The ride to the hospital was complete torture for Lance.
He and Justin rode in silence, an uncomfortable silence that lingered between
them like an unwanted presence. Tears
rolled down Lance’s cheeks as he thought about what Justin had said.
I used to spend every night with him…
He told me he loved me, not you…
The words rang in his head over and over until he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Fuck!” he shouted, pounding his fist on the window.
“Lance?”
Part of him didn’t want to believe Justin. Didn’t want to believe that JC
would ever do that to him, wanted to believe that JC loved him…only him.
But the other part of him was screaming, How stupid are you, Lance? This is
Justin fucking Timberlake you’re talking about here. You knew JC wanted him…that he dreamed about being with him…he
just used you. Felt bad for you.
“No!”
“Are you ok, Lance?”
Lance rested his ahead against the cool glass of the window, hot tears welling
up behind closed eyelids. “I thought he loved me,” he whispered.
He does, Justin thought, laughing silently to himself. But
you can’t have him, Lance. I
always get what I want.
Lance peeked his head into JC’s room, sucking in his breath at the site of the
man he loved hooked up to so many machines…so many tubes running in and out of
his body.
“Jace…” he breathed, taking one step into the room. JC turned his head slowly, his eyes opening.
“Lance…” he said. “Thank god…thank god they found you before Justin
did…”
What? Lance thought. Found me before Justin did? Fresh tears
formed in his eyes and Justin stepped in behind him, grinning at JC.
JC’s eyes widened. He felt like
he couldn’t breathe, like everything was closing in. “No…” he whispered. “NO!”
He shook his head wildly, tears streaming down his face. “Fuck
you, Justin! Fuck you for doing this!”
“What are you talking about, Josh?” Justin asked innocently, frowning when
Lance turned around to look at him.
“No…this isn’t happening…” He
looked at Lance, his eyes clouded with fear. "Lance, please...please don't
believe him."
So then it’s true…Lance thought.
“I’m sorry, Lance,” Justin whispered, placing a comforting hand on
Lance’s shoulder.
“Don’t fucking touch him, Justin!” JC hissed. “Get the fuck away from
him.”
“We’re not going to let you hurt us anymore, Josh,” Justin said softly,
alligator tears forming in his icy blue eyes. “Right
Lance?”
JC looked at Lance pleadingly, gazed into the green eyes that had comforted him
on so many cold, hard nights. “Lance…please…let
me explain…”
Everything JC was saying was making Lance believe more and more that Justin was
telling the truth.
“I…I have to get out of here,” Lance said, shaking Justin’s hand away
before hurrying out of the room.
“Lance!” JC called desperately. No…don’t
leave me alone with him…
Justin stalked towards JC’s bed, sat down in the chair next to it. “So,
Josh, how are you feeling?”
JC didn’t answer, just squeezed his eyes shut and tried to will Justin to go
away.
“I knew I wouldn’t do too much damage when I hit you…I wasn’t driving
that fast…after all, I wouldn’t want to hurt my favorite fuck too much, now
would I?”
“Why are you doing this?” JC whispered, still not looking at Justin.
Justin leaned forward, his mouth next to JC’s ear. “I always get what I
want, JC. Always.”
“What did you tell him?”
Justin didn’t answer. Instead, he
slid his one hand underneath the blankets, fingertips dancing over JC’s
inner thigh.
“Stop!” JC shouted, trying to pull away.
“It’s been too long, JC…way too long…” Justin whispered, pressing his
lips to JC’s neck, nibbling at the soft skin.
“Stop!” He turned his head away and tried to push Justin, but he was too
weak.
“I can’t wait to get you home, Josh…the things I’m going to do to
you…”
JC cringed, tears pricking his eyes.
“So how much damage is there, Jace? Just
a few broken ribs I hope.”
“Fuck you, Justin,” JC whispered, his voice quivering.
“Not until we get you home, babe,” Justin said, eyeing the door, waiting for
the perfect moment. When he saw
Lance peeking around the door, he raised his voice. “I’ll fuck you all night
long when we get home, I promise, baby. It’s been way too long.” He leaned down and crushed his lips against JC’s, forcing
his tongue into JC’s mouth.
JC mumbled something into the kiss, something Lance couldn’t make out. But
he didn’t want to know what JC had said. He
didn’t want to know anything ever again, because everything he thought he knew
had turned out to be a complete
lie.