Night had fallen.
We arrived at the abandoned building with James, Joshua, and Ryan, and Mike was about to show up. I knew that in just a moment something would happen—something that could make others sick to their stomachs, or worse.
James had brought a few beers and handed me one.
"Drink up, Malachai, or else you won't be able to get it up," James said to me.
"Now it's my turn for him to suck my—" Joshua started, but Ryan cut him off unexpectedly.
"He probably wouldn't even feel anything."
"Wanna bet?" Joshua snapped, irritated.
"No need for bets. I know you've got a small one," the idiot snickered. Joshua lunged at him with his fists, but James slammed a beer against my stomach so hard I barely managed to catch it. Then he stepped up to Joshua and grabbed him by the jacket.
"Knock it off and chill," James said.
I pulled a lighter and a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, took out two, and handed one to James. With the other two, I wouldn't have shared with anyone. I lit mine and placed it between my lips. Slowly, I inhaled, savoring the smoke as it filled my lungs. Then I passed the lighter to James.
"When's Mike coming?" Ryan asked.
Just then, my phone buzzed with a notification. It was from Mike.
Mike: You guys at that house?
He sent a picture of the building we were in. What I didn't get was why he sent it at all—he'd been here a few times already. Maybe he just wanted to make sure. That was possible too.
Me: Yeah.
I lifted my gaze from the screen.
"Hope you didn't tell Jeremy we were here," I said flatly, then yawned.
"Of course not," they all answered in unison.
James immediately added,
"I think Jeremy would shatter into a million pieces if he ever found out what his husband was doing."
That fucking monster.
I heard the floorboards creak.
"Speak of the devil," I muttered.
Through the doorway, Mike stepped in, looking slightly disoriented. Joshua, Ryan, and James walked up to him to greet him.
***
We'd been sitting there for nearly fifty minutes. The others laughed and cracked jokes about Jeremy and Mike, while Mike just stared quietly, saying nothing.
My legs were starting to go numb from sitting still. I stood up and stretched. I felt Mike's eyes on me. I turned my head toward him.
"What?"
He dropped his gaze to the floor.
I lit another cigarette. Honestly, I didn't even want to smoke right then. I didn't know why I lit it—just watched it burn down on its own. I flicked the ash, and in a blink the cigarette was nearly gone.
"Mike?" Joshua's voice cut through, directed at him. "You gonna blow me?"