Havoc (Tattoos and Ties 1)

“Sure, you could. If you think it’s moving too fast, I have a whole upstairs you could use. You’d rarely have to see me.”

There it was again—Alec throwing down a random offer like it wasn’t the nicest, most inviting suggestion in the world. His uncle had been the only person to ever offer Keyes a place to stay. He’d been out on his own since he was sixteen years old. He’d only moved back in with his old man out of club obligation after the accident, and he’d hated every single minute of that shit.

On the other side of the suggestion, he could just see how Alec’s fancy neighbors would love having to see him every day. Alec’s neighbors already put their children behind them in some sort of show of protection as his bike rumbled by.

“It’s not that big a deal. We get along. You’re comfortable here. It’s an option if you need it,” Alec said in Keyes’s silence.

“I can’t stay there. What if you brought another guy home, how would you explain me? I’d be a roommate with benefits. Is that cool in your crowd?” he asked, cringing at his own words. He liked the idea of being at Alec’s so much that he had to squash the excitement and remember his place.

Alec went quiet, causing Keyes to nod his head at no one. Yeah, Alec hadn’t thought about that. When things went south with them and Alec started looking elsewhere, then Keyes living there would totally cramp his style.

“I thought we’d already decided this, but let me ask, would it be a problem for you if I brought someone home?” Goddamn, Alec was like a brain ninja. He had effectively turned the tables on him. He hadn’t expected that question or the visceral response to the mental image of Alec walking through his back door with another guy on his heels.

In his head, he saw Alec turning that heart-clenching grin back to the unknown guy that looked just as handsome and worthy as Alec. Keyes’s vision abruptly jumped to him driving his fist through those imaginary perfect teeth of the douchebag trying to make a move on his guy.

Shit! His guy? No. Remember your place, dickhead.

“I’m FaceTiming you. I hear you breathing, but you’ve gone silent again. I need to see you.”

The phone chimed, asking to change the call to video. He agreed and Alec’s face—or maybe his face, it was dark on the other end of the call—appeared on his screen. Keyes heard the shifting of material and the screen showed images zooming past, but then there was a click and lamp light lit the bedroom. He couldn’t help his grin as Alec appeared on the screen all sleepy eyed with bed tousled hair. No matter the situation, he was fucking sexy as hell.

“This whole time we could do this and you were making me fuckin’ text you?” he asked by way of a greeting. Sexy or not, he wanted an answer.

That brought an instant smile to Alec’s handsome face. “I like your texts. They brighten my day. Plus, I didn’t think you’d like anyone seeing my face.”

“Yeah. That doesn’t explain the nights when I’m alone, and you’re just textin’ all those words, making me reply back,” Keyes said, rolling his eyes for dramatic effect.

Alec only laughed out loud. “I enjoy your texts. Don’t change the subject. Would it bother you if I brought someone else home with me?”

He chose his standard non-answer as his answer as he stared in the screen, just blinking. Fuck yes it would, but he wasn’t sure how Alec felt about that revelation. Alec watched him, his eyes narrowing, the phone moving closer to his face as if he were trying for a better look. Whatever Alec decided made him nod and scoot back to lean against the headboard.

“It would bother me too if you brought someone home. Now, maybe if you invited me to join, that might help me get over it.”

Initially Keyes laughed, then with talk of a three-way, he lost that smile. “I’m not into sharing.”

Alec nodded. “I wouldn’t expect you would be. You’re very loyal. So we’ve established again we’re only having sex with one another?”

“You don’t have to… Just don’t tell me,” Keyes said, wishing he’d never texted Alec tonight. He didn’t want Alec having sex with anyone else. Just the thought pissed him off. That was his ass to tap.

“Lose the look, Rambo. I already told you. We agreed in my kitchen. We’re not having sex with anyone else. I’m possessive where you’re concerned too.” Alec’s smile was back, laughter in his tone. “I get that it’s new for us, but you can stay here as much as you like. We can respect each other’s boundaries until we get more time under us.”

Yeah, right. That made Keyes shoot back, “You aren’t good at respecting boundaries.”