Leopard Hunt - 19. Chapter 19

Mason smiled at Clarissa and Daphne. “I think the guys need a night off. They were both exhausted when they got back to the apartment yesterday, so why don’t we take them out and let them relax?”

Daphne nodded. “As long as Kevin is okay with the idea, that’s fine with me.”

Mason didn’t tell her that she was included in the people he was concerned about. Daphne still hadn’t fully recovered from being outed earlier in the week, and while there were signs she was getting better, her smiles were still rare. He turned to Clarissa and raised an eyebrow.

“What are looking at me for? You live with him, I’m only his girlfriend.”

Mason grinned. He could tell she wasn’t serious. “You may have had other plans. Also, Deon has a tendency to spring surprises on short notice, so I’m getting in first.”

Clarissa snorted, a smile playing on the edge of her lips. “And you don’t think that telling us at lunchtime about going out tonight is short notice? Why couldn’t you have mentioned it on the train this morning?”

He shrugged. “I thought of it last night when they came in, but then I forgot. I’ve only just remembered when Daphne mentioned that Kevin was hoping to join us today.” He glanced across to where Neil and Liam were partly entangled on the couch next to them in the International Student Lounge. “You two are invited, too.”

Liam and Neil exchanged a quick, silent conversation. Neil then smiled at Mason. “Thanks, that’ll be great. I’m guessing you’d like to go to the Sportsman Bar?”

Mason was surprised. That was what he was going to suggest. “What makes you think that?”

Neil grinned. “You don’t know many other places, and you’re comfortable there. We’ve all been, so it was either the Sportsman or going out to dinner somewhere. I guessed the former.”

“Remind me to never underestimate you.” Mason winked at Liam. “He’s not just a pretty face.”

“Oh, he’s much more than a pretty face.” Liam leant over and gave Neil a soft, slow kiss.

“Now you’ve done it.” Clarissa rolled her eyes before fixing Mason with a stern gaze. “While those two are off in their own world, do you want to enlighten us as to whether you have an ulterior motive for going out tonight?”

Mason’s gaze flicked towards Daphne, though he was careful not to turn his head. He was surprised to see Clarissa redden and an apologetic expression momentarily appear on her face. “I was just looking forward to a night out with friends. What’s wrong with that? Next weekend is going to be too busy—with people flying in from Melbourne on Friday night, and the Mardi Gras on Saturday night—so I thought tonight was a good chance to relax.”

“What’s this about a chance to relax?” Kevin grinned down at the group who hadn’t noticed his arrival. He dropped onto the seat next to Daphne and immediately slipped an arm around her back.

“Mason’s suggesting we all go to the Sportsman Bar tonight.” Daphne gave Kevin a nervous smile. “If you’re not sure you want to…”

Kevin pulled her closer and gave her kiss on the cheek. “I think it’ll be good for all of us.” He grinned at everyone else. “I, for one, could do with a break. I don’t know about the rest of you. I’m sure Deon will feel the same way.” He turned to Clarissa and asked a silent question.

Clarissa threw up her hands. “Why does everyone look at me when we talk about Deon? He’s his own man and can make his own decisions.”

Mason chuckled. “But only after you’ve told him what those decisions will be, right?”

She shrugged. “He’s getting better. I don’t need to do that very much anymore. He knows the right decision without me telling him.”

“And what decision will he be making about tonight?”

“That will be up to him.” She smiled at Mason. “But I’ll be with you guys, so I think he’ll probably join us, too.”

* * *

After Mason and his friends left to find something to eat, José pulled his baseball cap back and stopped pretending to be dozing. Finding a time when Mason was alone was proving challenging, as he always seemed to be in a group. However, bars offered other opportunities to deal with Mason. He would need to do some preparation work, but it wouldn’t be wasted if he didn’t get a chance tonight. It was time for him to try to contact the underworld he was certain existed in the Kings Cross area of Sydney. Once he’d done that, it would be time to go visit the Sportsman Bar.

