Matt’s POV

“What a fucking crowd tonight,” I huffed, blowing out a cloud of smoke to alleviate my anger. Who was I kidding; we all know that I’m pissed off at Dice. How could she stand in front of me and flirt with guy after guy and leave me sitting by myself at the end of the bar with an empty glass? I didn’t get her—one minute she was hot and the next she was cold. Not to mention that she was spending a lot of time with Gates. Sure he was my best friend but he wasn’t supposed to be hitting it off with my girlfriend.

“What do you expect, it’s a Saturday night?” MJ mused with a cigarette hanging from her painted red lips. She blew out a cloud of smoke as her sad blues met mine. Yeah, I knew exactly how she felt—the same way I did. Seemed like Gates and Dice were both on the same page lately, fucking and parting their lives away. I don’t think either of them has woken up the entire week without a hangover. So why did MJ and I stick with them? It’s simple—that little thing called love blinded us both. Somewhere deep down we both hoped that things would go back to normal, no matter how delusional that hope was. “How was recording today?”

“We finished Almost Easy,” Zacky shrugged, inching closer and closer to the blonde. I could see him undressing her with his eyes. Though it wasn’t hard with what she was wearing. Hell, black leather pants, boots, and a black lace tank? Did she look hot? Yeah, but it wasn’t me or Zack she was trying to impress. “Are you going to come by tomorrow?”

“I’m sure that’s not on Blondie’s list of priorities on her day off,” and didn’t she have plans with Dice? Hell, I didn’t know what that girl did anymore because she wasn’t ever home. You want to know where she was? Well, if you find out, please enlighten me because I have no fucking idea.

MJ scoffed and took another hit. “Well, it’s not like I have anything better to do,” she sighed, nibbling on her bottom lip with her cigarette between her fingers. “Plus, I’m pretty sure Jimmy will want to work on the video.”

“That thing isn’t done yet?” I was surprised with how many hours she had put into it that it still wasn’t done. But then again, she was working with Jimmy. Most of the time I found the two giggling like idiots on the couch but they could have just been watching cat videos for all I knew. That was another thing I had learned about MJ recently, she was obsessed with cat videos. Why do I know this? Because we both have spent countless hours waiting for the illusive Dice to show up for dates.

“Is the song done yet?” she countered with raised brow. Zack and I both raised our hands in mock defense. Well one thing was for sure, MJ was starting to find her voice now that she wasn’t hiding from the devil himself. “Because I can only do so much with a demo, especially when you guy keep changing things, or adding them…or whatever you do.”

“Okay, okay, we get it,” Zacky moved over and put his arm around her. “Tell you what, Blondie, you show up tomorrow and we’ll work on cleaning it up and I’ll take you out for dinner.” Did I just witness a Vengeance pick up line? Really dude, you’re going for Gates’ girl? I personally thought it was death wish on his part, but I wasn’t going to say anything. Hell, I guess if he could sleep around so could she since I didn’t think they were officially together anymore.

“Wow, dinner and work, huh?” she laughed, throwing her blonde locks back. I suddenly felt like I shouldn’t be standing here anymore, feeling like I was invading on Vengeance trying to close the deal. “I’ll think about it. Though I think I’m supposed to go shopping with Dice, but who the hell knows.” Wasn’t that the truth.

“Well what I do know is that its fucking freezing out here and I need a drink,” Zack said just as I turned to walk back inside. I couldn’t stand outside and witness that shit anymore. If Zacky wanted to dabble in Gates’ sloppy seconds and have a death wish, that was his prerogative. I on the other hand wanted to get to the bottom of what Gates was laughing about with my girlfriend.

“What the hell are you chuckling about, Gates?” I said, my hands landing heavily on his shoulders. He simply shook his head and watched MJ move behind the bar, though I wasn’t sure if he actually saw her. My eyes were too busy watching Dice flirt her way down the line of guys at the bar.

“Nothing,” he smiled and it took everything in my power not to punch someone. What the hell was she doing? She was my girlfriend and I didn’t much appreciate her flaunting herself to everyone at the bar.

