Fever (Saints & Sinners #2)

Chapter 1

ALEXEI

I press my ear against the door for a quick courtesy listen to make sure Luke isn’t going at it with his boyfriend.

Sounds safe, so I scan my student ID on the panel under the handle to unlock the door.

As soon as I turn the knob, a thud comes from the other side.

It’s not the sort of noise I expect to hear from guys when they’re fucking, unless they fell off the bed, so I bolt in, immediately regretting it as I see two nude bodies.

One goes over the other side of Luke’s bed, toward the back window.

At the same time, the lamp on his nightstand topples to the floor, and a few books crash down onto his desk.

Part of me wonders how the hell they managed to affect the books yards away from them.

This isn’t the first time weird shit happens around Brad and Luke while they’re fucking.

The other week, when I nearly walked in on them mid-act, Luke seemed stuck to the wall before tumbling onto the mattress, landing on top of Brad.

I have to play this shit off like I don’t catch on, but it’s not like they’re working hard to hide anything from me.

Maybe because they think no one’s onto them.

If only they knew…

As Luke covers himself with his sheets, Brad rises from behind the other side of the bed, smirking awkwardly. I assume he’s on his knees since I can only see to his waist.

“You guys are really making me feel like I don’t get laid enough,” I say as the weight of the door pulls it shut behind me.

To say I don’t get laid enough is a fucking understatement. Even when I claim to be off having sex, that’s a lie to keep them from knowing the truth.

“Sorry,” Luke says. “I thought you told me you were heading to the gym after class, and I figured I could invite Brad over and—”

“I forgot my gym clothes. Please, I’ll be out of your hair in a sec, and you guys can get back to fucking each other’s brains out.” I’m doing my best to act nonchalant about the whole catching-them-fucking-and-using-whatever-powers-they’ve-tapped-into.

As I fish through my drawer for my clothes, there’s awkward silence.

As far as powers, I wish I had some right now to magically make my clothes appear in my gym bag, but it takes me a few moments while we’re stuck in this fucked-up space where we act like nothing strange just happened.

Although Luke is ten times better than my dormmate last year—a fuck machine without any consideration of when I was coming or going—so I can’t complain.

About that, at least.

“You gonna stay on the floor?” Luke asks Brad. He lifts the covers, and Brad chuckles, sliding into bed with him.

“Sweet of you to hold the covers up for me,” Brad says before pressing a gentle kiss on Luke’s lips.

Something about these two—not just how they can’t keep their hands off each other, but how they can communicate so much even in a look—makes me a little jealous.

I’ve never looked at anyone like they look at each other, nor had anyone look at me like that.

Must be nice… But just as soon as I find myself hypnotized by their affection, I shake it off.

I don’t really know either of them. How can I, when they have so many secrets?

My thoughts flash back to a night in November when I saw Luke and Cody running through the woods.

I was planning to stalk them, figure out what they were up to, but when I discovered them panicked in a ditch, I knew I had to reveal myself.

Next thing I knew, searing pain ripped through me as a rod pierced my torso, and then someone yanked on the rod, pulling me back.

Writhing in agony, I turned and spotted something in the moonlight.

It looked like the Grim Reaper portrayed in movies, a figure in a black cloak.

For all I knew, it’d stabbed me with its scythe.

At the time, I thought maybe it was just the pain tearing through me causing me to hallucinate, and then I was flying—no, falling—into the ditch.

“You good, man?” Luke asks, and I realize I’m frozen in place.

Act cool. Act normal. Thoughts I have often in his presence.

“I was just deciding if I should grab my costume now or swing by later. You guys planning on heading over to the Alpha Alpha Mu party?”

Nice save.

I try to make conversation when I can. Seem chill and friendly around the guys to make sure they trust me and never suspect I know more than I should.

“We’ll be finished by then,” Luke replies.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I mutter, surprised I said the words out loud.

“I’m kidding,” he insists.

Brad smiles. “Yeah, we’re technically finished up.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Luke says before planting another kiss on his man.

I finish packing my clothes. “You guys have costumes picked out?”

The theme is ’80s films. Well, the email said “’80s movies, but make it sexy.”

“We’re doing The Outsiders,” Brad replies. “A lot of denim. Cody’s made the alterations on our outfits, so you know they’ll be extra sexy.”

I force a chuckle. “I bet.”

