The Rise of Alec Caldwell is a serial read. To start at the beginning please go to the archive to the left of the page.
You’ll find Volume One, The Beginning, hiding under May 2011.
You’ll find Volume One, The Beginning, hiding under May 2011.
Lazy Sunday mornings at Hamilton’s. Alec loved them. He’d checked in with Sebastian and Brad at home. They were happy to amuse themselves for the day and to keep Dylan, still hiding from Brendon’s pouting, for company. Alec translated that to mean they were enjoying the opportunity for a Master-less fuck fest. Brendon fussed in the kitchen and Alec lounged in his favourite place, naked over Hamilton on the sofa.
“We should change these bands,” said Hamilton, thumbing the one at Alec’s left wrist.
“Why?”
“They’re too thick for your new position at work. You need something that isn’t so obvious to those in the know.”
“Yeah, even my fourteen year old sister told my mum I was a sex slave.”
“I would suggest to your mother that she limit your sister’s internet access,” Hamilton said with a wry smile. “Seriously though, it could make life difficult for you.”
“I didn’t have any problems at the Davenports.”
“I know, but gentleman are always more relaxed away from the City.”
Alec kissed Hamilton’s hand. “Whatever you think is best, Master.”
“I have an idea of what I’d like for you. I’m sure Maurice will be able to have them in time for Harrison’s party if it isn’t in stock.”
“Do you want to go today?”
“Would you mind?”
Alec put Hamilton’s hand on his cock and took up a gyrating movement. “I can think of other things to do but I don’t want you worrying about it.”
“I will worry. I’m sorry to eat into our time together.”
“Rick, we’ll be shopping together.”
Hamilton smiled. It sent a ripple of need through Alec and he pushed his hips towards Hamilton’s hand still resting on his cock.
“Go and get dressed then.”
Alec stood and headed for the bedroom. He looked back and puffed out his ass. “Sure you don’t want to fuck me first?”
“You little tease.” Hamilton dived after him and they soon tumbled into a cocophany of moans and gasps that settled, if not sated, Alec’s hunger.
***
The station was surprisingly busy for a Sunday. Taking in the crowd on the platform, Alec guessed a good percentage were tourists or people visiting the City for the weekend. He attempted a spot of people watching but he lacked focus. Alec felt sleepy after his unscheduled morning fuck and thoughts weren’t staying long enough in his mind to develop interesting stories.
His belly was full of Brendon’s exquisite cooking and for the moment, the rumble in his body for sex had quieted. He let the thoughts of those around him fall away. There was only one person of any importance today. Stepping in close behind Hamilton, Alec wrapped his arms around Hamilton’s waist and rested his chin on Hamilton’s shoulder. A contented sigh slipped out.
“You’ve spent too much time with Sebastian,” Hamilton said, turning to kiss Alec’s cheek.
“No, I just need to hold you.” Alec kissed Hamilton’s neck and squeezed a little. “You make me happy. My life was rubbish before you.”
Hamilton turned in his arms and kissed him. Passionately. With full tongue. On the fucking platform waiting for the tube. On a Sunday afternoon. Alec stepped back a few paces and leaned against the wall, letting Hamilton crush against his body. Never before in public like this.
The rush of wind announcing the approaching tube roused Hamilton and he broke away leaving Alec staring open-mouthed after him.
“You’ll miss it.” Hamilton winked as he stepped toward the train.
***
The bell tinkled as they entered the shop. There were two men in the far corner near the back room where Marcus had fucked Sebastian, looking at chains. A couple near the dildos, the woman’s clothes folded neatly at her feet, and a soft grunting coming from the dressing rooms. Business as usual. Alec browsed over a nearby rack of rubber shorts and remembered his first pair, skimpy and white, with a smile. Maurice appeared a moment later looking a little flushed.
“Oh, wonderful to see you. Alec, you’re positively glowing.”
“Thank you, Maurice.”
“How is Sebastian?”
“Very well, thank you. I have a new boy I’ll be bringing in for bands this week.”
“Wonderful, wonderful. And you sir, you’re looking very well. How are Dylan and Brendon?”
“Defiant,” Hamilton smiled.
“Oh, you tease. They’re wonderful boys. What can I do for you today?”
“We’re looking to change Alec’s bands. Something lighter. I was thinking of a fine chain and instead of bracelets, a ring.”
