Below the Belt

by E M Lindsey

  “I don’t believe you,” Charlie said after a beat.

  Noah laughed again. “I don’t care what you believe, Barnes.”

  Charlie reached for him suddenly, and Noah flinched back, making him laugh. “You’re actually scared of me.”

  “I’m horrified and disgusted,” Noah spat, pushing his chair back slightly. “Never in my life have I ever met someone as fragile and p-pathetic as you. So your ego was b-bruised because a bunch of assholes who don’t see disabled people as people might think it’s s-sad I rejected you? I thought about it, once, you know? I thought about s-saying yes, because you were n-nice, and you didn’t seem to care that things were different after my accident. I have n-never really been much of a believer, but I think I might be one now, because God sure as shit saved me from something truly evil.”

  Charlie stared at him, eyes narrowed, cheeks pink. Then he tucked the folder away and shrugged. “You have forty-eight hours to submit your request to Lowe. Once that’s done, your friend can finish his last semester here in peace.”

  Noah swallowed, then started to stand, but Charlie caught his wrist, fingers digging into his skin so hard his bones creaked.

  “If you breathe a word to this to your little lawyer friend, if I find out you’ve been talking to anyone…”

  Noah wrenched his hand away. “Someday, you’ll regret this. It probably won’t even be at my hand, either. You think you have power now, but you’ll eventually fuck with the wrong person and you’ll come to regret the person you are. I just hope I’m around to see it.” With that, he turned and stormed out of the café.

  15.

  Adrian paced a circle around the heavy bag, his fingers itching to do some damage to something other than an inanimate object. He wanted to go rounds with someone who could fight back, who matched him, who could take a hit. Or maybe he wanted to go rounds with the pompous piece of shit who decided to act out some rejection revenge fantasy on Adrian’s boyfriend and make him cry—and bleed. A lot.

  He couldn’t do any of that. Anna wasn’t fighting until she was sure she wasn’t pregnant, Wes’ legs were giving him a hard time that day, and Cole just wasn’t ready. Adrian hadn’t bothered getting to know anyone else at the gym enough, and he was far too worked up to trust himself.

  He gripped the bag with a small groan, pressing his forehead against it, and tried to breathe. He could hear the faint jingle of Lemon’s leash nearby, letting him know he could call her at any time, but he didn’t want to be soothed. He wanted to work out his aggression.

  Taking a step back, he held his fists up and gripped them tight enough to hurt, then loosened his fingers. His fist made contact just once before the door opened and he let out a growl of frustration. “This room is private use only.”

  “I know.”

  The voice wasn’t exactly familiar, but for whatever reason, Adrian knew it anyway. He turned and saw a tall, broad man with a sweep of styled hair, sharp features, and soft eyes walking toward him. He was wearing a Baum’s tank top and a pair of sweats, and he had tattered wraps curled around his hands and wrists.

  “We haven’t met properly,” the guy said as he boldly approached the furious ex-marine, “but I thought now was a good time.”

  Adrian took a step back toward the bag and used his left hand to keep himself steady as he sized the guy up. “Is that so?”

  “I’m Ryan,” he said, and held out his hand.

  Adrian crushed his urge to take the guy’s hand and tug him right into a punch, because frankly this guy hadn’t done anything except make it easier for him to be with Noah. He swallowed back his unease and extended his own hand to shake. “No offense, but what the fuck are you doing here?”

  “I work out here sometimes. Wes was a witness in one of my cases a few years back and we ended up hitting it off. I hooked him up with a lawyer that helped him out of that logo copyright suit, and he hooked me up with free passes for life.”

  Adrian licked his lips, a little frustrated with himself that he hadn’t know about it, and a little frustrated that Noah’s ex was so tightly knit with his own family and he hadn’t been aware of it. “It’s nice to meet you. Noah talks about you a lot.”

  Ryan’s lips spread into a soft grin and Adrian hated how he could see why Noah had once been attracted to this guy. “I’m sure that’s irritating, but there’s nothing between us. There hasn’t been for a long time.”

