The White Party
Chapter 4
Justin stood by the glass terrace doors that overlooked a moonlit Miami
Beach, with visions of Brian still on his mind. The years may have gone by, but
there was no doubt in Justin’s heart that his feelings for Brian had remained
the same. Where had the time gone? How could a love like theirs have just
drifted away? They say that if you love someone, then let them go. That’s
exactly what Brian did. He encouraged his baby to leave his arms, and venture
out into the big city. The plan was for Justin to conquer New York’s art world,
and return to Pittsburgh every bit as successful as Brian.
“What are you looking at?” Darren interrupted Justin’s thoughts.
Justin turned to find Darren standing in the middle of the room, cinching the
drawstring on silk pajama bottoms. “I wasn’t looking at anything in particular.
I was just admiring how beautiful the beach is at night,” Justin said.
“Are there any red hoodies down there that I should know about?” Darren asked.
“What?” Justin feigned ignorance.
“Don’t play stupid with me, Justin. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Darren
said calmly.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Justin forced a smile.
“You know I hate it when you insult my intelligence.” Darren strolled over to
the bed, and sat down. “Come here, princess.”
Justin turned from the view, and cautiously walked over to the bed. How could
Darren know about the red hoodie? Did Brandon betray him, or had Darren been
watching Justin’s every move since he found out about Brian?
“So that’s the magnificent Brian that sent you off to New York, and forgot about
you.” Darren abruptly changed the subject. “I can certainly understand why. He’s
a handsome, successful, self-made man. Why would he tie himself down with a
little nothing shit like you?”
“Brian didn’t think of me as a nothing. He believed in me,” Justin said in
his own defence.
“And you fell hard on your sweet little ass.” Darren reached inside Justin’s
robe, and placed his hands on the young man’s outer thighs. The smooth porcelain
skin glided along his fingers as Darren stood up from the bed. Justin closed his
eyes, and tried to invision Brian’s hands caressing his ass.
“Is this how Brian touches you?” Darren slid a middle finger into Justin’s
puckered, pink hole. He could feel the young man’s sphincter grab on and begin
to pulsate as the intruding digit wiggled its way deeper inside.
“Ah,” Justin gasped.
“You like that, don’t you?” Darren smiled. “That’s why you went wandering out to
meet Brian when you thought I was asleep.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Justin moaned.
“You lying little bitch.” Darren’s voice had suddenly changed, and so had the
mood of the moment. The furious lover swirled Justin around, and slapped him
across the face. “You think you’re going to humiliate me after everything that
I’ve done for you?”
Justin landed on his back, but quickly flipped over onto his stomach in a failed
attempt to crawl away. “Darren, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t
meet anybody.” The young man lied for his life.
“You were nothing when I found you hocking your little prints on the streets.
I’m the one who took you in. I’m the one who fed you, clothed you, and
introduced you to the finer things that New York had to offer. This is how you
repay me, by fucking a backroom whore, right under my nose?” Darren growled as
he grabbed the back of Justin’s head.
Justin strained against the hand entangled in his hair. “I didn’t do anything.
We just talked. That’s all!” Justin pleaded his case.
“You never learn, do you? How many times do I have to tell you? You’re mine.
You’re not leaving me. I bought and paid for you.” Darren tightened his grip.
Justin could feel the hairs pulling from his scalp. “Let go of me, you
crazy bastard! I HATE YOU!”
“You hate me? Is that what you said?” Darren straddled his squirming prey, using
the weight of his body to control Justin’s flailing legs. He then leaned
forward, releasing the grip on Justin’s hair, and transferring the pressure to
the back of Justin’s neck.
“You lying, ungrateful, little piece of nothing shit, I’ll kill you!” Darren
pressed Justin’s face into the bedding of the king size mattress.
…Knock…Knock…Knock…
“Shit.” Darren turned, and looked toward the door.
*****
Brian thought he heard something from behind the door, voices, but he couldn’t be sure. He waited hoping Justin would answer the door.
After a couple of minutes had passed he knocked again … more forcefully.
*****
Inside the suite Darren stood up and yanked Justin to his feet.
“You’re lucky someone came to the fucking door or I might have beat the living shit out of you, you little bastard,” Darren hissed. “Get the fuck in the bathroom and don’t make a sound or you’ll pay big time for it, and so will whoever’s at that door.”
Justin glanced toward the door, longing to make a break for it. A sharp blow to the side of his head made him rethink that plan.
