Beyond The Music (The Rock Gods Book 7) (29 page)

“You’ve also got me,” Aaron piped up. “And I
will
be with you twenty-four-seven.”

Dagger smiled broadly. “You won’t get better coverage than that,” Dagger chuckled. He slapped Lincoln on the back. “Every one of us is going to be just fine, Linc. All you need to do is relax and give me your best bass.”

Aaron and Lincoln watched Dagger walk across the room to where Dante and Ashton were standing with their plates of food. “What’s really going on, Linc?” Aaron asked.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit,” Aaron said. “Talk to me.”

Lincoln rolled his eyes. “You’re a real pain in my ass sometimes,” Lincoln growled.

“That’s my job,” Aaron winked.

Lincoln’s back went straight and his eyes slammed into Aaron’s. “That right there is part of the problem.”

“What are you referring to?” Aaron asked.

Lincoln quietly set his empty plate back on top of the stack of clean plates. “I shouldn’t have to explain it to you and the fact you seem fucking clueless is another problem,” Lincoln said and shouldered his way past Aaron.

Lincoln and Aaron didn’t really talk until the car ride home. As soon as Aaron pulled out of the parking lot, he glanced across the front seat at Lincoln.

“Look, I don’t know what I did or said to piss you off, but I’m sorry,” Aaron said.

Lincoln pushed his fingers through his thick hair and groaned. “I’m sorry, too,” Lincoln replied. His eyes darted to the side mirror on the car and watched the SUV carrying Zac and Mason pull out behind them. Seeing their presence should have put Lincoln at ease but it didn’t. Lincoln sighed loudly. “I’m not mad at you, Aaron. I’m pissed off at myself.”

“Care to enlighten me to why that is the case?” Aaron asked.

Lincoln sat silent until they pulled into his driveway and the vehicle carrying their security duo pulled in behind Aaron. Aaron parked in front of the garage and came around to Lincoln’s side of the car to help him out.

“What the fuck, Aaron?” Lincoln barked and pulled his arm out of Aaron’s grasp. “Don’t do that in front of them.”

Aaron stepped back and allowed Lincoln to lift himself from the front seat and stand beside the car. Then he shadowed Lincoln all the way to the house. They reached the front steps and Lincoln realized Zac and Mason were right on their heels. Lincoln stopped and faced them.

“So, how does this work, boys?” Lincoln asked Zac.

“I go inside before you and search your house,” Zac explained. “Mason stays out here and does a perimeter search. After we give you the all-clear, you are free to do whatever it is you do this time of night.”

“We fuck—endlessly,” Lincoln all but sneered, “and, we’re loud. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Well, then, let’s not waste any more time with the chit-chat.” Zac grinned. He signaled Mason with his fingers to start his search of the property and directed Lincoln toward the lock on the front door. Once they stepped inside, Zac directed them to wait by the door while he canvassed every room in the expansive house. Several minutes later, Zac returned to them in the foyer. “You’re all set,” Zac said. “Go on and fuck each other’s brains out. I have earplugs, so feel free to be as vocal as you need.”

Lincoln tipped his head at Zac. He was annoyed beyond words and really wanted to say something snappy back to Zac, but his fatigue weighed too greatly. He allowed Aaron to tug him by the wrist toward the stairs and together they climbed them in silence. Once inside his bedroom, Lincoln began pulling off his clothes and throwing them with force onto the floor. He knew he should probably take a shower, but he was too aggravated to do so.

“Do you want me to sleep in the guest room?” Aaron asked from across the room.

Lincoln yanked the comforter back on the bed and looked up at Aaron when he heard his question. “Why the hell would you suggest that?” Lincoln barked.

“Well, I thought since the guards are in the house you might want me to,” Aaron explained.

“They already know we’re together, Aaron,” Lincoln said. “Not to mention, I just told Zac we fuck all the time and we’re noisy, so why are you feeling the need to be discreet now? I think that ship sailed a long fucking time ago.”

