now, you're off the tour bus. You can take a cab, as far as I'm concerned. Until Gavin asks you to come back on, you're off.”
Mark nodded. It wasn't the first time he'd been kicked off the bus. It was one of the downsides of having a brother who wasn't particularly impressed with you along all the time. He was worse than their mother had been when they were growing up.
Liam peered at him, clearly suspicious of how meekly Mark was taking this. Usually, Mark put up at least some fight, but not this time. Of course, usually he felt far more justified in what he'd done than he did this time.
“See you there, then.” Liam clapped his hand onto Mark's shoulder, which he accepted stoically. Then his brother was gone, and a few seconds later, so was the bus, leaving Mark in the parking lot.
* * *
Mark could have taken some sort of selfish, vindictive glee in the fact that the cab he hailed got him to the hotel first. He checked in and was at the venue before the bus even arrived.
He'd had a lot of time to think. The only conclusion he'd come to was the same one he had every other time before. He needed to just stay away from Gavin. Somehow get through this tour without even speaking to him more than absolutely necessary.
These urges he had were dangerous. He should have learned that by now. They'd strained his relationship with his older brother horribly. With this most recent thing, maybe past the point of no return. They'd made it impossible for him to ever really be with anyone, to fall in love.
It seemed it was impossible to purge that part of his personality. He'd tried. He had invariably failed. He was rich and famous, he could have been having normal, vanilla sex every day of the week, if he wanted to. But that wasn't what he wanted.
Gavin wasn't the first person who had used it against him. Several other people had blackmailed him, demanding money from him and threatening to tell the press everything if he didn't give it to them. Mark always paid them. It was just money.
It hurt more from Gavin, though. Maybe because the young man seemed so very innocent. Because he didn't seem like the type who would use that sort of thing against someone. Or maybe it was just that it seemed like the only reason Gavin had told was because he wanted to be away from Mark.
Who could blame him? Apparently the things that Mark wanted were just never going to happen. Certainly not with Gavin, who was far too sweet and innocent about these sorts of things. Either that or he had to be the best actor ever. In the beginning, Mark had assumed that Gavin was just a hell of an actor, that no one could be that good and pure. Now, he didn't know. He just didn't know.
He sat in a corner, idly playing his guitar, starting to write a new song. He didn't even pretend that it wasn't about Gavin. He'd call it My Innocent , he decided. It was one of those songs that seemed to flow right out of him, nice and easy, effortless even.
People started to arrive. The members of Star Crossed looked at him, obviously not sure what to make of what they'd seen. Mark shrugged it off. There was only one member of the band he cared about at all, and things were decidedly rocky with him.
Still, he didn't even know their names. He hadn't bothered to find out. Guests, that's what Liam had called them. Maybe he should make some sort of effort with that. Later, though, not now. He didn't want to answer any questions from them.
Members of Crossroads, Mark's own band, started to trickle in. They were more used to this sort of thing, and they just waved casually at Mark, but knew to leave him alone. Whatever had happened between the two brothers, they knew, would have to be dealt with by the two brothers. Anyone else trying would probably get their head bitten off.
Liam himself walked in, and he nodded to Mark. Mark looked at him, then deliberately turned back to
Mark nodded. It wasn't the first time he'd been kicked off the bus. It was one of the downsides of having a brother who wasn't particularly impressed with you along all the time. He was worse than their mother had been when they were growing up.
Liam peered at him, clearly suspicious of how meekly Mark was taking this. Usually, Mark put up at least some fight, but not this time. Of course, usually he felt far more justified in what he'd done than he did this time.
“See you there, then.” Liam clapped his hand onto Mark's shoulder, which he accepted stoically. Then his brother was gone, and a few seconds later, so was the bus, leaving Mark in the parking lot.
* * *
Mark could have taken some sort of selfish, vindictive glee in the fact that the cab he hailed got him to the hotel first. He checked in and was at the venue before the bus even arrived.
He'd had a lot of time to think. The only conclusion he'd come to was the same one he had every other time before. He needed to just stay away from Gavin. Somehow get through this tour without even speaking to him more than absolutely necessary.
These urges he had were dangerous. He should have learned that by now. They'd strained his relationship with his older brother horribly. With this most recent thing, maybe past the point of no return. They'd made it impossible for him to ever really be with anyone, to fall in love.
It seemed it was impossible to purge that part of his personality. He'd tried. He had invariably failed. He was rich and famous, he could have been having normal, vanilla sex every day of the week, if he wanted to. But that wasn't what he wanted.
Gavin wasn't the first person who had used it against him. Several other people had blackmailed him, demanding money from him and threatening to tell the press everything if he didn't give it to them. Mark always paid them. It was just money.
It hurt more from Gavin, though. Maybe because the young man seemed so very innocent. Because he didn't seem like the type who would use that sort of thing against someone. Or maybe it was just that it seemed like the only reason Gavin had told was because he wanted to be away from Mark.
Who could blame him? Apparently the things that Mark wanted were just never going to happen. Certainly not with Gavin, who was far too sweet and innocent about these sorts of things. Either that or he had to be the best actor ever. In the beginning, Mark had assumed that Gavin was just a hell of an actor, that no one could be that good and pure. Now, he didn't know. He just didn't know.
He sat in a corner, idly playing his guitar, starting to write a new song. He didn't even pretend that it wasn't about Gavin. He'd call it My Innocent , he decided. It was one of those songs that seemed to flow right out of him, nice and easy, effortless even.
People started to arrive. The members of Star Crossed looked at him, obviously not sure what to make of what they'd seen. Mark shrugged it off. There was only one member of the band he cared about at all, and things were decidedly rocky with him.
Still, he didn't even know their names. He hadn't bothered to find out. Guests, that's what Liam had called them. Maybe he should make some sort of effort with that. Later, though, not now. He didn't want to answer any questions from them.
Members of Crossroads, Mark's own band, started to trickle in. They were more used to this sort of thing, and they just waved casually at Mark, but knew to leave him alone. Whatever had happened between the two brothers, they knew, would have to be dealt with by the two brothers. Anyone else trying would probably get their head bitten off.
Liam himself walked in, and he nodded to Mark. Mark looked at him, then deliberately turned back to
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