* * *

Ben looked up from where he was getting ready for training. The first game of the VFL preseason was just over a week away, and the Leopards were doing their best to be ready. “What was that?”

“I suppose you were thinking too much about someone special to hear what anyone was saying.” When Ben blushed, Oliver chuckled. “Anyway, Helena and I are going nightclubbing with some of the guys tonight. Why don’t you join us?” He held up a hand. “I know we won’t be going to the sorts of clubs you’d prefer, but you could always disappear partway through the night.” Oliver finished with an exaggerated wink.

“Sorry, I can’t. I’ve got other commitments.” Ben wasn’t sure he would’ve gone with them even if he was free. After a couple of weeks spending most of his free time with Mason, the idea of checking out other guys didn’t appeal to him.

“Oh?” Oliver’s eyebrows rose, and a grin spread across his face. “Anything you’d like to share? Like, maybe his name?”

Ben dropped his head. “It’s not like that. I got a text earlier. Eve, Andrew, and my parents made good time today. They arrived at Andrew’s place about an hour ago. I’ve told them I’ll be there after training.”

He felt a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, he saw Oliver with a sympathetic expression on his face. “Sorry, mate. Just remember, you’ve got the rest of the team behind you if things go pear-shaped.”

“Too right,” Ross said from his spot two lockers down from Ben. “If something crops up, get the hell out of there and come back home.” His brow wrinkled as he searched in his bag. “I’m going to tell Warwick we’re staying in tonight, just in case.”

Ben grimaced. “Thanks, guys, but I’m not planning on saying anything tonight. Next week, maybe, after my parents go back to Sydney, but not now. You don’t have to stick around for me, Roscoe.”

Ross shrugged. “A night at home isn’t going to hurt me.”

Oliver grinned. “Especially when it’s a night at home with his boyfriend, when everyone else is going out.” He peered across the change-room and raised his voice. “Charlie, you’re going out tonight with Stacey, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Just checking.” Oliver smirked at Ross. “Have fun while you’re home and not quite alone, Roscoe.”

Ross’s face went red.

Roger, the team captain frowned from where he had just finished getting ready. “Get a move on, guys, or Julie’s going to have you running laps.” He chuckled. “Not that I care that much, but if you piss her off enough, she may take it out on the rest of us, too.”

Ben, Ross, and Oliver immediately concentrated on preparing for training. None of them wanted to risk raising the ire of their head coach.

* * *

Mason frowned as he put away his phone while he and his friends continued their stroll towards the Sportsman Bar.

“What’s wrong?” Clarissa asked.

“Nothing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Now how about giving us a chance to help if there’s something wrong?”

Mason grimaced. “There’s nothing wrong…yet. But it may go wrong later tonight, and there’s absolutely nothing any of us can do about it.”

Clarissa immediately let go of Deon and moved over to put a hand on Mason’s arm. “What’s going on?” Variations of her question were immediately echoed by the others.

“That was Ben.” Mason sighed as he looked around at the strangers also making their way along Oxford Street. He saw several same-sex couples holding hands, and that was making Mason miss Ben even more. “His parents are in Melbourne, and he’s heading off to see them. He’s not going to say anything, but he’s worried that either they already suspect something or he’ll slip and say something he shouldn’t.”

“You’re right, there’s nothing we can do.” Clarissa sighed as she slipped an arm around Mason’s waist. “But don’t let it spoil things. When you don’t have control over a situation, you need to make sure you don’t let the situation control you.”

Mason gave her a weak smile. She stared up at him for a moment and then returned with a stronger smile. “You’re with friends, tonight. Enjoy yourself. After all, this was all your idea.”

“You’re right.” Mason knew it would be a struggle, as all he wanted to do was stress about Ben, but there may not be a problem. Ben’s night with his parents might go off without a hitch, and Mason would’ve ruined the night for no reason.

Kevin frowned as he peered past Mason. “What are you two doing?”

Mason glanced in the same direction and saw Deon and Neil with their phones out.

“We can’t do anything for Ben, but there are others who can,” Deon said in a distracted tone.

