Rin blew out a long sigh as he leaned back in the club booth. The beat of the music pulsed in rhythm with the swirling, flashing lights. He lifted the shot glass and threw the contents back in one drink. "Ah... So much better... Why did I stop drinking again?"
Rory's eyes moved around the room nervously as he clung to the nearly full glass in his hand. Sabastian had berated them all before storming out of the event earlier, but he couldn't help feeling like it wasn't over. His eyes moved to Rin as he threw back yet another shot. Rory bit into his lower lip. "Should... should you really be drinking that much?"
Rin rolled his eyes in Rory's direction, sending him an irritated glare. "Today was incredibly stressful, and I handle my stress one of two ways... sometimes with the combination of both..." Rin chuckled, a buzz from the alcohol beginning to set in. "Booze and sex..." He reached out and caressed Rory's cheek. "So, little prince, unless you plan on supplying the latter, I suggest letting me indulge on the first."
Dillon chuckled from beside Rin. "More likely to assume enough of the first will lead to the second... or at least in my extensive knowledge of the Rin-ology..."
Rory arched a brow. "Rin-ology?"
Dillon chuckled again as he lifted from where he sat beside Rin and slid into the booth beside Rory. He slid one arm around Rory's shoulder and placed the finger of his other hand under Rory's glass and began guiding it to Rory's lips as he explained. "Yes, Rin-ology. The innermost workings of our dear Rin here. It's a very complicated subject matter, mind you... takes years to study and master..." He tilted his head to the side as he studied Rin's sarcastic smirk. "Though I'm not sure if master is a suitable word..."
"I'll show you both, 'Master'. Keep fucking around," Rin growled with a husky purr.
Dillon's lips quirked. "I'd love to watch... hell, join even." His arm tightened around Rory's shoulder. "What do you say?"
His low words tickled the hairs along Rory's neck as he whispered them against Rory's ear. Before he could reply, however, commotion broke out in the club. People shouted their displeasure as someone pushed their way through the crowded room. Rory's breath caught as he instantly recognized the angry Frenchman storming their way. He was just about to fling himself into Rin's arms when Dillon pulled him tightly against his chest and hid his face protectively from a flying glass. Liquid splashed all around them, as did sharp shards of glass.
"You little shit! What is this?" Rin called out, shooting up from the booth. "You're the one who stormed off earlier! You're the one who wouldn't have a goddamn peaceful conversation in the privacy of our fucking room! And now! Not just once, but a fucking second time?! You're going to cause a goddamn public scene a second time? I think the fuck not!" Rin was in front of Sabastian and had him by the wrist before Rory could even deduce what had happened. "Come on, we're going outside at the very fucking least!"
Sabastian jerked his hand away. "I'm not going anywhere with you! You whore! Bitch! Cunt!" He continued backing away from Rin as his voice got louder. "I should have known better than to let you fuck me! The second I found out-"
Rin shoved Sabastian into a concrete pillar beside their booth, his hand pressed painfully tight against Sabastian's mouth. "You should have, what? Don't act like you didn't love every fucking thing I did to you." An evil glint sparked in Rin's eyes as his lips snarled into a wicked smile. "You wouldn't be here showing your ass like an absolute delusional fool if you hated fucking me so goddamn much, now would you?" Rin's anger subsided as small, familiar hands clasped his bicep. His eyes shifted away from Sabastian's stunned, watery eyes to Rory. He was trembling as he stood beside him, forging a strength he didn't possess on wobbly feet, Rin knew must be bringing him pain to bear. Rin turned back to Sabastian, his glare slowly fading as he released his hold on him. "You'd better be glad Rory stopped me. I don't give a fuck. I'll beat your bitch ass right here for the world to see. Try me."
