Heartsville 01 - Bookmarked (Piper Vaughn) (9 page)

In the grand scheme of things, the damage was relatively minor, and of course, he had insurance on the shop. But after months of depression and agonizing about ways to keep Bookmarked afloat, the attack on his store felt like a physical blow. He imagined this was what parents experienced whenever their children got injured. Bookmarked, his baby, was bleeding. Every beat of Mark’s heart brought a new wave of pain.

“They should be here any minute.”

Mark nodded again, letting himself be pulled into Shep’s arms. He rested his head on Shep’s shoulder and closed his eyes. It would be hours yet before most businesses on the strip opened. The people from Market Café were always first to arrive. Aaron would see Mark’s humiliation. Everyone would. And they’d rally around him, because that was what people in Heartsville did for one another, but at that moment, Mark couldn’t find any comfort in the thought. His wounds were too fresh.

“Do you want to go inside?” Shepherd asked.

“No.”

Shepherd caressed his back, a slow, soothing sweep, and Mark realized at some point he’d started crying. His nose burned, and tears trailed a path down his cheek on one side; the others soaked into the material of Shepherd’s jacket.

“It’ll be okay,” Shepherd whispered. “We’ll fix it.”

Mark didn’t speak. Yes, they would. They’d put Bookmarked back together. But it was the fact that it
needed
to be fixed that hurt.

****

Dealing with the police took forever. Mark told them his suspicions about the blond boy he’d last seen the weekend of the signings. Unfortunately, he didn’t have video surveillance in the store, but he gave the cops a description, and there were traffic cameras at the nearest intersection. The officers planned to pull the footage from the past few hours to see if they’d captured “the incident.”

It didn’t appear that anything had been stolen, and the door was still secure, which was something, at least. And they’d discovered what had been used to break the window: one of the paver bricks that surrounded the small tree in front of the shop.

Adam showed up in the middle of it all, bursting into the store wearing a frantic expression. Relief washed across his face when he spotted Mark speaking to one of the cops near the checkout registers. He rushed over and yanked Mark into a fierce hug. “Oh my God, Mark! You’re okay. I was in the studio getting my lenses for the wedding when I saw the cruisers through the window. My heart almost leaped out of my chest. I thought something had happened to you.
Fuck.
”

Mark buried his face against Adam’s neck and just breathed for a moment. “I’m okay. Sorry. There’s been so much going on. I should’ve called or texted or something.”

Adam cupped the back of his head, holding him close. “I’m just glad you’re all right. Do they know who did this?”

“Not yet.”

Adam leaned back to look at him. “I’m sorry, babe. God, I wish I could stay with you. Is Shepherd here?”

“Yeah. He went to the back room to get the vacuum and stuff.”

The officer beside them cleared his throat. “Mr. Werner? If we could continue?”

Adam sent him a glare hot enough to melt iron. “Can you give us a second here?”

The officer, Jenkins, flushed and ducked his head.

Adam sighed. “I wish I didn’t have this wedding. I have to be in Chicago in an hour to take pictures of the bridal party as they get ready.”

Mark tightened his arms for another quick embrace, then released Adam and pulled away. “Don’t be late on my account. I don’t want someone else’s day to be ruined because of this. Go ahead. I’ll talk to you later.”

“I’ll call you tonight.” Adam kissed him on the cheek, and with another glare at the cop, he took off as fast as he’d come in.

Jenkins cleared his throat again. “Sorry, sir. Just a few more questions and we’ll be out of your hair….”

Eventually, the officers left, promising to be in touch soon. Mark wished he could follow them. People kept stopping by to express their sympathy and outrage, and while Mark appreciated the concern, he was tired of repeating the story. As exhausted as he felt, he wanted nothing more than to bury himself under his blankets and forget the whole night had ever happened. But there was too much work to be done to allow himself that luxury.

