Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Ajax shook his head. “I’ve learned they’re not all monsters, just like not all humans are. But this? What you did?” He threw up his hands. “Who’s the real monster here, Thorn?”
“You were going to run everything! Just go selfishly off when we’ve all worked so hard to make it.”
“I wasn’t leaving the band. I just took a sabbatical.”
“If your solo stuff takes off, why wouldn’t you?”
“Because I love BTC, and I still love the music we make. Why is that so hard to understand? It’s possible to do both. There are other popular bands where members have more than one project. Hell, look at Maynard James Keenan. How could killing me possibly help?”
“A new lead wouldn’t come off as us pathetically trying to replace someone who went off to find better.”
“Again, I can name bands that took a new frontman and thrived. But I’m not leaving BTC. Looks like you’re the one who will be doing that.”
Thorn’s mouth fell open, and his skin turned ashen.
“Seriously?” Ajax asked. “You think after this any of us would keep you around?” He narrowed his eyes. “Are you the one who put up three hundred thousand on my head?”
Thorn didn’t respond, but the instant flush in his cheeks was all the answer Ajax needed.
Finn growled and strode forward to haul Thorn up off the floor. “You have no idea of the mistake you made.” He started to shake him.
“Finn,” Ajax said softly, trying to calm his man down by stroking one hand over his forearm. “Put him down. We’ll let the cops deal with him. Why don’t you call that computer guy you told me about and see if he can match Thorn to that first hitman request?”
Finn stared at him as he swallowed heavily, scowled, then dropped Thorn back to the floor. Hard. Thorn cried out as his knees hit the hardwood again.
“Was Barry a part of this?” Ajax asked Matt. “And how did you figure this out?”
“Barry has no idea what’s going on. I got suspicious because Thorn was talking crazy. So I broke into his place and went through his laptop. He didn’t bother to hide his trail on the hell hounds. He paid a shitload of money to the wizard who controls them.” Matt grimaced. “I’m really sorry, Ajax. I knew he was upset, but I didn’t know his stupid plan. We’ve all been kind of talking shit about you, but it was out of fear, you know? I never wanted you to actually get hurt.”
Ajax looked at Finn. “What about the wizard? If he was paid, will he send something else after me?”
“We’ll take care of him. Don’t worry about that. And I’ll get Daniel on the phone now. We’ll truss Thorn up nice and tight until the police come get him.” Finn bared his teeth at Thorn, who looked like he wanted to crawl through the floor.
“I can’t believe you did this,” Ajax told him before addressing Matt again. “Thanks for figuring this out. I really hadn’t thought it would be someone I thought a friend. As for talking shit, I suppose I can understand that. But I was serious about BTC. I love our band and the music we make, and I don’t want that to change. Well, aside from a new bassist, that is.”
“I’m just sorry I didn’t know ahead of time,” Matt said, still looking contrite. “Was anyone hurt?”
“Yes, not me, but luckily the company Finn works for has an elf who can heal.”
“Good. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”
Matt stuck around while they dealt with the police. Finn’s tech guy easily found the proof of what Thorn had done, but they only turned over the hitman information since they couldn’t explain hell hounds to the cops. By the time it was all wrapped up and Matt had left, the sun was already rising, throwing soft light into the living room.
Exhausted, Ajax walked to Finn and sank against his big body. He liked that this man was strong and that he could lean on him and absorb some of that strength. “Well, at least that part is over.”
Finn held him close, nuzzling his hair. “You can focus on finishing your solo album now.”
“That and us.” He looked up at him, thankful that the faint sadness seemed to have left Finn’s expression for good. “That whole time, you knew what I was to you, and you were planning to not bond with me. You kept getting this look in your eyes—it was worrying me.”
“I was planning to love you as long as I could then walk away. Your fame is a huge part of who you are, and I happen to be in love with who you are, Ajax.”
“I was thinking. If this glamour thing works, I can just go on doing my thing.” He paused and patted Finn’s chest. “But I’m not really into the idea of a long-distance relationship. Not really into the idea of you accumulating frequent flier miles.”