Page 12 of Say Uncle

“I don’t want a social circle,” he sniped, raising the binoculars. He continued to spy on them, and my gaze dropped to his groin. I couldn’t help it; it was the most honest response I’d get from him. Matteo didn’t disappoint. He was growing thicker beneath his khaki shorts. Seemed he liked the idea of the three of us together.

Was he attracted to guys? It wasn’t something I’d considered before, but would certainly explain his attitude and hostility toward Nicky.

Interesting.Time to poke the hornets’ nest.

“You ever try something like that?” My tone couldn’t have sounded more casual.

Mattie snorted. “Yeah right, I wis—” he dropped the binoculars and glared at me.Busted. “I’m not gay, fuckhead.”

I get that he was barking at me to cover his insecurities, but disrespect wasn’t something I’d tolerate from him. Leaning on the console, I said offhandedly, “You can drop the dude bro act. You’ve already played your hand. On this boat, ain’t nothing wrong with being gay, and if you think there is, you’re on the wrong fucking boat.” I pinned him hard with my gaze. “And if you ever call me a fuckhead again, your ass will be swimming back to shore, got it?”

His throat worked quickly, and he nodded. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

Nicky and Mattie finally emerged from below deck, ready for a night at the club.

Cass laughed. “You’ve been Nicky-fied,” he observed, looking Mattie over.

His black shorts were short and tight, and his white linen button-down shirt hung open, his toned and tanned chest glistening with tanning oil eventhough the moon was out. Nicky was dressed in similarly fitting shorts but in white, and he’d paired it with a white crop top. But unlike Mattie, his body oil had glitter in it.

“He let me dress him up. And look, matching necklaces!” He turned to Matteo. “These get you half-price drinks until midnight!”

Mattie touched his necklace, his face scrunching with confusion. “How come?”

“Means you like boys,” Nicky whispered loudly. “Draws a crowd of tops who spend money at the bar getting us drunk.”

He giggled, oblivious to Matteo’s rising anger. But I felt it charge the air, like a storm brewing.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he spat, focusing his rage on me.

His dark eyes flashed like bolts of lightning. It was the worst, most inappropriate moment to get turned on.

Nicky was quick to smooth things over. “It doesn’t have to mean you like to suck dick. It could just mean friendship. Are you so against having friends? Or is it just having friends who like to suck dick?”

Damn, my little spitfire was holding his own. What a show.

“No, it’s just. I didn’t say…” Mattie sputtered.

Cass slid his arm around Nicky’s waist, and I jumped into the fray. “Didn’t say what? That you don’t like to suck dick?”

His anger returned. “Those are your words, not mine.”

“I still haven’t heard you say no.”

“Fuck off.”

Quick as lightning, I lunged for him, catching Mattie around the throat. “Still haven’t said no,” I growled in his ear. My breath trailed hot down his neck. “Don’t worry, I hear you loud and clear. Just don’t take it out on Nicky.”

It didn’t go unnoticed that when we walked into The Grotto, Mattie still wore the damn necklace.

“No fucking way,” Mattie bellowed. “This place looks like an outdoor cave!”

“Isn’t it cool?” Nicky seconded, clearly already over Mattie’s earlier outburst.

My sweet boy.

Mattie touched his necklace. “Half-price drinks, huh?”

“Yup. But don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” Nicky quipped, referring to men buying him drinks. “The legal drinking age here is eighteen.”

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