#iwaspromisedhedonism

“I can tell. How many exactly have you been to before this one? I’m impressed you managed to walk across the room in a straight line.” Billy gave John an exasperated look before leaning back against the wall and taking another sip from his beer. “Well, it’ll be your own mess. I won’t help you clean it up.”

“As always, you’re a wonderfully supportive friend. Don’t worry. I’ll do my best not to cause a scene.” The only response he received was a non-committal grunt. John kept his smile on and gave Billy’s left arm a small pat before he decided to take a look around. 

He wasn’t sure what exactly was being celebrated, only that it involved a party with free food, drink and some really important people getting piss drunk. He recalled Max mentioning some business venture or other being approved, so he supposed it had something to do with that. If things were going well it would explain how Max could have afforded hiring this place. He’d only been in the first room and the hallway so far, and there seemed to be more rooms ahead. Must be some kind of gallery. Every inch was either filled with people talking or tables with drinks and food. Not too fancy, but he could see that Max had really made an effort to impress this time around. It had to be something really significant. 

Speaking of Max, he had just spotted her at the far end of the room, making conversation with one of the staff members. In almost the exact same moment, she lifted her head and spotted him. Her face seemed to go through a mix of emotions. He spotted surprise, irritation and resignation before she excused herself and immediately started to make her way over. 

She was very beautifully tonight, he had to admit that, with her short blue dress, and hair all done up. Truly dressed to impress. 

Having stopped in front of him, Max gave him an unimpressed look, and John realized that he’d probably said all that out loud. He shrugged apologetically.

“You’re drunk.”

“That I might be. But I’m suspecting it’s part of your plan, considering all this.” He made a vague motion to all the tables with their abundance of bottles and glasses. 

“To get the investors drunk, yes”, she replied in a more hushed voice. “Easier to get them on your side that way. And you just got here, so that is no excuse.”

He gave her another shrug. “Well, you did invite me, how could I not?”

The eye-roll sent in his direction could almost be felt. “You said you couldn’t come and I was almost glad. Somehow I’m not surprised that you show up anyway, but drunk off your ass. You’re a very lousy consultant.”

“Hey, I’m not that drunk. Besides, you don’t seem to need much consulting. You’ve got some really high ups on your hook here, don’t you?”

“Don’t pretend you even know what this is about, John. You’ll only embarrass yourself.”

At least this time John had the decency to look ashamed, but only for a very brief moment. Max just sighed and linked their arms together.

“As you know, ever since I salvaged the remnants of the Guthrie corporation, all these people have been after me life sharks following a blood trail”, she said as she guided him to a quiet corner of the room, being able to talk while simultaneously nodding and waving gracefully to all her guests. “But now, with the new deal, which yes, you helped out with, thank you very much for your contribution, I’ve been able to arrange this and soon I will have them all eating out of my hand. Rackham’s in the next room, fishing favors.”

“And Anne?” John asked, quickly looking around the room for the feisty ginger. His nose seemed to ache every time he saw her as a reminder of that punch she’d given him the first time they met. 

Max shook her head. “We all thought best to let her sit this one out. She wasn’t very keen on it to begin with.”

“So who do you got? Blimey, is that Fraiser over there? Oh, Eleanor would be furious.”

As he glanced over at her, she didn’t look as proud as he expected her to be.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t heard from her since the collapse, but she seems to have gotten away from the legal issues and the scrutinization from the police. After that, she just disappeared. I don’t think we can count her out just yet.”

John supposed he had to agree with that. Eleanor was always a touchy subject, so he decided to change it.

“So, I suppose the majority of the people here are actually law-abiding citizens? Do they know what you actually do?”

Max shrugged, as if the answer to that question didn’t concern her. “Some do, but they know it is in their best interest to have a good relationship with me. Others suspect or don’t know at all and simply decide not to speak about it. Those who are corrupt enough to know what’s going on and still see me as a threat will have recognized a few faces here tonight, and hopefully have decided that they’d rather want me on their side than compete with me.”

“Recognized a few faces? Like who?” He knew the moment he asked the question that it had been a bad idea from how Max’s face lit up and her entire expression turned mischievous, which it always did when she knew something he didn’t. 

“I assume you’ve already met Billy, going by the sour look on his face. You didn’t wonder who brought him here?”

