Chapter 12: Gareth
Here I am, in front of the Trevi fountain, holding three coins.
I’m back in Italy because it’s the place I feel close to Axel. We shared so much here.
The tour wrapped up in Japan and I went home for a couple of weeks, but I couldn’t stay. The treehouse was under restoration due to the fire, and staying at the house in Glendale just brought me right back to memories of Axel. I’ve been patient with him because I know how I feel about him, and I think I know how he feels about me.
Axel needed to come to me on his own terms, though. I won’t push him into being with me. I knew he was okay; Mac had been giving me updates on his whereabouts. Now, he’s babysitting some governor’s blond-haired, college-aged son. I hoped the fucker was straight. I chuckled and then sobered.
I gripped the coins in my hand, took a deep breath, closed my eyes and turned around.
“I may not be Roman but I definitely want to marry you.”
I stopped, momentarily frozen to the spot. I would know that voice anywhere. I turned slowly and there Axel stood, grinning at me.
“You’re here.” No shit, Sherlock. I mentally rolled my eyes at myself.
“I am. And I’m still waiting for an answer.”
“Was there a question in there?” I grinned as I slowly began to recover from shock.
Axel stepped over and dragged me into his arms. I melted immediately because, God help me, I haven’t seen the man in over a month and I’m starving for him. His lips found mine and we kissed as though we needed each other to live. I slid my fingers into his now much-longer hair, and gripped it for dear life. Axel wrapped his massive arms around me and hauled me off the ground.
Oh God, I’ve missed him so damn much!
“Gareth Wolf —”
“If you’re going to propose, maybe you should use O’Donovan.”
“Jesus, can I please just do this without stage direction?” Axel sounded exasperated as he set me back on my feet. I thought that maybe I’d better let him get on with it before he changed his mind.
“Proceed.” I couldn’t stop smiling.
“Fuck it. Marry me, Gareth.”
“Yes.”
“Yeah?” Axel raised his brows at me.
“Hell, yeah! I’ve missed you so damn much!”
“I tried to stay away a little longer; I just couldn’t. I know how I feel and it has nothing do with adrenaline, or danger, or being confined in small spaces with you.” Axel took a deep breath and palmed my face. “I love you, Gareth.”
“I love you, too — Lurch.”
“Munchkin.” Axel winked and made a show of bending quite a ways down to kiss the top of my head.
“Ugh.”
“How about we take this back to the hotel?” Axel eyed my still-closed hand and opened it for me. The three coins gleamed in the sunlight. “I think it’s safe to say you won’t be needing these.”
“I guess not, huh? I came back to Rome and I found my…” I scrunched my brows. “Scotsman?”
“Eh, it works.”
~*~
I stood nervously in the center of my hotel room as I waited for Axel to come back from getting something from his bag. I had no idea why I was nervous. Wait — yes, I did. I had a feeling the man I love was about to make love to me.
Axel returned, and handed me a folded piece of paper. I looked up at him, sure that confusion showed plainly on my face.
“Open it,” he encouraged.
I unfolded the paper carefully and scanned the contents. I smiled as I realized its significance.
“I’m negative,” Axel reinforced quietly as he caressed my cheek. “I want to be with you with no barriers.”
“I’m negative, too.”
“I know.”
I raised an eyebrow and waited for his explanation.
“I know you all went to the doctor straight off your tour. You always do. If anything unseemly had popped up, Stan would have said so. Now that I’m your fulltime security advisor, I’m privy to everything — including health records. Speaking of, I think Jinx brought home something other than a woman from Italy.”
“Jinx always brings something home from somewhere,” I lamented. “Then we all have to hear him complain about it for weeks.”
Axel took me in his arms. “So, I have to ask — are you ready to take that next step with me?”
“Well, I’m not going to marry you still a man-virgin,” I joked, still nervous.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Axel whispered, lowering his lips to mine. “We have all night, Gareth.”
“Good, because I seriously want you.”
