“Don’t you move!” he growled ominously.
Bowie froze, heart thundering in terror at the exaggerated anger that seemed so out of place.
“Did you sabotage me?”
Bowie felt a clutch in his tummy because it hurt at such an accusation. It brought back the memory of how he’d reacted to Bowie contacting him the week before. This time he truly was clueless when the phone was too close and the text too small to read.
“Huh?”Sabotage what?
“This,” Rex snarled. The glass of the cell touching his nose end and the seat back pressing into him made it impossible for Bowie to shift back, so instead he cowered in his seat. “An email from your fucking boss.”
At Bowie’s wince from the shouting, Rex gave an angry snarl. His fingers rose and gripped the back of Bowie’s neck painfully, while continuing the rant. “A polite fuck off, we don’t want your services. Is there something going on between you two?”
Cold eyes pinned Bowie in place along with the fingers. He wasn’t even breathing; his terror was so huge.
“Is that why he’s not interested in working with me? My agency is the best for this contract, so the only reason I can come up with is that my suspicion there was something going on between the pair of you is fucking correct!”
Kari was his boss. Yes, Bowie thought he was attractive, but all the brothers were. Did that mean Rex could accuse him of something like… cheating? Each fired question—accusation—stabbed at Bowie’s chest, leaving him bleeding. Rex might not see it, but Bowie felt the blood ooze from his heart. He could not form a reply to such accusations.
His large apartment suddenly felt small, constrictive, as Bowie searched for a way to stop the anger. Make Rex see he had done nothing to warrant this. Yet, the child who knew he wasn’t worthy was there, nodding sagely at Rex.
You are worthy of better. Do not let this dick make you think differently.
Bowie's eyes darted around the living area, looking for an escape. Somewhere to hide. To think. Rex had several times mentioned his agency could be of benefit to Starling Enterprises. He’d seen some of the ad campaigns that Rex’s company had created, they were good. Not amazing, but solid in their delivery.Bowie had given into the impulse to mention to Kari about Rex and now he wished he’d kept quiet.
“I… I-I…”
“Spit it out,” Rex snapped, an ugly flush rising in his cheeks and his fingers digging into his flesh hard enough that Bowie knew the touch would bruise his skin.
“K-Kari didn’t discuss who he o-offered the c-contract to.” It was the truth. Kari had left for Eagan a few days earlier, where he was completing the sale of his home there. He must have decided who to give the contract to while he was away.
They’d found three ad agencies in Hazardville. Bowie had not thought to mention that they’d reached out to all of them to Rex. It hadn’t seemed right to do such a thing, so now he figured he’d asked for trouble by keeping quiet.
This is all my fault.
Dear Lord, do not start with that nonsense. It is not!
Rex’s eyes blazed with an intention that had Bowie recoil. Not that he got far, struggling to swallow with how tight his throat was even with the fingers at the back of his neck.
“Why didn’t you tell me there were other companies vying for the contract?” Rage, the kind that dripped venom, sent tremors through Bowie. The painful grip matched the awfulness.
Bowie couldn’t answer. He’d witnessed Rex angry, but when it happened and he got snappy with Bowie, there was never an element of violence to it. His skin became electrified by it, much like when a thunderstorm hit. He wanted to hide the same way he did when the storm came and wait for it to pass.
Attempting to remove the hand seemed dangerous when Rex towered over him.
How did he get Rex to leave? To let go?
He couldn’t get his thoughts in any order with the fear muddling his brain. He desperately tried to recall if Rex hadmentioned having any other plans for the evening. Most times he had somewhere else to be.
“Answer me!” The hand releasing didn’t come with any relief when it slapped his cheek, firing his head back hard enough it jarred his neck. The plates rattled on the table, and cups spilled their contents over the surface when Bowie jumped out of his seat, clutching his smarting cheek. “I-I… w-why—”
“Don’t fucking why me. You should have told me thetruth.I detest liars.” He was right there, towering over him, and though he wasn’t as broad as Bowie, he was a good foot taller. “You’re a mindless moron. I should have realized that you’re as useless as you act. When you called, I thought at least my prompting you had worked. Do you realize how much work I put into the designs? I set aside all my other projects to do those mock ups. Hours of wasted energy. Just like all the time I spent in here with your snivelling ass.” Spit hit Bowie’s face as he couldn’t get himself to move.
“I should have known better that if Starling Enterprises employs a moron like you, then there is something wrong with the company.” He made a scoffing noise.
At the sinking reality why Rex had made an effort with him, Bowie shoved a fist into his mouth to stop the sobs from escaping at the cruelness. With it came the desire to curl into a ball. Any hope of staying standing until Rex left fled with how he trembled. His legs gave way and he sank to his knees, his arms wrapping around his middle.
“Look at you. Pathetic. Such a fucking baby. I don’t even know how I managed to fake it for so long. Myactual boyfriendis a gorgeous man, not a ridiculous person with teddy bears hidden in his bedroom. Don’t think I didn’t notice.You make me sick.”
