Page 57 of Playing to Win

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

COLINLEAPEDBACKfrom the bed, every nerve snapping to attention. “What the fuck was that?”

“Sounded like glass breaking.” Andrew looked dazed, his pupils still dilated with desire. “Perhaps I left a wine glass near the edge of the table and—”

“It was bigger than that. Stay here.” Wincing as he fastened his trousers, Colin hurried out of the bedroom and down the hallway. He approached the reception room, sliding against the wall. The door was open, swaying slightly in the breeze.

The breeze?The windows had been shut, but now he could hear the sounds of the street outside. Pulse thudding in his ears, he crept into the reception room, where the only lights shone from the aquarium and above the sink. He switched on the side-table lamp.

“What is it?” Andrew said behind him, startling Colin and thereby stealing the last vestiges of his erection.

“I told you to stay in your room,” he snapped. “You’re barefoot.”

“Then toss me my shoes. They’re under the coffee table. Oh, and my shirt while you’re at it.”

Colin moved forward, then stopped when he spied the spray of glass glinting on the floor beside the television. The shards surrounded a small, dark, solid object. “Wait there.” He grabbed a cloth napkin from the coffee table and crouched down to examine the projectile.

It was a rock, a black basalt-looking slab the size of Colin’s fist. On one side someone had scrawled a single word in bright red paint:

FASCIST

Using the napkin, he picked up the rock and turned it over.

The other side readFAGGOT.

“Fuck’s sake,” he whispered.

“What’s wrong?” Andrew was beside the sofa now, pulling his shirt over his head. “Besides the obvious.”

“Erm…this.” Colin got up and showed him the rock, turning it over to reveal both surfaces. “I’m sorry.”

At the sight of the words, Andrew turned to stone. For a moment, his only movement was the bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed. Then he drew in a single shaky breath and raised his eyes to the shattered window.

“Would you be so kind,” he said softly, “as to fix that for me? It’s just the one pane broken, so it shouldn’t be difficult to replace.”

“You want me to—” Colin wondered if he’d misheard. “Why would I fix it? And shouldn’t we be phoning the police?”

“There’s no need. Reggie will be ringing any moment. The silent alarm’s been triggered and the service has notified him.” Andrew’s voice was wooden. Colin couldn’t blame him for being in shock after such a violation.

“Maybe he can find the bastard who—”

“No.” Andrew kept staring at the window. “Reggie cannot know about this.”

Now Colin was definitely mishearing Andrew. “He’s your bodyguard. Isn’t it his job to protect you?”

“He’ll get the police involved.”

“Good.”

“Listen to me!” Andrew jolted out of his stupor and seized Colin’s shoulders. “If the police come, they’ll question you. Few people know my address. You’re the most recent.”

Colin’s stomach flipped over. “What?!” He jerked away from Andrew and brandished the rock. “You think I did this?”

“No! But others might.”

“Why would I call you a faggot?”

“To obfuscate your calling me a fascist.”

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