped on his shoes. "Jake's waiting downstairs." He brushed a kiss on Shane's temple. "Don't wait up."

It was after midnight when Shane got out of the cab. He got in line at the swanky club, hoping the bouncers at the front door would let him in. When he found himself hiding a yawn behind one hand, he had to admit that he'd rather be in bed binge-watching House of Cards, but he squashed that thought quickly.

Leo's last words kept ringing in his head, "Don't wait up." Like he was some old lady sitting by the hearth waiting for the man of the house to return home. Fuck that. He could party with the best of them, if he wanted. "Don't wait up." Indeed.

Shuffling along the queue of partiers hoping to get in through the doors of the exclusive hotspot, he hit redial on his phone. He'd tried Leo's phone several times already that night with no response. He hoped he was in the right place. Almost a half hour later, he finally made it to the door.

"I.D.?" asked a tall, heavyset man with in a too tight shirt and greasy, slicked back hair. Shane handed over his driver's license.

"Hey, you're that actor on TV... The cop show on CBS, right?"

Shane smiled and nodded affirmatively. He was a talk show host and had no idea who this guy was talking about, but hell, he'd be Oprah fucking Winfrey if it meant getting into the club. His I.D. was returned and he was waved in after paying the outrageous cover charge.

The club was dark and smoky and music thumped against the walls in an insistent bass beat. He looked around and tried to make his way through gyrating bodies. He didn't even know where to start looking for Leo in this crowd. He made his way to the bar at the far end of the room and tried to get the attention of a bartender. When one finally approached him, he asked, "Is Leo Malone here tonight?" He was sure Leo had said the band and crew were going to be partying here, but since he hadn't caught sight of them, he wondered if he'd come to the wrong place.

The bartender, a tattooed woman with rainbow colored hair and a pierced nose replied, "What're you having?"

Shane wondered if she'd heard him. "I said, is Leo..."

"I heard you all right," she said, smirking. "Now what can I getcha?"

Shane sighed inwardly. "Gin and tonic."

"Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire...?"

"Whatever you got," he said, trying to hide his mounting frustration.

She came back with the drink and asked as she pushed it over, "Wanna start a tab?"

What the hell? He hadn't wanted the drink in the first place. He shook his head as he paid, making sure to tip generously.

She winked and pointed to the stairs across the room. "The band's up there in the VIP lounge."

He left his drink untouched and made his way to the lounge. He noticed a burly man seated at the foot of the stairs, blocking the way. He plastered a friendly smile and hoped that he would be recognized by this bouncer... maybe he'd be a singer, this time.

No such luck.

"You don't have a bracelet," the bouncer said, after eyeing Shane's wrist.

"What bracelet?" he inquired.

"The one that gets you past these pearly gates," he replied nonchalantly, not even looking at Shane as he fiddled with a heavy gold chain around his thick neck.

"Where do I get one...?"Shane started to ask but was brushed aside by the bouncer in favor of two giggling girls who were now standing behind him. Shane stepped aside. They were in skimpy clothes, and despite a lack of bracelets on their wrists, they were ushered upstairs.

Shane protested at once.

The bouncer's eyes never left the ass of the last girl as she ascended the stairs. He sneered as he looked back at Shane, "You come back with tits, ass and legs like that... I'll let you in."

Shane weighed his options. Cross dressing was out of the option. He certainly didn't want to go back to the lonely hotel room but chances were, Leo was never going to hear his phone ring in this place. The music was deafening.

If only he could just tell the bouncer that he was fucking Leo Malone, the main attraction here... He sighed, then thought of something else. "Is Jake up there?"

The bouncer lifted a skeptical brow and narrowed his eyes. "You know Jake?"

"Sure I know Jake and I know Leo Malone too, but you'd never believe me."

The bouncer maintained a fierce gaze at him, then lifted one hand to his earpiece, "Hey, Freddie? I got someone down here, asking for Jake... yeah? Hey you, what's your name?"

Shane gave it to him.

