Page 54 of The Chemist

Strained chestnut eyes stared at him, making him feel like he was suddenly being analyzed.

“You two didn’t fuck did you?” Jared asked, giving him a “please say no” look in return.

Zero’s breath caught in his chest. He and Diesel hadn’t exactly discussed whether or not to tell the guys that they had hooked up, and judging by how Diesel reacted the morning they met, he didn’t seem too eager to share the news.

“Shit. I can see it in your eyes.”

“My eyes?” Zero asked, wondering what sign he was possibly giving away.

“It’s that look guys get when they hook up with someone that they shouldn’t have, then wonder how much trouble they’re going to be in if they get caught.”

“What?” Zero said a little too high-pitched for a guy with balls that had descended. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Yup, Jared knew. Even he could tell that he was lying through his teeth. Hopefully, Diesel wouldn’t get too pissed off that his best friend knew they exchanged cum. Well, he received Diesel’s cum, and Diesel just pulled up his drawers and walked away.

Come to think about it, it was time to pay back that asshole for the blue balls he left him with that night. It was time to teach the fucker a lesson.

“Look, I’ve seen what D is packing downstairs, and I know it might be hard to pull away once you get stuck in that thing’s gravity pull, but if you have any decency in you, don’t fuck around with Diesel’s feelings. He might be all hard shell and crusty attitude, but just beneath that cheap plaster is a gooey inner core that just wants to be loved.”

Zero locked eyes with Jared, not really sure what to say. Yes, sex with Diesel would be fun—hell, even hanging out with the guy might be interesting—but he wasn’t looking for a relationship. No feelings exchanges for him.

“That, and if you hurt my brother, I’ll have to beat your ass down,” Jared added, giving Zero a wink.

Given that Zero was a head taller than the buff stripper-man, he found it amusing that the guy would be so confident in himself. Mind you, the man would be defending his family’s honor, so he would probably fight like a rabid pit bull. There was something to say about fighting for a cause.

“Don’t worry, he can trust me,” Zero found himself saying. He hoped that he was being honest.

Gazing back down at the stack of papers on the good doctor’s desk, his eyes caught on something.

He reached down and pulled a black-and-red card out from under a pile of drug order forms.

A silver-lettered invitation to attend a party at the Black Door Lounge in two weeks was stenciled against an all-black backdrop. The invitation did not disclose who was hosting the party, just a date, time, and password.

Staring at the invitation, Zero wondered if the passwords were unique to each invitation or generic for all attendees. That was something he would have to look into. Over the past two months, the doctor had never been invited to such a party before. He wondered what kind of party it was. Perhaps this was the clue they were looking for.

“What’s that?” Jared asked, walking over and peering over his shoulder.

“An invitation.”

“To what?”

“That’s what we have two weeks to find out.”

Jared quickly entered the lounge’s name into his phone and opened its website. The website said the space was used for private parties and to call if interested in booking rates. However, the page did not list an events calendar, so he couldn’t get any information on the event that way.

He wondered how else he could get more information on the event. Perhaps Chase would have some ideas.

Zero took a photo of the card, both front and back, then slid it back into its original place tucked between the doctor’s business papers. They didn’t want to leave behind any evidence of their presence.

“It’s time for us to leave,” Zero ordered, checking his watch to confirm the time.

Jared nodded and followed him out.

21

ZERO

“Can you at least throw on a pair of underwear? I swear, I can practically see your butthole when you bend over like that,” Diesel complained from somewhere behind him.

Zero stood up and closed the fridge door before turning to face his annoying housemate. Co-worker? Mistaken one-night stand?

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