I’ll have to Google it later, but I’m almost positive we disrobed in world-record time. Axel lowered me to the bed gently, his body pressing mine into the mattress even though I wasn’t taking his full weight. It felt incredible. His warm skin ignited mine on contact.
I’ve never been so hot in my life.
I want him; I’ve wanted him from the first day I laid eyes on him. He kissed me softly, and ran a hand down my side. I wrapped myself around him, arching into him and meeting his tongue in a lazy kiss. His thumb stroked my cheekbone as he kissed me; his other hand was now skating across my abdomen.
“Please…don’t make me wait!” I winced inside at how desperate and needy I must sound.
Axel moved across the bed and rooted around in his bag. He produced a bottle of lube and flipped up the cap. My whole body trembled as he drizzled some on his fingers. He rolled back to me, and propped so he was above me. I spread my legs instinctively and Axel’s fingers drifted across my balls before settling at my ass. His eyes locked with mine as he rubbed my asshole, letting just the tip of one finger slide in and out. He watched me intently as he slid his index finger further inside. I’d fingered my ass before, not too deep, just enough to know I liked it. Axel’s ministrations were driving me insane; my dick hardened and my balls contracted as he pushed deeper.
“How does that feel?”
“Like more!”
My back arched as another finger joined the party. Axel pressed them deeper, wiggling them back and forth. My stomach tightened and a moan escaped as Axel pushed up, rubbing the knot of nerves inside me. I didn’t know how much more of it I could take without blowing my load all over both of us. Axel’s incredible lips pressed against mine again as his fingers continued to play inside; he then started moving them in and out repeatedly. By the time he added a third finger, I was babbling shit and writhing on the bed.
Axel nipped my bottom lip and pulled out his fingers completely. I whimpered at the loss and opened my eyes to the glorious sight of him lubing his thick cock. God, my mouth actually watered looking at it.
He applied lube to my ass and even pushed some inside me. I rode his fingers again until he pulled them out and positioned himself above me. He grabbed my leg and pulled it up, kissing the bottom of my foot. His dick slid up and down against my asshole until he finally slipped in the head. Hot pain shot up my spine as his thick cock penetrated the tight ring of muscle.
He stopped suddenly, searching my eyes.
“Tell me if it hurts. I’ll stop.”
I draped my legs around his waist and pushed down. My chest felt full and I gasped for breath as Axel stretched me out even more. He tried to back out but I held him firmly, bearing down and taking him all the way in. I stopped when I couldn’t push him in any further. His eyes closed, and he was breathing heavily.
“Gareth ...” he choked.
“I’m okay — just …don’t move! This feels so fucking good, so damn full!”
I’m so damned glad I never fucked any other man, because we fit together as if we were cut from the same cloth. He was so patient with me, so loving. He didn’t move an inch, not until I nodded slowly. He pulled out to the tip and sunk back in inch-by-inch. Heat flared in my gut and I dragged Axel’s lips back to mine. His tongue wrapped around mine sliding under and over, and then he gently sucked on it. I moaned loudly again as he pushed back inside me, all the way to the hilt. I wanted him harder and faster but I knew we were both trying to hold back. Axel put his arms around me and kissed me again, his hips rocking back and forth, every now and then giving me a slow swivel.
I felt him everywhere.
“Can’t hold back much longer!” Axel panted, and sweat beaded on his body.
“Fuck me hard! I want to feel you come inside me!”
Well. That set him off.
I gripped Axel around his neck and hung on as he hit me like a piston — hammering hard and lightning fast. My dick rubbed up against his stomach and my balls drew tight. A tingle began in my gut and spread.
“Oh fuck!” I choked out. “I’m coming!”
Axel held my shoulder and slammed into me again. I cried out, my dick spurting all over the place. Axel’s face mirrored absolute ecstasy. Molten heat shot up my ass and I dragged Axel back to my mouth. We kissed frantically, both of us inhaling heavily through our noses as our orgasms took hold of us. It felt like hours passed, but I know it was merely minutes as we both came down. Axel’s lips brushed my neck, kissing and nipping at my soft skin. I’ve never been so relaxed in my life.
