Shell Shocked

Chapter 1 It was the heat under Dom’s skin that made him pound on the door, sudden anger coursing up from the phone in his opposite hand. The kids were watching cartoons mere feet away in their hotel room, but this couldn’t wait for a better time. “Alec, open up,” he said, fist striking the bathroom door again. “Alec. Open this fu—” He glanced back at the kids, “—unny-looking door. Now.” He heard something very much like a sigh from behind the door, then Alec was letting him into the bathroom. Dom slipped inside and locked the door behind him. When he turned, Alec, toothbrush in mouth, was staring at him like he’d become unhinged. “Funny-looking door?” he asked, trying to make light of Dom’s obvious temper, but that only made the heat rush through his skin faster. Alec would laugh at him? He decided to get to the point. “What’s this?” he demanded, thrusting Alec’s phone in his face, watching his already-pale cheeks go paler. It was exactly what Dom thought it was. He felt first satisfaction, but only briefly; Alec had been laughing at him long before this morning. “You went through my phone?” asked Alec around the toothbrush in his mouth. “No, I didn’t go through your f*****g phone. You left it on the desk. You know what I figured when it started up all its noise? That you wouldn’t want Alyssa or Gabe messing with it. I went to move it, and it looks like you already know what I found.” Alec took the opportunity to pull his toothbrush from his mouth, spit into the sink. His dull brown hair was still damp from his shower, his average body toweled dry but still naked. Under different circumstances, Dom would have been excited to have surprised him during his morning routine. Now, he was only disgusted. He glared at the screen and read the last few texts Alec had received. “Think we should get a room together. Miss your c**k. Leave kids with d, weekend away when you get back. Were you going to reply to these, Alec? Oh, look, you replied to the texts above this. Wishing I was there with you instead. You: Me too. Unnamed bastard: Love to suck you off and drink you down again. d probably spits. You: Condoms. Bastard: Ugh. You: Your mouth is better anyway. So so good. There’s more. Shall I keep scrolling back?” Alec grabbed the phone from Dom’s hand, glaring now. A bit of toothpaste froth clung to one side of his mouth. He slammed the phone down on his pile of folded clothes on the sink counter. “Bastard is Megan,” he said. His ex-wife. Dom crossed his arms. “So? You’re not supposed to be screwing her behind my back.” “It’s not like that.” Dom tried to laugh, but the sound hurt even his ears. “Right. And there’s an innocent explanation for the texts. You’re f*****g her and making me babysit while you do it. God, I feel like you really care about me, don’t you?” “Stop being such a woman, Dominic,” snapped Alec. “I get it, you have feelings. You can’t expect me to not see Megan. We share the kids.” “Seeing her is different than—” “Than what? You don’t think I do what I have to do to smooth things over with her?” Dom stared at him, stunned to silence for a moment. Alec was really trying to play this off as some sort of martyr behavior. He suddenly very much regretted agreeing to go with Alec and the kids to the Eggstravaganza here. They’d come in the one car, Alec’s. He was stuck. “I’m done with this,” said Dom. “And I’m done with you.” “Oh? Where are you going to go?” asked Alec, looking smug. Smug. Dom struggled not to punch him. “You’re stuck here. You really want to upset Alyssa and Gabe? They love you.” Dom forced himself to un-clench his hands. He did actually care about the kids, and Alec knew it. It would be smoothest for them to not have their time here ruined. “I’ll pretend for the next few days,” he muttered. “For them. But the moment I get out of your car back home, don’t bother calling me again. And we’re through now, Alec—don’t expect anything more from me. Console yourself fantasizing about Megan swallowing those few drops you think is so impressive.” Alec sneered at him. Dom turned for the door. “I’m taking a walk. I’ll be down in the lobby when you’ve got the kids ready.”