Secret

Chapter 22

Lucky knew he should respect Zander's wishes for him to keep his distance, but he couldn't. He knew in his heart that Zander cared about him. He could feel it and see it in the beautiful hazel eyes, before Zander would retreat in everyway, marking the line in front of him that Lucky was not meant to cross. But he was going to cross the line tonight. He was going to confront Zander and make the guy see reason. Convince him, some how and some way, that they were meant to be together. That it could and it would work. Most of all, Lucky knew that he had to prove to Zander that he wouldn't hurt him. Zander had been hurt too much, by too many people. He couldn't trust anymore and that made Lucky ache for Zander. No one should feel afraid to love.

 

Climbing the stairs at Jake's, Lucky reached Zander's door. He knocked softly, then louder. No reply. Zander's car was in the back lot, so Lucky knew he was here, and Coleman had confirmed it below. Maybe Zander was in the shower. Steeling himself for the confrontation to come, Lucky turned the knob and was pleased when the door opened. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him. A smile curved his lips as he saw that Zander was asleep. Lucky sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned in to kiss the sweet lips. No response. Lucky was going to have fun. He leaned in again and deepened the kiss, still no response. The bed covers were down to Zander's waist, revealing the beautiful chest that Lucky loved to look at, and to touch. He leaned in again to nip a flat nipple and Zander didn't even twitch. Lucky felt a tremor course through him. Something was wrong. He gripped Zander's face in both hands and shouted his name. Nothing. Lucky tried a few more times to wake him, then he grabbed his cell phone and called 911.

 

* * * * *

 

Zander came awake with a start, feeling his heart thudding in his chest. He had been dreaming about Capelli fucking him again. A nightmare really. Zander tried to sit up and his muscles felt sluggish. Then he realized that he wasn't in his room at Jake's. A look down at the gown he was wearing confirmed it. He was at the hospital. Panic washed over Zander and he threw back the covers. Something must have happened but he didn't remember what. He got out of bed and his knees buckled. He had to lean against the mattress for support. He looked about the room for his clothes and tried the closet. Nothing. "Sonofabitch!" Zander cursed.

 

Amy came running. "Zander…what are you doing out of bed?"

 

"What am I doing here?" Zander demanded.

 

"You overdosed."


Zander stared at her in disbelief. "No, I didn't" he shot back,

 

Cameron appeared in the doorway. "Yes…you did," he drawled. "And if Lucky hadn't found you when he did, you wouldn't have woken up.

 

"I did NOT overdose!" Zander snapped at his father. Then his knees buckled again and he would have fallen if his father hadn't caught his arm.

 

"Back into bed," Cameron said, pulling Zander over to the bed.

 

Zander tried to pull away. "Leave me alone! I'm not staying here!"

 

Cameron glared at his son. "Oh…yes you are." He looked at Amy. "Get an orderly and get restraints."


"No!" Zander tried to push his father off him but he was too weak and he stumbled.

 

"It's out of your hands, Alexander," Cameron said, almost lifting his son into the bed.


Zander was about to resist when Amy returned with two orderlies and the restraints. Furious, Zander struggled against them, but soon found himself restrained. The orderlies and Amy left. "I hate you!" Zander snarled at his father.

 

Cameron shrugged. "Hate me all you want," he drawled, then he left the room.

 

* * * * *

 

Lucky watched Zander sleeping, and he felt relief at knowing that it was a natural sleep this time. He saw Zander stir and moved to the bed. Lucky reached for Zander's hand, uncaring of the restraints. He was rather glad for them, because at least this way Zander would have to stay put and face him. "Hey...how do you feel?" Lucky asked, as Zander opened his eyes.

 

Zander glared at Lucky. "Leave me alone!"

 

"No can do." Lucky smiled. "You scared the hell out of me, Zander. Why did you take those pills? And...what the hell were you thinking, downing them with a beer? Did you want to die?"

 

"No."


Lucky wasn't sure if he believed him. "Then why an overdose?"


Zander resisted Lucky's grip on his hand but couldn't pull free because of the restraints. "I just wanted to sleep, okay? I took a couple of pills. No big deal."


"Zander…they were prescription sleeping pills. Just taking one with a beer would have been bad enough. You took three...and you almost died."

 

"I forgot about the beer," Zander whispered.


Lucky frowned at him. "What do you mean you forgot about the beer?"


Zander sighed. "Look...I snagged the beer on the way up to bed. I took the pills and swallowed them down with what was handy. The beer. It was just a stupid mistake. Like my entire life."


"Then you wanted to die." Lucky felt fear ripple through him. "Did something happen, Zander? Did someone hurt you again?"


"Nope." Zander locked eyes with Lucky. "Actually...life is good. I have my own company now. With AJ. Of course…I had to let him fuck me to get it...but it was worth it."


Lucky felt tears sting his eyes. He knew that Zander was hurting. He knew that the thing with AJ had cost Zander another piece of self respect. Another shard of his soul. "Please…Zander...let me protect you," Lucky begged.

 

Zander laughed. "From what? Sex? I like sex. I'm good at it. Ask Taggert. He'll tell you. You see...that's something you don't seem to get, Lucky. Sex with you was good. But it's good with everyone. So I don't need you!" Zander's words were harsh and his tone was cold.

 

"You do need me," Lucky whispered. He saw the pain in Zander's eyes and he knew what he was trying to do. Push Lucky away. But that wasn't going to happen. "I need you too. So you're stuck with me." That said, Lucky cupped Zander's face in both hands and kissed him, tenderly. He felt Zander stiffen at first, then relax into the kiss. Lucky wanted to do more, to make love to Zander, but he knew this was not the time nor the place. He also knew, from Zander's father, that the courts had ruled on Zander and for now things were out of both of their hands. "I have to go," Lucky whispered. "I'll be back later." Regretfully, he turned and walked away.

 

************

 

Zander glared at his father. He had spent two days in the hospital. Two days in restraints. He wanted out. Now. "You can't keep me here!" he snapped.

 

"You're right," Cameron allowed. "But you can't leave and be on your own, Alexander. The court sees you as having made two suicide attempts within the space of about one year. So you can enter a rehab or accept a court appointed guardian. You have to live with them for six months."

"You're shitting me!" Zander was stunned. But he could tell by the look on his father's face that he meant what he said. Zander couldn't go into rehab. He had a company to run. "Fine...who's my fucking guardian?"


A voice from the doorway called out, "I am."


Zander froze as he watched Ric Lansing walk towards him.

 

Chapter 23