Alec’s breathe caught in his chest. Hamilton wanted to buy him a ring.
“Oh, how wonderful.” Maurice clapped his hands. “I have just the thing.”
“A ring?” Alec whispered, as Maurice disappeared.
“You don’t like the idea?”
“I…it’s just…” Alec’s thoughts stalled.
Hamilton took hold of Alec’s left hand. Alec couldn’t hide the light trembling that had taken up over his body. A knot formed in his chest. A sea of uncertainty and excitement swelled in his stomach.
“I want you to wear it here.” Hamilton stroked over Alec’s wedding finger. “To remind you of me. If you want.”
A ringing noise started in Alec’s ears. “Rick, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I want people to know you’re spoken for long term. Not as property, Alec, you’re my lover. My partner.” He traced Alec’s finger again, stroking his palm at the same time. “You have my heart, Alec. I’d make it official if I could. I want you to know how much you mean to me.”
“So it’s…” Fuck, fuck, fuck. “…an engagement ring?”
“If you’ll have it.” Hamilton’s voice was so quiet, unsure for the first time in Alec’s memory. “If you’ll have me. I can’t lose you. Ever.”
Fuckity, fuck, fuck.
Alec couldn’t say anything, just gaped and struggled to breathe. Hamilton patted his hand and let it drop. “You don’t have to tell me now. We’ll get the chain today.”
“Shut up.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Alec grabbed Hamilton off his feet and hugged. “You stupid man. Of course I’ll wear it. Of course, I’ll have you.”
“Alec, I can’t breathe. Put me down.”
“No. I don’t have to, ever again. You’re mine.”
Hamilton tried to wriggle free. “I think we’ve known that for a while.”
“I didn’t. I hoped, but it wasn’t real. This makes it real and everyone will know.” Alec dropped Hamilton on his feet and fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around Hamilton’s waist and nuzzling against his stomach. “I love you. God, I love you. I think I’m going to cry.”
“Alec, darling.” Hamilton stroked Alec’s hair and a tear escaped, streaking over his cheek.
“Oh, how sweet,” Maurice cooed, as he appeared with several boxes. “I’ve found just the thing.”
“Alec, sweetheart, stand up.”
Alec shook his head. He couldn’t. This couldn’t be real. Too many emotions crowded for attention and Alec felt dizzy. He tried to follow a logical path through the words Hamilton had said but he couldn’t find one. Hamilton had claimed him before, why did this feel different? It was different, wasn’t it? Not as property – as a lover, a partner. That’s what Hamilton had said. A partner. A fiancé? That would one day be… a husband? Living together, just the two of them. Every day of every week and into forever. Alec swayed on his knees.
“I’ll get him a chair.” Maurice was back a moment later and Hamilton helped Alec off his knees and sat him down.
“Are you okay, Alec? You look pale.”
The room started to spin and Hamilton’s voice seemed to be getting farther away. Alec closed his eyes to try to focus. When he opened them again, he was lying on the floor with his legs on the seat of the chair.
“What on earth?” He tried to sit up but a strong hand pinned him to the floor.
“Just lie there for a moment.” Alec looked up into a stranger’s face. A stethoscope pressed against his chest. “I think he’s fine,” the stranger said. Alec followed the man’s line of sight to a worried looking Hamilton. “Just overwhelmed. Make an appointment for him to have a medical.” A blood pressure cuff Alec hadn’t realised he’d been wearing was removed from his arm.
“What happened?” Alec asked nobody in particular.
“You fainted.” The stranger smiled at him and brushed his hair away from his forehead. “It was lucky Maurice caught you or you’d have a hell of a headache.”
“Thank you, Maurice. Can I get up now?”
“Just swing your legs down and sit slowly. Don’t try to stand.” Alec looked at the guy. Not a paramedic. He’d been in the shop. He smiled at Alec again. “I’m a GP. I had the kit in the car just outside.”
“Am I okay? I feel okay.”
“Stressed? Exhausted perhaps, you’ve got some impressive bags under your eyes.”
“Haven’t had much sleep lately.” Alec smiled, looking directly at Hamilton.
“Don’t blame me. You’ve been away all week.”
“Well, congratulations anyway,” the man said.
“Sorry?”
He helped Alec sit up. “On your engagement.”
