The next day, Nick woke to someone beating on his door. He rolled over and bumped into a lump on the bed next to him. He groaned at that and at the headache throbbing through his head. How the fuck could Alex do this day after day. The damn hangovers just weren’t worth it in his opinion.

Alex. Warm body in the bed next to him. Nick’s eyes flew open as he stared at the comforter covered lump. With a shaky hand, he reached out and uncovered the head of whoever it was, praying it wasn’t who he thought it might be. He couldn’t remember much past the third gay bar they’d cruised that night. Alex was picky about his men. They had to have certain qualities, or he just wasn’t interested. That had put a smile on Nick’s face, because Alex was interested in him. He’d made that clear the other night and that put Nick in a category with a select few.

Nick let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding as he saw the face of the man in bed with him. It wasn’t Alex. Bits and pieces came flooding back to him. In the fourth bar they’d went to, Alex had finally found what he was looking for. Tall, dark and muscular. Eerily like Kevin, but Nick had wisely kept his mouth shut on that point. Nick had found this guy. Good enough looking to fuck, but not personal enough to let stay the night. They must have passed out, or Nick would have sent him packing hours ago.

Damn. The knocking was back. Rolling out of bed, he yanked the covers back and smacked the still sleeping guy on the ass, smirking when he let out a yelp of surprise. "Time to get up gorgeous. It’s been fun, but I got things to do today."

The guy wasn’t dumb. He knew he was being dismissed. Didn’t much care either. He hadn’t intended to stay the night anyway…must have passed out.

Nick pulled on sweatpants as he headed out the bedroom door. "I got company. I’ll see you downstairs in a few, right?"

The nameless guy nodded and got out of bed searching for his jeans.

Nick threw open the door on yet another round of knocking and doorbell ringing. He sighed when he saw who it was. "Making a habit out of waking my ass up Kev?"

"It’s noon Nick, your ass should have been up hours ago." Kevin deadpanned.

"You knew I was going out last night. And besides, it’s my day off. I can get up any damn time I want."

"Whatever."

"What do you want, Kev?"

Before Kevin could answer, a man suddenly appeared beside Nick. Nick turned and smiled. The guy smiled back and said, "I left my number on your dresser. Call me some time."

Nick leaned in and kissed him, their tongues tangling quickly, the guy grabbing Nick’s ass for one last squeeze before leaving. Nick pulled back and smiled again. "Sure thing, babe. I had a good time."

The guy blushed and walked past Kevin, nodding hello as he went.

Kevin just stared at Nick, not sure how to react to that. Then he heard Alex’s voice.

"Damn, Kaos, who the fuck is knockin' down your door?"

Nick turned and walked away from the door, leaving it open for Kevin to walk in. "It’s Kevin. He thought it might be fun to watch my one night stand feel me up as he left."

Kevin closed the door behind him and followed Nick to the kitchen where Alex was standing in nothing but a pair of boxers, a drink already in hand.

"You let the guy stay?"

"Didn’t intend to, just happened. Guess we passed out after we fucked."

Kevin didn’t know how much more he could deal with. They were both talking so non-chalantly about it. "Nick, Alex knows about you?"

"Yeah he does. What’s the big deal?" He asked, seeing the look of surprise on Kevin’s face.

"I thought you wanted it kept a secret, that’s all."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Not from Bone. He could care less. I don’t want Brian or Howie to know. Don’t think they’d understand, you know?"

Kevin nodded. That made sense. He glanced over at Alex and tensed as he lifted a shot glass to his mouth. There was a bottle of JD sitting on the counter next to him.

"Early start, huh?"

Alex set down his shot glass and glared at him. "Fuck you Kevin."

Normally Kevin took it as a bad sign when Alex started swearing, but right now, after the detached way he’d treated him yesterday, he looked at furious and swearing Alex as an improvement. "Don’t think so. Not my thing."

Alex turned and poured another shot. Didn’t he know it. Fuck. He didn’t need to be reminded. Last night had been a nice escape. The guy he’d finally settled on had looked a lot like Kevin, especially from behind. He hadn’t even had to close his eyes to imagine it was him as he rammed himself into the guy’s ass.

"Where’s your lay?" Nick asked, careful not to specify genders.

"Long gone." Alex answered, downing another shot.

"Thought you said you and Sara were still together?" Kevin interrupted.

Alex shrugged. "We have an understanding. She knows I’m not the faithful type, and I know she isn’t. Works for us."

Wow, a civil comment. Maybe there was hope, Kevin thought.

"So Kev, you never answered my question. Why are you here?"

"I thought we could talk." As soon as he said it, he knew he’d screwed up. He should have made something up. He had come to talk to Nick, it was true, but he hadn’t thought Alex would actually be there. He wasn’t known lately for following through with plans. Kevin had just assumed he’d ditch Nick somewhere along the way last night.

"You mean about me, right? Come to try to sway Nick to your side? Turn him against me the way you did Brian and Howie?"

Kevin looked over at him. He flinched. The hate was back. "I didn’t turn anyone against you, Alex. Hell, I’m not against you. We’re all for you, can’t you see that? We just want to help you. I can’t just stand here and watch you self-destruct without doing something to try and save you from yourself."

Alex slammed his glass down and advanced on Kevin. When he was inches away he stared up into his face. Through clenched teeth he said, "I don’t need to be saved, Kevin. I like the way I am. It’s your problem if you don’t. I show up at all the damn meetings your obsessively anal ass schedules, I do all the other group related stuff and I do it well. Just because I got dizzy on a cat walk the other night does not mean I need to be saved from myself. If anything, I need to be saved from you." He poked him in the chest with his last words.

Kevin grabbed his hand as he poked him, realizing belatedly that yet again, it was the hand Alex had jacked himself with days earlier. Sparks shot between them and an unreadable emotion flickered in Alex’s eyes. Kevin felt like he’d been hit by lightning. What the fuck was going on with him? He just didn’t know anymore. He was getting turned on almost constantly by thoughts of Alex and having Kris with him now wasn’t helping the way he thought it would. Sex with her wasn’t what it used to be. He was left wanting more.

And now? Now as he looked down into Alex’s eyes, all he wanted to do was grab him and kiss him. Without another word, he pushed Alex’s hand away and turned, walking out the front door and slamming it behind him. He had to get away. Away from Alex and all the thoughts he was having. He was straight damnit. Even if Howie hadn’t misunderstood him and Alex was in love with a guy meaning he was bi, it didn’t matter because he, Kevin Richardson, was straight and married. And besides, Alex was in love with Nick, not him, so it didn’t matter anyway.

Back in the house, Nick and Alex stared at each other, both not having a clue as to what had just happened. One minute, Alex and Kevin had been in a heated argument and Nick had been worried it was going to come to blows, and the next? Kevin had just turned and walked out without another word.

Nick laughed nervously. "Well, that was different."

Alex shook his head, still shaken by the electricity he’d felt flow between him and Kevin. He couldn’t be sure, but he’d swear he saw desire flicker in Kevin’s eyes. He had to be wrong. How many drinks had he had already, anyway? Had to be the alcohol fucking with his mind. Kevin was straight and married. No way did he want him.

"Uh, yeah. Very different." He mumbled, heading back over for his bottle. Grabbing it, he decided to screw the shot glass and brought the whole fifth to his lips.

Nick watched, his stomach sinking. Kevin may have gone about it the wrong way, but he was right. Alex was drinking way too much and he needed help. He just didn’t know how to convince him of that without loosing his friendship in the process the way the others had.


Chapter Thirteen
BROKEN LOVE Contents