Neil smiled as he put his phone away. “Ollie’s going out with Helena, but Roscoe’s staying home in case Ben needs support. Roger’s also aware and will be ready to go over and help, if needed.”

Deon chuckled as he finished texting. “You beat me to it. I started with Roger, and he’s just told me it’s under control.” He smiled at Mason. “Don’t worry about Ben. The Leopards will look after him.”

Mason nodded his thanks to both Deon and Neil. In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising, but even after three weeks of seeing Ben interact with his housemates and teammates, Mason still hadn’t fully appreciated the strengths of the bonds that tied everyone together.

A few minutes later, they entered the Sportsman Bar. Mason paused in the doorway as he scanned the crowded room. “If anyone sees an empty table, grab it.”

Clarissa snorted. “I’ll leave the looking for those who are oversized in the height department. I can’t see anything except bodies.”

Mason chuckled as they made their way through the crowd.

“There’s one!” Deon pointed to the side. He and Liam immediately started heading in that direction, with the others following.

It wasn’t long before they found themselves around a small table. It was tight, but there was just enough space for all of them.

Mason stayed standing as the others seated themselves. “I’ll get the first round. What’s everyone having?” After gathering the drink orders, Mason—joined by Deon—headed to the bar. Spotting a familiar face, he grinned as he waited at that end of the bar to be served.

“Mason!” Dexter leant over the bar and gave Mason a quick peck on the lips. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Same here, though I definitely enjoyed my time in Melbourne.”

“I thought you had.” Dexter grinned. “I noticed a certain hot-looking blond in a lot of your Instagram photos. I can also see why you only allow friends to see your account.” The grin fell away as he looked past Mason. “Er…hi, Deon. I…” He ran a nervous hand through his hair. “I’m sorry about what happened.”

Deon seemed confused for a moment and then grimaced. “Can we not talk about it? Please?”

“Sure, whatever you want.” Dexter seemed uneasy. “Mason, I’d love to chat, but as you can see, we’re really busy tonight. What are you having?”

After Mason recited the drinks order, he frowned. “I didn’t expect the place to be this crowded. Is there something going on?” He could see what he recognised as a cricket match being telecast on the big screens around the bar, though only a small number of people seemed to be watching it. “Is it that cricket World Cup thing that’s going on?”

Dexter glanced up from where he was pouring a beer. “You’re joking, right. It’s Mardi Gras! It’s always busy at this time of the year.”

“Isn’t Mardi Gras next weekend?”

Dexter chuckled. “That’s the parade and the afterparty. The Mardi Gras festival itself has been going for just over a week, with another week to go.” He winked. “If you think this place is crowded now, check it out again next weekend, especially after the parade on Saturday. Happily, I’m only working weeknights, and this is my second-last Friday night, since my uni course starts next week. Next Saturday will be the party-to-end-all-parties…at least until next year.”

“Are you participating in the parade or just watching?” Deon asked.

“Participating.” Dexter gave Deon a quizzical look. “Have you ever, in earlier years, seen the group of guys dancing in Speedos or really short shorts and not much else?” When Deon nodded, Dexter grinned. “That’ll be me this year.”

Deon chuckled. “Better you than me. I’d be too embarrassed.”

Dexter shrugged as he started placing the drinks he’d been making onto a couple of trays. “Well, keep an eye out for me, and if you like what you see, you can join in next year.” He winked at Mason. “That goes for you, too.”

Deon shrugged. “Sorry, but unless I spot you at the start or end, I won’t see you.” He grinned. “I’m marching, too, though with a lot more clothes on than you’ll have.”

Dexter paused before pushing the first tray towards Mason. “You’re marching?” He hesitated. “I would’ve thought that with what happened…”

“I’m marching with Jim.” Deon screwed up his face and sighed. “My old teammates at the Leopards plus a number of other AFL players from at least three clubs are marching. We’re all there to support Jim and promote inclusion in sports.” He grinned. “But they’re putting us behind some rugby team that won the Bingham Cup earlier in the year. They seem to think they’re more important.”

