Gabe was up and moving before he even realised it. He reached the door and wrenched it open, only to have it slam closed by a hand beside him.

"Let me out!" Gabe growled venomously.

"Now you'll listen, won't you?"

"Fuck you." The roadie was fuming. "You're a sick motherfucker."

Words were coming out of Harley's mouth but Gabe couldn't hear them. He was prying at Harley's hand covering the door handle, trying to break free and run. He needed to get out of there.

"Gabe," Harley was saying. "Gabe, listen to me."

"Don't you fucking touch me." Gabe seethed when Harley reached out to stop him. "Don't you say another fucking word."

"I can help you."

"Yeah, you can. By moving your hand." Gabe kept prying at the door.

"Gabe," Harley said with more force. He grabbed the other boy's hands. "Gabe, stop!"

Gabe turned on the drummer, getting right in his face as anger clouded his dark eyes and he spoke with vicious animosity.

"I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing," he said. "I don't know how you know the things you seem to know but it ends now. I am done, and if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll kill you."

Harley seemed unfazed by the roadie's threats. "I can help you." he said.

"No, you can't."

"I can. Just sit down and fucking listen."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you know you don't have a choice."

Gabe stopped moving then. "Are you threatening me?"

"Sit down, Gabe." Harley said.

Angrily, Gabe stomped over to the armchair and sat down with an indignant huff. Harley sat back down opposite him and Gabe waited.

Harley said, "You're wondering how I know these things but I'm not going to tell you. What I can tell you is that I know you're afraid. Me knowing scares you and it's taking everything in you not to run out that door right now."

"So, here's the deal. You become my personal assistant and I'll protect you from what it is you're running from," he continued. "No one else has to know about this. The look on your face when I said his name told me all I needed to know. Let me help you, Gabe."

"I don't need your protection." Gabe spat. "And personal assistant? What are you going to do if I decline? Ship me home? Tell the police?"

"I won't tell another soul regardless of what you say here tonight, but I can tell you that hiding a secret is much easier with someone like me on you're side."

"And exactly what kind of person are you?"

Harley reached up to brush a hair out of his eyes. His black armband slid down slightly as he did and Gabe could see the hint of ugly scars across his pale wrist. He knew Harley saw him look but he didn't ask.

"So I become your lackey and you protect me?" Gabe scoffed. "Thanks, but I can handle myself without scraping my dignity along the razor's edge."

"I don't know everything," Harley said. "But soon I'll find out. When that happens, you'll regret the decision you're making here."

"I'll take my chances."

"Chances can have ugly consequences."

Gabe had stood up to leave but Harley's comment made him stop in his tracks. He turned his head slightly over his shoulder to look back. "Have you ever done this before?"

"You'll have to be more specific."

"You said all you do is talk. Why haven't you asked one of them before?"

"God, you're thickheaded." Harley said, and before Gabe could respond to that, Harley continued, "Because we have much better conversations."

"All we do is fight."

"Exactly."

Gabe knew Harley had him there. It was a trick question and Gabe had fallen right into his trap. Swallowing his pride and gritting his teeth, he said, "Fine."

"Fine?"

"I'll do it. Be your assistant shit or whatever."

"And you will not have sex with my bandmates."

"Wait, what?"

Harley glared at him. "I don't share. You are not to have sex with any of my bandmates from this moment onward."

"You can't do that. I get paid to-"

"We will find compensation some other way." Harley dismissed. "Do we have an understanding?"

Gabe could hear his dignity screaming as it was torn away from him. Rolling his eyes, he said, "Yes, we have an understanding."

"Right, so from this moment onwards," Harley's eyes flashed in the dark. "You're mine."

***

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