An Unforgettable Summer (Good Guys Don't Date Bad Boys Bonus Story, Patreon Exclusive) - Ch. 4 (Patreon)

Chapter One / Chapter Two / Chapter Three 

Chapter Four – Sweet Disaster

Maddox offered Jonathan his hand and pulled him close while laughing. “I’m first,” he declared.

“I practically let you win,” Jonathan replied, not forgetting to add a withering glare to that statement.

Maddox had a mind to argue against that, but as he took in the view, the thought was gone from his mind like it had never been there. “Wow,” he whispered. “So, this is what you people call a view.”

“You people?” Jonathan asked and brushed against his shoulder playfully.

“You know. The upper class,” Maddox said in a phony accent.

Jonathan didn’t care about the view, by the looks of it. He was too busy staring at Maddox, and that couldn’t have gone unnoticed for long.

“What?” Maddox asked. He grinned and placed his hands on his hips. “Do I have something on my face?”

Jonathan’s grin widened. “No, but you’re about to.” He kissed him, only with his lips, and then laughed, but only for a moment. “Are you happy? Really, really happy?”

“Are you kidding? Just look at this.” Maddox pointed at the gorgeous view of the lake, the reason they had hiked up there. “Ah, it’s a trick question, right?” He pulled Jonathan to him with one arm, holding him tightly by the waist. “I’m happy because I’m here with you.”

“Same here,” Jonathan confirmed. “Trust me, views like this one don’t mean much if you don’t have someone to share them with.”

They sat on the grass, side by side.

“You haven’t told me,” Maddox began, after a short moment of hesitation. “Did you and Drew ever do this kind of thing?”

“Travel together, you mean? No, our so-called relationship was under wraps. Outside school, we did our best not to let our paths cross too often.”

“But your families knew each other,” Maddox continued his needling. “Even if it didn’t happen often, it must have happened.”

“You’re not wrong.” Jonathan’s heartfelt sigh let him know that he was on the right track. “Well, yes, since the upper class,” he emphasized the word, “tends to mingle at the same places, it was inevitable.”

“And? Did you sneak around or something?”

“A couple of times,” Jonathan admitted. He hung his head low for a moment.

Maddox grimaced, realizing his mistake. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s all right.” Jonathan leaned back and propped himself up on his forearms.

Maddox half-turned to look at him. Indeed, his boyfriend didn’t look that annoyed with his line of questioning.

“We’re bound to meet him at some point,” Jonathan continued. “I’d rather have the air clear with you as far as he’s concerned. Just in case the idea crosses his mind that he might know something about me that he could use.”

“Do you think he’s still hung up on you?” Maddox asked.

“I like to think that he’s moved on, but Drew is the kind of guy… It’s not so easy to explain. Not to you, who is such a goody-two-shoes.”

Maddox smirked and leaned over to steal a kiss from Jonathan. “He’s a bad boy, and I’m not? It’s that what you’re saying?”

“Something like that.” Jonathan bumped Maddox’s chin and then pinched it slightly.

“He might still have the hots for you,” Maddox pointed out.

“No, that’s not it. I made him look bad in front of his parents, and that’s what won’t sit well with him when it comes to me. So, he’ll try to rile you up. I’ll make sure to keep you close if we do bump into him.”

“He’s the one who fucked you over,” Maddox insisted. “Why would he—Ah, forget it, if he tries anything with you, I’ll just punch him in the nose.”

“You will? Do you even know how to do that?” Jonathan teased.

“I had a good teacher.” Maddox touched his nose and winked at Jonathan.

“You’re going to remind me of that little episode till the end of time, aren’t you?”

“Totally worth it.”

Jonathan remained silent for a moment. Then, he reached for Maddox and wrapped a hand around his neck. “Don’t worry about Drew, Maddox. And, maybe, he might have forgotten about me, and the fact that he had to make nice in front of his parents because of me.”

“His drug problem, how bad is it?” Maddox asked.

“You know, he kept saying that it was just a recreational sort of thing, but he was pretty messed up, now that I look back. According to my mom, he’s getting the help he needs.”

“Maybe he’s getting a personality makeover along with that.”

