Infuriating, p.23
Infuriating, page 23
“Are you trying to talk me into being good or bad? I honestly can’t tell,” Day said without looking at him.
“Me either. Smile and wave. Say thank you. People are staring.”
Day smiled. He waved. He said, “Thank you!”
After a few minutes of awkwardness, Day relaxed. Jackson was right, these were Day’s people. His adopted family. Charlie plopped a gold crown on his head and dubbed him, “Queen of the Night. You know, like Whitney Houston.”
They ate and talked and drank champagne. Day danced with Jackson’s mom and his nieces. He did the Macarena and the Cupid Shuffle. After a dinner consisting of all the things Jackson had gotten Day the first time they’d gone grocery shopping together, the kitchen rolled out a stunning three-tiered gold cake with a twenty-four scrawled in black as the centerpiece. It was a decadent chocolate fudge cake with cherries inside.
Day frowned at Jackson. “You hate cherries.”
Jackson grinned. “Yeah, but you love them, and I love you.”
Day blushed, shoving him. “Still so corny.”
“You ready for your presents?” Charlie asked the moment Day’s plate was empty.
Day flushed, shaking his head. “Presents? No. Come on, this is already way too much.”
“Oh, there’s only one and it’s from all of us. Come on.” She dragged him from his seat to the big throne onstage.
Day covered his face until his crown went askew and he was forced to look up or risk it falling to the floor and shattering. With his luck, it was some vintage trinket worth millions. When he raised his head, Charlie had a mic in her hand. “Oh, God, who gave her a microphone?”
The crowd laughed, and Charlie curtsied, then she looked at Day with a warm smile that lit up his belly. “Day, you were the last to join Elite’s merry band of misfits, and even though you kicked and screamed the whole way, we’re so glad you’re here. You’re funny and glamorous and one of the smartest people I know. You pick up languages like I pick up dates and Wyatt and Linc pick up sex toys.” The crowd snickered, and Linc groaned. Charlie continued. “You managed to live twenty-two years without a single person realizing you couldn’t read. You survived a horrible attack and came out stronger for it. We’re all kind of in awe of you, and we hope this is the beginning of a new tradition where we all get to recognize you for the perfectly magical unicorn you are.”
Day’s pulse hammered in his ears, and he blinked back tears, realizing she still wasn’t done.
“We wanted to get you something to show how much we love you, but since you went and snagged the richest dude we all know...”
“Not richer than me,” Angel cried, making the crowd titter once more.
“The second richest guy we all know,” Charlie corrected. “We weren’t exactly sure what to give you that Jackson hadn’t already thought to lay at your feet.” She cupped her hand over her mouth, whispering directly into the microphone, “Except maybe a ring. Hint. Hint.” Day covered his face in his hands. “Anywho, after much consideration, we all chipped in and got you this, so that you can help others like you helped yourself.”
Day took the envelope from her hand, opening it carefully. When he pulled the paper free, he froze. It was a letter…or maybe a receipt. It was a thank you from the Literacy Coalition thanking him for his recent donation of fifty thousand dollars. “I—” He cleared his throat and tried again. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you, everybody. This… This is amazing.” He flushed at his lame attempt to express how he felt. His ears burned.
“Jackson, it’s your turn.”
“Wait, what?” Day said, watching as Jackson stood and walked across the room to take the microphone. “Jackson Andrew Avery, if you hand me a check or a ring, I will divorce you before we are even married. I swear to God.”
Everybody laughed, including Jackson, but Day was overwhelmed. “Relax, baby. I promise it’s not a check…or a ring…yet.”
Day rolled his eyes, but his shoulders sagged. He loved Jackson and he believed with everything he had that Jackson was it for him, but he needed a little more time to be sure he was it for Jackson.
“Despite what Charlie says, I’ve given Day very little, because, as soon as I turn my back, he’s taken it back to the store and exchanged it for something for me. Day is the sweetest, most selfless person I know. He’s also the prickliest and meanest person I know, especially when it comes to standing up for others. So, since you refuse to let me spoil you the way I want to, I took a page from the others and figured the best gift I could give you was a gift for the person who meant the most to you.”
“You got you a gift for my birthday?” Day asked, suspicious. “I suppose that’s one way to get around me returning it.”