A few moments later, Jake appeared at the top of the stairs, leaning on the banisters and motioning for Shane to be let up.

When he got to Jake, he remarked with a smile, "Wow, it's like Fort Knox in here."

Jake didn't respond to his humor. Just put a protective arm around him and spoke urgently, "Why didn't you call? Leo'd be pissed if he found out..."

Shane balked. "It's okay. I changed my mind at the last moment. I just thought I'd meet up with you guys..."

Jake guided him through the throng of bodies. "It doesn't matter, okay? I would've had someone come get you from the hotel."

"I'm okay going out on my own. Trust me, no one recognizes me, and if they do, they don't go crazy like Leo's fans. I'm not a big deal, not like Leo anyway."

"You don't go anywhere alone. Not without security, not when you're with Leo."

Shane shrugged out of Jake's arm around his shoulder. "You're not my bodyguard. You don't tell me what to do."

Jake's eyes narrowed as he took him in. "Do you know what would happen if Leo knew you were here and couldn't get to him? When you're with Leo, you're a big fucking deal. Get used to it."

Just what he'd always wanted, Shane thought wryly. Becoming a big fucking deal not based on his own merit, but because of whom he was fucking.

"Give me your phone," Jake said.

He handed it over without a word and watched Jake key in a number. He hated getting chastised but he tried to rationalize that Jake was just trying to avoid pissing off his employer, so he said nothing, just nodded.

Jake handed the phone back. "That's my number. Next time you need something, call."

Shane muttered thanks as he followed Jake. At the center of the room was a stage where three skimpily dressed dancers writhed against a pole. Few seemed riveted by their performance. He spied Leo holding court, and regaling his surrounding band members and some others with a raucous story. He was pretty sure two of the guys with him were NFL players while another looked like a famous rapper. He also noticed that the two girls from earlier were already perched on the laps of various guys. He couldn't help but admire the speed at which they'd insinuated themselves in the group.

His footsteps suddenly faltered as he wondered what the hell he had in common with rockers, rappers, footballers and strippers. He enjoyed hanging with the band members backstage, Ray in particular was a funny one, but this group was another thing.

Jake looked at him with concern. "You okay?"

He thought, no, but replied, "You go on ahead. I think I need a drink." With that, he slipped out of Jake's shadow and made his way to the bar in the opposite direction.

Sliding onto an unoccupied stool, he quickly struck up a conversation with a couple who'd allegedly driven a couple hundred miles to see Leo in concert this weekend. Shane wasn't sure he'd be the willing to do that just to hear Leo sing... Now Celine Dion on the other hand, he'd be willing to go the distance...

He was sipping on club soda and considering returning to the hotel when he felt someone stepping in close to him. He was about to look back when he felt a hand on his wrist and a low voice whispered in his ear, "Can I buy you drink?"

Shane suppressed a shudder as his recalled his last encounter at a bar like this. He made a face and expertly slid his wrist out of the hand holding him and turned, ready to blow off his eager suitor. To his surprise, he found a familiar face. "Chris!"

The dark-haired man smiled. "Hey there, Shane!"

"Wow." Shane let out a breathless laugh as he slid off the stool to allow his friend pull him into a warm embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

"In Houston?"

"No, in this club... of course in Houston!"

He smiled. Chris Feldman's dorky humor was still intact. "Whoa, it's been what... five years?"

Chris smiled and lifted his drink to his lips. "Give or take a year. You look good," he said, running green eyes appreciatively up and down his friend

"So what are you up to now?" Shane asked, ignoring the weighted gaze of the other man. Chris was attractive, and known to swing both ways. He'd been a pre-med major in college and his nickname was Dr. Feelgood because he'd been known to make everyone in pants or skirts feel, well, good. Shane had never taken him up on the offer though.

"Oh you know, this and that," Chris responded vaguely as he cast an eye around the crowded room.

