Chapter 160: Untold tension

Dave stared at him remembering when Alex’s phone buzzed and it was indeed Lucas who called then.

Nathan continued, words rushing now. “Next thing I remember as we waited for Alex to pick up,  someone hit me on my head… and I woke up on the floor.”

Dave finally moved. He stepped closer, lifting Nathan’s chin gently until their eyes met. His gaze searched, steady, unreadable. “Natty,” he said quietly, “Did the kiss really mean nothing to you?”

Nathan didn’t hesitate. “Yes, it meant nothing.”

Then Dave leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “You know I love you, right?”

Nathan’s composure broke just a little. He nodded quickly and pulled him into a tight hug. “Thanks, Dave.”

Dave wrapped an arm around him protectively. “Then let’s go back to the hotel. By morning we will get to the root of this mess, okay?”

Nathan nodded, “Okay.”

Then he went over to Lucas. “Give Alex some time, and he will listen when he calms down. We can give you a lift…”

“Not to worry,” Jason cut Nathan short. “You guys can go your way. I will escort him home.”

As they left, Jason sighed and turned to Lucas, whose shoulders had already begun to shake.

“Come on, Lucas,” Jason said gently. “I’ll take you home and I will investigate who did this shit. Listen, I believe you're innocent of this accusation.”

Lucas didn’t move at first but his head lifted to gaze at Jason. Then the tears came. It was slow, silent, and breaking.

“Why…” His voice cracked completely. “Why does this hurt so bad?”

Lucas’s sobs came in waves, sharp, uncontrollable, until suddenly, they stopped. Just like that.

He wiped his tears with the back of his hand, breathing hard, eyes clearing with a frightening kind of focus. “Alex needs protection.”

Jason blinked. “What?”

Lucas was already moving, pacing like a man chased by his own thoughts. “What if Mac Hunter or James is back?”

Jason straightened instantly, every instinct snapping awake. “Did you say, James?” His voice dropped, tense. “Which James?”

But Lucas wasn’t listening anymore.

His fingers were already flying across his phone as he dialed. The call connected.

“Yes, Lucas,” Dan’s voice came through, calm but alert. “Is everything okay?”

Lucas let out a shaky breath. “No, Dan. Everything is not okay.” His voice cracked again, urgency bleeding through. “I think Mac or James is behind this. Alex just left the party, he’s drunk. Please, you guys need to protect him.”

Jason’s eyes widened slightly.

Lucas continued, words tumbling over themselves. “I was attacked earlier, with my friend. At the venue. Please, just take care of Alex.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. Then Dan’s tone sharpened. “Alright, Lucas. We’re on it. Where are you?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Lucas said quickly. “I’m with Jason. I’m fine.”

“Alright. Be careful,” Dan replied before the line went dead.

Lucas lowered the phone slowly, his grip tightening around it.

“Now that I think of it…” he muttered under his breath, brows furrowing. “It has to be one of them. They set us up… but why?”

The question lingered in the air, unanswered.

Jason had been watching him the entire time, every movement, every shift in his expression, every word that didn’t quite add up. Now that the call had ended, he stepped closer.

“Lucas.”

Lucas looked up.

Jason’s gaze was sharp, and searching. “What James are you talking about?” he asked quietly. “And who is Mac?”

Lucas hesitated. For a moment, the tension shifted, no longer just fear, but something deeper and buried. He looked away.

Jason exhaled slowly, dread creeping in. “Come on, Lucas…” he pressed, voice tightening. “Is it the same James?”

Lucas didn’t answer.

Jason’s jaw clenched. “Guy you need to let me in on what the heck is going on. Your life or Alex’s could be in danger. Is it the same James who blackmailed Alex years ago?”

Lucas didn’t answer immediately.

He held Jason’s gaze for a second… then looked away, like the truth itself was heavy.

“Yes, Jason,” he said quietly. “It’s the same James.”

The words landed hard.

Jason’s expression darkened, his shoulders tensing as old memories clawed their way back.

Lucas swallowed and continued, his voice steadier now, but still laced with unease. “I saw him… the day of your fashion show. He was there.”

Jason frowned. “What?”

“At the time, I didn’t know who he was,” Lucas admitted. “He was just… another face in the crowd but the way he talked showed he knew something about Alex. But later, when Annie told Alex that she saw him was when I came to know what he did years back.”

A heavy silence stretched between them.

Lucas tightened his grip on his phone. “Then Alex started getting these messages,” he went on. “Creepy ones. From someone named Mac Hunter.”

Jason’s brows furrowed deeper. “Mac Hunter?”

Lucas nodded. “Yeah. We’ve never met him. Never seen him. Just texts.” He let out a dry, humorless breath. “At first, it felt serious… but then it just stopped.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed slightly.    “Stopped?”

“Yes, for a whole month,” Lucas said. “Nothing. No messages and no threats. He hesitated, guilt flickering across his face. “So we thought it was just some stupid prank.”

Jason stared at him in disbelief.

“But after what happened today,” Lucas’s voice dropped, his instincts screaming louder than his logic. “The spiked drinks and the attack.” He shook his head slowly. “My gut is telling me it’s not a coincidence.”

He looked back at Jason, eyes filled with certainty. “I believe it’s either one of them or both.”

Jason didn’t speak. He just stared at Lucas, shock slowly giving way to something sharper…anger, disbelief and betrayal.

“You mean,” he said finally, his voice low and tight, “a lot has been going on”

Lucas said nothing.

“And my brother said nothing?” Jason finished, the words hitting harder than he intended.

The air between them shifted again, thicker and heavier.

Because this wasn’t just about danger anymore. It was about secrets.

“I need to have a serious talk with Alex tomorrow. This is not something one will take lightly.” He started moving out. “Come on, I will take you home. And don’t worry about Alex, Dan will take care of him. The fact is that Alex loves you a lot and sometimes it scares him due to his bad experience from his first love.”

Lucas walked beside him. “And I guess that was James,” Lucas put in.

“Yes, it was.”

When they had settled into Jason’s car, he asked Lucas where he wanted him to drop him.

Lucas responded, to Nathan’s place.

Are you sure it's safe? How about you come home with…”

“No thanks, I believe it's safe. If they wanted me dead, they would have done it already.” Lucas cut him short.

So Jason dropped him at Nathan’s.

The instant Alex got home, he lay down on bed the way he came back.

Then next Alex found himself in an abandoned warehouse tied to a pillar with rope.

“Boss is here,” said a voice.

Then slowly, a door opened and Alex’s eyes widened.