Everything To Lose - E.M. Denning Page 0,1

be fine.”

“Laina brought vodka.” Dante laughed when Zane groaned.

“She fucking didn’t.”

“Oh, she did. Her older sister bought it for her.”

“He better not puke on me.”

Dante laughed again. Zane reached into the cooler and handed Dante another beer. He popped it open with a shy smile and took a sip.

“Hey, Dante, haven’t seen you around all summer. Where’ve you been hidin’ at?” Corey Mathers sauntered over and tried to fling an arm around Dante’s shoulders, but he ducked out of the embrace and skirted around to the other side of Zane, as if using him for a human shield.

“Been busy, Corey.”

“You got time now?” Corey was drunk as fuck and had handled more balls than a soccer team, according to local gossip. Zane glanced at Dante. Even in the dim fire light, Zane could see how uncomfortable Dante was.

“Still busy, Corey,” Zane said. When he slid his arm over Dante’s shoulders, Dante didn’t shrug out of the touch and Zane tugged him closer.

“That so?” Corey swayed on his feet a bit. “This guy bothering you, Dante?”

Dante shook his head. “No, I’m fine, Corey. Just… busy.”

Corey grunted and staggered away.

“You okay?”

Dante moved away from Zane and sipped at his beer. “Yeah. He’s been trying to get me to go out with him for a while, but I’m not interested. He only wants his dick sucked and somewhere along the way he decided the person doing it should be me. Thanks for helping me get rid of him.”

Jonathan was wrong about his friend, Zane thought. Dante wasn’t a pushover. He might be shy and quiet, but he wasn’t going to go with a Corey just because someone paid attention to him.

“Any time, Dante.”

Two hours and the rest of a case of beer later, Jonathan stumbled over to Zane and Dante. He had twigs in his hair, the knees of his jeans were torn, and his front was covered in dirt.

“Have fun?” Dante asked, clearly amused.

“I fell down a hill,” Jonathan laughed. “Slid all the way down like… like something that slides. You know. Those… those snow things.” Jonathan held his hand flat and made a whooshing noise as he sliced through the air.

“Sleds.” Zane offered, he stood and piled the empties into the cooler. “Let’s head for the road. When we’re closer we can text for our ride.”

“Did you save me a beer?” Jonathan swayed.

“Fuck no, you gremlin. Get moving. If I’ve gotta carry you, I’ll kick your ass.”

“Brotherly love.” Jonathan shook his head, but almost fell over. Dante caught him in his arms, and he watched him sway and almost go down too. No wonder he’d wanted Zane to be here. Dante was only five foot six. Jonathan was six foot, like Zane. It would’ve been hell for Dante to haul Jonathan’s drunk ass up the trail.

“The only thing I feel for you right now is obligatory tolerance. Get off Dante before you crush him and get your ass moving.”

“Get off Dante.” Jonathan snorted. “I heard Corey tried to get off on Dante. Did Dante get off?”

“Shut up or I’ll drop you,” Dante ground out.

“No. Don’t drop me. I already fell down a hill. I got lost. I lost a shoe. I found a shoe. And I held Laina’s hair back. I think she threw up on my shoe. Anyway. Don’t drop me. I won’t get up.”

Dante groaned. “You stink. I think you fell in something. Get off me.”

Zane rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was carry his drunk brother to the road, but Jonathan could barely stand, and Dante looked like he was about to be flattened.

“Here, I’ll trade you.” Zane set the cooler down in front of Dante, then grabbed Jonathan’s arm and tossed it over his shoulder. He wound his arm around Jonathan’s waist, and they started for the road. “Fuck me, you reek.”

“Must’ve been some sorta shit on that hill.”

“No one will want you in their car, man.” Zane tried to breathe through his mouth, but the stench was so bad he could almost taste it.

“I’ll text your mom,” Dante said. “I’ll have her bring some clothes and a trash bag. Jonathan can change before he gets in the car.”

“It’s two in the morning. Mom’s gonna be sooooo pissed at me,” Jonathan whined. “I hate it when she’s mad at me.”

“She’ll be fine. It’ll give her one final chance to mother you before you go off to college.” Zane said.

Getting Jonathan to the road was easier said than done. Zane called their mom and