Page 42 of Hush

Mike’s cell phone buzzed again.

Another text from Kris.Where are you? Tom picked up our whole tab.

[What!? Omg]He stopped on the sidewalk, closing his eyes. He should go back. Knock on Tom’s door. Apologize. Thank him, berate him, tell him he shouldn’t have done that—

WHERE ARE YOU?

[I walked Tom home.]

Are you with him?

[No]

So where the fuck are you??

Mike sighed. He scrubbed his face and turned off Dupont Circle onto P Street. [I’m going home.]

I’ll be right there.

He shoved his phone back in his pocket and kept walking. When he got to his building, he didn’t go inside, but waited on the steps, sitting with his elbows on his knees and his hands hanging limply between his legs.

Kris stormed up the block ten minutes later, his low heels clicking, his hair sticking up, the artfully messy spikes nearly a mile high. Auburn highlights wound through his strands, catching the street lights. His bronzer had faded and his eyeliner was smudged, but Kris didn’t seem to care. First time for everything.

He stopped in front of Mike, crossing his arms loosely as he shoved out one hip. His pants were rolled at the cuffs, showing off his slender ankles and low-heel leather boots.

“Want to tell me what thefuckthat was all about?”

“I think Tom’s upset. I don’t know what happened.”

“Your littleGrindMemessage probably did it.”

Groaning, Mike scrubbed his face again, squeezing his eyes closed. “He wasn’t supposed to see that.”

“And you’renotsupposed to be onGrindMe. Aren’t you taking a break? Didn’t you say you were deleting the app?

“I did. I just wanted to see… I dunno. What was out there. We haven’t been out in a long time, Kris.”

“Yeah. ‘Cause you’re supposed to be on a fuckboy cleanse.” Kris’s head bobbed as he spoke, and he pointed one long, manicured finger at Mike. “GrindMeis the home of the fuckboy. Do you want to find another Silvio?”

“No.”

Kris threw his hands wide and glared.

“What do you want me to say, Kris?” Anger flared, and his words turned sharp. “I’m fucking lonely! Even when I was with Silvio, or Don, or Brad, I was still fucking all alone! I want…” He sighed explosively. “Somebody, God, I just wantone good man. Someone who actually likes me and I don’t have to play games with! I’m looking everywhere for him! So yeah, I openedGrindMeagain. And you know what? It was fucking depressing. I already deleted it.” He tossed his phone to Kris.

Kris, the bastard, checked. He clenched Mike’s phone after, folding his arms again. “So what the fuck is going on with Tom?”

Mike buried his head in his hands and didn’t look up.

“Who is he, really?”

“He’s a judge.” Mike’s voice was muffled against his hands. “He’s one of my judges in the courthouse.”

Kris’s delicate eyebrows arched sky-high.

“He’s always been cool, but when Silvio fucked me over, he was…” Mike shook his head. “Beyond amazing. He’s a great guy. We’ve gotten to know each other. We’re kind of friends, I guess.”

“And, you have no idea that he’s crushing on you hardcore?”