Page 136 of A Quick Buck

“Yes, Mr. Star,” Junior confirmed. “We’ll take care of it.”

“I’ll call the volunteers and get this bottle to the lab,” Erasmus said.

“Me and Mace can check all the food and shit,” Junior offered. “Put that super sniffer of his to work. I’ll let Frida and Jamie know what’s up.”

“Good.” Alistair looked to Mace. “Mace, call Crybaby. Let her know what’s happening. Put her in charge of organizing the volunteers when they arrive.”

“You got it, boss.”

“Thank you.” Alistair kept an arm around Noah’s shoulders and pulled him toward the master bedroom.

“Wait, can we… can we not?” Noah froze.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can we stay in here?”

Alistair frowned, but he said, “Of course.” He glanced at his employees. “You all know what to do.”

Everyone left and the door shut behind them. The moment they were alone, Noah sagged against Alistair’s chest.

“Holy fuck,” he whispered brokenly.

“Talk to me,” Alistair said, holding him close.

“All of this.” Noah swallowed back some bile. “We just, we just did all that crazy shit with Mickey and Roger, I feel like a fuckin’ whore or like some sort of crazy person, and, and, and you somehow manage to find a fuckin’ guy named Patrick Allan who isnotmy uncle? And someone is trying to kill me now? Why me?”

Alistair listened intently, waiting for Noah to finish before he spoke. “You are not insane or a whore. I know the level of vulnerability you allowed yourself to experience tonight was new, and I had planned for us to discuss it more in depth at a later time. And we shall. But right now my immediate focus is your safety.”

“Is this because of you?” Noah suddenly asked. “Is someone targeting me because we’re fucking?”

“That is possible, but very unlikely. I’m not the kissing and telling type. Other than the party, we have not made a public appearance except visiting the club tonight, but I believe the bottle in question was here before my arrival?”

“Well… yeah.” Noah wished he could remember. “I think it was. Before the party at least.”

“Then I do not believe you were being targeted because of associating with me.” Alistair paused. “Did you not notice that the bottle had been tampered with?”

“If I fuckin’ had, would I have drank it?” Noah cringed. “Sorry. I’m just… I’m kinda fucked up right now.”

“I understand. You’ll notice I have not been addressing your language.”

“Thank fuck for that.” Noah tried to smile.

“You cannot think of anyone who would want to harm you? No spurned lovers? No one at all?”

“No. No one. Not unless it’s some stupid high school shit. I’ve never done anything that would make somebody wanna fuckin’ kill me! I’m an asshole, okay, yes, but… I can’t… I just… fuck.” Noah took a deep breath, trying to stop his hands from shaking. “I don’t deserve to die for being an asshole!”

“I know, sweet boy.” Alistair gently nudged Noah toward the bed and sat with him on the edge of the mattress. “Don’t worry. I am going to keep you safe.”

“I was ready to fuckin’ dump you.”

“I was ready to kill Patrick and remain ready to do so if I find him guilty. Dumping me is quite fair, dear Noah. But even if we are to part ways, I would still not want anything to happen to you.” Alistair took Noah’s hands, kissing them gently. “You’re my boy. I care about you. I will keep you safe until we discover who is behind this, I promise. If you do not feel comfortable remaining here while your life is being threatened, I will let you leave tonight. I can send Junior or one of the others with you to a hotel.”

Noah’s heart thumped, and now his hands were shaking for a new reason. In the midst of all this insanity and building dread, he was drawn to Alistair in a way he couldn’t explain. He’d never wanted someone so much, and the desire coursing through him was more than merely sexual.

Oh, sex was certainly part of it, abigpart, but he didn’t just want to fuck Alistair. He wanted to be with him, to make him proud, to be good for him…

Alistair’s claim that he would still try to protect him even if they weren’t together meant something too. Noah’s worth to his partners had only ever lasted a few nights and immediately expired thereafter. Maybe he was a sucker, maybe it was pathetic, but he knew then he wasn’t going anywhere.