Chapter 28
Foster pulled into the second fire station and turned to look at Jude. There were so many things he wanted to say, but Anton’s warning about Jude avoidance of relationships circled in his mind. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing and push Jude away, but he was so fucking happy he was there.
“Let’s go get them fed so you can finally relax.”
Jude shrugged. “Honestly, I’m enjoying this.”
Foster smiled. He hoped being with him was the most enjoyable part, but he had no idea. Jude was the reason he was enjoying it. He’d much rather be laid out in a turkey coma on the couch than driving around town, but he’d go anywhere with Jude. “Me, too.”
As soon as they walked in with the last of the boxes, Foster noticed his old teammate Aaron and a couple other people they’d both gone to high school with.
A sense of warning washed over him for some reason.
Foster was ready to turn around and leave, dragging Jude out the door with him.
He carried the box of food in and laid it on the nearest table.
“Thanksgiving dinner for everyone from my parents. I hope you all enjoy and have a good night,” Foster said. He took the box from Jude’s hands, laid it beside the other, and urged him toward the exit.
“We’re not in a rush,” Jude said to Foster.
“Lookit what we have here…”
The fine hairs at the base of Foster’s neck lifted at the sound of Rick’s voice.
“It’s the lovers reunited.”
Foster turned to glare at Rick, his fists clenching.
Rick’s evil grin turned his stomach, but then so had the details of Jude’s harassment. While he wanted nothing more than to make the guy pay, there was no way he was going to let Rick torment Jude another second.
“Let’s go,” Foster said to Jude.
Jude didn’t seem to hear him. He was staring at Rick.
“Please tell me we won’t be getting dinner and a show tonight,” Rick said. He turned to eye everyone there. “Youse know that it was Foster I caught with Jude all those years ago. Jude was salivating for that dick, wasn’t he, Foster?”
“Go to hell,” Foster said before peeking at Jude—who appeared a bit paler. He tugged on Jude’s hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
Jude’s gaze never left Rick.
One of Foster’s college roommates had been there on the GI bill. He’d suffered from PTSD from his time overseas. Jude looked just like he had before a panic attack—tense and wide eyed with shallow breathing.
“Maybe if I’d outed Foster back then, I could’ve saved poor Ashley from her fate.” Rick shook his head. He looked at Aaron. “I kept that part under wraps, trying to save our winning season from ending. Too bad butterfingers here fucked it up anyway.”
“Yeah. I was the one he caught,” Foster announced to everyone there.
Maybe if he could focus Rick’s attention on him, Jude might get a pass for the night.
He’d suffered enough. It was Foster’s turn to bear the brunt.
“But he got it wrong. I was the one down on my knees in the locker room. Right, Rick?”
Rick frowned at him. “No. Jude had his hand down your pants, as I recall.”
“Well, which is it, Rick? First, he was sucking a stranger under the bleachers. Then it was a handjob in the locker room. Then it was me and not a stranger. I don’t know… you keep changing the story, so maybe you didn’t see anything and just made it all up,” Foster said.
Rick took a couple of aggressive steps toward Foster. “I only changed the story to protect your faggot ass.”
Foster chuckled. “Guilty. I’m a fag.” He sighed with relief. “So glad to finally get that off my chest. I should’ve done it years ago.”
Rick rushed Foster—but the assistant chief stepped between them. He faced Rick down, crossing his arms over his chest.
Foster thought the guy looked familiar but couldn’t place him.
“We’re not doing this here.”
“Then I’ll meet you outside,” Rick said to Foster.
“No, you’re not doing it there, either,” the guy said to Rick.
“Butt the fuck out,” Rick roared.
The assistant chief wasn’t having it. “I think you’ve said all you need to say on this matter. Let it go.”
“And I’m supposed to listen to you, why?” Rick asked him.
“Had I been in town back then, I would’ve served you your ass for what you did. By all means, give me a chance to do it now.”
Rick laughed. “I didn’t do anything to anybody.”
The man eyed his firefighters. “And for youse who were there when it went down and did nothing? I’m ashamed of you all.” He looked back at Rick. “You might’ve had them scared of you back in high school, but lemme tell you something. No one’s afraid anymore. Not of an unemployed wife beater.”
“I didn’t touch her,” Rick snapped.
“And you’re not gonna touch her anymore. Or anyone else. Not without dealing with me,” the assistant chief said. “So what’ll it be? We playing tonight or are you going to march your ass home to daddy?”
Rick lunged at the assistant chief—who didn’t budge. Rick looked a bit confused by that. He was likely accustomed to folks backing off. Instead, he was the one backing off. He changed course, charging Jude next, but Foster tackled him to the ground first.