Jonathan shrugged and smiled. “I doubt that’s included in the treatment. It is up to him to make the effort. But let’s not talk about him anymore. Unless there’s something else you want to ask me. I’ll tell you everything.”

Maddox hesitated for a moment. “No, I’m good.”

It wasn’t like he could go ahead and ask Jonathan what was on his mind, simply because Jonathan couldn’t tell him whether Drew was in love with him or not. Maddox wanted to go along with what his boyfriend was saying, that, at best, Drew would still be interested in him only because he was pissed for being exposed like the fraud he was. However, a niggling thought wouldn’t let him be every time his mind dwelled on that particular asshole for not so obvious reasons. Would Drew try to be his competition? Not in Jonathan’s eyes, of that he was sure. But what about in the eyes of others?

***

Jonathan didn’t want to prod Maddox too much, seeing how he insisted that he didn’t want to know anything else about Drew after being asked the same thing three times, in different ways. There was something eating at his boyfriend, though, and Jonathan frowned as he started to think of the best ways to put Maddox’s mind at ease.

“Hey, what’s with the frown?” Maddox asked and rolled on top of him, pinning his hands above his head and giving him a sultry look.

Jonathan bit his bottom lip and gave Maddox an once-over that left nothing to the imagination. “I forgot,” he said.

Why ruin a perfect vacation talking about someone who now felt as if he had been nothing but a blip on the radar? If Maddox was willing to let it go, Jonathan didn’t want to be the one to beat a dead horse.

Maddox gave him a long sweet kiss.

“Ahem,” Jonathan cleared his throat once his boyfriend allowed him to breathe, “I’m afraid people might stumble upon us in this very public place.”

Maddox threw a superficial look over his shoulder. “Worried about your reputation, Hamilton? I don’t see anyone willing to attempt the hike that brought us here.”

“Do you want us to land in the society papers? We are not yet wed,” Jonathan teased, knowing very well what he was doing.

“I totally want to,” Maddox countered and gave Jonathan a smug look.

“Don’t tell me you’re not fed up with Xpress and their bullshit. Ah, you want us to upgrade to the world-wide gossip rags?”

“Hmm, when you put it like that, maybe not,” Maddox agreed. “But I have an idea because I need my reward for hiking here.”

He moved away and helped Jonathan to a sitting position. They were facing each other, and their eyes were full of the sun and the biggest smiles in the universe. “Well?” Jonathan asked, while adjusting his legs under him. It was a bit tough to focus on anything else save for Maddox’s luscious lips, still moist from their earlier kiss. That, combined with his beautiful gray eyes, now glinting with mischief, was a recipe for a sweet disaster.

“You know,” Maddox drawled, although by the way his eyes flickered to Jonathan’s lips, he wasn’t as much in control as he pretended to be, “they say that couples must make sure to keep the fire of romance going or something.”

“Or something, definitely,” Jonathan agreed.

“So, maybe we should do that by postponing, you know what,” Maddox continued.

Jonathan studied his boyfriend, eyes at half-mast. If Maddox intended to play a little dirty, he wasn’t beneath it. “You mean, fucking?”

Maddox grunted and frowned, aware that he had been caught in his own game. “Hamilton, you have a dirty, dirty mouth.”

“I remember quite distinctly that you like my dirty mouth very much. Especially when I put it on certain parts of your body.”

“That’s not true,” Maddox protested.

“How so?” Jonathan asked.

“I don’t like it. I love it. And secondly, not certain parts, but everywhere.”

“Oh, is that how it is? Do you mean, if I kiss your ankle or lick the small of your back--”

Maddox stopped him with a hot kiss. Jonathan tried to pull back and continue the teasing for a little while longer, but it looked like Maddox didn’t intend to have any of that. His grip on the back of Jonathan’s neck was fierce, and although he didn’t touch him with anything other than his lips, the sensation was overwhelming. He opened his mouth wider in a desperate whimper, and Maddox immediately took advantage of the opportunity to kiss him deeper and explore the interior of his mouth at leisure.

That was his way of being, and Jonathan loved it to pieces. Maddox was devouring his mouth slowly, making the kiss longer, deeper, hotter.

