Page 70 of Not Your Golden Boy

“Good job.” Charlotte joined their group. “It’s about time that weasel got what was coming to him.”

“Is he going to cause trouble?” Nikky asked, the vulnerable, worried side of him rushing back to the fore.

“Probably,” Charlotte said with a circumspect shrug. “But we’ll handle it. I’ve already been on the phone with Glen, and he said he’d get your whole legal team working on Albion and any potential fallout from the recording as soon as possible.”

Nikky’s eyes went wide. Harry was impressed as well. He’d definitely been wrong about Nikky’s team not looking out for him, although he was going to sit down and scrutinize each one as soon as the dust from the current storm settled.

“Good job, Nikky,” one of the party guests who had no business wedging his way into their group said, clapping Nikky’s shoulder. “I love it when David stands up to Goliath.”

“Excuse me,” Charlotte rushed to Nikky’s defense. “Nikky is no David. He’s a massive Hollywood star who will be starring in a Lubavitch film this fall.”

Nikky blushed hard and grinned so sweetly that Harry felt it all the way to his balls. At the same time, he rolled his eyes at Charlotte. There was no way the woman should have revealed Nikky’s upcoming projects like that, but she was clearly a little drunk.

With the drama over, the party went back to its former buzz, though with a bit more excitement in the air.

“Do you guys want to get out of here and go somewhere better?” Drew asked, glancing to Lee, then at Nikky.

“Um—” Nikky turned to Harry.

Harry grinned. Some things had definitely changed, but others were very much still the same. He got a kick out of the way Nikky still looked to him to know what to do, despite showing up for himself in the most spectacular way moments before. Harry loved the new, bold, powerful Nikky, but he really loved the soft, sensitive Nikky, too.

“As tempting as an afterparty sounds,” Harry said, “I think Nikky and I have some things to discuss.” He looked mischievously at Nikky. “Let’s go home.”

“Okay,” Nikky said, blushing for entirely different reasons.

Saying they were going to leave and getting out of the room and the hotel were two different things. Everyone wanted to congratulate Nikky and ask about his and Harry’s project. Harry was desperate to get Nikky home, but he still had an ego, and as long as people wanted to talk to him about music, he was going to talk.

“Albion isn’t the only producer in London,” one of the people who stopped them as they neared the lift, Marion Kennison, a powerful producer in her own right, said. She took a card from her clutch and handed it to Harry. “Give me a call,” she said, winking.

Harry could have laughed. His old friend Rudy might just have competition in signing him for a comeback.

He never would have imagined it in a million years. But maybe he should have. It stung a little to think that Albion continued to have power over him long after he’d thought he’d split from the man. He was well and truly free now.

Harry and Nikky eventually made it into the elevator and down to the parking garage.

“Did all of that really just happen?” Nikky asked breathlessly as they walked to where Harry had parked.

Harry laughed. “I think it just did.”

Nikky made a sound of disbelief. As they reached the car, he tensed and glanced around the dark garage. “Did you see what happened to Holberg?” he asked.

Harry took a look around the garage, too, though he was certain Holberg wasn’t there. “My guess is that he fucked off as soon as he saw the writing on the wall.”

“Probably,” Nikky said uncertainly.

As soon as they got in the car, Harry reached across and took Nikky’s hand. “Hey. Whatever happens or whatever Holberg tries, I’ve got you. He’s not going to get anywhere near you.”

Nikky let out a huge breath, his whole body sagging, and smiled. “I believe you,” he said. “I trust you.” He paused, gazing deeply into Harry’s eyes, then said, “I love you.”

Something warm and wonderful unfurled in Harry’s gut. Never had three simple words touched him so deeply. No wonder people wrote songs about them. He could already feel half a dozen love songs composing themselves in his heart and soul. And in his dick.

He brought Nikky’s hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles. “We definitely need to get home, fast,” he said, eyeing Nikky like the ridiculous lecher he was.

“Yes, please,” Nikky laughed, then let go of Harry’s hand so he could drive.

It was a miracle that they made it home without being pulled over for speeding. By the time they made it upstairs, they were already pawing at each other and stealing kisses that threatened to stop them so they could attack each other’s bodies in the hallway. Harry had no idea how he managed to get his key in the door, or to lock it behind them once they were inside.

“I want you,” he sighed as he pushed Nikky’s jacket off and reached for the bottom of his shirt. “And not in a sweet and sentimental way.”