The Rebel (Red's Tavern 2)

There was nobody else who I possibly could share this with.

He hummed around me, taking it all, sucking every last drop out of me.

I fucking loved him. I was an idiot for loving him, and I could never admit how much I did. But the feeling was pure and bright and undeniable.

I would do anything for this man. And unlike everyone else, he actually deserved it.

I hadn’t even realized how much I’d needed the release until it happened, and then I was jelly in Red’s arms. My body went slack and he still held me close as he slowly pulled off of my dick.

I caught my breath, still clutching him against me. He rested against my thigh, staying there. Red always knew what I needed. Better than I did most of the time.

“Thank you,” I whispered, and I felt Red’s arms briefly tighten around my hips.

“I couldn’t resist,” Red said. “I could tell how much you needed it. And I needed it, too.”

“You did?”

“It’s been way too long since I blew anyone,” Red said.

“There’s no way that’s true. How long has it been?”

Red glanced over to the other side of the room, then back at me. “At least a year, I think.”

“No fucking way, Red,” I said.

His eyes flitted to the other side of the room again. “You’re going to have to cut that out of the video. You just used my name.”

“What?” I said.

“Don’t you... want to go turn the camera off?” Red said, his voice low.

I looked over my shoulder. “The camera’s been off this whole time. Ever since you came,” I said.

He was frozen for a moment, just looking up at me. “It was?”

“Yes,” I said. “The video was just a solo masturbation scene.”

“What? But… really? That was all so fucking hot,” Red said, standing up and furrowing his brow. “I was laying it on thick. People would have loved seeing me blow you.”

My chest tightened a little. “You... thought all of this was for the video?” I said.

“Of course,” Red said.

My heart sank to the floor in about two seconds flat.

Of course.

So Red hadn’t just been wanting me. He hadn’t been doing this out of some unchecked personal desire. He was doing it for the camera.

“You weren’t filming,” he said, realization falling over his face.

My cheeks grew burning hot as I turned around, reaching for my underwear and jeans, crumpled in a pile on the floor. I pulled them on quickly, so flushed with embarrassment I thought I might pass out.

“I’m sorry,” I said. The words were hard to get out.

“I didn’t realize,” Red said.

I ran my fingers through my hair, then went to the camera, popped the lens cap on, and shoved it back into the big camera bag on the table nearby.

I needed a fucking drink. I needed more like three big drinks, or five straight shots of whiskey.

But I didn’t do that anymore. There was no escape hatch anymore, no blunt eraser I could take to my own brain when I inevitably wound up in these situations.

“I’ve got a ton of editing to do for this video,” I said, trying to think of any way to get him to leave quickly. When I turned back around I said a silent prayer of thanks that he’d pulled his clothes back on, too.

“I understand,” Red said. I couldn’t read his expression, but I didn’t dare look at his eyes for longer than a few moments. They were too beautiful. And now I could only think of them looking up at me from below, big and brown and gorgeous as he took my cock in his mouth.

“Good luck with your meeting this week,” I said. “I hope Red’s Tavern is selected for the show.”

“I hope so, too,” he said. His voice was low, and for a moment I was certain he was about to say something more. He stood there, watching me disassemble all of the equipment, but he stayed silent.

“I’ll try to get this online as soon as it’s edited,” I said. “Everything is set up for it.”

He cleared his throat. “What do you mean?”

“The website. It’s ready. Hardy Productions already has members, signed up and waiting. All they need is the first video.”

Red stared at me like he hadn’t even registered my words. “Liam, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly. “I’m good. Just have a lot of work to do, like I said.”

He peered at me.

I knew he didn’t believe me. He was smarter than that, and knew me way better.

But it was also clear to me that Red was uncomfortable, too.

He left soon after, and the moment he was out the front door, I plopped down on my couch in the living room, squeezing my eyes shut.

I just wanted to drown out my feelings, with every fiber of my body. My mind played the familiar thoughts on a loop, over and over again.