Page 8 of Lace

“I’m just sayin’,” Angel held up his hand in surrender. “He needs models. Not much of a fashion show if nobody walks the clothes down the aisle.”

“I’m sure he’ll find people. He must have friends.”

Angel said nothing.

Caleb’s gut twisted tighter.

“Levi, tell him,” Angel said, flinging a hand in Caleb’s direction.

“He’s not a fan of high fashion,” Caleb muttered, shooting Levi a warning glance.

Levi ignored him and wrinkled his nose. “I’m more a fan of—” He broke off when Caleb grabbed his wrist just before he managed to grab a handful of Caleb’s ass.

“Seriously?” Caleb snarled at him.

Levi grinned.

“Why do you care, Angel?” Caleb turned his back on his lover and began tossing away the crumpled failures of his homework, trying to restore Levi’s room to some semblance of tidiness.

“Student Council,” Angel said, as if that explained anything.

Caleb cocked a brow at him “What about it?”

Angel drew in a deep breath and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Larry Shank,” he said.

Caleb growled as he moved on to collecting dirty coffee mugs and soda cans. “What about him?” He picked up the coffee carafe and emptied the dregs from the basket into the compost bin.

“He’s been harassing you?—”

“Somebody always is. Nothing new since third grade.” Handing the mostly empty coffee pot to Levi, he offered a wan smile. “Go fill that, will you please?”

Levi stared at the pot, then at him. “‘Scuse me?”

“Please? With a cherry on top.”

“Yours?” Levi grinned, but the jibe was too soft to really stick.

“You wish. Go.” He shoved the pot into Levi’s chest and let go. He wasn’t in the mood to play. He just wanted to figure out what Angel was getting at so he could get rid of him. The feel of Levi’s hands on silk, of his caresses through the fragile material, was too fresh. Caleb’s irrational mind wanted Angel, any outside intruder, as far from that calm peace as he could get them.

Levi caught the glass jug before it fell and grumbled his way into the washroom.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Caleb spun, poking a finger at Angel. “You just leave Shank and his shit alone. I do not need to give him another reason to get up in my grill.”

“I see how he treats you. Do you think Levi doesn’t? Do you think everyone just doesn’t see?”

“It’s no one else’s business.”

“And what about how he treats Levi?”

Caleb snarled. “He lays a finger on Levi and I will fuck him up!”

“That’s just my point.” Angel flopped onto the bed. “You need to bring his crap to everyone’s attention.”

“Right.” Caleb laughed. “Because I do so want to be the grown man who can’t handle a petty bully. Leave me alone.”

“If that’s all it was?—”

“I said leave me alone!”

---