Aaron slowly nodded and began to remove his clothing. Lincoln watched him from the bed. His anger still bubbling below the surface of his skin making him want to itch. He knew he had no real reason to be mad at Aaron. It was purely Lincoln’s own insecurities at work here and nothing more, but admitting that was easier said than done.

Aaron slid into bed beside Lincoln wearing only a pair of tight boxer briefs. He settled on his back and stared at the ceiling just like Lincoln. “You need to explain why you’re so pissed off,” Aaron finally said. “I know it can’t be because I said taking care of you is my job. We’ve been over that and you know this is way more than a job for me now. So, if that isn’t your reason for the attitude, then what is? I’ve spent the last half an hour trying to figure it out and I’m drawing a blank, so start talking.”

Lincoln pressed his fingers into his eye sockets. “I’m sorry,” he said in a hushed tone. “It seriously isn’t anything you did or said.”

“Then, tell me what’s going on,” Aaron said and rolled onto his side to face Lincoln.

Lincoln shivered when he felt the heat of Aaron’s palm on his stomach and those long, strong fingers fan over his flesh. He wasn’t convinced he deserved someone as caring as Aaron in his life. Right now, he wasn’t sure he deserved anyone at all. Aaron was the best thing that had walked into his life and Lincoln seemed to be doing a fine job of pushing the man away.

“The security issue has me freaking out a bit,” Lincoln finally said.

“We talked about that, too, Linc. Dagger and your management have it under control,” Aaron stated. “You have two security guards on your property at this very moment. You’re safe.” Aaron’s hand slid over Lincoln’s chest and touched his jaw to turn his head to face Aaron. When their eyes met in the dim light of the bedroom Aaron spoke again. “There’s something else you’re not telling me.”

Lincoln growled with his lips pressed tightly together. “I know I’m surrounded by security, Aaron, but . . .”

“But, what?”

“Look, I’m not sure I could save myself if I was attacked like Ashton was, and as scary as that thought is for me, I now have you to worry about. Do you get it now?” Lincoln sat up in the bed and Aaron pulled him back by the shoulder to lie flat again. Once Lincoln was settled, Aaron looked deeply into Lincoln’s eyes.

“You’re not weak, Lincoln. Far from it, but I can understand why you’d feel uneasy to test your strength.”

“Jesus, you really don’t get this.” Lincoln closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m not the man I was five years ago, and as much as you’ve worked with me to get myself stronger, I’m still dealing with a huge physical deficit. You know that better than anyone does. If something were to happen to you and I didn’t have the ability to save you, it would destroy me.”

Aaron rolled on top of Lincoln and pressed his full weight onto him. “Nothing is going to happen to either of us,” Aaron said and brushed his lips to Lincoln’s. “I promise.”

Lincoln wrapped his arms around Aaron’s waist and rolled his hips up into his groin. The friction from the course hair on Aaron’s thighs against Lincoln’s and the rub of cock against cock made Lincoln moan. “I’ve never had a partner before, but I like the idea of taking care of you,” Lincoln said softly. “There’s no guarantee I can offer you that, and it really bothers me that can’t.”

“That doesn’t sound especially fair to put all of that responsibility on yourself, Linc,” Aaron said with a gentle touch of his fingers to Lincoln’s face. “Maybe it’s time for you to let someone else take care of you—
I
want to be that someone, Linc. If you’ll let me.”

Lincoln shrugged. “It’s just the man I’ve always been,” he said. “That’s what I do. I don’t know how to be anything else.”

Aaron leaned forward and pressed his lips to Lincoln’s and Lincoln opened for the kiss. The gentle glide of tongue against tongue and shaft against shaft had Aaron hard as steel and Lincoln was well on his way. Aaron swiveled his hips over Lincoln’s groin and Lincoln groaned his pleasure. Lincoln’s fingers grabbed onto Aaron’s ass cheeks and squeezed the muscled flesh in his hands. He spread them open and then ran his fingers down the length of Aaron’s crack. When he found the indent and lightly teased the opening with his fingertip, Aaron deepened their kiss and made it a desperate frenzy of lips and teeth eating at the other.