At that, John paled. “You don’t meant to say…”, he started, but Max only nodded so he stopped himself. His next words came out a pitch higher than he had wanted them to “Flint is here? You invited that Flint to your party? Max, what are you…” 

A finger on his lips and a stern look from the short woman immediately made him shut up. Once she was sure he wouldn’t continue, she removed it. “Yes, I invited that Flint, and if you stop talking about it, then maybe half the room won’t find out.”

John was only half listening to her though, as he briefly scanned the room. Max scoffed at him. “You don’t know what you’re looking for. You’ve never even met the man.”

“Well, true, but I think that an infuriated intimidating person rushing over here to stab me would be quite recognizable.. Maybe if I see him coming, I’ll have time to move out of the way. Christ, Max, why didn’t you warn me?”

She took no pity on him and his whining and just gave him another shrug. “You said you couldn’t come. Besides, he’s civilized enough not to stab you in the midst of all these people. Maybe he’ll just calmly walk up to you and ask you to go outside.”

“Not helping, Max.”

“Then again, maybe he just wants a nice chat? All you ever did was steal from him, ruin his several month long plan, blackmail him, only to realize who you were dealing with and then run away to Eleanor, making her fix it, while you did an admirably good job of staying out of the way.”

“Max!”

Seemingly thinking he had suffered enough, she gave him a small smile. “John, don’t worry. That was ages ago, besides, I don’t think he ever knew who you were. Things like that happen in the business we’re in. And even if he did know you, his bodyguard is one of your oldest, if somewhat reluctant friends. You’re in no danger. Now, since you’re here, why don’t you take this drink and actually go and enjoy the party. Chat up someone nice, throw on your charm, get me some customers. You don’t look too shabby for a gatecrasher, no one will think much about it.”

As if using magic, she was handing him a drink, which he gratefully accepted, but he tapped her on the shoulder just as she started to walk away again, swaying a bit on his feet.

“Wait, wait”, she gave him a confused look. “You’re not going to tell me who he is?”

The smirk she gave him was answer enough, but she answered anyway. “How like you, to be curious of the man even when you’re afraid. No, I won’t tell you. Think of it as revenge for you showing up unannounced.”

The small curses he mumbled were lost on her as she gave him a wave and disappeared into the sea of people. John glared after her for as long as he could, and then finished the drink he’d been given in one swoop, before immediately reaching for another. He’d come here to enjoy himself after all, and he wasn’t going to let a worry about potentially murderous crime bosses ruin that. He never had before. 

–

Half an hour and several suspicious looking drinks later, Flint and anything to do with him couldn’t be further away from his mind. He’d moved further into the building, and in the next room there was dancing and dimmer lights and louder music and he almost felt at home. Working himself through the crowd had been easy. He’d chatted with people here and there, introducing himself as this and that and put in some good words about Max and her credibility, while also making sure they distrusted any potential rivals he could think of. It was one of the perks of being relatively unknown in these circles and yet being easy to like. He could charm most anyone, or as Billy once had put it, “charm himself out of almost as much trouble as he can charm himself into”. 

At the present moment, he’d just finished a lovely conversation with a constantly giggling woman and what he assumed to be her somewhat more sober but still somewhat amused girlfriend. The daughter of some Mr. So-and-so. Probably incredibly important. Max better be grateful for all the hard work he was doing. Though if this failed, his income would most likely do the same, and that was a result he’d rather avoid. 

Scanning the room for his next target, his eyes fell on someone he was surprised he hadn’t noticed before.

The thing about being at a party where everyone is having a good time, is that if someone isn’t having a good time, that person sticks out like a sore thumb. Therefore John was baffled that he’d missed the man standing against the wall all by himself, sipping on a drink in hand but looking more like he’d bitten into a lemon without the tequila. He seemed to look at the room and the lights and the dancing people with a certain distain, or at least boredom. Dressed in rather casual clothes, he didn’t quite seem to fit in. 

Of course, for a John Silver with a confidence boosted by maybe one too many drinks, the man presented an excellent challenge. Besides, if he was here, he must be important, and if he was important, Max would want him to be in a good mood. Now, if the man was quite handsome, with red hair and a beard, and had a certain allure to him that made John a bit too intrigued, that was surely just an added bonus. 

So it was with rather confidence steps that John made his way along the wall, as to not bump into any of the people drunk enough to dance, and slid up next to the man, drink in hand. If the other had noticed him approaching, he didn’t show it, he barely even glanced over. Well, John hadn’t gotten to were he was in life by being easily defeated. Up close, the man looked even better, and his clothes were a bit fancier than John had first thought. His trousers were suit trousers, but he only wore a loose fitting jacket over a very well fitting dress shirt. It suited him.