Foster snagged him by the hair, shoving his face into the floor. “You touch Jude, you die.”
Rick chuckled. “Awww… isn’t that sweet? Are you protecting your little boyfriend?”
“Something I should’ve done a long time ago,” Foster said. “Leave him be, Rick. It’s time to drop this bullshit.”
“Fine… fine,” Rick said, his body going slack. “I know when I’m beat.”
Foster jumped to his feet, watching Rick close. He knew Rick was an idiot who would refuse to give up—not before he got the last word. As expected, he went after Jude again.
Foster leapt to stop him.
But Jude took his shot instead. He used that left hook of his and knocked Rick on his ass. Not just on his ass—but out cold.
“Fucking asshole,” Jude growled, shaking his hand.
Aaron ran over and checked Rick.
Foster moved closer to Jude. “Ready to go?”
“No,” Jude said. “I’m not running away this time. He’s going to stop, or I’m going to stop him.”
Smelling salts were brought out to rouse Rick. When he came to, he freaked and roared to his feet.
“You crossed the line, Margulies!”
The entire fire team—except for Aaron—stepped between Rick and Jude.
“It’s over,” the assistant chief said.
“He assaulted me!” Rick screamed. He pulled out his phone. “I’m calling the cops. I’ve got a roomful of witnesses.”
“I didn’t see shit,” the assistant chief said. He looked around him. “Did anyone else see Jude assault Rick?”
A chorus of nos sounded around them.
Rick spun to Aaron. “You saw it.”
Aaron looked at his boss and his team before quietly shaking his head no. “I didn’t see anything.”
“You motherfucker,” Rick snarled at Aaron.
Rick eyed them all, stunned they no longer seemed under his thumb.
Jude stalked closer to Rick—who stepped back, keeping the distance between them. Foster moved closer, ready to jump in, if needed.
“Oh, are you scared, Rick?” Jude asked. “Did you expect me to lay down and let you pull this bullshit again without a fight?”
Rick chuckled, trying to act cool, but it wasn’t working. That left hook had made an impact. “Do you really want to start something with me?”
“You started it. Fifteen years ago,” Jude said. “I’m ready to end it. So let’s go. Let’s see which one of us is the stronger man.” Jude laughed, but there was no humor in it. “I wonder what they’re going to say about you around town when you lose to a homosexual?”
“You’re awful confident. You got lucky with that sucker punch,” Rick said, narrowing his eyes and trying to look menacing.
“Oh, it feels like my luck has finally changed,” Jude said. “Wanna test that theory?” He waved Rick closer. “Come on, Rick. Let’s finish this shit. Here and now.”
Rick took two more steps back when Jude moved two forward.
“I’m gonna fuck your shit up,” Rick threatened.
“Prove it,” Jude said. He waved Rick closer again.
“You’re about to get what you’re asking for. Don’t start crying when I do,” Rick said.
“I dismember creatures bigger than you for a living. You’re light work compared to them.”
Foster fought a smile after the color drained from Rick’s face.
“Yeah, but they come to you already dead,” Rick said, chuckling.
“Yes, they do. With lots of blood, too. Some nights, I’m covered with it.”
Rick swallowed roughly.
“Ever been to a slaughterhouse, Rick?” Jude paused a moment, inching a little closer to Rick.
“I have. It’s grim. A quick bolt to the head and a slice to the throat and they’re gone.
They let me do a couple of them to get a feel for it.
You’ve got to know where your animals are coming from and understand the work behind it, you know? ”
“You’re sick,” Rick said.
“I wonder if a human would die as quickly?”
“Are you… are you threatening me?” Rick asked.
“We’re just having a conversation,” Jude said, smiling. “What you take from it is on you.” He took another step closer. “So, are we doing this or not?”
Rick walked backwards towards the door, never turning his away from Jude. He inched away, keeping his distance as Jude kept advancing closer.
“You’re one sick, twisted motherfucker,” Rick said. “I’m not fighting someone with several screws loose. Fuck that.”
Rick escaped, rushing out of the fire station.
Foster relaxed the second he was gone. Jude spun to face them, and several of the fire fighters took a step back, too.
“Did you really kill animals like that?” a firefighter Foster didn’t recognize asked.
“No,” Jude said. “I went to tour the plant, sure—but they don’t hand you that stuff and let you go to town. Even if they did, I wouldn’t have wanted to.” He smiled. “But Rick didn’t need to know that.”
“I suspected it was all an act with him. Once he didn’t have anyone to back him up, he lost his nerve and went running,” the assistant chief said.
“Youse don’t know how long I’ve waited to see someone take him down a peg or two.
” He looked at Aaron. “Bring a bag over here so I can clean up Jude’s knuckles. ”