Alex prologue
"Alex!" My sister whined. "It's my wedding day. You have to dance with me." I turned my scary glare on her and shook my head. Usually the person receiving said glare would cower and stop bothering me. Anya, of course, just pouted more dramatically. I loved my sister. More than anything in the world. She was the one person that kept me connected to the real Alexei Bronski. I'd almost lost her a couple of years ago. That day, those few hours, were a nightmare. I'd faced my own demise several times. I'd been beaten, stabbed, shot. I'd beaten, stabbed and killed, but that day...that day still haunted me.
"Why don't you get your husband to dance with you?" I asked flippantly.
"He's dancing with his mom, and then his sister. And then his sister-in-law. Come on. Please? For me?" She fluttered her lashes and stuck her lip out. Dammit. I heaved a sigh and grabbed her hand. She let out an excited squeal and followed me to the dance floor.
"You so owe me, big sister," I muttered as I took her hand and began dancing.
"I don't know why you don't like to dance. After mother paid for all those lessons, you're a fantastic dancer," she said and rolled her eyes. It was true. My mother put both of us in ballroom classes. It was something all proper gentlemen and ladies should know, she'd told us. Right. Because I needed another reason to be called Alexandra in school. I was always quiet and shy. I never asked girls out. Rumors spread in private school, quickly. The thing was, they were true.
I've never been attracted to a woman. Ever. I can appreciate their aesthetic beauty and I am the first to admit they can have much more depth than most men, but as far as a sexual spark. Never.
Oh I tried. In college I tried a lot and I succeeded in getting the job done, but I never felt the raw need I felt when I was with a man. I was never attracted to the girl, she was always just the means to an end. So by my sophomore year, I accepted my homosexuality. It was a rather easy acceptance for me. However, telling anyone else? That was the problem. Anya knew. Almost right away. She was open and supportive. Now her friend Raine knew. Probably his lover, Deak, too. But that was it. Other than my lovers no one else knew. No one.
I had to keep that side of my life buried deep. I had a lot of secrets.
"Oh my God! Anya!" Jen screeched. She was barreling toward us. Her husband, Ben, was shaking his head from where she'd left him. "Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?"
"What, bitch, what?" My sister replied sarcastically. They had the weirdest relationship. Usually they were just downright rude to each other.
"Raine and Deak and Tyler are getting married!" Jen squealed. I raised my head and spotted the unusual trio. A small pang of jealousy swept through me when I saw Raine and his girl engaged in a kiss. Not because of her. Or him. Just that he could be so open with his love. He could and did show affection openly to both of them.
"What!" My sister screeched back. "How? Oh my God! How does that work?"
"Yeah," I agreed, a bit befuddled myself.
"Ben said something about a civil union type contract. He's going to talk to Colt about it. Isn't it wonderful?" Jen answered and bounced.
"That is great," I smiled. Anya squeezed my hand and gave me a knowing smile. I really was happy for them. They deserved it.
"I'm going to go congratulate them!" Jen said with unrestrained joy.
"Wow," Anya said softly. "Good for them." Her eyes turned to me. Great. Here we go. "I want that for you, Alex. You could be that happy. No one here cares that Deak and Raine are bisexual."
"It's not that easy for me, Anya. I swear I 'am' happy, sis," I lied smoothly. I was certainly not happy. I didn't even know what that meant anymore. I hadn't known it for five long, hard years.
"Okay," Anya backed off. Thank God.
"Mind if I steal my wife?" Jack asked me with a hand on my shoulder. He was beaming like he'd just won the lottery. I guess though, he had. My sister was way too good for him. The only reason I was okay with this fact was he seemed to realize that and treated her like a goddamned queen because of it.
"By all means. She's driving me nuts," I bowed out and smirked at Anya's affronted huff.
"You're an ass, Alexei Nicolai!" She called to my retreating back. I made way to Deak and Raine, who were now mauling each other. I'd be lying if I said my body didn't react. They were good looking guys and they were quite openly eating at each others' mouths.
"Ahem. Congratulations?" I said and smiled when they started. Their fiancée?-,Tyler got wide eyed and cowered into Raine. Yeah, I still had it. Not that I liked being scary, but...well yeah I did.
"Thanks, man," Raine said and stood to give me a handshake/man hug. It threw me off. I wasn't a huggy person. People didn't just hug me. Maybe he was drunk.
"Thank you," Deak slurred slightly and beamed. "I am one lucky fucker."
