Page 24

Jace

M orning came bright and early for Jace. So much for morning sex. Nico wasn’t in the hotel room and his things were gone. For a moment, Jace worried they had left without him. He shoved the covers away, stretching his limbs before rising from the bed and heading into the invigorating spray of the shower. When he got out of the bathroom, Nico was there packing his things for him.

“Are you in a hurry?” Jace dressed in his favorite jeans and slipped on a comfortable shirt.

“It’s late. We should have been on the road by now. We’re all packed, had breakfast, and gone grocery shopping.” He moved closer to Jace and pulled him in for a kiss.

“Do you want to spank me for sleeping in?” He slipped his feet into open-toed sandals.

“You know, that’s a good idea, but I’ll have to add it to my to do list for when we get home. No spankings at Black Rock City. ”

“Since we’re all sleeping in the same camper, does that also mean no sex?”

“We’re going to sleep in the same bed in the upper-level and there are privacy drapes for each bed. They’ll be sleeping below us so they can’t see us, but they will hear us.”

“I need coffee,” Jace said.

“You can make some in the camper. Do a walk through and make sure I got everything, then we’ll check out.”

They handed back the keys at the desk and proceeded towards the camper. Mark and Sammie were already there, making coffee for Jace.

“Wow, I love this camper,” Jace said.

“Sit up front,” Sammie said. “I’ll get you coffee and a bagel with cream cheese.”

“Thanks, Sammie.”

“Rules for the camper. No shouting or fighting in here. No smoking or drinking alcohol, either. You guys can rotate seats.”

“Sounds good,” Mark said.

“And if you have to fart, get your ass in the bathroom,” Nico joked.

Everyone laughed.

“I’m so excited,” Jace said.

“Me too,” Sammie said.

“We’re going to do great. We need to practice more tomorrow,” Nico said.

After an hour of driving, Mark walked up to Jace. “Can I sit up front for a while?”

“Of course.” Jace leaned over and kissed Nico, their lips brushing sending a rush of warmth through his body.

“Be good back there.” Nico said.

“Yes, Nico. ”

Jace sat back in a chair and started writing a song. He played his guitar while Sammie listened to him sing.

“That’s great,” Sammie said.

“Thanks.”

The drive was only two and a half hours, and before they knew it, they were there. After Nico parked the camper on the grounds, they all went outside to stretch.

“It’s so hot here,” Jace said.

“Yes, that’s why we have the camper,” Nico said.

“Let’s listen to some bands,” Jace said.

Excitement filled the air as they slipped into their Scared Fire shirts.

Sammie and Mark had friends to meet, so Nico and Jace walked to the arena. They stopped at a stand and ordered cold beers and shared nachos and cheese.

A young man with red hair came up to Nico. “Master Nico, what are you doing here?”

“Hey, Harry, this is the lead singer in our band, Jace Adams, and he’s mine.”

“Oh, you’re lucky, Jace. You have a great Dom.”

“He’s not my Dom,” Jace said, feeling a wave of shock.

With a mischievous grin, Nico replied, “Not yet.”

Jace wondered why the guy had called Nico, Master Nico. What was that about? This Harry guy sounded like he was from New York, like Nico. The enormous man who was with Harry walked up over, introduced himself, and shook Nico’s hand. The red-haired man pulled Jace over to speak to him.

“Hey, is Master Nico making you enter Locktoberfest?”

“What the hell is Locktoberfest?” Jace asked .

“You wear a cage on your dick for the month of October. Everyone is doing it.”

“No one is locking up my dick. This boy”—he pointed to his cock,—“needs to come every day.”

After the man talked to Nico, he took Harry and left. Nico gently clasped Jace’s hand as they made their way to the designated performance area, searching for seats.

Jace sat beside Nico, the heat of the desert sun fading into a cool evening breeze. They were perched on folding chairs, watching the bands play. The energy in the air was electric, the crowd a sea of swaying bodies and enthusiastic cheers. The stage lights pulsed with the beat of the music, casting vibrant colors over the audience.