Shane studied his friend. He was wearing a dark blazer and a silvery-grey dress shirt, with several buttons undone, that clung to his muscular frame with every move he made. He looked different than he did in college; must have packed on at least thirty to forty pounds of pure muscle. Shane could tell it was pure muscle because of the glimpse of well-defined pecs through the open shirt. Still, his tousled dark brown and overly gelled hair looked the same, as well as his twinkling green eyes.

"Last I heard, you were up in San Francisco..."

Chris nodded. "Yeah, things didn't quite work out so well up there... I just moved here. I'm working on a start-up with a couple of guys – high-end gyms geared towards athletes, celebrities... your sort actually, and this is a pretty good place to scout clients. So what are you doing in my neck of the woods?"

Shane had to stop and think, what was he doing here, anyway? He settled on a vague response. "I'm here with a friend."

"Really? Anyone I know?" he said, eyeing Shane speculatively.

Shane bit down on his lip, lying easily. "I don't think so."

"That's nice," Chris said, his eyes closely following the movement of Shane's tongue. If he noticed that Shane was being evasive, he didn't show it. "Can I get you a drink?"

"I'm good." He patted the stool next to him, "Here, have a seat. Let's catch up."

At some point in their conversation, about a half hour later, Shane glanced up around the room and noticed Leo still partying in the corner. He never even seemed to have noticed Shane was here.

Leo threw back yet another gulp of Jameson's. He hadn't noticed Shane's entrance but Jake had come around and whispered to him that his man was here. He'd looked around expecting Shane to find him eventually. He didn't think his group, loud and noisy as it was, would be hard to spot. Just as he'd thought to stand up and look for Shane, he'd spotted him at the bar talking to someone.

Another man had his hand on Shane's arm, gripping his bare flesh just above the elbow. The man slid his hand up to Shane's shoulder and then slowly back down again, pausing to momentarily squeeze his bicep. He watched Shane throw his head back with laughter as the guy watched him with a smile, obviously pleased that whatever he'd said had gotten a reaction from Shane.

Anger washed over him, sharp and sudden. It didn't help that the other guy was bigger and taller than him. They looked good together as he leaned in close and Shane gazed back at him attentively. Leo knew how easy it was to get taken in by Shane, all blond, blue-eyed, and appealing. He'd fallen so easily for him... well, he and the rest of the male population, he thought uncharitably.

Tuning out the lewd jokes and banter around him, he leaned back and slipped on his sunglasses; this way, he could watch unobtrusively. Riding on the wave of irritation that flooded his mind, he decided what he felt for Shane wasn't healthy. He felt himself losing grip of the fraying self-control he had left. He shifted restlessly on the couch, struggling with the undeniable fact that Shane was flirting with someone right in front of him. He didn't care what Shane's intentions were, he just knew this was bullshit. He downed the remainder of his drink, and got up quite suddenly. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he damn well knew he wouldn't be doing nothing.

Shane's smile faltered when he noticed Leo's determined approach. Something about his demeanor alerted Shane to the fact that he wasn't coming over to chat. He was surprised when the other man walked by him, with no acknowledgment but then slid onto the stool next to his.

His mind went blank, unsure what to do next. Was this how they were going to play this now? Acting like they didn't know each other?

He nodded encouragingly at Chris who was still talking animatedly, but his senses remained attuned to Leo's looming presence behind him. He heard Leo order up a drink, a Blue Hawaiian. The sweet, fruity cocktail seemed an odd choice and he was just wondering why Leo hadn't gone for his usual hard liquor when less than a minute later, he felt a hand push deliberately against his back with more pressure than necessary.

He reacted instinctively to Leo, turning to him, before realizing too late, that the bright blue cocktail was being held strategically by Leo to ensure collision.

Within seconds, he felt wetness spread over his shirt, seeping onto the skin on his chest. So that's why he'd ordered that particular drink, he thought. He looked down at himself, a bright blue mess, and silently congratulated Leo on a job well done.

The annoying thing was he'd really liked this shirt.

"Oh, jeez, look at that," Leo remarked in a droll tone. "Didn't see you there."

Shane paused for a moment and then looked up at Leo. He didn't say a word. Leo stared back at him, daring him to say something.