Charlie handed Jackson a tablet, which he promptly handed to Day. He couldn’t stop the gasp that slipped free. It was a picture of hospital doors and above them read, The Sarah Gunderson Cystic Fibrosis Center.
Day ran his finger across Sarah’s name. “What is this?” he whispered.
Jackson crouched down beside Day’s chair. “It’s a way for Sarah to live on and help others like her.”
Day tried to wrap his head around what this must have cost Jackson to accomplish such a gift. “You can’t… This must have cost you millions. It’s too much.”
“It’s already done,” Jackson told him softly. “You can’t exchange it for twenty-million presents for me.”
Without warning, Day started ugly crying in the middle of the room. “Why are you like this?” he wailed, while everybody else ‘aww’d’ around them.
“You don’t like it?” Jackson asked, looking genuinely worried.
Day looked at him with his red eyes, wet cheeks, and snotty nose. “No, you idiot, I love it. I love you. Stop being so perfect.”
Jackson chuckled, leaning in. “You want me to take you upstairs and rough you up a little bit?”
“Mic’s still hot, sweetie,” Charlie said.
Day groaned, but Jackson stood, this time, speaking directly into the mic. “Uh, we’re heading upstairs for the night. This room is ours for another hour. Feel free to hang out and enjoy the cake and open bar. Or don’t. Up to you.”
Jackson tossed the mic to Charlie and snagged Day’s hand. He started to put the crown down, but Jackson stopped him. “Uh-uh, birthday boy. Bring the crown.”
Later, after Jackson had done exactly as he’d said he would, fucking Day silly on the balcony with nothing but his crown on, they lay curled up in the plush bed with Jackson playing little spoon for a change. “Thank you,” Day said, kissing Jackson’s bald head.
“For the orgasms? My pleasure. Seriously, anytime,” Jackson said, looking back over his shoulder.
“No. Thank you for the party and for my presents. This was the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
“The nicest?” Jackson said. “Ever?”
“Yes, ever.”
“Then can I ask you for a favor?” Jackson asked.
Day frowned. “You could ask me for a favor either way.” Jackson leaned forward and opened the top side table drawer. “Unless you’re about to try to read me the bible,” Day said, then snickered.
“Nope,” Jackson said, then rolled over and opened a small ring box with a platinum band set with four small diamonds. “I’m going to ask you to marry me…someday.”
Day smiled in spite of himself. “You’re asking me to marry you…someday? I need clarification. Someday, you’ll ask, or you want me to commit to marrying you eventually?”
“The latter,” Jackson said. “I know you still think that I’m going to wake up one day and run, but I promise you, every day I wake up next to you is a great day, no matter what shitshow comes after that. I don’t need you to say you’ll marry me tomorrow or next week or even a year from now. Just say you’ll marry me someday, even if it’s when we’re both side by side in the nursing home.”
Day held out his left hand and waggled his ring finger. Jackson grinned, leaning up on his elbow to pull the ring free and slip it into place. Day snuggled up under Jackson’s arm before rolling over and holding up his hand to look at how the ring sparkled. “So, it’s a date then,” Day said. “You and me, the chapel at our swank nursing home fifty years from now.”
“Fifty?” Jackson choked. “I’m a lot older than you. I might not make it to my own wedding.”
Day sighed dramatically. “Fine. Forty. Maybe. Unless I’m not aging well, and then maybe thirty-five.”
“I’m not trying to be pushy here, but I’d like to enjoy our wedding night without fearing one of us will break a hip,” Jackson joked.
“How about tomorrow?” Day countered.
“What?” Jackson asked.
“Let’s go get married at the courthouse tomorrow. Let’s make it official.”
Jackson stared down at Day like he’d been replaced by a pod person. “I was only teasing, Day. We can do it whenever you’re ready. I just like seeing that ring on your finger, knowing you’re mine. Forever.”
Day smiled. “I know. But tonight made me realize that I want to see a ring on your finger, too. I want everybody to know you belong to me just like I belong to you before somebody snatches you up.”
“You don’t need a ring for that, Day. You’ve had my heart since the day you walked through my office door.”
Day rolled onto his belly and kissed Jackson’s lips. “Yeah, I know,” he said, tone cocky. “But now, I want your last name.”