He cleared his throat, took another look at the man and made his assumptions. “Some party, huh? I don’t think I’ve ever said hello to so many people who introduced themselves by the name of their business before.” 

He tried for a winning smile, and it stayed on even if the only response he got was a brief look and a raised eyebrow before the man took another sip from his beer bottle. Once more, with feeling. “But I think I’ve missed you.” He switched which hand was holding the drink, and held out the other in greeting. “I’m John. John Silver.”

For a brief moment he thought the other man was going to leave him hanging, but then the stranger reached out and shook his hand. Warm, short, but determined. “James.”

Well, that was a start. “Nice to meet you, James. Though you look like you would have had a nicer time somewhere else.” A sharp look in his direction made him hold up his hands. This James person had a very striking glare. “Hey, I’m not judging. Not really my type of party either. Too much polite chit-chat.”

The look he received now was more doubting than anything. The man seemed to consider something before giving in and actually turning his head towards him. “And what you’re doing now isn’t polite chit-chat?”

An entire sentence definitely counted as progress. “Should have clarified. Fake polite chit-chat. Everyone here’s got an agenda when talking to you.”

The eyebrows on the other man stayed questioning. “And that wouldn’t include you?”

John thought about it for a moment. On one hand, he had been told he could lie himself past almost everyone. On the other, he had a feeling the person in front of him was in that part of everyone that wasn’t included in the ‘almost’. He seemed like a man who knew what was going on. Besides, for some reason he felt as though lying wouldn’t be necessary. Perhaps it was the alcohol.

“Well, yes. I work with Max, you see, the hostess. But I’m kind of here outside of work, so to say. Thought I could do her a favor by making sure her investments are going to land in good soil. And you”, he pointed with his now almost empty glass at James, “seemed to not be enjoying yourself, so I figured, why not go and see if I could do something about that. Besides, I was bored and you seemed interesting.” 

He wasn’t sure if he had intended for that last part to slip out, it had most definitely been the alcohol. But to his surprise it earned him what he thought might have been a brief smile on the other man’s face, so perhaps it hadn’t been the worst outcome.

“Well, let me ease your mind then. I’m not an investor.”

“No?” John blinked. He couldn’t figure any other reason the man was here. He didn’t recognize him.

“No, so you don’t have to bother. I’m here because I have to, and because I’m an interested party.” As if almost expecting John to leave him alone after that, the man turned his gaze back to the dance floor. 

But John’s curiosity only got worse. Now that he knew that he didn’t necessarily need to talk to the man, he somehow wanted to even more. He looked between the man and the floor filled with people.

“Well, not that I don’t believe you, but you don’t seem that interested.”

Another sigh, though John wasn’t sure if it was directed at him this time. “Are you always this annoying, or is it just because you’re obviously drunk enough to fall on your arse?” John gasped in a mockery of taking the insult to heart. The man seemed to ignore it. “No, I suppose not. As you observed, this isn’t really my type of thing.”

“Then what is?” John supposed he should take some risks, but no luck with this one. All he got was a look, and then the man seemed to change subjects.

“So, what exactly do you do for the Miss? I’m assuming you’re not party staff?” He gave John a look-over which almost made him feel self conscious. Almost. Looking down at his white shirt and his black trousers, he supposed that his simple attire could have made that impression. 

“Well, I…” John hesitated. He knew that whoever this man was, he couldn’t give away just about anything, not about his position and not about Max and her business. He settled for the easiest way out. “A little bit of everything, I suppose. Arrange meetings, that sort of stuff. I have a talent for talking to people.” 

The man had the audacity to snort, though the corners of his mouth was slightly twisted upwards. It seemed to move along with his ridiculous mustache. He didn’t even look like a man who would ever snort. He looked more like a bond villain. One of the more good looking ones. “Yes, I can tell.” 

“Are you saying this conversation hasn’t gone absolutely stellar this far?” John made an attempt at faking being offended. 

“I’m saying that if I hadn’t drunken as much as I have, and if I was sure I could have moved away to the other side of the room while walking in a straight line, there wouldn’t be a conversation happening anymore.”

