Chapter 11

Gaige took another bite of whatever Alec ordered for them for dinner and fought off a groan of pleasure. Fancy chandeliers, brown leather chairs, crisp white napkins. It was no wonder a place that looked this refined and classy served great food. Gaige could only assume this was Alec’s strange way of apologizing, or at least saying they were good…for now.

The shock of the night came earlier when Alec had detoured from the route home and brought them here instead. In public. Just the two of them sitting in a cozy restaurant filled with couples. One where everyone spoke German except him.

It was almost like a date, which Gaige thought about pointing out until he noticed Alec sitting across from him running his fingers over the stem of his glass. Gaige couldn’t figure out if the stack of files on the corner of Alec’s desk tugged at his concentration or something else. Maybe the phone from Seth. The answer could be anything, but right now Gaige wanted to concentrate on eating.

Gaige put down his fork and reached for his ice water. “You took my offer seriously the other night. Not last night when we battled in the closet, but the other one.”

As soon as Gaige spoke, Alec lifted his head and met his gaze. Darkness hovered there but quickly blinked out. “You mean the food-for-sex thing? It sounded like a challenge. Consider this me accepting it.”

Better. The more Alec talked, the stronger his voice grew and the coldness that surrounded him faded. Gaige preferred this Alec. This version shot back responses that sounded like jokes every now and then. He was less clenched and poised for battle. If he smiled with a bit more frequency Gaige might spend a lot more time on his knees.

Speaking of which…“It only took cashews to win me over before.”

They’d derailed last night. Picked fighting and posturing for control over bed. It made sense at the time. Gaige had been manipulated by a master. His former business partner and boyfriend had used him, then put a target on his back for Seth to find. Every emotion got twisted. Every feeling destroyed.

Hearing Alec offer a sex-for-information bribe had taken him back to that dark place. This morning he made a choice. A night of not sleeping helped. Seth’s power came from dragging him into the middle. Gaige took himself back out again.

Alec let go of his glass and leaned forward with his elbows on the arms of the chair. “Are you telling me you’re easy?”

The clink of silverware and low rumble of conversation around the room echoed in Gaige’s head. He was pretty sure he’d daydreamed his way through a bit of conversation, but he liked the direction this had taken.

The waitstaff zipped by and a nearby couple drank champagne. Through it all Gaige kept his focus on Alec. Answered him honestly. “For some men.”

“That’s a fascinating comment.”

One that could get them in trouble since they were in public. In an intimate restaurant with about a dozen tables and what appeared to be a locked front door that allowed only a few to enter, and even then through a guard of sorts. But they were out of the office and away from the house, and that’s what mattered to Gaige. He didn’t want Alec to shut down again. This lighter version, the one that lowered his guard and engaged in actual conversation, appealed to Gaige. Made him think last night had not been a mistake.

“What am I eating?” Not being able to read the menu annoyed him but that nuisance did allow him to hear Alec speak German. “You ordering for me was pretty hot, by the way.”

“Schweinebraten mit knödel.”

Yeah, Gaige still had no idea. “Even hotter. Translation?”

“Roast pork with dumplings.”

“Not as sexy in English but still delicious.” Gaige refused to let the food talk kill the mood. Not that answer or the man at the bar who kept staring at Alec. The same one who looked two seconds away from pouncing if Alec glanced in his direction.

Gaige pretended not to notice the open flirting since it ran only one way. Alec hadn’t so much as smiled at the guy.

Alec moved his plate closer to the middle of the table and away from him. “The dish is a specialty here.”

“This is your club.” Gaige continued to eat, knowing Alec could insist they leave at any moment.

“I think you’re really asking a question.”

Gaige looked around the room, though he didn’t have to. He’d memorized the room just in case. Once Seth and his group had started throwing the word “espionage” around, Gaige had stayed alert and ready. He checked out every room he walked into, certain he might need to make a quick escape. Call it habit, but tonight was no different.

“There are less than fifteen tables in here, everyone knows you and there’s a bouncer at the door.” It was that last part that stuck out to Gaige. He didn’t know much about Munich but he doubted most restaurants operated that way.

“It’s a private supper club and I’m a member.”

That sounded like code. Or a lie. Gaige had no idea the real purpose but to him it sounded like some get-together spot for rich people. “But you never eat.”

“I am human, you know.”

Something in Alec’s tone made Gaige do a double take. “So is this where you, well, yeah…”

This time Alec shot Gaige a full smile. “Yes? Go on.”

The flash of warmth had Gaige fighting for breath. He swallowed the piece of meat caught in his throat and struggled to keep his voice even. “You know what I’m asking. Is this where you find men?”

It made sense. He didn’t strike Gaige as the type to hang out in bars or hit on men in the office. Alec had a sex drive. Gaige had experienced it up close and personal. That meant he had to satiate the need somewhere.

The more Gaige looked around the expensive dining room, the more he thought this might be the place Alec went to when he needed to be just Alec. Not the billionaire. Not the guy with all the responsibility. Not the guy who craved privacy above all else.

