backed up. Levi gave the Jag a curious glance. He couldn’t see through the tinted windows but it didn’t matter. He didn’t know anyone who owned such a hot car. The Jag kept pace with him. Not good. Levi got ready to run again. Just then the window came down and he heard his name.
The car stopped and the driver called out again. “York.”
Levi bent to peer in the window.
Black?
“Get in. I’ll give you a lift.”
Rolf protested but Levi shut him down. He was not about to let his only link to Noah drive away. As he slid into the passenger seat, Levi glanced in the back. The seat was empty. Shit. Did he lock Noah in the trunk? “So, uh, how did you find me?”
Simon Black grinned at him. “No offense, but I wasn’t looking.”
Levi felt like an idiot. He might as well have a stupid sticker plastered on his forehead. “You, uh, knew my name and I figured…”
Simon chuckled as he stepped on the gas. “I asked your boss. Told him he should give you a raise for checking out the customers so thoroughly.”
Levi felt his face flame. “I don’t live far from here,” he said, changing the subject.
“Do you have someone waiting for you? I could use a drink and some company. “
A lucky break for me. “A drink sounds good.”
“Any preference?”
“Strokers is just ahead and if we hurry we can make the last call.”
“Perfect . I’m on it.”
Another after-hours club, the proprietor would stop serving alcohol at the designated time but had a special license to remain open and sell non-alcoholic drinks. At this time of the morning, no one really cared. The draw was boy meets boy. Men who showed up after all the other bars had closed weren’t interested in drinking more. They wanted to get fucked. Levi hoped the crowd had thinned out by now. He just wanted a quick drink and some conversation in a quiet place. Hopefully a little liquor would loosen Simon’s tongue.
Simon parked on the street. Levi got out of the car and couldn’t help glancing toward the trunk. Simon called out. “What’s wrong? Do my tires look low?”
“No, just admiring the car. It’s a beauty, but you can’t have much trunk space.”
Simon walked up behind him and punched the trunk release on his key. “It’s more than ample for me.” He opened the hood all the way so Levi could take a look.
Empty.
Levi took a good look anyway, searching for signs of disorder, or worse—blood. There were none. He straightened up, not sure if he was relieved or more upset. “You’re right. You could hide a body in there.”
Simon regarded him with contemptuous amusement. “Yeah, if I was a serial killer.”
Levi forced a chuckle and headed for the entrance to the club. Strokers’s clientele included bartenders, bouncers, and strippers from the hottest gay bars in town. Levi wasn’t a member, but when he flashed his Hot Rods ID, the doorman waved them through.
A party atmosphere raged inside Strokers. By the looks of the crowd dancing to the throbbing electronic music, full nudity was obviously allowed and encouraged. The combined scents of male sweat and testosterone took Rolf to a state of arousal that rubbed off on Levi. Not what he was looking for. Levi wasn’t against having sex with Simon, but he wanted some answers first. He’d been hoping for a quieter scene, something more conducive to conversation. He could hardly hear himself think. Unfortunately, it was too late to go anywhere else.
They made their way to the bar and claimed two empty stools at the far end. Simon ordered bourbon. No ice, no frills. He looked over at Levi.
“Captain & Cola.”
As soon as the drink was set in front of him, Levi downed half of it and signaled the bartender for another round. “Drink up,” he told Simon.
Simon’s mouth twitched with amusement. “You don’t have to get me drunk, Levi. I’m easy.”
I hope your tongue is as loose as your morals.
Levi leaned in close, his lips near Simon’s ear. “Can I ask you a