The second Rin's hand fell away, and he'd turned toward Rory; Sabastian lunged forward. He shoved hard into Rin's back. "Do you think I care?! If I'm going to lose you anyway to that bitch? How could you!" Sabastian sent Rory a hate-filled glare. "You said you'd just seduce him and kick him to the curb like all the other assistants! But no! You... You actually like him! Don't you?!" Sabastian bit out as he watched Rin use his own body as a shield between Sabastian and Rory. Rin clung to Rory, holding him tightly against him with one arm as he held them away from the hard concrete tabletop Sabastian had nearly shoved them into.
"Enough..." Dillon growled as he yanked Sabastian's arms away from Rin and began pulling him toward the door. "Look around. You've caused enough of a scene." Dillon bared his teeth as he passed by the familiar, sharply dressed reporter from the performance earlier. One arm was crossed over her well-tailored suit, supporting the arm that held up her phone as she followed them through the crowd, a victorious smirk spread wide across her lips. Dillon narrowed his eyes as he pushed by her. "I hope you enjoyed the show."
"Very much so." Her honeyed voice was laced with venom as she replied, her phone now moving from him back to Rin and Rory as she added. "It is amazing how... dedicated... they are to the bit. One would almost believe they are a real couple, yeah..."
Dillon gritted his teeth as he clamped down on Sabastian's wrist, drawing a yelp from him. "Perhaps you should read his works. What you don't find in this book, I assure you, you'll find in the next." He turned his head, his gaze trained on the exit. "That's just how he works, always looking for motivation and inspiration for his next big hit. Nothing more... nothing less." He gave Sabastian's wrist a sharp pull, causing him to stumble. "Unfortunately, some of those around Rin are just too stupid to understand that."
The reporter turned her phone back to Dillon and Sabastian, intrigue coloring her expression. "Is that so? And would you like to elaborate on that?"
Dillon glared into the camera of her phone. "If you want an interview, contact our publicist. You'll not get more from us using these underhanded tactics. Expect to hear from our team... You've done your research, I'm sure... You know most of what you've gotten this weekend won't see the light of day... so why bother?"
She snorted out a laugh. "Oh, don't be so sure about that, Mr. Petrin."
Dillon froze. His eyes narrowed as they moved back to her arrogant gaze. "Who are you really?"
Her grin widened. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She tossed up her hand and began moving into the crowd, disappearing before he could follow.
Dillon let out a string of profanity as he turned and began pulling Sabastian back toward Rin and Rory. "You say another fucking word, and I swear I'll beat your ass myself." Rin was kneeling by the booth, examining Rory's injured foot, when Dillon got back to the table. "We have to go, now... That reporter from earlier is here and just recorded everything. I don't know who the fuck she is or what she wants, but I don't think she's exactly who she says she is."
Rin glanced up from Rory's foot. He sat back into a crouch and raked his hand through his hair. "Probably another enemy father has made over the years out to settle the score with me since Rodric Perish has made himself so untouchable..."
"Let's head back to the room first. I'll call Mandy on the way-"
"I'm not going back there with you!" Sabastian cut Dillon off. "Not if he's going to be there!"
"What fucking option do you have? Do you think we trust you?" Dillon snapped back.
Sabastian crossed his arms over his chest. "Take me home." He pursed his lower lip. "I want to go home."
Dillon exchanged looks with Rin, their expressions words enough. Dillon blew out a heavy sigh before finally nodding. "Fine, but I still need to swing by the room and get my shit." He turned his attention back to Rin as Rin stood and held his hand out to Rory. "I'll call Mandy while we wait for the ride. Will you two be ok?"
Rin nodded. "Yeah, as long as you keep his ass with you." Rin nodded toward Sabastian.
Dillon nodded. "Of course."
Sabastian's lower lip puckered and trembled. "Is this really it? Are you really throwing everything we had away for him?!"
Rin lurched forward and jabbed Sabastian in the chest with his finger. "Don't start your shit again. You've caused too much drama and drawn too much attention already. I promise you, if this goes south, I'm holding you personally responsible. Are you ready to deal with the consequences?"
Sabastian backed away, hiding behind Dillon as he did.
