Why the Straight One? - Chapter 50: Chapter 50

"Alan!" I looked around in shock at the sound of Thomas' voice. I didn't expect him to try and talk to Alan when we were about to leave. In fact, I didn't expect him to talk to Alan ever.
Alan, who had been standing in the shadows of the courtyard watching us prepare to visit Elliot, looked up in surprise. I cursed myself inwardly. It never came to my mind to tell Alan what the actual plan was for when we got there.  As far as he knew we were just going for the party, and getting a chance to see Elliot. A change that he didn't have.
"I've instructed one of my chauffeurs to drive you to my estate, and the servants there will be expecting you. Really, if all goes to plan, we all should be arriving there, with Elliot, tomorrow evening or early the next morning."
"W-what?"
Shit! I should have told him! He looked so surprised, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes, but a spark of hope gathering there as well.
"We are going there to bring Elliot back." Thomas told him gently, probably realizing that he wasn't in on the plan.
Alan had moved closer to us now, standing near the car we were about to enter. Many emotions crossed his face in a matter of moments, and I didn't blame him for being surprised.
"You're not fucking with me, right? You guys wouldn't do that to me. Not about this." He looked at me for confirmation.
"He's not fucking with you. We really are going to bring back Elliot."
"Oh my God." He blinked, running his hand across his face. "Can this be true? Can I dare to hope?" He muttered to himself, looking completely dazed.
"Alan." I grabbed his shoulders to steady him. "It's true. We are bringing him home to you."
"I...I almost started to think I'd never see him again." His voice broke, and he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around me.
"Oh, Alan. I'm so sorry about the time you've been apart. We're gonna have him back as soon as we can."
"Thank you. Be careful." He pulled away, looking me straight in the eyes as he spoke. "Make that bastard pay for taking him, but be careful, Alex. You too, Thomas. And thank you, for everything."
He smiled at Thomas, who nodded in return. I think Alan was still too shocked to try and say anything else to us. He smiled at me, the first smile I'd seen in a long time, then proceeded to wander off towards the gardens. Probably needed time to think.
"I hope to God we didn't just raise up his hopes for nothing."
"He is going to see Elliot again if it's the last thing I do. Either we come back with him, or we don't come back at all." Thomas glared at me, as if angry that I doubted our chance at success, then got into the car, slamming the door shut behind him.
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By the time we got there, I was pretty fed up with Thomas. He was still pissed that I was going, and didn't say a word to me the whole drive. Well, I should say he spoke a little, just enough to shut me down every time I started talking. So, naturally, I wanted to do something to get back at him.
We arrived a little before dinner it seemed. Thomas immediately walked off with Jonathan to talk, making it very clear to me that I should not follow. Jasper was going around greeting everyone. My first reaction was pure revulsion, but Thomas was still close enough to see me, and I wanted to make him mad. So, naturally, I approached Jasper to talk to him.
Elliot was with him. I almost didn't recognize him, he was much thinner than before, and there was no bounce to his step anymore. In fact, he was limping slightly. His eyes wandered listlessly around the room, seeing everything but taking in nothing. Nothing about him spoke Elliot like it used to, and that frightened me.
"Your majesty." I tried my best to keep my words light and cordial. I can't raise his suspicions and ruin this all for everyone. Just don't look him in the eyes, I told myself. I wouldn't be able to hold back the contempt I had for him if I did.
"If it isn't Alex. I must say, it's nice that you could all make it to such a small thing as my birthday. I missed you." He leaned closer to me so I could hear him over the noise of room, which was full of many people arriving for the party. I shuddered at the feeling of his hot breath on my face.
"Well, I couldn't turn down an offer to come and see Elliot." I replied, ignoring his last sentences that had sent shivers down my spine.
"Isn't it special that he planned all this for me?" He took Elliot's hand in his at these words, and Elliot looked over at him. His eyes met mine for a fraction of a second, but he didn't hold my gaze, turning back to look at Jasper.
"It's very...special." Stop holding his hand like that, you freak!
"I believe Elliot missed you too. Didn't you, baby?" I could see that his grip on Elliot's hand had tightened, but Elliot didn't seem to notice.
"Yes, I did. I missed all of you." His reply was monotone. Jasper laughed, and I felt my hair stand on end.
"Oh, you missed all of them now? No one in particular? Now, Elliot, you wouldn't want to make our guest feel like he wasn't special now, would you?"
"I missed everyone, not just Alex." His voice was quite, almost impossible to hear over the noise.
"Of course, what was I thinking? Someone doesn't have to be special for you to kiss them." I froze in terror, and I saw the slightest twitch in Elliot's face. The only sign I had seen so far of any type of emotion from him.
"Oh yes, Alex, I heard all about that. Don't worry, I don't blame you at all. Elliot and I have already discussed this in full."
I looked at him in horror. The way he was looking menacingly at Elliot. The way he flinched away at the memory of whatever their 'discussion' entailed.
"Oh, Alex, dear. No need to get upset. I don't blame you." He was too close, the heat from his body causing me to break out into a sweat.
