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Alex laughed – this man was his father’s age, but as irreverent and full of energy as his father was staid and boring.

Tyler’s smile faded, and he squeezed Alex’s arm gently. “I was sorry to hear about your mother.”

He felt a familiar stab of pain and looked down at his shoes, not wanting to be reminded of her today, of all days. She would have loved swanning around Oxford, telling everyone about her clever son and his first-class degree .

“Such a tragic accident,” Tyler said. “Isobel was a lovely lady. You must miss her terribly.”

He looked up sharply. “You knew her?”

“Yes, of course. We were all here together – it’s where we all met. She was the most beautiful girl at the university, with that thick, honey-coloured hair, those deep blue eyes, and that big personality. I don’t think there was a young man here who wasn’t a little bit in love with Izzy. Her death was a great loss.”

“Yes, it was,” Alex murmured.

“You don’t look like her,” Tyler remarked, studying him. “You remind me of your grandfather.”

“Everyone says that,” he groaned.

“Well, you do.” Tyler grinned. “The dark hair, the grey eyes – so different to your brother and mother. You’re a Lytton, through and through. So, what’s your degree in, Alexander?”

“Business. I got a first.” He puffed out his chest, wanting to impress this important businessman.

“Really? Congratulations! Your mother would be so proud of you. How sad she couldn’t be here today.”

“Could we stop talking about her?” Alex snapped.

Tyler’s dark eyes flashed in surprise, but he nodded. “Of course – I don’t mean to upset you. So, what’s next for you?” He put his head on one side and studied him thoughtfully. “Joining the family business with a view to taking over the reins from your father one day?”

“Yes. Well, hopefully, anyway. I have a ton of ideas.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Tyler clapped him on the shoulder. “I like meeting bright, enthusiastic young people with big ideas; I’m delighted Lytton AV is going to be in such good hands. Now, I need a drink. It’s been good meeting you, Alexander. I mean it. The Lyttons and the Tylers go back a long way – we’re like family, whatever your old man says.” He winked, shook Alex’s hand again, and then disappeared into the crowd.

Alex picked up the tray of drinks and returned to his father’s side.

“I just bumped into George Tyler.” He handed his father a beer.

“I saw. That bastard had the cheek to offer to buy Lytton AV. Said he was sorry to hear we’re struggling.” His father spat out the words .

“Are we?” Alex asked, sipping his lemonade.

“No, we bloody well aren’t. Okay, so we’re not doing as well as I’d like, but just because he’s got that silly little zone-hopper that seems to have found a niche in the market, doesn’t mean we’re falling behind.”

“Tyler says you and he were here together.”

His father’s jaw tightened. “We were.”

“How come you never talk about it? What happened? Why did you fall out? I mean, you never have a good word to say about him, yet he seems to feel like he’s almost family, so…”

“He’s not,” Noah snapped.

Alex took a sip of his drink and glanced across the marquee. He saw Bax, who was dressed, possibly for the first time in his life, in a formal suit – the only concession to his personality being the bright, floral, and highly experimental holotie around his neck.

Bax had enjoyed a much-gossiped-about affair with one of the boys doing an engineering degree, and their bastard love child was the prototype holotie that Bax had unveiled as his original piece for his fashion degree finals. He was convinced they were going to be all the rage one day. Bax saw him looking across the tent and blew him a theatrical kiss.

His father cleared his throat, and Alex turned back to him. “I liked George Tyler,” he said, knowing it would exasperate Noah. “He seemed nice.”

“He’s a competitor,” his father retorted sharply. “Never forget that. He grew up in our house, was treated as family, and my father paid for his education. He repaid us by starting a rival business.”

“Is that why you fell out?”

“Forget him.” Noah raised his glass and clinked it against his. “This is your big day, son. Let’s enjoy it.”

They filed into the Great Hall for the graduation ceremony. Alex sat next to Bax, who flirted with him outrageously throughout.

“Come on, Alex, sweetie,” Bax whispered in his ear. “This could be your last chance to enjoy the sexual wonderland that is Marlon Baxter. Soon, we’ll all fly away to our new lives, and you’ll regret not sleeping with me forever after. ”

Laughing, Alex caught sight of Neil across the room, glowering at them.

Solange trotted up onto the stage to collect her degree, looking perfect in her black gown and mortarboard, but downcast. Alex felt a pang of guilt; he hoped he hadn’t ruined what should have been one of the happiest days of her life. She met his eye and gave the tiniest glimmer of a smile, so maybe there was a chance he might be forgiven.

After the ceremony, he went in search of his father and brother back at the marquee.

“This calls for champagne,” Noah said, marching off in the direction of the bar.

Charles smiled up at Alex. “It’s good to see you both so happy.”

“It’s good to make him proud of me for a change,” Alex said softly.