Jackson grinned. “Then it’s yours.”
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The End
Thank you for reading Infuriating! I hope you enjoyed Day’s and Jackson’s story. If you did, it would be great if you could:
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LOVED THIS SERIES?
Then why not check out Satisfying, an Elite Protection Services novella?
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Want to read more books by me? Turn the page to see what else I’ve written…
By day, he’s the spoiled youngest son of an eccentric billionaire. By night, he’s an unrepentant killer...
“I thought you’d be a lot…rougher.”
Gauntlet thrown.
Adam slapped Noah’s face just hard enough to get his attention, carding his hands through his hair and yanking it back to look him in the eye. “Careful what you wish for.”
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“This book will flay you open, expose you to horror upon horror, and then put you back together with nothing more than hope and "maybe love". In other words, it is pure genius!” — Amazon review
“Damn that was hot and so well executed!” — Amazon review
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On the inside, it’s guilty until proven innocent.
“I can protect myself. If you weren’t here, I’d find some way to survive, but I see you and I don’t want to be alone. I don’t want to fight alone. I see you and I just…want you.”
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“Angsty, sexy and riveting to read.” — Goodreads review
“Once you start it, you won’t want to put it down.” — Goodreads review
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He’ll go down for his permanent record.
The headmaster will see you now.
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“A definite re-read in the future. Loved it from start to finish!” — Amazon review
Jonah taught Cas a million ways to protect his body but not one to protect his heart.
“We all got into this game knowing the retirement plan is usually a bullet to the back of the head.”
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“Bad Habits brings together two of my favorite authors and the resulting synergy created one of my favorite books of the year.” — Amazon review
“This book was DIFFERENT!! A departure from the formula we all know and love, it was tense, gritty, dark, and VERY hot!!!” — Amazon review
“Sweet, steamy and packed with action. It is definitely worth your time and money.” — Amazon review
Henry finds himself in a magical world where humans are at the bottom of the food chain and he’s somehow caught the eye of the Goblin King…
A taboo M/M Labyrinth retelling.
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Thank you so much for reading Infuriating, Book 4 in my Elite Protection Services Series. I hope you loved this book and the others in the series as much as I loved writing them. As always, here is my mea culpa regarding any liberties taken with how camming sites work and stretching their limitations to suit my fictional narrative.
Also, I truly hope nobody reads this book and thinks I’m in any way shaming sex workers. I have family members in the business, and I worked in the porn industry myself for years. I have nothing but respect for sex workers, truly. I even have a sex positive sex education comedy podcast called Deep in Thot coming soon anywhere you listen to podcasts.
In regards to Day’s severe dyslexia and his inability to read, my goal was to show just how many children from indigent families get left behind when it comes to accessing the skills and techniques necessary to help them succeed.
I haven’t completely said goodbye to the men of Elite. At some point, there will be a M/M/F book so that Charlie will get her happily ever after, and look for Webster’s book, Endangered Species, to bridge Elite with a new series I’m working on. I love Elite too much to say a forever goodbye to them.
For teasers, mini-fics, updates, and extras, visit my website and sign up for my newsletter where you can find my current weekly serial, Where the Devil Don’t Go, a kinky Daddy book about an ancient demon with a pain kink and the human slave boy who just happens to be a masochist. You’ll gain access to any previous chapters when you sign up. And if you really, really love my books and want to read them before anybody else as well as gain access to things like signed paperbacks, upcoming books as I write them, or four chapters of my newsletter serial dropped at the beginning of each month instead of weekly, consider joining my Patreon. Oh, and you also get merch sent to you throughout the year!
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Thank you again for reading.
ONLEY JAMES is the pen name of YA author, Martina McAtee, who lives in Central Florida with her children, her pitbull, her weiner dog, and an ever-growing collection of shady looking cats. She splits her time between writing YA LGBT paranormal romances and writing adult m/m romances.
When not at her desk, you can find her mainlining Starbucks refreshers, whining about how much she has to do, and avoiding the things she has to do by binge-watching unhealthy amounts of television in one sitting. She loves ghost stories, true crime documentaries, obsessively scrolling social media, and writing kinky, snarky books about men who fall in love with other men.
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Find her online at:
www.onleyjames.com
Onley James, Infuriating
