Jerks Like Us Book Three Read online

  “Not fair, but necessary.”

  “Only in your eyes.” Kao finished his drink. He looked around for the waitress but she was nowhere to be found. “Don’cha see? I don’t have a release. It’s almost like being… back at the dorm.”

  “The what?” Brody leaned in to hear him.

  “Back in South Korea.” Kao whispered. “What I left behind to gain this freedom.”

  “Jesus, Kao, someone’s after you.” Brody kept his voice down.

  “Yes, but I’m horny, moody, and bored. None of those are good for me when I’m about to head out on the road.”

  The waitress returned with their sandwiches as well as the appetizers. After a curt thank you, she left in a rush to help another table.

  Kao stared at all the items. “Uh, aren’t appetizers supposed to be served before your food comes?”

  Brody appreciated the distraction. He popped a fry in his mouth. “Normally yeah, but, hey, we’re hungry right?”

  Kao shrugged and grabbed his silverware. “Yes, but… whatever. We’re not done, Brody.”

  “For now, we are.” Brody grabbed his roast beef and slathered it with sauce. “Eat up then we can talk on the way to your condo.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Kao and Brody rode in the taxi completely quiet.

  Kao had so much to say, but decided it was best to talk when they were alone. He wouldn’t let Brody talk him out of drinking tonight either. Not like he was getting behind the wheel of a car anyway. One fucking drink wouldn’t hurt.

  “You wanna a beer?” Kao headed straight for the wet bar.

  “Nope, I’m good. And I thought we had an understanding.”

  “I need a drink. You frustrate the hell out of me.”

  Brody laughed heartily. His footsteps sounded closer, making Kao turn around. “Feelings’ mutual, man. Every time I think you get it you do or say something that proves me wrong.”

  “Goddamn it, Brody! I’m a prisoner in my own house! I can’t date, can’t fuck, can’t go out alone… how do you expect me to react?”

  “You can date. Just ‘cause I need to approve them doesn’t need to be a huge deterrent. All celebrities have to do this, Kao, especially when they’re being targeted.”

  “No one’s bodyguard tells them who to date.” Kao poured his drink and took a sip. The burn went down, making him wince, but it settled in his chest. “Unless they want to save the person for themselves.”

  Brody frowned and spun around, heading for the couch. He sat down, propping his elbows on his knees. “So, you want me to let you see anyone who might have an ulterior motive?”

  Kao noticed Brody hadn’t responded to his last comment. “I don’t think you’ll let a guy in to prove themselves. You just said it yourself. First impressions are everything.”

  “As they should be. That should be important to you too.”

  “It is, but just because the guy was pushy, you ruled him out before he even had a chance.” Kao finished his beverage. Although he knew Brody would have a conniption, he hadn’t moved from the wet bar.

  “I didn’t get a good feeling from him. I gotta have that kind of eye, Kao.”

  Kao snorted. “Well, if that continues, I might as well be a monk for the next few months, huh?”

  “Kao, c’mon.” Brody shook his head.

  “No, you c’mon!” Kao poured himself another drink. Less cola this time. He sipped it, then sat in the recliner opposite Brody. “When I mentioned feeling like I was back in SK4, I meant it. Having someone control who we date, where we went, and when.”

  “I’m sorry it seems like that, but until these nuts are caught, you’re gonna have to be patient.”

  “Then tell the assholes to work faster.” Kao said quickly, before drinking from his glass again. “This is supposed to be a joyous time for me. Celebrating my success and freedom. And these jagoffs have stolen that from me. When I find out who’s responsible, you can bet your ass I’m gonna press the charges so fast their fucking heads will spin.”

  “Good. I’m glad you’re angry. I’ll call them in the morning. For now, relax. You wanna watch a movie?”

  Kao sighed aloud and let his head fall back on the cushions. “Fine. I can see I’m not gonna win this battle. No use in going around in circles with you because we won’t see eye to eye no matter what.”

