Author's Note: Scenes of violence and blood in this chapter.

Back to the story*

~~~~~~~~~~~

The day out on the beach was cut short after someone called out that they had seen a shark in the water. Naturally everyone freaked out about it, a storm of people rushed out of the water and off the beach so that they wouldn't become shark bait.

Even after they found out it was a prank for some young couple's Instagram page, nobody was allowed back onto the beach.

The lifeguards took the threat seriously and closed the beach off - for everybody's safety. So the group of friends decided to just go home instead, the day already ruined.

Sitting in the car that Elliot had called, Adrian was whispering to Brody. "Bet you didn't have this planned for a day out?" Adrian joked.

"Nope." Brody said out flatly.

"I'm sorry the day was ruined, I know you wanted us to have fun today." It was a shame because Adrian enjoyed the idea of spending more time in the water, and grabbing some delicious food that was famous in the area.

"Yep."

Adrian looked at Brody funnily. "You alright Brody? Now you're the one that's acting weird."

When Brody was the last one to meet them at the pier, he silently tossed Adrian his drink and Adam his wallet, barely acknowledging any of them throughout the rest of the day.

Even when they climbed into the car together, Brody had an unreadable expression on his face, and Adrian noticed.

"Fucking vloggers ruining everything for everyone," Adam cursed out loud, "Why can't we enjoy the beach without somebody shitting on it?"

Ashley agreed. "These influencers just want to watch the world burn, and think it's funny to take away everyone else's joy."

Finishing typing something onto his phone, Elliot looked up and addressed the group. "Party at mine right now, let's go."

"What?"

Elliot explained, "I've already made arrangements and have had people set stuff up. I've already spread the news about the party, and now we just need to be there. What do you say guys, continue the party at mine?"

"I don't know, we're not exactly dressed right." Ashley pointed out as everything they were all wearing were suitable for the beach and not a house party.

Elliot laughed because he didn't think it was an issue. "You all look great."

"I don't even have a shirt!" Adrian pointed out as Brody had ripped it all apart earlier.

"You've seen my wardrobe before, I have stuff you can borrow." Elliot offered.

"Yeah, you would like that wouldn't you..." Brody muttered to himself.

Casting a glance at his boyfriend, "Huh?" Adrian asked, not hearing what Brody had said properly.

"Here," Brody took his shirt off in the crowded car and forcefully put Adrian in it, making sure he was all covered up. "Wear this."

"Thanks," Adrian wrapped himself in Brody's shirt so that he was all cosy. "But what are you going to be wearing?"

"I'll just pretend that I'm dressing up like some kind of roman emperor - kind of like Halloween."

With no one identifying Brody's undertone, "Let's party then!"

~~~~~~~~~~

When they pulled up into Elliot's drive away, it was ram packed with people already. The word spread fast that Elliot was throwing a big party, and no one was going to miss it.

"Brody wait up!"

They all watched as Brody stormed into the mansion, quickly losing sight of him amongst the crowd.

Walking past the DJ, they made their way into the kitchen to grab some punch somebody made. As Adrian was sipping the red cup, his eyes wandered to where Brody was.

All he had to do was look for the well-built shirtless guy that was looking in every single room before leaving again, not making conversation with anyone, as he had an empty vodka bottle in his hand.

"We've been here less than 5 minutes and I feel like something strange is going on." Ashley whispered.

"Did you and Brody have a falling out?" Adam asked as he turned to his best friend. "Something shifty is going on right now."

Adrian didn't think he did anything to upset Brody. The last time they were together, they were shamelessly rubbing sunscreen on each other. After meeting everyone on the pier, they grabbed some food together but that was about it.

"No, we were good the last time I checked." Adrian admitted honestly.

"I'm going to check on him." Elliot said as he left the 3 of them behind.

Whilst looking around the mansion, they had passed the pool area and noticed a space dedicated to precious paintings and sculptures.

"You think they would notice if we draw a little moustache on one of those paintings?" Adam joked.