The band on stage was tearing through a set of high-energy rock songs, their sound raw and powerful. The crowd responded with fervor, their hands raised, voices shouting along with the lyrics. Jace could feel the vibrations of the bass drum in his chest, a reminder of the power of live music.

Jace glanced at Nico, who was tapping his foot in time with the beat. “Tomorrow night, huh?” Jace said, a mixture of excitement and nerves in his voice.

Nico nodded, a confident smile on his face. “Yeah, it will be our turn to bring the house down.”

Jace leaned back, taking in the scene. “Think we’ll be ready?”

Nico’s eyes sparkled with determination. “We’ve got this. Mark’s back, and we’ve been practicing our asses off. We’ll give them a show they won’t forget.”

The thought of their performance sent a thrill through Jace. “You’re right. It’s going to be epic. We’ve worked too hard for this. ”

They watched as the band on stage transitioned into a slower, more melodic song, the crowd swaying in unison. Jace felt a sense of camaraderie with the surrounding people, all united by their love of music.

“Remember when we played that tiny club in Sacramento three years ago?” Jace asked, a nostalgic smile tugging at his lips.

Nico chuckled. “Yeah, and the sound system kept cutting out. We still rocked it, though.”

Jace laughed, feeling the tension of the past few days melting away. “We’ve come a long way since then.”

Nico nodded, placing a hand on Jace’s shoulder. “And we’ll keep going. Together.”

As the night wore on, they sat side by side, the music washing over them. The anticipation of their upcoming performance filled Jace with a renewed sense of purpose. Tomorrow night, it would be their turn to take the stage, to share their music with the world. And with Nico by his side, he knew they were unstoppable.

“Can I ask you something?” Jace asked.

“Anything.” He kissed Jace’s cheek.

“That Harry guy called you Master Nico. Can you explain that to me?”

“Years ago, back in New York, before we met in California, Harry was my sub.”

Jace took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “I just…I can’t believe you never told me about this. It feels like a punch in the gut.”

Nico’s face softened, a hint of guilt creeping in. “I’m sorry, Jace. It wasn’t something I thought about bringing up.”

“Not something you thought about bringing up?” Jace repeated, feeling the sting of those words. “We’re supposed to share everything, Nico. I thought we had no secrets. ”

Nico sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not that I wanted to keep it from you. It’s just…it was a long time ago. Before we met. It didn’t seem relevant.”

“But it feels relevant now,” Jace said, his voice trembling with emotion. “I thought I knew everything about you. Why didn’t you tell me?” Jace worried he’d never be enough for Nico. Maybe that was the real reason he’d never connected with him. He wasn’t planning on living a BDSM lifestyle. All kinds of thoughts went through his mind.

Nico looked down, clearly struggling to find the right words. “I didn’t want to bring up the past and make things complicated. You mean so much to me, Jace. I didn’t want you to feel insecure or hurt.”

“Well, it’s a bit late for that,” Jace muttered, the jealousy gnawing at him. “I just wish you had trusted me enough to tell me.”

“I do trust you,” Nico insisted, leaning closer. “Please, Jace. Understand that it wasn’t about keeping secrets. It was about protecting what we have now. You’re the one I love, the one I’m with. That’s all that matters.”

Jace looked into Nico’s eyes, searching for the reassurance he needed. Despite the pain, he could see sincerity there. “It’s just…it’s hard to process. You were Harry’s Dom. What if what we have isn’t enough for you?”

Nico nodded, reaching out to squeeze Jace’s hand. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m not forcing you to be my sub. Those days are over.”

Jace took a shaky breath, the initial shock and hurt beginning to ebb away. It would take time to fully come to terms with this, but for now, he could start by trusting that Nico’s heart was in the right place. Jace would never consent to be a sub for Nico or anyone. He wasn’t into that scene.

“Did you put Harry’s dick in a locked cage in October?”

“Did Harry tell you about Locktoberfest?” Nico laughed.

“He did. I never heard of Locktoberfest. ”

“Don’t worry about that. We will not take part in that. I don’t need that with you.”

“Are you sure I’ll be enough for you?”

“More than enough. I love you more than anything. What we have is real. I’ve always loved you.”