7. Nick
NICK
“Why are you lying to me?”
“Eek!” I bobbled my phone as Aiden flopped down on the couch next to me. “Dude!”
He plucked my phone out of my hands and tossed it on the coffee table. “What?” He blinked innocently.
“You scared the bejeesus out of me!”
“Not my fault you didn’t hear me come in.” His expression went serious. “You’ve been lying to me.”
“I haven’t.”
“You just did it again.” He sighed and held out his arm. “Come here.”
I nearly dove on top of him in my haste to get some bestie cuddles.
I tucked my head under his chin and melted against his strong body.
Aiden was only about an inch taller than my own five-foot-eleven frame, but with his broad shoulders and barrel chest, he seemed much bigger when we stood next to each other.
His body type also made him as comfy as a giant teddy bear.
“I’m worried about you,” he said softly, holding me close.
“There’s nothing to be worried about,” I mumbled. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not. I can always tell when you’re lying.” He rested his cheek on the top of my head. “I’m scared you’re involved with something really bad.”
“What do you mean?”
“Paige’s work sent out this thing on how to spot people who are being forced into human trafficking, and you’re ticking off a lot of the boxes.”
“What?” I tried to pull away but he held me in place.
“ Something is going on. I know it is. You’re never around when you’re home.
You’re getting multiple deliveries of insanely expensive clothes a week, and you’re going to all these parties with people you’ve never mentioned before.
That’s not normal. And you’re constantly lying to me.
We’ve been best friends since we were six.
I know you. This isn’t you, and I’m scared you’re caught up or involved in something that’s going to get you hurt or killed.
I can’t live without my Nicky. I refuse to. Please talk to me.”
Tears prickled my eyes as he squeezed me almost desperately.
The last three weeks had been hell. I’d attended seven events with Evan so far, and each time, I’d had to lie to Aiden about where I was going, and where the clothes I’d worn had come from.
A sharp pain tightened my chest, and it wasn’t Aiden’s tight squeeze that did it.
I hated lying to him. It tore me up inside.
He wasn’t just my bestie, he was my brother from another mother.
But I’d felt so guilty about everything that I spent my time hiding in my room when he was home.
I was hurting him, and I hated, hated it.
“I have a sugar daddy,” I blurted out.
“What?” He let me go so I could sit up and look at him. “You do?”
I nodded. It wasn’t the truth, but it wasn’t exactly a lie.
“Why couldn’t you just tell me that?” Hurt shadowed his eyes.
“I wanted to. So bad. But he’s kind of a big deal in certain circles so he asked me to keep quiet.”
“What do you mean, he’s kind of a big deal in certain circles?”
“He’s a business guy, and he’s not just rich, he’s rich .”
“Are we talking millions, or billions?” His eyes doubled in size.
“Millions. But lots and lots of millions.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah.”
“Well damn. That makes sense now.” He leaned back against the couch. “I thought you were being pimped out or you’d gotten involved with the mob or something.”
“No, just a rich guy who likes to spoil me with clothes and wants me on his arm at these parties.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Are you fucking him?”
“No. Well, not technically.” I toyed with the hem of my shirt. “I haven’t had sex with him, but we’ve done…stuff.”
“Stuff? Do I want to know?” He tapped my knee. “Eyes on me.”
I lifted my gaze. “Nothing crazy. Mostly just blowing him in the car.”
“Is he forcing you to do this stuff?”
“No. It’s not like that. He originally said no physical stuff. It was never part of the deal.”
“So why are you blowing him if you don’t have to?”
“Because I want to.”
“It’s not…gross?”
I shook my head and dropped my gaze again. “No. I like it.”
“You know he just said no sexy stuff because he didn’t want to get in trouble. It’s kind of telling that he’s asking for blowies after saying he wouldn’t.”
“He didn’t ask for them,” I mumbled.
“What?” Aiden tapped my knee again. “Look at me.”
Sighing, I did. “He didn’t ask for anything. I offered.”
“Why?”
I shrugged.
“I know you like your men older, but I never took you for the granddaddy type.”
“What? No. He’s not old.”
“He’s not?”
“No. He’s thirty.”
“Why would a young rich guy have a sugar baby?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Nicky.”
“I really can’t. I want to, but I signed an NDA. I can’t tell you anything more without breaking the terms.”
“Are you sure that’s all it is?”
I nodded. “I’m sorry I lied.”
“I know. I’m just glad you’re not in trouble. I’ve been so scared that you’re going to leave for one of these parties and never come home.”
