Chapter Seventeen #2
“I just still can’t believe the squad’s back together!” Dash squeals. “And outside of prison! I’m just saying, I have no problem taking these assholes out if it means you guys get to come see our house.”
Lex chuckles.
“I hope your place is big enough for us all to come live with you.” Byron smirks.
Dash just shrugs. “We can convert the garage into an apartment. It’s Mexico, it doesn’t get cold.”
“Excuse me? What do you have me building now?” Kemper calls from where he’s convening with Joy, Jasper and Hancock.
Dash waves him off, asking me, “What about you guys? If we get through this, are you making the trip south? Or you think you’d stay in Cali to be near your parents?” He looks to Lex, who peers at me.
“It’d be hard to leave them,” Lex sighs.
“And our surrogate family,” I add, and he nods.
“I really wanna meet these twins and rich guy you won’t shut up about,” Byron remarks. “I’m kinda jealous.” He nudges Dash, who nods along, the both of them snickering.
“That’s hot.” I beam, and Dash snorts while Byron just shakes his head.
“You guys know you’ll always be our main-pieces.” Lex grins, tugging Dash’s arm, the two of them resuming their bestie-convo.
Perfect opportunity to whisper to Byron, “Did you ever come across this Angel Alvarez person? In the prison?”
He peeks over to where Trevel has joined Angel, Felix and Lem. “Not that I know of. Seems like he was really lurking in the shadows…” He purses his lips. “But Trevel likes him, so that’s good enough for me.”
“Who are you?” I jest, and Byron chuckles.
A whistle comes from outside. And in the snap of Dad’s fingers, we’re on alert.
Rook, Joy and Kemper are at the door, rifles up, while Velle holds firm, ready to greet whoever it is. The rest of us immediately shuffle into position along the walls, guns drawn. Covering Lex and Angel.
Joy and Velle share a look, and a nod. Then she pulls the door open.
I can’t really see who’s there, but I can tell it’s good visitors when Velle lowers his weapon and smiles.
“Who ordered the stripper?!” Hancock cheers, laughing as they all rush Officer Peters.
I can’t help smiling, watching the guards reunite with their crew, hugging and chuckling and slapping each other on the back.
From what I understand, Josh Peters has been holding it down in the prison while the power trio was out rescuing us and sorting shit out here. But now it’s all hands on deck.
More bodies are filing in, but I’m busy watching Peters and Hancock hugging. It’s pretty damn heartwarming.
“It’s so good to have you back, Party Rock,” Peters rumbles, smiling bigger than I’ve ever seen on him.
Dude is a Colgate commercial.
“I know, right?” Hancock teases. “Figured I’d bust outta there and come help you guys win this thing.”
“Simon,” I scold, and he rolls his eyes.
“Okay, fine. Luthor and Ren saved the day.” He shoots me a cheeky smirk. “Happy, princess?”
I nod enthusiastically.
“Actually, Luthor really did save the fucking day,” Velle rumbles matter-of-factly. “Seriously, kid. That magic brain of yours saved all our asses.”
Lex is blushing, and it’s the sweetest thing ever. I love that everyone is finally acknowledging what I’ve been saying all along.
He’s amazing and brilliant and beautiful and fucking perfect.
Peters retreats just enough to grab someone by the hand and pull them along. I gasp out loud, scrambling to my friend.
“Babe!” I squeal, throwing my arms around Alex Carson. “I’m so glad you’re here and safe!”
“You too,” he chuckles and sniffs, squeezing me tight.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Peters says to Lex, dropping a large hand on his shoulder. “For real. I’m not even gonna pretend to understand what you did or how you did it. But just… thank you.”
Lex blinks, bashful smile on his pouty lips. “Don’t mention it. Happy to help.”
“Thank you,” Alex adds as we pull apart. “You saved my life. Our lives.”
He nods toward the doorway, where a few people I recognize as the other control room guards, and a few prisoners, are shuffling inside. Rook is giving them food and water, while Joy, Kemper and Velle address some of the others.
“I gotta help Velle,” Peters tells Alex, cupping his jaw and pressing a soft kiss on his forehead. “Get some food and rest up. I’ll be back to check on you in a few, okay?”
Alex nods, fluttering his lashes up at Josh’s face. It’s clear that he’s freaking smitten, and I’m living for it.
Peters kisses his cheek, reluctantly releasing him to go rejoin the guards. And I’m just smirking as my pal Alex turns pinker than Dash’s hair.
“Dear God, you are obsessed,” I huff.
Alex bites his lip then sighs, “Yea. It’s bad.”
“Don’t worry, he’s right there with you. He looks like Cupid used his bow to give ol’ dude a lobotomy,” I chuckle. Alex beams. “I didn’t know you two were all in love and shit! Man, I leave for a few weeks and all my friends get wifed up.”
“We’ve been getting serious, but I think me being held hostage and almost killed kinda brought us to the next level,” he snickers.