“The Convicts.” Dexter’s tone indicated his response was more automatic than a continuation of the conversation.

“What’s the Bingham Cup?” Mason asked.

“The World Cup for gay rugby. It was held here in Sydney in August last year.” Dexter frowned at Deon. “You’re marching?” he asked again in a tone of disbelief.

“So is Kevin and some of his teammates,” Mason said. “And Ty Flanders from the Carlton Football Club is flying to Sydney to march, too.”

“Wow.” Dexter shook his head as he handed the second tray to Deon. “I’ll keep an eye out for you guys, but good luck. I hope you have a great time.”

“Thanks.” Deon nodded his thanks and then looked at Mason while tilting his head in the direction of the rest of the group.

Mason took the hint and then grinned at Dexter. “We’ll see you later. Give me a call tomorrow or Sunday if you’re free. Oh, and keep the Saturday after Mardi Gras free; we’re having another housewarming party.”

“Another one?”

Mason chuckled. “Got to go. I’ll talk to you later.” He knew he’d hear from Dexter again. The teaser he’d dropped was too good for Dexter to resist.

* * *

Ben took a deep breath before heading up the path to Andrew’s—and now Eve’s—front door. He knew that his parents were also on the other side, and he was terrified. Despite his teammates telling him not to worry, Ben was frightened of the possibility that either his mother or father would know just by looking at him.

To his surprise, the door opened as he approached.

“Ben!” Eve took a step outside and immediately hugged him. “It’s great to see you again.”

“You, too.” Ben was confused. He sensed a degree of mania in his sister’s actions. There was something strange going on, and that only aggravated Ben’s anxieties.

“Come on in,” Eve said as she took him by the hand. “Andrew’ll be glad to see you. He’s talked a lot about you this week.”

Ben stayed quiet. This wasn’t the way he expected things to be going.

“Ben!” The gruff and irritated tone was one he hadn’t heard for a couple of months, but it was more than familiar. “Will you come here and talk some sense into your sister?”

“Hi, Dad.” Ben gave his father what he hoped was a pleasant and relaxed smile, though he suspected he was failing miserably on the relaxed part of that task. “What do you mean?”

Ben’s father was standing in the middle of Andrew’s living room, and it was obvious he’d been pacing. The scowl on his face was a match for the one on Andrew’s face.

“Your stupid sister wants to marry this pervert!”

“Eric!” Ben’s mother frowned at her husband. “Andrew’s a nice boy. Apologise now!”

“A nice boy! He’s one of those people. How can you say he’s nice?”

“Mr. Driscoll,” Andrew said in a loud voice. “While you’re the father of the girl I love, you’re also a guest in my house. Will you kindly lower your tone?”

“Fine!” If anything, Andrew’s father’s voice was louder. “I’m out of here. I came down to the hellhole to help my daughter move in, but I don’t have to stay or approve of what she’s doing. Come on, Olivia.” He took a couple of steps towards the still-open front door and then scowled back over his shoulder at his wife.

Ben’s mother glanced helplessly at Eve, Andrew, and finally Ben. Ben could tell she wanted him to intervene.

“Dad…” Ben wasn’t sure what he could do, but his mother and sister were distraught, and Andrew seemed to have lost at least some of his normal diplomacy.

“If you’re not going to help your sister come to her senses, Ben, keep the fuck out of it.”

Ben flinched. He then stiffened and did something that would’ve been unimaginable a few months earlier. “Dad, you’re the only one who seems to be bothered. I think it’s great news that they’re getting married. I’m proud to have Andrew as my future brother-in-law.”

He needed all the remembered support from his friends and teammates to weather the glare his father gave him.

“I expected more from you, Ben. You’ve gotten weak. It’s the fault of that nancy-pancy team you joined. The fag may not be there anymore, but he’s still ruining things for everyone.”

Ben saw red. “That fag, as you called him, is a better football player than me. Remember, he was drafted; I wasn’t. I just hope to get as good as he is one day so I have a chance to play in the AFL, too.”

