Chapter Six #2
“Man,” the guy sneered, his gaze shifting between Lulu and Xavi. Rejection was definitely not a good look on the guy. Then he laughed like it was the most preposterous thing in the world that Xavi could be Lulu’s man. “I don’t think so,” he spat.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Lulu chuckled, not at all feeling the aloofness he was trying to project.
“You’re right.” He blinked at the stranger, who was starting to look relieved.
“I’m still only just getting used to it myself,” Lulu smiled, leaning closer against Xavi, feeling Xavi’s pulse beating rapidly against his ear.
“It’s so new, I keep forgetting.” Lulu held out his naked hand between them.
“Since I can’t wear my ring on stage, right, baby?
” He tilted his head, looking up at Xavi as he pursed his lips, pouting. “Right, fiancé?”
The stranger’s gasp drowned in the deep, guttural groan spilling from Xavi’s lips.
Lulu wondered if Xavi could feel his hardness, brushing up against his thigh.
He wondered if Xavi was hard, too. Probably not.
He had a lot more restraint than Lulu, although presently, Xavi didn’t look all that composed, but instead, slightly shaken.
“Fiancé!” the guy hissed, taking a step back.
“You fucking…. You dirty whore!” Taking another step back, his eyes wild, his fists clenching at his sides, his next words left Lulu cold to the bone despite the comforting warmth emanating from Xavi’s body.
“You’re gonna fucking regret this, you bitch! ”
“Oye!” Xavi growled, moving his body in front of Lulu’s.
He was an inch or two shorter than the stranger, but a lot wider, layers upon layers of tight muscles rippling under the Henley that he wore like a second skin.
Reaching out, Xavi placed his hand warningly in the middle of the guy’s chest. “Get the fuck outta here before I lose my shit, cabrón.” Xavi’s voice was low, but the message was loud as fuck.
He wasn’t playing. Lulu had only heard Xavi speak like this once before.
On the night when Lulu had been released from the hospital and Xavi had taken him home, Xavi had told Lulu’s father without blinking that if he ever touched Lulu again, he’d not live to see another day.
“I won’t be told off by some… by some cripple!” the guy huffed, looking at Xavi’s hand with undisguised contempt.
The next part happened so fast that Lulu’s head started spinning, like he was watching some action movie in fast forward. In a flash, Xavi’s hand grabbed the guy’s neck, squeezing around his throat.
“Call me a cripple again, motherfucker, and you’ll lose a lot more than just two fingers.
” Xavi took a step forward, his face all up in the guy’s face, their noses almost touching.
Although it shouldn’t have been sexy, but instead so fucking disturbing—something like a bar fight in the middle of a theater bar—Lulu felt himself getting harder.
Angry Xavi was fierce and hot as fuck. “You think I can’t fuck you up with my fucked-up hand? You wanna try me, cabrón?”
They were starting to draw a crowd as Lulu’s co-actors gathered around. He noticed Tallulah, one of his fellow dancers, to his right, clutching her prize-winning poodle, Bongo, against her chest, while their director, Eduardo, looked around the room frantically. What a shitshow.
“Xavi.” Lulu took a step forward. “It’s okay.
Let him go.” Xavi didn’t seem to hear him at first, and it was only when Lulu reached out and brushed his fingers against his shoulder that the hand around the guy’s throat relaxed some.
“Oso, let him go. He ain’t worth it.” Xavi’s entire body vibrated with anger, his muscles clenching and unclenching beneath Lulu’s fingertips.
“Let him go, osito. He won’t bother us no more.
Will you?” Lulu said the last part as he looked the guy dead in the eye.
He shook his head, croaking out a strangled, “No.”
Xavi seemed to awaken then from the trancelike state he was in.
Releasing his hand around the guy’s neck, Xavi’s shoulders slumped some as he took a step backward.
Blindly, he wrapped his arm around Lulu’s midsection, tugging him against his side, his familiar scent wrapping around Lulu like a safe blanket.
“Fuck off,” Xavi gritted at the stranger, who was already retreating, his body shaking like a leaf.
“And don’t let me see you anywhere near Lulu, you understand?
” The stranger took another step backward as the gathered crowd seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for all hell to break loose.
When he didn’t speak, Xavi raised his voice slightly. “We understand each other, asshole?”
“Yes,” the guy whispered. “We understand each other.” He threw Lulu a quick glance, setting off a succession of low growls in Xavi’s chest, then whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…” Before he hurried out of the room.
The room remained dead quiet for a while until an older lady whispered a little too loudly, “Richard, was that part of the show?” Then the entire room erupted into laughter, and people started moving again, talking excitedly amongst each other, while Bongo barked frantically.
“Xavi?” Lulu whispered, searching Xavi’s face.
“You should’ve told me sooner.” Xavi’s voice was low, tight.
“I know. I didn’t think…”
“Yeah.” Xavi swept his hand along his buzzed head, scratching his neck. “That’s the problem, isn’t it? You don’t fucking think, Lulu.” Lulu’s stomach sank, not only at Xavi’s words, but at the unfamiliar harshness in his voice. Xavi had never spoken to him like that before.
“Xavi?” He swallowed.
“Just go get your stuff. We’re going home.” Xavi refused to look at him, his body stiff, still emanating anger. Lulu nodded as bile rose in his throat.
“Okay, Xavi,” he whispered. “Okay.”