by Zane Menzy
“You need to calm your farm, Matthew James Andrews. This isn’t my fault. This has nothing to do with me,” Jason snapped. “The only reason I am saying something now is I don’t trust how Damon took photos of you. It strikes me as devious and somewhat well-timed.”
Matt looked at his friend who glared back sternly. “I’m sorry, Jason. I don’t mean to have a go at you. But I’m just…” Matt grabbed and pulled at his hair. “Grrr. Just so fucking unbelievably angry.”
“I understand that,” Jason said. “I’m sorry.”
Sorry wasn’t going to cut it. Not from Jason. Not from Damon. Not from anyone. Matt could feel his heart breaking but it wasn’t what was most important. What was important was making sure Keegan was okay. He was consumed with worry—and anger. Boiling hot anger for Damon’s disgusting behaviour. “Keegan is just a kid. How could he even do that? It is disgusting.”
Jason looked hesitant to respond.
“How?” Matt cried.
“Keegan is eighteen, Matty. Not a small child. I don’t think you can accuse Damon of what I think you may be insinuating.”
“It’s still wrong. It’s a line you just don’t cross.” Matt let a hot breath escape his lips. “I gotta go see him.”
“Hold your horses, Geronimo. You might want to calm down before you go all T Sizzle Bad Blood on his ass.”
Matt knew Jason was right but the emotion boiling inside him was too much to control. He just wanted to get up and leave right that instant. Just as he was about to tell Jason he had to go, Garth appeared in the kitchen wearing no top and just a pair of his raggedy jeans.
“Everything okay?” Garth asked. “I thought I heard banging?” He looked at Jason and Matt with questioning eyes.
“Everything’s fine and dandy,” Jason lied through a smile.
“I thought you and Keegan had gone out,” Matt asked, frowning.
“Only Keegan. He told me that he had to go help his grandfather with something,” Garth answered, wiping a hand down his bare chest.
Jason shot Matt a questioning look.
“Umm did he?” Matt answered in a surprised tone.
Garth laughed, unpeeling Keegan’s lie. “Guess he must be up to something he doesn’t want us to know about then.”
Matt cringed. “Must be.”
Jason stood up. “Are you busy, Garth?”
“Nope. Just pissing about waiting for Keegan.”
“Good,” Jason said. “I don’t suppose you could come help me with a wee chore. I need some help choosing the best alcoholic poisons for the wedding and who better to take along to help me choose than a handsome experienced bartender.”
Garth grinned. “Sure. I’ll just go put a top on.”
With Garth gone, Jason shot Matt a knowing glance. “We will get out of your hair for a moment. I imagine you probably want to be alone to make a Damon voodoo doll.”
“I do. The first pin will be going straight in his fucking cock.”
“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”
Matt avoided his friend’s eyes.
“I mean it, Matty. I don’t want to be attending someone’s funeral on a day that should be my wedding.”
Garth came galloping back into the room, this time wearing a shirt. “Ready. I’m all yours.”
“Ooo, don’t get my hopes up, sugar” Jason flirted. He gave Matt a winsome smile. “I will call you later.”
Matt nodded and watch them leave. He snuck into the lounge and peered through the window to see them drive off. As soon as Jason’s car was gone, Matt ran to get his keys. “fuck sake,” he hissed when he realised his father had taken the car. He cursed the fact that he had never bothered to buy a second vehicle. He went and called a taxi and let his mood brood like a destructive storm.
∞
Matt leapt out of the taxi and crossed the road towards Damon’s apartment. Prickling at the back of his neck, Matt was wound up so tight he thought he might snap. His body singed with a heat that felt illegal like knives on a burning element. The taxi ride from Port Jackson had cost a small fortune but it felt worth it as he thundered up the stairs and saw the door to Damon’s apartment come into sight.
He knocked with pulsating urgency. “Damon it’s me. Open up.” Matt pounded again.
