Missing [ST]

Nine

A/N

As promised, this chapter...escalates.

We're gonna pretend that this is exactly how private shows work lol... But, if you don't want to read the s m u t , then the third <> is a guideline to where things begin heat up. And the one that breaks this note with the story counts as the first one.

But let's face it, I BET you secretly do because who doesn't want to read Steven getting all hot and sweaty hmm??

Exactly! No one in their right mind. So, without further ado, enjoy! Or don't...(I tried ok, I tried to make it reasonably good)

<>

Pulling on his leather jacket, Steven hammered on the door for the second time.

"JOE! Get it up, and open up!"

Listening out in response to his play-on words, Steven was about to raise his hand and holler for a third time, but the bedroom door flung open, whooshing air in his face.

"I heard you the first time," Joe grumbled angrily, leaning a well toned arm on the door to stop it from opening all the way. He was already providing a fitting smoulder expression around his messy bed hair.

Steven ignored him, bent down to pick up the sports bag lying between his feet, and threw it into his friend's bare chest.

A quick reflex action ensured it was caught comfortably.

"Get dressed. We're going to get high."

"I haven't eaten yet."

"Well, you can have girls as your meal."

Joe rolled his eyes, dropping the bag behind him. He then placed a firm hand on the edge of the door to close it.

"Whatever, man. Give me five."

Steven stuck his foot in the gap. "Three."

"Just leave me alone."

The corner of Steven's mouth stretched with a dangerous smirk, and he took his foot away just before Joe slammed the door properly in his face.

Freshly dressed in distressed blue jeans, a black t-shirt and his iconic black leather jacket and boots combo, Steven jogged downstairs. The burner phone and crumpled piece of paper with phone numbers rested in his right front pocket and a healthy sum of cash settled in his left.

He experienced no more strange memory flashes when rounding up the guys and like he was a new man, he was acting close to his normal self.

Loud and bossy.

They waited in the van, Tom retaking his role as driver with Steven and Joey next to him, and Brad opted to go in the back.

Joe showed his face around seven minutes after Steven had told him three, most definitely on purpose, but having a mind set on hot chicks and getting high, meant he couldn't really care less.

<>

Using code worded messages, Steven had been given an address of a place around a forty minute drive away.

In the daylight, the surrounding villages that he must have driven through on moving night, were stunning. Petite cobbled homes in smart rows oozed historic character and accompanied neat hedgerows and gardens that lined narrow roads.

Their destination would have had a similar feel about five or ten years ago, but from past experience, it was always the bad places that had the good stuff. So, Tom parked up where there were a couple of other lone vehicles and they all got out, no questions asked.