Chapter 29
I press the button for Drake’s apartment.
There’s nothing. I’m not expecting to have the conversation about being let in like I was the other week.
There’s no buzz or click for the main door to be opened.
I press again and muse ruefully for not exchanging phone numbers.
Why didn’t we do that? There’s still no answer, but then the door opens, and a guy about my age comes out, holding the door open for me to enter.
“Thanks, bud,” I say with a cheerful smile.
The lift is again on the ground floor, so after entering, I press for the eighth floor.
It’s a quick ascent with no stops on the way.
I knock on his door. “Hey, Drake, it’s me.
Don’t worry about being decent.” I chuckle.
There’s no answer; I can’t even hear footsteps approaching the door.
Disappointed, I trudge back to the lift.
He could be at the gym; it’s not like we said a specific time.
I get back in my car, and it’s only then that I notice that Drake’s car is missing.
I make a detour home to grab some clean gym gear, then drive the twenty minutes it takes to get to the gym.
This time, I scan the car park for his car, but it’s absent.
No sign of him here either. Oh well, I’m here now, I may as well work out.
It’s busy, which I guess is to be expected on the weekend.
I swipe my card to get through the turnstile and walk along the outside of the main gym.
Knox’s door is open, but when I look in, it’s empty.
The locker room is busy too. I see Memphis and head to him. “Hey, are you coming or going?”
“Just got here. Robin wanted to talk to the boys, so I came here. He looked all stressed out. Something to do with Drake.” He shrugs his shoulder, then a smile lifts one corner of his mouth.
“And talking about Drake, what did the two of you have to discuss that had you shooting out of your seat to catch him? Are you two gonna hook up? I mean as a Dom and sub, or do you want to try more than a scene? I don’t know him as well; I told you he was already in the army when I lived there.
He was in some intelligence or something regiment.
I think that’s where all the spy jokes come from. ”
I remember Drake saying if he told me he’d have to kill me. I smile at his fake serious expression.
“So?” Memphis asks. I’m not sure what he’s asking about; he went off topic talking about Drake being a spy.
“Are you interested in him? You know he had a bad experience a couple of months ago. I’m not quite sure what happened; I’d only just got with Royal.
But Saint says it was really bad. And coming from him that’s not good.
I’ve seen the marks on Noah after a night at the club, but that’s never in anger.
Saint knows and understands Noah’s limits. ”
“Nothing happened. He took me to collect my car. That’s all,” I lie, and Memphis’ face falls.
“That’s not interesting,” he huffs. “Get changed, and we can work out together.”
After ninety minutes, I’m done in. I’ve gone through all my reps and run a few miles on the treadmill. Memphis has had enough as well. “Are you coming to the house? Pops is doing a lasagne; it’s fantastic. Loads of garlic bread and salad too. You’ll be welcome.”
Do I want to go? I could find out what’s happened to Drake or not. It could be a private matter, which is why Robin wanted to speak privately. “Is Drake ill? Has something happened to him?”
“Um, random.” He laughs. “Sorry, you’re serious. No, it didn’t sound like it was an emergency. You can ask if you come.”
I’m shaking my head. “No, it’s okay. I’ve got things to do; I need to go back and get more clothes and some other things. I didn’t plan to stay for good, after only one visit. I’ll go back home. I need to get it ready to sell. So, I’ll probably stay a couple of days.”
He gives me a weird look. Like he doesn’t understand why I would be doing that. “Really? You’re turning the best lasagne in the world down to drive to Lincoln at”—he looks at the time on his phone—“Three o’clock in the afternoon?”
“Yeah.” It does sound stupid when he says it. I’ll be going back to an empty house and a lonely night by myself. But I don’t want to hear why Drake rushed away, if his family even knows. “I’ll call you when I know when I’m coming back.”
I keep myself busy at home by making the office rooms more domestic and giving the place a thorough clean.
Some of the rooms need a fresh coat of paint, and I replace the carpet in the living room.
I don’t know if it’s wasted money if I’m selling it, but it should be more saleable.
Something that the estate agent agrees with, and with a price agreed on, the house is up for sale.
Admittedly, it’s not a brilliant time, but with a realistic price, it just might catch the eye of the perfect buyer.
After ten days away, I’m ready to get back to my new hometown.
