Page 46 of Cross the Line

“Did you drug him?” a second voice adds. Riley.

“Why the fuck would I do that?” Hunter asks, clearly unfamiliar with Riley’s joking tone.

“He’s sleeping. In the day,” Antonio continues. Alec can’t blame his incredulity. Alec barely sleeps at night and he never naps. “What happened? Why is his face all jacked up?”

“No one did anything to me, you loud fuckers,” Alec grumbles, stretching out his legs. He opens his eyes, blinking when he finds himself in Hunter’s lap. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Hunter grins.

“Is anyone going to tell us what’s going on?” Riley asks.

Alec turns to see Riley and Antonio staring at him and Alec rolls himself off the couch and onto all fours. He tries to make his way from the room, but Riley throws himself down and grabs his ankles. The asshole is strong and despite Alec’s attempts to wiggle free, he can’t.

“What the fuck, Alec?”

Alec can’t blame Antonio. He's being kind of intense even for him, but Alec isn’t prepared to face reality. “I was just gonna, uh?—”

“Run away,” Antonio finishes.

Alec sighs, collapsing on the floor. The carpet smells stale and it’s rough against his sore cheek. When Riley lets go of his legs, Alec doesn’t move, remaining on the ground with his arms and legs spread out like a starfish.

“We need to talk.”

“No, thank you,” Alec mumbles into the carpet.

“I’m going to head out,” Hunter says, though whether he’s trying to escape from the awkwardness or give them space, it’s impossible to tell.

Antonio and Riley wait until Hunter leaves before they join him on the floor. Alec closes his eyes tighter, unable to look at them. Of all the people in the world, they’re the two he can’t lie to.

“We were worried this morning. It’s not like you to disappear for so long, and then you ghosted us both, which you never do.”

The guilt is more than Alec can bear and he lifts his face, resting his chin on his folded arms. Leave it to Antonio to go there. He never minces words, which is probably why he and Alec are so close. It’s just that he’s not in the mood to have that directed at him.

“M’sorry.”

“What the fuck happened?” Riley asks. “Where were you?”

“Who says something happened?” Alec says.

“Your face.” Antonio reaches out, his hands warm on Alec’s cheek as he turns it. “Did someone hurt you?”

“Say the word and I’ll fuck them up.” Riley tells him.

Alec laughs, wishing he hadn’t when it makes his lip hurt. “You’re like a fucking golden retriever Riley, you wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Riley clutches his hands to his chest. “I don't know if I should say thank you or fuck you.”

“He’s not wrong,” Antonio tells Riley, laughing. The sight of them getting along is a balm to Alec, who’d toed the line of mixing friendship when he’d gotten closer to Riley. He’d been afraid Antonio would feel like he was being replaced, which he had, but things seem to have improved. Alec kind of wants to tease them, but also doesn’t want to risk it.

“How’s Elsa?”

Antonio’s smile fades. “Don’t change the subject, asshole.”

“He called her while we were at the store. I don’t speak Spanish, but there were a lot of disgustingly-in-love tones happening.”

Antonio flips Riley off. “At least I have a girlfriend. Wait, fiance. Damn, that sounds good.”

“I don’t think I want to get married,” Riley admits, stretching his long legs out. Alec takes that as an opportunity to flop over them, using Riley’s thigh as a pillow. It’s a lot more comfortable than his arms.

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