Adrian had already grabbed a pen when Adam filled his head with the idea.

~~~~~~~~~~~

'Proof, I need to get some proof that I didn't make everything up in my head.'

After hearing Elliot and his boyfriend back at the shop by the pier, Brody was distracted by how blindsided he was about neglecting what Adrian was trying to subtly tell him.

It was possible that Brody was hearing random things, but he couldn't help but avoid looking at Elliot, afraid that he was going to beat him to a pulp without getting a full story. And if this was something that Adrian wanted to drop, Brody tried to think about why Adrian wouldn't mention something so important.

None of this just made any sense to Brody, he was just confused about what to do next. He wanted to get the truth out of Adrian, but Adrian would only deny everything. And even if it was false and Brody was making it up in his head, Brody didn't think he could ever talk to Elliot again, yet alone be in the same room as him for getting their wires so mixed up.

When they first met each other at Halloween, it was a seemingly normal interaction. It was true that Brody didn't even realise they had truly met back then, he must have been a lot drunker than he could remember.

'But was Halloween when it all started? And what was this thing about getting sweaty in the elevator?'

Adrian had never mentioned anything about an elevator before, what on Earth was Elliot trying to do to his boyfriend back then?

Brody then remembered that Elliot mentioned Adrian was his personal assistant because of the school auction ordeal. Brody didn't understand why Elliot paid $500 to have Adrian alone with him - unless this was all true.

Elliot had been imbedding his way into Adrian's life, and was continuing hassling him, right under Brody's own nose. He felt disgusted that it ever got this far, and he was ashamed that he never saw anything that his boyfriend was going through.

'Was this what he was apologising for?' Even after the hangover when they went to The Highway, Adrian kept apologising for attacking him, saying it was an accident. But when Brody pressed into the matter, Adrian stayed silent about meaning to attack someone else.

'Was it Elliot he was trying to fight back at the club? And was that why Elliot had a head injury, because my boyfriend was forced to defend himself at the back of a dark club?'

And then Elliot admitted to ogling his boyfriend on the beach earlier today. With everything that has went on between them two, Brody understood why Adrian didn't want Elliot to come today.

'Elliot's the reason Adrian didn't want to take his shirt off earlier...'

It all just seemed to add up, for weeks Adrian has had to put up with Elliot coming on to him so strongly. Adrian endured Elliot forcing himself on him, and he has endured being treated like a piece of meat throughout the whole time they've known each other.

Brody felt he was so stupid, so neglectful of his own boyfriend that he loved so much. To think that Adrian had to deal with all of this on his own, clearly uncomfortable with being around Elliot, yet continue pretending like nothing was wrong.

Brody wanted to put this right, he just needed to find something he can use to force Elliot into admitting everything he did. Then he could make him pay.

~~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere upstairs, Elliot followed Brody into every room he walked into. He observed from afar but he had no idea what Brody was doing.

When Brody opened the door into his room, he decided to intervene when he saw Brody search his closet.

"Can I help you?"

"Just looking for a shirt to borrow, you don't mind do you?" Brody pretended as he failed at his spy mission.

"Why didn't you say?" Elliot laughed. He stood next to Brody and picked out a random shirt. "Here, try this one."

Brody felt the shirt in his hands and pretended to look at it intensely. "You got anything more tight?" Brody then chuckled to himself as he then looked embarrassed in front of Elliot. "I kind of want to make a move on Adrian, and he likes these tighter shirts on me."

"Then it'll be my pleasure to help you," Elliot pleasantly told him as he passed Brody a new shirt. "Now he will definitely be impressed."

"Thanks Elliot," Brody replied, as he smiled brightly at Elliot. "You mind if I ask you a question? It's about relationship stuff."

"Go ahead, I'm always happy to help a friend."

Brody scratched the back of his neck as he tried to phrase it properly. "How would you put Adrian in the mood?"

Elliot chuckled at the unexpected question. "What do you mean?"

"Well I know you have your way around people, I was just hoping you could give me some tips." Brody asked politely.

Elliot wrapped his arm around Brody's shoulder, taking him under his wings. "Persistence is key, just don't stop and you can get whatever you want from him."

