Page 1 of Little Bunny

Chapter One

“Come on.” Percy shoved Elijah’s leg aside and sat on the couch next to him. “We’re going out, buddy.”

Elijah slid his gaze toward his friend then glanced back at the television. Nope. He wasn’t going out. His butt was parked on the couch, and he didn’t plan on getting up. “Go. Away.”

“You can’t keep moping around, Elijah.” Percy grabbed the remote and cut off the television.

“Hey!” Elijah tried to snatch the remote from him, but Percy held out his arm, preventing him from grabbing it—unless Elijah wanted to get up. Which was Percy’s whole point.

Elijah would rather stare at the wall. Just the thought of running into Trent made him nauseous. His ex loved hanging out around town. Loved being the center of attention. Elijah wanted to bang his head against a wall for putting up with the guy for six months before he’d seen Trent for who he truly was.

A cheating, self-centered, narcissistic asshole. Yet, it still hurt. Six months might not have been a long time for some, but Elijah had given their relationship his all.

Trent had given it the bare minimum.

Percy grabbed Elijah’s arm, trying to force him off the couch. If his best friend wasn’t a twig, he might’ve succeeded. Not that Elijah weighed much more than him.

“You are not going to weep into your tissue over that jerk. You’re going to get your stinky ass in the shower and come out with me, or I’m going to pester you for the rest of the night.”

And he would. They’d been best friends since grade school, and Elijah knew for certain Percy would not only pester him but also poke him relentlessly.

“Fine!” Percy was relentless, never letting him wallow in peace. “But if we see him, no argument, we’re out of… Where are we going anyway?”

Percy gave Elijah his sassy smile, complete with dimples. “Sin’s.”

Sin & Steel. A biker tavern.

Elijah’s brows shot upward as his lips parted. “Have you lost your freaking mind?” Granted, Elijah wanted to go somewhere Trent wouldn’t be, but… “No way, Percy. Does your mom know where you’re trying to drag me off to?”

“You have to admit your ex won’t be there.” Percy yanked at his arm again. “Now get into the shower and scrub the wallow off your body. You’re as ripe as a rainbow.” He wrinkled his nose.

What did that even mean? Admittedly, Elijah smelled a bit tart, but anyone would after being wrapped in the blanket his granny had knitted for him while it was a hundred degrees outside. He did feel yucky, but he’d been willing to stew in his own funk as he wasted away over the asshole who’d stomped all over his heart.

“You’re as annoying as a gnat.” Finally, Elijah tossed the blanket aside.

“Jesus.” Percy held his nose. “It smells like you’re sweating regret and ass crack from every pore.” He took a step back then opened the porch door to the apartment. The only thing he let in was even more oppressive heat to add to what already clung inside the living room.

Elijah was willing to get into the shower just to cool off. His shorts clung to his bits and pieces and his hair to his scalp. He was seconds away from drowning in his own sweat.

“Take a long shower, sweetie,” Percy called out as Elijah headed into his bathroom. He purposely avoided the mirror, not needing a visual of his misery. He already felt it clinging to every inch of his body.

Under the spray of the shower, Elijah sighed, the cool water washing away two days’ worth of self-pity. He scrubbed twice, washed his hair once, and felt like a gently used man. He would’ve said new, but his toes were still deeply immersed in the I-was-a-dumbass lake.

He was physically clean but emotionally wrecked.

“You saw the signs but chose to ignore them, you pathetic moron.” Trent had been overly protective of his phone while demanding to know who was texting Elijah. When someone did call Trent, the vague way he’d talked was a dead giveaway. Most of the time Elijah couldn’t get ahold of him, but Trent became enraged if Elijah took ten seconds to answer the guy’s text or call.

Most of their conversations revolved around Trent, his day, his interests, blah, blah.

The guy wanted to own Elijah, while all Elijah could do was rent him.

He hadn’t just ignored the signs. Elijah had plowed right through them.

“You look so much better,” Percy said as he walked into Elijah’s bedroom. “Smell better too. I thought I would have to declare you an environmental hazard.”

Elijah gaped at him, watching as his best friend picked up a shirt from the bed like it offended him and dropped it on the floor. “I did not smell that bad, bitch.”

He flopped onto the bed while Elijah got dressed, making sure to powder his nether region. With this heat, he didn’t want body parts sticking together.

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