He didn't bite. Instead, he turned back to Chris who was asking, "What happened? Are you okay?"

He smiled reassuringly, taking the towel that the bartender pushed his way. "I'm fine," he said shortly. As he attempted to dry himself, he heard Leo nonchalantly order another drink, a vodka tonic this time.

Chris left his side, determined to confront Leo but Shane reached for his arm. "Don't bother..."

"No, he's a fucking jerk," Chris said, shrugging him off. "Who does he think is anyway?"

Shane sighed, then watched Chris' expression as Leo turned to face him. He was waiting for the exact moment his friend would realize exactly whom he was about to confront. He noted the gradual change in his friend's expression; from outrage on Shane's behalf to stunned silence and then a pleased smile that he was standing in front of the great Leo Malone.

So much for my white knight Shane thought mockingly. When he was done dabbing ineffectually at the stain, he returned the towel to the bartender with a grateful smile and then slid off his seat to join Leo and Chris warily.

Leo glanced at Shane with a smirk, his dark eyes locking onto him for a moment too long. "You okay, there?" he asked Shane before taking a sip of his drink.

Shane just stared at him. What the hell was Leo doing?

Chris, seemingly oblivious to the ongoing awkwardness, smiled widely, "Shane, it's Leo Malone. Who knew, right?"

"I noticed," Shane said with a strained smile. He hoped Chris wasn't going to say anything stupid. He had a feeling Leo wouldn't be receptive to anything coming from his friend.

"So, I was just about to tell Leo here all about TechnoGym."

"Maybe some other time..." Shane said.

Chris appeared not to hear him. "TechnoGym's the newest concept in fitness. We've just opened a location here in Houston and we've got our sights set on New York, Los Angeles, Chicago... you name it. And we're not just a fad either... Our philosophy is working out is a way of life so we use high impact-"

"I should pay for your dry cleaning," Leo said to Shane, cutting Chris off rudely.

Shane's eyes narrowed. Did Leo think this was funny? Still, he was determined to maintain his composure. He replied politely, "That's kind of you but I think I can manage on my own."

Leo grinned. "Okay then. Let me buy you a drink?"

"No, I'm good."

"I insist."

"No, but thanks."

"It's the polite thing to do."

"No," Shane snapped, failing to keep exasperation from his voice.

Leo shrugged. "Just trying to do the right thing here."

Shane rolled his eyes. "You deliberately spilled a drink on me."

Leo smiled, though it lacked any warmth. "Now, why would I do a thing like that?" he asked tauntingly.

Chris agreed with his potential client. "Yeah, Shane, pretty sure it was an accident. Now Leo, can I call you Leo? I think if I could get you in one of TechnoGym's..."

Leo interrupted Chris again, talking to Shane like there were alone. "You look familiar..."

"He hosts a talk show," Chris said eagerly, in an obvious bid to create rapport with the rock star. "Up Close and Personal, you might have caught it sometime..."

Leo never even glanced at Chris. His gaze was fixed intently on Shane. "Oh, that's right. I think you interviewed me some time ago..."

"Is that right?" Shane countered politely.

"I'm pretty sure."

"I remember only the good ones."

There was a hint of a smile on Leo's lips as he asked, "Am I not memorable?"

Shane considered the question, settling on the answer most likely to infuriate his lover. "No, not particularly..."

There was silence as Leo drained the glass in his hand. He watched Shane with anger brimming in his eyes. He didn't know why he was doing this, just that he felt much better now that he had Shane's attention all to himself. Even if that attention was tinged with irritation... he still wanted it all. He hated feeling like everyone else had it easy with Shane, everyone but him. There he'd been, waiting like a fool for Shane to come to him. Instead, he'd chosen to shower his attentions on this idiot stranger who had the nerve to put his hands on Shane, to touch him like they were...

"Right," Shane said, not liking the look in Leo's eyes. He turned away from the two men. They didn't need him. Let them talk about gyms and measure their cocks for all he cared... "I'm done here," he said and made a move to walk away,

Leo impulsively leaned forward to catch him by the arm to stop him from leaving.

