Chapter 56

FIFTY-SIX

" S urprise!" I yell alongside the others as we step into Alek's house. He was quiet the entire way home, but I can tell he's excited. He didn't expect to get the job, but I knew he would. Nobody deserves it more than he does, and I'm so proud of him for taking his dream and running with it.

A hastily handmade banner hangs above the living room with balloons spread about and pizza and beer on the table. Skylar, Bones, Lally, and Alice clap and yell as I grin and tug Alek inside.

"Congratulations!" Skylar whoops and pulls Alek into a hug. "Let's hope they put up with your grumpy ass."

Bones nods at him as Alice rushes to hug him. "I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you, big brother."

"Evan." Alek sighs as I grin.

"I'm proud of you too." I grin as I kiss his cheek. "Now accept it, and let's celebrate. We could all use something good. Let us do that for tonight."

We drink and eat and celebrate Alek's future, our futures. We tell stories and talk, never once bringing up what happened. Tonight is for the future, not the past, and although Tommy's spot remains empty and open, I know he'd be happy we aren't wallowing forever.

As more and more liquor flows along with the music, I sneak upstairs, knowing Alek will find me. Less than ten minutes later, he steps into his room. I shut and lock the door, and he whirls to me.

"Pants off, Anders. It's time to celebrate." I wiggle my eyebrows at him.

"Wow, how can a man resist when you offer like that?" He smirks.

"Cock out, Anders. We have to make this quick before they come up here, and you know Sky will—" My sentence ends on a gasp as he kisses me, hard.

"Then let me unwrap my present for doing well," he murmurs.

Our lips meet in a sloppy, drunken kiss. Alcohol heats our systems, along with desire, as he undoes my pants and pushes them down. I step out of them as he shoves his hand into his jeans and pulls out his dick. He rubs his hard length against mine, and we both whimper into our kiss. Gripping us both, he slides our cocks together as I gasp, my back hitting the wall hard as I jerk into his hand. "I want to play with you all night," he murmurs, "but if Sky comes up and sees you like this, I might have to kill the only friend I have."

"Later," I promise. "Now fuck me."

Reluctantly, he releases the grip on our cocks before he backs me up. My ass and back hit the dresser, then he lifts me onto it, bending me over the wooden top as I moan into his mouth.

His hands span my thighs, pushing them apart so he can fit between them, and he pants into my mouth. "Open up, pretty boy. Let me have my gift."

My hands hit the dresser, curling over the edge as I lift my thighs for him. He blindly grabs a bottle, covering his cock in lube before pressing against my ass, teasing me as his lips meet mine in a bruising kiss.

He pulls my hips to the edge of the dresser and slams into me.

My eyes roll back from the pleasure and bite of pain. He's so big, stretching me, and he tilts my hips so he's sliding across my prostate with each quick thrust.

His palm hits the wall, the dresser rocking with each thrust, smacking into the wall .

Our lips clumsily meet, and we swallow each other's moans as he fucks me. My cock jerks against my stomach, the pleasure spiraling through me heightened by the alcohol buzzing in my system and the fact we could be caught at any minute.

"Evan." His teeth tug at my lip as he hammers into my ass. It's almost too much, too painful, but it also isn't enough at the same time. I love soft, sweet Alek, but brutal Alek? He makes me harder than ever, leaking on my stomach as I push to meet his thrusts, wanting more.

"Alek," I whisper, biting his lip until I taste blood, and he snarls, pummeling my ass so hard I can't hold back my cry.

"Close, I'm so close," I warn, pleasure building inside me like a tidal wave until it finally crests. I bite back on a yell as hot ropes of cum spill from my cock. Snarling, he fights my fluttering ass, yanking me on and off his dick until he yells into my lips, following me over the edge. He shoots his release so deep inside me, I know I'll never get him out.

Panting heavily, I open my eyes to see him inches away, our bodies locked together, and we both laugh. His lips find mine in a soft kiss. "Thank you, pretty boy, for believing in me . . . for loving me when I didn't love myself."

"Anytime," I murmur as I push him back and hop off, stumbling on weak legs. He catches me, making me grin, and I lean up to kiss him again. "I'm so proud of you, and you can play with your present all night when everyone leaves." I wiggle my brows as his grin widens.

"Deal."

We quickly dress and clean up as best as we can so they don't send out a search party.

Heading downstairs hand in hand, we both stop at the bottom, Alek's cheeks heating while I grin when we see them all gathered at the bottom step with knowing looks on every face.

"Bravo." Lally claps.

Alice covers her eyes, shaking her head, but she's smiling.

"Big ending. Eight out of ten," Sky says, nudging Bones. "Don't worry, I can do better?—"

Bones simply smacks the back of his head and turns away, Sky following after him like a puppy.

"Come on, love birds, let's celebrate!" Alice calls.

We rejoin our friends, all of us looking toward the future.

Leaning back in my lab chair, I sigh as I stretch. It's been a busy few weeks. We had Tommy's funeral, which wrecked me, and there was also a memorial held in the city for everything that was lost. Alek started at his new job, and I'm so proud of him, but it means he's busy, so I use that time to focus on my work. The end of the semester is coming up, and I really need to crack down. I won't waste the opportunities I was given, not because of what happened.

Speaking of, I heard yesterday that Clarissa is being sentenced soon. Luckily, they don't seem to want or need our contribution, which I'm happy about. It truly is over.

Lally snores on her desk next to me, and I smile. The computer to my right is empty, as everyone knows to leave it like that for Tommy. It's where he would always sit, and it remains like that. We will never replace him.

I haven't been able to go back to my dorm as of yet. I can't face it, but I know I will have to one day unless I take Alek's offer and just move in with him. He's been hinting at it since the attack, and I have to admit, it appeals to me. I don't want to go back to an empty room filled with ghosts, even good ones. I don't want to wake up in pain every day. I want to wake up happy like Tommy would want.

My eyes go back to my screen and what I'm working on.

If he asks again, I'll say yes.

I'll race toward my future with him, like I know I deserve.

A few hours later, I wake Lally up, and she heads off to who knows where. She's been distant lately, and I know it's her way of dealing with grief. When she needs me, she'll tell me. Instead, I turn toward Alek, who is leaning against his car, newly fixed and shiny as ever—my name printed on his passenger seat.

He grins as he takes my bag and helps me inside, and when we are back at his place, he takes my hand and leads me upstairs. "I'm tired, maybe later," I whine as he opens his door. "Fine, just a quickie?—"

I stop, gaping at his room which is now filled with suitcases and boxes, his drawers open and filled with my clothes. "I don't have many, so I gave them all to you." He turns to me as I stare. "Alice is gone, so I figured I could either keep hinting or could make it happen. We were never good at doing things the normal way, so I just moved you in. I paid off your dorm so they will keep it empty for now in case you want it, especially for Tommy. I heard his parents cleaned out his room, but you never know."

"You moved me into your house?" I can't help but smile. "You are such an asshole."

"You know it, rich boy. Now, about that quickie—" I back away with a laugh as he lifts me into his arms and throws me onto our bed.

My boxes are spread around us, ready to be unpacked, but the message is clear—I'm here to stay, and I'm more than okay with that.