Loverboy

Chapter 8

EIGHT

MOTLEY

Carmen, Kash, and I had been rehearsing all damn day.

We had this new set we were working on and wanted to ensure we had it all down and perfect before tomorrow’s performance.

But, seriousness aside, we were also all goofing around.

I mean, we couldn’t help ourselves. Things had been surprisingly laid back the last couple days and everyone seemed to be enjoying their time.

Carmen was fully healed but still taking it easy while spending some extra time with her son when she could.

And Kash had split his time equally between Twila and me.

It was a weird but decent routine we had all grown accustomed to. Our own happy, twisted little family.

Truthfully, Kash and I had all but damn near forgotten what happened with Guy in the woods.

He was overly paranoid for a bit, but eventually he chilled out, and I think he realized we were safe.

I personally had been pretty relaxed myself, but I wasn’t even worried about Guy.

I never was. I was worried about Xavier and what he would do if he ever found out about me and Kash, or if he already knew.

What would he do to us? Would he hurt all of us? Fuck. All of it fucking terrified me.

“Hey! Hey, Kash!” Ducky walked in, his usual smile turned upside down as he interrupted our rehearsal.

We all stopped playing and watched while he waddled over to Kash’s side.

They exchanged a few aggressive whispers before Kash stomped his foot, placed his guitar down, and followed Ducky off stage.

“We’ll be right back,” Ducky shouted over his shoulder.

“What the fuck is that all about?” Carmen asked.

I shook my head while twirling my drumsticks.

“Yeah, well, whatever it is, it can’t be good.

Ducky never just barges in during rehearsals like that.

” She made a good point. “Ooooooo, I bet Kash is in trouble!” She laughed.

“Hey.” She snapped her fingers and pointed in their direction.

“You’re pretty fucking quiet—why don’t you go eavesdrop? See if you hear what’s going on.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult.” I laughed. My fingers continued to twirl the drumsticks.

Carmen rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, just do it! I know you’re just as curious as I am.”

She wasn’t wrong. “Fine, I’ll go listen. But if I get caught, your ass is going down. I’ll tell them both how this was all your idea.”

Carmen laughed. “Yeah, whatever. Go on, blame me. Ducky won’t believe a word you say, drummer boy.” I jokingly flipped her off, and she returned the gesture as she grinned. “Now, hurry up!” I waved her off and followed the direction the two men had ventured as I silently played with my drumsticks.

The backstage halls were both dark and empty during rehearsals, making it easier to creep around without being seen.

I turned a few corners and peeked my head into a few empty rooms while I searched for them until I heard the sounds of Ducky and Kash’s voices.

They sounded like they were arguing, which was odd.

With as much stealth as possible, I carried on until I was standing a few feet outside Ducky’s office door.

The door was cracked as a sliver of warm light leaked out into the dark hall along with their voices.

My body straightened against the wall as I listened closely to their loud conversation.

“I’m telling you, Ducky! I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about!” Kash sounded like he slammed his fist into something. He was obviously upset. But it wasn’t his temper that surprised me. It was Ducky’s.

Ducky’s voice was frustrated and annoyed. It was completely out of character. “Oh really? Then how do you explain all these calls I’m getting from the police down near that campsite, huh? Asking questions about all our whereabouts.”

Campsite? Fuck. Did Ducky know? Did the police know? But why were they asking questions?

“I’m telling you, Kash, if you know something, you need to tell me! I can’t protect you if you lie to me!” The color drained from my face.

“I’m not fucking lying!” Kash was furious.

“Motley stayed outside the camper all night after I told him to fuck off! And I slept in the woods just outside the camper and that’s it!

” It fell silent. Fear and anxiety crept up my spine, and I was worried they might be able to hear my heart beating with how fast it was going.

“Come on, Ducky,” Kash groaned. “Do you really think any of us could do something like this?”

Ducky sighed. “All I know is the police wouldn’t be up my ass if they didn’t have something, Kash.

You better hope, for all our sakes, that whatever this is, it’s just some routine bullshit.

I’ll take the heat if I need to, but Kash, you have got to be honest with me.

I can’t protect you if I don’t know what’s going on.

I’m not just your manager, I’m a part of this family too.

We look out for each other. All of us. So if you have anything you need to tell me, now is the time. ”

Kash didn’t speak, and I hung onto that gripping silence.

Part of me wanted him to confess to what he had done, but I knew he wouldn’t.

Not to protect himself, but to protect me.

And I hated myself for it. God only knows how much stress my mistake must’ve weighed on him. He didn’t deserve to carry it alone.

“Kash?” Ducky pressed him.