Chris sprang into action under the misplaced assumption that Leo was trying to pick a fight with Shane. "Hey, what's your fucking problem? Pick on someone your own size!" he yelled, shoving Leo hard with both hands.

"Chris, no!" Shane yelled with dismay.

Leo's eyes glinted, as he staggered back from the heft of Chris' push. Fuck, the guy was solid, built like a professional wrestler... but that didn't matter. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins and he threw the glass holding the remnants of his drink aside. It fell to the floor in a loud clatter as shards of glass flew around them.

He sauntered back up to Chris until they were staring at each other, face to face. He could feel Shane tugging on his arm and he spared him a glance, taking in his wide-eyed look of anxiety.

Later, he would remember that Shane had murmured to him, "Leo, it's okay. Don't do anything stupid." In that moment, he heard nothing. He could only think about this piece of shit who was trying to come between him and Shane. He smiled and took a step back, as if he were turning to walk away, which allowed Shane release his tight grip on his arm. Then he pulled back his fist and hit Chris square across the face.

The unexpected punch to the jaw was hard enough to send the other man reeling across the floor, stunned as he fell on his ass, hands to his face in pain.

There was a shocked scream in the distance, and the lounge went silent, save for the loud, pounding music. Then Chris leapt back up and charged at Leo while Shane stood still, watching jaw agape as the two men went at it. There were screams, loud chatter, and a crowd closing in on the fight. Shane tried to push back, but the excited club patrons, eager for a better view of the fight, closed in tight until all that was left was a narrow circular space in which Leo and Chris grappled and fists flew, landing punch after punch on top of each other. Everyone had their phones out, avidly recording the fight for posterity, and surely, YouTube.

There was a distinct crunch, when Chris rolled over shards of glass on the floor, and Leo seized a momentary advantage to get on top of him. He fisted his hands into Chris' shirt to pull him in close then aimed his fist into his jaw, again and again. He would've continued, but he was suddenly dragged heavily off the bigger man by Jake, who'd appeared suddenly with several other security guards.

Shane struggled to get to Leo... or Chris... he wasn't sure who needed him more right then. More security guards swarmed in their direction, and someone finally helped Chris get up. He spat out blood on the floor, cursing and pointing at Leo venomously.

Ray and Jake were trying to lead Leo away, while Dave and Trey appeared to be attempting to defuse the situation by talking with some of the guards. Shane stood on tiptoe, trying to get a glimpse of Leo, when finally they made eye contact.

Shane froze. Leo's lip was split and bloody. One eye was dark and already swelling shut while bloody cuts and bruises marred his face. He paused, staring at Shane for a split second then turned away, shielded by guards and friends. Shane tried to take a wobbly step toward him, but found himself being jostled by the tide of swirling people around him.

The music had finally stopped, giving way to excited chatter from patrons who were thrilled to have witnessed a celebrity brawl. As the crowd began thinning out, Shane decided to brave the wall of people surrounding Leo. He took a tentative step forward, when he felt someone stepping in close. He looked back to find Jake who whispered in his ear. "Come with me."

Shane followed anxiously, assuming he was being taken to Leo, but soon found that they were heading toward an exit. "What about Leo?" he asked anxiously.

"Don't worry you about him."

Shane didn't even understand what the fuck was happening, but he followed Jake nonetheless as he edged his way in the opposite direction of the departing crowd. They went towards a different exit, than the one Shane had used to get into the club, going down a long flight of narrow, creaky stairs, then through a dimly lit corridor. At a point, Jake's phone rang and he began talking softly into it, and Shane was pretty sure he heard `Paul' mentioned a few times. Eventually, they arrived at a doorway which led to an alley.

They waited for a few moments until a black SUV pulled up in front of them. Jake opened the door to the back seat and motioned for him to get in. "The driver's going to take you back to the hotel, okay?"

Shane didn't get in. "What's going to happen to Leo? Why do I have to leave?"

Jake held on to the door. "Leo'll be okay." He paused for a second, as if listening to something.