“I want to fuck you so bad, Aaron,” Lincoln huffed as he continued to grind their shafts together. “I want to flip you over and shove my cock inside your tight hole until I’m balls deep and even then I will fight to get my dick deeper. I want to fuck you until you scream my name and make you come so hard you see stars. I want you to remember I was inside your hot ass for days after and I want to be the one you want like that, over and over until we’re both walking funny.”

“Jesus, I want to give you all of that,” Aaron whispered. “I want to have that with you . . . so bad. My balls are aching from the thought of you fucking my ass.”

“Fuck! I think I can come,” Lincoln exclaimed.

Aaron sat up and straddled Lincoln’s hips. He grabbed both their cocks in one hand and began jerking them, using the pre-come to lubricate their shafts. Lincoln watched Aaron’s hand moving on them and concentrated on the sensation. He felt his balls draw up and closed his eyes.

“I’m really close,” Lincoln hissed.

“Shoot with me,” Aaron commanded.

Lincoln thrust up into Aaron’s fist and let go. His eyes opened in time to watch his release shoot from his slit and splash on his stomach. The sight impressed Lincoln so much, he grinned proudly. A second later, Aaron’s release rocketed from his tip and sprayed over Lincoln’s chin, throat, and one last ribbon shot across his chest.

“Show off,” Lincoln said.

Aaron chuckled and milked them through the blissful aftershocks then he rolled from the bed to get a washcloth to clean them up. Lincoln remained stationary in a daze with his legs and arms splayed on the sheets. He looked well fucked and he felt that way, too. Maybe one day soon he’d be able to actually fuck Aaron the way he deserved to be pleasured.

God, I want to be that man for Aaron.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Eight days later, Lincoln and Aaron were on time and ready to board the plane flying the band to London. Lincoln had tied up all his loose ends in the days leading up to this day, and Aaron did, too. Aaron and Lincoln even managed to squeeze in another visit with Margaret. She was eating again and had regained a few of the pounds she had lost during her hunger strike and she was excited to hear about the tour. Lincoln felt good about the relief on Aaron’s face when they left the nursing home that day. He loved being able to offer support and comfort to Aaron, just as Aaron did so selflessly for him day in and day out.

Lincoln also began the injection regimen of the MS medication. Aaron would be in charge while on tour to make sure Lincoln followed the schedule and dose properly. And, just as Aaron had said, Lincoln didn’t feel the needle go into his thigh. The medication itself felt like battery acid, but the sting was brief. He simply grit his teeth and held Aaron’s gaze while Aaron pushed the drug into his system and they were done.

Lincoln had left his doctor’s office feeling like another page in his life story had been turned. He didn’t have to like what was happening to him, but he also knew he had no fucking control over it, either. Thankfully, every time he wanted to let the disease swallow him whole, Aaron was there to lift him up all over again and keep him moving forward.

Aaron had held Lincoln’s hand on the way to the car and did his best to ignore his security team following close behind them. It was a fucking miracle the news of Lincoln’s trip to the neurologist’s office didn’t make it back to Dagger’s ears. As time went on, Lincoln cared less and less about Dagger and the guys knowing about his diagnosis. Lincoln was far more concerned with him surviving the tour, over who knew about his illness.

The days of rehearsal nearly did Lincoln in and it was a major effort to conceal just how tired he was from the guys in the band. Aaron was the only one privy to the enormous toll this project was physically taking on Lincoln. More than once, Aaron voiced his concerns that it was too much for Lincoln to handle, but Lincoln couldn’t let down his band brothers. One way or another, Lincoln would get through this tour. It might mean him being propped up while on stage, but he’d do it with a smile.