"Why can't I come?!" My voice was rising the more he refused me.
"You need to sleep! You haven't gotten a full nights rest in like three days!"
"I can help!"
"You need to go bed! You're not thinking right and you really just need rest!"
"I don't want to feel like a burden! Let me help you!" I threw my hands down beside my sides, fists clenched.
"No! Jax! Go to bed!" His voice had raised to join mine now, also yelling, which made me flinch back in surprise. Had he ever yelled at me..? "Oh god..." he quickly came up and grabbed my arms. "Jax..."
I blinked. "I... need to.. take a breather."
"Jax-"
I held a hand out to stop him. "Don't. I know.. you didn't mean to. I just... it was too weird for you to be yelling at me. It's.. like my parents all over again..."
"Are you okay?" He held my chin but I stepped back.
"I'm... fine. Just go. And come back soon. I just need time to.. recover. But if you don't come back as soon as possible I'm going to get seriously upset. Even more upset than I am now."
"Are you going to be okay while I'm gone?" He wasn't making contact with me anymore besides eyes. "Get some sleep..." He seemed on edge, making me uncomfortable. Was he disappointed or something? No... it seemed like he was more upset..?
Could he be annoyed?!
I had put him through a lot of shit and we were both tired from the flight back so there was a chance..
Could he leave me for that??
Had I been annoying him for a while??
Probably...
I was high maintenance...
The click of the front door shook me from my thoughts and I sat weakly on the bed.
"He's just tired... He'll be fine later.." I told myself, fidgeting with my fingers. "He probably is annoyed... I haven't been working and I've been super dependent on him.. What happened to me being independent..?" And I did miss working...
I stood, pulling the jacket I was wearing up over my head and heading for the closet. I needed to reenergise myself.
I changed into one of my favorite outfits and decided to do light makeup as well. Though I wasn't sure if I should do much mascara considering I was blessed with long dark eyelashes. If there was anything to have faith in.. it was my eyelashes. A lot of girls in the orphanage liked to gush about my eyelashes...
Once I completely finished getting ready I grabbed my phone and keys and headed out of the apartment and down the street for the tattoo parlor.
*****
"Good work today! I'm gonna put you back on the schedule for regular shifts, okay?" Lacey, Sidero and I were all sitting in the back room. I nodded in response and she turned her gaze to Sid. "You've been quiet."
"I'm going through it, g," he shook his head, making me laugh softly. "There are times in life. Happens to the best of us."
"You had forced rehab didn't you," Lacey crossed her arms and he threw his head back with a cry, making me burst out laughing.
"My family just can't stay out of my drug habits! Y'all I'm vibing! Leave me aloneee," he fake cried while I snickered and Lacey just shook her head while holding back a smile.
"It's because it's a bad habit, Sid," Lacey chuckled quietly. "Anyway, Ignatius is coming in so you can go," her gaze then turned to me. "And you really want to stay later?"
I nodded firmly, "gotta make some of my own money. I been slackin."
"You just want to stay to drool over Ignatius," Sidero tilted back in the metal folding chair, feet up on the plastic table.
"I thought he had a boyfriend?" Ignatius walked in then, surprising us all and making us all greet him eagerly.
"I do," I tilted my head. "Doesn't change the fact you're handsome, Ignatius," this made him laugh and he shrugged and gave a soft "thanks".
"How have you been, man! We've missed you!" Sidero and Ignatius did a bro handshake before he started talking about some family drama.
We all chatted and laughed before Sidero finally left and Lacey decided our break was over.
Ignatius and I were chilling waiting for appointments and walk-ins when my phone pinged in my pocket.
Adrian 🖤
are you doing okay, baby?
yeah actually
im at work and it's been really
good for me
thats good baby
what time are you coming home?
i get off at 10
what time will you be home?
i'm gonna try to head home at 9
i didnt realise how much work i missed
adrian
yeah baby
are you doing okay
im just tired
and i keep thinking about earlier
i feel really bad
its okay
we're both tired
and its understandable
ive been kinda annoying lately huh
wait baby what??
i gotta go back to work
jax no
I turned do not disturb on and slipped my phone back into my pocket at the sound of the front door's bell.
I felt the pit in my stomach grow as I thought back on earlier. I knew he didn't mean it but my brain didn't care. He probably was annoyed at me...
"Jax is gonna be your tattoo artist for today, okay? You guys can discuss what you want and I'll print it up," Lacey nodded at me and gave me a sort of warning look before backing up a bit.
"Wow you're.. cute..." the girl smiled at me while sitting on the chair beside me. This made me smile shyly in return and dip my head.
"Thank you.. What can I do for you today?" I listened as she explained her idea and nodded. "Okay.. That's extremely sick. This is gonna be a fun tattoo. You have great taste, uh..?"
"Hehe thank you. My name is Bri," she tied her long pink hair up in a ponytail while we continued discussing and then Lacey went to go print it.
"Can I ask how tall you are?" I asked while Lacey brought back the design. I thanked her and looked back at the girl.
