Page 16 of The Last One to Let You Down

“It depends,” Cypress replied. “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

“About?”

“About what I saw,” Cypress mused, studying Tom.

“Well, uh, what do youthinkyou saw?”

“I think I saw you giving a guy some big ol’ cases of embalming fluid and taking some cash,” Cypress replied, casually leaning against a nearby stretcher.

Tom’s heart began to pound.

“And I happen to know that embalming fluid can be used in some very nasty ways,” Cypress went on, toying with the cot cover and glancing over the embroidery.

“Oh?” Tom felt sick.

“Like dipping cigarettes in it, and then sellin’ ‘em. Pretty illegal.” Cypress tugged on the edge of the cover. “It can cause some pretty bad hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia—”

“Look, okay, I get it!” Tom advanced, curling his hands into tight fists. “Just… just stop. I know it’s bad. Okay, I fuckin’ know.”

“Then why are you doing it?” Cypress asked plainly.

“I can’t… I’m not telling you that.”

“Well, I guess you can explain it to the cops—”

“No! Wait! I’ll do anything, okay?” Tom pleaded. “Please, fuck. Don’t. I need this job. I can’t lose this fuckin’ job. Working here is my life.”

“Anything?” Cypress tilted his head as he looked Tom over again. “Well, that only works if you think you have something to offer.”

“What do you want? Money?” Tom scoffed, huffing in frustration.

“Well, you did just take a very serious stack of cash. I am a pretty big fan of money.”

“I can’t give you that. It’s for—” Tom stopped before he said too much, quickly correcting himself. “It’s not even mine, okay? I can’t do that. I don’t have any money to give you. There has to be something else.”

“Right. How about you drop down on your pretty knees right now and suck my dick then?” Cypress rolled his eyes.

Tom’s loins were assaulted by a sudden surge of heat, and he stared at Cypress’s crotch as his mouth reflexively watered. He’d heard Cypress say that before, to Gerald of all people, and Tom knew he was probably joking.

But if that’s really all it would take…

“Fine,” Tom muttered through gritted teeth. “I’ll do it.”

“Come on,” Cypress was still chiding him, apparently deaf to Tom’s offer. “You really don’t expect me to believe you don’t get some kinda cut from that—”

Tom raised his voice, snapping, “I said I’ll do it.”

“What?” Cypress blinked.

“Suck your dick,” Tom replied, already starting to kneel before he could change his mind. He’d had some rough one night stands before. This wasn’t so different. He could do this, get Cypress off his back, and stay out of jail.

“Stop,” Cypress said, his thick hand grabbing Tom’s shoulder.

“What?” Tom was instantly embarrassed. Oh, this was such a stupid idea. He should have never even tried it. As Cypress held him in place, the very air around them felt charged. He looked at Cypress’s lips, felt the heat of his grip, and he knew something had shifted between them.

Something was happening.

Tom’s face was getting hot, and he gasped when Cypress pulled him in for a fierce kiss. He didn’t even care how it made his busted mouth sting, its burn lost in the passion of their colliding lips. He was actually kissing Cypress, right there in the hallway.