When they stopped temporarily for a gulp of air, they were looking at each other with burning eyes.

“I don’t think we have to stoke that fire anymore,” Jonathan suggested huskily. “I’m afraid that if we add more kindling, we risk combusting.”

Maddox laughed, sure and full of himself. “Just testing, you know.”

“You’re a mischievous ass,” Jonathan said, as his eyes grew wide in feigned shock. He got to his feet. “Let’s go. Our parents want to take us on a boat ride along the shore.”

Maddox deflated immediately and showed great reluctance when Jonathan dragged him to his feet. “What’s to see along the shore, really?” he asked. “Nothing but old villas and castles and palaces and stuff, right?”

“We need to spend some time with them,” Jonathan explained. “They might not be too happy with us if we just disappear from dawn till dusk every day.”

“We see each other at dinner,” Maddox pointed out eagerly.

“Yes, that’s true. But let’s be on our best behavior and do what they want once in a while.”

Maddox nodded. “All right. But tonight, you’ll have to do something to reward me for this boring ride along the shore or whatever.”

“Don’t be so sure you won’t enjoy it,” Jonathan said. “I think you will.”

Maddox’s eagerness to spend time only with him went straight to his heart. If his parents held the tiniest smidge of doubt that Maddox was in it for status, wealth, and expensive trips, they should forget about it completely. It was obvious Maddox was there, with him, only because that was the only place he wanted to be. And Jonathan wanted nothing else, either.

***

Jonathan had surely been right about it. He was enjoying the boat trip a lot more than he had expected. He stole a look at his mom, who was commenting on the beautiful villas they were slowly moving past, and exchanging opinions with Francine. The dads enjoyed the ride leisurely, in pleasant silence, only exchanging words now and then.

At the same time, Maddox didn’t want to appear like an eager child, so he tried his hardest to hide his excitement. His mom, however, didn’t care about such things and was displaying an infectious enthusiasm.

Jonathan squeezed his shoulder and offered him a bright smile. “It’s amazing, right?”

“Like a freaking fairytale,” Maddox admitted, but in a whisper. “I mean, they’re like hundreds of years old.”

“Yes, the most spectacular are,” Jonathan said.

“Are you interested in history, Maddox?” Francine asked.

“Only when it’s beautiful like this,” Maddox replied.

Francine laughed. “And I thought boys would be more interested in the history of wars and whatnot.”

“Not this boy,” Maddox offered right away.

Francine grinned ear to ear. “Indeed. Then, there will be more history for you to learn of, soon, as we’ll stop at Bellagio.”

He didn’t mind that at all, even if he expected them only to navigate around by boat. There was a whole new world Jonathan’s family was opening in front of his eyes, and not only his. Even if his dad played it cool, Maddox could tell he was as impressed as the rest of them.

“Francine, do you think we have any chance of spotting some celebrities?” Maddox’s mom asked.

“Who knows?” Francine said secretively. “Everything is possible.”

Maddox was sure Francine would make it happen if she thought it was important. He had no idea if she usually organized trips like this, or if she was going over the top only to impress his mom and dad.

***

“Wow,” Maddox’s mom commented once they were back on solid ground and their home continent. “Francine, it was a wonderful vacation. I hope you’re going to come visit us soon. We might not have Italy and Bellagio, but we intend to show you a good time.”

“We’ll make time, soon. We cannot wait to meet at least some part of the family.”

“Ah, I’m telling you, it’s like herding cats most of the time,” his mom replied. “I’ll make sure they all attend the engagement party, but I cannot make promises for the rest of the summer.”

“It’s not a problem. We can barely wait to visit,” Francine assured her.

The two moms embraced and kissed each other’s cheeks until their husbands had to tear them apart.

***

“Sorry,” Maddox said later. “My mom is the affectionate type once she gets to know you.”

Francine shook her head and smiled. “I happen to enjoy that type very much, then. Now, boys, I’ll give you a couple of days to catch your breath, but then we’ll need you to accompany us to a charity event.”

Charity event. Maddox gulped, hopefully unnoticed. If it were up to him, he would skip stuff like that completely, and if it weren’t so important for Jonathan’s family, it wouldn’t matter, either.

