Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet #2)(10)

That was it. Fuck frail. He wasn’t going to let his father die without cold-cocking him at least once. Keyes again started for his father, but he should have known better. He got within range and his father spit at him. A thick wet wad landed on his chest. Keyes leaped for the truck, but Hound bravely, if not stupidly, slid between the two of them. His big hands landed on Keyes’s chest.

“Let it go, Key. It’s not worth it. Everybody’s watchin’.”

He didn’t fucking care who watched, let Jesus Christ himself watch him make that sorry old man eat his words. The exertion proved too much for his father as he collapsed into a horrible coughing fit, which helped Keyes clear his single-minded tunnel vision bent on destruction. He looked over to see his customers and employees staring at the tow truck. Thank God they couldn’t get the full visual.

Keyes took a mental step back.

“See? Fuckin’ coward,” his father managed to say between bouts of coughing.

Keyes followed the mental step with a physical step backward. He turned away, the tic in his jaw double-timing in his anger. He rolled the T-shirt from the hem up until he covered the spit wad, then pulled his shirt over his head. Keyes didn’t look back as he started for the shop and the change of clothes he kept in the back office.

No one said a word as he stalked up the steps and disappeared inside.





Alec followed the sidewalk leading to the entrance of Gloria’s. The food smelled amazing, and as he made his way through the outside seating area toward the front doors of the restaurant, he spotted several delicious looking dishes on the tables as he approached the hostess stand. He waited in line for his turn to be seated and grabbed a menu, giving it a quick glance. Like he found himself doing all the time, he easily ticked off several appetizers he wanted to try then rescanned the selections, picking the ones he thought Key might like. He wished there was a way to place a to-go order and have it delivered to Key. He just wasn’t sure how to make it happen without leaving, at the very least, a paper trail leading back to him.

“Just one?”

Alec looked up to see a handsome young waiter standing in front of him.

“No, two. Can we eat outside?”

“Sure. Come this way.” The guy grabbed silverware and another menu, leading Alec back the way he’d come to one of the tables with a large open umbrella. It was a beautiful day outside, the wind was light with a soft alluring breeze and the temperature was easing off from the intense summer heat. Alec again felt the good fortune of the great moment he experienced—he loved looking at life in this way. He also gave Key props for helping change his perspective.

Alec hiked a leg over the bench seat and sat at the table as a cocktail napkin and the silverware were placed in front of him. “Can I get you a drink?”

“I think I’ll stick with iced tea,” Alec said and pointed to the order of loaded nachos on the menu. “I’m starving. How do these rate?”

The waiter grinned knowingly. “They’re good. One of the most ordered items on the menu.”

“Bring me that while I wait,” he said, his mouth already watering. He had a newfound hang-up for anything hot and spicy since meeting Key. It was his mister’s first choice every time they ordered anything together.

“Sweet or unsweet iced tea?”

Just when Alec thought he’d been fully indoctrinated into the Southern culture, he had forgotten something so basically engrained as how iced tea should be sweetened.

“Let’s do a half and half. Have any mango or pineapple flavoring for the tea?” Alec asked, releasing the buttons at his wrists and carefully rolling up his sleeves.

“Pineapple—it’s a fresh puree.” The guy grinned, maybe with a hint of interest gleaming in his eye. Funny, there was a time that would have been all he needed, but not anymore. Not since Key, and Alec recognized the absurdity of how many times he’d considered his boyfriend in the last two minutes. He was ridiculously in love with that man.

“Perfect.”

The waiter left as Alec heard an alerting chirp from his phone. He fished the phone out of his pocket, happy to see Key’s name in the corner of the screen. With a finger swipe, he opened the text to read.

“that u?” The text brought another silly grin to his face.

“It was. Did I risk anything?” he typed back. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long for a reply.

“good timing.” Hmm. Why good timing? Alec’s brows slid together as he typed.

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“My old man.” Key didn’t need to say anything more. Although he rarely discussed his life, he’d let out enough to know he and his father didn’t have a good relationship. Alec didn’t press him for more—he wanted to, but didn’t—and just went to the important part.

“Are you good? Do you need me? I’m having lunch down the street. I’m close.”

“u helped,” Key replied.

Then it was a good decision to do an impromptu drive-by today. He’d noticed how connected he seemed to be to Key, sort of an otherworldly telepathic bond that sent glorious chills down his spine. Something he’d never experienced with anyone before. Maybe that was what had him deciding today was the day he should venture into the biker’s neck of the woods.

Another text came through as he sat there contemplating the possible psychic side to their relationship. “Have lunch. I got work.”