Page 28 of Joey's Trick
Joey laughed, kissed Trick’s shoulder, and stepped back a little. “Let’s get cleaned up, go get some breakfast, and give them a chance to revive.”
Trick turned toward him, pouting. The look seemed so incongruous on the face of such a masculine man, but Joey couldn’t help the way his heart melted. He still couldn’t forget the realization he’d come to the evening before, but he was nowhere near ready to admit it out loud. To himself or Trick. “We can always come back after breakfast instead of playing hoops,” Joey said.
“Deal,” Trick said, the pout disappearing. Joey shook his head while smiling.
The shower took a little longer, both of them wanting to clean the other. They ignored their simmering desire, instead drawing out the anticipation. Trick dried Joey off slowly, running the terry cloth towel over every muscle, every nook, and every inch of skin. Joey couldn’t ever remember feeling so… cherished was the only word he could think of.
Once they’d finished drying off and were dressed, they headed out of Trick’s apartment and down to his truck. They walked with Trick’s arm around Joey’s waist, not speaking, and just enjoying being close to each other. Joey saw him a split second before he attacked. Trick cried out when a tire iron slammed into his back, the sharp end raking across the skin and leaving behind a large gash. The impact of the weapon sent Trick careening into someone’s car, setting off the car alarm. Trick fellto his knees beside the car. “No!” Joey cried out, lunging in front of Trick to stop Vince from hitting him again.
“Why?” Vince screamed. “How could you fuck him? You’re mine, Joey! We’re meant to be together! You know it’s true or you wouldn’t have made love to me!”
Vince tried to hit Trick a second time, but Joey grabbed the iron, wrenching it from Vince’s grasp. Tears poured down Vince’s cheeks, and he flung himself at Joey, fists beating at Joey’s chest. Joey tossed the tire iron in the back of Trick’s truck and tried to restrain Vince, struggling to capture the tiny fists hitting at him. “You’re mine! He can’t have you,” Vince screeched. “Not after what he almost made you do!”
Shock held Joey immobile. “What?”
Vince glared at Trick, who’d managed to get to his feet by holding onto the car. “You told me what he did to you. How it’s his fault you tried to kill yourself! How could you forgive him, Joey? He doesn’t deserve you!”
He tried to get past Joey to Trick again, but Joey forced him back. How the fuck did Vince know about that?
“Joey?” Trick said behind him. “What’s he talking about?”
Joey heard sirens getting closer and knew someone must have called the cops with the shouting and the car alarm going off. Vince sneered. “He told me all about you and what you did to him. How you almost destroyed him and how he was so depressed that he tried to kill himself because of you!”
“When the fuck did I tell you any of that?” Joey demanded, ignoring the intake of breath behind him from Trick.
“You came over to my place after the Graves’ party and stayed the night,” Vince said, still staring murderously at Trick. “Don’t you remember? You made love to me and then told me abouthim. That he’s the reason you have that tattoo on your back.”
Joey shook his head and tried to remember. It had only been a short time ago. The Graves’ party had been to celebrate the signing of a new high-profile client. Joey knew he’d had a few drinks that night, but he hadn’t remembered going to Vince’s. Or telling Vince anything about Trick.
Before Joey could say anything else, a police cruiser pulled into the parking lot and things became hectic and messy for the next half hour. The police arrested Vince for stalking and battery. Vince was still yelling as they handcuffed him and put him into the backseat of the cop car. They also called in a First Responder to check out Trick. Though it wasn’t life threatening, they cleaned and bandaged the wound and suggested he go to the hospital to get checked out to make sure there weren’t any other issues.
Trick remained quiet unless answering questions from the police. Joey knew he would have to explain things to Trick. Things he had never wanted to tell anyone again. The only people who knew the truth were his college roommate and his therapist. Trick refused a ride to the hospital in the ambulance, so Joey said he’d drive him there.
When Joey tried to take Trick’s hand in the truck, Trick pulled away and Joey’s heart ached. Damn Vince. He knew wishing he’d never hooked up with Vince wouldn’t change what had happened, but he regretted the little twink more than ever. “Talk to me, Trick.”
Silence reigned for several long breaths. Then Trick asked, “Did you try to commit suicide because of me, Joey? Because of what I said?”
Swallowing hard, Joey tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “After overhearing you, I went into a terrible depression. Things were rough.” He stopped at a red light, staring straight ahead to avoid Trick’s gaze. “I-I loved you, Trick. When I found out you hated me for being gay, for being attracted to you, itbroke something in me. I turned to alcohol and sex when I got to college. But none of it helped dull the pain. Eventually, it became too much and in a moment of weakness, I cut myself.
“But I passed out from the pain,” Joey rushed on. “My roommate came back and he called an ambulance. I woke up in the hospital a little later. After that, I started seeing a therapist. She’s helped me a lot.”
When Trick remained quiet, Joey glanced at him to see such hurt and anguish on Trick’s face. “Trick?”
Haunted eyes met his. “I’m the reason for the tattoo on your back.”
Joey reached out and took Trick’s hand. This time Trick didn’t pull away or fight his hold. “It wasn’t just about you, Trick. I had previously untreated anxiety and depression. That, combined with my first broken heart… well, it didn’t go well together, but I chose to live. To get help.
The tattoo… it was a reminder to myself to be strong and to not let my depression push me toward that cliff again.”
Yes, what Trick had said about him had been cruel, but Joey realized it wasn’t only Trick’s words which had sent him on the downward spiral. “You didn’t know I’d overheard you or know about my mental health issues. I don’t blame you.”
“How can you not?” Trick asked, his tone dull. “I’m the reason you almost…”
“Because it wasn’t your fault,” Joey replied. “You were a scared teenager, Trick. Just trying to make it through high school and life in one piece. After everything you’ve told me, I know that now. I can see that you aren’t the person I thought you were back then. Hell, you weren’t even that person at all. We all do stupid shit when we’re scared. Please don’t blame yourself for the choices I made.”
They pulled into the hospital parking lot and Joey found a spot, guiding the truck into it and putting the vehicle in park.He turned off the engine and faced Trick. “Yes, you hurt me. Unintentionally. It was a long time ago and I want to move on from it. With you. If you still want me after knowing what I’ve done. And after being hurt because of my carelessness with Vince.”
Trick’s expression crumpled even further, and he leaned over the console, wrapping his arms around Joey and burying his face against the side of his neck. “How can you still want to be withmeafter I’ve hurt you so badly?”