Charles patted him sympathetically on the arm. “I think you’ll get on better going forward. Now, that person you wanted us to meet earlier wouldn’t, by any chance, be that stunning girl who smiled at you during the graduation ceremony, would it?”

Alex gave a cheeky grin, and Charles laughed. “Knew it! What’s her name?”

“Solange.”

“Pretty name for a pretty girl. So…” Charles lowered his voice so that only Alex could hear. “Does this mean that you’re… you know, no longer…?”

“Bi? No, I’m still bi, Charles. I still sleep with men.”

“Doesn’t your girl mind?”

He shrugged. “If she does, she doesn’t say. She knew the deal when we first got together.”

“How has the media never found out?”

“Mostly luck, as I haven’t always been that careful.” He grimaced. “Also, they tend to lose interest in me whenever you’re not in the news. One reporter did find out recently, though.”

“Shit. What did you do?”

“I gave him the best blowjob of his life, and he decided to keep it to himself.” He gave a triumphant smirk, and Charles burst out laughing. “What about you?” he asked. “Is there any romance in your life? ”

“I do okay,” Charles winked. “There’s no special lady yet, though. It’s a lot to ask a girl to take on.”

Alex suspected that his brother preferred having a throng of adoring fans to finding one “special lady”. Charles had never been one for steady girlfriends, even before the accident.

“Mum would have loved today.” Charles squeezed his arm gently. “She would have been so proud of you.”

“I hope so. It always seemed like nothing I did mattered compared to your achievements.”

“She adored you,” Charles protested.

“But you were her great creation – the hero she gave to the world. I was always envious of how your rowing meant you got to spend so much time with her.”

Charles chuckled. “She was absolutely determined I was going to be the UK’s first Olympic champion since the resurrection of the Games after the Rising.”

“At least she got her wish before she died.”

“Amen.” Charles squeezed his arm again. “I miss her,” he whispered.

“Me too.” Alex leaned down and rested his forehead against Charles’s. They rarely talked about it, but it was always there, a shared sense of terrible loss.

He drew back, dropped a kiss on his brother’s hair, and then turned in time to see his father returning with a bottle of champagne – and Neil, who was carrying a tray with four glasses.

“I was just congratulating Neil,” Noah said. “I must say, you boys really knuckled down and produced fantastic academic results. I’m proud of you both.”

Alex gave a tight smile; he didn’t want Neil included in his father’s praise.

“Neil was telling me how close you two have become during your time here,” Noah continued.

Alex glanced at Neil, who gazed back at him steadily, a glint of malice in his brown eyes.

“Yeah,” Alex said curtly .

Noah popped open the champagne bottle, and Neil held out the tray.

“Neil’s been good for you,” Noah said as he filled the glasses. “You know, three years ago, when you first left home, I thought Oxford would be a total disaster for you. I used to dread getting a call that you’d been found drugged out of your head in a lost zone somewhere. Yet here you are with a first-class degree – and I think we have Neil to thank for that.”

“Really?” Alex drawled.

Neil gave a self-effacing smile. “Oh no, sir. Alex worked really hard – that’s all down to him, not me. I just provided a steadying influence.”

“Nonsense – you did a great job.” Noah handed around the champagne glasses. “Neil made a brilliant suggestion to me, Alex – one I think you’ll like.”

“Did he really?” Alex felt a hint of foreboding.

“As you boys get on so well together, Neil suggested I buy a place near Lytton AV for you to share. Isn’t that a great idea? As a matter of fact, we’ve got a company flat that you can use.”

Alex glanced from his father to Neil and back again. “You know, that’s a great idea,” he said tightly, knowing he’d been backed into a corner. “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

“Not at all.” His father beamed. “You boys have earned it with your fantastic degree results. Take it as a graduation gift from me.” Noah put one arm around his shoulder and the other around Neil’s.

Alex gazed at Neil blankly, and Neil shot him a darkly triumphant smile in return.

“Neil’s been a good friend to you, Alex.” Noah reached for a glass of champagne and raised it. “To Alex and Neil – congratulations!”

The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze; all Alex could see were Neil’s glittering eyes, filled with gleeful triumph.

He rolled over the options in his mind, but came up empty. Neil had no doubt painted himself as Alex’s saviour in his weekly conversations with his father, and Noah had no reason to disbelieve him.

How could he tell his father about the reality of their relationship? Noah would never trust him again if he knew he’d been lied to for the past three years. Alex could bring Neil down that way, but he’d crash and burn with him. There was no way out; Neil knew it, and he knew it. He was trapped.

He spent the evening downing pints. There was a live band and many of the students started dancing, but he just sat and watched, morosely.

Solange danced with a throng of pretty girls, throwing back her head and laughing too loudly in an obvious way to show him she was having a good time despite him. He didn’t care.

