Page 105 of Still Bruised
Foster looked between them before nodding. He returned to the bedroom and closed the door.
Jude spun to face Anton. He took a couple of steps closer. “I…”I’ve fallen for Foster, and I want you to be okay with that.“I…” He couldn’t force the words out of his mouth. “It’s payback.”
“What?”
“Fucking him at the party was an accident, but it gave me an idea. He’d caused me all kinds of pain, so why not use him and get some pleasure out of him? He’d been a good lay, so why not?” Jude smiled. “I’ve made him my own personal sex toy. No strings. We fuck and then he goes home.”
Anton eyed the table. “That really looks like no strings.”
“He set this up while I was in my shower. It seems the golden boy has developed feelings for me.” Jude snickered. “Why not let him string himself out for a while and make an ass of himself? Serves him right.”
Anton searched his face. “You’re playing with fire.”
“Maybe,”Jude said. “But don’t worry. The expiration date is coming up fast. I’ll boot him to the curb before the holidays.”
Anton stared at him, shaking his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Of course I do,” Jude said with a grin.
Anton sighed. “Are you still coming to the Halloween party Saturday night? Or are you going to blow me off to hang out with Foster?”
“Of course I’m going with you,” Jude said, though he’d completely forgot. “Meet me here? We can hit the train down?”
Anton nodded. He glanced at Jude’s bedroom door one last time before he turned and walked out, silent.
Jude closed his eyes and breathed deep after the door closed downstairs. He crossed the living room and opened the bedroom door. Foster sat on the corner of his bed, elbows on his knees.
“He’s gone.”
Foster didn’t lift his gaze.
“Did you hear me? You can come out now.”
Foster finally looked up at him, anger in his eyes.
Jude inhaled, steeling himself for the rant he saw coming.
Only, Foster didn’t say a word.
“Look, I just told him what he needed to hear to get him to go,” Jude said.
“You shoved me away, hid me, and lied about our relationship.”
Jude shrugged. “I wasn’t in the mood for a showdown tonight. I’m tired.”
Foster rose from the bed. “I shoved you away, hid what we were doing, and lied about what was happening to protect us both. I was turned into a villain for that.”
Jude froze. “This isn’t the same and you know it.”
“But isn’t it?” Foster closed his eyes for a second. When he reopened them, heartbreak shone in them. “You were scared you’d lose a friend if he knew you had feelings for me, so you concealed the truth. Just like I was scared to be outted back then.”
Jude scrubbed his face with both hands before looking at Foster again. “I was just giving us time.”
“Time for what? Time for you to string me along a little more? Time to make me feel like a bigger fool?”
“I’ve been nothing but honest from the beginning. We weren’t supposed to be a thing.Youchanged the rules along the way and brought feelings to the table.”
“I wasn’t the only one with feelings, now was I?”
