3. East

THREE

east

"WELCOME TO NOCTURNE." The smiling club owner, having ventured down from his perch to greet us— as he should —gestured to the raised platform VIP area that had been reserved just for us. "I heard you're a fan of Beluga Epicure vodka, so we've got two bottles of our best on ice for you."

"I see our reputation precedes us," I said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good man."

"If there's anything you need, please let me know." He handed me a black card with nothing but a phone number printed. "My personal, direct line."

I pocketed the card while Donovan thanked him for having us. We were always receiving invites to whatever hot new establishment wanted eyes on their place, and they always rolled out the red carpet and had their best on offer. Best table, best drinks, hottest staff…

Like the guy assigned to us that was busy pouring drinks. As I approached, he turned and handed me a dirty martini."Your friends said this is your favorite."

"A martini delivered by the sexiest man in the room?" I said, taking the glass from him. "Always."

Even under the flashing lights I could see the way my compliment made him flush, but it wasn't like I would ever take him up on the offer in his eyes. Leveling up was the only way to go, and someone pouring my vodka was not it, no matter how attractive he was.

I made my way over to where West sipped from his tumbler and was clearly enjoying JT's ass rocking back into him as he danced. He glanced at me, then to the waiter, and shook his head."You're such a snob, my man."

With a shrug, I perused the crowd below us. "This isn't new information, but about what exactly this time?"

"You didn't look twice at that guy."

"What guy?"

West rolled his eyes and put his hands over JT's ears. "The hot one that just eye-fucked you?—"

"And is serving our drinks? West, please. I'm not desperate ."

JT pushed his boyfriend's hands down. "I still heard that."

"Heard what, Golden Boy?" West wrapped his arms around JT's waist, keeping him tight against him and nuzzling into his neck.

My gag reflex was working overtime as I wrinkled my nose at the display. "So do your umbilical cords just fucking attach when you're dating, or what?"

It was all too rare for any of my friends to be without their significant other these days, which annoyed and frustrated me to no end. Not because I was jealous and wanted what they had, of course, but because they weren't as much fun anymore.

Case in point, West and JT.Where West had once been down for any kind of delicious scheme, he now thought everything over through the eyes of his "Golden Boy."

It was bad enough I had to watch my best friend trip all over himself to get the limerick-spouting saint. But to have JT be the constant voice of reason meant I now had to watch what came out of my mouth.

Did I really think he'd run to tell his mommy everything we said and did? No. He cared too much about West to put his boyfriend in that position. But I was also aware that those softer, kinder emotions did not extend in my direction. Nor did I want them to.

"Maybe if you stopped looking down your nose at everyone from your high horse, you might find someone you're interested in," JT pointed out as he leaned back into West's embrace.

"And why would I want to do that? So I could be deliriously happy like the two of you?" I lifted my glass to my lips and took a sip. "Please, I'd rather survey any potential hookups from my lofty position so I can avoid the potential heart-in-eyes, poetry-writing virgins like yourself."

"East." West's eyes narrowed, and I knew I'd pushed too far. But hey, I'd had to adapt to JT stealing my best friend and partner in crime, so it was only fair he'd had to adapt to me.

"You're so full of shit." JT scoffed as he looked me up and down. "You're dying for someone to scheme with and shake shit up. Add in a good fuck and I bet you'd fall harder than any of us."

JT had developed quite the backbone hanging around the likes of us, and while I'd never admit it to him, he'd started to grow on me too. Like a fungus.

"This conversation is starting to bore me."

JT smirked. "What? Is all this talk of feelings freaking you out?"

West chuckled and kissed his boyfriend's temple. "Now, now, JT. You know East has feelings—they're just buried deep beneath the surface."

"Like Middle Earth deep?"

I narrowed my eyes, their easy camaraderie reactivating my gag reflex as I scanned the club for something to distract myself with. But every place I looked was couple city. Van and Kelly, his porn-star-turned-model boyfriend, were all over each other in one of the velvet seats at the back of the VIP area, and while it was nauseating to watch, I couldn't blame him. We'd all seen what Kelly was packing.

But then there was Daire and Gavin, a.k.a. Scowly and Sunshine, and that was just weird. Daire didn't smile at anyone and Gavin smiled at everyone , so it was like some weird acid trip to see them all lovey-dovey with one another.

I let out a sigh and redirected my gaze across the main floor of the club, taking in the sea of writhing bodies bumping and grinding against one another. It would be so easy to make my way down there, zero in on a prospective fuck toy, and have my way with them. But I had other plans tonight.

My glass now empty, I made my way back to our waiter, and with a fresh martini in hand I turned just in time to see my plans for the night walk in the club.

Now, I wasn't the type whose stomach flipped at the sight of an attractive guy. But when my eyes landed on Zac's familiar figure standing across the dance floor by the bar, my dick definitely had a reaction.

The studious glasses he wore in the halls of Astor were nowhere to be found, and he'd traded in his classic I'm-an-intellectual sweaters for a dress shirt he'd left unbuttoned at the neck.Just inviting me to come undo the rest of them.

He ran a hand through his hair, the style a messy, textured pompadour of strands a couple of shades lighter than my dark brown. I liked that it was longer on top. Gave me something to grab on to when I had him down on his knees.

As he lifted his drink to his lips, he casually looked in my direction. I nodded to the beat of the music, giving him the signal while not showing my hand to my friends. They'd think the fact that I hooked up with Zac on the regular meant something, that I was turning into one of those heart-eyed idiots.

It was like they'd all forgotten that sex could just be sex. It didn't have to be that serious.Or boring.

Which was why Zac was here and why he was now heading toward the back of the club to find a private spot for two.

"We dancing, or you wanna do some shots first?" Travis threw his arm around my neck and held on tight even as I tried to shrug him off.

"Don't you have a brother to go fondle?"

He grinned, mischief flashing in his kohl-lined eyes. "Who says I haven't?"

"Considering your fingers are on my three-thousand-dollar designer shirt, that better not be the case."

Travis's head fell back with a laugh, and then he waved to get the hot waiter's attention. "A round of shots for the group?—"

" Not tequila," Caleb muttered behind us, the buzzkill, but at least his return had Travis dropping his hold on me.

I let out an exaggerated sigh, my gaze wandering back to where Zac was heading up the stairs on the other side of the room. My cock jerked impatiently, ready for the hot mouth that kept me coming back for more.

"Oh hell no," Caleb said as shots were passed around. "I said not tequila."

"For fuck's sake, if you're gonna cry about it…" I grabbed the shot out of his hand and tossed it back, and the second the liquor hit my tongue it gave me the idea for the out I needed to disappear. Something that wouldn't look too suspicious.

Cringing, I shoved the empty glass into the waiter's palm."What is this?" I said. "Motor oil? Where the fuck's your boss?"

Without waiting for a response, I stalked out of the VIP like a man on a mission. My friends knew me well enough not to stop me when I got pissed off, and serving anything but the best tequila would do it.

They didn't have to know about the erection pressing up against my tailored pants that grew more painful with every step I took. Or the teaching assistant that better be naked by the time I got to him. These were never long, drawn-out encounters. No after-sex cuddling wanted or required.

This was what my friends didn't get. The fun of sneaking around, getting off, then getting the hell out.

As I reached the second floor, out of sight, I untied my ascot and slid it around so that the ends were left hanging. Perfect for a certain someone to grab on to.

I scanned the space, wondering where Zac was hiding, but before I could walk any farther, an arm wrapped around my waist from behind and yanked me into a low-lit room. As the door slammed shut, I heard, "What took you so long?"