His father sneered. “He’s only on the rookie list, and that’s just because of political correctness gone mad. Any real team would know better than to draft someone like him.”

Ben bit back on his first response, which was to tell his father to go fuck himself. He also couldn’t tell his father to fuck off because he was in Andrew’s house, not his own. He glanced around the room and saw Andrew comforting Eve while glaring in the direction of Ben’s father. Ben’s mother was wringing her hands and seemed to be on the verge of tears.

“Olivia, it’s time to go!”

Ben moved over to his mother and gently put a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll drive you to your hotel later if you want, Mum. You don’t have to go.”

“You stay out of this, Ben!”

Ben spun around. “If Mum wants to stay, she can!” He tensed as he saw his father’s fists clenched. It was only then that he realised he was in danger of being physically attacked.

His mother’s soft voice distracted both of them. “It’s okay, Ben. I need a rest. It’s been a long day, and we’re all tired and grumpy.” She gathered her handbag and rose. Stepping forward, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry we can’t stay any longer tonight, but maybe we can go out for dinner tomorrow?”

“Sure, Mum.” Ben didn’t want to go out with his father, but he also didn’t want to make his mother any more upset. “I’ll call you later, and we’ll organise it.” He knew he would be harangued by his father, but he thought he could live with that.

A minute later, the front door was closed, and Ben let out a long sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Ben.”

“No problem.” He looked past Andrew to his sister. “Are you okay?”

“Of course, I’m fucking not!” Eve shuddered. “I’m half thinking that Dad is trying to get me so upset that I miscarry and then use that as yet another argument as to why we shouldn’t get married.” She scowled for a moment before her expression relaxed into something more welcoming. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you stand up to him, but you did it for me. Thank you, Ben.”

“I did it for me, too.” Ben shrugged. “It’s only a matter of time before he turns on me. That was just the warmup.”

“What do you mean?”

Ben froze as he realised he’d said too much. He saw Andrew giving him a sympathetic smile as if he knew what was going through Ben’s mind. Eve looked puzzled, but she was, at least at that moment, appreciative of her younger brother. He decided it was time to tell her the truth.

“I’m…” The words stuck in Ben’s throat. He tried one more time to say something and then gave up. “Look, it’s not important. I’m guessing that what I walked in on has been going all week?”

Eve rolled her eyes. “Almost. Everything was fine the first day when Andrew arrived, but when Dad found out what Andrew did for a living…” She sighed. “That’s when the shit hit the fan. It’s been building the whole time and exploded tonight. I think he spent the entire day stewing over it on the drive down here, waiting until we arrived to blow up.”

Andrew looked sheepish. “I think it was the comment I made—about how I’d wanted a church wedding—that lit the fuse.” He gave Eve a soft kiss. “I didn’t get a chance to say we weren’t having one. We’re going to find a hall somewhere, instead. There’s two of us in this relationship, and I’m not going to start by making Eve upset by having the wedding somewhere she doesn’t want to be.”

Ben nodded to himself. He and Andrew had discussed this a couple of times over the preceding weeks.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Eve said. “A church wedding sounds like a fantastic idea.”

Andrew blinked. “You do?”

She grinned. “It’s one way to make sure Dad doesn’t show up. There’s no way he’s going to step inside a church.”

Ben snorted as a smile appear on his lips. “And that means he’s not going to walk his only daughter down the aisle.”

She gave him an innocent look. “That thought had never crossed my mind.”

Andrew shook his head. “Nope. No church wedding.”

Eve blinked. “But that’s what you want!”

“It’s what I wanted. What I want now is a day where the two of us can show our friends how much we love each other. I want your focus to be on us and our future together, not scoring points against your father.”

Her eyes widened, and then she smiled. “And that’s one of the reasons I love you. You keep your mind on the important things, not the distractions.”

Andrew chuckled. “I try, though I’ll admit that’s been pretty difficult all week.” He grinned. “But pissing off your father like that did tempt me.”