The next thing I knew, I had a glass of Patron in my hand as I watched that hot tamale. I took a large gulp of the pale liquid, enjoying the burn down my throat. Hell, if I kept this up, I was going to end up in jail because there was no way that I was just going to sit her and watch her play these fucking mind games. I was about ready to snap when Brian’s voice pulled me back to the land of the living.

“Come on Shads, it’s starting to feel like our lucky night,” he said, my eyes following his gaze to the brunette bartender, Amber, and her friends at the pool table. It must have been her night off and it wasn’t exactly a mystery that he had been sleeping with her, and pretty much right under MJ’s nose I might add.

Reluctantly I followed along, my eyes still scanning the bar to see Dice now talking to MJ. Well, finally she was doing something that didn’t make me want to strangle her. Just stay fucking there instead of flashing everyone at the bar, Dice. Are you kidding me? Now she’s showing her boobs to MJ? Well, that was kind of hot but still.

I took another large sip of my drink and leaned against the pool table, watching Gates do what he does best—pick up multiple women. “So what are we playing here, ladies?” he asked, his hand running down the small of some redhead’s back. “Do you mind if my friend and I join you?”

“Only if you can help us break. You see, this is our first time,” the girl said, running her finger down Brain’s chest. I rolled my eyes and stood up just as a brunette walked over in front of me. Okay, so maybe this could be fun and get Dice’s attention. How could this go wrong, right? I got to touch this beautiful chick and get my girlfriends attention, seemed like a win-win.

The only problem was that it didn’t even earn a glance from Dice as I pushed myself up against that hot little piece of ass. Not to mention that Gates disappeared with Amber and the redhead in the middle of the game, leaving me to have a conversation with –what was her name—Kaitlyn? Not that it mattered.

“So what do you say we get out of here, big boy?” she purred, walking her fingers up my chest as she cornered me. Normally I would have jumped at the first chance to have a hot little lady like this, but I couldn’t do that to Dice. Not even if things were exactly great between us.

And that’s when I saw something that made my blood boil. There she was, handing what appeared to be her phone number to some dipwad at the end of the bar. Oh, she was going to get it and she was going to get it good! “Excuse me,” I said, pulling away and storming over to the bar just as the guy walked away. “We need to talk!” I hissed, trying to control my soring temper as I grabbed her by the arm and toward the storeroom. How did I know where that was? Simple, Dice and I used to hook up there when she was on break. That hadn’t happened in a good three weeks now, hell, nothing had really happened between us in three weeks.

“What the hell is your problem, Matt?” she hissed as I pushed her against the shelf of Vodka. “I’m working! You cant just drag me away!”

“Please, like that ever stopped you before,” I spat, my eyes narrow and clouded with rage. “What the fuck was that?”

“What was what?” Did she seriously look bored right now? Oh, now I was seeing red! I grabbed her chin and forced those green eyes to look at me. For just a brief second I thought I saw a glimmer of the light I once saw, but then it quickly faded. She pulled away from me, glaring daggers.

“All this shit you’ve been pulling tonight. Hell, for the past few weeks!” I was so mad that I didn’t even realize that I was clenching my fists. “You’re my girlfriend and I shouldn’t see you giving out your fucking phone number and flashing your tits to every dick that moves.”

“Well, technically, I didn’t flash myself, I just gave a slip. No nipple you see,” she grinned like she was really fucking enjoying herself. That was fucking it. Before I could stop myself, I grabbed a bottle of Grey Goose off the shelf and threw it as hard as I could across the room.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I raged, not even noticing the piece of glass in my hand. "Why can't you see that I'm trying to make this work!"

Dice simply scoffed and ran her finger through her bangs, crossing her arms. “You’re what’s wrong! I’m not your fucking property, Matt! And you better believe I’m putting that bottle on your tab! Oh, and another thing, you can take this possession thing and shove it up your ass!” she yelled before turning and heading for the door. Oh, no you don’t get off that easy, sweetheart!