"That's what I thought," Rin growled.
Dillon blew out another heavy sigh. "I told the reporter this was all part of the next story... You better get to writing, dude..."
Rin ran his hand through his now messy hair. "Well, it will definitely make for a damn good start. Jealous lover..." He turned his attention to Rory. "Question is, would there be a new love interest or would I just be writing about unrequited attraction?"
Rory blushed and turned away as Sabastian's mouth dropped. His eyes moved rapidly between Rin and Rory. "You... He... Haven't?"
Rin turned his full attention to Rory and ran the back of his hand lightly over Rory's cheek. He could feel the attention of several people in the crowd on them. He knew well there had to be at least a few cameras recording right now... and action... "Have we done anything? Ha... No, my little ice prince barely lets me kiss him as required by work. I've had to change everything about the way I do the spicy scene because he refuses my touch." Rin ran his hand across to the other cheek and cupped his hand around Rory's face. He bent and pressed his forehead to Rory's. "Regardless of what I do... what I say... He'll not bend, not waiver... My ice prince... and it only makes me want him more..."
Though mesmerized by the way the lights around them caused Rin's violet eyes to shimmer, Rory could tell this was some elaborate performance. The words were too calculated, the actions too sensual... too perfect... Rory backed against the table, gripping its sides to better support his weight as he stared rebelliously into Rin's seductive gaze. "The beast may look like a man... but once an animal, always just an animal..."
Claps erupted from all around them. Rin grinned widely as he stepped away. He nodded and gave a slight bow as he moved his attention around the room. He'd guessed right. Hopefully, his and Rory's performance just now would save them some trouble later, but who knows? There was no part in the current story that involved Sabastian showing his ass. "Now, if you don't mind, we'll be taking our leave." He tossed a few large bills on the table and scooped Rory into his arms. "Don't mind my injured assistant here." He sent the crowd a wink. "We'll just have to add this as part of the new story as well."
Rory waited until they were out on the sidewalk before leaning closer to Rin's neck and asking. "New story?"
Rin shifted Rory in his arms as they waited for their lift back to the hotel. "Yes, Dillon told the reporter from earlier all this with Sabastian and you and me was staged as a promotion for the new book I'm working on." He chuckled. "I guess I'd better get to work when we get home, huh?"
Rory blushed as he tightened his arms around Rin's neck. "What... what did you have in mind then?"
Rin's expression became serious. "How about a writer who falls in love with his assistant, but the assistant plays hard to get? We'll make it a slow burn for once... Edge the readers worse than you have been doing me."
Rory's cheeks heated as he tried to hide his face against Rin's neck. "I've done no such thing."
"Really? Look how cute you're being right now? You've done nothing but turn me on over the past several weeks with this hot and cold game of yours. I want nothing more than to take you back to the room and fuck the shit out of you... But you'll turn me down again, right?"
Rory could feel his face heat up more. He tightened his hold around Rin's neck and pressed his mouth more firmly against his collarbone as he whispered. "I... I don't know..."
Rin's eyes widened, and his hold on Rory tightened. "What was that?"
"It's here. Come on." Dillon called out as he yanked Sabastian along behind him, his cell phone still pressed to his ear.
"We're not finished with this conversation," Rin whispered against Rory's ear as he lowered him to the seat, then crawled in beside him. He laced his fingers into Rory's and began questioning Dillon from the back seat of the SUV. "What did Mandy say?"
"The team is already on it. Videos have already begun going viral as expected. They've taken several down from the lobby, but more continue to surface." He glared over at Sabastian as he continued. "So far, most of the taglines are scorned ex-lover, scorned ex-employee, lovers spat... Nothing that implies relations with Rory, just with Sabastian. Your father already knew about him, so it's alright on that front. The worst of the videos that have come up tonight was about the horrible first half, questioning what happened there... but Mandy said that some of those have already been taken down and updated on their own thanks to your interview with the crowd after the show." Dillon paused as he sucked in and blew out a large breath of air. "As for the rest... Mandy said to continue playing the rest as a setup for a new story for now. Oversell it right now if we have to... whatever it takes..."