Later, after he’d said goodbye to his father and Charles, he rolled drunkenly back to the party and sought out Neil in a corner of the marquee.

“You fucking shit!” he yelled. “You slimy, creepy, rat-faced, lying arsehole.”

“You’ve had too much to drink, Alex. I should take you home,” Neil said soothingly, putting his hands on his shoulders.

“Don’t touch me,” he said, pulling away. “I fucking hate you.”

“You’re drunk. You’ll think differently in the morning. You need taking care of, Alex, and that’s what I’m good at,” Neil said smugly. “I’m only doing what’s best for you.”

“What’s best for you , you mean.”

“But I thought this was what you wanted – a place of your own, away from The Orchard.” Neil gave a sanctimonious smile, and it was all Alex could do not to bury his fist in that self-satisfied face.

Suddenly, he had a better idea – something that would hurt Neil far more. He lurched outside in search of what he was looking for.

It was close to 3a.m. when he returned to the flat, pulling Marlon Baxter behind him.

“It’s a miracle!” Bax exclaimed as Alex yanked him into the bedroom by his holotie. “Have I really been invited into the holy sanctum – Alexander Lytton’s bedroom? Nobody ever gets in here. It’s like Fort bloody Knox. We used to sit around gossiping about what you were hiding in here.”

“Nothing. It’s just a bedroom.” Alex pushed Bax up against the wall.

“Then why the mystery? I told everyone that it was typical Alex Lytton behaviour – making a big dark secret out of nothing. ”

“I promised Neil I wouldn’t bring anyone home, that’s all, but now that part of my life is over. I’m free.” Alex took hold of Bax’s head and kissed him soundly on the lips.

Bax melted against him. “Oh, dear lord, you do know how to make a boy blush,” he panted.

“I want to do more than make you blush,” Alex said throatily, ripping his shirt open. “There’s just one condition…”

“Hmmm?” Bax gazed at him from heavy-lidded eyes.

“I want you inside me,” Alex told him. “I want you to stick your big hard dick inside me, and fuck me good.”

“Well, I’m usually a big nelly bottom, darling, but I’m sure I could top tonight, if that’s all that’s on offer.” Bax grinned.

“Good – be warned – I’m gonna scream.”

“Oh, me too, sweetie, me too.”

Within seconds, Alex was on his back with his legs over Bax’s shoulders, with Bax pumping away inside him for all he was worth. “Make as much noise as you like,” Alex urged. “That’s it, baby. This is good, isn’t it? Go on – scream your head off.”

Bax, never one to be quiet at the best of times, did just that, yelling so loudly that nobody could possibly sleep through it. Sure enough, a couple of minutes later there was a knock on the bedroom door.

“Alex, are you okay?” Neil asked. “I heard someone yelling, and…” He turned on the light.

Alex shot him a wide, malicious smile over Bax’s shoulder. “Everything’s fine, Neil,” he said triumphantly. “Bax is just fucking me through the mattress. Sorry about the noise. You should get used to it, though, because I’ll be bringing guys home to fuck me all the time when we move into our new flat.”

Jealousy, humiliation, and rage flashed across Neil’s face in quick succession, and Alex knew he’d inflicted the body blow he’d intended.

Bax glanced over his shoulder dismissively. “Sorry, darling, but could you close the door on your way out? There’s a draft on my arse.”

Neil shot Alex a betrayed look and then left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Much later, Alex lay staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Next to him, Bax was sleeping like a baby. He slipped silently out of bed, then reached up and carefully unhooked the Halo of Fire light box from the wall. He carried it across the hallway to Neil’s room and pushed the door open. Neil obviously couldn’t sleep, either, because he looked up when Alex entered the room.

“Here.” Alex threw the light box on his bed. “This is for you. I don’t want it anymore. View it as a memento.”

Neil sat up. “It was a lie, wasn’t it?” he demanded. “All these years, never letting me fuck your arse because you said you don’t like it – that was a lie. You like it fine. You’ve been letting others do it all this time, haven’t you?”

Alex shrugged. “Yes.”

“But not me. Why?”

“Because I wanted something you couldn’t control. You tried to control every other aspect of my life.”

“I hate you,” Neil said wearily, without any venom.

“I hate you, too,” Alex replied, in much the same way. “We’re done, Neil. You can share a flat with me if you want, but I’ll never sleep with you again. You’ll have to watch an endless succession of cute guys pass through my bedroom knowing it’ll never be you.”

Neil took the light box and cradled it in his arms. “You can’t stop me loving you, Alex,” he whispered.

Alex shrugged. “It’s over. Let it go. Let me go.”

As he left, he glanced over his shoulder to see Neil sitting there, with the light box still clutched tightly to his chest.