“Then you have no business telling us what we can, or cannot do with him. Goodbye.”
The man climbed stiffly to his feet, then looked between Everett and Caleb. Everett had been in enough fights to understand what he was doing—the asshole was sizing them up to see if he could take them on all over again. Whatever grudge he had against Glitter-Chest ran deep.
Get me out of this club and back to your place safely.
No shit.
Back in the club, Everett hadn’t thought twice about Glitter-Chest’s request, but now he was starting to understand. Glitter-Chest had been willing to trade sex for safe passage out of the club. Everett’s heart sank. The thought made him ache more than the throbbing pain in his head did.
No one should have to feel so afraid.
“Check yourself, dirtbag,” Caleb warned. He pulled his matted hair back from his forehead, then cracked his knuckles. “I see you looking to start trouble. Let me end it before it even gets off the ground—if you come at us again, you’re going to wake up tomorrow morning in this alley short more than a few braincells. It’s two against one. You may be big, but you’re not going to be able to take both of us. Even if one of us goes down, the other is going to knock you on your fucking ass.”
The warning proved to be enough. The asshole in the sports jacket took a step back, then spat a thick wad of saliva to the side. Throat cleared, he spoke. “He’s a slut, you know.”
“Yeah? Is that all?” Caleb sighed. “Are you sure he’s not murdering kittens, or stealing purses from old ladies, or putting pineapples on pizza?”
The hatred in the man’s eyes gave way to suspicious confusion.
“We’re sluts, too, for the record,” Caleb said plainly. He shook his hand in one sharp downward motion, sending dirty water flying from his fingers. “In fact, we’re the sluttiest man-sluts who’ve ever slutted. And you know what? We welcome our slutty brothers and sisters with open arms. Mostly brothers, if I’m being honest—”
“Caleb,” Everett grumbled. This wasnotthe time for Caleb to start getting smart.
“Everett’s not so into sisters,” Caleb finished despite Everett’s warning, “but from time to time, if he meets the right female, he’s down. So if you think calling anyone a slut is going to shock us? Nah. In fact, it makes me want to take that glittery party-slut over there home so we can celebrate our sexual liberation. With our penises.”
“God,” Everett muttered. He covered his hand with his face. “Caleb.”
How Caleb was able to switch from total over-the-top rage one minute to scathing sarcasm and point-blank honesty the next, Everett didn’t know. What he did know was that, more often than not, Caleb ended up infuriating his target enough that the fight picked back up from where they’d left off. If he didn’t tone it back, the asshole might start swinging again.
“So, in conclusion, the word ‘slut’ isn’t an insult. The idea that you would shame anyone for their sexuality is lame.” Caleb crackled his knuckles. “And if you’re going after this guy because you don’t like that he’s moving on with his life? That he’s having fun and going to bed with who he wants, when he pleases? That’s low.”
“Caleb, that’s enough,” Everett muttered.
“No, not yet.” Caleb shook out one hand, then the other, all the while keeping his gaze locked on the aggressive asshole. “I’ve got one more thing to say. If you really think it’s worth your while to waste your Friday night hunting down someone you think is so beneath you or whatever—because, let’s be real, if you’re calling him a slut, you’re debasing him purposefully so you feel better about yourself—then you need to get your priorities straight. If you hate him this badly, then let him go. Forget about him. Go find some saintly, innocent twink who’ll blush and stammer when you ask him to lick your balls and be done with it. He’s not worth your time. If he’s not going to change for us, like you said, then he’s not going to change for you, either.”
As much as Everett hadn’t wanted Caleb to continue, it did his soul good to hear what Caleb had to say. Wild adventures had cemented their friendship, but ideologies like that had been how Caleb had stolen Everett’s heart.
“So, if you don’t mind, can you leave?” Caleb nodded at the street. “There’s nothing for you here. If you want to get this out of your system, go vaguebook like everyone else does. Don’t make this more personal than it already is.”
The asshole glowered, but it seemed to Everett like he’d made up his mind to go. It was a relief—getting the police involved would have ruined what little was still good about their evening.
“You’re laughing now, but you won’t be soon,” the asshole muttered. Everett was partially convinced that he was talking to himself. “Men like him need to be taught a lesson.”
Caleb nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll give him your number if he decides he wants an education in backwards thinking.”
“Fuck you!” The asshole took a menacing step forward, his fists clenched. Everett tensed, ready for a fight, but Caleb’s posture remained loose and relaxed.
“Fuck you, too, dude.” Caleb shrugged. From the corner of his eye, Everett was fairly certain he saw Caleb wiggle his eyebrow. “You know, literally, if you want. A slut like me can get it up any day of the week for a guy who goes around showing off his inner asshole like you do. You’re practically winking at me right now. I only top, so I love it when guys make it one hundred percent clear they only bottom—makes it easier for me to slut around.”
“Let’s tone it down on the insults, okay?” Everett muttered. With a mouth like Caleb’s, he should have known better than to think they’d get out of this without further incident.
If they ended up at the police station, so help him…
“Jayne knows this isn’t over.” By now, the asshole had to be talking to himself, but he hissed the words at Caleb anyway. Maybe he was drunk. Between the lingering smell where the stoners had been and the putridity of the dumpster just feet away, it was hard to tell if he reeked of booze or not. “The longer he draws this out, the worse it’s gonna get. And as soon as he throws you out like garbage? As soon as he’s alone? I’m going to fucking teach him thatno onegets to do what he’s done and walk away from it.No one.”
Drunk would not excuse his behavior. No mind-altering substance Everett could imagine could excuse it. The man was unhinged.
Glitter-Chest—Jayne, if the asshole was to be trusted—was in genuine danger.
