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“Go away?” The other smirked. “But we just fucking got here.”
“Yeah, well, too bad. We’re kinda in the middle of something.”
“Like what? Teaming up on that guy?” He looked at Tad.
The first jock made a face. Shook his head. “Not cool.”
Asshole glared. “How ‘bout you mind your own goddamn business.”
The newcomers just chuckled, then shut their doors, lending a nice clear view of the baseballs bats in their hand.
“You wanna tell my bat that, G?” the second jock asked. He sauntered toward the Camaro. Gave its headlight a pointed tap.
Asshole instantly shot ramrod stiff. “No, dude. Listen. This guy. He’s—”
“Outnumbered? Yeah. We see that.”
“No. He—”
“Wronged your friend?”
“No—”
“A family member.”
“No.”
“Fucked your girlfriend?”
“No!”
“Your cat.”
Tad coughed back a laugh despite the crippling pain. He’d forgotten how funny those fuckers were, and what a good time he’d had with them at that party. That is, until they hustled him at poker, then demanded he pay up with more than money. Not with them, though, thank fuck. But with Tad’s current boyfriend. Even now it was hard sometimes to wrap his brain around.
“Fuck off,” Asshole bit out. Unlike Tad, he wasn’t amused.
The jocks just grinned, twirling their bats at their sides, like athletes at the plate waiting to swing. “That wasn’t very nice, G.” They circled the Camaro like sharks.
“Touch my ride and you’re fucking dead.”
Driver dude stilled and lifted a brow, then swapped amused looks with his friend. “You hear that, bro?”
“Yeah, man. I did.”
Their grins spread wide. Mischief flickered in their eyes. Then, in unison, both wagged their tongues. Wagged their fucking tongues and started grooving. Nodding and bumping to quirky beat as they got back to circling asshole’s car.
“Insane in the membrane—Insane in the brain!”
SMASH! went a headlight, then its twin bit it too, while simultaneously, both tail lights met the same fate.
Tad’s mouth fell open. Asshole roared and tore after them, his friends right behind him, but before they could dish out one lick of retribution, the jocks aimed their bats at them instead. Pointing the business end at their fuming faces while beckoning them with grins to fucking bring it.
The trio braked hard, just inches from swinging range, their ringleader flat-out fucking vibrating. “You’re dead! Fucking dead!” he bellowed, beyond livid.
“Don’t feel dead. How ‘bout you, bro? You feel dead?”
“Not really.”
“Fuck you! Fuck you both!” Spittle flew from his mouth. “I’m gonna fucking flay you for this shit!”
“He’s threatening us, Chad. I think that’s grounds for a window.”
“No!” Asshole threw out his hands. “We’ll leave! Just leaving my fucking car alone! Jesus Christ!”
Driver jock shrugged, tapping his bat against his palm. “You sure? We really don’t mind if you stay. Bygones and shit. S’all good.”
Asshole leveled him with a glower but didn’t reply, just gestured for his friends to get in the car. Sixty seconds later, they were peeling away, leaving angry tire marks on the asphalt.
The jocks watched them go, then turned back to Tad. “You okay?”
Tad nodded, holding his side.
They walked over and studied him.
“Shit,” the one muttered. “Those asshats did a number on your face.”
“Don’t gotta tell me.” Tad touched his eyebrow and winced.
The driver, Chad, frowned. “You wanna press charges?”
Ugh. Press charges. Talking for hours about this shit with the cops. Tad grimaced. That’d be almost as bad as getting jumped. “No… I don’t think so.”
“You sure?” the other asked, snagging Tad’s laptop bag off the ground. “We could swing you by the station, be your witnesses, no problem. Still got their license plate digits in my head.”
Tad looked at him. “Seriously?”
He beamed. “Photographic memory.”
“So jealous,” Chad muttered. “Need to borrow your brain for finals.”
Tad eyed them suspiciously. They were being awfully nice. “Why’d you two help me? What’s in it for you?”
Their expressions turned sheepish. Maybe even a little contrite.
Chad scratched his neck. Shrugged. “We just… still feel kinda bad.”
“Yeah.” His friend nodded and handed over Tad’s bag. “What we did to you at that party? Total dick move.”
“Yeah, man. We’re really sorry. We were so damn stupid drunk.”
“Had our brains up our asses.”
“Totally deserved that whoop-ass Scott put on us.”
Tad coughed a small laugh, then winced again in pain. “Yeah, you did. But you definitely paid your dues. Scott didn’t let you off easy. Plus, you just saved my ass….”
Both jocks smiled.
“Our pleasure, G.”
Tad nodded, but then noticed Chad eyeing him. “What?”
Chad shifted his weight. Shrugged again. “Was just, you know, wondering…”
Tad frowned. “Wondering what?”
“If, you know, you were out yet. Of the closet.”
Tad’s cheeks heated instantly. How had he not seen that coming? “Um…” A boyish smile tugged at his lips. “Yeah. I guess I am.”
“Nice. With Scott?”
“Yeah. With Scott.” Tad smiled and looked down, suddenly feeling like an idiot. “And I guess I’ve got you guys to pretty much thank for it.”
Both jocks beamed. “Just doing our civic duty.”
“Uh huh,” Tad chuckled. “Interesting way of showing you care.” He dug out his keys. “Listen, um…” Chad shifted his weight. “Since we’re kinda sorta good now…”
