Chapter 223: Not my Alex's eyes

Lucas smiled faintly. "That's one way of putting it."

Another silence followed. It was gentle and comfortable. The kind that didn't demand anything.

Then Lucas finally looked up.

Only to discover Vince was already looking at him. Their eyes locked.

The air immediately felt different. Nobody moved or spoked. The cottage suddenly seemed much smaller than before.

Lucas became painfully aware that they were alone, aware that Vince was standing only a few feet away, aware that neither of them seemed eager to break eye contact.

His pulse quickened.

Vince noticed the slight shift in his breathing. The way his fingers tightened around the edge of his towel.

For a moment, something flickered across Vince's face. Something warm and dangerous. Then he smiled and broke the tension first.

"You should get dressed before you catch a cold."

Lucas blinked and the spell shattered instantly.

"Oh." He laughed awkwardly.

"Right."

Vince chuckled.

"Let me shower quickly, then you can tell me what happened this time."

Lucas groaned dramatically.

"Do I have to?"

"Absolutely."

"I knew coming here was a mistake."

"No it wasn't. I'm glad you came."

Lucas smiled despite himself.

And somehow, just hearing Vince laugh made the weight on his shoulders feel a little lighter.

Vince smiled and turned toward the bathroom. "Give me a few minutes."

Lucas nodded. "Take your time."

Vince chuckled, "I don't trust that smile."

"What smile?"

"The one that says you're planning to steal something from me."

Lucas laughed. "Go shower, I'm not planning anything.."

Vince shook his head and headed toward the bathroom.

Lucas's eyes followed him automatically. At first he wasn't paying attention. Then something caught his eye. The way Vince walked. The relaxed confidence.

The slight sway of his shoulders.

His heart suddenly skipped, and he frowned.

Why did that seem familiar? He continued staring.

Vince reached the bathroom door.

Then, as if sensing the attention on him, he glanced back.

Their eyes met. A smile appeared on Vince's face, warm, natural, and dangerously familiar. Then he disappeared into the bathroom.

The door clicked shut.

Lucas remained standing there.

Frozen. His pulse suddenly beating harder than before.

"What the..."

He ran a hand through his hair. The feeling wouldn't leave. The more he thought about it, the stranger it became.

His mind immediately drifted toward Alex.

The way Alex smiled. The way he teased him. The way he walked.

Lucas frowned harder.

"No." Then he shook his head.

"That's ridiculous."

Yet the similarities remained. The smile. The eyes. Even the way Vince tilted his head sometimes. Lucas let out a breath.

"I wonder..." He stared at the bathroom door. "Could that be why I feel attracted to him?"

The thought immediately made him groan. "Oh my gosh."

He rubbed his face.

"Now I'm comparing people."

To distract himself, he walked toward the closet.

A few minutes later he had changed into the pajamas Vince had lent him the other day.

He glanced at himself in the mirror.

The cloth wasn't his but he felt somehow comfortable being in them.

A smile appeared. Then faded. Then it appeared again. He quickly looked away from his own reflection.

"This is getting embarrassing."

He climbed onto the bed and leaned against the headboard. His phone occupied his attention for a while. Messages, notifications. Anything to stop thinking.

The bathroom door eventually opened. Lucas glanced up casually, and froze.

Vince stepped out. His hair was still damp. Water glistened on his neck.

A towel rested over his shoulders.

For a second Lucas simply smiled.

Then the smile vanished. His eyes widened. His body went rigid.

"What..." The words died in his throat.

Vince immediately sensed something was wrong.

"What is the matter?"

Lucas sat upright. His gaze remained fixed on Vince's chest.

Specifically, the pendant hanging around his neck. The color drained from Lucas's face.

No. That wasn't possible. His heartbeat accelerated.

Vince followed his gaze. Then his hand went to his chest and touched it.

The pendant, he had forgotten to cover it after dinner. Immediately,

his stomach dropped.

"Damn it." The curse echoed inside his head. Of all the things. Of all the mistakes. How could he forget to cover it?

Lucas was already moving. He got off the bed so quickly the mattress bounced behind him.

Within seconds he was standing directly in front of Vince. Far too close that Vince’s heart thudded loudly.

Lucas's eyes locked onto the pendant. Disbelief filled his face.

"Vince." His voice sounded strange and unsteady. "Where did you get this?"

Without waiting for permission, Lucas reached forward. His fingers closed around the pendant. The instant his skin touched it, a strange sensation flashed through him. He felt a slight headache.

Then unexplainable feeling,  followed by a flash of memory flash of the first time he was in Alex’s office, touching his pendant.

Then it was gone before he could catch more of it.

Lucas staggered, Alex rushed to steady him.

“Lucas, are you alright?”

He nodded, Just feel a little dizzy, but I think I'm alright now.

He inhaled sharply. Then his eyes went back to the pendant. His hand examined it again, turning it to every direction. It looked very identical to the one he gave Alex, to the one on his neck.

The same shape. The same engraving, even the same chain. His heart pounded.

Slowly, he looked up meeting Vince's eyes.

"Vince..." His voice dropped to a whisper.

"Where did you get this?"

Inwardly, Vince was panicking. His mind raced too fast.

There are too many possibilities.

Too many risks. Tell the truth?

Impossible. Lie? It was dangerous.

Lucas was staring directly at him.

Waiting, watching, studying every reaction. The silence stretched.

One second, two, three. Lucas narrowed his eyes.

"Vince?"

Vince forced a smile. The kind people used when desperately trying to buy time.

"Oh." He looked down at the pendant. "This?"

Lucas didn't answer. His grip on the chain tightened.

Vince's thoughts spiraled.

Think, Think, Think mehn.

He knew he needed to think fast because whatever answer came next

could change everything.

“This pendant belongs to my Alex. Why is it on you? He would never give it out to anyone because it's very important  to him.”

“Your Alex? Who is he?” He tried to divert the question but Lucas's countenance changed immediately.

“Don't you dare play me for a foul. I trust you Vince. So what is your story with my Alex’s pendant? Did you steal it.?”

“Hell no, I'm not a thief. I picked it up from the floor and…and…”

“Where did you pick it up?”

"I don't remember.”

“Really?”

Lucas went back to bed, picked up his phone and unlocked it.

“What are you doing?” Vince asked and walked towards him but it was already late.

Lucas had dialed Alex’s number and unfortunately Alex had not locked his phone. So instantly, it buzzed in the sitting room.

“Shit,” escaped Alex as he walked out of the bedroom with Lucas behind.

“What the heck… You're with his phone too?”

“Well…well…” He was dumbfounded and didn't know how to lie his way out of the situation.”

Lucas's thought spiraled as he recalled comparing him with Alex earlier.

He walked closer and stood in front of him. His eyes weren't Alex’s, except…

“Are you putting on lenses because that's not Alex's eyes? Or are you a thief?”