Page 22 of Blackmail
We showered while jerking each other off, collapsed on this bed, and there had been talk of round three. All I’d needed was a minute to recover. I’d wanted him to fuck me. I guess instead, we fell asleep. For how long, I’m not sure. This guy must have the world’s best blackout curtains, because I can’t tell the time of day at all.
My phone buzzes, letting an obnoxious blast of light into our little bubble of darkness. Now that I think about it, I vaguely recall grabbing it before we showered to check my schedule and ensure I didn’t have a shift at Belle Argo Assisted Living in the morning.
“Fuck,” I whisper. Careful to avoid waking the sleeping beast next to me, I roll and grab the device on the nightstand. My phone’s been blowing up while I’ve been sleeping. The first message I open throws me for an actual loop. The rest are even worse.
Unknown: This is Amos from Grub n Grow. Gabriel wanted to tell you that Rebecca had her baby, and also he hopes to see you soon.
A few months after I left home, I went into the feed store where I knew my family shopped and begged the owner to contact me if any of them ever asked about me. Gabe’s the only one who ever did, and I only hear from him once a year or so.
PJ: Guys, I need some help.
Ravi: Let me guess. You’ve finally decided to try sex with a guy, and you need a dildo. I’m happy to be your shopping buddy.
Adam: You want to start small and work up gradually. No matter how adventurous you feel or how much someone dares you. Ask me how I know.
Troy: Idiot tried to sit on a monster and ended up in the hospital getting stitches in his asshole. That’s how he knows.
Adam: One stitch. ONE.
PJ: Jesus, you guys, I’m not fucking around here. I need actual help.
PJ: Christian’s hurt
PJ: Simon, are you on here? You’ve got medical training, right?
PJ: He needs a doctor but he won’t go
I take a breath and tap out a reply. Tell me what happened
PJ: I checked on him and found him on the kitchen floor. He’s got a black eye and a bloody nose, a cut on his forehead. It’s a lot of blood, man.
PJ: The place looks like a war zone. There are holes in the walls and the front door, like someone kicked them.
Fuck. I go cold, and I nearly drop the phone. Though I don’t think about it much, these guys are like my family. Practically brothers. They’re all I have, and one of them’s hurt. Most likely by his own boyfriend, which is another reminder for me how much love is bullshit.
Simon: I’ll be there as soon as I can
Then I remember I don’t have my car. I type the building address into the group chat. Can someone possibly pick me up? I’m kind of stuck RN.
Which is a stupid mistake. I can’t believe I went to a client’s house without a way to leave.
Michael: I’m almost at Christian’s place. I was supposed to meet PJ there earlier, but there’s construction on the 408. Do you need me to turn around? I think I can be there in 20.
Dean: Wish I could help you guys, but I’m in Tampa taking Ella to see your ass.
Dean: Giraffes. I said giraffes. We’re at the zoo. Fucking voice to text.
Ravi: My car is in the shop
Adam: Could we order you a ride?
Simon: No worries, I’ll order a car and meet you at Christian’s
Unfortunately, the app on my phone says the nearest option is thirteen minutes away.
Quietly, I ease out of bed and shuffle to the bathroom. A quick search in the cabinets turns up a first aid kit that looks unopened. Since I don’t know what I’m walking into, I figure any medical supplies I can manage will help.
Once I hit the hall, I gather my clothing from where it’s been scattered all across the floor. I’m trying to stumble into my slacks as quietly as possible when my feet hit a second pair of pants near the bedroom door. These must be Sebastian’s. When I kick them aside, a jingle tells me his keys are still in the pocket.
