Phantom returned to the others. Alvarez's words wrapped around him like a warm blanket.
Fuck Axle and his shitty comments. Even his dad said to ignore him. He joined the three other Warriors.

Of course, he immediately got a jab. "Got yourself a pat on the back, huh? For what? You didn't even track the girl down."

The jealousy practically dripped from Axle's lips. Phantom didn't bother to respond.

"Is it my turn again?" he asked the other guys.

Rayo nodded. "Yeah, man. You're way behind. Try not to suck so hard this time." He grinned.

Phantom slid an arm around Lola, who was still there, hanging back from the other girls.
"I already got my prize, no matter how I rank."

Axle's lips curled into a dark smirk. "That's what you think. Winner gets first pick. And I might just want a taste of that pussy."

Phantom felt Lola stiffen beside him.

He didn't know if it was because she hated Axle just as much as he did, or because of the way she was being talked about. She came to the clubhouse now and then, but she wasn't like the other girls, who acted more like groupies.

He gave her a reassuring squeeze at the waist. He'd personally make sure that asshole kept his hands to himself. "You want a branded dick that bad? Lola's mine. So keep your filthy hands off."

Of course, it wasn't true. Lola would get that—right?

But it was a good smokescreen. Maybe they'd leave her alone now.

Axle snorted. "She your Old Lady then? Where's your tattoo, hmm?"

"Somewhere you'll never see," Lola shot back, sounding high and mighty—something Axle clearly couldn't handle. His jaw clenched.

Satisfied, Phantom leaned into her. She was playing along.

Axle shut up, though his eyes still smoldered. Almost like he knew something.

That thought made Phantom's throat tighten.

It didn't make sense. Axle hadn't even noticed his best friend liked guys, so how the hell would he figure this out? It's not like Phantom had a thing for any of his brothers.

They got back to their dart game.

It wasn't looking like Phantom would win, but he didn't care much anymore. The whole thing was starting to feel more like a social obligation than anything fun, and he welcomed any excuse to grab a beer—or for Axle to just fuck off.

The other two guys were fine.

Rayo won. He beckoned the four girls the game had been about.

They danced around him in teasing movements, his hands gliding over clothing, over skin.

"Looks like he's gonna take all four," Wolff said with a grin.

"Sounds like a way better prize," he called over his shoulder, just as a blonde rubbed her ass against his crotch.

Phantom didn't even want to imagine winning.

He couldn't have felt more awkward if he tried.

Or maybe he could.

Because suddenly, he heard his name—spoken by a voice that sent goosebumps across his skin.
A voice he never thought he'd hear again.

It had been half a year since he'd last heard it. That low, warm tone with a subtle roughness to it.
He'd found comfort in that voice. Could've listened to it for hours.

Phantom turned his head—because surely, this wasn't real.

But no.

There he was. Ezra.

With those kind, blue eyes, perfectly trimmed blond beard, and messy blond hair Phantom had once longed to run his fingers through.

There was a woody scent clinging to him now—something new. But it hit Phantom's gut like a warm arrow, stirring up a deeply buried want.

His mouth fell open. "Ezra?"

Ezra's eyes sparkled, and his smile knocked the breath from Phantom's lungs. He could only stare.

"I was in the neighborhood," Ezra said. "Thought I'd stop by. Things ended kind of... abruptly last time."

Phantom fumbled for words.

Hell, it was like all his thoughts were floating loose in his skull and he had to tie them together before anything coherent came out.

"Who's this?"

Phantom froze.

Of course Axle had no trouble speaking up.

Phantom's lips parted, desperately searching for an answer. A reasonable answer.

He didn't know why Ezra had come to find him—

Though a small voice inside whispered that of course he did. He just couldn't believe it.

But that wasn't something he could explain to Axle.

"Ezra," he said finally. "An old friend. Haven't seen him in years."

Axle narrowed his eyes. "No? He looks... familiar."

Shit.

Phantom instantly regretted the lie.

Damn it—all his brothers had seen Ezra at the hospital. It might've been months ago, but Ezra wasn't exactly the forgettable type. He was way too fucking handsome for that.

His gaze darted toward Ezra. What must he be thinking—seeing Phantom lie so smoothly like that?

