Don't panic if this seems familiar! This is the original version of a scene from a book I wrote that I ended up majorly toning down for the actual novel (it ended up being a love story, so I wanted to start the book off far less... mean). I still liked the scene I originally wrote, so I decided to put it here for people to enjoy! This story has non-con elements, so don't read if that isn't your thing.
*********
Six people moved around the brightly lit stage, but Victor was watching the slim figure at the microphone at the front. Jamie Ewan.
Peter Ewan's younger brother, the lead singer of the band Not Enough, and the man Victor was here for.
He sounded good. Victor didn't listen to much music, but he could tell the kid had a set of pipes inside that small body. He was easily the centerpiece of the band — the guitar players and drummer were more conventionally attractive men, tall, toned, square jawed, and the women on bass and keyboard were beautiful, but there was something about the way he moved himself that brought every eye to him and the sweet, versatile voice that kept them there. He looked about 5' 10" and had fine, delicate features under a flop of thick, dark hair.
Despite himself, Victor was paying close attention to the show. He had come intending only to observe the target since his band had coincidentally been in the same city as Victor when he had decided that Peter's grace period on his debt was up. He had always found it best to give small events like this, punishing a small time offender, a personal touch when his schedule allowed. But then he had found himself caught in the music and the performance of the band - and the sight and voice of Jamie Ewan most of all. He could not take his eyes from him. The young man was beautiful and had incredible presence, which was a heady combination; he held the crowd in the palm of his hand.
Victor was easily twice his size; he did not think much of the kid's chances when one of his men, all equally large, finally got the chance to punish him. Peter Ewan had a debt to pay, and Victor was going to have it extracted from Jamie. It was just business.
His cadre of assistants and bodyguards also seemed enraptured by the band. It was obvious why they were gaining in fame. Their music was original, while fitting the trends of popular music enough to draw in fans. Victor caught his number two and main assistant, Roman, tapping his foot to the beat.
Catching his glance, Roman leaned in close. "They sound pretty good."
"Yes," Victor replied.
"Too bad," Roman said. "They won't be that special once..." he nodded his head towards Jamie.
Victor just blinked. It had to be done. A nobody like Peter Ewan could not be allowed to cross him to no consequences. Especially since the man had risen in power as Not Enough's manager while the band had risen in fame. He should have paid his debt to Victor long ago and hadn't, stringing him along for some unknown reason — did he think his growing fame brought him special concessions? Not from a man like Victor. He would bring him to heel, in that there was no doubt, and show anyone who was watching what happened to people who crossed him.
He could feel Peter's presence in the venue, somewhere beyond the stage. Every day Peter Ewan lived his life without being afraid of Victor was a slight to Victor's pride. His reputation was damaged with every day that went by and Peter did not suffer for crossing him.
He watched the boy on stage swing his hips as he trilled his way through a rather impressive run. Victor's pants were suddenly too tight.
He leaned to Roman, eyes on the singer. "I'll take care of this one personally." He said. "You'll wait for me nearby, keep anyone from interrupting. The others can wait outside."
"Ah — " Roman began to say something and stopped, "Yes sir."
The set lasted another 15 minutes before ending on a wild song that had the audience dancing. Loud applause followed the band off the stage. A bare handful of minutes went by, each filled to the brim with loud applause and shouting, before they were running back out for an encore.
This song started slow, low lights, minimal melody, and ended powerfully, with a long, soaring note. In Victor's eyes, Jamie might has well been alone in the center of the stage. Victor's heart beat faster during it.
"Thank you, everyone, for your love and support. It's been an honor to make music for you," said the pretty bassist when the song was over.
____________________
The post-show high was the best thing Jamie felt it was possible to feel. He was so elated coming off stage, he almost felt dizzy with it. Peter met him as he headed to his dressing room. "Great show! You sounded amazing, as usual."
A taller, bulkier version of Jamie, Peter was easily recognizable as his brother. Peter yanked him in for a giant hug and ruffled his hair. The over-the-top affection made him uncomfortable, as usual, but he acquiesced to what his big brother wanted, as usual.
"Damn straight," came the voice of his best friend and one of their guitarists, Jack West. Jack gripped the back of Jamie's shoulders, "I swear I can't hardly play sometimes; I'm too busy listening to you!"
"Hush you two," Jamie snapped, but he was grinning. "We all did good, as usual."
"Snacks are here," Aimee, their bassist and main backup singer, trilled as she passed behind them. "Hurry or Ricky is going to eat them all. And busses are running late, not sure why, Irma said something, something, busses are running late." The pretty blonde carried her beloved instrument in one hand as she passed them at full speed, heading for the snacks.
"Sure, snacks, late busses, got it." Jamie squirmed out from under Jack's grip and grabbed his large wrists. "Stop doing that," he said, "You know I'm ticklish." He pushed the taller man away. "I'm going to my dressing room to change; these pants are itchy."
Jack peeled away for his own dressing room with one last teasing squeeze to Jamie's shoulders, and Peter followed Jamie down the hall. "Listen, I, uh, gotta talk to you about something later — come to my hotel room when we all get back ok? I might have to skip away from tour for a bit."
"Yeah, sure," Jamie said, "What's the issue? Are you ok? Is everything ok?" His older brother should have been the one taking care of him, but the deadly earnest look on his face told him that he was going to have to be the protective one again. Not that Peter didn't do his fair share of care-taking; he was their manager after all, Jamie thought, but sometimes, for all that he loved his brother, he felt that the other Ewan was not quite as responsible as he could be.
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine. Just some old business I gotta catch up on." He gave a half smile. "Or something, I'll tell you about it, ok? I'll still be your manager, just gotta...go..."