Ben grinned at the two of them. He wasn’t quite ready to tell them he’s gay, though he’d tried earlier, but he was confident that when he did, he wouldn’t be abandoned. Even if his sister had some initial reservations, Andrew would keep her calm until she accepted him.

* * *

Dexter arrived with a tray of drinks that no one had ordered. “Okay, what’s this about another housewarming party?”

Mason frowned at the tray and then at Dexter. “We didn’t order any more drinks.”

“I know, but I thought you could do with another round, and since I was coming to see you during my fifteen-minute break…” Dexter gave him a broad smile.

After receiving a round of thanks from the gathered group—especially from Deon and Kevin who appreciated the bottles of water that had been added to the collection of alcoholic drinks—Dexter accepted Mason’s offer of half of his seat. “Well? If I’m coming to another party, it’d be nice to know why.”

Mason chuckled. He also didn’t mind Dexter’s arm across his shoulders, though he wasn’t sure if Ben would approve. However, he knew that Dexter knew about Ben, and he trusted Dexter to not be anything more than a friend. “Kevin and Deon have moved into a new apartment. They’re having a housewarming party the Saturday after Mardi Gras, and I thought I’d invite you.”

Clarissa narrowed her eyes. “Okay, buster, what’s up? Why have you gone modest all of a sudden?” She turned her attention to Dexter. “It’s Mason’s housewarming party, too, since he’s going to be living there, also.”

Dexter blinked. “Mason’s moving in with you two?” he asked, pointing at Deon and Kevin.

“Technically, we’re moving in with him, since he owns the apartment and we’re renting.” Kevin grinned. “Daphne’s moving in with us, too. And since Clarissa and Liam live two doors down, I expect them to be also be around a fair amount.”

“Clarissa will be. If she’s gone and Neil comes over, we may…er…not show up.” Liam’s grinning face was red.

Clarissa rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter if I’m there or not, you two—”

Neil coughed loudly. When Clarissa stared at him, he gave her a sheepish smile. “Can you please not talk about that?”

“Oh, okay.” She rolled her eyes again. “Not that I see why I shouldn’t. You certainly don’t seem to care if I’m there or not.”

“Clarissa!” Liam’s glare made it clear that he wanted her to stop.

Mason decided to intervene. “Deon, I think Clarissa needs a kiss to keep her quiet.”

Clarissa threw Mason a mock scowl before raising an eyebrow at Deon. “You heard what he said. What are you going to do about it?”

While Deon kept Clarissa occupied, Dexter gave Mason a nudge. “You’re really going to be living with those two hot guys?” he whispered.

“Yep!” Mason held a hand to his forehead in an overly dramatic gesture. “It’s going to be hell, but I’ll survive. Somehow.”

Dexter laughed, attracting the attention of the others at the table. He grinned. “Mason was just telling me it’s going to be hell living with two hot guys, but he thinks he’ll survive.”

“Two hot guys who are both taken.” Kevin gave Daphne a quick kiss before continuing. “Anyway, as I understand it, Mason’s planning on flying down to Melbourne most weekends to spend time with his boyfriend.”

Mason cringed. He hadn’t gotten around to telling Dexter that little snippet of information.

“Way to go, Mason!” Dexter gave Mason a quick peck on the cheek. “Ben’s one lucky guy. I hope you two work out.”

“You know about Ben?” Neil asked.

Dexter nodded. “I’ve been following Mason’s Instagram account. He sure posted a lot of pictures of hot guys, but most of them have been about one guy in particular.” He chuckled. “I realised pretty soon after I met Mason that he was on the lookout for someone.” He cocked his head and smirked at Deon and Kevin. “It looks like he has a thing about football players.”

Mason felt his face warm. “Hey, I like more than that. I also like you, Liam, Neil…” His voice drifted off as he struggled to think of more names. He could list some of the Leopards, but that would just reinforce Dexter’s point.

Liam laughed. “Mason, don’t forget I’m a footballer, too, even if I’m not in the same league as these guys,” he said, waving a hand at the two AFL players.

Dexter grinned. “Sounds like I’m right. I’m just glad he didn’t fall for the first guy he met. He deserves someone special.”