Finally, Damon pulled the door open. Dressed casually, he looked like he had just got back from the gym, his body soppy with sweat. His smile was instant when he saw it was Matt. “Hey, you. I was about to call you.”
Matt barged past, knocking Damon’s shoulder as he marched to the centre of the apartment.
Damon laughed. “Is someone a little keen to have fun, aye?”
Matt snorted. “Piss off.”
Damon shut the door and walked over to him. “What’s with you?” He was still smiling but his forehead creased with a frown. “Is something wrong?”
“You could say that,” Matt spat out, standing with his hands on his hips.
“Tell me what it is. I might be able to help.”
Matt laughed wickedly. “No, Damon You can’t help. You can only make things worse.”
Damon narrowed his eyes.
“I know what you did, Damon.” Matt felt his body tremble. “I know what you did with Keegan.”
Damon looked like he was about to crack into a thousand pieces.
“You really are something else, aren’t you?” Matt threw his arms in the air. “Nothing but a parasite who goes out of his way to fuck things up.”
“Matty,” Damon whispered. He took a step towards Matt, touching his shoulder.
Matt threw Damon’s hand away. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
Damon stepped back like he was told to. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry isn’t going to cut it this time, Damon. I may have been stupid enough twenty years ago to believe your bullshit apologies but not this time. This time you have gone and shown your true colours. Just a dirty sexual predator out for all he can get.”
“It’s not like that,” Damon replied. “I know how fucking awful it is but I’m telling you the truth when I say I never planned it to happen… I’d never purposely hurt you.”
“Well, you have, Damon. And you’ve hurt Keegan. Do you have any idea how that sort of thing could fuck with his head?”
“Keegan’s a big boy, Matty. He knew what he was doing.”
“Oh. So that makes it alright for you to go and fuck him, does it?” Matt laughed callously. “You sick fuck.”
Damon’s face looked mushy; guilt and sadness rolled into one. “I am so sorry. I don’t know what else I can say. I know I fucked up but that doesn’t change how I feel about you.” He went to step forward again but Matt moved away.
“Oh, so you really care about me, do you? Like so much that you took photos of me that I assume are being kept to be used against me if I ever try and tell people about how much of a filthy cunt you are.”
Damon shook his head. “No.” He went to say something else but stopped. He took a breath then started again, “Okay. That is why I took them in the first place but that was before I realised how much I care for you. I didn’t know I felt these things until afterwards.”
“Spare me the bullshit.”
“The photos weren’t even my idea. I asked Jenna for advice and she said I needed to have something to keep myself safe.”
“Why does that not surprise me. She always was a schemey bitch and it seems you take after her.”
Damon walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbed his phone. “I will delete them all now. No photos.” He began scrolling through his phone with frantic swipes. “Deleted. All gone.” He held his phone up to let Matt see but Matt turned his face away.
“I don’t care, Damon. The pictures of me mean nothing. I am more concerned about the video of you and Keegan.”
“There isn’t a video,” Damon said.
“There’s no video?”
“Not anymore. I took care of it. The video is gone. I promise.”
Matt w
as relieved to hear this but it didn’t change how furious he was. “Good but that doesn’t change the fact I never wanna see you again. You’re fucking dead to me.”
Damon clutched his chest, clawing at himself like a starving animal. “Matty, I don’t think you understand how much I love you,” His voice came out desperate and strained. “I never thought I could be with someone properly but I know I can with you. You and me, Matty, are the real thing.”
“No, we’re not. You don’t do the real thing, Damon. All you do is control people. You’ve done it your whole life... insist people do whatever you want them to. You can’t handle not being the one in charge. If you had your way everyone would be under lock and key and only let out when you feel like.” Matt glowered at him, releasing wrathful breaths.
Damon ignored Matt’s seething anger warning him to stay away and crossed the space between them, he wrapped his arms around Matt and hugged tight.
Matt’s pulse jerked in his throat and his skin puckered in goose bumps. “Get your filthy hands off of me. I don’t want you near me.”
