Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
If only he could deny everything he loved about Zolt, he could get on with his life. He could admit that he was a sucker who got used, never speak of it to anyone and die a little on the inside every day until he was hollow and none of this hurt anymore.
There wasn’t much more he could do around his Harley, and once every single surface shone as if the vehicle had just left the factory, his gaze wandered off to Zolt’s green chopper. It was a beautiful beast, like Zolt was, and he’d even cleaned it once, when Zolt was too busy with a collector of old coins to prepare his ride for an evening outing. But he would not do him another favor, not even if it helped him pass the time during the endless hours of Zolt’s weekly poker night.
Zolt didn’t deserve his selfless help.
Leo took his time smoking as he stared at the stars above and considered how fast his life had turned on its head, but there was only so long he could torment himself this way. He was hungry, and there was no reason for him to be denied access to the kitchen solely because Zolt had his non-friends over.
He didn’t want to see Zolt, nor the sofa where—there was no other way to put it—he’d given himself to Zolt just this afternoon, he walked inside and headed straight for the kitchenette.
Piercing blue eyes met his the moment he entered, and for a split second hope bloomed in Leo’s heart like a vine refusing to die. But Zolt looked back to his cards immediately, once again stomping over Leo’s needs. Anders picked up the bowl of nachos Leo had put into the shopping basket himself, and offered them to him.
“Just use the headphones,” he said, alluding to Leo’s habit of playing games while Zolt entertained his guests by the table.
So Zolt hadn’t boasted about his conquest. It was good to know that he had at least so much decency left in his black heart.
Or they were playing a game, and he was the only one left in the dark.
“It’s fine, I’m not staying,” Leo said in passing and grabbed a frozen pizza before turning on the oven. To think that he’d been so happy to cook for Zolt. He really was a sucker, and there wasn’t a single soul he could confide in.
Zolt’s phone beeped with a ring tone reserved for special clients—those who always paid in cash and used Zolt’s shop for money laundering—and he rose, placing his hand of cards face-down on the table. “I need to take this.”
“What, again?” Sidell asked with a scowl. “It’s the second time tonight. Who’s clamoring for your dick so damn hard?”
Anders let out a chuckle and glanced Leo’s way without saying a thing, which sent icy ants down his back.
“What’s so funny?” Leo asked, his hand tightening on the pizza knife he’d taken out of the drawer.
Zolt huffed and stopped mid-way to his bedroom. “Leave him be, will you?” he asked and slammed the door behind him.
Neil whistled. “Someone’s advanced to special treatment.”
Leo shoved the pizza into the oven with a scowl. “Jealous?”
A few seconds of shocked silence later, Sidell and Anders howled with laughter, the former even hitting the table with his palm time and time again.
“He’s done it. Told you,” Anders said and reached out his open palm toward Sidell, who pulled out his wallet.
“Fine. You won.”
“Zolt’s done nothing, you idiots!” Leo raised his voice, beyond frustrated despite the upset look on Neil’s face.
“The lady doth protest too much.” Anders sniggered in an exaggeratedly polite accent.
Leo shook his head. “If any of you spent at least half the time you do looking for dick on actually being nicer fucking people, maybe you’d have something more worthwhile in your lives than gossiping about who fucked who!”
Anders shrugged, turning around to meet Leo’s gaze. “At least we’ll have something to reminisce about once we’re old and gray. If you’re not certain about Zolt, I might be of service,” he said with a widening smile.
This was beyond disgusting. Leo glanced at his watch and walked back to the door, intent on returning once the pizza had been in the oven long enough. And he’d thought some of the guys in the club were dogs. Zolt’s buddies had no other purpose in life than earning money and looking for sex.
Leo sat on a low wall outside, noticing that he only had three cigarettes left. He didn’t usually smoke this much, but the pit of despair Zolt had pushed him into was too hard to bear without a little help. Just as he was beginning to understand that maybe he was bisexual and needed to face it, life had given him this punch in the face. How was he supposed to figure out any of this on his own when Zolt was the only guy Leo had ever been interested this intensely?