At one time, if he mentioned their friend, I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but now, all I can think about is Cody resting his hands on me, somehow extracting the rod that had impaled my body.

“What about you?” Luke asks.

“A little number. You’ll see.”

“Ooh, a sexy mystery? We’ll keep an eye out.”

We chat some more before I head to the gym and get in a good workout. Then I shower and throw on my costume for the party.

Unlike Brad and Luke, I’m not planning on having a good time.

Not tonight.

There are business matters to attend to.

*

After I arrive, I check my coat with one of the newly initiated freshmen on door duty.

Even though it’s getting down to the thirties tonight, this hasn’t discouraged anyone from wearing the skimpiest outfits they could manage.

Typical for the parties, which I love because I never mind showing some skin.

I’ve always had a naturally lean, muscly look that works well for me, and no problem showing it off.

A quick glance around, and I already see two bare-chested Dirty Dancing Swayzes with their Jennifer Greys, and three Risky Business Tom Cruises in open button-downs, sunglasses, and briefs.

I’m relieved no one seems to have picked my homage, which involves a crop top and navy-blue briefs.

Yeah, there are plenty of crop tops around, but it’s clear none are from my movie, which I consider a success.

Also, I don’t hate the way I’m filling out this shirt since I got a pump in at the gym earlier.

As I start for the kitchen to grab a drink, it’s hard not to notice all the form-fitting outfits the girls are in, hugging their tight bodies. I recognize one from Theta Phi dressed as Michelle Pfeiffer from Scarface, and it makes me reconsider making tonight just about business.

When I reach the kitchen, I find Seth and Cody laughing in a corner. Apparently, Seth wasn’t even allowed to wear a shirt—just jeans and a denim bandanna around his neck. And Cody’s in jeans and a leather jacket.

I’m transported to that night in November.

“Are you okay?” Seth asks.

I’m out of it still, just coming to.

I have so many questions—what were they doing in the woods? What was that thing that stabbed me? What did Cody just do to me?

Given how delirious I was, I’m surprised I didn’t just start asking questions.

But the moment I saw Seth, a memory came back to me: Brad and Luke about to get into a fight, and Seth intervening.

He did something to Luke that day, forced him to think that everything was fine when it definitely wasn’t.

I’ve seen him do things like that before.

His powers allow him to influence people—pushing, they call it.

Usually, with everyone other than Luke, people he pushes on don’t realize what’s happened.

They think they’re choosing to do as he says, even if it’s against their best interests.

Because of this, I had to be cautious, fearing he might be able to get me to forget everything I just witnessed.

“What am I doing out here?” I ask Seth, and he looks relieved. Because I shouldn’t know what just went down.

“Hey, buddy.” Luke drapes his arm around me, and I turn to see him and his boyfriend in matching denim.

As we grab drinks, I’m pouring vodka into my red Solo cup when I hear, “You mind giving me a splash?”

I spin around to find Matteo Baros at my side. In sneakers, tighty-whities, and a backward cap, he sizes me up. “Ooh, Alexei, I like this number. What are you supposed to be?”

Outside of him being Brad’s dormmate, I don’t know Matteo too well. I’ve had a class with him before. He’ll play pickup games with us occasionally, and I’ve seen him around more since Brad and Luke started going out. But other than that, we run in different circles.

I pour vodka into his cup. “It’s from Weird Science. What about you? Did Mark Wahlberg appear in any films in the ’80s?”

His eyes light up. “Ah, you got it. Nah. I just didn’t read the email. Saw ’80s and thought of it, but no one’s complained yet.” He winks.

“I bet they haven’t,” I joke.

Like Brad and Luke with their unstoppable sex life, I’m jealous of Matteo’s too.

I’m always seeing him walking out of these parties with a girl on his arm.

He’s slick, charming, and from what I hear, a great lay.

When I’m game for it, I do fine, but with that jawline and those abs on proud display, Matteo’s the kind of guy who could have his pick of anyone he wanted.

He pours Red Bull into his drink as I top mine off with soda.

“How’s the money in food delivery right now?” he asks.

I do deliveries and personal shopping for extra cash. I doubt I mentioned it to him at any point. More likely, he’s heard it from Brad, just like I heard from Luke that Matteo’s a civil engineering major and does part-time gigs offering rideshares.

“Good enough,” I reply. “Would be better if more people tipped. How about Uber?”