Page 8 of Key Change

What might go right?

Anthony could be some short-term fun, and his only chance at getting something to use against Hayden.

Which made him no better than anyone else at the party.

Was this really who’d he’d become? Having a fling because of what it would get him? The thing was, until Hayden had accusedhim of that, he never had. It was his threats that made Cillian desperate for opportunities.

It was entirely possible Anthony wasn’t interested in him. He’d leaned into the artsy gay twink stereotype in his twenties. Before he’d turned thirty, he realized he needed to be suave and more sophisticated, at least when on show. He’d also become a lot more careful about who he slept with.

Cillian inched a little closer, both of them still looking at the pool. He wanted to turn and face Anthony to see if there was more than polite interest in his eyes. Was he gay, or was that something Hayden threw out as an insult?

But Anthony had taken his arm and hadn’t appeared troubled. Cillian regretted not taking a moment to pull out his phone and read some of the headlines.

“You’re not close with Hayden?” Even though Cillian rarely returned home, even for Christmas because Christmas events were easy money, he kept in close contact with his family, and if they came to the city, they stayed with him.

“Only when we’re fighting.” Anthony touched his cheek, tracing the scar with a finger. “I learned how to do a trick on my skateboard before him, and he threw the board at me. I was nine, he was thirteen.”

Cillian flinched. His fingers tightened on the stem of the glass, but his smile remained in place. “Did he do things like that often?”

“Only with me. I’m thespoiled babyof the family.”

“That worked out well for you. Means he’s planning a bigger heist so he can get a bigger sentence, right?”

Anthony gave a small laugh. “I doubt it, but he’ll want to make sure I don’t outshine him again.”

“And will you?”

Anthony nodded. “I’m not wasting another decade.”

Ambition, that was always in fashion. “Got plans? Need a sidekick?” He turned and leaned back against the fence, striking a pose, dangling his glass from his fingertips.

Anthony smiled and his gaze lingered, drifting from Cillian’s face to his throat. “I have a shiny new degree in librarianship. I’m not sure librarians have sidekicks.”

Cillian blinked at the blunt rebuff, then scrambled to recover. “Really?” That was the last thing he’d expected Anthony to say. “Librarian?”

“I studied to pass the time. I couldn’t use the gym all day, and I figured books were a safe career choice because of the whole money thing.”

“Ah.” Anthony must have spent a lot of time thinking about his options. Maybe that was the point of prison. Time to think about everything he’d done and what he was missing out on. Is that what his uncle was doing? “So where do you work?”

“I’ve only been out two weeks. I’ve only just started looking.”

Two weeks.“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were so freshly free.”

“Freshly free.” Anthony gave a short bark of a laugh, grabbing the fence posts. “That’s a good way to describe it. The wound hasn’t scabbed up yet.” Lust shimmered in his blue eyes, but the rest of him was locked tight as though he needed to hang onto the pool fence for safety. “It’s taking a while to become accustomed to.”

“I hope you’re enjoying tonight.”

“I am now.” He glanced at the door as though expecting someone to come out and catch them any second, but no one was there. “Are you?”

“Yes.” Cillian leaned closer so their arms brushed, testing Anthony’s reaction. “Do you want to go in?”

“Not yet. Do you?”

“It’s a beautiful night.” Music danced on the breeze, the air smelled like flowers and the ocean, and Anthony watched him, perhaps trying to figure Cillian out. Cillian gave him another hint. “And we’re out here alone.”

Anthony lifted one eyebrow, then looked away, shaking his head. “Are you hitting on me?”

Too subtle? Him?

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