Elliot giggled as he snapped his fingers, he had just thought about another good idea. "And also body shots, do them off Adrian and everything will fall into place."

Elliot walked ahead of Brody as he went to get some more drinks. Before he left, Brody knocked over one of Elliot's watches onto the ground, stamping on it until he heard the glass smash.

"You piece of shit..."

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Brody went downstairs to join his friends, he was all smiles when he saw them enjoying themselves in the living room.

The party had started, with Elliot's suggestion, with a few drinking games.

Brody didn't play as he had his eyes set on Elliot, watching how he was constantly trying to supply Adrian with alcohol. He even saw Elliot steal a touch from Adrian, and it made his blood boil.

"Come Brody, join us!" Ashley cheered as she took a body shot of her shirtless boyfriend.

After watching lots of other couples do body shots, Brody joined in when Adam passed a full glass to Adrian. "You're next buddy."

Slightly drunk, Adrian giggled before he took his shirt off, so that his boyfriend could take a drink off of him.

During these couple of minutes, Brody didn't need to pretend to be happy. He had a cheeky smile on his face when Adrian was welcoming him closer towards the shot on his body.

Downing the shot, Brody gave Adrian's torso a little lick near his abdomen before crawling up Adrian's body, and giving him a heated kiss.

They had ignored the cheers and wolf whistles, as Adrian pulled Brody in deeper. "I'm glad you're back." Adrian laughed.

When one of the other partygoers called for the host to do a body shot, Elliot addressed the crowd. "Of course! But I need a volunteer."

"Get the shirtless dude to do it! He's already on the table." A random guy shouted.

"Fuck no..." Adrian muttered to himself, thinking no one else heard his refusal.

But Brody heard it.

"What do you say Adrian, be my little guinea pig?" Elliot asked as he winked along with the cheers from the drunk crowd.

"Get your own fucking boyfriend." Brody cursed as he put Adrian's shirt back on him, protecting his boyfriend. "He's mine."

Elliot was also hammered as he turned around to face Brody, "What did you say? I didn't hear you properly."

"I actually need a breather," Adrian said to Elliot, "I'm going to dip my feet in the pool for a bit."

Fully dressed, Adrian took Brody's hand so he could follow him into the pool area. Once they were alone together, Adrian wrapped his arms around Brody and pulled him into an electrifying kiss.

The anger towards Elliot soon faded as Brody was enveloped by Adrian's scent, touch, and taste. Getting into the moment, Brody held Adrian closer and deepened the kissing, loving how friskier a drunk Adrian got.

"How much have you had?" Brody laughed once they separated to breathe.

Adrian giggled at Brody's attentiveness. "Can't remember, not a lot but I feel great."

"Let's sit down for a minute, I think we need a chat." Brody said as he dragged Adrian to one of the beach chairs near the pool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Watching them make out in front of him turned Elliot on a little bit. The passion between them was sizzling, and Elliot wanted a taste of it too.

"Brody?" Elliot called out as he walked in on the pair who had just sat down. "Ashley is drunk crying in the bathroom somewhere, and I don't know where Adam is."

Elliot watched Brody give Adrian a quick kiss. "Be back in a minute."

Elliot heard Brody whisper something else, he also ignored the fact that he heard Adrian not wanting Brody to go.

"She sounded desperate, quick Brody." Elliot prompted, eventually leaving him alone with Adrian.

Sitting down next to Adrian, Elliot scooted closer to him, practically sitting on his lap. "You ever thought about a 3-way?"

Adrian immediately shot up from the chair to leave, but Elliot forced him back down. "Me, you, and Brody. It would be so fucking hot."

Elliot ignored Adrian's discomfort as he continued with his persistence. "Why don't we sneak upstairs for a bit first, and Brody can join us after I'm done with you."

"Elliot, stop! I don't know what's wrong with you, to think that you could talk to anybody like this - ever. I've asked you stop everything so many times, to stop harassing me and forcing yourself on me, but it needs to end. I can't win in a fight against you, so just please stop." Adrian begged, Elliot was legitimately stronger and tougher than he was.

Not happy with the sound of that idea, Elliot placed his hand on Adrian's knee, sliding it up higher until it was on his thigh. "I like to play with my food before I eat it, I'm like a lion." Elliot growled suggestively into Adrian's ear.

"So you're a pussy?"

Elliot wickedly laughed at Adrian's joke. He now became serious as lust filled his eyes. "I've waited long enough now."