“You know, I always say the best way to find out if a guy is serious about you is to get kidnapped at gunpoint.” I nod, fully serious. Because it’s true.
“Facts,” Alex laughs.
“Hey, speaking of hostage situations, I have someone you have to officially meet.” I drag Alex over to Angel. The realization is immediately apparent on his face. “Alex, meet Angel Alvarez. You would have recognized her as Ari.”
Angel looks like his mind is working overtime. Honestly, he always looks like that. As if he has constant thoughts running through his brain, like the code in Lex’s computers. Very observant and introspective, this timid beauty.
I know femboys aren’t my usual type, but Angel has this simmering seductiveness to him.
Kinda like Dash. Where you know he probably loves being bent over and split in half—like yours truly—but then you can totally picture them being demanding little things in the bedroom, taking the reins from whatever growly sex machine they’re leading around by the dick.
Tingles the balls, for sure.
“Angel, darling, this is Alex Carson. He works in the control room, and he’s to thank for your Alabaster Pen all-access pass, if you will.” I grin.
Angel’s vibrant green eyes go wide. “Alex?” Alex grins and nods. “Wow, I have been dying to meet you in person.”
“Likewise,” Alex chirps sweetly.
He’s so precious, I swear to God.
“Mostly I wanted to ask you why you helped me,” Angel questions. “Why would you risk getting yourself in trouble for a random stranger creeping around prison in a dress?” He grins.
“Barefoot, too. Don’t forget that part.” Carson shakes his head.
“You what?!” Byron chokes, having overheard that purely repugnant detail.
“Are you kidding??” Lex gasps. “I got foot fungus on my hands once from touching a wall in solitary for a literal second.”
Angel is chuckling, thoroughly amused, and I think enjoying the attention. He seems a bit like Felix. Someone lonely who’s always been desperate for friendship, but never knew the right way to get it.
“I’m from Colombia.” He shrugs. “I don’t think I wore shoes once until I was, like, ten years old. And even then, I did every outdoor activity barefoot. A lot of MMA and stuff you do without shoes.”
I look to Byron, smirking as his eyes light up. “You do MMA?”
“Oh, boy. You two just became best friends,” I huff.
Angel nods enthusiastically. “My favorite is Krav Maga, but I’m probably best at Jiujitsu.”
“Nice. I’ve done all that stuff, but Taekwondo is my thing.” Byron cocks his head. “Too bad you were spying in the prison. You could’ve sparred with Joy and me.”
“I’d pay to watch that,” Lex chuckles.
“Yea, I don’t know…” Angel murmurs. “I think you’re a weight class or two above me.”
“Well, anyone brave enough to walk around Alabaster Pen barefoot is one crazy motherfucker,” Byron laughs. “I wouldn’t mess with you.”
“I’m sorry, but I need to see your feet,” Lex says firmly.
We all laugh, and I scold, “Babe, that’s weird. At least buy him a drink first.”
Angel is obviously unfazed, as he slips his rather fashionable boot off to show us his feet. They’re actually nice. Not at all gangrene like you’d expect after frolicking Alabaster Pen shoeless.
“Wow…” Byron marvels. “You’re like Luke Cage.”
Angel beams, as if he likes that. “It was also quieter.” He peeks at Alex. “I was trying to be stealthy.”
“Oh, you definitely were. You did a great job of staying out of the cameras. But the doors are another story.”
“Not if you’re BerkeleysLexLuthor.” Lex beams.
We all give him his round of applause, to which he bows.
“Hang on, so are you the reason my cell door just opened out of nowhere?” Angel asks Lex. “The night of the storm??”
Lex is doing that humble brag face. “Yea, that was me. And this little hottie.” He pulls his device out of the crossbody he’s using to carry it around everywhere with him like his freaking child. “Say hello to LOIS 2.0.”
“Oh, cool! Does that thing have Snake??” Linetti jaunts over, reaching his grubby paws for Lex’s device.
He wrenches it away. “Alright, just back it up there, chief. No one touches LOIS but me.”
“I’m sure she’s thrilled about that,” Linetti grumbles.
“Bazinga,” Dash snickers.
Angel’s eyes are following Linetti as he saunters back over to Velle. He looks concerned, and it’s kind of freaking killing me not to know all about Angel’s various Alabaster escapades.
Call me the Mad Hatter, ‘cause I just love a tea party.
It’s the whole reason Alex and I became friends.
“How did you two become friends, anyway?” Byron asks, mind-reader that he is. “I honestly never even knew you existed until like five minutes ago,” he says to Carson. “No offense.”
Carson laughs. “It’s fine. By trade, control room op’s aren’t supposed to be well known. We’re like… satellites. You don’t see us, or really even understand what the hell we do, but we’re there. And we see everything.” He offers a sly smirk, followed by a wink that has me and Lex laughing.