“Don’t you fucking walk away from me!”

I grabbed her arm and yanked her around, pinning her against the one brick wall in the room. My chest was rising and falling so quickly due to my anger that I barely knew what I was doing. I took her face in my hands and pressed her lips against mine as hard as I could, begging her to feel something for me. Anything! Come on, how could she be all over me one day and so cold the next. I was surprised when her lips came back at me hungrily. My fingers tangled in her hair as I picked her up and pressed her to the wall, my dick stabbing her in the thigh. Didn't she feel anything for me?

However, the thrill was short lived because seconds later she pulled away and smacked me across the face. “And that’s for being a dick and pulling me off the floor during my shift!” she raged before spinning on her heel and leaving me standing in the storeroom. I gapped at her, holding my burning cheek. What the fuck was that?

I let out a frustrated the roar and ran my hands over my face. What the hell was going on with us? She had never turned me down before, let alone here of all places. Dice was always looking for an excuse to leave the bar for a few minutes, so why was it suddenly a big deal? No, we couldn’t be over. I refused to admit that. Hell, I love the girl, didn’t I? Well, at least I thought I did. No, this is not how this was going to end. Fuck, this was so messed up! I turned to the brick wall and punched it as hard as I could, not caring what the damage to my hand was. Hell, this felt better than admitting that my relationship with Dice was falling apart.

“Yo, Shads, where are you going?” Zack called after from the bar as I stormed past a few minutes later. “Come do some shots with me!”

“I’m going home,” I growled, feeling blood drip down my knuckles. The last thing I wanted to do was sit there and watch Dice fuck with my mind for the last hour of her shift. “Tell, Dice she can find her own way home,” I said to MJ before heading out the door, leaving the blonde with a confused look on her face.

MJ’s POV

I couldn’t help but watch Brian as he made his way around the bar. Call me a stalker or a freak but I still loved him, no matter how crazy that sounded. I had been so heartbroken when he came home with some chick that I called the whole thing off. But then Brain begged me to say, so there had to be some hope right? I hoped that all this would blow over and that we would kiss and make up, but that was three weeks ago. And boy did it hurt to see him go after a different girl every night when I was standing here waiting for him.

“Stop staring, it’s not going to help,” Dice said in my ear as I watched Brian play a game of pool with that bitch Amber and her friends. Couldn’t he at least pick someone I didn’t despise? “And easy on the glassware, love.” I looked down to see broken glass in my hand. Well, I had been trying to wash it, but I guess that was a waste of time now.

I sighed and wiped off my hands with a towel before placing my elbows on the counter. “I-I just don’t know what else to do…” I whispered, pulling at my blonde locks. Hell, I even curled my hair tonight and he didn’t even notice. He didn’t notice anything I did anymore unless I was in his bed. Yes, I know we broke up but I hoped that he would come back and I couldn’t say no to him. I would go to the ends of the earth for him and I wasn’t sure he even knew that.

“Just have fun and stop thinking about it. You think way too much,” Dice laughed, pulling out a glass to make a Gin and Tonic. “Go with the flow for once in your life.”

I raised my brow at her as I pushed Zacky another tallboy, knowing that he must be close to finished with his first. “What do you mean?” His eyes met mine with a small frown before he pushed away from the bar with a scoff. Did I say something wrong?

“You know, flirt and get back out there. That will piss him off,” I’m so glad that she’s laughing about his. “Look, all you have to do is show a little bit of skin,” and there were her boobs in my face.

I put my hands up and took as step back, ignoring the whistles from the patrons. “Okay, I see that you have tits, Dice. How is that going to help me?” Dice rolled her eyes at me and lead me to the other end of the bar where a very handsome gentleman was sitting in a leather jacket.

“Listen here, love, we have to get you over asshole so I’m going to give you a little homework. You have to get five different guys numbers before the end of shift and we’re going to call one tomorrow. This handsome devil here at the end is you first task, don’t let me down.” She slapped my ass and gave me a push down the bar. I didn’t see how this was going to help anything specially because I wasn’t looking for a hook up. I could get sex from Brian easily, that wasn’t the problem. You see, I was selfish and I wanted all of him.