~~~~~~~~~~

After Elliot told him about Ashley needing him, it pained Brody to think about leaving Elliot alone with Adrian. This was his chance, to get proof of everything.

Brody gave Adrian a tender kiss on the lips. "Be back in a minute. I'll be as quick as I can."

"Please don't leave me here," Adrian begged as he grabbed a hold of Brody's hand, "I can come with you too."

'Adrian really is petrified to be alone with him, isn't he?' Brody thought. 'This is sickening of me to knowingly leave him alone with that animal.'

"I'll be right around the corner Adrian." Brody hinted, kissing his hand before letting go off his hold on Adrian.

Walking past Elliot, Brody saw a sly smile on his face. Brody knew he was up to no good, probably making the whole thing about Ashley up.

Brody stayed by the room and right outside of their view, sending a quick text to check on Ashley before he hit record on his phone.

It took everything in Brody's will to not intervene yet, he needed actually footage of Elliot's harassment. This way Elliot couldn't spin it against them, and he was willing to resort to blackmail if it saved Adrian.

Brody hoped that Adrian could endure everything just a little bit longer, then they could use all of the footage to keep Elliot away from them for a very long time. The second he got enough, he was going to make Elliot pay.

Brody couldn't help it when he tried to block out what Elliot was whispering to his boyfriend. The disgusting things that were being said were as clear as day to Brody. To think that Adrian has been experiencing this for weeks, made Brody's heart ache with sadness and pain.

"Why don't we sneak upstairs for a bit first, and Brody can join us after I'm done with you."

Hearing Adrian's pained voice, begging him to leave him alone, devastated Brody. He had to hold back the tears and remain strong, because things were about to blow up.

Once he saw on the video feed that Elliot's hand was on a resisting Adrian's leg, he had sent the video to Ashley for safety, feeling slightly relieved he got the evidence.

Now that the act was over, Brody was ready to make Elliot pay.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Elliot pushed himself down onto him, Adrian kept trying to hit him away. Elliot's strength was overwhelming as his weight weighed him down.

Adrian suddenly had help when an unknown force dragged Elliot away from on top of him. The panic in Adrian's eyes were gone once he saw Brody throw Elliot down onto the floor.

"You sick piece of shit!" Brody yelled as he started pummelling Elliot.

Adrian froze as he didn't intervene, he watched blood fly out from Elliot as Brody kept on swinging.

Brody was towering over Elliot who was crawled on the floor, taking in every attack that Brody was landing on him.

"How long has this been going on, huh? How do you think it's okay to harass ANYONE, yet alone MY boyfriend?!" Brody continued punching Elliot's face as he ignored the stinging pain from his knuckles after every punch. "You. Two. Faced. Snake!"

Brody then resorted to kicking Elliot in the ribs, relentless as he was letting his frustration and anger out. "Fucking. Die!"

When Elliot became motionless, Adrian was worried that it went too far. He got up from being frozen on the chair and held Brody back.

"Brody you can stop now!" Adrian screamed as he looked at a red faced Brody, covered with sweat and Elliot's blood.

"No!" Brody broke out of Adrian's hold and carried on kicking him. "This piece of shit needs to learn that everything he did was wrong. If I need to beat the living shit out of him so that it is embedded into his pathetic brain, then so be it!"

Attempting to stop everything, Adrian then placed himself in between a beaten up Elliot and a bloodied up Brody. "Brody I can't let you carry on anymore!" Adrian then grabbed Brody's face and made sure they were looking at each other. "Stop, for me, please."

After several more attempts to stop him, Brody's rage started to settle down. His breathing calmed down and the colour to his face was returning.

"I'm sorry, for everything." Brody whispered apologetically to Adrian, not for attacking Elliot, but for not protecting and saving Adrian sooner.

Elliot began to laugh from the floor, spitting out the blood from his mouth. He managed to stand back up, holding his sides as he began laughing harder.

"What's so funny?!" Brody harshly whispered.

Elliot continued antagonising the pair with the sick mind games he was playing. "Adrian must really be worth it if you go hulk out on me. My offer still stands by the way..."

Brody was outright puzzled that Elliot was even daring to speak to them again, "What?"