Chapter Forty-One – Realities
Lyn would've loved nothing more than to stay in bed with Alexander for the remainder of this trip, if not longer. Then he wouldn't have to face the stark reality that came with what he had just discovered about Brad. As long as Alexander kept him busy, he managed to keep the thoughts at bay just fine. But postponing things indefinitely was impossible.
First on the order of things, he needed to grab hold of Luke and give him a serious shaking. Obviously, the immature jerk's intention had been to drop that hot potato in Lyn's lap so he could continue in his own immature ways.
Did Luke truly want his sister to find out what her future husband was getting up to?
Was Luke just a happy go lucky fellow who thought Lyn would've just joined them for a threesome?
Or did he simply want someone else to know his – and Brad's – secret, the weight of it being too much to handle?
Whatever the reason, Lyn was going to confront the guy. And what was Brad thinking, hooking up with no one other than his brother-in-law – future brother-in-law – days before the wedding? If the explanation was something ludicrous such as marrying into the family meant getting both the guy and the gal, Lyn worried he might experience a light seizure. He believed himself to be open-minded, but not that open-minded.
"A penny for your thoughts," Alexander said, while embracing him from behind.
They were spooning in bed, exhausted after their vigorous lovemaking – it had to be more than sex with Alexander, and not because of romantic feelings being involved, but because of their intense deep friendship that went too far. Not that either of them regretted it. Lyn knew for sure he didn't. Alexander was the sort to complain directly if something wasn't to his liking.
Complain. Yeah, right. The self-centered demon would let the world know it was getting in the way if he became as little as slightly annoyed by something.
Hmm, self-centered wasn't the right word, though. Throughout, he had acquiesced to each of Lyn's demands, only letting his protests be known as a warning. And he'd been right. Lyn felt his ass throbbing now.
"I'm thinking," he said slowly, "about how I'd love to skip dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow, and maybe even lunch just to stay like this with you."
Alexander kissed his shoulder and let his fingers roam along his arm. Everywhere he touched, Lyn felt as if he had been tickled. A pleasant shiver coursed through him.
"Although my ass does kind of hurt," he admitted.
"I warned you," Alexander whispered in his ear. "I would be, however, a hypocrite of humongous proportions if I didn't admit that I loved every second of it."
Love was a nice word to hear in Alexander's mouth. It rolled off his tongue so easily, so round in shape, so complete. Lyn wanted to ask his friend how it had felt when he'd been in love before, in the past, maybe with his wife. The only person Lyn had wanted and loved like that in his life was Brad.
He winced as images of Brad being serviced by Luke popped into the forefront of his mind. No, he couldn't compare the way he loved and Alexander had to have loved. If anything, his love was square, brittle and abrasive. Too many times, he had felt it like there was a block of ice inside his chest or a jagged piece of rock scraping his insides raw.
Despite his insufferable personality, Alexander was an immense surprise in bed. He was tender, firm, giving. Lyn would have never imagined having sex with Alexander would feel so… complete.
Women must have loved him so much in his life. No wonder they were such big fans of him in college. Even if Alexander didn't end up dating them, they couldn't cuss him for being a careless lover.
"Did you love your wife very much?" Lyn asked while Alexander continued to caress his nape with his lips.
Alexander ceased his lovely ministrations. "Why are you bringing her up now?"
Lyn shrugged one shoulder. "She must've been crazy to let you go. Do the men in your family make the best lovers or something? Because whatever you've done to me all day, this level of skill, it must be genetic."
"I wouldn't know," Alexander said with a low chuckle. "The men in my family are too rigid to share any sort of knowledge of the matter. In other words, my dear, I'm self-taught."
Lyn sighed in satisfaction while his bed partner continued to pepper his shoulder with small kisses. "Then I assume practice makes perfect. You must have had a lot of lovers. Female lovers. Until your wife."
"You go back to her. Are you jealous, Lyn?" Alexander bit his shoulder playfully.
"Well, she obviously got to enjoy all you have to offer for years. You're a gift to mankind, so she must have been a miser who kept you all to herself," Lyn joked.
"A gift to mankind. Interesting," Alexander concluded.
"Humankind, I meant. Since you obviously can send both men and women to heaven with that thing you have between your legs."
"Careful with all of this praise. Don't you know it might go to my head?"
"I wouldn't mind that. I mean, you're already so full of yourself. Don't tell me you're afraid you might burst like an overinflated balloon."
Alexander chuckled in his ear. "No chance of that. There's room for more, so feel free to praise me to your heart's content."
"Weren't you saying the opposite like a minute ago?"
"I changed my mind." Alexander rolled Lyn onto his back and kissed him deeply. They went slowly, because there was no more urgency in their moves. Lyn liked that. He liked it very much.
"We need to get ready for dinner," he reminded his partner while caressing his hair.
"There's still time. Ah, I forgot, you must employ your thirty-seven step grooming routine to look your best. I won't get in the way."
"I will settle for only three steps this time. But I need to rest and relax first."
