Page 36 of Crocodile Tears

“I’ve heard a lot about you, young Mr Lytton – none of it good,” Gerard pronounced.

Alex glared at him. “I’m having a private chat with Solange, here,” he said pointedly.

“Well, I’m sorry to interrupt you and the lovely Solange,” Bax said, “but I seem to remember you saying how much you’re looking forward to spending Christmas with your family?”

Alex had a sudden flashback to the previous Christmas – their first without his mother. Charles had still been in hospital, and he and his father had visited him and then returned to The Orchard for a strained lunch, followed by a blazing row. He couldn’t get through another Christmas of reproachful stares and incessant lectures without copious amounts of croc.

He took a closer look at Gerard; he was as ugly as Bax had promised, with several bright red patches of acne standing out vividly on his pale skin and greasy dark hair. He was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a black tee-shirt withLiving Legendsplashed across it in big white letters.

“If you have to wear it written on your chest, you probably aren’t,” Alex pointed out, but Gerard just looked bemused. “Bax says you have croc,” Alex said bluntly.

“I do, yes.” Gerard gave a smug smile.

“Right.” Alex turned back to Solange. “It’s been nice meeting you, Solange. See you around?” She gave him a startled look, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek and then took hold of Gerard’s arm and led him into one of the dark corners of the club.

“Well, well, well. I’m honoured,” Gerard said when they were alone. “Alexander Lytton, passing up a chance with a beauty like that in favour of little oldmoi.” He puffed out his chest.

“You have croc,” Alex said brusquely. “And I need some. Lots of it. Enough for two weeks.”

“I see. Well, croc’s expensive, you know.”

“I want croc, and you want sex. That’s fine. Blowjobs, handjobs, arse-fucking – I’ll give you whatever you want, and you’ll give me four packets of croc in return.”

“That’s bloody crude,” Gerard blustered.

“What did you expect – a bunch of flowers and a three-course meal? This isn’t romance, it’s a transaction. Take it or leave it – yes or no?”

Gerard wetted his lips lasciviously. “Yes,” he said eagerly.

Grabbing him by the arm, Alex escorted him to the club’s side door. It opened onto an alleyway where two people were throwing up,various couples were snogging, and one man was being enthusiastically jerked off by a drunk woman with wild red hair.

A random Floodite was also patrolling the alleyway, ranting incoherently to an unheeding audience. He wore the usual Floodite badge, depicting an arc and an olive branch, and bore a sign that proclaimed:Mend your ways, or the end of the world will come again!

“How can it come again?” Alex yelled. “Surely the end of the world is a one-time deal?”

The man turned to him eagerly, full of evangelising zeal.

“God made a covenant with all living creatures never again to destroy all life on Earth by flood. The Rising was our warning that if we don’t mend our ways, a worse fate awaits us. We ignore God’s warning at our peril.”

“Oh, just piss off!” Alex growled.

“If God destroys the Earth, it will be because of sinners like you!” the man declared, pointing at him with a quivering finger.

“If only I had the power.” Alex smirked. “Now, leave! Unless the only reason you hang around outside clubs is so you can watch people copping off.”

The man turned haughtily and walked back down the alleyway, still ranting to himself.

“Nutter.” Alex turned back to Gerard. “So, what’s it to be? What do you want?”

“Uh… I don’t know,” Gerard mumbled, and Alex realised that his pompous manner was a front. He wondered if Gerard had ever had sex, much less knew how he wanted it.

“Hey,” he said, more gently. “It’s okay. Take your time.” He put his hand down the front of Gerard’s trousers. “Want me to suck you off, big boy?”

“Yes, please,” Gerard whimpered.

Kneeling down in front of him, Alex opened his trousers and pulled his boxers down. Gerard gave a startled moan. Alex decided that if thiswasGerard’s first time, he was going to make it good, so he set about sucking him off with expert swipes of his tongue. Gerard was so excited he would have come within three seconds had Alex not drawn back several times to prolong the experience and give the guysomething to savour later. He felt an obligation to earn those four bags of croc.

Gerard began to squeak and mewl. He grasped Alex’s hair in a sweaty handful and bucked his hips excitedly into his face. Alex held on to him, trying to steady him and slow him down, but Gerard was too far gone. At that moment, the side door opened, and Alex glanced sideways… to find himself looking into a pair of startled golden-brown eyes.

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