Alec didn’t answer until Gaige looked at him across the table again. “Men are actually out there, you know, in public. Walking around. Some of them work.”

That was the type of answer Gaige didn’t expect. The half-amused, sarcastic response. He never would have bet Alec had it in him during their first meeting but it came out more since then. “Aren’t you funny tonight.”

“Upstairs is for dining. Downstairs is a private club. That one doesn’t specialize in food.”

“Fascinating.” Gaige understood basement clubs. He’d frequented some of those back in D.C. but none of them looked like this. They usually rocked from the beat of loud music and consisted of a lot of drinking and more than a few newly introduced pairs taking advantage of the darkness to really get to know each other.

Alec tipped his water glass in Gaige’s direction. “I’m happy you think so.”

“Guten abend.” The man from the bar appeared at the side of their table without warning.

Gaige pegged his age around thirty. He had a lean frame and a beard, g. Glasses and a bit of an artist vibe to him. He didn’t really fit in a room full of businessmen and couples. Gaige couldn’t help but wonder how he got past the door security.

Alec stared at the newcomer without saying a word, so Gaige took over the greeting. “Hello.”

“You don’t speak any German?” Alec asked Gaige while seeming confused by the idea.

“I speak English and Spanish. Neither help here.” The shadow hadn’t moved and the man still hovered, so Gaige glanced at him again. “Sorry to interrupt your big play. You were saying?”

The visitor never broke eye contact with Alec. He set a glass of wine in front of him as he switched to English. “This is for you.”

The glass sat on the edge of the table, teetering on a fold in the white tablecloth. The waiter came over and started to talk to their unwanted guest but Alec waved him away.

“There are more where that came from,” the man said to Alec, ignoring the rest of the room.

“I’m taken tonight.”

With that, the man spared Gaige a quick glance. “If he’s the problem you should know I don’t mind a third.”

Not the most enthusiastic offer he’d ever gotten but Gaige had heard worse. “You’ve got to give him credit for thinking quickly.”

A small smile played on Alec’s lips before a blank expression returned and he looked at their visitor again. “I’m not in a sharing mood.”

The man exhaled. It was dramatic enough for his shoulders to fall. “Maybe next time.”

Alec shrugged. “Maybe.”

The man skipped a return trip to the bar and walked out the door and into the noisy Munich night. Gaige had no idea what to make of the guy’s obvious play. It seemed off for a supposedly private club, but Alec wasn’t making a scene so Gaige didn’t either.

He fumbled with the right thing to say and finally gave up and said what was on his mind. “Apparently the upstairs and downstairs mix here.”

“Actually, no.” Alec frowned. “This really is a restaurant.”

Alec had shifted back into assessing mode. He scanned the restaurant and pushed his plate a few more inches away from him. The relaxed mood fell away and he was back to being half on guard.

“His offer.” Just thinking about Alec in bed with two men had a run of images fast-forwarding through Gaige’s mind. “Not your thing?”

“Did you want me to take him up on it?”

No. The answer blared through Gaige’s head. The idea of sharing Alec washed away some of the excitement of the evening. “Nah. Just wondered if your bedroom rules extended past one-on-one only.”

“It’s been a long time since I went in for a threesome.” Alec shifted in his seat as he seemed to focus just on the two of them again. “For someone in my position it can be…reckless.”

The comment was a reminder of how little he understood Alec’s life. “Are you worried about bad press?”

“More like worried about being kidnapped. Two against one is risky. I can defend against one.”

The words knocked into Gaige with the force of a punch. “I never thought of that.”

“Me either until a few years ago when a guy I slept with tried to blackmail me.” Alec played with his knife until the waiter came and asked if he could clear his plate, then took it all away. “He thought I’d be upset if people found out I was gay.”

Gaige couldn’t imagine that. Not from Alec. He practically oozed confidence. “I’m assuming he miscalculated.”

“Those years are long behind me, but I did finally have to admit that money made me a target.”

Gaige sure didn’t get that. He had money, enough to pay rent and for the necessities, but that was it. No extras, and even that was on shaky ground since Seth kept coming for him. Gaige squirreled away cash now…just in case. “I take it your brothers don’t care about you being gay.”

“Finn is bisexual, so no. Griff is…well, Griff. He doesn’t really care about anyone’s personal life.” Alec nodded in Gaige’s direction. “What about you?”

Alec smiled as he talked about his brother. It was an unexpected and unguarded moment. One Gaige planned to call up during those times when Alec’s demanding nature hit overdrive. He gave off an alone vibe but he hadn’t severed ties with his brothers.

“No siblings.” Gaige inhaled as he dove into a brief summary of his family. “My mom died in a car accident when I was six. My dad is a professor. Like, the tweed jacket–wearing type. You want to know about Russian literature? He’s your man.”

“Wow.”

“Very intellectual but when it comes to the topic of my sexuality he sort of flinches. It’s like he knows the truth because I came out to him, but the totality of his response was ‘fine.’ ”

Alec’s eyebrow rose. “Fine?”