  “Nope.” Brody laughed. “And that’s okay. Look man, I get your annoyance, but it’s necessary to keep the bad guys away. Hopefully things will be easier when you leave for the tour.”

  “I won’t hold my breath. Your cronies are probably taking their own sweet time checking into things.”

  “With so little leads there’s not a lot they can do.”

  “They’ve got recordings, the license plate, my description of the guy at the desk and all the phone numbers from these jerks leaving me threatening messages. That’s gotta be enough at least to get them started.”

  “It is, but they haven’t found anyone to arrest. You got to be patient, Kao. They’re gonna catch these fools and when they do, you can go back to a somewhat normal life.”

  Kao loved the sound of that, but unfortunately, he just didn’t believe it. He finished the contents of his glass. “Can you find a movie while I change?” Kao got up and set the glass on the table nearby. He eyed Brody one last time, then strolled to his room.

  The man was driving Kao to the brink. It was almost as if he was doing it on purpose.

  Little did Brody know the games would only work for so long before Kao lost all patience, which meant Kao would stop at nothing to turn the momentum in his favor.

  * * * *

  Brody quickly showered then changed.

  When he emerged from the bedroom, Kao was sitting on the couch with another drink in his hand. Since the guy was already on edge, he decided not to push. He only walked over and sat on the sofa, crossing his hands over his stomach.

  “I know I’m difficult. You’re probably gonna tell your co-workers and boss how much of a jerk I am.”

  Brody shook his head. “No, I’m not. Now what I’ve said under my breath and out of your sight, that’s a different story.” He chuckled.

  “Whatevs. Say what you want. Try walking in my shoes and see how you’d feel.”

  Brody sighed aloud and glanced at Kao. He’d removed all his makeup, except for the eyeliner, which brought out the color in them. His longish burgundy hair covered one side of his face, making him even more irresistible if that was possible. “You’re right. I dunno what it’s like to be a celebrity.”

  “Not just a celebrity, a KPOP celebrity. All famous people go through things, but every part of an idol’s life is controlled. Some companies are better than others, but either way, when you sign up to be one, your life is not your own.”

  “Then why do it then?”

  Kao sipped from his glass. “Why else? Money and then wanting to perform. I came from nothing. My favorite worked twelve hour days at a job and barely made ends meet. A lot of kids are in that same situation, so they sign on to give their families financial relief.”

  Brody nodded. “All right, that’s understandable. But why not just do it on your own terms? Why sign with a company?”

  “Because it’s easier to get noticed with an entertainment firm. There are kids that aspire to sing and dance, but not many make it. The lucky ones that do, pay a hefty ass price. Now, don’t get me wrong, it pays off in the long run. No one has been as big as BTS, but many have a fanbase and made good money from it. It’s just the part about not having a life, not being watched, and having to do everything in secret. When I came out gay to my company, Executive Won was upset. He said some horrible shit, even threatening to pay me less than the others. That happened before I was drafted into military service. From that point on, our relationship deteriorated big time.”

  “Sorry to hear that.” Brody looked away and toyed with his fingers. Every part of him wanted to take Kao into his arms and hug him close to his own body, but that would
add fuel to the fire.

  “Thanks, but that part is okay. He didn’t treat us all that great beforehand. Many of the staff mistreated us when we were younger, hitting us, not allowing us to eat certain foods. That bad treatment subsided some when we brought in more money for him and his company, but there were still workers who took their liberties to mistreat other staff and band members.”

  “Well that sucks. I can see why you’d want to get out of that.”

  “Yeah. Even if I wasn’t gay, I wouldn’t have re-signed that contract. I’d made enough money to last me quite a while and take care of my parents as well as other family in South Korea. Of course, they ask for more, but I only give it to them if I think they’ll spend wisely. That’s hard to decipher, but the last thing I want to do is make them hate me.”

  “How do they feel about you being gay?” Brody had to ask. He wondered if his family had anything to do with the attacks.

  “They think it’s just a phase. My cousins think I’m mentally ill.” Kao snorted and finished his drink. “Isn’t that crazy? People actually think loving someone of the same gender is an illness.”