Or so exhausted.
Axel lifted his head and searched my eyes. “Are you, okay? Gareth, I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“God, no! It was perfect! I’m so glad I waited for you to be my first. I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too.”
“So, how was your babysitting job?” I asked, cocking a brow.
“Ah, you heard about that. A pain in my ass, that’s how it was. There’s a reason I don’t take those jobs — he is a prime example. Thankfully, his father agreed on my method of catching the potential kidnappers and we resolved everything in just under a month. I don’t think I could have stayed on much longer than that. How are Hammer, Buster and Achilles handling things?”
“They’re fitting in great. I’m pretty sure I actually saw Hammer smile one day.”
Axel gasped. “You’re kidding!”
“I know! I was in shock! Jinx was locked out of his hotel room, and he was naked. Apparently, he pissed another girl off and she kicked him into the hallway with just a washcloth to cover up.”
“That would make me smile,” Axel chuckled.
I shifted and winced when pain shot through my ass. Axel stroked my cheek and kissed me. “How about we shower?”
“Sounds good.”
I leaned against the shower wall as Axel tended to me with body wash. His fingers slid up and down my crack as he gently washed my asshole. Sure, I was a little sore but it felt fucking fantastic! Axel spread my legs out a little and pulled my ass cheeks apart. I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see him bury his face in my ass. I jumped as his tongue licked across my opening.
“Oh, fuuuuck! Damn! That feels so fucking good!”
My body sagged as my muscles relaxed under his touch. His tongue flicked around my opening and then thrust inside, wiggling against my anal walls. My dick came back to life like Dr. Frankenstein with a new brain a good jolt of electricity.
Axel reached around me and began jacking me off as he fucked my asshole with his tongue. My forehead hit the cool tiles in front of me as I pumped into his hand, spreading my legs wider. Axel was making humming noises as he feasted on me.
Fuck! That was hot.
I moaned and bucked into Axel’s hand; I gripped the wall as my orgasm got closer.
“Axel …”
Axel turned me around quickly and sat down in front of me. He grabbed my dick and sucked it. Those beautiful eyes gazed at me as his mouth wrapped around my dick. I grabbed the front of his hair and fucked into his mouth, watching my dick disappear into those lips. My orgasm hit with such force, I cried out and my legs nearly buckled. Axel gripped my ass and kept me upright, sucking my seed as fast as I was shooting it. I slumped against the wall, breathing hard, barely able to stand.
Axel arose and grabbed the detachable showerhead, cleaning me off. I relaxed into his chest and sighed.
“How was that?” Axel murmured in my ear.
“You’re going to kill me sexually.”
“Awesome.”
~*~
The roar of the crowd filled the stadium as Ivory Tower took the stage. Axel, Ransom and I were seated right in front with an awesome view of the band. We’d only been back in Arizona a week, but what a week it was. Axel fucked me on every surface of my Glendale house. It had been well and truly christened. I couldn’t wait to play Tarzan at the treehouse. Jinx bought us a sex swing; I’m not sure if we’ll actually use it. Actually, I hope he bought it new and it wasn’t one of his old ones. Ewww. I shook off that horrible thought, figuring out what I could do with Axel’s body. A sex swing could be fun.
Axel’s brows were furrowed and I had to laugh. He really wasn’t into my kind of music at all, but I really liked his.
Two hours later, we were standing with Zander Metcalf and his band, as well as Black Ice, who had come to support the guys. I had told Axel they were all gay. Well, Zander is in a threesome that includes a woman, and has a baby named Lyric.
Pretty awesome, if you ask me. The baby — not the threesome. I’m not into women and Axel and I agree on the not sharing part. Jinx calls me vanilla. I have no idea what that means.
“I’m sorry to hear about Paul.” Zander shook his head sadly.
“We’re getting him help.” Ransom tried to smile.
“How could anyone not like this little guy?” Zander put both hands in and destroyed my hair.
I groaned in frustration. Okay, so I wasn’t tall but they made it seem like I was tiny.