“Yeah and then we never talked about it again. Any guy I brought around he insisted on calling a friend so…” Gaige went back to eating. Gnawing hunger no longer plagued him but holding the utensils gave him something to do with his hands. He tended to fidget when this topic arose. He didn’t want to telegraph that weakness to Alec.

“So, basically, it’s okay that you’re gay so long as he doesn’t have to see it, talk about it, think about you dating a man or meet a boyfriend.”

Some of the tension eased across Gaige’s shoulders. It hit him with such force that he glanced around to see if anyone else noticed. But they all kept eating and talking and enjoying their privacy.

Gaige was starting to get why Alec liked this club so much.

“So, you’ve met my dad?”

Alec nodded. “Let’s say I’m familiar with the type.”

The wording. The way his voice turned monotone. It set off Gaige’s curiosity and had him aching to poke around. Yesterday, he would have backed off. Chalk it up to the blow job or the passing of hours, but today he didn’t intend to back away so easily. Not in any respect.

He put his fork down and focused on Alec. “Okay, I’m going to ask a personal question. So if that’s going to make you storm out before I finish my food, let me know.”

Alec held up his hand before Gaige even finished his sentence. “You want my story. Well, my dad was not fine with having a bisexual son.”

Bisexual? “Wait, you mean Finn?”

“He thought Finn was acting out and would settle down.” Alec folded his napkin on his lap. A second later he dragged it back up and set it on the table. “He never knew I was gay.”

Talk about dropping a bombshell. Gaige tried to count all the comments and innuendos they needed to unpack. First, the most obvious. “Past tense?”

“You didn’t research my family and uncover all our dirty secrets?”

“I didn’t know I was visiting your business when Seth picked me up back in D.C.”

Alec scoffed. “Visiting? Interesting word choice.”

“I thought about studying up on you. You know, more than the usual that everyone seems to know about your wealth and general grumpiness. Didn’t want to freak you out.” But, damn, he’d been tempted.

“That was probably a good call.”

Gaige wasn’t so sure. “Because?”

He had the business computer at the office, the one from Seth that Alec put in a safe at the end of every day, and a phone in his bag that Alec didn’t know to confiscate. All of those provided a direct line to more information about Alec and his family. But Gaige sensed that poking around would piss Alec off.

That wasn’t the only issue. In truth, part of him wanted Alec to share pieces of his life. It was stupid and didn’t make sense. They’d been thrown together for a short time only. They’d put sex on the table because attraction burned between them. None of that amounted to being friends, confidants or anything more.

Alec clenched the napkin in his hand, wrinkled it into an accordion before opening his hand again. “This feels like a boyfriend conversation and I’m not really into that.”

“Since you’re going to be inside me before the night is over, I think you can share this detail.”

“When you put it that way…” Alec motioned for the waiter.

“Do not even think of moving. I’m still eating.”

“Fine.” Less than a minute later the check appeared on the table in a small leather binder. Alec’s nod had the waiter dropping it and taking off again. After a few more beats of silence, Alec started talking again. “My dad was an asshole. Like, a complete asshole. I never came out to him because he would have kicked me out of the family business. Later I was busy maneuvering a hostile takeover to get him removed from power, so I kept a low profile.”

Damn. “That’s some messed up family drama right there.”

“It’s far worse, but you get the idea.”

But he didn’t really. Gaige grew up in a bubble of denial where it was okay to support things in public but that didn’t mean they were okay at home. He spent half the time growing up choking on the hypocrisy. To survive it, he plunged his mind into games and computers. Into a fantasy life that kept him sane while reality messed with his head.

He knew other people had it worse. He just never imagined a man like Alec, someone so clear about pleasure and firm in his self-assurance, grew up another way. “Your dad never guessed?”

“It was beyond his comprehension that one of his sons could be gay. That never would have been allowed.”

“And now he’s gone.” Gaige tried to imagine the guilt and frustration that might linger behind after something like that.

“He died of pancreatic cancer. I can’t tell you much else because he banned me from the hospital and from the funeral.”

Way to kill the mood, Owens. “Jesus. I’m sorry.”

“We were estranged.” Alec broke eye contact and turned to the check. He signed his name with an almost unreadable scrawl.

Gaige watched every move. “Sounds like an understatement.”

“It is what it is.” Alec still hadn’t looked up.

Tension wrapped around them. Gaige missed the comfort that surged between them earlier. A brittle coolness fell over the table now. This was his fault for pushing. He got that. But he also needed Alec to know how transparent that attempted shift of topic really was. “That’s not believable, you know.”

Alec lifted his head and shot Gaige a frown. “What?”

“The act where you pretend you don’t care about not being close to your dad.”

Alec pointed the end of the pen at Gaige’s plate. “You done eating?”

And like that they were back to strangers. “Too much sharing for one evening?”

“I’m ready for something other than talking.”

Angry sex. Gaige could see it coming. He should say no…but he wasn’t going to. “Let’s go.”