He knows he should play along, but his frustration and fear are mightier than logic.“Help! Help!”
Nate chuckles and pours vodka over Will’s head. Some reach his eyes, burning like flames. “You know damn well there isn’t anyone who’s gonna hear you out here, so shut up. I brought music to make this party more interesting.” He grabs Will’s chin and leans into his face. “You’re going to sing for me like you sang to Owen.”
“How do you know about that?”
Nate chuckles. “You can’t hide anything from me, baby. I keep tabs on what’s mine.”
“You’re sick.” There’s no fire in Will’s words, just despair. He won’t get through to this troubled man.
“Thanks for stating the obvious,” Nate says and licks the vodka from Will’s cheek. “Neither of us can change who we are.”
“You can choose not to let a good man suffer.”
“I gave that good man enough chances to back off. There comes a point where you just need to stand back and let shit happen.” He strokes Will’s chest. “I missed having you tied up.”
“Nate, if something happens to him—”
“We both know that something will. He’s been nothing but trouble for both of us, and you have bigger problems than what happens to him.” Nate whispers, “Themayor won’t let you leave this town. Did you know he hates you that much?”
Will tries to make sense of this change in conversation. His arms hurt worse than his head by now, like needles poking at his flesh. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Nate smiles. “He’s going to give you to Hal Darnell.”
Will opens his mouth, then closes it. He can barely breathe.
“I can help you,” Nate says, still stroking Will’s chest. “I don’t want anyone taking you away from me. He’s supposed to keep you on some farm, doing God-knows-what. Let’s get Owen out of the picture, then you and I can work on protecting you. You see, Iknowthings about the mayor. I can make him leave you alone, but I need you to give me a good enough reason to do that.”
“I don’t care about the mayor. We have to help Owen. Please.”
“You sound pathetic. If you’re not going to say anything productive, at least sing for me.”
“Ain’t no fucking way that—”
Nate leans down with his knee on Will’s crotch, triggering blinding pain. Will screams into the night, but Nate doesn’t ease up.
“You’re going to sing for me now, or I’ll stay like this until you pass out. I’ll even add in a little bonus to make you feel better. You can look at it as a sign of my willingness to reestablish our relationship.”
“Get off!”
“Say yes, or you’re going to be two balls short.”
“Yes!”
Nate raises his knee, and despite the relief, the pain still pulses in Will’s crotch. He feels the alcohol playing with his head, dulling his senses.He’s losing this fight and wasting so much precious time.
“You’re ready for a little confession, Will? Something that will make you feel so much better about your sins? I wanted to give you this gift for a long time.”
Will breathes heavily. “What is it?”
“It’s about Joel.”
He meets Nate’s eyes. “What about him?”
“He didn’t kill himself because of you.”
The words don’t make sense. “What are you talking about?”
Nate runs a hand through his hair and clears his throat. “I was getting tired of you and him being a couple. He was out of his mind, and it felt like such a waste for you to be with him and not with me. I asked him to share you, but he told me to fuck off.” Nate takes a breath, his eyes like two dark holes. “On the day he killed himself at your place, I told him that you and I were having an affair and were planning on leaving town together.”
