Page 51 of What I've Tasted of Desire

“You don’t think you should tell me that? Then I have to come all the way up here to check on you, and this fat fuck tells me you’re gone, and I’m not allowed to be here?” Tom gestured towards Rob with his hand. Tom took a step forward, positioning himself more into Alex’s space as his volume level rose, making Alex tense up.

“I need you to take four steps back from him and lower your voice.” I couldn’t believe how even and calm the words had come out, with every nerve in my body on high alert.

Tom looked straight at me for the first time. “Who the fuck is this?”

Wouldn’t you like to know, you miserable cunt?

“This is G-gabe. G-gabe, this is my fr-friend T-tom.”

Tom looked between myself and Alex a few times and I could swear I smelt the steam from his three collective brain cells slamming into each other as he connected the dots. “Are you fucking this clown, Alex?”

“You still haven't backed up, yet,” I growled, much more forcefully this time as I took a step forward.

When Tom didn’t move, Alex took it upon himself to take a step backwards. “Goddammit, Alex,” Tom cursed as he reached out and grabbed Alex’s wrist.

I drew my arm back and threw all of my body weight into the punch that connected with Tom’s jaw. “Don’t fucking touch him,” I screamed.

Tom stumbled backwards as his head slammed to the side. He recovered quicker than I thought he would and corrected his stance, putting his fists up. “I’m going to kill you, motherfucker,” Tom spat as blood started to seep through the split lip I’d just given him.

Tom lunged at me, and I sidestepped him.

“No! S-s-stop!”

“Stay back, Alex,” I commanded. Glancing over at him was enough of a distraction that Tom landed a hard fist into my gut. I grunted, but stopped myself from doubling over. I pulled back again and pain exploded in my hand as my knuckles slammed into his eye socket.

Tom stumbled backwards, and I lunged forward to finish the job. I couldn’t kill him. I know I couldn’t. Not now, and especially not in front of Alex. But he had fully earned an ass-beating, and I was going to delight in paying it out at full value.

“Gabe!” Alex’s scream pulled my focus again, and I looked over to see Mike hold Alex back at a safe distance. Rob hurried to grab Tom’s arms and pull him away.

To my great disappointment, it was over. Barely before it had started. Tom spit a mouthful of phlegm-streaked blood on the driveway. He was shaking his head, dizzy from the beating I’d just given him.

I shook my hand out and took a step towards Alex. Mike’s face hardened, and he put his body between Alex and myself as I approached.

You can catch these hands too, lover boy.

I put my hands up, showing Mike my palms. “I’m cool,” I assured him, keeping my voice low and gentle. I appreciated him getting Alex out of the way and not letting him get hurt while I took care of the little pest. Mike hesitated, but stepped aside.

Alex was crying, hot tears streaming down his face.

“Are you okay?” I whispered tenderly.

“Get off me,” Tom yelled, finally gaining enough clarity to pull out of Rob’s grasp before hocking another crimson-streaked loogie on the driveway and taking off towards the road.

Alex looked past me, watching Tom’s back as he disappeared on foot.

“Alex, are you okay?” I asked nervously. “Did you get hurt?”

Alex turned his head and pushed past me. He hurried up the steps and over Westing House’s historic, gorgeous threshold, slamming the front door behind him.

Fuck!

Panic began to set in, and I looked over at Rob. “What should I do?”

Rob sighed. “Give him some space. He’s got a lot going on right now.”

I didn’t like his answer, but I nodded. “Should I have…”

Rob shook his head, cutting off my sentence. “I would have done the same thing. He was really aggressive and threatening. Grabbing Alex like that was way over the line.”

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