Shane heard it too; approaching sirens of the police.

Jake blinked and returned his attention back to Shane, "He's got the rest of his security team with him. He'll need to give the cops a statement. I don't know if your friend's going to press charges..." He paused, taking in Shane's worried expression before adding, "It's very unlikely since Leo could also press charges. I hear your friend did shove him first after all, and then they'll both get arrested..."

Shane bit his lip anxiously as he finally got in the car. Jake's words were doing nothing to pacify him. When he saw Jake moving to close the door, he put his hand out to hold it steady and asked one more question. "Why don't you want me there with him?"

The door was already half-way closed so Shane couldn't see Jake's eyes through the tinted windows but he heard him respond, "Leo didn't want you there..." A brief hesitation, then, "Didn't want your squeaky clean reputation getting tarnished by a bar brawl. Said to get you outta there ASAP. Look, Leo's my number one priority. When you became his number one priority, well, mine gets reordered too." With that, the door clicked firmly on him.

Shane paced back and forth anxiously, casting worried looks at the clock. Hours passed and Leo was still nowhere to be found. He'd managed to calm himself down and found himself wondering what the hell happened back there. Did Leo think he'd been flirting with Chris? It had never even occurred to him that the other man would be so pig-headed. Hadn't he made it perfectly clear to Leo that there was no one else for him?

He sat down on the bed, looking at his phone and willing it to ring. The crack of dawn was approaching, and he leaned back on the bed to sleepily. He must've fallen asleep, because his eyes fluttered open when he heard a sound and looked up to find Leo approaching their bedroom, cradling his ribs and holding an icepack over one eye. When Leo saw him, he paused to lean against the door frame. Their eyes met for the second time again that day, and this time, Leo smiled at him. "You should see the other guy," he quipped.

Shane said nothing as he got off the bed and walked to him slowly. "What took you so long?"

"The cops took statements from everyone. Made us wait till they were done. There's going to be an investigation."

When he got in front of him, Shane pushed Leo's hand away from his ribs, pushing his shirt up ill he exposed the sensitive spot that Leo had been clutching. It was obvious Leo had taken a particularly brutal hit right there. The skin over his ribs was bruised but appeared to Shane that it would heal. He let go of Leo's shirt, and investigated his eye and lip too; they were badly bruised but Leo would live, he decided.

He took a step back, asking, "Is Chris pressing charges?"

Leo shrugged. "He didn't. Not right there. Maybe later, I don't know. Paul says we'll settle if we have too... but he started it."

Shane couldn't help but roll his eyes at the child-like words. "So was it worth it, then? Decking Chris, was it worth it?"

Leo didn't say what he was thinking out loud, settling for a nonchalant shrug, but Shane could tell that he thought it was worth it to knock the asshole to the ground if it meant his greedy paws stayed off him.

As he walked by the mirror above the dresser, Shane realized, for the first time since he arrived, that he was still wearing the shirt stained with the blue cocktail Leo had spilled on him and he found himself getting pissed all of a sudden. Did Leo seriously think everything was okay, after what he'd done? Without thinking, he pulled off his shirt, balled it up then aimed it at the other man.

It hit Leo right in the face and he turned to Shane, stunned, "What was that for?" Moments later, his eyes widened with the realization that Shane was mad.

Shane watched him come to him, allowed Leo crowd him into the wall next to the dresser and slip his arms around his waist. "Babe..." Leo said to him softly, "I know you're pissed."

"Oh, you noticed?' Shane murmured.

"He was touching you..."

Shane stared at him with disbelief. "Really?" he sputtered, "That's it...?"

Leo arched a brow and shrugged.

Shane pulled out of his arms and said softly, "Get out."

Leo froze, then appeared to dismiss Shane's words when he took a step forward to him again.

Shane folded his arms resolutely and threatened, "You're not sleeping in this room tonight. If you don't leave, I will."

Leo considered it, then put his hands up in mock surrender. "Got it. I'm outta here."

To be continued in Chapter 13B...