Page 18 of Promises Kept

Alec pulled out his secret weapon—his mobile phone. He scrolled through the numbers and hit dial. Lucas’s brow furrowed in puzzlement.

Dylan’s hand remained on his shoulder, squeezing it. He brushed sandy blond hair off his face and stared at Alec, blue eyes smiling. “I might have known,” he murmured. “Trust you to try to turn the tables with a bloody phone call.” He grinned. “And that’s why I love you.”

Alec’s chest warmed at that admission and he smiled back at Dylan as someone answered the phone. He placed the phone down on the table and switched to speakerphone.

“This is Mario Esposito. How can I help you?” The Italian accented voice was curt and business-like.

At the name, Lucas’s face paled and he leaned forward, fingers that had been playing with a beer mat now deathly still. He stared at Alec in horror.

Alec grinned down at the phone, his inner bitch celebrating. That had certainly made his ex-bully sit up and take notice.

“Mario, it’s Alec Ransom here. How are you, my friend?”

The voice on the other end of the phone grew animated. “Alec. How wonderful to hear from you. It’s been a while, about three months? How are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m good,” Alec answered. “Business is good, my man is well, and I’m off to a wedding in Fiji soon. I’m looking forward to the sun and the sand. How is your family, and the lovely Lucia?” Lucia was Mario’s daughter, and the apple of her father’s eye. She was also one of Alec’s clients.

Lucas’s face was getting greener by the minute.

See, babe, I can take care of myself. I don’t need to use brute force.

“Lucia is doing so well, she’s in Hungary at the moment. I can’t thank you enough for getting her that gig. She’s so happy travelling around the world, playing her guitar with Ravensica. My little girl is becoming famous.”

Alec laughed. “She deserves it. She plays that bass like a champ.” Ravensica were also Alec’s client, an indie rock band becoming well known on the music circuits of Europe.

“Is this a social call, or a business one?” Mario asked.

“It’s a ‘I hope you can help me’ call, actually. I am currently sitting here with one big motherfucker called Major Pain. I believe you know him? Professional wrestler?”

Alec might not have been a huge fan of wrestling, but he had clients who did the sport and he was always up to date on the industry. Lucas was a small but up-and-coming player in the arena.

Lucas shot up from the table and directed a thunderous glower at Alec. Dylan promptly sat down in the chair he’d vacated.

“Sí, sí, of course. I train him. Is he okay? All good?” Mario’s tone turned a little panicked.

“Oh, he’s fine.” Alec raised an eyebrow at Lucas and mouthed, “Are you ready to piss off yet?” Dylan sniggered. When Lucas didn’t respond, Alec shrugged.

“We appear to have reached an impasse on something, and I wondered perhaps if you could assist. You know, a little like on the old show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire and we’re calling a friend?”

“Ah, sí, yes of course, I know the show.” Mario laughed. “Please, what question do you need answering? I will be the flea in your head.”

Alec swallowed a chuckle. Mario tended to get his idioms mixed up, but it was charming. “I say Hiromo Takahashi is the biggest diva of the Japanese wrestling world, while he’s put forward Kota Ibushi. We have a bet on it so think carefully before replying.”

Marion’s snort echoed down the phone. “Ha, there is no competition. Hiromo takes the biscuit on that one. He is a complete crazy man. You win, Alec.”

Alec laughed. “Thanks, my friend. I’ll no doubt be seeing you at the concert in March when Ravensica come back to London. I look forward to buying you another Negroni at the Dead Dolls House.”

“I look forward to it, my friend. I hope you enjoy the winnings of your bet.”

“Oh, I will, take care, Mario.” Alec disconnected the call and stared challengingly at Lucas. “I think we’ve proved I know your trainer well. I also happen to know he’s a tough cookie and doesn’t take lightly to bullies, seeing as his daughter went through it in school. I bet he’d be charmed to hear my story of when we were together, and I had to call the police.” Alec smiled grimly. “So unless you fancy finding yourself another trainer or being blackballed, I suggest you back the fuck off and go your smarmy way.”

Lucas’s face was paling by the minute. “It was a joke,” he spat. “Christ, you’re as uptight now as you were then.” He waved at Dylan. “Enjoy yourself with Granddad there. You make the perfect couple.” He turned and made his way through the pub, snarling at people to get out of his way.

Alec turned to Dylan. “See, I told you I could—” He stopped short, seeing the smouldering look of desire in his lover’s eyes. The blue was almost black, and the intensity of that gaze on him sent an instant thrill down his stomach to his groin.

“That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Dylan husked out as his hand slid beneath the table to caress the top of Alec’s thigh. “Sweet Jesus, there is something about you when you’re in full-on shit stirrer mode that really turns me on.”

Dylan’s hand crept closer to his groin and Alec swallowed. “I think perhaps we need to take this home,” he managed to say. His heart was beating nineteen to the dozen and his cock was rock-hard within the confines of his jeans.