Better Than Chance (6 page)

“Are you okay?”

I was more than a little concerned about my friend. As far as I knew, he’d only had a couple drinks. That was nowhere near enough to incapacitate him. He looked positively loopy. I felt a sudden horrible chill as I realized there was a strong possibility that someone, possibly the muscleman who was literally undressing him on the dance floor, had slipped something into his drink. Oh fuck. I swiped my hands through my hair, forgetting about the copious amounts of gel I’d applied earlier. What was I supposed to do? Take him to the hospital? Take him home? I eyed him carefully. Aaron’s pupils were dilated, and he was unsteady on his feet.

“Aaron?”

He looked up at me quizzically, opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it in a fish-like manner and just shrugged. He blinked his eyes rapidly and then closed them dramatically as if all energy had simply left him. He walked the short distance to the brick wall of the dance club and leaned heavily as though he desperately needed its assistance to stand upright.

I looked up and down the alleyway. There were a few stragglers passing by, but all the action was on the main street a good fifty yards away. The side exit door reopened, and I looked up hoping to find a friendly face, but it was the muscle-bound dickhead who was surely responsible for Aaron’s current condition, making his way down the short set of stairs. He stopped short when he saw us and smiled menacingly. Oh shit. I hadn’t been in a situation like this in quite a while. I didn’t want to get into anything, but I would respond if necessary. I had three older brothers and had learned how to fight early. A fresh wave of adrenaline pulsed through my veins as my muscles tensed in preparation to spring, my hands curling into tight fists. I kept my eyes on him as he stalked toward me. He gave me an evil grin, then roughly brushed my elbow and made his way around me toward where Aaron leaned heavily against the brick wall.

“There you are, sweet boy. Come back and play with me.”

Aaron looked up and smiled wanly before closing his eyes again and leaning his head back against the bricks.

“What did you give him, you fucker?” I rounded on the muscleman and pulled at his thick tattooed arm forcing him to look my way.

He growled at me in warning like a feral dog and then set his hands on the brick wall, trapping Aaron’s head between his arms.

“Come on, pretty boy. Come dance with me.” His voice was low and husky. Aaron’s eyes fluttered open as though he was trying to focus, but he was too out of it. He closed them and sighed deeply.

“Get away from him!”

I was screaming like a banshee, and some passersby from the main street were beginning to notice the racket. I saw a large figure approaching in my peripheral vision, but I had to keep my eyes on Aaron’s creepy seducer. This guy wasn’t going to be easy to take down. I was taller, but he definitely had brawn on his side.

“Fuck off. This one’s mine.”

“No he is not! Get the fuck away from him!”

“And who’s gonna make me?” He turned, giving me a sinister look.

“I am” came a familiar voice behind me. “Back up, buddy. You heard him.”

“What are you…?”

Peter Morgan gave me a look that clearly told me to shut the fuck up. Surprise didn’t begin to cover how I felt seeing him standing in the misty alley, his large silhouette resplendent in the lamplight. He looked like a superhero minus the cape. What the hell was he doing in this part of town? How did he…? Questions would have to wait. I wasn’t turning down any assistance just then, even his. I kept my eye on Aaron, figuring I could concentrate on him if I had Peter’s help with the muscleman.

“Jay? I don’t feel so good.” Aaron’s voice sounded weak. He was inching his way down the brick wall into a crouching position. Muscleman backed away from Aaron, dually distracted by Peter’s sudden presence and Aaron’s proclamation. I would guess he was reconsidering whether what he thought was an easy lay was worth all the trouble it was turning out to be.

“Whatever, man. He’s all yours.”

“What did you give him?” I demanded. Now that I could focus on Aaron, I needed to know what he’d taken.

“Nothin’.” He gave me a smirk that doubled as a “fuck you” before stuffing his hands in his pockets and disappearing inside the club.

“Why you fucking…!” I jumped up and bounded toward the side door only to be stopped by a 210-pound wall of man. Peter gripped my arm firmly and pulled me back down the steps. I flashed him an angry look, and he held up a hand to stop my speech.

“Save it, Reynolds,” Peter said sharply. He looked at the side exit questioningly. “Where the hell is the bouncer? There should be someone out here.” There was no one but us in the deserted alley. He turned back to me. “Your friend needs you. You aren’t going to get anything out of that moron anyway.”