“I should have talked to you sooner. But the NDA…” Now. I should so totally tell him about the rent now.
“What?” he prompted.
“Um…”
“Nicky.”
“He’s paying our rent.”
Aiden’s jaw went slack.
“For six months. It’s all set up so we don’t have to do anything.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?”
I shook my head.
“Jesus, you must have a magic mouth.”
I grinned despite the guilt still rolling through me. “I mean, I do, but the rent thing was arranged before the BJs. I just didn’t know how to tell you without freaking you out.”
“Yeah, I probably would have tied you to a chair and organized an intervention if you’d just randomly dropped that someone was paying our rent and not given any details. That was a good call.” He held out his arm again. “Come on and get your cuddles. You’ve been avoiding these, too.”
I gratefully accepted.
Aiden was used to my need for platonic snuggles.
He might be straight, but he’d always been super supportive of me being bi, and never shied away from giving me hugs and cuddles.
He even helped me choreograph my pole routines.
I was lucky as hell to have a best friend like him, and I’d almost thrown it all away by lying to him. A lot of lying to him.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured again, fighting a fresh wave of tears.
“I know.” He rubbed my arm comfortingly. “Just promise me you’ll tell me if you’re ever in trouble or if you do get caught up in something.”
“I promise.”
“Want to hang out tonight? Maybe order pizza and binge The Golden Girls again?”
“I thought you were working?”
“Nope, I’m off tonight.”
“Is Paige coming over?”
I liked Paige and always had fun hanging out with her, but it would be nice to have some bestie time with just the two of us.
“Not tonight. But I will have to figure out something to tell her. I’ve kind of been talking her ear off about everything and she’s worried about you too.”
“You can tell her what I told you, but maybe not too many details, like his age.”
“So you have a sugar daddy, and it’s not weird or gross or anything to worry about?”
“Yeah. Is that enough? I don’t want you to lie to her, but this situation is…complicated.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand. Yay or nay to hanging out?”
“Yay.” I snuggled into his chest a bit more. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. Don’t scare me like that again, okay?”
“I won’t.”
“So, is this sugar daddy paying you in more than just clothes and rent?” he asked, his voice taking on a teasing quality.
“You’re going to make me pay for the pizza, aren’t you?”
“Fuck the pizza. You’re paying for everything from now on.” He scrubbed his knuckles against my hair.
I slapped his hand away. “Ugh. I guess that’s fair.”
“Damn straight it is.”
“Oh trust me, there’s nothing straight about what I’m doing with him.”
Aiden laughed and patted my back playfully. “I walked right into that one. But you said you haven’t slept with him yet. Are you holding out for a car?”
I chuckled. “Nope, but a car is the reason he’s only getting his dick sucked instead of wet.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Well, you see, when two men have intercourse, we say the top is getting his—”
He swatted my ass hard enough to sting. “I know what getting your dick wet means. Us heteros say it too.”
“Right.” I patted his firm stomach. “So far the only time we spend together is in his car driving to and from these events. If I’m going to take the time to get all prepped for him, then he can damn well put the effort into making it good for me. And a car quickie isn’t it.”
“Good for you.” He smacked a kiss against my hair. “It’s his loss if he can’t be bothered to do the bare minimum and be a decent person.”
My stomach rumbled, breaking the momentary silence.
“Did you eat today?” he asked.
“No comment.”
“Nick.”
“Gray already lectured me! I’ve been scolded. I don’t need a double whammy.”
“That’s what she said,” Aiden quipped.
I snickered.
“Sit up for a second.”
I shifted so he could swipe my phone off the coffee table. “Want to get it delivered, or should we pick up?” He pressed his thumb to my fingerprint ID. I’d added his biometrics to my phone when I set it up because of how often he used it.
“Delivered. I’m wearing my inside pants and don’t feel like changing.”
“The usual? Or do you want to try something different?”
“I’m still scarred after Paige ordered that pizza that came with broccoli and kale on it.” Blasphemy. I shivered at the memory. “I now have pizza trust issues when it comes to the unknown.”
Chuckling, he tapped my phone screen. “Yeah, I’m still not over that either. Paige has agreed she’s never allowed to pick the toppings again. Wanna get extra dipping sauce?”
“Yeah. And some cinnamon sticks too. I won’t consider tonight a success until we’re both in a carb coma.”
I waited as he finished ordering.
“Done.” He handed me my phone. “They’re saying twenty minutes.”
I tossed it back on the coffee table. “I’ll believe that when I see it. How many times do you think that porn scene has happened?”
“Huh?”