His Ex-Boyfriend

Jason North is the lead guitarist for Mullerin, a rock band he's formed with his old school friends. After years of touring, Mullerin is now semi-successful, and Jason has escaped what he's always dreaded, being poor, obscure, and alone. He's done everything he thinks he should, or rather, everything society considers proper for a successful young man. He's married and settled down. He's satisfied with his life, or thinks he ought to be. Then he runs across the dark secret of his past, a secret he thought he had buried two years ago. He encounters his ex—namely, his ex-boyfriend, and his life implodes. Old desires can never truly be laid to rest. His Ex-Boyfriend is set in the same world as Undone by Beauty, Crossing Dreams, and The Wedding Night. Two words, breathed out, fogged the silvery polish of the knife blade in front of Jason's eyes. "HOLY FUCK." The guitarist began to sob as the hunting knife shifted from the bridge of his nose to his Adam's apple. It dented skin as it pressed inwards. "Please stand very still, North. You're moving too much. You might hurt yourself, inadvertently." Jason had never been so scared in his entire life. Sobbing scared, trembling scared, his hands flopping against the brick wall behind him. The knife screwed its tiny point into the skin over his neck. His mouth fell open as he gasped for air, and he felt the other man's mouth cover his own, almost tenderly. "I like to taste fear," Alexis whispered. The singer's thumb massaged the pounding artery in Jason's throat, feeling the pulsations. After what seemed forever, Mellor broke the kiss. "Delicious. You're so very afraid. Why are you afraid, North?” "Fucking dammit, you're THREATENING ME WITH A KNIFE!" Tiny whimpers were now able to leave Jason's throat. "What?" Alexis asked as if surprised. "I may be showing you this pretty knife and asking you--very nicely, I might add--to hold still, but that doesn't mean I'm threatening you, North. Ah, now I remember. Someone once told me you have a fear of knives and other sharp objects. That's so sad. It's a beautiful knife, isn't it? So VERY sharp."