“Oh for fuck’s sake, Der.” Jordan rolled his eyes.
Derek strolled up to Linc, getting in his space. “Or are you still hitting it with that ginger weirdo? He probably puts out like a bitch. Moaning like a girl the whole time.”
Linc’s fists clenched. A sick lump hardened in his stomach. This was the moment to back down, to walk or run. Let Derek think what he wanted—Linc didn’t care. But he didn’t want to be that person anymore. He was tired of running, tired of hiding. He’d promised Avery he wouldn’t hide.
He opened his mouth to reply.
“Get out.” Jordan’s voice was steady. Linc and Derek both spun toward him, the shock equal on both their faces if the way Derek’s eyes bugged out of his head was anything to go on.
“Excuse me?” Derek laughed.
“Get out, Derek. If you can’t not be an asshole, then you can’t be here.”
Linc’s throat was dry, and his hands shook, but he took a step forward, shrinking the triangle he and Jordan made.
Derek’s eyes swung to his, and he smirked. “Did you put him up to this?”
“I asked Jordan to be a decent human being.” Linc hadn’t expected him to take a stand in his own apartment, though.
“It’s time for you to leave,” Jordan said.
Derek glanced between them, but his bravado was fading. He could argue with Jordan as much as he wanted, but bullies like Derek knew when they were outnumbered.
He laughed once more, as he took a step back toward the door. “Whatever. Enjoy the orgy.”
Linc and Jordan watched in silence as he left. His footsteps echoed down the hall
“Wow.” Jordan ran a hand over his hair. “That was—”
“Yeah.” Linc’s heart was still shuddering in his chest.
“Sorry. I—I’ve been trying to drop hints. But Derek’s not exactly subtle.”
Linc sank to the couch. “Yeah.”
Jordan stood there, rubbing his arms awkwardly. “I don’t think he’s going to listen to me.”
“Probably not.”
“But we’re okay, though. Right?” His eyes were hopeful, almost like Avery’s, and Linc had to smile.
“Yeah. Sure.”
Jordan started pacing, walking tight laps from the couch to the kitchen and back. “That was—I mean...I talked down a guy who was high on I don’t know what yesterday. He’d cut his head open on the curb and was talking about hopping in his car and driving to Cape Hatteras. But he was buck naked, and his pupils looked like they were the size of nickels and—”
“Sounds like a busy day.”
“Yeah it was, but—” He blew out a long breath, shaking his arms from his shoulders to his fingers. “But I wasn’t ever scared. He said all kind of wild things, but I knew I’d be okay. With Derek, I was scared. You didn’t see him, when I first told him—I mean—I thought he was going to hit me. Likereallyhit me. And he’s my friend, you know?”
Linc did. He pictured it every time he thought about telling someone about his sexuality, along with the disgust dripping from Derek’s eyes.
“Thanks.” He stood, shaking Jordan’s hand. “For standing up to him.”
“Of course!” Jordan smiled. His frame still vibrated with adrenaline. “Yeah. I mean. You’re my roommate, man. I said I’d talk to him, didn’t I?” He looked so proud of himself.
“Yeah.”
“Yeah.” Jordan nodded. “Yeah. I’m...I’m gonna go. See Chelsea. She’s off work soon.”