"I'm.. 4'11," she reached up to scratch beside her fresh-looking eyebrow piercing. I looked at her with wide eyes while she laughed. "Yeah I know I'm short..."
"Don't worry it's cute to most people," I started the tracing progress while we chatted some more.
It was customers like these that I enjoyed the most, that made the process fun. The ones that I could joke with, but we seemed oddly close already.
"Your outfit is so cute, bro. Where do you shop?" She winced gently as I continued tattooing.
I told her where and she nodded, seeming to consider this. "Okay I don't know if this is weird but you seem bothered about something."
"Oh my god," she rolled her eyes. "I'm like... I've got a crush on this guy but he's not putting in the same energy as me so I'm tryna get over it."
"I've been there," I chuckled quietly. "I got lucky with the one I'm with now."
"Oh yeah?" I felt her eyes watching me work. "Y'all gonna get married or somethin?"
This made me smile a little, "I kinda hope so... He.. He's very perfect for me. But.. I always get scared he gets annoyed with me." I ran a damp cloth over the tattoo.
"I feel that. Mental illness always talkin too loud," she huffed, her comment making me laugh and nod. "I hope it works out for you two."
"And you'll find the one. You're just super cool. Stupid boys can't handle it," I looked up briefly to see her laugh.
"You know that's right," she giggled and I smiled. We talked here and there about nonsense as I worked and finally finished.
"I'm proud of this one... Can I take a picture?" I asked and she nodded, smiling. She asked if I could send it to her too and I happily agreed.
We exchanged phone numbers and I sent the picture before I went over aftercare and the wrapping, which I was sure she knew because she was quite tatted up, but it was policy.
"Thank you so much! Let's hang out sometime!" She waved and I agreed and waved back as she left.
"It's ten already. You can go, I'll clean up," Lacey leaned against the wall and I nodded before standing and stretching.
"Did Ignatius already leave?" I spoke up but turned quickly at his voice.
"Lacey's letting you go and making me stay to help," he shrugged. "I'll see you tomorrow, though."
"Indeed," I saluted and said my goodbyes before I grabbed my stuff and headed out.
The chilly night air quickly stung my lungs and my breath clouded in front of my face as I walked. I didn't realise it was getting colder... I should have dressed a lot warmer..
At that moment my phone started ringing, drawing me out of my thoughts and making me catch the eyes of..
My heart stopped.
"Jax... what a nice surprise.."
No. No no no.
The blood rushed in my ears and I felt myself start running.
My mind knew nothing but panic as I ran as hard as I could.
X?!
My eyes clouded with tears and my legs shook as I ran harder.
I heard him chasing me and shouting behind me but none of the words registered in my head and only made me cry harder.
Xavier was chasing me!
I screamed, panic running my body now and I sped into the lobby of the penthouse and skidded into the elevator. My hands shook as I smashed the door-close button and then my floor button.
Hot tears made my cold face itch but the only thing on my mind was X and what he was going to do if he caught me.
Exiting the elevator I heard it ding behind me and-
"Where are you gonna go, Jackson?"
I stumbled, and a cold, sweaty hand wrapped around my wrist and I screamed.
"Jesus you're loud," he shoved me to the floor and placed a knee on my chest. "You scream, you die," he pressed something cold and metal to my throat and I heard the cock of a gun. I closed my eyes and dropped my head against the floor. "You have done something very bad, you know. Messing with the company like that.." His dull green eyes flashed at me. He was giving me a look that made sheer terror course through me. He wasn't going to shoot me. He was going to torture me. Until I died. "You look pretty today, little faggot." I felt the gun run down my neck and then back up, pressing under my jawbone. "You always were pretty. I always hoped you would be up for sale," his knee moved down between my legs, making me writhe in discomfort.
"I always wanted to buy you... Make you my own personal fucktoy," his voice sounded harsh and almost whispery. From smoking too much of course. He pressed down harder in between my legs. "Look at you crying... Critter don't cry... you'll ruin your makeup... But it is pretty when you cry all for me."
I was shaking hard, fighting my instincts to fight him. As long as I stayed still he wouldn't shoot.
"I always wanted to harm you while fucking you. I wanted to see the pain you went through when your parents died..." The gun pressed harder against my neck as my breath shook in my lungs. "You put him in jail! You know that! Not like I didn't want to take his profits... But now the whole company is going under because of YOU! You've ruined EVERYTHING!" He was screaming at me now, making my shaking worse. "Horror looks good on you, you know... I wish I could take you right in this hallway..."
Tears slipped into my hair, setting me even more over the edge.
I should have killed him the last time I saw him...
"Nothing to say, dear boy?" He ran the gun up to my mouth and shoved it between my lips, letting the barrel rest on my teeth and tongue. "Suck on it," he barked at me. Crying, I did as told, will slipping away rapidly. I was so ready to give up.. "You're being so good for me, critter... You don't like it? Where's that spunk I know and love? Oh, no, no, stop crying... It's making you look UGLY!"
