Page 5 of Jinn

He shrugged. “It’s just something I needed to do. The songs I’m working on don’t really fit BTC, so it was time to branch out.” He moved away from the studio door and down the hallway. “This will be your room. Thanks for upending your life to stay here for so long.”

Finn glanced around the decent-sized room with its four-poster bed and two dressers. The owners had decorated it in subtle blue shades, making it a calm and restful area. He nodded his approval. “I’m used to staying with clients. I’ll be here on the weekdays with another of our protection specialists switching out with me on the weekends. You’ll like Ivor. Everyone does.”

“I’m sure I will, though it’s going to take some adjustment. I normally have someone, but he decided to get married, open his own firm, and break my heart. Was with me five years, so we got really close.”

“Were you…together?”

“Together?” Ajax asked lifting an eyebrow as he clued in to what Finn meant. “Oh no, Jake was one hundred percentstraight. I just meant you get close to someone with that much time. We became good friends. I’m happy for him, though.” He pointed to the end of the hall. “My room is at the end. This house sits on three acres, and it’s completely fenced, but with all the trees, it’ll be easy for fans to find hidden places to jump the fence. Once they figure out I’m here, and they inevitably will no matter how safe I play it, they’ll start intruding. You’ll also be dealing with paparazzi.”

“I can handle it. Don’t worry.”

He certainly looked like he could. Ajax was having a bitch of a time not ogling the man. Instant attraction to this degree was just so new. He had occasionally had the random hookup, though he never seemed to get out of them what others did, but it had been a long time. So maybe that was it. Maybe he was feeling touch starved.

Messing around with an employee was a bad idea, though, so he pushed that thought aside and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, curling his toes on the hardwood floor. “So, do whatever it is you do. I’ll be around if you have any questions.”

“We’re good.” Finn dropped his bag onto the floor of the bedroom and turned to walk down the hall. “I’ll go out and get the lay of the land now.”

“You do that,” Ajax murmured as he watched Finn walk away from him with a confident, quick stride. When he was out of sight, Ajax went into the studio, shut the door, and slumped into the chair in front of the wide desk that took up half the room. Being around attractive men was normal in his line of work. Hell, every member of his band was good-looking. Fans and groupies surrounded them most of the time, yet not once had he had this sort of visceral reaction to someone.

He could use this.

Grabbing a notebook and pen, he moved to the small loveseat in the corner and stretched out, throwing one leg up over the back. He closed his eyes as a slow, sensual beat came to mind, his foot tapping out the rhythm in the air. He let his reaction to Finn fill his mind and soon, the words started to flow.

Chapter Four

Finn

Finn was in a quandary. He absolutely believed and followed the rules when it came to his job. He’d never messed with a client in any way shape or form. But he was incredibly attracted to Ajax. He’d spent four days mainly patrolling the grounds, but every time he’d been inside that house, he’d found his gaze seeking out the man. And listening to him.

Ajax’s creative process was fascinating. He carted around either a guitar or a portable keyboard. There were notebooks stashed in every corner of the house—as promised—along with that lip balm he seemed addicted to. Those small tubes were scattered on every available surface next to candles.So many candles. He guessed the man didn’t worry about the fire hazard. Though he did seem to only burn the ones in whatever room he chose to work in, and he blew them out whenever he left it. Maybe these things were a part of some kind of creative ritual?

But watching him had become Finn’s favorite thing. Ajax would hum to himself, pluck out melodies on either instrument, then write in the notebooks.

And that fucking voice. So deep with that sexy rumble on the low notes.

Finn had kind of grown obsessed with watching BTC videos, but it was nothing like the kind of music coming from the man now. These songs were slower and almost ethereal, the lyrics deep and thought-provoking. And a lot of it was sexy.

Finn had been lurking in the living area, but when music came from the nook in the back of the house, he quietly walked in that direction to better hear.

You thought you could hold on forever.

Riding the coattails of fame

Displaying me like a trophy

Your heart is an empty chalice

“Not quite right,” Ajax mumbled as he stopped singing. He gave a frustrated grunt. “That last line is too melodramatic, anyway. What was I thinking?”

Finn glanced into the room to see Ajax bending over a notebook. He wore a pair of soft-looking gray sweatpants, and that was it. Tattoos covered his arms, chest, and narrow waist. Most of them were swirled designs but there was a serpent on his ribs and a winged griffin on his arm. As always, his sexy feet were bare.

Finn was becoming a real fan of the man’s feet.

From those lyrics, he was obviously still messed up over his breakup. Out of pure curiosity, Finn had looked the ex up, and in all the images, he was happily grinning at cameras. Finn looked up more pictures until he stumbled upon Ajax and the ex in some seriously compromising positions on what was obviously supposed to be a private island getaway. He’d quickly backed off that site because seeing Ajax with a man bugged him for some reason. His ex, Alan, was nothing like Finn. Blond and slim—the kind of man who looked like he’d be perfectly comfortable in high-end fashion.

Ajax looked up, spotted him, and the smile that stretched his lips made Finn’s heart pick up. That was happening every time the man so much as paid him any attention.

“I’m trying a new pork dish tonight. You eat pork?”

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