  “Since you fucked someone in your bed, right?” Adrian said a little meanly.

  Ryan had the decency to wince. “Hitting below the belt, I see.”

  “Am I? It’s the truth, right?” he pressed, panicking for a moment that maybe Noah had lied to him.

  Ryan just shrugged. “Fair enough. But yeah, since I fucked up a relationship with one of the best people I have ever known, there hasn’t been anything but friendship between us. But I do love him, and I wanted to come over here and tell you that I don’t know exactly what happened this morning, but it isn’t good, and he won’t let me in.”

  Adrian let out a rush of air, leaning on the bag a little more as his head hung forward. “Fuck.”

  “That’s about the sum of it,” Ryan said. “I dropped him off at the café and he called an uber instead of letting me take him home. He won’t answer his phone, and I know he said the two of you weren’t risking calling each other so…”

  Adrian swore again, curling his hands into fists and wondering if maybe he should break that rule right now. “That man had better pray to every god he’s ever heard of that he never encounters me alone in an alley.”

  Ryan stared, then threw his head back and laughed. “I knew I liked you. Shit, I wanted to hate you, but your sister and brother talk so highly of you and Noah was a goner from the moment he saw you going a round with Anna.” He swiped the back of his hand across his brow. “So…what about me?”

  Adrian frowned at him. “What about you?”

  “I came here for distraction. Actually,” he corrected, shaking his head, “I came here in hopes that Noah had given up on whatever self-sacrificing bullshit heroes journey he decided to undertake and had come to see you, but that’s obviously not the case. He won’t answer my calls, and you can’t call him, so why don’t we go a few rounds?”

  Adrian stared at him incredulously. “No.”

  “Why?” Ryan demanded, crossing his arms. “I know you’re good, you can’t possibly be afraid of me.”

  At that, a laugh burst from Adrian’s chest in spite of how he was feeling inside. “I’m afraid I’m going to hurt you, and that Noah won’t forgive me for it. I need someone who can keep up with me right now. I’m wound up beyond words and if I go head to head with someone, it’s going to end ugly. With blood.”

  “I can take it,” Ryan insisted. “If I can’t, I’ll tap out. But it’s not like you have people queuing up to relieve you of stress, and we’re both going to be going out of our minds until Noah calls.” At that, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Noah’s number rings through no matter what. So, let’s go for it until he ends this torture.”

  Adrian licked his lips. It was the worst idea in the world. He’d flatten this guy in two seconds and then he’d have to answer to Noah for all this bullshit and for maiming his friend. But there was also determination and fire in Ryan’s eyes. There was fear, too, that Adrian felt keenly. Not of him, but of what Noah was getting himself involved in. His stomach twisted with it, wanting to be sick, and there was a creeping, ugly sensation at the base of his spine that told him tonight would not be kind when the lights were out and the place was silent.

  But Ryan was offering him something, and he knew he couldn’t turn him down.

  “You signed a waiver, right? I’m going to be pissed if any sort of legal document shows up here after I kick your ass.”

  Ryan chuckled and nodded his head. “I’ve faced off with Anna. It only lasted like eighteen seconds, but trust me, I know what I’m getting into. And I have a feeling you know how to make it l
ast. Probably why Noah likes you so much.”

  Adrian wanted to be offended, wanted to be annoyed, but instead he found himself actually liking this guy. A far cry from the asshole who had broken Noah’s trust. The situation seemed like a total shit-show, but at least he had something to distract him. Bending down, he picked up his gloves, then headed to the ring where his mouth guard was lying on the top of his bag. “Get ready,” he ordered.

  Ryan grinned wolfishly and slipped through the ropes. “Baby, I was born ready.”

  ***

  Noah was shaking, his tongue refusing to move from behind his teeth. Everything in him had seized up the moment the meeting was over and he let himself out of Lowe’s office. He would never forget the gleeful glow in the old fucker’s eyes. The way he lit up like a fucking eighth-night Chanukkiah at the words, “You were right, I’m not fit to take on all these classes.”