I heard myself whimper softly, but my brain had already given up. I deserved this. Deserved to be tortured and killed.
At that moment he looked up, and in a flash, he was tackled to the floor. The sound of X hitting the floor came with a CRACK.
The gun skidded to the side of X as Adrian screamed once down at him, hands wrapped around his throat. Then he was quiet as he grabbed the gun and held it over X's forehead.
"If.. you.. touch.. him," Adrian's voice made my eyes widen. I had never heard him talk like that before. It sent uncomfortable chills down my spine. It made me afraid he was actually going to kill X. And yet his cold, calm anger and protecting me was the sexiest thing. "If you. Touch him. I will slit your throat. And hang you by it. In Times Square. And I do not care if I get the death penalty for it. Or if anyone thinks I'm a psychopath killer. I will have your head on a pike. Understand? But you won't be able to, because you're going to jail. And you are staying there." X struggled underneath Adrian, but Adrian just laughed.
"Keep fighting. It's cute." Adrian's attitude and mannerisms and voice were still freaking me the fuck out. "I like to see you squirm. How does it feel to be underneath another faggot, hmm? I would love to slowly take your head off right now for what you did to him. I have a massive craving to blow off each and everyone one of your fingers and toes with this gun. For what you did," his voice hardened, "to my boyfriend. I would love. To rip every single tooth out of your mouth. And make you swallow them. Understand, critter? You so much as think of him and I will visit you in prison and slice you open and take your organs out.. and feed them back to you." Adrian grabbed his jaw by pushing his fingers into his mouth and grabbing over his teeth. He yanked his head up, so they were at eye-level. "UNDERSTAND?!"
Seconds later the door to the stairs burst open and men in special uniforms came in and grabbed X after Adrian got off of him. They handcuffed X and Adrian handed them his gun before they exchanged words and the men left.
"Jax..." Adrian quickly came up to me, holding me in his arms as I shook. "Oh my god.." He pushed me up against the wall with the force of the hug. "Please tell me you're okay..."
"Wh-Why would I b-be ..." I gasped as I sobbed, "okay?!" I wrapped my arms around his neck, tight, as I sobbed.
"It's over now... It's okay.."
"I need... to go somewhere... anywhere.." I felt him pick me up and I pushed my face into his neck and wrapped my arms and legs around him as he carried me somewhere.
I heard the elevator and later felt the cold of the outside, but I just tried to focus on his heartbeat and on his smell to call myself down.
Adrian suddenly stopped in the street, picking up a phone that was ringing on the asphalt. "Isn't this yours?"
"I.. must have dropped it while I was running," I looked at the caller ID to see it read Bri. "Isn't it a little earlier to be calling me?" I answered but was shocked at my ability to make jokes despite still shaking in Adrian's arms.
She laughed on the other line, "I had to check on you... I had a really bad feeling for some reason and you didn't answer my texts. Not that I know how fast you text back or anything. But I'm glad you answered. Are you okay?"
"Um... I mean," I looked down at Adrian. Of course he had heard everything because our heads were close. "I'm okay now. That's weird you had a bad feeling. Something bad did happen but yeah, I'm okay... Are.. are you?"
"Yeah I'm good," she chuckled. "And I'm glad to hear you're okay. Sorry to bother, I'll let you go now."
"Night, Bri! Sleep well! Come back for a tat any time," I smiled softly as she giggled and said her goodbyes as well. I handed my phone to Adrian and he slipped it into the back pocket of my jeans. "Where are we going?"
"Hotel. Is that okay?" He asked and I nodded in response. "Who was that?"
"I made a friend at the parlor today. We got along really well so we swapped numbers," I held onto him tighter, stomach still a ball of anxiety. "Are... you okay?" Adrian took a deep breath.
"Honestly? No. I thought I was going to kill a man today," he held me closer to him. "Next time I see that piece of shit he's dead. If someone ever treats you like that again I'm not holding back. I can't stand it. No one treats you like that." His arms tightened further around me.
"You... sounded kinda hot threatening him.. It was scary but.. I like when you're protective. And you were so scary it was attractive."
"Even if you say that I'm still extremely worried about you. There's no one else gonna pull shit like that, right? I won't be able to handle it. Knowing what he did and holding a gun to you... I think my worst fear is you dying. I was scared out of my mind," he took another deep breath and I realised he had stopped. "I'm sorry..."
"What?" I asked softly, surprised. "What do you mean sorry?"
"I just.. I'm scared. I want to keep you all to myself," he looked at me as I leaned back to look at him. "Is that selfish.. Hey did you wear makeup today?"
"Yeah... I must look pretty rough right now right? I probably cried most of it off. And.." I took a shaky breath, "no.. it's not selfish. I wish the same thing about you sometimes.."
He nodded slowly, "well... let's go rest. You're probably gonna crash after the adrenaline rush and crying."
"You're right," I yawned at the mention of sleep and buried my face back in his neck. "Let's go.."