“You’ve been working out?” Jack asked Monster, as if this was an appropriate topic for the moment.
Monster blinked, but moments later, a small smile curved his mouth. “You can tell, right?” he asked, showing off his bicep. It wasn’t nearly as big as Jack’s, but the way Monster’s body was wiry, all muscle without any padding still had Loki staring.
“Yeah, just don’t take any steroids. That shit fucks up your sex drive.”
“You talking from experience?” Monster eyed Jack calmly.
Loki cleared his throat and moved toward the kitchen, trying not to look at the blood underneath his shoes. “You want anything to drink?”
“Fetch me a beer,” Jack said, and then continued chatting to Monster. It was actually nice not to have those bright eyes follow Loki like blades aimed at his jugular. “I only took them for a while years ago, and I’d get like one boner a day. Fuck that shit.”
Monster sat down in a chair. “Sounds good. Once I get aroused, fucking is the only thing I can think about. It would be easier not to have that problem.”
Jack groaned. “Problem? Seriously? My only problem is not enough pussy to stick my dick in.”
Loki glanced behind his back, only to look at the fridge again. He knew Jack was saying this for the sake of the conversation. Or rather, he wanted to believe that was the case, but that didn’t make him any less uneasy about Jack using the words dick and pussy in one sentence. He took out the beer, opened it, and slowly walked to the sofa, where Jack and Monster were still discussing sex drive. Monster was a weirdo. Loki knew that much already, but the way this guy was discussing fucking in means of practicality was still hard to believe. Loki, or most men he knew for that matter, were the polar opposite, ready to take risks in order to get their rocks off.
Sam walked out of the other room fifteen minutes later. “Got the green light. Mozer’s just some deadbeat scum.”
Jack downed his beer and struggled to get up, but refused any help. “Let’s go. This place better be spotless by the time we get back,” he said to Loki.
This had Loki stalling for a moment. “What? No... You can’t just go there without me!”
Sam frowned. “Listen to your cousin, baby boy.”
Jack was already making his way out. “Why would you go?”
Loki moved restlessly, trying to ignore the cool gaze that once again settled on him. “He hurt you, and I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t stop him... I was powerless,” he muttered, locking his eyes with Jack’s. His heart beat loudly in his chest, and it almost seemed like the bikers could hear it too.
Jack pursed his lips. “You could have stopped him. You were too scared to, so I don’t want you there pissing your pants.”
“I could not! He was too strong.” Loki looked away, feeling naked and vulnerable when all of a sudden there were cramps in his limbs, as if they were tired from the never-ending struggle with people much larger than him. He folded his arms and took a deep breath. “But you’ll be with me, it won’t be the same.”
“He wouldn’t have shot me if you had some self-restraint.”
That stung. Maybe he wouldn’t have had a problem with Ted if he hadn’t been a stupidly horny teenager. He probably wouldn’t have had that problem if he stuck to guys his own age either. Loki’s fingers bit into his forearms, but he looked up. “You’re right, it’s all my fault. Maybe you should break my neck first.”
“Stay here, and maybe I won’t,” Jack said and walked out. Monster followed him without a word, and as Loki watched them disappear, a warm hand patted him on the back. Sam smirked when Loki glanced at him.
“He’ll get over it. Make him dinner.”
“And make it good. Fuck! I forgot about this!” Jack yelled from outside. “Motherfucker!”
Loki flinched, but he rushed outside when Sam was locking the door. He jumped off the stairs and joined Jack by the broken chopper. “I need to be there!”
Jack kneeled on the ground and petted the damaged golden paintwork with misery all over his face.
Loki stood next to him, unsure what to do. It was a beautiful bike, and he was the one to wreck it. “Jack, I’m sorry...”
Sam looked at the machine with a scowl. “Not your fault the ex got mental. We’ll sort it out later.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s not like Lucy would have ever opened her legs to me.” Jack slowly got up but wouldn’t look at Loki. It was worse than getting punched in the face.
“Jack, you don’t need stuff to impress anyone,” whispered Loki, grabbing his own hand when it rose to touch Jack’s hand. He was so ashamed of himself for attacking the poor bike that clearly meant so much to Jack.