{ #1 } I Was Shooting For The Moon, I Hit Two Stars (MxMxM || 18+)

Chapter 54 - Anger... Sadness... Anger...

(Shan's POV - Sat. 25 April 2015)

Sometimes, I wake up with the weird feeling that it's going to be a shitty day and that I should stay in bed to avoid facing hard situations.

Well, when I open my eyes on this Saturday morning, I feel the total opposite!

Mark pulled the thick curtains last night, so it's still dark in the room, but a quick glance at the clock on my bedside table indicates me that it's past 11am. Jeez! I can't believe I slept in that late! However, I'm feeling completely rested and the fact that it's a day off only brightens my mood. Just one more shift at work on Sunday and then we're off to New York to celebrate Alex's birthday. Though not only! I well intend to enjoy the three days there as much as he will!

I can't wait for our trip to Big Apple! This is going to be a blast! I've spent the last few weeks planning our whole vacation there, with Mark approving each of my ideas, and trust me, Alex will love it! It'll be such a nice surprise for him! Oh, he almost caught us reviewing details a few times, but he never bugged us with questions and I believe we kept our secret hidden well, so he has no clue about what he is about to experience. Had it been me, I would have grown paranoid and pestered them to no end, but my sweet Pumpkin is different and that's why I love him.

While I lay on my right side, facing the windows, I remain still and listen to the sounds in the apartment; or rather the absence of sounds. Which is weird because Mark and Alex must be up already... unless these two horn dogs are already in the playroom! Nah, not after the rough sex we had last night! Our buttholes need a bit of rest. We rarely play that much on Friday evenings, saving our stamina for Saturday nights at the club, but our naughty blonde was horny as fuck yesterday evening after they picked me up from the Diamond, and the show we put up for Mark at the back of the car on our way back home turned him on. So much so that we ended up in the playroom here and went for several rounds of sex.

At least it tired Alex to the point he didn't have nightmares, or I was so deep asleep that I didn't hear anything...

My poor Pumpkin has had bad dreams for a few nights and he doesn't want to tell me – or even Mark – about them. It's so painful to see him writhe and scream in terror and I wish I could help him. Mark is better than I am at hiding his emotions, but I know it worries him too. Yesterday morning, he told me he was going to make Alex speak over the weekend, one way or another. About time!

Alex is probably one of the sweetest guys I've ever met. I swear his second name must be Kind. He is so gentle, affectionate, unselfish, delightful... His only flaw is his lack of trust in us to confide in. I have lost count of how many times I tried to make him talk about his past, his parents or his childhood, but whenever I ask questions, he either clams up or flips the conversation around.

"Are you awake, Babe?"

Mark's voice suddenly echoing behind me – and so close! – makes me startle. He's always the first one up and the room has been so silent, I wasn't expecting him to still be in bed. However, it's not what strikes me the most. His voice and the tone it holds does. It's hoarse. It's not the firm and confident tone I'm used to.

Stretching my arm backwards to reach for him, my hand only meets thin air. Why the hell isn't he closer to my body? As I roll to my other side, I find him lying on his right side, propped up on his elbow, his head resting in his hand. So far away from me in this huge bed! I quickly shift to switch on my bedside lamp and almost regret it.

What the fuck!? All the positive vibes that were filling me only minutes ago immediately vanish as I take in the man before me. His beautiful green eyes have turned so dark and they're bloodshot. Even puffy! As if he just cried... I can even see streaks of tears on his cheekbones. Fuck! What the hell has happened!?