Beats of the Heart - Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Miles hummed happily, feeling a pair of strong arms wrapped around him. He nuzzled into the chest he was pressed against and listened closely to the steady heartbeats, not wanting to wake fully. He also did not want to brace for the brightness his closed eyes couldn't completely obscure.
"Miles," Shawn's voice was heavy with sleep, making Miles sigh contently. "We should get up."
"Don't want to," he murmured and tried to snuggle closer.  They were both lying on the couch naked, limbs tangled. The sheet barely covered them, and it was perfect.
Shawn chuckled. "I may have electricity and running water here, but I don't have any food. I want to feed you breakfast, but that means I have to take you somewhere."
"Another date?" Miles mused.
"Of course." Shawn chuckled and pulled back a little from his hold on Miles.
Miles finally opened his eyes and smiled at the sight that greeted him. Shawn was radiant. The sunlight was streaming into the windows, casting a halo effect around his large body. His hair was mussed, and black and white strands fell on his face. His lips curled lazily.
Miles wanted this. He wanted to wake up like this every morning.
"I hope you have a shower here. I don't think I want to go anywhere looking and smelling like sex." Miles said with a laugh.
He gingerly stood up, letting the sheet fall from his body. He was sore, but it was a good ache—a reminder of the night they shared.
Shawn groaned. "This may be my favorite look on you." He pulled Miles back into his arms, making him tumble onto his lap.
"What? Naked or thoroughly fucked?"
"Definitely both," Shawn said as he nipped Miles' ear. "Master bedroom is at the end of the hall. The shower should be up and running."
"And towels?"
Shawn cursed. "Sheets?" He suggested, which earned a laugh from Miles.
"Your cleaners are going to hate us."
Shawn recoiled a little. "I'll come back and take care of everything before their scheduled day." Shawn gave him a chaste kiss. "Go on. Let's clean up real quick."
Miles nodded happily and headed to the room. Shawn watched him walk away, almost stunned by his fortune. He didn't wake from his reverie until Miles was out of sight.
"You joining me?" Miles called out from the room. Shawn hurriedly followed his voice and found him testing the water temperature in the large shower.
Shawn looked around the bathroom, unfamiliar with the place. "I should consider moving in," he murmured.
Miles grabbed his hand and pulled him under the water with him. "Why don't you?"
Shawn's fingers brushed against Miles' ribs, following the intricate tattoos to his collarbone. "I always planned to. I wanted to give Scott more control of the company and hire more people to help run Aura. Then I could gradually settle into retirement. But I keep delaying that goal."
"Why?" Miles asked as he leaned into Shawn's touch.
"Things were going well. Jaxon was killing it at the box office, and we were growing exponentially.  Then when things were settling, and we established our brand, Nick introduced me to Alex Lee."
Like the rest of the world, Miles knew the story of Jaxon and Alex. Jaxon was the most prolific actor of their generation and gorgeous to boot. But he was the perpetual loner, never dated, and never was caught in a scandal—the golden boy of Aura.
Then Nick invited the CEOs of a few entertainment companies to watch one of his bartenders perform, Alex Lee. Needless to say, the beautiful man was captivating in a way that couldn't compare. Aura won him over, and he catapulted to the top. Eclipse's current downfall began when a few of Brian's employees targeted Alex. However, Alex and Jaxon moved past the ordeal, found their happily ever after, and married.
Miles followed their story in the media. It was almost unbelievable how they came together and fell in love, but it was inspiring nonetheless. He suddenly found himself chuckling.
"What's so funny?" Shawn asked.
"Just thinking about how Jaxon and Alex's story is the shit you see in fairy tales. They seem... perfect."
Shawn laughed while his lips were pressed against Miles' neck, making him shiver. "Perhaps. But they had their faults and their slips here and there. I think that only makes their relationship more beautiful."
"I can appreciate that," Miles agreed quietly. "And now Jaxon has retired, and Alex has been consistently at the top of the charts. What's stopping you from stepping away and moving here?"
Shawn was quiet for a moment. "This house is beautiful and extremely large."
"Is that a problem?"
Shawn sighed. "It's lonely."
Miles could feel the vulnerability radiating off him. He didn't want to ruin the moment with empty words, so he hugged him instead.
"You know, the funny thing is, I bought this place years ago to make it a home, but it never felt that way when I walked through the front door. I eventually started to avoid it. I kept making excuses... perhaps I should sell it."
"If you sell it, would you stay in your condo?"
Shawn shrugged. "Perhaps. Maybe I will get a townhouse like yours."
"Really?"
"I had never felt more at ease than at your place," he chuckled.
Miles smiled at that. He understood Shawn's sentiment of loneliness because he had felt that for too long, but now his house was filled with energy. It was home.
