Part 27


“I’ll be back in a bit, Justin.  Joey said it’s really important, ok? Just wait here, I promise I’ll be back.”

Justin pouted and reached for Josh, kissing his knuckles.  “I love you.”

Josh smiled and kissed Justin. “I love you too,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

Justin lay back on the bed and wondered what could be so important.



“Joey, you here, man?” Josh called as he walked in the house.

“In here, Josh.”

He found Joey on the couch, frowning and ringing his hands. He looked up at Josh with angry eyes that gave Josh a bad feeling.

“Joe? What’s wrong?”

“They set you up.”

Four words, four simple words that suddenly made things a lot more complicated.

Josh fell to the couch, his heart in his throat. “What?”

“Lance and Chris. It was a setup.  They had it all planned out…so you would walk in on Chris and Justin…and it would look like Justin was cheating on you.”

“But…how do you—?”

“I heard them talking. Lance was here earlier. He handed Chris a wad of bills…and said thanks. Chris said if he ever needed him to do it again, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Josh clenched his fists in anger, gritting his teeth. “That fucker. I should fucking press charges against him! Jesus christ, Joe, god only knows what could have happened, giving him those pills with all the alcohol he’d had to drink.”

“I know Josh…I know…I just…I thought you should know.  I’m not going to tell them that I know…it’s up to you what you want to do with it.”

Josh sighed and ran his fingers his hair.  “I have to tell Justin.”





Josh sat frozen on the bed, the only sign of emotion the burning rage in his eyes.  

He’d been like that for the past ten minutes, ever since he got back from talking to Joe.  Not moving. Barely breathing. Just letting his body throb with anger.

Justin reached out hesitantly, rubbing the small of Josh’s back and scooting closer.  He felt Josh relax under his touch, and he took that as a sign that he had permission to wrap his arms around Josh’s waist, propping his chin on Josh’s shoulder.

“What happened,” Justin whispered, holding Josh tightly.  

Josh didn’t answer, just linked his hands with Justin’s and pulled him closer. Justin frowned, confused. “Josh? Baby what’s wrong?”

“It was a setup.”

“What was a setup?”

“Lance set us up.”

“Josh, you’re not making sense here.”

Josh sighed and turned to face Justin, his eyes still red with anger. “Lance paid Chris to do what he did.  To give you those pills, to strip you…to make it look like something was going on.”

Justin’s eyes widened. “What?”

Josh nodded, running a hand through Justin’s messy curls.  

”How…but…how do you know?”

“You were with Lance this morning…”

Justin looked down, avoiding Josh’s eyes. “I was upset…” he whispered.

“I know baby, and I know you didn’t do anything…but after Lance dropped you off…he went to the frat, looking for Chris.  Joey heard Chris telling Lance that if he ever needed help with this again, that he’d be willing to do it.  Joey heard everything.”

“That little fucking prick,” Justin said softly, anger bubbling in his gut.  “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

“I have a better idea,” Josh said, grinning wickedly.  “A much better idea.”



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