  “Yep, it is. Look Kao, I gotta ask you a question, and this might anger you a little, but…” Brody sat up and looked at him again. “Do you think your family might have something to do with you being attacked?”

  Kao snickered and slung around the ice in the glass. “I wouldn’t put it past them. Some of my cousins were envious of my success. One of them auditioned with me and he wasn’t picked.”

  “Oh, I see. So, you think…”

  “It wouldn’t shock me. I’ve already said that WRL entertainment might be involved. Maybe not Won himself, but there were staff members that hated me after I came out.”

  “What about former band members?”

  “Only one I could see doing that, not sure of the others.” Kao said matter-of-factly.

  “And that would be—”

  “BJ or Ben Joonie, his legal name. He was the last one I argued with before I left Seoul, so…” Kao shrugged and placed his glass on the table.

  “Did you and BJ have a tumultuous relationship?”

  “That’s a nice way of putting it, but yes. I believe he was jealous. He was the maknae or the youngest of the band. I’m two years older than him, and we both kind of competed for another member’s attention. Even though he swears he’s straight.” Kao twisted his lips. “He’s so full of shit.”

  “Hmm. Maybe I should pass that along to the police. I know they want to get the South Korean cop involved since the calls come from there.”

  “Yeah, well, good luck with that. I’m not sure how serious they’ll take it, but stranger things. Maybe when your people contact them, they’ll actually do something.”

  “They got to. You’re still a South Korean citizen.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not all that important to them. Anyway, um…” Kao clapped his hands. “I still wanna watch a movie. Can we do something violent or funny? No romance. If I can’t get none I don’t wanna see it on TV either.”

  Brody laughed and raked his hand through his hair. “Sure, man. Look uh…” Brody wanted to say something about the feelings between them but couldn’t figure out how to phrase it. Perhaps it would have been best leave it alone, but a part of Brody wished to convey his feelings.

  “Uh, what? I don’t wanna hear reminders about how we can’t do anything because of your job.”

  “Well, okay, but I at least wanted to mention that I’m still into you. Let me do my job, then see where we are after that, all right? I do like you… a lot.”

  Kao stared at Brody, seemingly in disbelief. “You… do?”

  “Yeah. That attraction hasn’t gone anywhere. You drive me crazy, but it hasn’t deterred my feelings. I’ve questioned my sanity, but… well, just have a little patience, all right?”

  Kao pinned his lips together and nodded. “All right. I’ll try, but, don’t get mad if I lose control one night, okay?”

  Brody kind of wished he would. He’d love to be on the receiving end of Kao’s desire.

  Bottom line, keeping self-control was a torturous test for both.

  Chapter Twelve

  Brody had to get away.

  Instead of waiting until Kao woke up, he called his buddies from LAPD to patrol the area around Kao’s condo while one went up to his penthouse to stand guard. He promised them a night out once everything was all over, but also agreed to bring refreshments. It was the least he could do since they were giving him a minute to escape.

  Although Kao had a washer and dryer, Brody needed some time out of Kao’s place. If he wasn’t worrying about Kao’s safety, he worried about things getting out of hand. Bottom line, Brody’s impromptu exit was more for his mental health than a need. Still, he was tired of rotating the same set of outfits.

  When Brody arrived at his apartment, he grabbed clothes, as well as his mail, then after grabbing the coffee, returned to Kao’s place. Even that short time of not being around Kao gave him the much needed space to get fresh air and think about the next few weeks.

  Admittedly, Brody was ready to surrender his feelings and see where they led, but he feared what would come next. Would they create something long lasting or would it be a fling? Who knew, but Brody didn’t want to get involved if it wouldn’t mean something in the end. If that was the case, he might as well stay alone and wait for someone else.

  When Brody arrived, he handed the coffee and pastries to his cop buddies then sent them on their way.