John was slightly taken aback. Not by the admission in itself, but he had assumed that the man was actually rather sober. He had seemed that way. Apparently, he was just one of those much better at hiding it. Or perhaps when he was, he acted completely different. Whatever it was, the small smile was still there, and John was actually honestly enjoying himself for the first time that evening, so he wasn’t going to let it slip away. 

“I suppose we have to thank our lovely hostess for all this free alcohol for that.”

The ginger mustache moved as the man stroke over his beard with his hand in a contemplative gesture, as if thinking if risking his dignity to get away was worth it. Apparently settling for a negative answer, the smile seemed to grew and he looked down at his bottle. “Yes, I suppose we should.”

John smiled back, all bright eyes and white teeth once again.

–

Twenty minutes later they had emigrated to a sofa in the corner of the room, gotten a new drink each and John was surprised that they were actually enjoying each other’s company. James was that brusque type of nice, and John could imagine he was more mellow now when drunk than he would be when sober. He constantly seemed to switch between being annoyed at John for making him smile and being annoyed at himself for keeping the conversation going. He had yet to leave, however, and John didn’t particularly care about the reason. The guy was incredibly nice to look at, but surprisingly fun to talk to, once you got past the rude exterior. Instead, they took turns in pointing out various people around the room and talk about embarrassing things they’d seen or heard about them doing. James knew a surprising amount of gossip, and John soaked it all up for later use like a sponge.

John had yet to figure out what the man was doing here, but for now, he was fine with that. He was obviously important, but it was nice to be able to talk to someone and it didn’t have to do with work, and without almost any pretenses. Of course, there were always pretenses and a lie or two that slipped in here and there, but those were mostly force of habit. They were actually laughing together and it was a long time John had laughed sincerely together with someone else. It was probably the alcohol. 

“Are you two gentlemen having a good time?” The amused voice was right next to them, and they both looked up immediately like two teenage boys being caught doing something inappropriate in a broom closet. John stopped himself. No, wait, bad metaphor. Not the time or the place.

It was Max, and she just sat down at the armrest of the sofa, still wearing that smile as if she knew a secret. 

“Uh, yes! Me and James here are having an excellent time, mademoiselle”, John said in an exaggerated French accent and extended his arm towards James, nearly hitting him in the face. Luckily, James caught his wrist before that could occur, and surprisingly gently pushed it down. John turned and mouthed a ‘sorry’. James just shook his head at him. Max just seemed even more amused. She turned to James. 

“And you?”

He waved a dismissing hand in her direction. “I’m fine.”

Max eyes twinkled. “He’s not bothering you?”

“Hey!”

James actually let out a small laugh. “Only just about enough. I assure you he’s been doing an excellent job looking after your investments.”

John couldn’t come to a conclusion on whether on not that was a compliment and frowned. Max only looked between the two of them with a curious look. “Well, I’m glad you’re keeping each other in check. I wouldn’t want any accidents.” She seemed to consider something and then turned to James again. “I’ve opened the door to the backyard, it’s rather much calmer out there.”

James nodded. “Most grateful.”

Max gave the pair of them a final look before standing up. “Well, I wish you two a pleasant evening.”

As she walked away, John wondered what it was about it all that seemed off. It was something about the way that she talked to the man sitting next to him. Didn’t sound like how you’d talk to a business partner. Oh well. It was a mystery to be solved another time. But he couldn’t help it. His mind always seemed to work at something, even when it was fuzzy due to alcohol and handsome company. 

“What did she mean about the backdoor?” he asked instead, opting for the lesser of two mysteries.

“It means I can finally go out and have a smoke”, James said and braced his hand against the back of the sofa to stand up. Once he was standing, he seemed to hesitate for a moment before turning to John. “Do you want to join?”

John barely thought about the decision - between following a tall mysterious stranger out the back door or staying in here alone - before he shot up. “Yeah, why not?”

Only to fall back on the sofa for standing to fast, which only caused James to laugh again, before helping him up. 

–

For being July, it was surprisingly cold outside. Then again, maybe it was just that late. It was dark out, and the moment the door closed behind them the sounds from the party inside were instantly muffled. John was surprised to find them alone out here. But he considered that maybe the door had only been opened for the man next to him. He was a mystery that got more intriguing by the minute. As James fumbled in the cold air with getting out his cigarettes, John looked around the tiny backyard. It was probably for supply intake, he figured. There was a high wooden fence surrounding them, with a door to the right, but the entire area was much smaller than any of the rooms inside. There were various bottles lying around, and five or six large wooden boxes  stacked next to the door into the building. John didn’t even bother to guess what they could contain.