I may not be the one for Drake, but he’s not the only man in the world that will suit me.
I’m sure a night at Bound, the club where all the Foster brothers are members, will do me a lot of good.
It’s time I got past the horrors of what Matt and Mansbridge did to me. Memphis has moved on; I can too.
My car is laden down with everything I need for now.
The rest is in one of the self-storage places, and I can get it moved when I find the right place to live.
I can get a mortgage on my salary and use my savings as a deposit, so I don’t need the house sold before I buy another.
The sale will then pay off the mortgage. If it goes as simply as that.
“Thanks for helping me,” I say to Memphis and Royal when they meet me at the flat. “It would take me forever to unload and carry it all upstairs.”
“No worries, I think.” Royal peers into the back of my car and sees just how much I’ve got piled in. “Maybe I should call Saint and Noah.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket and calls his brother.
I give Memphis a hug. “I’ve missed you. You should see how good the house looked by the time I finished. I can’t believe we’ve been there for over seven years; it holds a lot of happy memories.”
“We can make new memories here, and I’m going to help you find a permanent place to live. I bet you’re pleased your parents didn’t want the price they paid for it back.” He opens the door of the car and grabs some boxes.
“Drop that right now, boy,” Royal growls. “You’re not going to fuck up your knee by lifting heavy shit up and down the stairs. Saint’s coming, so all you need to do is watch.”
I grin. “Do what he says, or he’ll be spanking you in my new flat.”
Memphis grins mischievously, his eyes sparkling. “I don’t think I’d mind that.”
I shake my head, but Royal gives his boy a heavy swat on his arse, making him jump and laugh.
God, I want that. I thought I might’ve been on the right track with Drake.
Obviously not, if he can disappear without asking someone to pass on a message.
Dare I ask Memphis? I think I will, but I can wait until the others are busy.
It doesn’t take long for Saint and Noah to arrive.
Noah has bites all over his neck, above and below his collar.
I’ve heard that Noah is into exhibitionism and humiliation, things I like a lot and have enjoyed doing with subs in front of an audience.
I know that Drake is all up for being seen, but he doesn’t give any hint of a humiliation kink.
With the exception of Memphis, we all carry the boxes from the car up to the flat. It doesn’t take too long, and while we did the grafting, Royal sent his boy to the Tesco Extra on the corner to grab some beers, and I order enough pizza to feed an army.
With all of us finding seats somewhere: the sofa, the floor, or a chair dragged from the little dining table set, we tuck into the food.
Memphis pulls a newspaper from the carrier bag that held the beer and drops it on the table.
I stare at the front cover and the photo of Drake with Rafe fucking Quartermaine at a restaurant in Chicago.
They’re laughing so comfortably; it’s obvious how easy they are with each other.
That’s the man he’s in love with. I deflate; I don’t have a chance against him.
They have history, a past that meant the world to them both.
“So that’s what he’s been up to,” Royal says, glancing nonchalantly at the picture. “I wondered where he was this time.”
“This time? Does he do this often?” By the looks of them, I’m not the only one aware of my squeaky voice.
“Yeah, he’s a bodyguard, as well as some other stuff. He’s the strong silent type. He doesn’t give much of himself away,” Royal says.
“Unless he’s strapped to a cross and having the cum fucked out of him.” Saint sniggers, earning him a dig in his ribs from Noah’s elbow. “Let me see that.” He leans over the table and turns the paper around. “That’s the guy Drake had at his place after he was beaten. I’ve met him. Nice guy.”
Noah gapes at him. “You met the biggest star about, and you never mentioned it? What the hell, Saint.”
“What? I didn’t know; you know I don’t pay any attention to that crap.
” He reads the headline. “This year’s sensation, Rafe Quartermaine, with the mystery man he calls his best friend.
I think we can put one plus one together and get a couple.
These two are very familiar with each other.
If you know who he is, then make that call to us.
“He worked for him a couple of years back; I always thought they were super close. It was weird. One day, he just turned up at home again. He never said a word why.” Royal says, biting into the point of a pizza triangle.
I don’t know what my face is showing, but Noah gives my arm a squeeze. “He’ll be back home soon,” he says so quietly only I can hear.
I’m not sure how he knows that I have feelings for him, but I guess it doesn’t matter now. “I don’t think that will make any difference.”