Secrets that Kill (boyxboy)

The Meeting

Holy. Shit.

Nate froze, his mind racing, trying to figure a way out of the seemingly impossible situation.

Zack seemed to pick up on the palpable tension pulsing between him and Erik, his brows furrowing in worry.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Zack, now is not a good-"

Erik answered before Nate could finish, his eyes zeroed in on Zack like a predator tracking its prey. "Don't be rude Nathaniel. Introduce me to your friend."

Nate fidgeted. Crap. He didn't like the look on Erik's face. He had something planned. Something bad. He'd never really seen Erik angry before, aside from the whole Sean almost making a crater out of his face incident, but he was betting he wasn't the type to play friendly with his enemies.

"Nathaniel?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling ruefully. "I thought you always went by Nate."

"I do." Nate mumbled hurriedly. Well, there was no way of getting around this. They were in the same room, within a few feet of one another, and apparently Erik recognized Zack from the nice little picture he'd received via text message. Not introducing them wasn't going to deter Erik from whatever he was planning. Prolong it, maybe, but definitely not prevent it.

"So-uh, Erik this is Zack. And Zack, this is Erik."

Zack nodded, though obviously still puzzled by the tension.

"How do you two know each other?" Zack asked, his eyes flickering from Nate to Erik for a second.

"Funny. I was just about to ask you the same question." Erik said, leaning back in his seat and studying Zack with a careful intensity that put Nate on edge.

"We –"

"He's a customer." Nate interrupted, cutting Zack off.

"Ah..." Erik said, his lips drawn into a tight line. "And do you provide all the people that you serve with such excellent customer service, Nathaniel?"

Nate flushed a deep shade of red. "No- I mean-"

"I'm sorry, maybe I missed something." Zack interrupted, not understanding what Erik was referring to. "How do you two know each other again?"

"We go to school together." Nate said, grateful for the interruption. He so did not want to answer Erik's question.

"You're not one of the punks that's been bullying him, are you?" Zack asked, his brows furrowing.

Fuck. Too much was coming out all at once. Too many-

"No." Erik said, the only sign he had acknowledged the meaning behind Zack's words in the subtle tightening of his jaw. "However, on that note, I believe I have something that belongs to you." Erik reached into his pocket before pulling out the crumpled note Sean had been using to blackmail him, sliding it over to Nate on the table.

Nate froze, staring down at it. If he had the note, then that meat he must know...

"How's your hand, Nathaniel? Still recuperating from that little door incident?" Erik's gaze was impassible, his features set in stone as he started up at him. He knew. He had to. He was just waiting for Nate to come clean and-

"A door?" Zack interrupted, shaking his head. "Nate got his hand all fucked up when that asshole came in the other day and-"

"It's not important!" Nate snapped, cutting Zack off. But the damage was already done. Erik's eyes flashed, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly for a second before he regained his cool composure.