Solange. Hearing her name broke Alex out of his indecision. He’d promised Ted he’d be strong for Solange, and he would. He couldn’t crack now after he’d worked so hard.
He poured the champagne, served the meal, and laughed and chatted about the old times. Then, as the alcohol worked its magic, he put his hand on Bax’s arm.
“So, this thing with Ryan… is it an open relationship?” he purred.
Bax stared at him, his eyes heavy-lidded and tipsy. “Open? Oh! No. Well, unless you count my legs, darling. They’re usually open.”
Alex laughed and leaned in a little closer. “I was thinking, we could make it even more like old times. My bedroom is just along the hallway.”
Bax blinked at him. “Uh… are you seducing me, Alexander Lytton?”
“It depends.” Alex grinned. “Is it working?” He ran the back of his hand over Bax’s cheek. “You’re still as sexy as hell.”
“I’m also as engaged as hell.” Bax brandished his ring finger at Alex.
“He doesn’t need to know,” Alex whispered.
Bax sat very still, his pupils dilating with desire. “You know, you are still so very dangerous,” he said at last in a very small voice. “You were then, and you are now.”
“I know, but you like dangerous. You always did love the bad boys.” Alex gave a wolfish grin and leaned in to kiss Bax’s jaw.
Bax moaned softly – but then pulled away. “No, darling, really… I wouldn’t do that to Ryan.” He buried his face in his hands. “What am I thinking? You’ve cast a spell on me. I would never, ever betray Ryan. I love him to bits.”
“Of course you do. This isn’t about love, it’s about unfinished business.” Alex took hold of Bax’s wrists and pulled his hands away from his face. “You’ve always wanted me, remember.”
“Oh, yes, I remember. Three years of panting after you, lusting after you, yearning for you. My right hand was quite worn out by the end of it.” Bax swallowed hard. “But I had you, remember, darling. On graduation night, I finally had you, then.”
“Not the way you wanted me,” Alex reminded him. He took Bax’s fingers into his mouth and sucked on them slowly, then released them. “I made you fuck me because I wanted to get back at Neil. Well, this time, I’ll fuck you. That’s what you want, isn’t it? You’ve never had that.”
Bax’s eyes sparkled in the candlelight.
“Come on – for old times’ sake.” Reaching out, Alex undid the holotie, tugged it loose, and then began unbuttoning Bax’s shirt.
Bax licked his lips, his face an agony of desire warring with indecision.
“Shh, don’t think so much. Just go with it,” Alex purred, nuzzling his neck, burning hot kisses into his skin, his lips insistent, his seduction sure-footed, knowing he was pressing all Bax’s buttons, playing him like a musical instrument.
Bax moved his head as if he was going to kiss him on the lips, then changed direction and pecked him on the cheek instead. He pushed his chair back.
“It’s very tempting, but no,” he said firmly. He’d sobered up, and his eyes were full of contempt. “I don’t think I knew you very well back then, and I certainly don’t know you now. But I do know myself. I have everything I want, and I’m not going to risk it all for one night with you, as wonderful as I know it’d be. You’re the devil, Alexander Lytton; all you’ve ever done is tempt me. But I’ll be damned if I’ll let you destroy me. I don’t know what’s going on here, but I feel nothing but pity for you now, you poor, sad creature. Still dressing like you did at university, living in this hermetically sealed environment, sketching feeble little drawings as if they’re real art.” He waved his hand at Alex’s sketching pad, his lip curling with disgust. “I don’t know what you are now, but you aren’t a bad boy. You’re pathetic, and that’s not my schtick. I don’t do pity fucks, darling.”
He tightened his holotie with a flourish and, with one last, withering look, stalked out of the room.
Alex sat there in silence, his heart beating fast. He wanted to punch the air in triumph and run around the room, screaming in joy that Bax had shown his true colours. Marlon Baxter would make it, with or without Tyler’s money, and Alex was fairly sure it’d be without. He hoped Bax would find another backer; the holotie was both fun and elegant, much more so than the clunky prototypes had promised.
He tried not to think about the look of contemptuous pity in Bax’s eyes as he’d left. Bax didn’t know about Solange. If he had, he wouldn’t have judged him so harshly. It didn’t matter what Bax thought of him, anyway. He wasn’t important. All that mattered was Solange.
But he quaked inside. Would Tyler punish him for his failure, even though he’d done everything he could to persuade Bax into bed? He’d tried to seduce him to the best of his abilities, to reel him in for Tyler to trap. He hoped that would be enough.
It had taken all his strength and cunning to put on this performance this evening. Now, all he could do was wait for Tyler’s verdict.
Chapter Twenty-One
NOVEMBER 2095
Josiah
Josiah ran across the street to where the two Inquisitus guards were stationed in their duck.
