Page 47 of Beyond the Stix

“What the hell?” Callum strides up to Connor. “Your damn uncle touched you—when?”

The rest of the band crowds around Connor like a protective swarm, everyone talking at the same time.

Tobias pulls me away from the band, but I try to fight his hold. “I need to explain my reasons to Connor.”

But the disgusted look on the drummer’s face puts a halt to my resistance and I follow Tobias to the front of the bus.

“Give him a moment,” Tobias suggests, but it sounds more like an order.

I don’t say anything, just stand there trying to figure out how to explain to Connor why I was looking in his phone and investigating his uncle. He needs to know how I feel about him and that I’d do anything to protect him.

Danny strides up, anger flaring in his eyes, and the focus is on me. “Connor doesn’t want you on the bus anymore,” he says flatly, before turning his attention to his boyfriend. “He doesn’t care how.”

“Babe—”

“No,babe. Connor doesn’t want him here, and I have to agree… for now.” Danny’s face softens slightly. “John, it’s for the best.” He then whirls around and stalks back to the group.

This isn’t what I expected when I stepped onto the bus today. Now, more than ever I regret my actions, but it’s too late.

“I guess I’m getting off at Gerlach.” I exhale a heavy breath, feeling more defeated than ever.

“I’ll call Ben.” Tobias grabs my shoulder.

I glare at my friend for all of three seconds before shock at that familiar name hits my brain. “Ben? Like Ben Augustine?”

“Yeah. He texted me earlier today that he’s coming to see the shows.” Tobias shrugs like it’s no big fucking deal. But it is.

“He’s the last person I want to see now.” And that’s a real understatement. No one wants to see their last hookup… Okay, more than a hookup. Still, it didn’t work out for us. However, to see Ben again after three years, out of the blue, is going to be awkward.

And awfully convenient.

“Don’t think too hard on this, John. Ben coming is strictly coincidental,” Tobias says assuredly. “And give Danny some time to talk to Connor. Out of everyone here, he can talk Connor off the ledge.”

It doesn’t matter what I tell Tobias. I lost Connor’s trust the moment I took his cell phone and opened it. But maybe he’s right about Danny. And in time, maybe Connor can learn to trust me again.

Jesus. You fucked up royally.

From the moment we hooked up in the shower, I have questioned if I’m doing the right thing by continuing to be around him. But ever since I admitted to myself that I’m falling for Connor, there’s no going back. So, I’ll bide my time, and hopefully Tobias is right.

“John, I assure you, there’s no way that fucking Jessup will get near Connor. We’ll make sure of it,” Tobias promises.

“Thanks.” But Tobias’s reassurance doesn’t ease my worry. The one thing I learned from being on my own at a young age was to trust my instincts, and they are saying that I can’t leave Connor—even if there’s security around him. Even if I die protecting what’s mine.

And yes, Connor is mine. He just doesn’t know it.

SIXTEEN

Connor

What the fuckdid I do?

The absolute ire on all on my friends’ faces has me stepping back from them. If I had kept my big mouth shut about Jessup, I wouldn’t have been shoved in the back bedroom, again, and be bombarded with questions I don’t want to answer.

But John pissed me off. He shouldn’t have gone through my phone—through my messages. I had the situation with Jessup handled. Besides, how in the hell did he get my password? And what doesa deep divemean?

Granted, I’ve been going half-cocked since Dad passed. But I have every right to blow a fuse over what John did. Still, why didn’t I ask him why he did it? I don’t suppose it matters anymore, though, since Danny told Tobias to get John off the bus.

At the moment, John’s the least of my worries. I gawk at my friends, who are crowding around me like fucking vultures, hungry for answers.