Order (Tattoos and Ties 2)

“I’m trying to remove the obstacles in our way. I’ve quit the DA’s office—I only stayed this long because of Key. I’ve accepted another position as head legal counsel for Reed Kensington’s Arik Layne Properties account. He owns the Escape Resort properties, and the headquarters are local,” Alec explained, wanting to help ease Clyde’s fears or at least let the man know how seriously Alec took Key’s welfare. “I want us to move out to Westlake together.”

“What does Key have to say about that?” Clyde asked as he downed the amber liquid he’d just poured.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” he answered, after realizing the truth to Clyde’s answer.

“Alec, you understand what you’re dealing with, right?” Clyde asked, placing his glass on the small bar top.

“I understand Key. I know he’s a good and caring man. Perhaps a little rough around the edges, but a good man—better than most.”

“That didn’t come easy for him. When I found him, he was barely in school, close to living on the streets even though he technically lived with his father,” Clyde explained, his expression growing hard as he stared unseeingly at Alec.

“He’s told me you were responsible for getting him through school and you pushed him to get his mechanics license. He gives you credit for all his successes.” Alec watched Clyde grow more agitated. The man paced the small room. The silence thickened, and he could sense Key’s uncle held back everything he wanted to say. He stood in his spot and watched as the other man worked through his demons with another long pause. Alec had no idea what to do or say to ease the heaviness hanging between them. Then Clyde suddenly turned back to Alec and gave him a hard stare.

“The first time he spent the night here in this house— No, let me go further back. I’d given Key a phone in case of an emergency. He kept it hidden from his father. One night that sorry man had beaten Key up pretty badly and kicked him out of the house. Keyes called me. I picked him up. He was about ten years old at the time. That night, I heard the front door open about three o’clock in the morning. Thought it might be a burglar so I got out of bed to check it out. I found Keyes outside. His clothes were wet. He’d had an accident in the bed during the middle of the night. I felt so sorry for him. He looked so young and scared, so lost. See, ever since he was a small boy, he had wet the bed, and when that happened, no matter the time of year, he was put outside for the remainder of the night. And bless his little soul, that child believed that being shoved outside was a normal punishment for having an accident in bed. That broke my heart,” Clyde explained, disgust and pain clear on his face.

Alec’s heart hurt hearing that story.

“Even after I explained how things should be, the boy still hid a backpack behind one of my porch chairs with a change of clothes and a blanket for when it was cold outside,” Clyde continued. “At ten years old, he’d spent so many nights on the front porch that he had already gotten into survival mode. Key’s life has been all about surviving. He’s never owned more than he can fit inside a duffel bag, and I’d venture to say, he’s saved as many dollars as he possibly could. He knows what it’s like to be hungry and abused and sick with no medical care, yet he still turned out to be a man who could display a deep pride in something as simple as having a small puppy.”

A lump swelled in Alec’s throat as those words broke his heart. The wonderful man caring for their small dog outside that door had been through hell. Alec hurt for the man he loved. His gaze moved to the big window in the living room. Key was there, walking slowly along with Nash. He was such an unassuming man. His hands were in his pockets, his ball cap turned backward. That was a new look that Alec loved, especially when his hair was loose and flowed down his shoulders. It occurred to him he hadn’t seen Key pile his hair on top of his head in a good while. He actually couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Key do that.

“I only want to make his life better. If he would leave with me, I’d take us far away from here. I’d make a life for him that he deserves. I love him with all my heart.”

Clyde was silent, and after several moments, Alec lifted his gaze back to Clyde who pleaded for Key. “Please don’t jerk him around. He’s come a long way and deserves an easier life.”