The other part of me wished he’d reveal our secret and tell Ducky all about us. But my reasoning behind that was a bit more selfish.

“No,” Kash whispered. “I have nothing else to say except fuck those cops. None of us had anything to do with what happened out there.”

Damn it, Kash.

I turned to leave but stopped as Kash continued to speak. “But Ducky?” I turned and listened closely. “Don’t say anything about this to anyone else. This stays between us. You don’t tell Carmen, and you sure as fuck don’t tell Motley. They got enough to deal with.”

“Understood.”

I tried to hightail it out of there before Kash or Ducky could see me, but something pulled me back.

I turned to see Kash with his hand firmly wrapped around my arm.

From the way he was looking at me, I could tell he wasn’t sure if I had heard their conversation. “What’re you doing?” he asked cooly.

I forced a fake smile and spun my drumsticks. “Oh, Carmen sent me to find Ducky. Something about her guitar—I don’t know, but I saw you two talking, so I figured now wasn’t a good time.” I hoped he believed me. “Everything okay?”

Kash’s head dipped forward, and I could tell he was stressing. “Yeah. Everything’s fine. Let’s just get back to rehearsal. I want to go over that closing song again.” He proceeded to walk past me, and I felt the pressure as it clung to his back. He didn’t deserve this.

Fuck Guy. And fuck Xavier.

After rehearsal I decided to stick behind to talk to Kash.

He had been in a gloomy mood for the rest of rehearsal, and everyone could tell something was off.

Carmen and Ducky had left to go back to the motel, and it was just me and him.

Kash placed his guitar in its case and remained silent as he cleaned up.

Without even looking in my direction, he grabbed the case’s handle and took off.

“Kash,” I called after him, but he ignored me. So, I followed him to the storage room and waited until he had put his case up in the back where it belonged. “Hey.” I propped myself against the wall. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“Apparently,” he teased. It was nice to see him not so damn moody.

I cleared my throat as he stood in front of me and waited. “I–I heard everything Ducky said. All of it.”

I waited for him to respond, but Kash only smiled with his hands in his pockets. “I know.”

“You do?”

Kash nodded. “You’re not as quiet as you think, Motley.

Never have been.” Well, that was an upsetting relief.

“Listen.” He sighed. “You have nothing to worry about, okay? These cops? They’re just fucking with us.

There’s nothing to tie us to what happened.

” Something about the way he worded that sentence didn’t seem right, as if he was hiding something. But what?

God, I hope you’re telling me the truth and not just blowing smoke up my ass.

“Hey.” Kash stepped forward and yanked me close by the front of my jeans. “I told you, I’m going to make sure nothing happens to you.” He smiled. “I got you, drummer boy.”

“Promise?” He nodded. In spite of my reservations, I smiled and believed him. “Good. Now, is Twila expecting you just yet?” Kash shook his head, and my smile grew.

He kissed me gently before whispering against my lips. “I got some time to spare for my loverboy.”

Kash and I kissed, and as much as I wanted to enjoy the moment, I felt a little guilty.

Especially after hearing how Twila had been feeling.

“Kash,” I moaned into him. He kissed me harder, which only made the situation that much more difficult.

“Hey,” I reluctantly pulled back. “Wait.” I grabbed his hands that were now wrapped around my waist.

Kash raised a brow. “Since when do you want to wait?”

Fucking tease.

“No.” I laughed. “I just…are you sure you want to do this? I mean, I don’t want you to go back to the motel and have Twila upset with you for not being in the mood.

Again.” I think everything I said really took him back.

“I just…I feel guilty. She really is a great person, and she really loves you. What’s going to happen if— when she finds out about us? ”

Kash surprisingly smiled. “Is that really what you want to talk about right now? Twila will be fine. I told you, she’ll understand. But if you’re so interested in making sure she’s taken care of, then why don’t you take care of her?” His pointer finger booped my nose.

My mouth nearly dropped at his blatant comment. “I’m not going to fuck your girlfriend, Kash.”

“No? Not even if it means we can be together, out in the open, and take care of her all at the same time? I mean, think about it. No one would be left out.”

I had to stop and really process his question.

Was he actually inviting me to have a threesome with him and Twila?

I mean, I wasn’t exactly turned off by the idea.

But it was such an out of the blue thing to even think about.

I wouldn’t just be having sex with Kash, but Twila too.

And she would see me and Kash having sex. Was I really okay with that?

“I-I think that’s a bit of a complex question.” I honestly didn’t know what to say. “Besides, it’s not really up to me, is it?”

Kash leaned forward and licked my face from my chin to my nose. “I didn’t hear you say no,” he whispered.

No…you didn’t. But you didn’t hear me say yes either.