Alec felt his face flush and he reached for Hamilton’s hand. “Thank you.” Engagement. Fucking hells bells. He’d just got back from introducing his parents to Sebastian and now he was engaged to another man. Alec blinked a few times trying to clear the vision of his mother forcing Hamilton to eat biscuits and drink tea from a mug.
“Okay, do you want to try for this chair again?” the GP said, gripping Alec’s arm.
They helped Alec to his feet and sat him on the chair. “I feel okay now. It was just the shock of it.” Alec reached for Hamilton’s hand and looked up into the perfect blue eyes that still looked so worried. “You should have told me before we came.”
“I wasn’t sure I could go through with it,” Hamilton said. “But after what you said on the way here…”
“How could you think I wouldn’t want to?”
“You’re a young man, Alec.”
“So are you.”
“Exactly. We’re both young men, maybe too young. I don’t know. Everything’s messed up with you.”
“That’s how I feel with you.”
“And that’s love,” the doctor said. “Pure and simple. It doesn’t make sense, confusing as hell and you have to take it a day at a time. Sounds to me like you’ll be very happy.”
With that, Maurice opened a small ring box and held it out to Alec. “What do you think of this one?”
Alec looked up at Hamilton. He wasn’t sure what he was searching for. Some sign that this wasn’t all an elaborate dream, a trick his mind was playing on him after the Patrick fiasco.
“Do you like it?” Hamilton asked.
Alec took a proper look at the open box. The gold band was slightly thicker at the front at about half a centimetre. He picked it up. Embedded into the band was a rectangular cushion cut diamond. A large cushion cut diamond, almost as deep as the band itself and about half a centimetre wide.
“Rick, it’s incredible. I don’t know what to say.”
“Try it on.”
Alec handed the ring to Hamilton and smiled as he slipped it onto Alec’s finger. It was a little loose. A rush of emotion washed over Alec as he looked down at his hand sporting the diamond. He’d never thought of himself as sensitive or girlie, but right now, he could happily skip through flowery meadows singing along with fat little birds that circled his shoulders.
“I’m going to cry again,” Alec said, grabbing at Hamilton’s hand and wrapping his other arm around Hamilton’s waist.”
“My sweet boy.” Hamilton squeezed Alec just a little.
“What am I going to tell Sebastian? He’ll be so upset.”
“I’m sure he’ll settle. It’s not as if he’s losing you.”
And it wasn’t as though Alec could tell Hamilton about the plan to elope in a few years. That wouldn’t happen now. Or would it? Hamilton did say it wasn’t official, couldn’t be. Maybe he would still tire of Alec after a few years. Until then Alec would wear his ring and be happy for every day.
Alec smiled through the tears threatening to fall. “I love it.”
“I’ll have it altered for you,” Maurice said. “Make it a little smaller.”
“And an engraving, Maurice. My surname on the inside.”
“Of course, sir.”
Alec’s thoughts faltered. No loving message or anniversary date. A brand. A seal of ownership. Just a fancy slave band after all. But for what purpose? To keep Alec loyal and less likely to fuck around, perhaps? Did he care? No. None of that mattered. From the last week’s experience, Alec already knew he was unlikely to keep up his open ass policy. And besides, it was still a ring to wear on that finger.
Maurice produced another box, long this time. A fine two-tone omega chain, completely smooth, lay inside. It looked short enough to be visible in an open collar.
“Perfect again, Maurice,” Hamilton said. He reached around to remove Alec’s choker and bracelets and Alec resisted the urge to hold on to them. Too many lines were blurring in Alec’s mind. The bands carried a set of rules, a code. Where would he be without them?
Taking the new chain, Hamilton stepped behind Alec and placed it around his neck. “I think this is much more suitable,” he said, kissing Alec’s neck.
Alec could barely hear his own voice. The overwhelming elation had passed and Alec’s mood was crashing with great force. “Thank you.”
“Given Alec’s current condition, I think we’ll have to forgo the usual service reward Maurice. I should get him home. Perhaps a taxi would be appropriate?”
“I’ll call one for you now, sir.”
Service. Something Alec recognised but accompanied by a feeling in Alec’s gut that he didn’t. Lover, partner, yet still given out in service. Definitely new boundaries that needed to be reconciled in Alec’s head. Hamilton’s worldview was so fucked up it followed his ideas of engagement, marriage, and partnership would be too. Maybe it was Alec that was out of touch, holding too tight to his parents’ ideas of the sanctity of marriage. Oh, god. Alec baulked at the thought. Was he really stupid enough to think a ring equalled monogamy? From a man like Hamilton? Alec wasn’t sure he wanted that for himself. He certainly didn’t want to give up Sebastian. Or Brad. Or Harrison. Alec felt sick. Everything was messed up again and after such a fulfilling morning.