There was hope that he could convince Jonathan not to go, but he didn’t want to be that guy. He was Maddox Kingsley, not some ordinary dude off the street. That meant he could pull off anything, even if it was a charity event for people with too much money to be healthy.

Jonathan pushed him up the stairs, eager to guide him to his room. It was the same as before, and Maddox was a bit disappointed that he couldn’t share it with Jonathan, but something in the way his boyfriend was making him take the stairs two at a time let him know that something was up.

“Are we running from Simmons?” Maddox couldn’t figure out why Jonathan would avoid the old butler since they seemed to get along so well, but he just couldn’t think of any other valid reason for their dash up the stairs.

“No. We’re just going to check to see if he kept his part of the bargain,” Jonathan whispered. “Act surprised.”

Maddox didn’t really have to pretend. When Jonathan opened the door to the room, a startling sight greeted them. The furniture had all been pulled to one of the walls, and there were pipes and other sundry tools spread over a plastic drop cloth laid on the floor. Noises of metal tapping against metal could be heard from the adjoining bathroom.

“Mr. Simmons?” Jonathan called loudly.

The old butler emerged from the bathroom with a wrench in his hand. Save for the construction gloves, he looked his usual dignified self.

“What is going on?” Jonathan asked, just as loudly.

“I’m afraid this room won’t be usable over the next few days,” Simmons said with aplomb.

Maddox rubbed the back of his neck and stole a confused glance at Jonathan. “So, where am I going to sleep?”

Jonathan blinked and frowned slightly to signal him to play along. Maddox was yet unsure about what that meant, but he was willing to.

It took only several moments for Francine to peek into the room. “What is going on here, Simmons?” she asked, completely flummoxed by the scene in front of her eyes.

Simmons made a gesture with the wrench as if the presence of the tool was self-explanatory. “This wing from here on out is compromised.”

“Compromised?” Francine repeated. “We will have to call a team--”

“Leave it to me, milady,” Simmons replied courteously before Francine had a chance to finish her thought. “I am the only one who knows this building through and through. I wouldn’t allow some noobs to deal with it.”

“Noobs,” Francine said and frowned.

“I may be old, but I keep up with the times,” Simmons explained. “The only way you’re going to get me off this job is by firing me.”

“You know that’s out of the question,” Francine assured him. “Very well, do what you must. How long will it take?”

“A couple of days, maybe three,” Simmons replied.

Francine nodded, and then she turned toward Maddox and Jonathan. “I’m terribly sorry about this, Maddox. We must put you in the other--”

“It’s undergoing major cleaning,” Simmons intervened again. “So much dust. You wouldn’t believe it.”

That appeared to deepen Francine’s frown. “Simmons, you knew we had a guest,” she said sharply.

Jonathan immediately jumped into the conversation. “Maddox can stay in my room for the next few days. Until the repairs are over.”

Maddox maintained the most stoic face he knew how to put on. He kind of understood the play, but a little pre-game preparation wouldn’t have hurt. He only hoped he didn’t wither under Francine’s stern look. He waited for her answer with bated breath.

“All right,” she said. “You will have to instruct Maddox on the proper etiquette anyway.”

“Of course,” Jonathan replied.

Did he sound too eager, or was it just Maddox’s imagination? It was impossible she hadn’t seen through the charade.

But she was already out the door. “Make sure you finish in due time, Simmons. We’ll see you boys at dinner,” she threw at them over her shoulder.

Maddox let out a deep breath and his shoulders sagged once she was out of the room and out of earshot, too. “You guys,” he said as he turned toward Jonathan and the butler. “Do you really think she bought it?”

“Oh, she’s used to it,” Simmons replied with a shrug. “She hates the idea of bringing strangers to make repairs here just as much as me. I knew it would work.”

“A big place like this, you’re not handling it all yourself, are you?” Maddox asked, completely flabbergasted by the butler’s industrious nature.

“Of course not. But I vet every hire and company that enters here. I assure you my employers have never had a reason to complain.”

Maddox looked at the mess on the floor. Calling it a mess was unfair. The tools were organized from the longest to the shorter. “Francine might complain about your little trick, though. You can’t really tell me she didn’t see it for what it is.”

