Loki frowned and stepped away from Red Jack, which was a relief for only a split second. “Hey, I’m not ashamed of it! Do you have a problem with me being gay, too? You didn’t say so last time.”
Red Jack opened his lips but wasn’t sure what to say for long enough for Candy to butt in.
“I’m sure he doesn’t. Less competition for him, huh?” She gave Red Jack a bright smile and nudged his ribs. This was a fucking disaster.
Sam gave him a lost look, but his eyes went even wider when Red Jack sensed the sweet scent of cake. Loki offered him a bite of the already started cupcake. Too much was too much. This was supposed to be Red Jack’s night, and he was getting humiliated. He’d had enough of that kind of shit at school as a lanky ginger kid in hand-me-down clothes from his brothers, and more freckles than normal skin. All he wanted was to be appreciated. For one fucking night to have everyone look up to him.
He slapped away Loki’s hand. “Very funny, boyfriend. That’s enough,” he hissed. Loki was going to regret all of this later. Just like the guy who once poured carrot juice on Red Jack’s head. That had been the day Red Jack realized his fists had more power than he thought. The boy ended up in hospital, and Red Jack had gotten himself a place in juvie. So worth seeing the guy’s face smashed in. The bastard wasn’t laughing anymore once Red Jack was done with him.
“Do you want the cake or a cupcake first?” asked Candy, offering Red Jack a sunny smile.
“The cupcakes are with candied bacon and peanut butter. You’d love them,” said Loki, casually leaning against Red Jack.
How the fuck would he know what Red Jack liked anyway? He did like both peanut butter and bacon, but who didn’t? Not a hard guess.
“I’m dying to have one, babe,” Red Jack said to Candy and went over to the cake to cut himself a piece. He was too freaked out to look at Sam, but he could feel the eyes stabbing him all over. No one was saying anything to his face, but all the smiling faces around him seemed sinister. Laughing at him, not with him. He needed to make sure tonight that everyone knew just how straight he was.
“Hi Jack, you like your cake?” asked Lucy, who strolled into the kitchen with two other strippers. Candy was quick to give each of them a slice, but Red Jack couldn’t help but notice the mockery in Lucy’s eyes. She’d probably heard Loki’s lies before Red Jack even came to talk to her. No wonder she gave him the cold shoulder.
“Yep, you need to taste it.” He had a big bite, looking into her eyes. Loki’s presence was somewhere on the periphery of his vision, burning his skin off.
“I’m gluten-free,” Lucy said to Candy, ignoring Red Jack, and he wouldn’t have it.
Red Jack cleaned his teeth with his tongue to make sure his smile would be brilliant as he stepped closer to her. “I can think of something almost calorie-free you could taste.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and some of the other girls giggled.
Lucy raised her eyebrows and just walked off without a word.
“Ouch,” commented Loki.
Red Jack turned to him and spread his arms. “Can you shut your fucking fag face?” He burst out, and everyone present became dead silent again.
Candy’s lips parted. “Jack…”
Sam was by Red Jack’s side within a split second. He pulled on his arm. “Easy. He’s your family.”
Loki stepped back and sat in a vacant chair without a word. Of course, Candy was right there to soothe the fucking con artist.
“He doesn’t mean it that way.”
Red Jack groaned and zeroed in on Loki. “Fucking family. Doesn’t bother to announce he’s coming. Just turns up on my doorstep. He should well know I’m no family man. Haven’t even seen my brothers in two years! Some things should stay the way they are. I didn’t ask to be his family. I’d rather keep this shit to the occasional Thanksgiving dinner.” He hadn’t asked to be the way he was. He kept his other side well hidden, and it was all fine until this fucker burst into his life like he had all the right to. He didn’t care that his words made Loki flinch, or even that most of the eyes that were now on him were narrowed and unsympathetic.
Sam pulled harder on Red Jack’s arm. “Walk with me, brother?”
Red Jack put the plate on the table and gave Loki one more frown before nodding at Sam. So now he was the bad guy? Red Jack tried not to look around too much as Sam led him through the crowd, all the way to a much more peaceful corridor. Sam slowed down when they reached a small lounging area, but his shoulders dropped when they spotted the club VP, Viper, curled up in one of the chairs with a paperback in his lap.