The Better Side of Me - Jerry Cole Page 0,70

way, Kirk actually felt relieved. Considering how Lance was acting, he had been expecting the news to be even worse. This was at least bearable. “And they did that to you?” he pressed. “Why? When is the money due?”

“In full? Not for another two months,” Lance sighed. “But I owe them a ten percent down payment as a show of faith. I thought I’d have the money by now but... but things cost. More than I expected.”

“Ten thousand dollars? They did this to you over – that's not so bad,” Kirk hurried. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll lend you the money – don’t argue. That should get them off your back for the rest of the month. That way we’ll have time to re-assess Macro Bar and make sure that you’ll have the money in full in a month’s time.” Kirk took a deep breath. He was feeling remarkably better. “Seriously, babe. It’s not that bad.”

And it wasn’t that bad. Sure, Lance had gotten a beating. And sure, he had lied and borrowed the money from a less than savory source. But it wasn’t the monumental fuck-up that Lance was making it out to be. They could get through this.

“Lance?” This time, Kirk shuffled across the couch. He wanted to put his arm around his boyfriend, the man he loved, and tell him it was all OK. And that was because it was. “Lance, it’s fine—”

Lance was on his feet. He stormed across the room before stopping and turning back to face Kirk. His body was shaking, his hands fidgeted, and his eyes looked everywhere but at Kirk. “It’s not fine,” he spoke softly. “It’s... I did something else.”

“What?” Kirk could just about see the axe hanging over his head.

“I know Macro Bar is going to be big,” Lance spoke quietly... almost to himself. “I know it – but I couldn’t get the money. I couldn’t— I could, but I needed something. Alexander – the loan shark, he wasn’t going to lend it to me. He saw me as a bad investment.” He tripped and stammered over his words, but he powered on. “But he also has a fascination – a love for ancient history. He has a vase collection you would not believe.”

Kirk’s heart stopped and his stomach dropped right out from under him. He knew where this was going, even before Lance said it.

“So, I thought... I thought that I could lend him a vase – something he knew I’d have to come back for. I... I... I took it, Kirk. I took it. I had no choice!”

“You took what, Lance?” he already knew the answer. But a part of him was hoping, begging, that he was wrong. Please, be wrong.

“The Vase of Pangaion. I walked into the museum. I took it. And I gave the thing to Alexander Ivanov as collateral.” For the first time, Lance looked at Kirk. His eyes were red and filled with water. His lip shook and he held his hands out as if for Kirk to take them. Kirk had never seen a man more broken. “I’m sorry. Kirk, I’m... I’m...” he couldn’t even say it.

As for Kirk? Trying to describe how he felt in that moment would have been impossible. Betrayed, yes. Hurt, even more so. Angry, obviously. Sad, definitely. But it was so much more.

He was stunned, is what he was. The man he cared for, loved, had helped out so often, and who had helped him in return, had used him. He had put Kirk’s job on the line so that he might succeed instead. It was the most selfish thing a person could do. Made worse by the fact it was done to him by Lance.

“Kirk?” Lance edged toward where Kirk was still sitting. “Kirk are you... can you say, something?” He didn’t dare try and actually go to Kirk.

“You... you stole from me?” Kirk said vaguely.

“Not from you,” Lance hurried. “From the – it doesn’t matter. Yes, I stole. But I’m going to get it back. I promise.”

“You looked me in the face and you lied to me,” Kirk said, still very vague. He was looking ahead, but at nothing in particular.

“I did.” Lance was at the couch now, but again careful not to get too close. “But I’m going to get it back.”

“And if you can’t? If you don’t make the money back? Or... or this Alexander just decides to keep the vase? Then what?”

“That won’t happen.”

“How do you know!” Kirk suddenly erupted. He was on