"I'm not your dear, and please step away from me. Don't you know about personal space?"
"But who can be bothered with personal space when it comes to you. Have I ever told you that I find you fucking attractive?"
"No, and don't you dare start. What the fuck is wrong with you? For one, your husband is standing right next to you."
"Ah, true. Elliot, go away." Elliot looked up at him, completely oblivious to the conversation around him, but glad to no longer be apart of it.
"Should I greet the guests?"
"I don't give a damn what you do just fuck off already." Elliot nodded, walking away from us without a backwards glance.
"Why is he limping?"
"Why do you think he's limping?" I hated having to look up to meet his eyes, to see the perverted look there.
"No. Not that. There is something wrong with his leg."
"So what?"
I looked over at Elliot one more time. He was standing near Raymond now, and I tried frantically to get Raymond's attention. He looked up after a moment, eyes widening at the closeness of Jasper
'Help me' I mouthed, but was forced to turn back to Jasper when I felt his breath a little to close to my neck.
"Who cares about him now that you are here?"
"Please, stop. What is wrong with you?" I tried to take a step back, but suddenly his arm was behind me, pulling me close to him, his hand straying further down than it should have. I cried out in surprise, but no one seemed to hear, the room was crowded and noisy, and somehow no one seemed to be paying attention to their king.
"Wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with me. I've just waited a long time to see you." He leaned down, I struggled but his arms around me were like iron bars.
His breath was hot against my neck as he leaned down to kiss it. I shuddered at the feel of his lips on my skin, goosebumps forming and spreading across my neck.
"Get you hands off of me!" I tried to move so he had less access to my neck, but he seemed to enjoy my squirming rather than having to struggle to fight against it. Why was I so fucking weak?
"Alex," I shuddered at the way he said my name. "Relax. You wouldn't want me to have to hurt you, would you?" He squeezed my ass, and I jerked forward, probably the exact reaction he wanted since we were standing so close.
"So eager." He murmured, and it was then that I finally had enough of him. Screw trying to keep his suspicions down, and who cares if i make this a scene?
"Jasper?" I tried my best to relax as fully as I could, and he looked at me in surprise, grip loosening on me as he waited for my reply.
"Fuck off." I brought my knee up as hard as I could between his legs.
Instantly, he let go of me, and I took the opportunity to get as far away form him as I could. I ran straight into Raymond, who, it seems, was making his way as quickly as he could to me.
"Fuck, I'm sorry, Alex! I tried to get to you, I got stuck. Are you okay?" I felt his strong hands on both of my arms, heard his deep voice, but felt strangely weak now that I was no longer facing Jasper.
"No."
"Fuck." For a second his hands were gone, and then he had one armed wrapped around my shoulders. "Let's go somewhere else."
I don't know where he was leading me, all I saw was our feet as he hurried us away from everyone. I didn't notice I was crying until I saw the tears fall in front of me.
"Should we find Thomas?" No, Thomas already expected something like this. He couldn't know.
"No. And don't tell him about this either."
"But, Alex—"
"Please!" I looked up at him, and his eyes softened.
"Alright." He stopped walking, we must have reached our rooms. I didn't feel him arm leave my shoulders until I was sitting in a chair in what must have been his living room here.
"Do you want something? Like...I don't know, water or something?" He looked around for something to offer me.
"No, but thank you." I leaned forward, putting my elbows on my knees, and burying my face in my hands.
"What the fuck is wrong with him?" I whispered into my palms, trying to stop the tears that were falling without my bidding.
"I don't know. I really don't know. I can't even imagine what Elliot is going through and has gone through. And then just now...I'm sorry you had to deal with that."
"It's not your fault."
"I should have been keeping an eye on him. I was just so happy to see Elliot, and—"
The door burst open, and Thomas walked in, scanning the room until his eyes landed on me.
"What the hell were you doing talking to Jasper by yourself?" He seemed to only notice my tears after he started yelling, his expression softening.
"What happened?"
"Nothing! I can talk to whoever I want. If I decide that—"
"What did he do to you?" His breathing was picking up again, my tears wouldn't stop falling.
"Nothing. I—" I scrubbed at my eyes, trying to avoid looking at Thomas' furious eyes.
"Did he touch you?" Jonathan was standing right behind him. He put a hand on Thomas' shoulder to calm him, but he pushed it off.
"Did he? Answer me, Alex!"
"Yes." I looked over at Raymond, who was watching his brother's face carefully. "I tried to get over there as soon as I could, but before I got there, Alex had already kneed him in the balls."
"Son of a bitch!" Never in my life had I seen as much raw hatred as I saw in Thomas' face. I flinched away from him, but he was already striding toward the door again.
Jonathan grabbed him from behind, forcefully keeping him back from running after Jasper.
"Thomas, wait! Just until tomorrow! Tomorrow you can make him pay for all of this, but you have to wait."
It took a few ragged breaths, but finally Thomas calmed down enough to see reason. He wrenched himself out of Jonathan's arms, turning to face him.
"Alright, I'll wait. But tomorrow, that bastard is finally going to get everything he deserves.