Rin nodded. "Heard..." His eyes shifted to Rory. "Are you comfortable with this? I can write the story I pitched just now..."
Rory bit into his lower lip as he studied Rin's heated gaze. He couldn't push words past the lump forming in his throat as he nodded. What would this mean for them... for the rest of the weekend?
Rin turned back to Dillon. "Then let's do it. Sabastian, I swear to fucking god, you better do your part. You got us into this mess."
Sabastian dropped his gaze to his lap as he nodded his head, but he didn't speak. His eyes trailed after Rin and Rory as Rin carried Rory through the lobby. He would have given anything for that to be him... to have Rin pour out that much open affection for him... but no... Rin had never looked at him that way, touched him that way... held him that way... affectionately... His brows furrowed... What did the little assistant have that he didn't?
"Aren't your arms getting tired? You've been carrying me around like this all day... I can walk a little, you know..." Rory grumbled.
Rin chuckled as he tossed Rory into the air and caught him. "Once you're as light as a feather. Two, I'm still trying to seduce you, and I figured this was sure to win me some brownie points."
Rory's brows bunched. "You realize you don't win brownie points if you're the cause of the injury?"
Sabastian watched as Dillon recorded their interaction. He wasn't alone. Some of the lingering guests were also filming. He lowered his head and kicked at a flake of invisible dust. He didn't realize the camera had turned to him until Rin's voice broke through his troubled thoughts.
"What's wrong? You still pouting? Need carried, too? You know I would if you'd injured more than just your selfish pride."
Sabastian could feel his cheeks heat. What was he supposed to say? He wasn't good at adlibbing. He quickened his pace as the elevators came into view. "I apologized already." He muttered as he made his way past Dillon's camera.
"You shouldn't apologize to me, you should apologize to him." Rin lifted Rory slightly.
Sabastian shot a glance over his shoulder before snapping his head back around. He hit the elevator button repeatedly until the door finally opened, then quickly stepped on. He watched as Rin barely made it on before the doors shut.
"What? Hoping to ride up by yourself? What good would that do when we're sharing a room?" Rin jabbed at him.
Sabastian dropped his gaze to the floor as Dillon stepped on, camera moving between him and Rin.
As the door shut, Dillon called out. "And... wrap..." He lowered the camera he almost always carried around his neck before leaning against the elevator wall. His eyes moved to Rin and Rory. "Ya know, on second thought..." He nodded toward them. "Sabastian, move over there. Lean your head against Rin's shoulder and caress Rory's thigh seductively. We're going to do a quick shoot in here. If we're really doing this shit... we're going all in."
Rin sent Dillon a wide grin. "Fuck yes. I knew I could count on you to pull through, man."
"You know it..."
As they stepped into the hotel room, Dillon's eyes moved around the room. "It's not the best, but it will have to work. We just need some basic poses anyway, right?"
Rin shrugged. "I guess. I was thinking, 'jealous old lover, hard to win new lover' trope."
Dillon nodded. "So... we'll do something like Sabastian pulling at you, you pulling at Rory, but Rory covering himself protectively... What do you say?"
Rin shrugged. "Sounds perfect. When can you have them ready for release?"
"If we work quickly, maybe in the next three to four hours..." Dillon considered.
"Will it be fast enough to beat whatever story that reporter may be cooking up?" Rory asked, his voice breaking slightly with nervous energy.
Rin and Dillon exchanged glances before they both shrugged in unison. "Who knows, Rin replied. We have no way of knowing exactly what her angle is or how large of a scoop she was able to get." Rin shot Sabastian a glare. "And thanks to this one, what we do know she got was pretty fucking incriminating both earlier and tonight..."
Sabastian fumbled with his hands, not lifting his gaze from them as he did so. "I'm sorry... I... I was just..."
"Jealous?" Rin supplied.