“She did, without a doubt,” Simmons assured him. “But she won’t say anything because it means that she’s fine with it.”

“If you say so, man. I’d rather not experience her wrath or whatever.”

Jonathan squeezed his shoulder and pulled him along. “Let’s get us settled, then. Thank you, Mr. Simmons.”

“Yeah, you’re the man,” Maddox added and pointed at the butler, who seemed to be examining the wrench in his hand for any signs of chipping.

“Of course I am,” Simmons replied and smiled. “Now, off you go, boys. I have a bathroom to put back as it was.”

***

Jonathan caressed Maddox’s flank slowly while pretending to be absorbed by his book. Maddox shifted in place a little and let out a small huff. “Am I tickling you?” he asked, without tearing his eyes away.

“No. The opposite.”

“What’s the opposite of tickling?”

“This.” Maddox wasn’t the kind to beat around the bush. Jonathan didn’t mind where his hand landed once it was unceremoniously grabbed and forced to do the other’s bidding.

He squeezed the hardened length through the thin fabric. “Wow. Like this only from a touch.”

Maddox growled under his breath. “You know very well what you’re doing. Blow me?”

“Since you’re asking nicely,” Jonathan countered and squeezed harder until Maddox let out a hiss.

He knew well that Maddox liked being in charge, but also that he didn’t mind playing a more passive role once in a while. In that way, he much resembled a big cat enjoying the petting lavished upon him.

Jonathan moved so that he could rest his head on Maddox’s belly. From there, it was easy for him to free the magnificent manhood from the sweatpants covering it and take it into his mouth.

Maddox ran his hand through Jonathan’s hair with the utmost gentleness. Jonathan wasn’t in the mood for gentle and let his boyfriend know it by taking him deep and licking the underside with a playful tongue. The hand grabbing at his hair let him know that it was easy to step up the pace whenever needed.

He got himself busy with one hand cupping the full balls while his mouth did its usual routine of deepthroating.

“Yeah,” Maddox breathed out. “It’s so nice when you swallow me like this, babe.”

Being passive wasn’t in either’s playbook tonight. Maddox let one hand roam over Jonathan’s back until it reached the waistband of his silk pajama bottoms. Wanting a little more, he snuck inside and began kneading Jonathan’s ass, first one butt cheek, then the other. From there, it wasn’t a challenge at all to move to the crack and begin probing.

Jonathan let his desire be known by bucking his ass higher and allowing Maddox’s wandering fingers to get to work for real. Only the rim was teased, but the sensation was so pleasurable that Jonathan didn’t feel like moving on to other things.

Maddox penetrated him shallowly with one finger while he hiked his hips off the bed and unloaded into Jonathan’s mouth.

They kissed after, as they usually did, Jonathan prolonging his pleasure by sharing the sweet load with Maddox. Unlike him, Maddox used no artifice when turning the tables on him and pinning him down. The fingers, now lubed, moving inside him, triggered deeper pleasures, and he lost himself in the sensation while Maddox took his cock in his mouth and began sucking with dirty slurping sounds. Jonathan liked that technique because it let him know what great delight Maddox took in sucking him off.

Minutes later, they were sharing another kiss, and this time, they were both spent. Maddox rested his head on Jonathan’s shoulder. “You don’t think I’m going to embarrass you or anything, right? At that event.”

The question took Jonathan by surprise. Usually, Maddox was sure of himself, but since he knew him intimately, there were certain vulnerabilities to be taken into account. “Why would I think that?”

“Because I’m not used to stuff like this.”

“I doubt you’re going to start eating with your fingers or use the tablecloth as your napkin.”

Maddox snickered. “I’d be the talk of the evening. Yeah, sure, I know how to behave. It’s only that your mom said you have to teach me the proper etiquette and stuff--”

“She only said that to hide that she was okay with us rooming together. I have a feeling that even after Simmons is done with all the so-called repairs, you’ll be a fixture here, in my room. You’ll be fine, Maddox. There’s a reason you’re such a popular guy at Sunny Hill. You know how to get along with everyone.”

