Chapter 31: Halt.Elijah walked to the other side of the room with JP. After he shook hands with the stranger, his friend sat at a corner table with the good-looking redhead. Sloan watched them for a minute to make sure everything was okay, but once they started chatting, he figured he could get back to work. Maybe Sloan would ask what the Learning Institute was all about later. Maybe JP was an art teacher or something. Elijah loved to paint so that could be it. For now, Slown figured his friend would be fine. He picked up a rag and cleaned around the espresso machine.While the two men spoke in low tones, more people walked out of the coffee shop. Only a guy on his phone and a girl bent over a textbook and laptop remained.The fat man with green eyes didn't seem interested in JP, Elijah, or anyone left in the shop. Now he turned all his attention on Sloan cleaning. Since it was creepy to be watched by the fat stranger with pretty eyes, Sloan turned his back and brewed a fresh pot of

Chapter 33: Job number two.Sloan gave Elijah every cent he had in case Hugo found him again. After he left the coffee shop, he stopped at home. Once in his shitty apartment, he tossed on a pair of pajama pants and then slept on the couch for a few hours. When his alarm rang signaling he had to get his ass up and going, Sloan had enough time to eat a few slices of cheese from the fridge and shower before he headed to his second job.As he entered the bar that he tended to every night, Lindsay waved to him as she mixed drinks. The beautiful brunette was fast and efficient so Sloan didn't have to worry about helping her make drinks. They both began serving up beer, wine, and mixed drinks without talking. The bar was filling up faster than usual, but he didn't mind. Sloan might actually make good tips tonight.As the dance floor was turning into a sea of jumping bodies, he slowed down to wipe off the counter. The night was taking off as the music blasted. It was well after one in the morn

Chapter 35: Drug dealers can be a problem.When he was finished with work, Sloan stepped out into the night air. Scanning the parking lot, his heart dropped to his stomach. Reese leaned against his mini-van, waiting. No sexy-as-fuck Octnavin.True, Sloan didn't know if meeting the stranger was a good idea, but that changed nothing when it came to his ex-lover. He still wasn't going with Reese. "I said no." Sloan started walking toward the side of the bar. His bike was parked in the back alley. He would just go home and look up the Learning Institute and see if Elijah knew if JP was a vampire. Maybe Elijah would tell Sloan that the fat man and the young man thing was all a misunderstanding. "Don't be like that." Reese grabbed Sloan's arm. "Are you going to make me hit you?" Sloan glared at Reese's hand. The other man let go. "We've been over for a long time, and you know it.""You're God-damn exhausting." Reese ran his fingers back and forth through his hair. "Call me when you get yo

Chapter 37: One kiss couldn't hurt."I am sooooo fucked up," Sloan slurred as he tried to make out the shapes in the interior of the limo.For a minute there, he wasn't sure if he'd passed out or just fell asleep. He smiled. Everything felt so soft and happy. Could things feel happy? He ran his hand over the leather seat. Yes. Happy. Things were great. Life was super."This word fuck is very confusing." Octnavin sat on the back seat with his eyes raking Sloan. Man, that dude was sexy-as-hell and his eyes were so hot. "The meanings do not fit." His pink lips were turned into a cute pout. "You use the word like punctuation.""Fuck is a great word. It goes with everything." Sloan shook off his leather jacket and ran his hand over his t-shirt. He traced the band name 'Forever Tuesday' that was the main design across his chest. "You know I waited in line for hours to get this shirt and meet this band. Their drummer is awesome. I never saw them, though, but I got the shirt. Last one." Seeing

Chapter 39: That's a dick move.Ocean waves crashed. The sound rocked Sloan back to sleep. When he woke a second time, the waves hitting the shore had his eyes popping open and his head clearing. Where the hell was he that he could hear the ocean? He lived in a landlocked state.Lifting to his elbows, Sloan glanced around the room. To his right was a wall of windows and an open doorway facing a sparkling beach. The ocean glittered clear blue as the sun lit the waters. His eyes swung in the opposite direction. Was he in a bungalow? The bed was all white sheets and blankets with piles of pillows. There was the essential furniture for a high-end hotel in the Bahamas. Wall art was plants and flowers. A spread of fruits and salads and drinks was on a coffee table near the TV. Sloan swung his legs out of bed and stared down at his jeans and band t-shirt. He felt marginally better that he was still dressed. He frowned. Except his pants were unbuttoned. Walking around the room, he stopped at