Page 104 of Conquest

He glanced up from his plate and watched Evan cut his food. His eyes fell on the alexandrite ring shining on Evan’s left ring finger. He stared at it, stunned that Evan still wore it, then raised his eyes and saw Evan looking at him. Jesse quickly dropped his gaze. Achilles laid his head on Jesse’s foot, and he picked some turkey off his plate, slipping it to him.

Brandon shook his head. “You know, most people try to teach their dogs not to beg.”

Jesse passed Achilles another bite of turkey. “But he likes it.”

Evan broke in, his voice sharp. “You’re drinking more than you’re eating anyway, so I guess it’s better that the food isn’t wasted.”

The conversations around the table hushed.

Jesse’s body temperature heated with annoyance. Who was he to say anything about his drinking? Hadn’t he been the one who cleaned two garbage bags full of empty beer and liquor bottles out of his house? And now here he was passing judgment on him?

In pure defiance, he threw his head back, willed his throat to stay open, and poured the contents of his glass down. As he brought his head forward, he slammed the empty glass on the table and stood.

Brandon snagged him by his wrist. “Where are you going?”

“To the restroom and to take ‘Chilles out.”

He patted his leg, and Achilles scrambled from under the table. The walk to the restroom did little to cool his irritation. He couldn’t believe Evan’s stones at criticizing him in front of everyone. Evan of all people should know just how much he was able to drink before getting tipsy. He tied the leash to a table decorated for the holidays, telling the dog to stay and petting him on the head. He walked into the restroom and headed for a urinal.

A moment later, the restroom door opened.

Jesse glanced up and let out a little snort. “Do you miss it so much that you have to follow me and sneak a look while I piss?”

Evan turned half away from him. “Stop it, Jess. This isn’t the way you are.”

Jesse zipped up and went to the sink to wash his hands. “You don’t know how I am anymore, do you?”

He dried his hands and spun for the door, his shoulder brushing lightly against Evan’s as he walked by. He untied Achilles’s leash from the table leg and headed toward the lobby.

Evan followed him out the front doors of the hotel. “I know you have a thousand things to be angry at me for, but can you tell me the immediate one?”

“You have no right to criticize how much I drink.”

“I do when you can’t control yourself with it.”

“Since when can’t I control myself?”

“Do you even remember your birthday?”

“I remember a few choice parts.”

Evan looked away from him. “I’m sorry, Jess. That night, I took advantage of you—”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jesse huffed, marching Achilles up the sidewalk. “You didn’t take advantage of me, Ev. I’ll admit, my memory might not be the clearest, but I’m pretty sure I was the one who crawled all over you. I knew what I was doing and I knew what I wanted. Granted, I passed out before I got all that I wanted, but that’s beside the point.”

He stopped to let Achilles sniff at a streetlight and faced Evan. “You know, I’m so sick of you and Brandon always treating me like I can’t take care of myself. I’ve got news for you both. I’m a big boy, and guess what? I’ve been doing pretty damn good on my own these past few months. I don’t need someone to follow me around every time I go out, and I sure as hell don’t need someone to break the nose of every guy who wants to suck me off.”

His voice saturated with jealousy, Evan asked, “So with how good you’ve been doing, just how many assholes have sucked you off?”

Jesse narrowed his eyes at him. “Wouldn’t Brandon have already told you?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Are you fucking my brother?”

At the hurt that flushed Evan’s face, Jesse had his answer.

“I can’t believe you would even think I could do that to you,” Evan said.