  It was a miracle in itself that Noah managed to get the words out without stuttering, though honestly it wouldn’t have hurt his case any if he hadn’t managed to get a full sentence out. Lowe had been waiting for him to fall apart, and Noah had been determined to prove him wrong.

  Now, Charlie had him by the balls. And worse, he had him by Adrian’s future. There was no coming back from a plagiarism scandal. Maybe most of the public wouldn’t care. Hell, he couldn’t imagine people looking to have their bikes worked on and customized would give two shits if the owner had cheated on some paper, but maybe they would. Maybe it would destroy his future and his reputation before he even got started, and it would be Noah’s fault.

  Noah could do this, he could shoulder being demoted, going back to part time, giving up tenure. He wouldn’t have to stay here forever. This wasn’t the only university in the world. He could start over, he could find something. And he would do it with a clean conscience and a clean slate knowing he had protected the man he was falling in love with.

  And Charlie…

  He had to believe Charlie would get his. He was only grateful he had never given him a chance. Noah could only imagine what the man might have been capable of if Noah had been any closer to him.

  Taking a few deep breaths, he felt his head give a little lurch and the threat of vertigo at the base of his skull. He just wanted to leave, to get the fuck out of there and finish his weekend before finals week was upon him. He’d finish that off, he’d send his students into their spring semester, and he’d find a way to explain what he’d done.

  Noah: It’s done.

  He didn’t think Charlie would reply, and in fact he got a little satisfaction knowing there was at least some digital trail to prove that he had a tie to Charlie in case this went pear shaped. Or well, more pear shaped than it already was. He slipped his phone into his pocket, knowing full well that Ryan was probably going out of his mind with worry, and knowing Adrian was probably ready to murder Charlie for what he’d done. There was no way Adrian hadn’t connected the dots when he got the alert that his paper was being investigated, and hopefully he wouldn’t question when he was relieved of suspicion.

  His phone buzzed and he had a sinking feeling it was no one he wanted to talk to.

  Charlie: Good boy.

  Noah wanted to put his fist through the wall. Instead, he turned his phone on silent and made his way back to his apartment. He had a mound of research waiting for him, and several research papers to mark before term was over, and his final to finish writing. But all he really wanted more than anything in the world was to drink himself into oblivion.

  ***

  Adrian’s hands stilled, sticky from the salve he was rubbing into his knuckles, and then he reached for his phone which had just pinged him with an email alert. The last email he’d gotten was letting him know he was under investigation, so it was no surprise his anxiety shot up.

  Lemon seemed to notice it too, pressing herself against his legs as he swiped the screen on and pulled up the notification.

  Flores, Adrian

  Student ID: A289482

  This email is in regard to case 0786. Turnit would like to issue an apology for a technical error in your paper’s submission. Your account suspension has been lifted and your paper has been successfully submitted to your professor. We appreciate your patience regarding this matter, and hope you have an excellent end to your school term.

  Adrian felt a wash of relief so intense he was almost sick from it. A mistake. It had been a mistake. It hadn’t been…

  His eyes lifted to see Ryan who was icing a bruise on his jaw, and he realized that no, it hadn’t been a mistake. “He did something,” Adrian said quietly. “I don’t know what, but he did something.” Licking his lips out of nerves, he dug one of his hands into Lemon’s coat, then met Ryan’s gaze as he explained the events of the morning. “The case was closed, labeled as a technical mistake, but it isn’t, is it? This has something to do with Charlie, and something Noah gave him.”

  Ryan stood up without a word and walked to where his phone was sitting, face-down so neither of them would keep searching for messages. By the slump in his shoulders, Adrian could tell it was still devoid of Noah’s presence. “I’m going to go over there in a bit if he doesn’t get back to me. Anything that asshole wants from him can’t be good. And Noah seems to think he can solve this for the both of you. He doesn’t get that dudes like this will keep going until they’ve got everyone backed in a corner.”

  “He doesn’t know who he’s fucking with,” Adrian said in a low voice.