There was a crease in Ezra's brow, and Phantom felt like his stomach dropped a full meter.

"We went to school together," Ezra said, to Phantom's surprise—and relief.

The man stepped closer, leaning his forearm casually on Phantom's shoulder. "And I figured, after all this time, we owed ourselves a beer."

Phantom didn't dare look at Axle to see if he bought it. He just nodded and turned his back to the guys. No one said anything. He walked to the bar and ordered two beers. He slid one over to Ezra and turned slightly toward him.

Shit. It's really him.

"What are you doing here?"

He couldn't believe that, after all the scrambling in his brain, that was the question that made it out.

Yeah, he was nervous as hell, sitting at the bar with a fucking hot guy whose scent alone was almost enough to give him a semi.

What if someone noticed?!

And on top of that, Ezra's brother had murdered his.

So what the hell do you say to someone like that?

Ezra studied his face. The sparkle from before had dimmed. He took a sip, eyes scanning the room.

Phantom's shoulders slumped. Ezra didn't deserve that. Not after everything he'd done for him in the hospital.

"Sorry," he muttered. His fingers clenched around the glass. "It's just..." He pressed his lips together. "I can't talk freely here," he said, barely loud enough for Ezra to hear.

Ezra held his gaze for a moment. There was so much intensity there it made Phantom flush. "I just wanted a beer. Is that so wrong?"

"It raises questions. Ones I can't afford right now."

"Ah." Ezra's gaze drifted away again. His Adam's apple bobbed as he drank.

Phantom quickly looked elsewhere. He was acting like an asshole. But he'd been walking on eggshells around Axle for so long, and now his head was a goddamn hurricane, and he was afraid that bastard could feel the wind too.

For two old friends catching up, they were saying pathetically little.

Would anyone notice?

Fuck, he hated having to second-guess every move he made.

If he ignored the part where Ezra's brother was a killer—something Ezra probably didn't even know—then this was a really great guy.

The kind of guy you'd be a damn fool to walk away from.

He remembered that spark in the hospital—

How he'd wondered if Raine and Blaise had felt the same thing when they first met.

Their relationship had almost ended in total tragedy too, but now they were happy. They had something Phantom was insanely jealous of: No more secrets. Someone who had their back, no matter what. Someone they could talk to, always.

Phantom didn't even have a cat to talk to when he felt like shit.

He glanced over at the group that had been playing darts. Axle was standing next to Lola. He had a wide grin on his face, which only grew when their eyes met. Great.

Hopefully Lola would shut him down fast.

Ezra set down his empty bottle and stood up.

Was he leaving? Of course he was leaving. Why the hell wouldn't he?

Phantom gripped his glass tighter. He could feel Axle's stare burning into his back.

What would be more suspicious? Following Ezra? Or letting him walk out and having Axle come demand answers?

Phantom stood too. "Sorry, I... Fuck, I'm just having a shit day. I'm sorry. Can we... I need to get Lola away from that asshole, and maybe we can then..."

Then what? Find another bar? People would talk. The Warriors would hear about it and think he was acting weird.

What was he supposed to do—take Ezra home? Yeah, that wouldn't raise any eyebrows at all...

Why had everything felt so natural between them at the hospital, and now everything was falling apart?

Ezra scanned the room again. The frown had returned. He leaned toward Phantom, whose skin prickled as Ezra's breath brushed past his ear. "You in trouble?" His voice had a sharp edge to it, like he wouldn't hesitate to beat the shit out of someone if Phantom confirmed it.

In a flash, Phantom saw himself behind the bar again, Raine beating him bloody because Axle had convinced him Phantom had drugged him.

It had taken far too long before anyone stepped in.

Even after the stupid crap he'd pulled over the last ten minutes, Phantom believed Ezra would step in. He looked up, lost for a moment in those piercing blue eyes. "I feel like I've been jumping from one mess into the next my entire life." It was the most honest thing he'd said so far. "And it feels like all it takes is a snap of the fingers for everything to go to hell again."

Ezra's gaze softened.

Phantom's heart clenched. Then it swelled and began to pound in his chest like a jackhammer.
Shit, how badly he suddenly wanted Ezra near him. Just to have a friend next to him. Someone who laughed at his jokes. Someone he could laugh with. Only now, he realized how fucking alone he'd felt—ever since storming back into that hospital.