Mark began by taking pictures of the damage. Not that he wanted the reminder, but it seemed wise to have them for the insurance company and his own personal records. Then, he and Shepherd rolled up their sleeves and started cleaning.

They tackled the window first, removing the larger loose shards before Shepherd swept up the smaller pieces and eggshells from the sidewalk. While he did that, Mark went through the books from the Jack Drake display, setting aside the ones that had been ruined by the yolks.

At nine o’clock, Shep left for the hardware store to buy supplies to board up the window. Shoulders slumped in defeat, Mark stood at the front door, scrubbing ineffectually at the spray paint. He knew he could use a razor blade to scrape it off the glass panes, but there seemed to be no helping the wood. It would have to be re-painted.

“Markell? What on earth…?”

“Shit.” Mark dropped the brush into the bucket of soapy water at his feet. In all the chaos, he’d forgotten to call his father. He turned to find Bruno standing there with a cup of coffee in hand and dismay on his face.

Bruno’s expression darkened when Mark’s movement allowed him to read the words on the door.

“Who did this?” Bruno asked, fury vibrating in his voice.

Mark sighed and gestured vaguely. “We have an idea, but we’re not sure yet. The cops are looking into it.”

Bruno frowned, his eyebrows drawing together. “You should’ve called me.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

His father crossed the space between them and yanked Mark into a hug. “Don’t apologize to me.
I’m
sorry this happened to you.”

Mark sniffed, fighting the burn of tears of in his nostrils. He wouldn’t cry again, especially not now when traffic was picking up and people stared as they passed.

Bruno patted his back gently. “Will we be opening today?”

Mark pulled free of his embrace and swiped a hand under his eyes. “Yeah. I’m not going to let them shut me down, even for a day.”

Pride flared in Bruno’s eyes. He nodded, mouth set in a firm line. “That’s my boy. Let me put this coffee down, and I’ll help you. Just tell me what needs to be done.”

****

At ten o’clock, Mark flipped his business sign to open. The boards were only a temporary fix for the broken window, and the slur was still clearly readable on the front door, but he refused to keep the store closed until it could be painted over. He wouldn’t allow the person who’d vandalized Bookmarked that victory. Those words would be covered before the end of the day. For now, he refused to be shamed. The only person who should feel ashamed was the one who’d written that message. Mark had nothing to be embarrassed about, though it had taken a pep talk from Bruno to help convince him of that.

So he was a queer who cared about recycling. That was news to absolutely no one around here. Mark took pride in his identity
and
his convictions. He always had. No way in hell would he let anyone take that from him.

“You should go home, Markell. Get some rest.”

Mark stirred from where he’d been propped against the checkout counter, his eyelids drifting shut. God, he was tired. Nosiness had compelled the local looky-loos to come snooping. Maybe they felt bad for him, because a lot of them made purchases, and it had made for a surprisingly busy morning.

He glanced toward Shep, who sat half-asleep on one of the chairs in the lounge area. Mark had tried to convince him to leave. Shep simply said, “This is where I need to be. I’m not going anywhere until you do.” But Bruno was right. They both needed rest.

“Harlen’s is open until six. Go sleep for a few hours. Then buy the paint, and I’ll take care of the door before I leave this afternoon.”

Maybe Mark should’ve argued, but he couldn’t deal with the insurance people until tomorrow morning anyway, and the last six hours had been hell. His bed called him like a siren song. Bookmarked was safe for the time being. What was he trying to prove by standing there practically comatose?

Mark rubbed his face. “Okay. Good idea. I’ll be back at three or four, if that’s all right?”

“That’s fine. Off with you. I can handle everything here. Mandy’s upstairs, if I need someone to talk to.”

Oh yeah.
Mark was so dazed he’d nearly forgotten she’d come in, and she’d even hugged him and ranted about wanting to hunt down the assholes who’d vandalized Bookmarked and string them up by their toes.

“Tell her I’ll see her later, if she leaves before I get back.” Mark embraced his father, thanked him, and went to tap Shep on the shoulder.

