And as he ground down on me, the pressure on my balls broke and I felt my own eruption begin.

He was still holding me down so I couldn’t move.

It was agony—a delicious agony. My back arched, my legs twitched, and I couldn’t catch my breath.

“Wow,” I whispered after the last spasm had passed.

He leaned down and kissed me, and slid me out of him. He collapsed next to me on the bed. “That was nice,” he whispered.

I started to protest when Brandon lit a cigarette, but I closed my mouth and put my head back down on his chest and listened to his heart beat.

That was when he made the remark about me sleeping with Dante.

“And how did you know about me and Dante?” I asked, watching as his cock continued to stiffen as my fingers traced figures around his navel.

He put a hand down on top of mine, stopping my hand. He kissed the top of my head again. “Rees saw your car parked in front of his house last night,” he said slowly.

“Rees?”

He laughed. “It’s a small town, man.” He inhaled on his cigarette. “Rees has a fuck buddy who lives down the street from Dante. Your car was still there this morning.”

I closed my eyes. “Shit.”

“I mean, I don’t care, and don’t worry—I’m not going to say anything to Chad.” His voice hardened. “I’m pretty fucking sick of Chad, to tell you the truth.”

That got my attention. Careful, Jordy, you can’t be sure if you can trust him completely, I reminded myself. He’s been one of Chad’s acolytes for a long time now. Chad might have put him up to this. Inwardly, I shook my head.

I was getting way too paranoid.

“Why?” I kissed his chest. “I thought you guys were all really tight. Pledge brothers, and all.”

“Oh, Rees and I have known Chad for years—long before we came to school here,” Brandon went on. “We knew each other in high school.”

“But you didn’t go to the same high school.”

“We lived in towns right next to each other,” Brandon went on. “You didn’t know that? Woodbridge and Salem are right beside each other. Our city limit ends where theirs begins.” He kissed the top of my head again.

“Wow. What was that like?”

“Chad was different then.” He sighed as I started rubbing my thumb over the head of his cock. “He was a really sweet guy.”

“He still is,” I lied.

“No, he isn’t. He’s changed a lot.” Brandon dropped the cigarette butt into the soda can, where it hissed. “He really was different, you know.” He laughed. “Nobody liked Chad at his school. Salem was a lot different from Woodbridge. Salem was pretty relaxed about things—more liberal, I guess you’d say. Woodbridge? Everyone in Woodbridge pretty much went to this awful church that kind of controls the town. They have a curfew for kids, you know—you can’t be out past ten. Chad was this tall, skinny kid with bottle glasses, and he didn’t really fit in. He got picked on a lot. And his dad?” He shook his head. “Mr. York is a real dick-wad. Chad couldn’t wait to get out of there. We used to talk about it all the time.” He sighed. “Being gay was easier for me and Rees in Salem. It didn’t hurt, I guess, that we were both jocks. I played basketball and baseball, Rees was on the wrestling team. But no one at our school cared we were gay, you know?”

“Uh-huh,” I said, my heart pounding.

“But when we got here, Chad changed. I mean, yeah, Chad was kind of our leader. He could always come up with fun things to do. We made a pact to come here.” He started stroking my hair. “And you know, when we were pledges, Chad was our class president. He’s really organized, and he was great. The brothers all loved him. And it all kind of went to his head.” He shrugged. “Maybe it was being a dork in high school. I don’t know, really. But that’s when Chad got to be controlling and so mean.”

“Mean?”

“Oh, come on, Jordy, surely you’ve noticed he’s got a mean tongue on him!” Brandon started laughing. “He’s mean, but in a funny way, that’s why it’s so hard. You never know if he’s just teasing you or being a bitch. And if he doesn’t get his own way, he goes for the throat.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“And he likes to use people. I don’t like that,” Brandon went on. “I mean, I remember the day you walked into Rush. You walked in—I was working the table, remember? —and as soon as I saw you I thought, Oh, no, Chad’s going to eat this kid alive. And sure enough, when Chad came to the table and saw you, he said something awful to you—I don’t remember what it was.”

“I don’t remember.”

“You’ve got spinach in your teeth.”

“And I remember after you walked away, I thought, Chad’s going to blackball that kid and not give him a chance.”

I bit my lip.

Brandon laughed, and it was an unpleasant sound. “And then he saw your application, and how much money your parents were worth. He took off looking for you.”

It took all of my willpower to keep my hand from shaking.

“I mean, how fucking shallow, right?” Brandon started stroking my back. “Only two things matter to him—looks and money. You had money.”

I closed my eyes. My heart hurt.

“It was sickening the way he sucked up to you,” Brandon went on. “Sickening. And all because you had money.”

“I—I don’t understand.” Somehow, I managed to keep my voice from shaking.

“Sweetie, of course you don’t.” Brandon kissed the top of my head again. “Why do you think Rees and I didn’t try to be friendly to you when you were a pledge? We both liked you, but what Chad was doing made us sick. Chad was being your friend because you had money, and then would make fun of you behind your back, to us.”

I bit my lip and blinked back the tears forming. A rush of memories flooded through me.

“That’s really why Rees and I talked to you yesterday in the Quad,” he said. “Because we knew if we didn’t, Chad would be so hateful to you.”

“But he is my friend, right?”

“That’s what I am trying to tell you, dear.” Brandon laughed. “Don’t ever think Chad is your friend. He isn’t. He isn’t anyone’s friend.”

“What did he used to say about me?”

“Used to?” Brandon stopped stroking my back. “You know what? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything to begin with.” His hand started moving again. “He just makes me so angry sometimes . . . and you’re a really great guy, Jordy. Really. Forget the whole thing.”

Stay focused, don’t let him know how much it hurts—you have to find out!

I kept my voice light. “You think I’m a great guy? Or do you just like my big dick?”

He shifted onto his side and looked into my eyes. “Jordy. You’re a great guy. You also happen to have a great big dick.” He grinned at me. “And really, Jordy, I’m sorry I said anything. Forget about it. Don’t think about it anymore. Chad is so not worth it.” He reached out and stroked the side of my face.

“I promise I won’t be upset.” I reached down and closed my hand around his erection, sliding my thumb over the head.

“God, that feels so good,” Brandon moaned.

I pushed him over on his back and rolled on top of him, pushing his legs apart with mine. I started grinding my crotch against his and grabbed both of his wrists and held them down over his head. I put my mouth on his armpit and began lightly nibbling at the delicate skin just beyond the razor stubble. His hips started moving back and forth as a low growl escaped from his throat. His eyes went back in his head, which also tilted backward. I moved my mouth up to his ear, placing more pressure on his wrists. “You like when I dominate you, don’t you,” I whispered in his ear before licking his earlobes. He continued writhing underneath me. “You like being dominated, don’t you, boy?”

His head nodded, his breath coming faster and faster as my cock ground against his.

I let go of his hands and rolled off him.

“Hey!” He pouted. “Why are you stopping?”