And maybe for a hell of a lot longer.

Phantom glanced around, searching for Lola again. Thankfully, she was no longer near Axle but had joined a group of girls. She'd be fine. She always had been. It was nice, the thought of someone needing him—but it wasn't real. He could walk out of the clubhouse right now and she probably wouldn't even notice.

So that's what he did.

Outside, he zipped up his motorcycle jacket. If he were a smoker, they could've lit up by the street and talked at a safe distance. But Phantom didn't smoke.

They walked to the street anyway, the one running past the clubhouse. It was Tuesday, which meant the nightclub was closed and the streets were mostly empty. Once they reached the road, Phantom stopped. He kicked a small rock away with the toe of his boot. "You wanna... go somewhere else or something? To my place, maybe? Not like we're gonna—I mean, I'm not saying—"

Suddenly, his cheeks went hot. Fuck. He really needed to be more careful. For all he knew, Ezra was straight as an arrow. Maybe he'd just dropped by to talk. Just friendly, nothing more.

"What are you saying then?" Ezra's voice was calm, but a teasing grin curled on his lips.

"I don't get why you're here. What you want from me." There. Said it. Now Ezra could make the purpose of this little visit clear.

"I just wanted to see you again."

Phantom took a deep breath. "But why?"

Ezra shrugged. "Why not?" He studied Phantom's face for a moment, then glanced back toward the clubhouse. "You still in the closet? Is that why all the secrecy? They're not exactly... supportive in there?"

A dry laugh escaped Phantom's lips. "Not really, no."

It hit him right in the throat. The fact that Ezra had picked up on him being gay that quickly.
But at the same time—hadn't he felt something too? Hadn't he sensed that Ezra might be into guys?

Now that it was kind of out in the open, everything inside him felt sticky. "If you came here just for some random hook-up... that's not me." Truth was, he was a virgin.

Ezra raised his eyebrows. "You don't think I can get that the easy way if I wanted?"

"You probably can," Phantom mumbled. There were probably apps for that. Not that he'd ever dare install something like that on his phone. Someone might see it... Besides, one-night stands had always freaked him out. Some stranger... what if they blackmailed him afterwards? He sighed deeply and looked at Ezra again. "Listen. I really like you. And I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about you since that night." But your brother killed my brother and we have no future. Because if I ever see him again, I'll put a bullet in his skull. "But my life... I need this club, and I don't want to end up even more of an outsider because they find out I'm into guys. It didn't go too well for Raine either. And honestly—you don't deserve all the shit that'd come with that. I'm the kind of guy with a whole lot of baggage, and you don't want that, okay?"

Fuck, it hurt to say it. To paint himself as some unstable mess who could only bring misery.
But it was the truth. He didn't want that for Ezra. And he didn't want it for himself either. He already had enough to deal with without some relationship drama on top of it.

And yeah, maybe he was getting way ahead of himself. But he was already spiraling and that bastard Axle was breathing down his neck, waiting for him to screw up. That guy was insane.

"I'll decide for myself what I want," Ezra replied. "I don't run from complicated men. I can take a few hits."

The words hit him hard. This man wanted to fight for him. Already. Phantom swallowed thickly, but he knew he had to stand his ground. Now, while it was still possible. While they barely knew each other. "That's admirable," he said quietly. "And fuck, I wish I could just dive in headfirst too. But right now? I can't handle that extra stress, man. I just got into the club. My former sponsor hates my guts and I can already see where that's going. He'd want to 'protect' the club's image, and especially after Raine... He'd go to extremes to stop our rep from turning into some kind of gay bar. And yeah—I think he'd literally kill to make that happen. To make you disappear."

"Then maybe you need to ask yourself if this is really the place you want to stay."

Phantom scoffed. His neck muscles tensed. "I don't have a choice. There's nowhere else. Not for me." He took a deep breath and looked Ezra in the eye. "I'm sorry you came here for nothing. But you should put your energy into someone else."

And now you have to walk away.

It took everything he had to tear his gaze away from those disappointed blue eyes. But he had to. He turned his head and walked back into the clubhouse.