“Paul’s an only child; he doesn’t know what it’s like to have a sibling,” Ransom explained. I think he has to realize that’s not much of a defense, but if it makes him feel better about Paul’s behavior? Whatever helps.
“Well, I feel like I have four of them,” Zander laughed, pointing to the rest of the band. “Tony and Jared just realized they have the hots for each other.”
“I knew, thank you very much!” Jared groused.
“See, Axel? I don’t feel all alone. All these guys are gay!” I winked.
“Yeah, thank God Wheland’s got a guy or he’d tie you up,” Tony guffawed.
“I save that for my man,” Wheland drawled.
I eyed Dante and Ashton in the corner making out furiously and grinned. “I see the intervention worked on those two.”
“Yeah, they haven’t come up for air in a while. I’m starting to worry,” Dagger chuckled.
“So? You guys want to head out for some food?” I invited.
“Yep! You ready for all this Mr. Blaze?” Zander cocked a brow.
“This is my life now.” Axel looked down at me and smiled. “I’m ready for it all.”
~*~
Axel unlocked the front door and I stumbled into the house. I was bone-tired and ready to sleep for the next year. Axel still does a sweep of the house and everything else before he allows me to go anywhere. I feel like he’ll always do that.
We climbed the stairs to my room and I threw my shirt off and unbuttoned my pants. Axel pushed me down on the bed and removed my shoes.
“I’ll let you sleep in, but we’re going to Flagstaff tomorrow. Stan wants to go over the band’s finances.”
I groaned and rolled to my stomach.
“Gareth?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t think you guys are broke. Stan’s pretty damned smart when it comes to finances. He’s the one who found where Paul was skimming off the top.”
“I just want to sleep,” I grumbled.
“Okay. Sleep.” Axel climbed on the bed and straddled my hips.
“What are you doing?” I glanced over my shoulder.
“Rubbing your back. Shh, go to sleep.”
I fell asleep getting the best back rub in the world from the best-looking masseuse in the world.
~*~
Stan greeted us with a smile. I know he was part of taking Paul down, and I don’t know how to feel about any of it, really. He agreed to anything Mac asked him to do just to get the goods on Paul. I guess I should be grateful; who knows how far Paul might have gone. After all, he did pull a gun on me when he caught me snooping.
“Hey.” Stan half-waved at me.
“Hi.”
“I just want to say how sorry I am for everything. When Mac came to me and told me Paul had set me up, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think Paul could go that far.”
“It’s not your fault. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Stan is a trouper,” Rebel declared, joining us.
Stan blushed, peering at Rebel through his lashes.
“Um.” Stan cleared his throat. “Is everyone here?”
“Hammer, Buster and Achilles just pulled up.” Axel was watching out the front window.
“Wonderful,” Harley snapped.
The front door opened and the three men sauntered in. I noticed Harley shooting daggers at Achilles. Pretty sure they bounced right off.
“Oh, come on.” I slapped Harley’s shoulder. “You’re just mad Achilles ruined your last night in Vegas.”
“It was a man and, yes, he did have a very large dick.” Achilles drawled from across the room.
“He was a she!” Harley argued.
“Maybe next time you’ll drink less.” Achilles lifted a brow.
“Dude,” Rebel whispered to Harley. “It was a man.”
I snickered. I couldn’t help it.
“Okay, as much fun as this is, I want to go over your financial situation,” Stan interrupted. “Thankfully, Paul didn’t do as much damage as I expected. I was able to buy the tour bus back, so that’s a plus. I recovered money from the account Paul set up in the Caymans and now it’s back in the band’s account.”
“So — we’re not broke?” Ransom sounded incredulous.
“No.” Stan smiled. “You’re not broke.”
Ransom turned to me with tears in his eyes and I hugged him. Making the band a success had been his whole life. Paul’s betrayal had to sting him more deeply than it did us.
“I have to tell you that Paul made this happen. I couldn’t have gotten access to that account if he hadn’t helped.”
“Thanks, Stan,” I said sincerely.