“Get.the.fuck.in.the.bathroom!” Darren said between gritted teeth. He gave Justin’s arm a hard twist to reinforce his point.
“Ow,” Justin groaned as he almost dropped to his knees as pain shot up his arm.
“Shut up and move!” Darren ordered.
When Darren finally let go of him, Justin ran to the bathroom and quickly closed the door behind him. He locked the door with shaky fingers and slid down to the floor as far away from the door as he could get.
Darren adjusted his pyjama bottoms and ran his hands through his hair. He strode to the door with a sideways glance at the bathroom. He yanked open the door to the suite ready to rip whoever was there a new one. “What do you want…?” he blurted out before he realized who it was. “Brian?” he said in surprise, but quickly pasted on a fake smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this late visit.”
“Is Justin here?” Brian asked trying to look past Darren into the suite.
“No, he’s not. Went for a walk on the beach I think.”
“I thought I heard voices in here.”
“Probably me mumbling and grumbling. I had dozed off,” Darren said with a chuckle. “You woke me.”
Brian frowned. “When will Justin be back?” Darren shrugged. “It’s rather late for him to be out by himself.” Brian couldn’t imagine why Justin would be out on the beach again. Something was off.
“He’s a grown man,” Darren stated unable to keep the edge out of his voice. Fucking Justin was going to screw everything up.
Brian decided to take a different tack. “Would you like to join me for a drink in the lounge?” he asked. They could pass the time until Justin returned. Maybe he could find out more about what was going on between Justin and Darren. Either Justin would join them in the lobby or Brian could come back to the room with Darren after the drink. One way or another he was going to see Justin.
“I’m hardly dressed for the lounge,” Darren said with a laugh that contained no humor.
“You can throw something on. I’ll meet you downstairs,” Brian said. He quickly turned and headed for the elevator before Darren could refuse.
Darren was about to call after Brian and tell him to forget it, but then he had another thought. He closed the door to the suite and went to open the bathroom door. He found it locked.
“Open the door, Justin,” he ordered.
Justin pressed himself against the back wall. “No,” he said. “Who was at the door?”
“Nobody important. Open the door!”
“No!”
“I’m going to kick this fucking door down!” Darren threatened as he felt his temper rise again. This blond piece of ass was becoming more of a problem than he was worth.
“That will bring the hotel staff,” Justin retorted. He had taken enough from his abusive boyfriend. At least Darren couldn’t get him while he was locked in the bathroom.
Darren hammered on the door. “Open up!” he commanded.
“No!”
Darren raised his foot prepared to kick down the heavy wooden door. Then his foot came back to the floor as he thought better of what he was about to do. He would probably break his damn foot and the door looked awfully strong. Justin was right about all the noise likely bringing hotel staff to find out what was going on. He shook his head. He might as well have that drink with Brian fucking Kinney. Maybe that would calm his nerves. “I’m going for a drink, Justin,” he said in his best calm voice. “Get your shit together and start acting like you know I expect you to. You better be on your best behaviour when I get back.”
Justin let out a breath. He had a reprieve, at least for a few minutes. Now he needed to figure out what the fuck to do.
Darren threw on some clothes and checked how he looked in the mirror. Maybe he would try out Brian Kinney for himself and see what Justin saw in the man. Approving of what he saw in the mirror, Darren picked up the room key. He stopped at the bathroom door and tried to open it one more time. It was still locked.
“Justin, remember all I’ve done for you. You owe me. You’re on your own if you don’t behave,” Darren stated. “I can make your life a misery.” There was no answer. “Understand?” he asked. “No one messes with me.”
Justin did not answer, but he felt fear creep up his spine. He heard the room door close and let out a breath. It was several minutes before he could get his legs to work. Finally he stood up. He listened and heard no sound from anywhere in the suite. Carefully he turned the lock on the bathroom door. When it didn’t come flying back at him as he half expected it would, he opened the door a crack. He heard nothing and could see no movement through the small opening. Darren must have really gone out.
Justin walked out of the bathroom looking around warily. No one was there. He saw his cell phone lying on the floor by the bed. He picked it up wondering who he could call. Then he scrolled through his contacts and hit the familiar number.
“Emmett, everything’s gone to hell. I need help,” he said into the phone. He fought back tears as he listened to his friend, but he felt a quiet resolve run through him. He’d had enough of fucking Darren Bradley. He wasn’t going to take this shit anymore.