Damon began to weep. “No,” he spluttered. “I won’t let you go ‘till you forgive me.”
“I said let go of me, Damon.”
Damon’s sniffles rolled into uncontrollable sobs, his tears wetting Matt’s shirt. “Give me a chance to show you how much I care. I’ll do anything you want. Anything!”
Matt wrestled his arms out of Damon’s vice-like hug, pushing him away. “No! There is nothing that can fix this. You made me think you cared about me but all along you were using me. Waiting to blackmail me or humiliate me with those photos plastered around town or online.”
Damon tore at his hair and groaned. “I just showed you, I deleted the photos. This isn’t me playing games. I love you. I fucking love you.” He wiped tears from his eyes and tried to reach out to hold him again.
Matt stepped back and shook his head. “Stay away from me,” his voice warbled.
Damon ignored him and stepped forward. Matt curled his fingers into a ball of flesh and swung his fist in the air, punching Damon in the side of the face.
Damon’s head jerked to the side and he wobbled on his feet. He looked at Matt with wounded damp eyes.
Matt waited for the stronger male to attack, kick the shit out of him. Damon clutched his injury, crying some more. “Matty please. Don’t do this.” He dropped to the floor and grabbed hold of Matt’s legs. “Don’t go.”
Matt heaved a sigh of frustration, trying to flick Damon off of him like dog shit under his shoe.
“I’ll do anything,” Damon pleaded. “I just want you to know how sorry I am.” He began kissing Matt’s leg. “Sorry.” He kissed him again. “Sorry.”
Matt was stunned by how pathetic Damon looked right now—crumpled on the floor with tear-filled eyes that begged forgiveness. Matt hurled a ball of spit in Damon’s sad face. “LET GO!” Matt screamed. He shook his leg free, kicking Damon’s head in the process. He walked away as Damon began wailing for him to come back. Matt felt dizzy as he walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
He was shocked by his own anger. Stunned at his strength. Everything was surreal. Matt felt his knees start to give way and he collapsed against the wall of Damon’s apartment, slowly sliding his back down the smooth surface ‘till he was sat on the floor with bent knees, holding his head in his hands. He could faintly hear Damon’s wailing of heartache through the door like a pained symphony. A flame in Matt’s chest flared up; its heat burned away some invisible seal holding him together. It exploded, leaving his heart in scattered pieces. His eye sockets began to sting and his chest squeezed. Matt let it all out—tear after tear. Mourning the loss of a best mate and a chance at love.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Keegan wandered the sweaty city streets feeling like he and Liam had dodged a bullet. What they had nearly done together could have completely destroyed their already frayed friendship. As much as his body craved Liam, Keegan knew it wasn’t right. It wasn’t going to bring about anything good. And Keegan wanted good things. He wanted the best good he could find and he knew waiting for him at his father’s house was where he would find it in the form of a messy-haired boy with cute dimples who seemed to think the world of him.
He didn’t go home straight away. He took his time exploring the city, trying to clear the messy thoughts inside his head. As he made his way through the streams of strangers bustling outside the busy stores, a clarity dawned on him. He was walking away from a large chapter of his life. Not just Liam but everything about his life back home. As scary as that felt, this rush of change flooding his life was also incredibly exciting.
He had a whole new chapter about to be written. Keegan just hoped that the bright mark on his neck didn’t dull the shine of his future, ripping away the one character he wanted by his side for the rest of the story.
The bus trip back to Port Jackson was tedious and felt like an eternity. When he finally arrived at the seaside suburb, he walked speedily to his father’s home. Scared to come clean but eager to show Garth his heart’s hand. When he got inside he found his father standing in the hallway with a dozy dumb look on his face.
“Hey, Dad.” Keegan smiled about to walk past him
“Can we speak for a moment,” his father asked, tapping Keegan on the shoulder.