"Just three steps?" Alexander taunted him with a naughty glint in his eyes. "What has happened to you, Lyn?"
Lyn chuckled. "You happened. I wouldn't want everyone to know you nailed my ass. Although my big grin might be a dead giveaway."
He was only saying these things for Alexander's sake. The moment he saw those two assholes, his mood would sour irremediably.
"I'd kill for a long bath right now," Lyn moaned as Alexander massaged his shoulders slowly.
"I'll give you a full body massage. Effectiveness guaranteed. You'll feel as pampered as if you're at a spa."
"For real? Then do it. But don't get me too used to you. I might want to pack you with the rest of my stuff when this is over."
"Then I'll make sure to fold myself tightly so you can find room for me in your luggage," Alexander joked back.
Lyn rolled his eyes. This thing had no future. As a joke, they could say it. But it wasn't a reality that would continue after Brad's and Bella's wedding. If there was going to be a wedding, after all.
Another reality soon to be confronted.
***
In the whirlwind of thoughts inside his mind, Lyn had forgotten completely that Brad's parents would be there when he and Alexander finally moved their asses out of their cottage and to the place where dinner was being served.
"Lyn!" Brad's mom exclaimed the moment she saw him.
"Mrs. Foster," he said fondly and hurried to hug her as she opened her arms wide.
"How many years has it been? I still can't understand what you boys had to fight so hard about that time, when you finished college." She pushed him away to look at him at arm's length. "You've grown into such a fine young man. I was so upset when Brad came home without you. No matter how many times I asked him what could've caused your falling out, he didn't tell me. Well, I guess it must have been something that counted as important at your age back then. I'm glad to see you two moving on from that. Although, I am a little mad at you, too." She wagged her finger, while giving him a broad smile. "You've been such a stranger. And imagine my disappointment when I realized I had nothing on you when it came to folding laundry."
Lyn snickered and shook his head. "You look great, Mrs. Foster." He wanted to add something to the extent of being happy for her and her family because of Brad's wedding, but the words stuck in his throat.
"How are you, Lyn?" Brad's father patted him on the shoulder. "You've surprised us all. Look at you now. You're a lawyer, right?"
Lyn accepted the energetic handshake from Mr. Foster, along with his open smile. They were a happy family. They had always been happy, and secretly, Lyn had envied them, but never with malice. He'd been grateful for their help in the past, and he still felt grateful. The burden of what he knew about Brad and his philandering ways began weighing more heavily on his shoulders.
They were both older, but they looked great, in that sturdy way their entire family projected – healthy, robust, with a love for life that people didn't usually achieve in a lifetime.
"Ah, and here is Alexander," Mrs. Foster said, looking over Lyn's shoulder.
The demon accepted the hug with a huge grin on his face. Lyn felt a bit taken aback. Although his and Brad's mutual friend had visited the Fosters in the past, he hadn't been a fixture. Brad's mom caught Alexander's cheeks in her palms as she stared at him with motherly tenderness.
"I hope you're not working yourself to the bone. You do look a little pale." She examined him minutely, as if she was searching for signs of Alexander's exhaustion.
Strangely enough, she wasn't reproaching him for being a stranger. No wonder there. The demon's charm made him impervious to any sort of reproach.
"You're still in your fellowship, right?"
"Yes," Alexander confirmed. "I'm not that far off from practicing full-time. Despite my impatience, I need to follow all the steps."
There was an awful lot Mrs. Foster knew about Alexander, it seemed. Could it be that Brad was keeping his folks up to date about his old friends, as he dug into their presents via the internet? It wasn't unlikely, and Brad was a bit of a braggart when it came to his connections.
Connections. Lyn felt the need to snort but caught himself in time. Right. They were friends. Although keeping such secrets—
Brad patted Alexander hard on the shoulder and leaned into him from behind.
"Don't listen to my mom. If it were up to her, we'd all be in bed by nine, drink our milk, and be good boys until we have kids in college."
"I mean well," Mrs. Foster protested, while her face lit up with fondness. "And making sure not to spend all your energy in one place is wise."
Lyn fixed his eyes on Brad, narrowing them slightly. He felt so pissed right now – he wasn't ready to face his old pal. But now that they were all there he wished he could send some mental waves capable of giving the arrogant, cheating, lying ass a smack over the head.
Brad met his eyes briefly. He blinked in confusion, most likely surprised by what he was reading on Lyn's face. Lyn pursed his lips, deciding the time and place for a confrontation needed to be picked with extra care, given all the people involved.
Bella's intervention came at the right moment. She was beaming as she began chatting with her future in-laws. It was clear as day that Brad's parents were crazy about her, and the sentiment appeared to be mutual. Lyn couldn't believe that his first thoughts about Bella hadn't been too nice. He could relate to both her tension and need for perfectionism now.
And Brad had to be an ass of cosmic proportions. While the conversations around him began to be diluted with the contributions of all present, Lyn searched for someone else with his eyes.