  Ryan gave him a careful look. “I should tell you right now I’m a prosecutor with the State Attorney’s office, so…I can’t officially condone any course of action in retaliation.”

  Adrian chuckled. “Trust me, there won’t be a trail. He thinks he’s got the upper hand because he knows an undergrad with basic hacking skills. This will not end well for him.”

  “I should talk to Noah first,” Ryan said. “And seriously, don’t tell me anything, okay?”

  “I just…how can you let this happen?” Adrian asked, and frustration welled in him. “Blackmail is illegal.” His free hand curled into a fist, his other holding Lemon tight against his legs.

  Ryan hung his head. “Noah thinks if I use any of my contacts or influence, the both of you will be exposed. And whether or not Charlie goes down, he’ll take you both with him.”

  “It’ll be worth it. For me, it’ll be worth it,” Adrian said. “I can tell them it was my fault, that I lied and said I was a teacher.”

  Ryan shook his head gently. “If Noah went this far—if Noah gave him anything at all—it was because that bastard had something that could hurt you. It’s the only way he would give in. He wouldn’t do it to protect himself, but you…”

  Adrian’s heart twisted, and he felt a rush of so many emotions at once he was dizzy with them. He wanted to run, he wanted to pummel Barnes until he barely resembled a human. He wanted to take Noah into his arms and hold him until this was over. Instead he passed a hand down his face and sighed out a heavy breath. “So, what do we do?”

  “I don’t know,” Ryan admitted. “I’m going to talk to him, but I don’t know how much I’ll be able to get out of him. For now, just…just get through it. Finals, right? Go take those, do your best, don’t make a scene. Trust me, men like Charles Barnes don’t get away with shit like this for long. He’ll make a misstep and when he does…”

  “I’ll be there to make him pay for it,” Adrian said darkly, and he meant every word of that.

  ***

  Noah was just drunk enough to forget he wasn’t supposed to answer his phone or answer his door. So, when there was a soft knock and familiar voice calling out his name, he sauntered over with his whiskey in his hand and swung it open.

  Ryan was there, looking all kinds of hot and pissed off, and Noah couldn’t help his grin. “Well, well, well. Look what the dog-walker dragged in.”

  Ryan leaned in, sniffed the air, then pulled back with a sigh. “It is three in the afternoon. What the fuck are you doing?”

/>   “Celebrating,” he said, waving his drink. He stumbled a little, his shin catching the coffee table because the edge was on his blind side. He tripped forward, turning at the last second to land on the cushions and he kicked his injured leg up. “Did you know that not being able to see out of this fucking eye sucks?”

  Ryan turned to him after shutting the door, his face drawn and worried. Noah knew why. Of course he knew why. He was supposed to just take care of the Charlie thing and move on and tell Ryan it was all fine. Instead he’d given up most of his job, would have to be living on his savings for the rest of forever, and he was probably going to lose his boyfriend along with everything else. That was sad. Ryan should feel sad about it.

  “I want to take my eye out,” Noah said suddenly, the pressure of the prosthetic making itself known. He reached for his face, but Ryan caught his wrist and pulled his hand down.

  “God knows where the fuck you’ve been today,” he chastised, setting Noah’s hand flat on his thigh. “You’ll get an infection and that’s the last thing you want.”

  Noah pulled a face, feeling a fantastic pout coming on. “You know you want to see it, Ry.” It wasn’t a lie. Ryan always wanted to see it. The grotesque left-overs of the accident, of having his entire world changed by one stupid fucking driver who ran a stop-sign. Everyone wanted to see it. “You’re always trying to sneak a peek.”

  Ryan flushed and shook his head. “Noah. What happened today?”

  “I’m not supposed to tell,” he said, giving an indignant sniff. “I can’t tell you, anyway.”

  “Yes, you can,” Ryan said.

  Noah reached out, grabbing Ryan’s wrist, squeezing as though somehow the pressure of his fingers would make him understand. “I…” He narrowed his gaze at a blooming bruise on Ryan’s jaw. “What the hell happened to you?”