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before he made Rabin confirm it. Rabin could hold back, admit that he hadn t slept
with Danny. That d make Zane feel better. He didn t have to tell his friend about
Izzy. But the events of the past day had broken new ground for Rabin. He felt too
big for his skin. His life had changed, and the things that used to satisfy him just
didn t cut it anymore.
As he drifted to sleep, he wondered if his friend could understand that.
Indigo Knights 1: Squire 133
Chapter Seventeen
By mutual agreement, Rabin and Zane didn t talk about it that night. Pizza
and TV, then Rabin crashed early. In the morning, Zane s bedroom door was shut
when Rabin scrounged for breakfast. He wasn t all that hungry anyway. The
swelling was worse in his eye, and his jaw ached. He managed some toast and
coffee, then crawled back into bed.
Despite the pain medication, he couldn t sleep. His thoughts simply wouldn t
settle. Within the hour, he was back up and on the phone.
His first call was to Gordon McCarty. A brief rundown of what was happening
with Arthur and Cardamon Records, and Gordon agreed to represent him. Rabin
gave him all the details he knew and Arthur s contact information. That done, he
was as taken care of legally as he could be. Then he was on his laptop at least the
awful little apartment came with cable and high-speed Internet access finding a
flight back to Chicago. He didn t really have a plan, just knew that he had to get the
fuck out of LA, and Chicago had the most appeal as well as an apartment for him to
return to.
Zane still hadn t surfaced by early afternoon when Rabin took a bathroom
break. Rabin had found a flight the next day that he could just afford with what he
had left in the bank. He needed to check with his friend to see if he should make
two reservations.
Rabin s second call of the day was to Danny. It went straight to voice mail, and
he had to assume Danny was on shift, waiting tables. So he left a message for his
new friend to call him. He wanted Danny to know he was leaving. He also had a
vague notion of asking him to join them in Chicago. He d have to see how that went.
134 Jet Mykles
Next he should call Brent if he was going to make anything happen
musically, he was damned determined that Brent would be involved. But he
couldn t decide how to approach the conversation. He could keep it just business,
but he was dying to hear news of Izzy.
Undecided and with nothing better to do, Rabin started packing. One way or
the other, he was leaving the next day. He d just finished sorting out what of his
meager wardrobe needed to be washed when he finally heard Zane s door open. Well
acquainted with his friend, he knew he had at least a half hour before Zane would
be human enough to talk, so he went ahead and bundled up his clothes and headed
for the building s laundry room. He met their friendly neighbor down there and told
the story of his bruised and swollen face. A few hours and a few beers later, he
returned to the apartment with clean clothing.
Zane sat on the couch in his shorts, watching television. Yo. How you feel?
Like shit. Rabin passed him by to take his clothes into his bedroom.
Zane followed him, scratching his bare belly. What the& ?
Rabin dumped his clothes on the bed and started folding.
Zane came to the foot of the bed, scowling at the bags that lay on the floor
nearby. What s with the packing?
I m leaving.
You talked to Arthur?
No. Gordon s talking to Arthur. But I m leaving anyway.
Well, thanks for telling me.
Rabin dropped clean jeans back on the mattress. I ve been waiting all
morning to talk to you.
Zane frowned at the wall. I went out last night after you went to bed.
All right. Let s talk. Rabin resumed folding clothes. I can t work with
Markus anymore.
Zane folded his arms across his chest. Yeah. I get that.
Indigo Knights 1: Squire 135
And I hate LA.
You re going back to Chicago. It wasn t a question.
That s the plan.
You re hooking back up with Brent?
I hope so. He paused, wanting to see Zane s reaction to his next request.
Nothing. He just stood there with his hands deep in his pockets.
Come with me. Rabin sat on the bed and leaned forward so he could peer up
into his friend s face. Seriously. Let s get on a plane tomorrow and go back.
What about the Knights?
Arthur wants to make a deal with me. He wants me more than Markus.
That widened Zane s eyes. He told you that?
Basically.
He s behind you going back to Chicago?
He asked me what it would take.
He had to wonder if Zane really heard him. Zane just stared at the mattress
with the whites showing around his irises, nostrils flaring. Dude. Did you really
sleep with that guy?
So that s it. Rabin sat back. No.
Some of the tension melted from Zane s shoulders. Why d you say all that shit
to Markus, then?
He pissed me off.
Okay, he s an asshole. But what the fuck? Don t joke about things like that.
Rabin saw that he could leave it there. Zane wouldn t dig any further. But he
was sick of hiding what he was realizing he was. It s no joke. I didn t sleep with
Danny. But I did sleep with Izzy.
Tension snapped Zane s shoulders right back up. What?
136 Jet Mykles
You remember Izzy, Brent s cousin? Yeah, well, the person I was seeing while
we were in Chicago? That was him.
Realization stretched Zane s face, dropping his jaw and raising his brows.
What?
Rabin nodded, relief and panic a strange mixture in his belly. Yeah. In fact, I
think I m in love with him.
Zane grimaced, fists clenching and releasing. Quit it, man. You re not funny.
Damn, was he about to get into another fight? Rabin stood slowly. I m not
joking.
You can t be gay.
I think I am.
You ve slept with plenty of women.
All right, I m bi. But I m pretty sure I m in love with a guy.
Fuck you. This isn t funny.
No. It isn t. Rabin shook his head. I m sick of hiding it.
Hiding it? No fucking way. Zane s hand sliced through the air between them.
You re not gay.
Deny it if you want. Doesn t make it any less true.
Fuck. Man.
He stayed where he was, watching Zane back toward the doorway. Doesn t
change anything between us.
He wasn t any closer, but Zane backed up like Rabin was right on top of him.
You bet it does! You slept with a guy! I mean, did you do& all& ?
Rabin s heart sank, but he felt the need to be clear about this so Zane couldn t
excuse it away. Yeah, the whole deal. And loved every minute of it.
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