“I’ve been with you guys from the beginning, and I’m grateful you let me stay a part of this. I’ll make sure you have everything you need. Axel is head of security now, and the other three,” Stan yanked his head toward Hammer, Buster and Achilles, “are now fulltime, as you know. My part’s done. Now, I suggest you guys get started on your next album.” Stan smiled broadly.
“Let’s hit the studio!” Ransom rubbed his palms together eagerly.
~*~
Over the next several weeks, we sequestered ourselves in the studio banging out new songs. Axel settled in a corner with his laptop, but every once in a while he’d lift his head with a look of disbelief on his face. We all had a way of blowing off steam when we fucked up; mine was playing Britney Spears’ “Oops, I Did it Again” and Jinx would follow up with the drums.
We headed into Phoenix one day to get some new games. Jinx and I browsed the window of the game shop. In the reflection, I saw Axel stroll behind us with Achilles. More than once during the outing I caught some girls staring at my man. Axel winked at me when I frowned.
“Dude! We have to get ‘Assassins Creed’!” Jinx bounced up and down.
“Oooh, yeah, that’s the newest one.” I nodded in agreement.
Two guys walked out of the store as we walked in and Jinx nearly fell over on me. I grabbed his bicep and steadied him.
“Dude, what?”
“Um, nothing,” he mumbled.
I turned and noticed one guy with blond hair and tattered jeans just past us. Our band’s emblem was on the back of his shirt. He turned around and my eyes met his bright blue ones. His widened and he stopped walking, slapping his friend on the shoulder.
“Oh hell.” Jinx muttered as they began walking back toward us.
“Oh my God! You’re Jinx Jett!” the guy practically screamed.
“He is,” I affirmed with a smile.
“Can I have your autograph?”
“Um, sure. What’s your name?” Jinx checked his pockets.
“I have a pen. It’s Jayden, J-a-y-d-e-n. Can you sign my shirt?”
“Sure.” Jinx shot me a look and took the pen.
I grinned as Jayden turned his back to Jinx. He had a spectacular ass and right then I noticed Jinx was checking it out. I coughed and raised my brows at him. Jinx frowned and finished signing his name.
“Can you sign it, too, Gareth?” Jayden asked eagerly.
“You bet!”
“This is so awesome! I love you guys!” Jayden exclaimed. “I can’t believe you’re just walking around the mall!”
I finished signing my name and handed the pen back. Jayden was staring at Jinx as if he wanted to eat him whole.
“Um, so, thanks a lot you guys. You’re so cool!” Jayden backed away from us.
“How about a picture?” I asked suddenly.
Jayden’s eyes lit up and I swear to God I thought he’d pass out.
“Really?!”
“Sure.” I shrugged.
Jayden practically squealed and handed his phone to his friend. He got between us and I smiled for the camera. The flash went off and Jayden took the phone from his friend, checking the picture.
“Thank you so much!” he enthused.
“No problem.” This time, Jinx managed not to sound like he was asleep or annoyed.
The pair walked away but Jayden kept looking over his shoulder at Jinx.
“Wow, it’s like I wasn’t even here,” I drawled playfully.
“Shut up.” Jinx slapped my chest.
“That guy was seriously cute, Jinx!”
“I heard that,” Axel called from the bench across the way.
“You’re hotter, babe.” I leered at Axel. Apparently, I need to practice my leer because he laughed and snorted. But he looked appreciative.
Jinx’s cheeks turned pink and I studied him. “Oh, my God! You liked him!”
“Could you please not yell that in the mall?” Jinx hissed.
I crossed my arms and fixed him with a serious look. Jinx sighed and threw his hands in the air.
“Fine. For a dude, he was cute.”
I grinned and Jinx rolled his eyes.
“Can we finish shopping now?”
“Yep.”
~*~
Axel carried my bags from the mall into the living room and set them down. We were back at the treehouse for some R&R. All in all, the day had gone perfectly. I grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and handed him one.
“The kid at the mall was all kinds of adorable,” Axel laughed.