"No doubt," I chuckled. And grinned at Tyler. She gasped and blushed. I had to bite my lip, which apparently was even worse for the poor girl. Her pupils dilated slightly. I'm not a fool. I know I'm attractive and I find it amusing when women react to my looks. It's also flattering. I'm not a complete conceited ass.
"Damn, I only get that reaction when I'm naked," Deak slurred again.
"Baby, Jesus! Filter!" Raine said exasperated. "Sorry, open bar," he explained.
"It's okay. Congratulations Ms. Tyler," I told her.
"Thank you," she squeaked. Deak gaped at her.
"Really? We just got engaged and you're swooning over another dude?" Deak snorted. Raine dropped his head in his hands. I squeezed his shoulder.
He looked up and shook his head. "And there are two of them," he said in mock horror. "God, help me if they want babies or some shit."
"You're bed, man," I chuckled. I really did like Raine. He was a good guy. He was extremely loyal and that was a very important personality trait to me. "Congratulations again, you guys."
"Thanks, man," he said with another man hug. "Oh hey, by the way, Jack said you're house sitting while they're in St. Thomas?"
"Yeah."
"Cool. I am gonna need to stop by to pick up my keys tomorrow. My car is the getaway vehicle tonight."
"That's your Vette?" I asked in awe.
"Yeah. Rebuilt it myself," he said proudly.
"I helped!" Deak called. "Jeez both of you go gaga around Alex," he muttered. Raine glared at him.
"Baby, you're pushin' it," Raine snapped.
"Promises, promises," Deak yawned.
"I'll call tomorrow about the keys," Raine muttered and rolled his eyes.
"Sweet," I smiled and turned to make my way to my table. Then I froze. Solid. Walking in was hands down the most beautiful man I'd ever laid eyes on. Tall, blonde, striking blue eyes, and body made for sin. My mouth dried and my dick took on a life of its own. Raine noticed. "That's Andrew Grayson. What the fuck is he doing here?" He said the last to himself.
"Who is he?" I asked hoarsely.
"He's an old friend's older brother," Raine answered. "Jack had to have invited him. But I don't know why."
"Oh." That's all I could say past the lust that was drowning me. I watched as Jack and Ben greeted the god affectionately, then started leading them toward us. Oh, dear God. He was even sexier up close.
"Andrew!" Raine greeted and moved around my statue imitating stance.
"Andy!" Deak called and squeezed around too. They were all speaking and laughing, but I couldn't hear anything over the thud of my heart.
"Alex? Alex?" Raine was calling. I shook out of my lustful trance and extended my hand. Lightening shot up my spine when the gorgeous man in front of me took it. Then the fucker smiled and my knees almost buckled.
"Andy Grayson. Friend of Jack's," he said all calm and collected.
"Alex," I replied dumbly. "Alex Bronski. New brother-in-law," I amended.
"Nice to meet you, Alex," he smiled again. Oh for heaven's sake.
"Andy just moved here from Atlanta," Jack said. And that was the moment everything changed.
Andy 1
New city, new job, new life. That was my goal. I had hightailed it out of Atlanta as soon as the job came through in Memphis. Then in a funny twist of fate I ran into Jack Campbell at a grocery store of all places.
I honestly didn't expect him to speak to me. After what went down with Ben Allen and my douchebag little brother, I figured he wanted nothing to do with any of the Graysons. I misjudged Jack's genuine kindness. He not only stopped and talked, he noticed what was in my basket as well.
"D'you just move, man?"
"Yeah. From Atlanta."
Then he blew my mind by saying we should have a drink sometime. It made me smile. Jack and my brother...their whole group really...always made me feel like a nerd. Even though I was older. I figured they probably still felt that way. Not that I was pining to be a 'cool kid' or that I was bullied. I was just...different. It could have been that I was a sixteen year old college junior when they started high school. My intelligence has always pigeonholed me. I don't mean to sound conceited, but people don't know what to talk about with me.
The thing is, I like conversations about normal things. Cars, football, music...anything really. I have an extensive vocabulary, but it's not as though I use it to make myself seem smarter. Still, it's hard to make friends.
That's why when Jack suddenly said, "Of course, I'm getting married Saturday, so it'll have to be after the honeymoon...hey you should come to the wedding!" I almost laughed.
"Um, really?"
"Yeah. Yeah. I know everyone would love to see you!"
"Everyone?"
"Ben knows you're not you're brother, Andy. You didn't condone it. We know that. I heard what you said to Luke that night."
He was right I didn't condone it at all. I had told Luke, in no uncertain terms, that I was appalled and disgusted at his behavior. That went over like a steel anvil. I'm pretty sure my brother was laughing so hard he was crying. Asshole.