He was half tempted to ask Shawn to move in with him, but bit back his words. He didn't want to come across as clingy or overeager.
"You should come over more often," Miles offered instead. "Not just for the kids."
Shawn's fingers trailed the tattoos on his back. "I like that idea."
They fell into a comfortable silence, letting the water cascade down their bodies. When the water had turned cold they rushed out of the shower.
Shawn watch Miles dry himself, appreciating the view. However, he stilled as his gaze lingered on Miles' tattoos and his eyes narrowed in concentration.
"I never noticed before, but those look familiar. Like..." His words trailed off, but he suddenly chuckled and shook his head as if something clicked in place.
Miles wasn't paying attention and didn't register Shawn's words. "What?" He asked.
Shawn shook his head. "Nothing. I just realized something." He wrapped his arms around Miles and kissed him. "Let's go eat."
Shawn drove him to a small restaurant, and they were able to grab a secluded table in the corner. Some people had taken a double look at Shawn as if they thought he looked familiar but couldn't place him. Miles tensed at the attention the first couple of times but soon adapted and ignored the looks.
"I was wondering if you..." Shawn stalled as he took a sip from his coffee. "Well... I know you were hesitant about announcing our relationship, but I wasn't sure if you wanted to tell friends and family."
Miles chuckled. "I doubt it will stay quiet."
Shawn winced. "With my aunt finding out, it's only a matter of time. I can stop her, but I'm not sure how effective that would be."
Miles sighed lightly. "Considering the text messages on my phone, she had told my Nan. This also means that her bridge circle will know about it soon... so it's a matter of time before Larry finds out."
"Is that going to be a problem?"
"Nothing I can't handle," Miles said with a small smile. If Larry dared to acknowledge him, he would either go on another homophobic rant or try to use him to get to Shawn.
Miles had known he was gay for a long time, and his mom took it in stride. He had never worried about coming out of the closet with her because she supported him and encouraged him to live freely. She always fought for him, even when her sickness had bedridden her.
Larry had a very different reaction when he found out. Miles was in his early 20s and trying to keep his promise to his mom by giving Larry a chance. At that time, Larry believed he could use Miles to build connections, even when he despised him. He invited Miles to dinner and tried to set him up with a woman from an influential family. Miles endured the blatant matchmaking attempt, but Larry pushed too hard. Larry realized his error when Miles asked if the woman was hiding a dick under her pretty dress because that was all he was interested in.
Unfortunately for Larry, the dinner did not end well. The young woman's family was aghast, and Larry was mortified.
Now that he had matured, he had learned not to be so crass. At least now, Larry knew Miles' preferences, although he made it clear that he was disgusted by it.
However, Miles never really dated. And if he was with a man, he was never public or serious enough to alert Larry. If he were caught dating, it would spark another self-righteous tirade about how he was rebelling against human nature.
Larry was too narrow-minded to appreciate the fluidity of sexuality and gender.
It was just another reason to avoid him as much as possible.
However, he didn't know what Larry would do if he found Miles dating Shawn Pierce. Would he suddenly swallow his prejudices for the chance to make a connection?
Not that it would matter. Miles was stubborn and proud. He would keep Larry away from Shawn as much as possible.
"Are you worried Larry would bring in the press?" Shawn asked.
Miles laughed. "Larry? Not at all. You pointed out people will look into my past. That means they will find that I am his bastard son. He would do everything in his power to avoid that."
"You sure?"
Miles nodded with a smile lingering on his lips. "I am. His hatred for me outweighs his love for money."
Shawn looked uncomfortable, not sure if he should apologize. Miles reached over the table and held his hand. "I'm not brokenhearted over it."
"Why do you suffer him?"
"So Danny doesn't have to face it alone," Miles said with a shrug and suddenly frowned. "Damn. I don't want Danny to find out about us through rumors."
Shawn ran his thumb across Miles' hand. "No, I don't think he would forgive either of us if that happened."
Their discussion drifted to dinner plans so they could break the news to Danny. Similar plans were made for their close friends and Miles' DJs. It seemed official. Permanent. Perfect.
As much as they wanted to spend their day together, Shawn had to visit the office, and Miles was inspired to make music. They went their separate ways after their late breakfast.
After showering and changing at home, Miles found himself in his studio, his fingers tapping out sharp, staccato notes. Miles smiled, pulled out his drum machine, and started the recording equipment. With the rhythmic press of the buttons, he began to create an underlying baseline.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
The beats resonated and stirred inside him, echoing the sound of a heartbeat.
Miles lost himself in front of his computer for hours, switching between MIDI players and his turntables. Soon, his screen was filled with stems, building into a song that may be the best he had ever created.
His phone chimed, breaking his concentration. He peeled his eyes away from his computer and read Danny's message to tell him everyone had arrived.
