“What are you, my hair stylist now?” Justin teased but hopped up and followed. Twenty minutes later, Justin’s red hair looked as soft as silk, and he was even wearing a light touch of black eyeliner. The makeup made his green eyes stand out. Caleb had even attached a thin, black leather collar around Justin’s neck.
“It’s you, J,” Caleb had said when Justin frowned at the strap of leather around his neck. But he had to admit he liked it there. Justin brushed his fingers over the material and something stirred inside of him.
“Give me a sec to dress, and then we can get out of here,” Caleb said as he strode from the bathroom.
True to his word, fifteen minutes later Justin and Caleb were sneaking from the house. Not that Justin had to, but Demetri had made if perfectly clear that Caleb was to stay out of trouble, and going to a club was always trouble. At least for Caleb.
They jumped into Caleb’s Jeep and were hauling ass down the winding driveway, heading toward the city of Dark Haven. As soon as they were away from Frost Manor, Caleb cranked the music as they sped through the city streets.
Justin slid a glance toward Caleb and smiled. He didn’t know what he would have done if he and Caleb had never become friends. They’d met at an art museum. The private school Caleb had been attending and the crappy public school Justin went to were at the museum at the same time. Some guys were picking on Justin, teasing that he looked like a girl, pushing him around. Caleb had stepped in and given two of the four boys a bloody nose.
Justin and Caleb had become instant friends, and to this day, Caleb was his defender. Justin would say that he didn’t need anyone to fight his battles for him, but since he’d gotten sick, his muscles weren’t strong enough to land a good punch. It prickled his pride that he couldn’t defend himself, but Caleb never made Justin feel less of a man for his shortcomings.
When Justin became sick, Caleb was always at his side, making sure Justin took care of himself and paced the carpets bare when Justin was going through one of his bad days. The same held true for Demetri. The guy had always been there when Justin was in the hospital, talking with the doctors, making sure Justin had the best medical care possible.
The Frost men were one of a kind in Justin’s book, and he would always be grateful for their caring ways.
“Here we are.” Caleb pulled into the parking lot across the street from the club and killed the motor. “Ready to party?”
“Let’s do this.” Justin smiled. The two men slipped from the car and crossed the street. There was already a line a mile long of people waiting to get inside. The bouncer, Loco—named after his crazy personality and ability to stop any fight with just one mean glare—was standing at the door. He wore all black, shiny shoes, pants, and a T-shirt tucked into his waistband. The man had a bald head, and a communication piece was tucked into one ear. The guy was the size of two normal-sized people.
“What’s up,” Caleb said, doing some strange handshake with the guy. The handshake always reminded Justin of some gang thing. But Justin knew why they did it. Caleb had just slipped a few notes into the man’s hand to get them in. Loco nodded, and the two walked inside.
As Justin passed Loco, he noticed how the bouncer’s eyes dipped to Justin’s throat. One of Loco’s blond brows rose, but the guy said nothing. Why would the guy notice my collar? Justin shrugged off the concern.
The interior was like most clubs, with laser lights, music, and enough drunken people to light up the city. There were also drugs here, but Justin never partook in that scene. There was also plenty of sex going on in the bathrooms. He and Caleb made their way to the bar, where Caleb ordered them a few drinks.
“My, my,” Juice said as he strode over to them, his arm looped over some brunette’s shoulder. “If it isn’t my favorite ginger.” The guy appeared drunk as he leered at Justin. “You know what they say about gingers.”
Justin ground his teeth.
“They have no souls.” Juice laughed. “Is that true, Justin?”
“Back off,” Caleb warned as he handed Justin his drink.
Justin wasn’t sure what the drink was, but it was red in color and had a cherry scent to it. He took a sip and found he liked the flavor. Justin took a hard swallow, hoping Juice found someone else to pick on.
“I’m just messing with him.” The innocent way Juice spoke belied the heat in the man’s blue eyes. He stared at Justin’s neck for a moment before one side of his mouth curled into a sinister smile. “Nice piece of leather you have there.”
Now Justin wished he hadn’t agreed to wear it. For some strange reason, it was drawing unwanted attention. Without thought, Justin touched the strap, his fingers gliding over the soft material.
“Don’t you have some drugs to sell?” Justin asked as he swallowed the rest of his drink. Liquid courage. He needed another one. The cherry flavor was sweet while the alcohol in the drink burned on its way down. Justin coughed as his eyes watered.
Juice gave a short burst of laughter before he winked at Justin. “See you around, ginger.”
“I really hate that guy,” Justin grumbled as Caleb plucked the empty glass from his hand.