Aaron was now fully seated on the cold, damp ground, which had to be decidedly uncomfortable in his tight jeans. I nodded in frustrated agreement and went to Aaron’s side.

“Hey, honey. You okay?”

Aaron blinked up at me and offered a wavering smile before closing his eyes again.

“Aaron, please…,” I begged. My voice had taken on a panicky pitch. Shit. I was scared. I had no idea what to do.

“Did he have too much to drink? Drugs? He looks pretty out of it.”

“I don’t think he had that much to drink, and he doesn’t do drugs. Damn! I was wondering if maybe that fucker slipped something in his drink.” I pushed my fingers through my hair again in agitation. “I just don’t know. How can you tell?”

“Let’s get him out of this alley to start.” I studied Peter’s strong, handsome profile in the shadow as he looked over Aaron. He held his wrist in a firm grip, seeming lost in thought for a moment. “His pulse is strong. Do you need help? A ride or something?”

I looked down at my passed-out friend. Yes, I definitely needed assistance. Aaron wasn’t a big guy, but we had come by taxi. At the very least, we needed a ride. It was pretty un-fucking-believable that I was going to have to lean on Peter Morgan for any of this. Aaron was lucky he was passed out. He would certainly be hearing about this colossal mess when he came to.

“Well? Do you want to call someone else? I’m getting the idea that I’m not your favorite guy, but I’m here and I’m willing. Up to you, Reynolds.”

“My name is Jay,” I reminded him weakly. I saw a flash of humor light his dark eyes. I sighed. “Yes. I do need your help.” I explained about how we’d taken a taxi and was going into detail about how I’d picked Aaron up, when Peter once again held up his hand to halt my speech.

“Tell me all about it later. My car is close by. I’ll get it and then come back to pick you two up, okay?” He waited for my nod of agreement before he stood. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“Ha-ha,” I deadpanned. I turned my attention to Aaron, trying to coax him awake, so I could at least get him on his feet. It was hopeless. His head fell heavily to the side. Then suddenly his eyes popped open with a start. He wrinkled his nose in distaste and swiped at his face.

“Take me home, Jay.” His voice was weak but sure. I had a feeling he had heard some of my conversation with Peter.

“We’re gonna have them take a look at you at the hospital, okay?”

“No. I just wanna go home. I’m okay. I just feel tired. I didn’t swallow it. I’m fine.”

“Swallow what?” I gave him a shake, but his eyes had drifted shut again.

Thankfully Peter arrived quickly. He backed his luxury SUV into the alley and then stepped out to open one of the passenger doors. With his help, I was able to get Aaron to stand, not steadily, but enough so that we could get him into the backseat of the small truck. Once I was sure he was in safe, sound, and seat belted, I ran around to the other side and jumped in. Aaron immediately fell sideways into me; then Peter punched the gas and he swayed back toward the opposite door like a rag doll.

“Easy there, lead foot! You’ve got an unpredictable passenger back here. Surely you don’t want him losin’ his dinner on your fine leather seats!” Peter shot me an irritated stare in his rearview mirror, but listened pointedly as I explained Aaron’s wakeful state moments earlier and his request to be taken home.

“Hmmph. Where to, then?”

“What?”

“Reynolds, are you hard of hearing? Where does your boyfriend live?” Peter sounded a touch exasperated. I needed to check my sarcasm and make an effort to be pleasant. He was going out of his way for us. I gave him directions to Aaron’s apartment, which was a short drive from the club.

“Aaron’s not my boyfriend. He’s my best friend.”

Peter caught my stare in his rearview mirror. It was the first time we’d made real eye contact during this ordeal. His eyes were hooded and difficult to read, but he had that manly stubble all over his chin that I found crazy hot. I tuned him back in when I saw his mouth move. I was so easily sidetracked around him.

“That’s right. I met your boyfriend last weekend. Justin, right?”

“Justin?”

“Don’t tell me it’s over already?” came his snarky reply. What the hell was he…? Oh yeah. Fuck. I’d forgotten about the previous weekend’s disaster while I was busy dealing with my current weekend’s disaster.

