Julien freezes. He hadn’t noticed the SUV had moved from its spot and pulled up next to them.
Sam’s arm hangs from the window of the back seat. He smacks the outside of the door a couple of times. “C’mon, we’re heading back to the hotel.”
Julien shakes his trapped arm, finally breaking free of Rafael’s grip. “Go with them.”
“I’m not leaving you here.”
“I won’t beleft here.” Julien shakes his phone at the stubborn man. “I have a rideshare.”
“Cancel it. We need to talk.”
Oh yeah sure, except Julien can’t imagine a worse hell than being trapped in a car for half an hour with Thomas, his lover, and his former lover.
Should he run for the road or back to the house? If he goes for the road, the SUV might hit him. If he heads back to the house, his entire family might hear what Rafael has to say.
Julien could survive a car accident.
Rafael turns to the SUV. “Sam, my shoulder’s still fucked up.”
“Got it.”
Julien takes off down the driveway as the car door clicks open. Right before he reaches the end of the path, he’s heaved into the air.
“Let go of me!” Julien scrambles, his legs kicking out, but he still can’t reach the ground. “Samuel Campbell, put me down!”
“Nah.” Sam holds him steady as the SUV pulls up next to them. “It’ll be a real hassle for me if you don’t get in that car.”
The door opens and Sam nearly tosses the smaller man into the middle seats before climbing in after him.
There’s still a glimmer of hope that Julien can escape, but that dies once the car takes off. It’s way faster than the piece of shit he drives.
Julien could probably jump out of his own car without issue, but now?
“Please sit down.” Rafael pats the seat next to himself as Sam climbs over the center row and gracelessly stumbles into the back.
Julien does, but only because sitting in a chair is more comfortable than in the footwell. He falls into the seat with a huff, crossing his arms and watching the world pass by.
Sure, they kidnapped him, but he doesn’t have to talk.
“Do not be so dramatic,” Thomas chides from the back row. “I already told you—I never had sex with Rafael.”
That’s not the point, but of course Thomas doesn’t understand. He’ll never know what it’s like to be looked over or used for his proximity to his perfect, famous brother.
“Could you fuck Sam knowing he might be thinking of someone else? Someone he loved more than you? That you were just some… easyrebound?!”
Thomas purses his lips and turns, facing out of the window. He probably can’t even imagine a world where everyone didn’t fall to his feet.
Sam reaches over and squeezes his leg.
It’s so domestic, Julien wants to hurl.
“I don’t think of Thomas when we—” Rafael grunts. He can’t even say it. They fuck. “Our thing has nothing to do with him, okay?”
“You loved Thomas, got rejected, then fucked his brother.” Julien huffs. “But sure, it's totally unrelated.”
“Ididn’tlove him, though. I knew I cared about Thomas more than the girls I slept with, and I was stupid enough to think it meant I loved him.”
It’s somehow just as devastating to have it said directly to Julien’s face. “I get it. Youcareabout him more than everyone else.”