Hamilton wandered off to chat to the doctor whilst Alec sat, still a little stunned by the proceedings. He fingered the new band at his neck. It looked like an ordinary chain that anyone would wear. An expensive chain admittedly. Nothing in the shop ever had price tags. But even those who were aware of what his other bands had meant wouldn’t think twice about this one. Alec realised he felt naked without the heavy chain and his bracelets.
And a diamond. To wear on his wedding finger. No wonder he was light headed. But there was another conversation to be had before he put that ring on his finger for good. He needed to own up to Hamilton, be honest about how many people had fucked him and who. He’d have to speak to Harrison.
“Are you okay, darling?”
Alec smiled up at Hamilton. “I’m great. Should I thank the doctor?”
“Not today. I’ve invited him to the apartment for a light supper on Tuesday. If you’re still unwell, Brendon will service him.”
“Thank you, Master. Just, so much happening.”
“I know. And I did give you a fright with Patrick. I’m sorry it upset you so.”
“I needed it. It’s brought me to a good place.” A good place threatened by uncertainty right now.
“I hope I’m there with you.”
Alec reached for Hamilton’s hand. “You are.”
“I think you should take tomorrow off. Have some tests and rest up. I’ve been working you too hard.”
“But I move upstairs tomorrow.”
“It can wait. We’ll announce it anyway. You can supervise the movers with Sebastian. Bradley can stay home with you as well.”
“And you, can you stay with me?” I so need you to stay with me right now.
“Tonight.” Hamilton kissed Alec’s forehead. “I’ll stay with you tonight.”
Alec ran a finger over his naked wrist, trying to fight the lead in his stomach. It was all for show. Nothing had really changed. He’d still service the doctor and Maurice. He’d still have to live in his own house, with his own boys. Stupid dreams. They always had a way of misrepresenting reality, even when they sort of came true.
“Alec?”
He looked up and smiled. “I’m okay, really.”
When the taxi pulled up, the doctor came to say goodbye. He kissed Alec on the cheek and squeezed his ass. “I look forward to seeing you Tuesday, Alec.”
“Thank you again. I’ll be happy to show my gratitude.”
“I know you will.”
Alec tried to smile but his heart wasn’t in it. He felt cheated somehow. Everything had lost its shine against the backdrop of his weird ass life.
The taxi journey was quiet. Alec leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was supposed to be deliriously happy. He had been, for all of five minutes.
“Something’s troubling you.”
“Yes,” he said, turning to Hamilton. “I don’t think now is the time to discuss it.”
“As you wish.”
So quickly dismissed. Pushed under the carpet where it wouldn’t notice and everything could be ‘business as usual’. Alec’s new necklace felt tight and his head pounded. A good night’s sleep would set things straight.
***
Alec’s legs were heavy as the door to the apartment closed behind them.
“Go straight to bed Alec. I’ll bring you some tea.”
No celebrations. No calling friends and family. No announcing their purchase to Brendon. Alec didn’t say anything. Just obeyed his orders.
Once Hamilton had stopped fussing, he left Alec alone to phone Sebastian. Alec rang Harrison instead.
“Alec, my boy. Lovely to hear from you.”
“Hey, Edward. I have something I wanted to talk to you about, but Hamilton wants me to stay at home tomorrow.”
“Is everything okay?”
“I passed out today. Stress, I think. He’s buying me a ring, Teddy. Taken off my bands. How can I wear his ring if I don’t tell him about us?”
“He did miss you terribly. He’s been a pain all week. I’ll pick you up tomorrow and take you to Giles. Old friend of the family, excellent doctor. Rest up and we’ll talk then.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve told you I’ll always take care of you. Everything will be fine.”
Alec couldn’t tell Sebastian about the ring over the phone. He needed to be there in person so Sebastian could see the bittersweet edge to the fairy tale. They had a brief catch up and Alec settled back and closed his eyes. He probably wouldn’t sleep but he couldn’t stand staring at the ceiling anymore. His breathing slowed, the pillows seemed to soften around him and he drifted off to sleep before he had a chance to think things through.