"Everyone?" Miles muttered as he rubbed his jaw. He looked down at his outfit to ensure it was appropriate for company. Worn and torn jeans and a long-sleeved shirt were fine for Danny and his friends.
He meandered up the stairs. When he reached the parlor, he tried to rub the stress from his eyes.
"You alright?" Danny asked.
Miles' vision was still blocked by his hands when he nodded. "Staring at that computer all afternoon," he answered with an exhausted but satisfied grin. "But it's going to be worth it."
He dropped his hand, grin still firmly in place, when he noticed it wasn't just Danny and his friends in the parlor. For some reason, his DJs and Shawn had also joined them. The only one missing, unsurprisingly, was Trickshot.
His DJs practically bounced in anticipation from his words but knew not to say too much. They didn't want to reveal that Miles was Requiem in front of others.
"Worth it?" Phase asked tentatively.
Miles nodded and collapsed next to Shawn on the couch. Shawn automatically wrapped his arm around Miles' shoulders, drawing a content sigh from Miles.
Miles ignored the curious glances cast his and Shawn's way. "It's just the beginning, but I have a feeling this will be Requiem's best album."
Their closeness was forgotten at that moment. He watched his DJs make a ruckus. They were happy he was inspired again after being trapped under business obligations for a long time. He smiled warmly, feeling that things were finally falling into place.
And now, he was surrounded by friends and family—a circle that was becoming larger than ever before.
"This means we need to celebrate," Flux said happily. She rushed to Miles' liquor cabinet, pulled out a bottle of wine, and started to fill glasses for all of them.
As she was handing them out, Shawn leaned closer to Miles. "Is this what you all normally do when someone is making an album?"
Miles shook his head. "Not really. We only do this when someone breaks out of their creative funk."
"That's right!" Phase shouted, thrusting his glass forward and threatening to spill his wine. "It's rough when musicians get writer's block... or music block. Creator's block?"
Miles chuckled. "It's something we like to celebrate because we all have hit that wall before."
"Definitely worth celebrating," Shawn said with a warm smile and a look of pride. The pure affection in his gaze made Miles wonder if he knew he was Requiem. He felt no trepidation at the thought—only a deep sense of contentment. He realized he no longer wanted to hide from Shawn. He decided after their small celebration he would bring Shawn downstairs and reveal everything.
"I didn't think Requiem could hit a wall," Rob said quietly. His cheeks were already flushed from the alcohol. Miles would have never let the kids drink, but it was a big night, and he decided not to say anything about it.
Miles huffed out a rueful laugh, swirling the wine in his glass. "I wish that was the case. But it's been a challenging couple of years."
The others murmured their agreement, but Miles attention was drawn to Danny, whose work cell was ringing. Danny frowned but answered.
"Dirge Records. This is Danny." He was quiet and paled a little. "Give me a second, please."
He muted the phone and turned to Miles. "Did you know Trickshot was performing tonight?"
Miles stood. "No. He didn't tell me anything." He looked around at the others, but they all denied knowing.
Quake clicked his tongue with annoyance. "Where is he? He should have told us so we can cheer him on."
"Who's on the phone?" Miles asked.
"Um," Danny hesitated. "The owner of the club he's at. A place called Ice."
Miles swayed, the color draining from his face. "Why the fuck is he there?"
"I don't know," Danny whispered.
"Fuck," Miles spat out the curse. "Is that Sergio on the line?"
Miles felt the scar on his side burn from the memory of Sergio and his workers digging out the bullet many years ago.
Danny shook his head. "No. Some guy named Jay Williams."
The glass slipped from Miles' hand and crashed on the ground. The last time he had seen Jay was when he held the gun to his head.
"What does he want?" Miles' voice was venomous.
Why would Jay be reaching out? He had kept his mouth shut. He didn't tell anyone that Jay and his gang had murdered his friends. He kept that horrible memory locked away. There was no reason for Jay to find him. Unless... was Trickshot fucking around in Jay's territory?
Miles shivered at the thought.
"He said he wanted to talk to you," Danny said. "Are you okay?"
Miles held out the hand, requesting the phone. Danny hesitated when he saw him trembling but still handed it over.
"This is Miles," he finally said, praying his voice didn't reveal the fear bristling inside him.
"DJ Kid... It's been a long time." Although Jay was older, his voice was familiar. The phantom pain from the bullet made him nearly double over.
"Why are you calling?" Miles asked as he walked away from the group.
Jay sighed. "I didn't want to be the one to call you. I know I'm the last person you want to hear from."
Miles scoffed at his words. "That's an understatement."
"I'm calling about your DJ."
Miles felt his knees buckle, but he leaned against the wall to keep himself upright. "What did he do?"