“Hey, what can I get you?” I asked the dark haired hottie, subconsciously chewing my bottom lip. I leaned forward on the bar with my elbows as his blue eyes met mine. Though somehow I couldn’t get the image of talking to Brian out of my head. Why was he the only thing I could think about when trying not to think about him? I know, I know, it doesn't make any sense! Join the freakin' club!

He looked thoughtful for a moment before a handsome smile spread over his face. “How about a jack on the rocks and your number,” he said, raising his eyebrows at me. A blush ripped over my face and I bit my lip a little harder. Okay, so maybe it did feel nice to get someone else's attention for once.

“Well, I’ll tell you what,” I smiled, surprised how easily this was going to be. Was I really even flirting? I didn’t think so. I was just being myself. But what was I really doing? Playing this stupid game for Dice? It wasn’t going to help me get back Brain because he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Oh, well, might as well entertain Dice so she doesn’t get in a fight. “How about I make you that drink and you give me your number.” I turned to get a glass and out of the corner of my eye I could see him ripping off a piece of the napkin I just set down.

“Jack on the rocks,” I said, setting it down in front of him and leaning on the bar again. “Can I get you anything else.—“

“It’s Michael,” the man said, brushing his fingers through his dark curly locks. I had to admit that he was handsome, but he was no Brian.

“Alright, can I get you anything else, Michael,” I corrected as he slid the number across the bar just as a glass thudded harshly on the counter to my right. I looked up to see those haunting browns staring into my soul, catching me completely off guard. What was he doing here and why did he decide to show up now out of all times. Fuck, he's never going to take me back if he thinks I'm moving on! A blush flew over my face as I set my hand down on the piece of paper, Brain watching my every move with narrow eyes. I took a shaky breath and picked up my hand with the piece of paper, feeling small under that intense gaze. This was his predatory look and I wasn't sure what to make of it.

“I think he’s good,” Brian answered for Michael. “But I’m not.” He tapped the side of his empty glass, his brow furring as he watched me. Oh, god now he hates me for talking to this guy. I should have never listened to Dice!

“Actually, I think I was just about to ask this beauty what her name was,” Michael interjected causing Brian’s jaw to clench.

“It’s jailbait, now get lost,” he growled as Michael put his hands up and backed away. I gaped back at Brian, dumbfounded over what I just witnessed. “Fucking douche,” he muttered before ripping the number out of my hand and dropping it to the floor.

“Wh-what was that?” I asked softly with a frown, my eyes not leaving his.

“I’m waiting for my drink,” Did he just laugh at me? He had to be drunk right now because that was the only way I could describe his behavior. How could he ignore me all night and then only show up when I'm being hit on? “Besides, someone has to look out for you.”

“I can take care of myself,” I snapped back as I poured his drink, and this time he really did laugh.

“Like that worked out so well the last time,” What the hell does that mean? “Besides you’re coming home with me tonight,” he smirked, his brown raking over my body. Oh, so now he notices me? Only after someone else did? Well, I guess beggars can’t be choosers.

“I go home with you every night,” I corrected with a playful smirk and an eye roll. “I live with you.” Was it sad that I was still living with my ex and most night sleeping in the same bed as him? Maybe, but I wasn’t going to lose hope on him yet. I still believed that he would come around. Okay, so I wasn’t over him at all and all of this was really killing me inside. What had I done wrong?

“There is one spanking,” he said with a dirty grin over his scotch glass. “Don’t forget, I have no problem touching your ass.” I chewed my bottom lip, remembering when he had said those words to me before, when we were happy. How had I screwed everything up so badly?

“Well, then you can watch it walk this way while I close up. I’ll be back,” I said over my shoulder, pulling a double shot of Vodka to my lips and drinking it in one go. Brian smirked at me as I turned and head back down the bar towards Zacky. It was then that Matt yelled something about telling Dice to find her own ride.

