Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
The night darkened as he fell in and out of sleep, constantly disturbed by shouts coming from the front of the bar or noises made by birds and small animals creeping in the shadows. His entire body was on fire, but the burn wasn’t enough to keep him from shuddering as he lost heat, spread out on the icy slab of asphalt.
Maybe the Caribbean wasn’t meant to be after all? Whatever happened to him, the two clubs would still have to fight over the spoils. He didn't care on one hand, but on the other, he didn't want Leo caught in the crossfire.
“Jesus fucking Christ! Zolt! What happened?” Leo’s voice had a dull quality to it, as if Zolt were hearing it from behind a wall, but then arms scooped him to a familiar chest and enveloped him with warmth.
He startled at the squeeze to his shoulder, opening his eyes to see a dark blur he recognized, despite the inability to distinguish facial features in such low light. The scent of herbs and mint that always clung to Leo was faint now but still clear enough for Zolt to grab at him despite the ache it caused.
“Leo?” he whispered, fighting to unstick his parched tongue from his palate.
“Zolt, we need to get you out of here. Who did this to you?” Leo asked through clenched teeth, and when Zolt opened his eyes, he realized that Leo had covered him with his leather jacket.
Air got stuck in Zolt’s throat as he looked up, trying to make himself see Leo’s eyes in the dark. “You came. How?”
“What are you talking about? Of course I came. You gave me the address. Can you get up?” Leo switched on the flashlight in his phone and shone it into Zolt’s face.
Its sharpness hurt Zolt’s eyes, and he twisted away as if he were a vampire about to burn to ash. “I—I didn’t think you’d want to see me,” he uttered, rolling to his knees, which felt as bruised as his ribs. His mind raced against the heat dashing through his bloodstream. He didn’t know if it was joy or fear, but it made him want to get up and be a man about the whole thing. Leo had already seen him in this pathetic position, and he couldn’t bear exposing him to it any longer.
“I don’t want to. But I wouldn’t just leave you either. And you told me you’re drunk, not beaten to a pulp. Did you dirty-talk to me in this state? You are unbelievable.” Leo slowly helped Zolt up. It hurt like a bitch, but Zolt just clenched his teeth and bore the discomfort.
“I just wanted to hear your voice,” he mumbled, his head spinning as soon as he stood. He rested most of his weight on Leo when his knees buckled under him, and his head dipped forward until all he could see was their feet in the pale glow of Leo’s phone. And something glinting only a few paces away.
Zolt gave a shuddery exhale. “There… my keys…”
It took them both an excruciatingly long time and some gymnastics to get the bundle from the asphalt before advancing along the side of the building, to Zolt’s pickup.
“You haven’t told me what happened,” Leo said, carefully opening the passenger door for Zolt.
Putting one foot after the other took all of Zolt’s willpower, but once the leather seat took him in, providing support that didn’t require any effort on his part, he let out a soft exhale and glanced at Leo, whose gaze was like two eyes of a storm—powerful yet still distant enough not to create danger. His hand gravitated toward him, but there was no point in asking for physical closeness from a man Zolt had rejected.
“A rent boy happened. And his pimp, or whatever. And a whole flood of whisky down my throat.”
Leo’s shoulders went rigid. “You called me over because you got drunk and hired yourself a male prostitute? I knew you had balls, but you’ve got some nerve, Zolt.”
“You already think I’m a scumbag. The story is that I decided not to sample the goods after all, his pimp didn’t like that, and here we are,” he grumbled, scowling when Leo pressed the belt too hard against Zolt’s stomach while buckling him up.
Leo shook his head and slammed the door shut. He circled the pickup to enter from the driver’s side. Zolt didn’t fail to notice that despite all his anger, he chose to leave his jacket to Zolt and remained in just in his T-shirt.
“Why not?” Leo asked once he started the engine. He wouldn’t even look Zolt’s way. “Had the rent boy declared his love for you and you decided it was off-putting?”
Zolt’s chest sank, as if he was only experiencing the true force of the pimp’s beating now. “You don’t love me, Leo. I’m unlovable.”