phone number."
Somehow Justice's hands ended up on Ashton's shoulders. His mind began to spin from all the emotions colliding inside him, the two biggest being arousal and shock. Arousal because--Hello!--Ashton was sex bundled up in a college T-shirt, and shock because Justice never moved this fast before. His dates were few and far between and never before had he touched, let alone kissed, until at least one or two weeks of knowing the other guy. Yet, as he found himself pressing his body closer to Ashton, Justice knew with a certainty that they'd be kissing within seconds. Justice closed his eyes and began to inch even closer.
"What in the fuck do you think you're doing?" Craig snarled.
Before Justice could react, his brother grabbed him by the arm and jerked him away. Justice opened his eyes and gasped as he readied himself for yet another one of Craig's verbal assaults. Instead, much to his surprise, Craig shoved Justice behind him before turning his fury onto Ashton.
"I don't know what kind of game you think you're playing, but keep my brother out of it," Craig snapped, his face red with anger.
"Craig?" Justice wondered what in the hell was going on. It's not like he already didn't know that Justice was gay, so it couldn't be the fact that he'd been getting up close and personal with another man. So, he had no idea what had pissed Craig off so much.
Ashton held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "We were just talking."
Craig snorted. "I'll bet. It's more likely that your dad sent you out to screw with our family because of our father."
"I'm sorry, I still don't understand," Ashton replied calmly.
"You don't think I wouldn't recognize you as Carter Garner's son?" Craig challenged.
Justice stomach dropped at the name. Carter Garner ran the biggest illegal drug ring in the state. The name was so sickeningly familiar because he heard it every night at the dinner table as his own father, a DA, railed about how he couldn't wait to finally hang a conviction on the criminal. To make matters even worse, the two men had been involved in a very public battle of words.
"What does that have to do with me talking to Justice?" Ashton slowly shook his head.
Craig gave a bitter laugh. "As if you didn't know that Justice is Lloyd Knowl's son."
Ashton blinked a few times, understanding spreading over his face. "As in DA Knowl?"
His shocked tone seemed too real to be faked and Justice found himself believing him. That still didn't mean Justice felt any relief, not with all the tension in the air. Given his brother's volatile temper, he knew it was only a matter of seconds before fists started flying. Justice felt genuine fear that for once Craig's temper wasn't aimed in his own direction. He realized he had to somehow get Craig as far away from Ashton as possible.
"Craig, let's just leave," Justice suggested softly as he put a gentle hand on his brother's arm.
That proved to be a huge mistake. Craig hissed a curse, turned, and shoved Justice. Pain shot through Justice's body as his back slammed into the unforgiving wall.
To say all hell broke loose after that would have been a tragic understatement. Several of the partygoers "oohed"while Ashton let out a few choice curses of his own. "Don't you fucking treat him that way."
Ashton lunged at Craig. At the last minute a dark-haired guy reached out and held Ashton back. Several frat brothers stepped forward. A pair of them grabbed Craig by the arms, while another took hold of Justice's wrist.
As they were being shown the front door, Justice dared to shoot a glance back at Ashton. The other man was still holding him, but all his attention was directed at Justice. The look of hurt and sadness stamped on Ashton's face cut into Justice like a blade.
I'm sorry, Justice mouthed right before he was led out the door.
Chapter 2
----
Ashton had never felt so helpless as he watched Justice walk away. He was torn between wanting to run after him so they could continue their
Somehow Justice's hands ended up on Ashton's shoulders. His mind began to spin from all the emotions colliding inside him, the two biggest being arousal and shock. Arousal because--Hello!--Ashton was sex bundled up in a college T-shirt, and shock because Justice never moved this fast before. His dates were few and far between and never before had he touched, let alone kissed, until at least one or two weeks of knowing the other guy. Yet, as he found himself pressing his body closer to Ashton, Justice knew with a certainty that they'd be kissing within seconds. Justice closed his eyes and began to inch even closer.
"What in the fuck do you think you're doing?" Craig snarled.
Before Justice could react, his brother grabbed him by the arm and jerked him away. Justice opened his eyes and gasped as he readied himself for yet another one of Craig's verbal assaults. Instead, much to his surprise, Craig shoved Justice behind him before turning his fury onto Ashton.
"I don't know what kind of game you think you're playing, but keep my brother out of it," Craig snapped, his face red with anger.
"Craig?" Justice wondered what in the hell was going on. It's not like he already didn't know that Justice was gay, so it couldn't be the fact that he'd been getting up close and personal with another man. So, he had no idea what had pissed Craig off so much.
Ashton held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "We were just talking."
Craig snorted. "I'll bet. It's more likely that your dad sent you out to screw with our family because of our father."
"I'm sorry, I still don't understand," Ashton replied calmly.
"You don't think I wouldn't recognize you as Carter Garner's son?" Craig challenged.
Justice stomach dropped at the name. Carter Garner ran the biggest illegal drug ring in the state. The name was so sickeningly familiar because he heard it every night at the dinner table as his own father, a DA, railed about how he couldn't wait to finally hang a conviction on the criminal. To make matters even worse, the two men had been involved in a very public battle of words.
"What does that have to do with me talking to Justice?" Ashton slowly shook his head.
Craig gave a bitter laugh. "As if you didn't know that Justice is Lloyd Knowl's son."
Ashton blinked a few times, understanding spreading over his face. "As in DA Knowl?"
His shocked tone seemed too real to be faked and Justice found himself believing him. That still didn't mean Justice felt any relief, not with all the tension in the air. Given his brother's volatile temper, he knew it was only a matter of seconds before fists started flying. Justice felt genuine fear that for once Craig's temper wasn't aimed in his own direction. He realized he had to somehow get Craig as far away from Ashton as possible.
"Craig, let's just leave," Justice suggested softly as he put a gentle hand on his brother's arm.
That proved to be a huge mistake. Craig hissed a curse, turned, and shoved Justice. Pain shot through Justice's body as his back slammed into the unforgiving wall.
To say all hell broke loose after that would have been a tragic understatement. Several of the partygoers "oohed"while Ashton let out a few choice curses of his own. "Don't you fucking treat him that way."
Ashton lunged at Craig. At the last minute a dark-haired guy reached out and held Ashton back. Several frat brothers stepped forward. A pair of them grabbed Craig by the arms, while another took hold of Justice's wrist.
As they were being shown the front door, Justice dared to shoot a glance back at Ashton. The other man was still holding him, but all his attention was directed at Justice. The look of hurt and sadness stamped on Ashton's face cut into Justice like a blade.
I'm sorry, Justice mouthed right before he was led out the door.
Chapter 2
----
Ashton had never felt so helpless as he watched Justice walk away. He was torn between wanting to run after him so they could continue their
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