When he found the person of interest in the case he was pursuing, he excused himself and made a beeline for Luke, who looked ready to run away without losing his impish smile for a moment.
It was annoying, to say the least, that he had to rush after Luke as if they were engaged in a game of tag. But it was for the best, since Lyn intended to catch up with the troublemaker somewhere they wouldn't be easily overheard.
He would be late for dinner, Lyn realized, but he wouldn't be the only one.
***
"What were you thinking?" Lyn asked directly as soon as he found himself alone with Luke, who was leaning against a stone wall, his face obscured by the twilight.
"You'll have to be a bit more explicit," Luke challenged him. "About what?"
"You sent me that insane text."
Lyn seemed to be measuring him up and down from the way his head moved. "And? Were you there?"
"I was," Lyn gritted through his teeth. "So, pardon my French, but what the fuck? Your sister is going to marry Brad in a few days. Don't tell me she knows about the two of you."
Luke guffawed like he'd just heard something hilarious. "No, she doesn't. But now you know."
Lyn clenched his fists. "Yes, now I know. What do you expect me to do with this information?" He spat out the last word like it was poison in his mouth.
"Whatever you want," Luke drawled. "I don't give a damn."
"How immature are you?" Lyn exploded. Hopefully, no one would overhear their conversation by accident. "Do you hate your sister?"
Luke shifted his position. "No, I don't hate her."
"Then why are you sneaking around behind her back like this?"
"Geez, I don't know. Maybe it's because, wait for it, it's a crazy idea, she might not like it."
Lyn groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "How did it happen?"
"Does it matter?"
"You've gotten me involved in this, so now I'm asking the questions," Lyn snapped. "First of all, are you even aware that what you're doing with your future brother-in-law is wrong?"
"Why? It feels good," Luke replied. "You should know. No offense, Lyn, but you strike me as a cocksucker, and trust me, coming from me, that's a compliment. I'm a cocksucker, too. We should compare notes."
"Don't think you can rattle me for a moment with this brazen attitude. We're not talking about me here. We're talking about you, Brad, and the fact, no small detail, that your sister is marrying the guy you've been blowing for who knows how long."
"Eh, whatever," Luke sighed. "Ask me what you want to know. Like how it happened. Well, easy. I do whatever I want, whenever I want, and more importantly, I do whoever I want. Brad didn't say 'no' when I offered. It's that simple. For how long? Well, let me see… About a year."
"A year?" Lyn sputtered. If it had been just a spur-of-the-moment thing, he would've considered the duo of assholes to be at least a tiny bit redeemable.
"Yep, and it was Brad's idea to keep it a secret. Damn, you should see your face, Lyn. Loosen up a bit. It's nothing serious."
"If it's not serious, then why did you want me to find out? Why didn't you send that text to anyone else? Alexander, for instance."
"His Majesty knows. He has like x-ray vision or something."
The nickname given to the demon by Brad sounded irksome in Luke's mouth. Lyn hadn't thought of this until now, but it did feel as if Bella's younger brother intruded in an aspect of their lives he had no business intruding into.
But Lyn had to admit that the punk was right. Alexander hadn't said it outright, but he had given Lyn enough hints to make him think he knew there was something going on between the two.
And now, he had the evidence, too.
"Why?" he asked again.
Luke shrugged his shoulders. "No reason. I thought you'd be shocked. And you are. It's just so damn funny."
"You're lying," Lyn accused openly. "Get your head out of your ass and tell me really why."
Luke seemed to consider his question. "Brad told me you've always been this goody-two-shoes. I have no idea what that means. But now that you know, I'm going to wait and see what you're going to do with what you know."
"You're an asshole," Lyn said.
"Thank you. I've been told that a lot. Nothing new."
"You're ruining your sister's future," Lyn said. "What has she done to you to deserve such a thing?"
"Hmm, well, if you don't count the gazillion times she's been on my case for the slightest thing I do or say or think, nothing."
"I'm sure she means well."
"My life is not her business."
"And is that bad enough to do this to her? Listen to yourself."
"You're the one who thinks this is a big deal," Luke said.
"Your sister will think the same," Lyn warned the asshole.
"Are you going to tell her then?"
Lyn set his jaw hard. "She needs to find out. She can't be left in the dark about a thing like this. And you will be the one to tell her. You and Brad both, and make sure that you choose your words carefully, because she might not forgive you. Ever."
"I won't tell her shit," Luke drawled the words. "I'm afraid you'll have to be that guy. The question is: are you going to do this to Brad? He's your old pal. He thinks you can do no wrong."
Bitterness tinged those words.
Lyn stopped for a moment to ponder them. "Are you--" The idea seemed so ludicrous. "Are you doing this out of jealousy?"
"Not answering. You figure it out," Luke challenged him.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Let me break some news to you. You caused this mess for nothing. You have zero reason to be jealous of me because of Brad."
"That's what you think," Luke threw at him.
Lyn had more to say, but Bella's voice calling her brother from afar stopped him.
"This isn't over," he warned before he turned on his heel to leave.
TBC