“Easy peasy. I’ll be right back.” She was gone as quickly as she’d appeared. Roland swallowed, but his throat felt dry and scratchy. He watched Athena pass Donny from person to person, a broad smile on her face. He obliged her and offered smiles and hugs, and Roland watched the tension in Donny’s shoulders slowly dissipate.
Roland leaned back against the wall, not wanting to force himself into the melee if Donny didn’t need him there. The waitress reappeared and slipped a cold glass into Roland’s hand. He smiled and took a sip, just as Donny’s eyes met his from across the room. Donny glanced at the glass, then motioned for Roland to join him. He pushed off the wall and walked around the table to Donny, who comfortably slid an arm around his waist.
Donny had been talking with a guy who was somewhere between Donny and Roland’s age. He was tall, almost Roland’s height, and well dressed. The guy had on dark gray slacks that clung to what he could tell were muscular thighs, and a navy blue button-up shirt tucked into his pants and rolled up at the sleeves. His arms were decorated with a spattering of tattoos that extended all the way down to his wrists before cutting off abruptly.
“This is Chris,” Donny said, gesturing to the brown-haired, amber-eyed man in front of them. Roland arched an eyebrow and extended his hand. Chris took it with a firm grip and a smirk.
“Roland.” He swallowed a mouthful of his drink, dropping Chris’s hand.
“And how do you know our sweet birthday boy?” Chris asked with twinkling eyes that sparkled between the two of them. Roland watched him, then looked down at Donny, whose cheeks colored a brilliant shade of red. Roland clenched his jaw and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and taking another drink before he answered.
“I’m his boyfriend.”
Donny’s fingers dug into Roland’s skin and his head snapped up. Donny searched his face with a confused look in his eyes.
“You are?” Donny asked him softly.
“Aren’t I?” Roland pressed kiss to Donny’s forehead before separating their bodies and finishing the rest of his drink in one swallow. “If you’ll excuse me.” Roland mock saluted Chris and offered Donny a passably believable smile, and then stepped away, leaving Donny with a man Roland was certain was better suited for him.
He could feel Donny’s eyes on him as he crossed the room, and when he reached the door he looked over his shoulder to meet Donny’s stare. Donny’s face looked concerned, and Roland hated it so he forced a smile and gave a slight nod. Donny’s features softened and he smiled back and then returned to his conversation.
He ducked his head down and made his way out of the private dining room and pushed his way up to the bar, signaling the bartender. He ordered another vodka and downed it before the bartender even had time to finish the next patron’s drink. This was a bad idea, but this felt familiar. This felt safe.
Roland had been stupid to think Donny still wanted to be his boyfriend. After the way Roland had acted the last time it came up, he wouldn’t want to be his own boyfriend either. They were still fucking, but Donny had been putting space between them, and it all seemed so glaringly obvious to Roland now. He didn’t know what history Donny had with this Chris person, but the look in Chris’s eyes as he trailed them up Donny’s body had made it apparent that if they didn’t have a past, he at least wanted a shot at the future.
Roland ordered another drink. He’d known all along it would come to this. He shouldn’t have let his guard down, he shouldn’t have assumed things with Donny would last. They had always been too good to be true. From Donny’s kind and gentle patience, to his dominant and confident sexuality, it was as if Donny had been made from everything Roland dreamed about having in his life and had somehow just manifested on his doorstep.
The edges of Roland’s vision began to blur as he picked up his third glass of vodka. He felt drunker than he’d expected to, so he dug out his wallet and tossed some bills on the bar before he stumbled backward and made his way back toward the party. He made it one step inside the room, and his eyes landed on Donny, who was casually leaning against the wall still talking to Chris. He laughed at something Chris said, and Roland could see his eyes light up, that beautiful sapphire blue caught in the dim light of the room. Donny reached out and pressed a hand to Chris’s chest, and Chris reached up and wrapped his fingers around Donny’s wrist, returning the laugh.
Roland was aware that he was suddenly dangerously close to tears. His eyes welled up, and his vision was blurry from more than just the alcohol now. He brought his drink up to his mouth and swallowed the whole thing as he turned to leave the party. Dangling the glass in his hand, he swerved and bumped into someone who reached up and pressed their hands against his shoulders to steady him.
“Whoa there. You okay?” The man asked. Roland tried to blink him into focus, and he was fairly certain it was Gabriel, but he couldn’t trust his eyes and all the blinking had done was allow a stray tear to escape and slide down his cheek.
“Can you tell Donny I had to go?” Roland asked as he struggled to right his posture after Gabriel released his shoulders.
“Sure, but are you okay?” he asked again.
Roland thrust his empty glass into Gabriel’s hand and offered what he hoped was a nod before pushing past him and walking out.
Chapter 24
It Doesn't Mean Anything Now
“I can’t believeit’s been six years since I’ve seen you,” Chris laughed, wrapping his fingers around Donny’s wrist. Donny smiled and shook his head in disbelief.
“You were so in love with Athena, it was sick.”
“She definitely caught my attention when we were kids. But I know better now.” Chris’s voice trailed off and he dropped Donny’s hand.
“Yeah?”
Chris looked up and offered him a small smile and a nod. “It’s been an interesting few years, Donny. I’ll tell you that.”
They clinked glasses and were joined by a distressed looking Gabriel.
“Gabriel, hey. Have you met Chris? He’s an old friend of Athena’s.” Donny slapped his hand against Gabriel’s back. Gabriel inclined his head toward Chris then focused his attention on Donny.
“I just saw Roland on my way in. He said to tell you he was leaving.”
