Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 127213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
He licked fresh sweat off his top lip, taking in the neat script following a number of bullet points, but while he knew he should not break Ezra’s trust by reading any of it, his eyes latched on to the words as if they were dirty water in the middle of a desert. A lot of it was practical information about Frank’s likes and dislikes, but as he pushed the boundaries he should have never crossed, he found a hurriedly-scribed note that read sweet and thick as a pancake.
Warmth spread in his chest as if he were still being cooked in that pan. Instead of butter, he was sizzling in Ezra’s affection. He was liked. Truly.
And while he knew this shouldn’t go any further, he lifted his thumb from the middle, fully intending to turn the page when his eyes settled on a small drawing in blue ballpoint pen. It didn’t reveal any artistic talent, but the crude illustration of a face opening its mouth wide for a big, thick dick with dark hair and heavy-looking balls had the vapor inside his skull creating even more pressure.
Best fuck ever, said the note next to it.
Frank closed the notebook before his eyes could steal any more private information. He wasn’t just ashamed of reading it in front of Shane. He shouldn’t have done that at all. But he was only human.
Shane was playing with a golden chain and smirked when their eyes met. “Anything of interest? You’re looking pretty red.”
Frank stuffed the notebook into the side pocket of the duffle bag before adding several photographs, and a couple of items resting at the bottom of the box. He didn’t look at them, not wanting it to end up like it had with the notebook, because despite it only having good things to say about him, it reminded him that his relationship with Ezra was built on a foundation of money and lies. Was there really hope for them when he’d once again proved that Ezra couldn’t trust him by reading his diary?
Shane threw the necklace at him, and Frank caught it without thinking. “Maybe you should give him this if you wanna be his sugar daddy?”
Frank opened his palm to reveal the piece of jewelry Ezra had so often worn around his neck. The word Sugar in solid gold seemed playful when they’d first met. Now it opened a black hole deep in Frank’s heart. The information he’d stolen from the notebook proved Ezra liked him, but Shane was right. Maybe Ezra really did enjoy his lifestyle as an escort and would eagerly return to it if given half the chance?
It was an intolerable thought. Even more so than the perspective of losing him because of Frank’s secret job, or Ezra choosing to leave him behind like a bad memory he’d never go back to once he started a new life in LA But were Frank faced with the choice between dating a man who slept with others for a living, or losing him altogether, would he be able to stand his ground?
He’d been avoiding tough conversations like this, opting instead to live with Ezra day by day. He didn’t even know what Ezra wanted to do in LA, because he’d been afraid of the answer. If there had been a man he wanted to meet there, would that have changed, given the circumstances? California was far away from Pennsylvania. With a fake ID, he might have peace there, unless he wanted to become a model or actor.
His thumb traced a rough surface at the back of the pendant, so he turned it to see neat letters that turned his worries into pure rage. It read To my favorite dessert - Paul.
Fucking Paul.
Always had to have everything and would rather destroy it than let it go!
Frank turned and, with the necklace digging into his palm as he clenched his fist, he punched the ruined mattress again and again.
“Fuck!” he yelled out to relieve some of his fury.
When he finally stepped back, panting, Shane remained silent. At least he had no smartass comments to agitate Frank further.
“You got everything?” Frank mumbled.
“What is it?” Shane asked quietly.
“Paul. Fucking Paul. Always somewhere at the periphery. Won’t fuck off. It’s not enough that I deal with his trash. He keeps pushing me to work with him again, and if I open that floodgate, it won’t end. I know he’ll ask for that in exchange for leaving Ezra alone.”
Shane pursed his lips. “You do what you need to do, Frank. I’ll have your back.”
Frank nodded and threw the necklace into the duffel bag. Ezra had the right to decide what he wanted to do with it.
Chapter 19
Ezra
Ezra only turned for a moment, but by the time he faced Jag again, the idiot’s big, pink tongue was out and folding the bottom half of the sheet mask resting on his face. “No! That gel’s not edible! You’ll puke,” he warned, watching as Jag leaned forward, resting his weight on the knuckles, and spat on the floor Ezra had mopped earlier.