“The perks of growing up in a large family while being the youngest of the siblings.”

“Exactly. So just be your usual charming self. People are going to love you, and, if they don’t, well, I love you, and you must promise not to care about anything else.”

“All right, I can do that.”

“Good.” Jonathan kissed the top of Maddox’s head and held him close.

***

No matter what Jonathan was saying, Maddox couldn’t keep himself from thinking that it wasn’t going to be so easy for him to be himself, not while he gawked – without wanting to – at all of the well-dressed people milling around and exchanging pleasantries. He had been polite and replied similarly whenever introduced to someone, but he still felt judged and measured. These people had probably expected someone else was going to be Jonathan’s future spouse. And they got him instead.

He patted down his suit, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. There were none, but he needed to do something with his hands. Jonathan was a few feet away, caught up in a conversation with an elderly couple. Maddox had wandered off a bit, not wanting to look like a stray that didn’t have anything better to do than to stay glued to his master.

“If it isn’t Maddox Kingsley,” someone said and a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

He turned, surprised that someone would recognize him in that crowd. The surprise on his face must have spoken volumes. Drew eyed him with an all-knowing grin. “Remember me? Andrew Kincaid. Fellows, this is Hamilton’s beau, if you haven’t met him.”

He didn’t have a chance to reply as a group of young men gathered around him, eyeing him with unhidden curiosity.

“I remember you, sure,” Maddox said and took in the group of strangers with a defiant look on his face.

Drew laughed, a bit too forcefully, and none of that amusement reached his eyes. He was taller than Maddox and used his extra height to look down on him. He was one handsome mofo, and Maddox hated that. He fought the urge to look over to where Jonathan was still caught up in his conversation. He didn’t want it to look like he couldn’t fight his own battles, if need be.

“Nice to meet you,” one of the guys, shorter in height and sporting a pleasant smile, said and offered his hand. “Sullivan. Ted Sullivan.”

Drew pushed against Maddox as if accidentally, but it was obvious that he did it to interrupt the handshake. The others didn’t look keen on introducing themselves after that, and even Ted had a confused look on his face.

“Kingsley here,” Drew said while taking him by the shoulder, “has quite the reputation. He’s called Mad Dawg.” He drawled the nickname on purpose and laughed again.

Maddox could feel his jaw getting tighter. He had told Jonathan that he would punch Drew in the nose, but at the same time, he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, not even by telling the asshole to fuck off. The sensation of having too many eyes on him was unbearable.

So, he would be his usual charming self, as Jonathan had told him to. He put his hands in the pockets of his suit, no longer caring about wrinkles and whatnot, and assumed a nonchalant stance, while using the move to shake off Drew’s hold on his shoulder. “Yeah, what about it?” he said. “Any of you interested to hear how I got that nickname?” He challenged the tight audience with confident eyes.

“I’d like to hear about it,” Ted replied, and he seemed quite eager to hear the story.

“He’s such a total brawler,” Drew intervened. Since he couldn’t put his hand on Maddox again without looking like a douche, he just bumped into his shoulder, as if in camaraderie or something. “I’d like to spar with you sometime. Wouldn’t you guys like to see it?”

“How did you and Jonathan meet?” Ted asked, apparently the only one who didn’t get it that Drew was interested in staging a show of his own.

“We’re going to the same college.”

That seemed to trigger some confused looks from Drew’s circle.

“It’s called Sunny Hill,” Maddox offered.

The confusion only deepened.

“A boring bit. Boy meets boy, yada, yada,” Drew commented. “The usual. It’s not as if us guys are interested in hearing about your jejune story.”

“Maybe they do,” Maddox said and offered Drew his best, teeth-showing, grin. “How about you let them talk for themselves?”

Drew pulled back and let his jaw go slack. Then, he turned toward his friends and guffawed. “Can you believe this guy? He’s a total riot. Hmm, all right, Kingsley, tell us everything. About, you know, how Jonathan Hamilton blew,” he said the last word with an ugly smile, “your mind.”

Maddox felt the tick in his jaw growing stronger. He was trying to be civil here.

“Hamilton’s a fantastic fellow,” Drew continued. “Bright. Good with his mouth.”

