Chapter 2

Billy’s boot connected to his ribs, his arm, and his thigh again and again. “If you weren’t trying to attract him, then how did you see he was leering?”

Mark moved his leg in pain and Billy gave him a vicious kick to his balls. He swallowed a sob. “Please, I passed him on the way to the bathroom. You came with me, remember?” Billy ignored what Mark said, giving him another few kicks in the ribs.

“You dress like that to attract attention to yourself.”

Mark whimpered and tried to make himself smaller. He thought to attempt to reason with Billy. “Please, listen…you buy my clothes. I wear what you tell me to wear. How can I dress provocatively if you buy me all my clothing?” Billy started to kick his ribs again with his biker boots

Mark knew he had broken ribs, it was difficult to take a deep breath. He couldn’t tell if he had a punctured lung and his arm lay funny under his chest and hurt like hell. Mark figured his eyes were blackened because he couldn’t see out of either one, and his head pounded in enough pain that he suspected a concussion. He had blacked out, but he couldn’t tell how long he was unconscious. When he opened his eyes again, the pain was relentless.

Now, Mark was sobbing without making a sound, he knew if he cried out, the beating would get worse. Billy wasn’t even drunk this time. Mark finally realized that Billy beat him not because Mark did something wrong; he beat him because Billy was mean through and through. He didn’t want a boyfriend, he wanted a bed slave to use as a punching bag. The only hope Mark had was that the others would arrive for their meeting tonight before Billy beat Mark to death. 1

The Sunset Club, Wednesday afternoon before Easter

“You can’t fire me, I didn’t do anything wrong,” Jay said with belligerence.

Bobby stepped up. “From what I understand,” Bobby turned to Reggie and Mark, “two witnesses watched you take money to let an unauthorized person into the club while the club was closed. That sounds good enough to be fired for cause. If I ever see your face within ten miles of here you’re not going to recognize yourself for a long, long time.”

“I’ll make sure Ricky charges your little prick with assault.” Jay threatened Keith while walking to get his things.

Reggie stepped up. “What he said about your face, and I’ve ten guys that have Bobby’s back.”

Mark said, “Make that eleven.”

“You’ll pay for being a snitch, Mark. I know where you live. This incident isn’t over.” Mark’s face turned white. Jay slammed the door as he left.

“God, what have I done, he’s a badass. He fights with a knife. I’ve seen him.” Mark shook his head.

Reggie walked over to where Mark was standing. “You’ll come and stay in the apartment attached to my house. I won’t bother you. Jason is just around the corner, and Bobby is two miles down the road. If you get into trouble, call Jason and Zach. They’re a minute away.”

“I don’t have any furniture.” Mark seemed a bit ashamed that he was twenty-six and hadn’t accumulated anything of worth.

“It’s furnished, just like your place in Deal. All we have to do is move out your clothes and personal things. Right, guys?”

The other waiters and bartenders nodded in agreement. Mike walked in. “What’s going on here, why isn’t anyone working?”

“We had to take out the trash,” Bobby told him.

Reggie put his arm around Mark’s shoulders. “You’ll come to my house after your shift. I’ll give you my GPS with the house pre-programmed into it. That way you can work tonight, stay at the apartment after your shift and move your things in the morning. I’m sure the other guys will help. I won’t be there to bother you. I work in Princeton during the day.”

“Okay, Reggie, but I pay rent, and this doesn’t mean I’ll date you or anyone else.” He mumbled the last part of that statement and went back behind the bar.

Keith grabbed hold of Bobby and whispered, “Oh he’ll date him all right. You soccer champion guys are nothing if not persistent.”

Bobby faced Keith. “Kiss me, big guy, and then let’s go home, we have a wedding to plan.”

* * * *

Wednesday evening

Reggie Mitchell ran his fingers through his auburn hair, hazel eyes watching Mark shake as he tried to dry the bar glasses and put them on the shelf. Earlier that day, Mark had stood up to Ricky, Keith Anderson’s ex and did his friend and former soccer teammate, Bobby Michaels, a solid. Reggie was already in love with Mark, but what Mark had done for Bobby, even though he was afraid of Jay, made Reggie love and respect Mark more than he thought possible.