The Red Bead

ONE--

Anse was being quiet and withdrawn again, it really brought the mood down. A couple of the girls were shooting him uncomfortable looks as he slouched in the recliner in the corner and sipped from a red plastic cup of too-foamy beer. His left sneaker was half-untied and he didn't look as though he'd combed his hair, just run his hand through it.

"Hey man, it's a party," Lee said. He leaned against the side of the chair, jostling it just a little. He licked his lips at the look Anse shot him and shifted a bit uncomfortably. "You should really lighten up."

"I don't feel like I want to party," Anse said morosely. "I feel more like I want to sit here and not be bothered."

Lee bent down, bringing their heads on the level. He stared straight into Anse's mismatched eyes, not sure which one he thought was prettier--the blue or the brown. "Am I bothering you?" he asked in a husky voice.

Anse gave him a flat-look. "Yes."

Lee straightened up, tugging at the hem of his shirt. "Well then. I won't bother you no more." He made to turn away, but Anse's hand shot out and caught his arm, pulling him close. "What?" he asked.

"Just cause I'm in a shitty mood doesn't mean you have to leave me." Anse took a drink of his beer, then gave Lee a sideways glance. "Do you mind hanging out with me while I'm being a broody fuck?"

Lee grinned, just full on cheese. "Dude, I'd do a lot more than that."

Anse sighed. "Just stay with me. I don't want to be alone right now."

"All right." Lee propped his hip against the chair and stayed there, pretending to watch the party happening around them, but really keeping his eye on Anse. He didn't really mind.

There were times when he thought that he could stare at Anse forever and not ever need to blink. The guy hit his every "Like" button and there was no question about that. Just straight up refined handsome, something that stabbed right through the gut and into the heart or the groin depending on the moment.

Lee had pretty much gotten used to having a permanent hard-on around Anse, and things had definitely moved beyond that. Even if Anse was moody as hell and twice as ornery after too many drinks. In fact, the whole Lotham family were a bunch of loose cannons.

Which was highlighted by the fight building up across the room.

"What's going on over there?" he said, straining to see through the mass of bodies. He was getting that strange effect where the loud, distracting music was making it hard for him to see.

Anse barely glanced up. "Looks like Kyle's about to get into it with Syracuse."

"Should we do something about it?" Lee asked.

Anse shrugged. "It doesn't look that serious."

Lee stared across the room, and was a little pleased when the crowd broke up around the arguing pair enough that he could see them through the standing clots of people. Kyle was right in Syracuse's face, his skin red with anger and a crazy light in his eyes as he argued with the taller man.

Kyle Bonham was one of Anse's cousins, and from all that Lee knew of the guy, he was pure trouble and probably had been from the second he was born. He had a quick temper and a love of alcohol and he didn't believe in apologizing or admitting he'd done any wrong. He was about 5'9" but built like a wrestler, with powerful shoulders and arms that bulged with muscle. He shaved his head bald, which just made him look meaner, and he was definitely the kind of guy Lee could have done without.

Syracuse was just some guy that showed up at the various parties and loved to talk about his home town in California, waxing eloquent about how much he loved it and missed it, and never once mentioning why he'd left it all behind. He was beanpole thin with an Adam's apple that jutted out aggressively and bobbed up and down whenever he just breathed. He looked like he was made out of matchsticks, but he had a reputation for being a bit of a bad ass and for taking down men that were bigger and stronger than him.