  Unfortunately, they had no updates on the case itself, making Brody wonder if Kao’s suspicions were correct. More than that, Brody had to pass along the information Kao gave him about his former bandmate as well as his cousin. Hopefully that bit could get the case closer to being solved.

  “Hey Brody. I believe your boy is still sleeping. I didn’t hear a peep out of him.” His friend, Dale came into view.

  “Maybe. He didn’t answer my text, so. All right man. Thanks again.”

  “Sure.” Dale shook his hand and left out the front door.

  Brody saluted the replacement door guy, then pushed the key into Kao’s mailbox to retrieve his mail. Amongst them was a manila envelope, which caught Brody’s eye. Still, it was Kao’s mail, so he elected not to open it until Kao saw it first.

  Once Brody made it to the top floor, he strolled to Kao’s door. He unlocked it with his key and pushed it open just far enough to get in. “Kao?”

  “Yeah? Why did you leave without me?”

  Brody placed the mail on the counter and his bag on the floor. “I had to run and get clothes. I also dropped my suits off at the cleaners.”

  “Ohh. I could’ve gone with you just to see where you live.”

  Brody snorted. “My place isn’t halfway as magnificent as this. C’mon out here, I grabbed your mail. There’s an envelope here that’s bugging me.”

  Kao’s footsteps sounded, making Brody look up. He inhaled a shallow breath and dropped his gaze again.

  “What’s wrong, man? Did I embarrass you coming in here with no shirt on?”

  Brody moistened his lips and rubbed the back of his neck. “Nope, just uh… dammit Kao, just open the envelope.” He growled.

  Kao chuckled and eyed it. “No return address? That’s kind of peculiar.”

  “Yeah. Let me open it.”

  “Sure.” Kao left for the kitchen.

  Brody carefully picked up the envelope. He removed his Swiss Army knife, using the mail opener. There appeared to be photographs inside. He slid them out along with a note. When he noticed what was in the pictures, he gasped.

  “WE SEE YOU! HE WON’T BE SAFE!”

  “Fuck!” Brody slid them back into the envelope and gripped the counter. “Who the hell are these bastards?”

  “Well?” Kao asked.

  Brody looked up from the counter.

  Kao was standing at the other end of the kitchen. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to tell you what I saw. I don’t wanna fre
ak you out.”

  “Pssh, that’s already done. What is it, Brody?” Kao took a bite of an apple.

  Brody looked away again, trying his best not to stare at this man’s chest. This was the first time he’d caught sight of the Asian writing and different symbols on full display.

  “Brody?”

  “Someone snapped pictures of us, yesterday. They’re fucking following you everywhere!” Brody pulled his cell from his pocket.

  Kao sighed aloud. “These jags get off on watching us, hm? Fuckers!”

  “Yeah. I need to call the detectives. We’re gonna need more security than me. Did you tell anyone we were leaving?”

  “Nope. Not even Lawrence. Dammit Brody this is getting scarier by the minute. I really thought that you staying here would be a deterrent. I’m no safer alone than I am with you.”

  “You are, don’t worry.” Brody went over and took Kao’s hands into his. “I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, okay? Really, I’m not. We might need someone to patrol the building.”

  “Great. Just what we need over here. The building manager has received complaints from fellow tenants. They don’t feel safe.”

  Brody shook his head. “Well, they’re not the ones being followed. Don’t worry about them, okay? Perhaps we need to come up with a plan to leave a little sooner than the actual date. What’s the first city on the tour?”

  “New York. I go there, then to London, Paris, Italy, then on to Asia before returning here.”

  “Okay. We might need to leave for New York earlier. If we go without Gaia and Lawrence, that could be a decoy. We won’t even tell them until we’re there.”

  Kao shook his head quickly, then squeezed Brody’s hands a little tighter.

  From the way Kao was trembling and his facial expression, Brody could tell he was afraid. He rubbed his shoulder. “You’re gonna be fine, okay?”

  “I know, I just. I’m so fucking sick of this shit! They’re ruining my life and damn, I’m fucking scared now!” Kao sniffed and he wiped his eyes with his hand.