Shep jerked so hard he almost fell off his chair. “
Jesus.
” He blinked at Mark with bloodshot eyes. “Sorry. You scared me. I was zoning out.”

“Me too. Let’s go home. I need sleep and a shower.” Not to mention his teeth felt fuzzy and gross. Another item for his to-do list: buy toothpaste and a travel brush to keep in his desk.

Shep got to his feet. “Food would also be good.”

“Yes. Definitely.”

Calling good-bye to Bruno, they left the shop and made the quick walk to Mark’s apartment. Mark’s first order of business was to shower. He debated just falling into bed for a second, but his clothes stank of cleaning products and egg. The last thing he wanted to do was transfer that stench to his sheets.

He dragged Shepherd into the bathroom behind him and they stripped in silence, both of them moving slowly. Mark took a minute to brush his teeth and then started the water while Shepherd took his turn.

Mark stepped under the spray as soon as the temperature was tolerable. He’d shampooed his hair and was in the process of scrubbing his body when Shep joined him in the tub.

Wordlessly, he handed Shep the shower gel. Shepherd squirted some onto his palm and began to soap his torso. Bubbles clung to the lean lines of his chest and Mark found himself distracted by the soapy rivulets as they trailed down Shepherd’s flat stomach to the trimmed bush above his cock.

Mark knew Shep worked out, mainly cycling and swimming, and it showed. No six-pack graced his abs, but Shepherd clearly took care of himself. He was strong and in impressive shape considering he spent most of his hours sitting in a desk chair. Mark’s nightly runs kept him slim, and he was grateful for it as Shep’s gaze roved over his body in open appreciation.

Mark stepped forward and fisted Shepherd’s cock, using the water and soap for lube as he tugged the stiffening shaft. “I want you to fuck me.”

Shep’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

Mark dragged his hand from Shepherd’s root to his tip, where he circled his thumb around the slit. “Totally sure. I’ve been wanting it since the first time I saw you.”

Mark’s exhaustion had nothing on the desperate ache that had begun filling him when Shepherd joined him under the spray. He needed the visceral relief of a hard, thorough pounding, to let himself feel vulnerable and surrender himself to someone he trusted. To Shep.

“I want it too.” Shep’s voice wavered as Mark squeezed his cockhead and added a twist to the downward stroke.

“Yeah. Now. Let’s finish up here.”

The rest of the shower consisted of wandering hands and sloppy kisses. They made only a cursory attempt at drying themselves before hitting the bed in a tangle of limbs.

Mark bowed his back as Shepherd latched onto one of his nipples. He hissed in a breath and clutched at Shep’s head, threading his fingers in shaggy black hair still dripping with water. During the last few weeks, he’d learned Shepherd wasn’t usually the type to go straight for a guy’s cock. Shep liked to tease, and he loved foreplay. Even as impatient as Mark was to have Shep inside him, he couldn’t find fault in a man who put so much single-minded focus on his pleasure.

Shepherd nibbled his way down Mark’s chest and dipped his tongue into the indent of Mark’s navel. He nuzzled at Mark’s happy trail before nipping sharply at a hipbone. Mark moaned and arched his hips, thrusting his cock toward Shepherd’s face. Shep chuckled but bypassed his dick and moved on to drop kisses along one thigh, then the other.

Shep sat back on his heels and grinned at him. “Roll over.”

Mark obeyed without thinking and let Shepherd arrange him so his knees were tucked under his body and his ass was in the air. Firm hands caressed his cheeks, parting them roughly. Shep breathed over his exposed hole, and Mark felt the muscle clench in response.
Oh God….

“Gonna eat you out,” Shep whispered. “Lick you open for my cock. Would you like that?”

Mark tried to answer, but the touch of Shep’s lips sent the concept of speech to some distant, primordial place in his brain. He was left with grunts and groans, a slave to sensation as Shep lived up to his promise and tongued him open with agonizing thoroughness.