“I know, right? The way he was looking at Jinx, I thought he would combust. I try to stay far, far away from Jinx’s love life. That guy fucks everything that breathes.”
“Was he always like that?” Axel was curious.
“Hell, no. He never really had a girlfriend in high school. He had really bad acne and was shy.”
“Jinx? Shy?” Axel spluttered.
“I know, you’d never guess that now.”
“Well, I think I got the best band member.” Axel tugged me into his arms.
“I got the best bodyguard.”
“How about we discuss this in the bedroom?” Axel nibbled my ear.
“I’m all over that.”
~*~
I sat on the bed naked as Axel stripped in front of me. Even though we’d been intimate several times, I was still afraid to touch his scars. Axel seemed to flinch every time my fingers ran over one. He dropped to his knees beside the bed and I reached out to touch his cheek. I trailed my index finger over the scar above his eyebrow. Axel’s eyes closed as I gently touched his face.
“Where did you get this one?” I asked softly.
“Shrapnel. We were hit with an RPG.” Axel turned and showed me his back. “The cluster on my right side is from that, too.”
I ran my fingers over a long scar down his side. “This is from the friend who betrayed you.”
“Yes.”
I leaned over and kissed the skin. Axel shivered and I peppered his back with kisses.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“For what?”
“Letting me touch you like this.”
Axel pushed me back on the bed and crawled over me to the drawer. He pulled out a bottle of lube and then flipped to his back, handing the bottle to me. I stared at him wide-eyed as my brain registered what he meant.
“Are you sure?”
Axel spread his legs and pulled me on top of him. Our lips met and he kissed me. I fumbled with the lube in excitement. I couldn’t believe Axel was about to let me take him.
I had no fucking clue how to do it. Axel sensed my trepidation and held my face in his hands.
“Just do to me what I do to you.”
So, I did.
Slipping inside Axel was like coming home. His warmth wrapped around me like a lover, squeezing me in the most delectable way. I moved slowly, wanting to savor it as much as I could. His big hands held my ass, pushing me deeper and deeper inside him. I’ve never felt so at one with someone.
Afterwards, I snuggled into Axel and he ran his fingers through my hair.
“Axel?”
“Yes.”
“When do you want to get married?”
“Funny you should ask.”
~*~
We were married one week later on the treehouse deck. Dad was there via Skype and I smiled as he waved into the camera. I stood with Axel, who looked amazing in a tux, and recited my vows. Cheering erupted all around us as he leaned in to kiss me. We’d managed to avoid the paparazzi by having a ceremony in Phoenix first. This was the real deal.
I stared at the platinum band on my finger with a wide smile. Seconds later, Ransom enveloped me in his arms. I hugged him back fiercely.
“Let’s get this party started!” Jinx shouted.
Ransom and I stayed on the deck as everyone else trooped into the house. The view of Sedona was breathtaking. The sun was setting, tinting everything around us pink.
“Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Paul,” Ransom said quietly.
“Which part? That you guys were once a thing?”
“It was never like that. I mean, we kissed a couple times. I’m not ashamed of it. I don’t want you to think that’s why I never said anything.”
“I love you, Ransom. I’ve got your back no matter what.”
“I love you too, little bro. I’m so happy for you. You’ve got one hell of a guy there.”
I glanced through the window and saw Axel with a glass of champagne, talking to Achilles. Our eyes met and he winked at me.
“Yeah. I do.”
Axel sold his house in Summerhaven to move in with me. He was with me every second of every day and I freaking loved it. I know he’s happy. He may not be in the SEALS anymore, but he has Achilles, Buster and Hammer and he feels like part of a team again. Mac still comes by with recruits for Axel to check out, and the band’s new album is coming along.
All in all, my life was running smoothly.
~*~
I lounged on my side of the bed and stared at my husband. Everyone had gone home, and the treehouse was finally quiet. I traced Axel’s lips with my finger and his eyes fluttered open.
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
“You okay?”
I leaned in and kissed him. “I’m perfect.”
I may be Gareth Wolf on stage, but I’m Gareth Blaze in bed.
The End