Staying Power Book 14 in the Action! Series by G.A. Hauser Read Free Book Online Page B

organic and fat free," Steve said,
"He'd better eat it."
    "Now it's your turn to shut up," Mark said to
him.
    "Ahh," Adam laughed, "I love it here." He
held up his wine glass in a toast.
    "I wonder how Billy is taking the news?"
Steve asked. "He just got promoted to Captain."
    "Wow!" Adam laughed. "Those two got hit with
two huge life changes the same damn day."
    Mark didn't touch the meat and worried about
Alex. He looked back at the phone on the counter and then at his
watch.
    "What?" Jack perceived something was going on
in Mark's head.
    "I'll be back." Mark went to stand.
    A hand on either shoulder, one Steve's the
other Jack's, sat him back down.
    "Bloody hell. Let me go to my baby boy." Mark
shrugged off their grip.
    "Let Billy and Alex battle it out
themselves." Steve poked his fork into a piece of meat and held it
in front of Mark to feed him.
    Mark glared at him and stood. "Five minutes.
I'll be right back."
    "A meddling mother-in-law, just what Sharpe
needs." Steve shook his head.
    "Piss off." Mark pocketed his phone and
slipped on his shoes.
    "Don't whine if we fuck without you," Steve
said, chewing.
    Mark rolled his eyes and left, opening the
kitchen door which connected to the garage. He elevated the double
garage door and hoped there was no fighting going on at Alex's
house. Why should there be? It was work. Right?
    ~
    Alex, arms crossed, paced in front of the
sofa Billy was seated on. They had a huge open-plan home not far
from Mark and Steve's house in Bel Air, and the back of the house
overlooked the Getty Museum and surrounding hills.
    Billy flipped another page of the script, not
happy, appearing furious.
    Alex glanced at the table at the unopened
bottle of champagne and the stemmed glasses Billy had set out in
anticipation of celebrating his making number two on the captain's
list.
    He heard Billy muttering profanity under his
breath. Alex hadn't absorbed the entire story yet. Billy had taken
the script out of his hand the minute he heard Alex had been
offered a part co-starring with Randy Dawson.
    Maybe Adam didn't know him, but Alex's hubby
did. And he was not pleased.
    Alex stopped his pacing and faced Billy.
    Billy was wearing a tattered LAPD T-shirt and
tight jeans, bare feet, looking hotter than hell, but at the
moment, Alex was annoyed Billy wasn't happy for him. Alex was happy
for Billy. Happy that Billy was going to get out of IAG and be
promoted.
    Billy finished reading the script and slapped
it on the coffee table in front of him. When Alex met Billy's light
blue eyes the jealous rage was nearly unbearable.
    "It's acting." Alex dropped his arms to his
sides. "It's my first chance at a big Hollywood blockbuster. It's
George—"
    "You're going to be in Rome with that guy?
Kissing him? Naked with him?" Billy snarled, showing his teeth.
    "It's acting!" Alex pleaded, interlacing his
fingers to beg. "Like with Tadzio and Ryan."
    "You're not hot for younger men." Billy
glared at Alex.
    "I'm married." Alex pointed to his wedding
rings. "Not going to happen."
    "How long will you be in Rome?"
    "I don't know yet. I want you to come."
    "How can I come?" Billy yelled, "I'm about to
be promoted!"
    Alex recoiled. "Don't take it out on me!"
    Billy stood, throwing his hands up in rage.
"Fuck it. Do what you want. Fuck who you want." He grabbed the
champagne bottle and one glass.
    Alex followed him to the kitchen. "I only
want you."
    Billy opened the champagne, pointing the cork
at the kitchen sink and popping it. It overflowed into the basin
and then he poured a glass for himself. "Here's to me here in LA
while my star screws another man." He guzzled it.
    "Why won't you trust me?" Alex felt sick.
    Billy spun around and shouted, "Because it's
Randy Dawson! I know how hot that fucker is! He's just what you
want!"
    "No! You're what I want!"
    Hearing a knock at the door, both Alex and
Billy looked at it but neither made a move.
    "I don't care." Billy shook his head as if he
were defeated. "Do what you fucking want."