“Fuck.” The muttered curse made him turn around. James look up and shook his head, pulling a hand through his hair with a cigarette in his mouth. For some reason, the image went straight to John’s groin. “Forgot my lighter in my jacket.”

“Oh”, was about as much intelligent of a reply as John could get out. James didn’t seem to notice though. 

“I’ll be right back”, he muttered and turned toward the door. 

Then everything happened so fast.

He and John both heard the loud voices approaching the door, but apparently, James must have heard something in them that John didn’t, or maybe recognized them, for he stopped dead in his tracks. Then, in what couldn’t have been more than a few seconds and left John in doubt about the other man’s level of intoxication, he grabbed John’s arm and threw them both behind the pile of boxes just in time for the door to be thrown open and the people to whom the loud voices belonged to emerge into the backyard.

Of course, John couldn’t see them, because John was being pressed against the wall, hunching behind a pile of boxes with a hand pressed over his mouth and was it really necessary to get up that close? There seemed to be more space behind those boxes than he had anticipated, and definitely enough for James not to be sitting that close. He supposed moving now though would alert the other people of their presence, something that was apparently undesirable. What was the hand for anyway? Did James think he was going to scream? Talk? He wasn’t that drunk. And even if he was, he liked to think that he wouldn’t have done something that stupid. He tried to communicate all this with the glare he sent in James direction, and apparently it was at least enough for him to remove the hand. His other hand was next to John’s head, supporting him against the wall, effectively trapping John in place. 

Great. 

Looking at James revealed that the other man seemed incredibly unbothered by anything to do with their positions, and everything to do with what the people out in the yard where saying. Which John had momentarily tuned out from and now tried to concentrate on. Perhaps it could shed some light on why he’d been rudely thrown into the wall like this. 

It seemed to be too people, both male, though their ages were hard to determine and he had missed the first part of the conversation.

“… left from the Guthrie cooperation!” one voice said, sounding angry.

The other voice was quieter, and seemed much more concerned with them being heard. “But what does any of that matter now? They’re gone, aren’t they? All of that was destroyed before the police got involved.”

Whatever they were talking about, John understood now why it was important to be absolutely quiet and essential to listen.

“We don’t know that- We don’t know what she’s got her hands on, we don’t know what she knows, what any of them knows…!” At least he wasn’t shouting now, but he seemed no less upset for that.

“If any of them knew, do you think we would be here tonight? Let’s just go back inside, and…”

“Back inside? Didn’t you hear? Flint is here tonight! Do you have any idea how dangerous it would be for us if she gets that man on her side? Even if she doesn’t know anything? She knows about the U.R.C.A. alright, but even if she doesn’t know about the rest-”

“Alright, alright, I understand. But let’s go back inside and then leave, as fast as we can. Blame it on urgent business. She won’t suspect a thing. Just. Calm down, and I’ll handle the rest.”

A few more sentences were exchanged, but they were too mumbled to hear, before John heard footsteps on the ground, and the door opening and closing. He waited another few moments before starting to breathe properly. Another few moments after that before looking over at James, who seemed to be deep in thought. Maybe the conversation had meant more to him than it had to John. 

“Care to tell me what the hell that was?”

“Hm?” James looked up, seemingly having been lost in thought and not heard him.

“I mean, I would have been flattered if you just wanted to get your hands on me in a dark corner, but I suspect this all had to do with something else.”

He clamped his mouth shut the moment the words came out, but otherwise tried to show no sign of any discomfort. James blinked. 

John had anticipated more growls, or perhaps a dismissal, not for the man to look down at their bodies so close together, even in their hunching state, and look surprised. Like he hadn’t realized what kind of position he put them in, with his knees in between John’s and all. “Oh.”

John prided himself on being able to read people well. But this man seemed to have been three different people in the short span of time he’d known him, and it was getting too confusing for his alcohol-muddled brain. “I just meant to ask, if you knew what those two were talking about. Was it about Max? Because perhaps then we should go tell he-”

He didn’t get further than that before a pair of lips were pressed hard against his and he found himself pushed into the wall even more, one of James’ hands placing itself on his neck. 

He wasn’t sure if he was more disappointed or confused when he pulled away. The man at least looked a bit confused himself. And maybe just a tiny bit smug, if John wasn’t mistaken. “Sorry. You talk to much, and you were giving me ideas.”