“Hey, you’re the first guy I met!” Mason frowned as he tried to work out what Dexter was trying to say.

“Yeah, I know.” A flicker of some emotion flashed across Dexter’s face, but it was too quick for Mason to read. “You had just arrived in the country, and you poured out your heart to the first stranger you spoke to.”

“The first good-looking stranger.” Mason caught Dexter’s eye and this time was able to read his friend. What he saw was compassion, friendship, but not desire. The feelings he’d originally had for Dexter were clearly not returned in kind. “You were what I needed that night.”

“I know.” Dexter’s voice was soft and almost inaudible against the noise of the crowded bar. “But only for that night. You’re a good friend,” Dexter said, emphasising the last word, “but I’m glad you found what you were looking for.” His grin returned. “Will I get to meet him at your housewarming party?”

“You can meet him before then. He’ll be up next week for the parade, and then we’re heading to the afterparty.” Mason smiled at Dexter, finally putting aside the residue of lust he’d had for his first Australian friend. “I’ll make a point of introducing you.” He gave Dexter a mock leer. “Though I’m not sure if I’ll do that if the only thing you’ll be wearing are Speedos.”

Dexter laughed. “I’ll wear a little more than that at the afterparty. At least initially.” He winked. “Things can get pretty hot once the alcohol starts flowing.” He raised an eyebrow at Liam and Neil. “Are you guys going, too?”

Liam shook his head. “I don’t think it’ll be our sort of thing. If it’s anything like that party we went to last month, it’ll make both of us uncomfortable.”

“Fair enough.” Dexter chuckled. “If anything, it’ll be more extreme. Inhibitions will get dropped, and you’ll find almost anything goes. If you’re a committed couple, a Mardi Gras afterparty is probably not going to appeal. It’s definitely something you should experience, but there’s no need to rush and do it this year.”

Deon smiled. “Given the number of Leopards who will be in town for the parade, I’m sure we’ll find something to keep Neil and Liam occupied.”

“And even if they didn’t, I’m sure those two will be able to keep themselves amused.” Clarissa smirked as Liam and Neil both blushed and wouldn’t meet anyone’s gaze.

Dexter glanced at the clock behind the bar before turning back to Mason. “I’ve got to get back to work, but once you’re at the party, how about I meet you and Ben outside PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub? That’ll be the easiest place to meet up.”

“Sure!” Mason took down the details. He then stood up and gave Dexter a light kiss. “Thanks for being a great friend.”

“That’s my job.” Dexter winked. “If I don’t see you again before you go, have a great week and get ready to party next weekend.”

* * *

José was scowling as he marched back to his hotel. The evening at the Sportsman Bar hadn’t given him the opportunities he’d been looking for: either to catch Mason alone in the bathroom or to slip the rohypnol he had purchased earlier into Mason’s drink. Even if he had managed to spike Mason’s drink, it wouldn’t have helped as two of the guys Mason was with spent most of the night drinking water. José’s plan with the drug was to pretend to be a helpful stranger and then kill Mason once he had him away from everyone else. With two guys who were still sober in the group, José’s offer to help would’ve been turned down.

The final frustrating factor for José was how many times he’d been propositioned. He wouldn’t have been upset if it had been attractive girls looking for sex, but in every case, it had been a guy. José had wanted to get out his knife and put a permanent end to the fags who approached him—especially the ones who had groped him—but he couldn’t afford to do that. He wasn’t in his home town of Los Angeles, and he knew he would get only one chance. If he killed or even maimed someone else, the attention from the cops could make getting to Mason almost impossible.

José had one target, and he needed to concentrate on that. He was in this mess because he’d allowed himself to be distracted during that convenience-store robbery. He couldn’t afford to mess this one up, too.

At least he’d managed to overhear where Mason would be on the following Saturday night. If he didn’t get an opportunity beforehand, a loud party with lots of uninhibited strangers might present an opportunity to finish off Mason. From what he’d overheard, most of Mason’s friends wouldn’t be there.