Page 66 of Devil's Kiss

“Fuck off,” the guy told him, and Jordan raised an eyebrow at Derek, telling him, in no uncertain terms,You get rid of him or I will.

Derek sighed and leaned down to place his lips by the guy’s ear, but as he spoke into it he kept his eyes glued to Jordan’s. His version of a fuck you, no doubt.

Once he finished saying whatever the hell he’d said, the guy giggled, tossed a look in Jordan’s direction, and then stepped away from them. When he was out of earshot, Jordan took a step forward and asked the most important question first: “Did your fucking phone break last night?”

“No.”

“So youarejust being a dick and not answering my calls.”

Derek gave him aneat shitsmile and said, “How’s that feel, Jordan? When someone doesn’t answer you?”

Stay calm,he told himself. Brantley and Daniel were no doubt about to arrive, and he wasn’t sure how he would ever explain this. “Are you serious right now?” he said. “You want to talk about that here? Now? I’m assuming you’re here because Daniel asked you.”

“Gold star for the genius of the bunch,” Derek said as he crossed his arms and glared.Jesus,he was angry. Jordan couldn’t remember ever seeing Derek this mad before. This…this was a whole new level of pissed. He was vibrating with rage.

“Look. I can see that I hurt you?—”

“Oh you can, can you? How fucking astute of you, Jordan. Look, I don’t want to talk to you right now. So how about we agree to stay the hell out of each other’s way tonight.”

Jordan’s mouth parted in shock at the low blow, and he ground his teeth together, willing himself to keep his own temper in check. “Fine.”

“Fine.”

He ordered himself to turn the hell around and walk away from Derek before he did or said something he’d regret, and as he waited further down the line he caught the twink’s eye as he gave anI wonsmirk, and headed back to claim his prize.

If Jordan hadn’t been so annoyed at himself he might’ve wished the guy good luck, because with the mood Derek was in there was no chance in hell of him getting out of it anytime soon. As it was, Jordan was too pissed for even a snarky comment.

As he looked out at the street, he saw Brantley and Daniel climb out of a car, and their ridiculously wide smiles made him want to fucking scream at the situation he was now in for the rest of the night.

Well, no one had ever accused him of holding back.

Jordan marched forward to give Brantley a piece of his mind regarding putting him in the same breathing space as the barbarian behind him, and when he’d finished his spectacularly idiotic tantrum he stamped his foot, spun on his heel, and headed inside to track down a drink and forget about the brunette who was back to adorning Derek Pearson’s arm.

DEREK SCANNEDTHE crowd of Boyz as he stepped through the doors after much persuasion from Finn. He’d decided to head inside with him and at least get one drink for old times’ sake.

One drink, and then he was out. But after Finn had spotted Brantley on the dance floor and they’d both vanished, of course he’d searched out and found Jordan.

He made his way through the crowd and over to where Jordan was standing by the tall tables off to the side of the bar. He had a drink in his hand and an irritated expression on his face, and when he spotted Derek heading in his direction, he gave him a look that screamed,Stay away from me.

“I hope that’s your first,” he shouted so Jordan would hear him.

“It’s my second, and last time I checked, I don’t answer to you.”

“Maybe that’s the problem.” Derek plucked the drink out of Jordan’s hand and placed it on the table. “I’ve seen you after one too many of these. You need a fucking keeper. Especially dressed as you are. Could your pants be any fucking tighter, Jordan?”

“Do you mind?” Jordan protested.

“Yeah, I do, actually.”

Jordan aimed a fulminating glare at him and looked as though he wanted to kick him in the balls. “You made it quite clear outside that you didn’t want to talk to me.”

Derek scoffed. “Really? That’s what you’re going with? Out of all that’s been said over the last two days.” Derek leaned down so his mouth was by Jordan’s ear. “I used to think you were so brave, Professor Devaney. The man who wears what he wants and says whatever he’s thinking. But in answer to whatIsaid to you last night…in answer to somethingsoimportant, you have nothing to say. Youstillhave nothing to say. How disappointing that the man I admired so much turned out to be such a fucking coward.”

Jordan turned his head, his expression close to murderous, and Derek asked, “Tell me something—do you want to fuck me or kill me right now?”

If smoke could’ve come out of Jordan’s ears it would’ve, as he replied, “Neither.”

Derek let his eyes shift to Jordan’s lips and said, “Liar. When you feel like admitting the truth, maybe I’ll return one of your calls.”