Feel My Pain (Curse Bound 1)

“Evenin’,” Roach managed, unsure what to say and feeling like a kid caught with his pants down, but then again… Michael was here too, swinging his metaphorical dick like it was no big deal.

“I thought that was you. Man, you look so different in the suit. That somethin’ your guy likes?” Michael asked and poked Roach in the ribs. “Man, I’ve never thought I’d see you in a place like this.”

A gay bar. He’d also thought Roach was straighter than a hot dog at a boxing match.

Roach turned around to order something stronger than beer and gather his thoughts, but then spoke. “Yeah, I… kinda just came out. Guess I dressed up for the occasion.”

Michael stopped him when Roach tried to order shots. “My treat. How are you holding on after… you know? I’ve read about the fire. Tough shit,” he said and rubbed his nose.

“Who’s your new friend?” Zane’s voice was like honey, but Roach could sense the pepper in it.

He couldn’t be jealous… could he? This was probably his STD panic again.

“This is Michael. Or should I say officer Mole?”

Michael waved dismissively. “Nah, quit the force. I own a shooting range now. You should come sometime.”

Which had to mean he either got kicked out or had so much heat under his dirty cop feet that leaving became his only option.

Zane leaned against Roach, staking his claim without words, and whatever this was about, Roach still felt as if he’d grown taller.

“Too bad you didn’t get to meet Roach when he was still a member of the Rabid Hyenas MC. Those guys knew how to party,” Michael said and shook his head with a smile.

Roach could feel Zane getting colder next to him.

“Oh, I’ve heard. Great guys,” Zane mused.

Michael poked Roach with his elbow. “Do you know I once fucked Dog? That guy was too horny to care.”

“I preferred to be out of his way,” Roach said, but Michael wouldn’t give it a rest.

“This is great. Who were you fucking back then, sneaky man?”

“Me,” Zane added and picked up one of the shots Michael had ordered, downing it in a single gulp that twisted his face.

Roach let out a stupid chuckle and couldn’t help staring at Zane’s Adam’s apple as it bobbed. He’d lick it right now if he was certain it was within the code of conduct of this place. He needed to remind himself that Zane hated him, or he’d fall hopelessly in love.

Michael whistled and eyed them both from head to toe. “You guys wanna do a few lines? On me.”

This night would be going off the rails, wouldn’t it?

Zane glanced at him. “Don’t see why not.”

“It’s only nine after all.” Roach laughed and downed his drink.

Zane rolled his eyes and gave his ass a slap, but then he took hold of Roach’s belt and pulled him along while Michael led the way to the bathrooms, chatting about his shooting range.

A part of Roach was glad Karla had turned out to be a fraud, because if the curse was the one thing keeping Zane with him, then Roach didn’t want its power broken. Was it dangerous to leave his life in someone else’s hands? Sure, but damn was it worth it if that someone was Zane… whose surname Roach still didn’t know.

The restrooms were cramped, with only four stalls, but not as filthy as the ones in the Rabid Hyenas clubhouse in its heyday. The tiled interior stank vaguely of piss and bleach, and the slapping coming from behind the nearest door suggested someone was jerking off there. Michael led them to the stall at the end. They barely fit in, but it wasn’t as if they’d be staying long.

He put down the toilet lid and produced a small string bag full of dust. “They really should put those higher up the wall. People snort lines off them all the time,” he said, peppering the white plastic with cocaine before separating the pile into lines with a credit card. In the cramped space, Zane pushed closer to Roach, tucking his head into the crook between his shoulder and neck, and they stood together, watching Michael bow to the toilet as if he were about to flush his own head.

“You guys seem like a lot of fun.” Michael grinned once the first white line disappeared up his nose.

Roach rolled his own banknote when Michael offered his. “What do you mean?”

“Just saying, a young couple like you must be adventurous, right?”

Zane sighed, and Roach sensed his gaze on the back of his neck when he replaced Michael by the toilet and snorted the line. It was hardly his first time, even though he’d abstained since his club had disappeared off the face of the earth, with all the enablers. And the reason to drug up in the first place. No one liked cutting up bodies sober.