Order (Tattoos and Ties 2)

“That’s your fake smile.” Key yelled the words in order to be heard over the continued cheering. Alec dropped his phone inside his suit coat pocket, taking so much comfort in Key being there with him.

“You bet,” he said, pretty certain he couldn’t be heard.

“The screen’s gone black. Can you still hear me?” Key yelled again. “Nod if you can.”

Alec nodded, and maybe ten seconds later, when the crowd quieted to let his father continue speaking again, he heard Key’s encouragement in his ear. “You got this. Keep that smile on your face. You look hot as shit.”

A genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at Key’s appraisal. The brother who had so intently ignored him backstage, knocked him in the arm, pretending some sort of comradery as Key said, “You’re the best lookin’ one of the bunch. I bet they fuckin’ hate that.”

“You’re good for my ego.” Alec kept his smile plastered on his face not because he had to but because Key made him smile.

“What?” his brother asked, stealing some of his happy.

“Ignore him. Focus on me. Want me to sex-talk you right now?”

Alec laughed and shook his head no. To get a hard-on on stage would be horrible when his father’s team replayed this night, picking apart every detail for the future.

Key laughed about ten seconds later. “Okay, lift your hand and wave to me.”

He did, using the moment to look out over the crowd and wonder how the people gathered there would voluntarily choose to vote for his father.

“Okay, jump up and down.”

“I’m not doing that.”

“Flip off your father and punch your shitty brother in his smug face—that’s what I’d do if I were there.” The sinister tone Key took felt protective even if the words were shouted at him. But the place was settling down to listen to his father’s over inflated ego go on and on about his win. Alec looked at the camera and lifted his finger to his lips, then gave a wink. Ten seconds later, Key chuckled into his ear. “Sorry.”

“No problem. You’re helping. I wished I could do exactly what you suggested,” he said a little louder than a whisper.

“I’ve never watched anything like this before. I think you’re tryin’ to make me civilized.”

Alec couldn’t help the sudden burst of laughter. Both his mother and brother gave him questioning glances, and his father stopped midsentence to look back at him, uncertain what prompted such a response. That just made his grin brighter and his giggle continue.

After the delay, Key started laughing in his ear. He must look more ridiculous than he realized. That was all right too. Music playing and he looked around, his family had started toward his dad, so he followed, again shaking his hand. To Alec’s surprise, his father clasped an arm around him, giving him a side hug, and he waved out to the audience. The campaign’s photographer was there, snapping their happy picture of family unity. Such a fucking lie.

Less than twenty seconds after they were backstage, hidden behind the curtain, his father started in on him. “I’m getting past tired of your antics. Do you know what they would have said about me tonight had you not shown up?”

“I didn’t know. It never even occurred to me that you’d want me anywhere near here tonight,” Alec stated, immediately on guard and defensive.

“I doubt that very seriously.”

Alec narrowed his eyes, wondering what he meant by that.

“Ryan, not here. He’s always been rebellious. We know what to expect with him,” his mother said, laying a guiding hand on his father’s arm.

“What a fuckin’ dick.” Key’s voice filled his ear. “Fuck that fucked-up shit. Now I seriously wanna lay that motherfucker out.”

Alec watched his father roll his shoulders and shake his head at Alec in disgust before turning away. He wrapped an arm around his mother’s waist and one around his sister’s shoulders. His family was so in sync they just knew to move together, taking many steps away from him. Alec stood there, staring after them, and released a pent-up breath. Only then did he notice the staffers standing around, staring at him as if his very presence dampened the enthusiasm of the win. He tucked his chin to his chest and took off in the other direction, the way he’d come in.

“Why’re you quiet? You’re never quiet.”

Because he had nothing to say. He had dropped everything he had planned, canceling an evening meeting with Reed and ditching his time with Key, all to come when his family called. It had taken him hours to get from Dallas to Austin during that time of day, and he was left with the same deep down hurt feelings he always had after being around his family. When would he ever learn? It seemed he wouldn’t. He’d always be just like this where they were concerned.