Maddox turned abruptly, his right hand already curling, but he didn’t even have the time to pull his fist back. He was pushed aside, and the next thing he heard was the sound of a loud slap.

Jonathan stood between him and Drew, and by the trembling in his shoulders, Maddox knew he must be majorly pissed. Drew’s acolytes were staring at the scene in disbelief.

And they weren’t the only ones. The murmur of various conversations had been snuffed out of the room in a single moment.

“Let’s go, Maddox,” Jonathan said in a voice that sounded unnaturally calm. “I’d like to introduce you to some nice,” his tone grew thicker, “people.”

Without addressing a single word to Drew, who was holding his slapped cheek in utter disbelief, Jonathan turned and pushed Maddox gently but firmly out of the artificial enclosure of that group.

***

“O. M. G., babe,” Maddox snickered, “you slapped him like a bitch.”

Jonathan groaned and ran one hand over his eyes. He could still feel his hands trembling. Drew just couldn’t stay away like the rabid dog he was. Any moment now, he was expecting his mom to call or send him a stern message, but he just couldn’t let that fake excuse for a human being humiliate Maddox, and in public, on top of everything.

Maddox sensed his distress, so he rubbed him between the shoulder blades. They were out on a balcony and away from prying eyes, but Jonathan still felt like dozens of eyes were digging holes into his back.

“Hey, it’s all right. He got off easy,” Maddox said gently. “I would have punched him, you know?”

“I do know,” Jonathan breathed out. “He left you no choice, so to speak. Out for blood.” He let the last words drop like poison from his lips.

“He didn’t leave you any choice, either. Are you worried that this will end up in the papers tomorrow?”

Jonathan snorted. “If it’s not on the Internet already. But don’t worry, I’m not even remotely concerned. Drew was just itching for it. Forgive me for not letting you express your anger. He would have used that to stir up trouble.”

“I think we might have done that anyway,” Maddox said. “But hey, if your family disowns you and casts you out--”

Jonathan laughed and shook his head. The adrenaline was slowly leaving his body. The phone ringing cut into his returning good mood. It was most probably his mom, wanting to know where they were. He answered without even looking, not wanting to postpone facing the music for a single moment.

“JJ,” Ray’s cheerful voice came through. “How are you?”

Jonathan couldn’t help smiling or stop the relief he felt. “Never better,” he said. “How are you, guys?”

“Never mind us,” Ray replied eagerly. “The real question is, how do you feel about becoming a meme?”

“A meme?” Jonathan exchanged a confused look with Maddox, who moved closer to hear the conversation.

“Yeah,” Ray continued excitedly. “Hanna is already working on it. That asshole must have felt that slap three generations back.”

Jonathan’s face fell. “What? Wait? How do you even know…” he trailed off. Of course, he had thought it just earlier. “How did you find out about it?” he eventually asked the right question.

“Hashtags, alerts, you know,” Ray replied. “We follow you everywhere, JJ. Yeah, even on the Internet. So, is it all right to launch the meme? Hanna really wants to. If it’s not us, it’s going to be somebody else. O. M. G., and you’re trending!”

“Go ahead,” Jonathan said, feeling a bit disoriented.

Maddox pulled out his phone and his face lit up. “For real, it’s such a good angle,” he said and showed the screen to Jonathan.

“Who could have taken it?” Jonathan wondered.

“Never mind,” Maddox said. “It’s out in the open, babe. Damn, Drew looks so surprised, it’s beyond funny. I was there, and I didn’t see what happened this well.”

“You’ll tell me that story, right, JJ?” Ray asked.

“I will, sure. A bit later, though, okay?” Jonathan replied.

“Totally,” Ray said brightly. “Bye, JJ. Hanna says thanks. She always wanted to start a meme trend.”

Jonathan said goodbye to Ray and stared at Maddox, completely flummoxed. “It’s officially a disaster,” he murmured. “I’ve never said this before in my life, Maddox, but I think my mom is going to kill me.”

He didn’t even have to wait for it. His mom must have had an internal GPS for him because she was just stepping out onto the balcony, with an unreadable expression on her face.

TBC

Next chapter