Mark, one of guys who’d joined them, looked Alice’s way. “Oh, come on, beautiful. Give the guys a break. They probably got all tongue-tied seeing you in that skirt.”
She sniffed. “Are you giving me a line while talking about other guys’ lines? That’s very meta.”
Mark grinned wide. “How about this? You need a lap. I’ve got one, too. Hop on, sugar.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “I’ll pass. I’d prefer a lap that’s not going to poke me.”
Mark laughed and rocked his hips suggestively. “You might enjoy that. Or you, Crowe. Just let me get a few more beers in me first.”
Devon groaned. “Mark, I’ve never been happier that I’m gay and that you’re exceptionally straight.”
Alice snorted and Mark flipped a good-natured middle-finger salute Devon’s way. “You two don’t know what you’re missing. I’d rock your worlds.”
Alice gave Mark a half smile that made Devon think the lines may have worked on her after all. Devon was about to tease her about it, but then another voice cut in.
“Gay, huh?” A guy Devon only vaguely recognized smirked in their direction, his eyes half-mast in that one-too-many-beers way. “So even if that chick wiggles around on you in that hot little skirt, you won’t get hard?”
“Dude, I don’t even know you. You gotta buy me a drink before we get to talk about what makes me hard,” Devon said, trying to keep his tone light, even though he sensed more in the question than the good-natured curiosity his frat brothers threw his way.
Hunter looked up at that.
Drunk guy’s lip curled. “Something’s wrong with you if that chick can’t get you going. Some perv probably fucked with you when you were a kid, huh? Turned you into a fag.”
Alice gasped, and Devon’s jaw clenched. Great, one of these idiots. He’d met enough of them in his life, but it never failed to make his teeth gnash and his stomach twist.
“Shut the fuck up, man,” Hunter barked from his spot on the couch before Devon could respond. “Call him a name again, and we’re going to have a problem.”
“Fucking A,” Brad said, sitting up straighter next to Devon.
Devon reached out and put a hand on Brad’s arm. “Don’t. Seriously not worth it.”
“Oh yeah, Riley?” the idiot said, swinging all his focus to Hunter. “Am I insulting your bitch? I heard you two room together. Bet he’s sucking your dick every night so you’ll fight his fights for him.”
Devon quickly shifted Alice off his lap and stood as Hunter got to his feet, rage in his stance. Devon stepped in front of him and put his hands to Hunter’s chest, feeling his friend vibrate with anger. “Easy, man. I’ve got this.”
“Aw, look at that, Riley. Your man trying to protect you,” the guy said. “Maybe I was wrong. You’re the one doing the cocksucking.”
Murder flared in Hunter’s eyes. “That’s right, Jones. Every fucking night. You got beat out of the starting pitcher position by a Grade A cocksucker. How’s that feel?”
Devon’s mouth fell open. Oh, shit. Hunter must be way drunker than he thought.
The blonde’s eyes went big behind Hunter’s shoulder.
A scoff came from behind Devon, the idiot not backing off. “You hear that, Bradley? You’ve got yourself a frat of freaks.”
Devon spun around as Brad stood and took a menacing step forward. “Get the fuck out of here, asshole. There’s an IQ requirement of two to get in here and you just failed.”
“You gonna make me?” Jones asked, holding out his hands in a bring-it-on motion.
“Damn right,” Mark joined in.
Something sharp and sweet moved through Devon at the sight of his brothers standing up for him, for not flinching at what Hunter had said, for having his back no matter what.
“Oh, you’re gonna need to suck a lot of dick tonight, gay boy. You’ve got your whole team assembled.”
That did it. Devon stepped in front of the other guys. “I don’t need anyone to fight my fights for me. You want to come at me? Come at me.”
The guy’s smile was slow. “Wouldn’t be right to hit a girl.”