Now it was John’s turn to be lost for words. “Oh.” 

“Yeah.”

“Um”, John hesitated, his brain working on overdrive to come up with reasonable responses. “Is there anything I can say to give you more ideas?”

Not a reasonable response, but it had to do. Apparently it was as good as any though, as James smiled, with teeth this time and surged forward again. John was more prepared this time and could actually reciprocate. After a few seconds though, they both noticed that their current position wasn’t the most optimal for this activity, and somehow, despite alcohol and fumbling, John found himself standing, leaning against the wall, with a handsome ginger pressed against him, who’s beard was currently tickling his neck as he placed several kisses down it, and John squirmed while having completely given up on making sense of the situation. 

James soon moved over to his mouth again, and damn, John was impressed with this man’s drunken kissing. As far as drunken kissing go, and John had had a lot of that, it was pretty spectacular.

“Do you know you say that out loud?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah, I do that sometime”, John breathed out, looking up at James who seemed to have stopped for a moment, which no part of John except maybe his lungs were happy about. 

“I don’t do this”, James mumbled. 

“What, lack a brain to mouth filter when drunk?” John wondered, having a hard time catching up. James shook his head and his thumb moved down John’s jaw. “What then? Make out with handsome strangers in dark corners?”

There was a pause. “Yes, that.”

“Oh.” John hadn’t actually expected that to be the answer, and he once again wondered what kind of person James was when he was completely sober. “Well, I’m hardly a stranger at this point anyway, and- hey wait a minute.” He suddenly realized something and glared at James, who raised his eyebrows. “Did you only do that to stop me from asking questions?”

The smug smile on James’ face was a pretty good indication of what the answer was, and somehow, John couldn’t be angry about it. He did glare though. James grin only grew and he leaned in, voice deep and a bit rougher.

“Well, I didn’t hear you complain.”

John swallowed. No he hadn’t. 

James’ hand found his hair this time and tugged him forward into another kiss and he was absolutely too drunk for this, and then again perfectly so, and wow that felt good, now if he could just-

“Gov’?” The moment the door opened they had both pulled apart, but none of them did well with the hasty movement and ended up leaning into each other anyways. It took a moment for John to register the voice, he knew that voice, it was-

“Billy.”

Right! Wait a minute, that hadn’t been him speaking. He looked up and saw James, and he realized it had been his voice. Something was ticking away in John’s head but he didn’t quite get it yet. James gave him a slightly apologetic look before moving apart and walking out from behind the boxes. John followed. It would be painfully obvious to anyone looking at him what he’d been doing.

“What are you doing there, we were looking for you inside, and-” Billy’s rant came to an abrupt halt when he saw John step out next to James and his eyes seemed to grow almost twice in size as he looked between the two of them. John shrugged and smiled, which James didn’t even see as he was standing slightly in front of him, putting on a wonderful show of being unaffected by their recent activities. 

“Yeah, sorry, I was occupied.”

John snorted. James waved dismissively. Billy still looked at the two like he was seeing proof of alien life, but seemed to get himself together and shook his head. “Right. Still. I need to talk to you, it’s important.”

James seemed to perk up at that. “Yes, and I have a feeling I know what it’s about. I’ll be right with you.” He turned to John, the look on his face almost apologetic again, as if they hadn’t just only fooled around in a dark corner but actually had a meaningful encounter.

John didn’t really want to think about that maybe they had. 

“I need to leave. But considering you work for Max, maybe I’ll be seeing you around?” The sound of hope in James voice made something twist in John’s insides. He didn’t like it at all. Still, he smiled and nodded.

“Sure thing.”

James seemed happy with that. “Good.” Then he turned serious. “Come, Billy, we need to talk.”

His walk was surprisingly stable as he moved towards the door and opened it, waiting for Billy, who was still looking at John like he’d never seen him before. It was strange. It felt like he was missing some part of a puzzle, and he wasn’t used to feeling like that, especially not with Billy of all people. After a few seconds Billy had to hurry after, and John was left standing on his own in the night.

Of course, that’s when it clicked. Maybe the cold air helped clear the alcohol out of his blood.

Billy talking to James. What was it Max had said? That Billy was here with someone. As bodyguard. As bodyguard for-

Shit.

John suddenly felt much more clearheaded than he had all evening, even though his slightly unstable rush inside proved that he wasn’t all that sober just yet.

“Max!”