“Umm, if you like.” Keegan turned, following his father into the lounge. His father stood in the centre of the room with sagging shoulders. He assumed that what was to follow was an awkward discussion about last night. Walking in on his father kissing Damon. “Everything okay, dad?”
“Yeah. Everything’s fine,” He smiled back affectionately.
Keegan decided to just cut to the chase. “Look, if it’s about last night then I don’t care about what you and Damon do together. If he makes you happy then that makes me happy.”
“Thank you. But Damon and I…” His father paused, an odd gleam striking his eyes. “I’m glad you want me to be happy.”
“Why wouldn’t I. You’re my dad.”
His father nodded, his smile a faint arch of approval. “And I want you to know that if Garth makes you happy then I’m the same. I’m happy if you are. And he seems a nice guy.”
“Yeah. He is.” Keegan darted his eyes towards the door. His want to leave did not go unnoticed.
“Just one more thing.” His father cleared his throat. “Have you given any thought to what you are doing for a job or study?”
“Not yet but I will do.”
“I’m sorry Keegan but no ‘will do’. Just do.” His father’s friendly face did not match the sternness of his words. “I expect you to have a job or be enrolled to study within a week. I am only prepared to keep helping you out if I see that you’re willing to help yourself.”
Keegan was stunned. He didn’t expect his father to be so ballsy. “And if I don’t?”
“Then you can come work for me. I am sure we can train you up in accounts or something.”
Keegan grimaced. He didn’t like the sound of that. “Oh god,” he muttered.
His father laughed. “Use it as motivation to find something else then. But there are worse things in this life than being a bean counter’s assistant.”
“I guess so,” Keegan said with a deflated voice. “Is Garth upstairs?”
“Uh no. He’s swimming in the pool.”
“Cool,” Keegan said. He turned on his feet to go outside and find Garth.
“Hey, Keegan,” his father called out. “One more thing.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you need me to buy some fly spray for you to keep in your room.”
Keegan wrinkled his forehead. “What?”
“The mosquitos up there look like real biters.” His father tapped his neck, smirking.
Keegan blushed.
“Tell Garth to go easy with those sharp teeth of his,” His father said. “Trust me. It’s not a good look for job hunting.”
“Mmph,” Keegan exhaled th
rough his nose. He gave his father a slight nod of the head and left the room. He had totally forgotten about that fucking mark. Thank god, his father spotted it and reminded him. He took a few deep breaths, going over in his head how best to explain its existence to Garth. He made his way to the kitchen and exited out the back door into the garden. The backyard was huge and with its pretty flowers and impressive old trees it would make the perfect setting for a wedding, he thought.
Most of the wide yard was grassed but towards the end of the lawn was the start of native trees and a small garden path that wound through it like some nature walk. Half way along the path a trellis fence covered in leafy vines fenced off what was the swimming area. Not an outdoor pool but a large shed that housed an indoor heated pool. Living across the road from the beach would have made an outdoor one pointless, but this way his father could swim the year round. Not that his father looked like much of a swimmer. It seemed an item that perhaps Karina’s kids would have used and now it stood here pointlessly.
Keegan opened the latch of the trellis fence and followed a now gravel path to the sheds entrance. He wasn’t even inside before he could hear Garth’s splashing and singing—horrendously again. Keegan smiled to himself at a noise so bad he imagined it could make dogs howl.
Inside, he saw Garth floating on his back, kicking his feet as he sang his happy song. Keegan took advantage of Garth not being able to see him, letting his eyes size his lover up from his toes to his wet locks.
“Hey, sexy,” Keegan called out.
Garth stopped singing, flipping over in the water frantically. His eyes bulged and he sucked in a gust of air. “Fuck you gave me a fright.”
“I can see that.” Keegan chuckled. “Did you want me to get you a detective?”
“Huh?”
“Someone to help you track down those notes your voice can’t find.”
“Oh, Har. Har. Very funny, blondie.” Garth grinned. He ducked his head under the water and started doing breaststroke towards the end of the pool.