“They’re fighting again?” I asked Zacky, making drinks for the order that just came in from the back room. He frowned and shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip of his beer.

“I’m so fucking tired of trying to keep track of everything that I’m giving up,” he slurred, his greens looking up at me. I gave him a small smile in return. He had really been a great friend to me through all of this and I was thankful for him in my life. “But you’re almost done aren’t you? You’re done at two?”

“Yeah, I just got to clean up my station.” I looked down at my watch to see that I had five minutes left. However, when my eyes wandered back to Brain, I frowned to see that he had disappeared again. And hell, he was fucking cock blocking me. So he didn’t want me but I couldn’t talk to other guys? That didn’t make any sense to me, but I wasn’t about to fight with what little attention he was giving me.

“How are you doing on those numbers,” Dice said behind me as I cleaned a few glasses.

“Well, fine until Brian stepped in,” I shrugged with a small smirk on my face. Well, at least that meant he stilled cared. Dice didn’t seem to be too impressed. She raised her brow at me before shaking her thought away. Must be she thought better of it.

“Well on Tuesday, you’re doing it,” she said and I knew that she was right. Tuesday was Dice’s day off and Brian rarely came in on that day. “And then you’re calling them.”

Why was she pushing me to do this? I wasn’t looking for a hook up or a new boyfriend. I wanted Brain. “Don’t tap your foot and roll your eyes at me. Just trust me and have fun, okay?” That was so easy for her to say when she didn’t care about throwing Matt’s heart down the stairs. I knew where she was all the times I waited hours for her with Matt—she was screwing around with someone else. “Have a good night, love. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow,” I said sadly, looking around to see Brian nowhere in sight. Must be he didn’t want to drive me home tonight after all. Why did I even bother waiting for him?

I walked out the parking lot and climbed into my car, letting the cool night air kiss my cheeks as I drove home. I dropped my shoes at the door and slowly made my way upstairs. By the time I hopped in the shower and climbed into bed I was exhausted. I didn’t even notice when Brian came stumbling down the hall at some ungodly hour, hell I was used to it by now. Thought the thought of being with someone else and then coming home to me didn't sit well. But why did I stay in the same bed as him? It was simply because he asked me to. I had to have some hope right?

By the time morning rolled around, I dragged myself out of bed, wrapped myself in my silk purple bathrobe, and headed for the kitchen. You see, I had a plan that I had been cooking in my head all week, just waiting for this day. I was going to surprise Brian with breakfast in bed just like I used to do. Maybe if I was lucky things would work out in my favor for once.

As soon as I reached the fridge, I started pulling out all the fixings for Brian’s favorite breakfast. I stirred, whisked, flipped, and fried the morning away. Everything had to be perfect.

Just as I reached around the counter to start another pot of coffee, a set of strong hands landed on my hips and pulled me backwards into a hard mass. I shuttered into the long overdue touch, his hot breath lingering on my neck.

“What are you doing out of bed on your day off?” Brian smirked into the trail of kisses that he was leaving on my neck. Did he have any idea what his touch alone did to me? I couldn't breath. I couldn't move. I just wanted him. "And why the hell do you look so damned tempting?" Really the purple robe and underwear was turning him on? I'll take it because it was a step back in the right direction. At least, thats what I thought.

I gasped lightly as his teeth grazed my shoulder, my core already dripping wet from just those motions alone. “I-I was making some-some breakfast…”

Notes

Hello lovely readers, we apologize for the drastic jump but it was necessary for the story to go in the right direction. We had a long discussion about our characters and plot and found that it was the easiest way to get back on track with our original plan. We understand that some of you are frustrated with everything falling apart in one chapter, but bare with us. Plus, you couldn't really expect Synyster Gates to stay hidden forever, could you? Those three little words that MJ let slip freaked him out and now he is hiding and trying to prove himself wrong. You see, Mr. Gates has never felt that before. So please stay with us and we love your comments and feedback! Thank you for reading! :) Maybe @Devil Price will give us some lovely MJ/Brian smut in the next chapter? *wiggles eyebrows*