I didn’t want to get into it with him, so I rolled my eyes, making sure he saw before I checked on Aaron’s listless form beside me. Aaron stirred restlessly, giving me hope that he’d awaken sooner rather than later, but it was fleeting. I had a sinking feeling that my bad luck was holding when there were no available places to park on Aaron’s block. Peter gamely drove around the block, but clearly he would either have to drop us off or find a spot on the next street over.

“Oh shit. Look, just leave us here in front of the building. I’ll manage.” I’m sure my tone conveyed my doubt.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Your friend might be light, but he’s deadweight in his current condition. Are you going to drop him on the ground every time you need to open a door?”

“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you,” I replied primly.

Peter muttered something off-color under his breath in response as he stopped the SUV. He was double-parked but close to the main entrance of Aaron’s building.

“Well, thank….”

My driver jumped out of the parked but still running vehicle and had made his way to the curbside of the car in a flash. He took Aaron’s wrist in his hand to feel his pulse again before hoisting him out of the backseat. I scrambled after them, fumbling to put my phone away. We stared at each other for a moment in the misty darkness, Peter effortlessly holding Aaron while I tried to figure out how to proceed.

“Can you get into the building? If you open the main door, I’ll leave him with you while I find a place to park. Then I can come back and help you get him inside. No sense in you both getting wet waiting for me.”

I stared at him like an idiot. He was really going to keep helping me? I might have to change my mind about Morgan after tonight, I mused.

“Yeah. Um… I’ll check his pocket. He usually has his keys on him. We’ll wait inside for you. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“I don’t mind. Get his keys out and get going. We’re all getting soaked now.”

Peter was right. The mist had turned into something more substantial. Not quite rain, but it was heavier than it had been earlier and my fabulous shirt was clinging to my skin in a less than sexy way. I stepped closer and stuck a finger in Aaron’s front left pocket. His jeans were practically painted on, but I could tell there was no key there. Peter clued in.

“Here. Let me hand him to you and I’ll see if I can get the key from his other pocket. Unless you think he keeps it in his back pocket?”

I gave him an incredulous look.

“Who would ever put a key in their back pocket when they were going out dancing?”

Peter obviously didn’t understand my meaning if his expression was any indication, so I decided to enlighten him.

“Really? You’re dancing with some hot guy or maybe girl if that’s your thing, and things get close, shall we say. Your dance partner gets a little familiar and sets his hands on your ass to pull you closer… only to get the imprint of your apartment door key. Buzzkill!”

Peter stared at me like he was looking at an alien. He shook his head slightly, shaking some of the moisture from his dark hair in the process.

“Okay, whatever you say. So do you want to hold your boyfr—” He caught himself when he saw that I was about to correct him. “Sorry, your buddy… while I see if I can get his key out? And, Reynolds?” He waited for me to nod in acknowledgment before he spoke again. “Hurry the fuck up.”

I held out my arms for Peter to hand over Aaron’s listless form. But I couldn’t resist having one last word.

“My name is Jay, for cryin’ out loud!”

Peter rolled his eyes while expertly managing to angle two fingers into Aaron’s right pocket. He pulled out a rainbow keychain with two keys attached. His eyes lit with satisfaction at his easy success.

“You must be good with your hands,” I snorted and then winced. What was wrong with me?

“That I am.” He winked before turning to walk up the path toward the large wrought iron front door, leaving me to follow him. I shut my mouth and adjusted the burden in my arms, wishing I had a free hand to adjust my package instead. Peter Morgan was a sexy beast. I might not like him, but I couldn’t deny the fact I found him attractive.

By the time I caught up with him, he had opened the door and was holding it wide for me to pass through. There was a very uncomfortable-looking iron bench just inside the door opposite the elevator. I walked over to it and set Aaron down before settling next to him, allowing him to lean against me.

“I’ll be back. I need to move my car.”

I nodded and looked down at Aaron.

“I can’t believe what you’ve gotten me into,” I admonished, expecting no response.

Aaron wiggled against me and sat up. He looked confused but alert.

“Hey. How are you feeling, honey?” I was so relieved to see him awake and sitting up, I didn’t catch the panic in his eyes at first.

“Not good. I’m going to be sick.” Aaron jumped up and pushed open the heavy front door. I could hear the unmistakable sound of sickness already in progress as I rushed after him.