Page 59 of Inevitable

“My boyfriend is incredibly smart. I think that deserves a celebration.”

Ezra flushed and looked down. He felt hot all over, and his mind was completely blank. Just one word kept circling inside his head.

Boyfriend. Boyfriend. Boyfriend.

Sure, there were hints of panic, too, but overall, the joy overshadowed what tiny bit there was.

“Okay?” Bas asked quietly, a hint of uncertainty and vulnerability reflecting in his gaze.

Ezra could do nothing but nod.

He swallowed as he kept nodding. “That sounds like a good reason to celebrate.”

Bas’s shoulders relaxed, and he pressed a quick kiss on Ezra’s lips.

“See? What did I tell you? Smart.”

* * *

Ezra scowled at the building in front of him.

“Come on,” Bas coaxed. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”

Ezra groaned. “But I don’t wanna,” he whined as Drew smirked next to them.

Ezra turned toward him. “Do you want to go?”

“I’m good either way.”

Ezra scowled at him. “That’s an infuriating nonanswer.”

Drew waggled his brows. “Lawyer.”

Ezra grumbled under his breath a bit more. Bas and Drew were both gazing at him with amused looks on their faces.

“I’m not a huge fan of clubs,” Drew allowed, seemingly sympathizing with Ezra.

“Aha, I knew it!” Ezra nodded like he’d just won the argument.

“But,” Drew said, “I will go because it gives me the chance to dance with Bas. Trust me, you’ll like that.”

Ezra spent another couple of moments grumbling until he let out a defeated sigh. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Bas threw an arm across his shoulders and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “That’s the spirit. Mild annoyance and a dash of reluctance. I can work with that.”

In a matter of seconds, Ezra was dragged toward the door of the club, where a small crowd had gathered, waiting to be let in. Bas knew the guy at the door, so they didn’t have to wait in line.

The place was packed, which Ezra didn’t like. He’d always hated crowds. He tolerated bars but had mostly avoided clubs. And yet, here he was. Then again, he was walking between Drew and Bas, so it made things a bit better.

Loud music was blaring from speakers. People were dancing, drinking, kissing, chatting. The loud thump-thump-thump reverberated through Ezra, making him feel like his liver was jumping toward his throat.

“We should get drinks,” Bas yelled. Drew nodded his agreement, so they made their way toward the bar that was situated toward the back of the large space.

On their way there, they passed a couple of platforms where go-go dancers were doing their thing. Men dressed only in tiny shorts and covered in glittering body paint were gyrating and moving with a fluid grace that definitely caught Ezra’s attention.

The bar was, as expected, busy as hell, so it took a while for them to get their drinks. They moved to the side, where it was a bit quieter. Ezra took a sip of his Jack and Coke, and after a couple of minutes and a couple more sips, he felt himself starting to relax.

“You like it here,” Bas yelled over the music. His smile was almost blinding, and for that smile alone, Ezra found that it had been worth coming to the club.