Call me kitten (boyxboy love) ✓

47. First rule of...

It was like the world around us just disappeared. What had Simon just said? Did he mean the same Keith that had been at my parents' lake house? The guy that Ash had messed around with, broken up with, punched in the face? It couldn't be true. It simply couldn't be. All color had washed away from Ash's face when I looked at him. Jesus, he mustn't blame himself for this.

"W-what the hell are you s-saying?" he stuttered and seemed to struggle for air. "Did you say Keith?"

He clutched the bar counter and I rushed to him and placed my arm around his shoulders to keep him from fainting. Simon nodded quietly and watched Ash with a worried look on his face. Ash closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against my shoulder.

"This is not your fault," I whispered to him. "You get it? This is not your fault. Let's just get this motherfucker now."

He grabbed my sweater tight and let out a long groan, like he was in pain. Then he lifted his head at last and took a deep breath. His gaze was like steel, the conviction so deep that it was almost frightening. He looked at Simon and nodded.

"Let's get him," he said fervently. "Where did you see him last?"

"He went out for a smoke," Simon replied and smashed his fist in his palm.

It was cold and dark as we got out into the street outside the club. Ash had been holding my hand in a tight grip all the way out, but now he released me and seemed to ready himself for the assault. That Keith was the perpetrator had made me shellshocked at first, but after the initial realization I had calmed down just because I knew that Ash had already smacked him down one time. But now as the confrontation was imminent, I got afraid again. Not that Keith would be a match for Ash, but I got scared that Ash was so angry that he wouldn't be able to stop until something awful happened.

I noticed Keith further into the alley where he stood leaned against the wall smoking, talking to another guy. Simon grabbed Ash's arm and held him back a little.

"You just tell me when you want my help, ok?" he said in a low voice. "But he's all yours now."

Ash gave a quick nod without taking his eyes off Keith and I could see his jaws clenching. He slowly started to walk towards where Keith was, and it seemed like he struggled to restrain himself from just rushing up to him. Simon and I followed a few steps behind. When Keith discovered us, he gave us a superior smile and crossed his arms over his chest. Ash snarled at the other guy to walk away, and the guy just shrugged and headed towards the club again.

"Damn, you took your sweet time to find me," Keith grinned maliciously. "Thought your brother would come crying right away, but I guess not."

Something flashed in Ash's eyes, and he swung his fist at Keith, but Keith had anticipated it and ducked away. But Ash lunged himself at him and got hold of his collar and landed a knee hard in his stomach.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Ash growled while Keith was struggling to catch his breath. "Are you targeting my brother just because you're too scared to face me? Look at me!"

Keith looked up at Ash, defiance in his eyes, and a chill ran down my spine when I saw him smile. There wasn't a speck of remorse in his eyes. He tried to headbutt Ash but only managed to hit his chest and Ash smashed his fist right across his nose.

"If you can't have one brother, you get the other," Keith spluttered, and blood ran down his nose into his mouth. "So I guess your brother needs to blame you for it."

An almost animalistic roar came from Ash, and he threw Keith into the wall with full force and pressed his face into the bricks, skin scraping against the hard surface. I noticed that I was holding my breath. Keith didn't stop smiling. Why the hell didn't he stop smiling?