Devil's Gambit

Chapter 17

"Lucas! The hell are you doing? You're supposed to help me with dinner, remember?" Axel's muffled voice called from the bottom of the stairs, and the two men stiffened, staring at each other with wide eyes as the dreamy atmosphere was broken and reality hit them like a freight train.

Lucas glanced over at the door, narrowing his eyes in displeasure as he finally backed away from Harley, gripping the doorknob as he looked back at the shorter man still pressed against the wall.

"We should probably keep Axel in the dark about this," he murmured, and Harley nodded dumbly. He full heartedly agreed, but more with the fact that it wasn't any of Axel's business in the first place.

"What is. . . this?" He questioned bashfully, just as Lucas opened the door a crack, that playful expression back on his stoic face as the corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Something that can continue if you want it to."

"I would like that. . ." he breathed, a megawatt smile taking over his face as Lucas winked and exited the room. Harley stared down at the beige carpet incredulously, bringing a hand up to rest against his forehead as he tried to process what had just happened. He made out with Lucas, that's what the hell just happened.

Holy shit.

Axel looked unimpressed as Lucas slinked down the stairs confidently, attempting to keep his expression neutral.

"And what the fuck happened to you? Trying to get out of your promise?" He griped, leaning against the kitchen counter with crossed arms.

"Oh piss off, I was just moving some money around. We did pretty well on our budget this month, I was able to put some away into our emergency fund," Lucas shrugged, pulling out a large metal pot to fill with tap water.

"Is that why you're in a weirdly good mood? Because the money's good?"

"Somethin' like that," Lucas replied, smiling slightly to himself. The kink in the system was now a well oiled gear.

"You know what, that's great. More cause to celebrate tonight," Axel nodded, flipping the hot dogs.

"What else is there to celebrate?" Lucas glanced at the side of Axel's face, lifting a sharp eyebrow in question.

"You'll see tonight," Axel hummed, remaining steadfast in his will to keep whatever ridiculous surprise he had up his sleeve, and Lucas merely rolled his eyes.

"Alright, whatever. Have your little fifteen minutes of fame tonight," he teased, the other man shoving his arm as Lucas began chopping up some potatoes.

"How's your old man's campaign goin'?" Axel asked lowly, knowing it was a stressful topic at the moment. Lucas simply snorted, giving one potato an especially violent chop in half with the knife.

"Unfortunately, he's just as good with money as I am. They've got a lot of backing, Axel. The mayor could actually be in trouble."

"Which means so are we," Axel grumbled, eyebrows furrowing in thought.

"Yeah, the entire Southside is in dire straits. You notice policing is up around here?" Lucas gritted, slamming the knife down harshly again. "Something is giving them a morale boost, and not the good kind."

Axel hummed. "If we're doing good on money, let's back off the sales for a bit. I don't want anyone getting thrown in jail."

"Fine by me. Seems like the smart move for right now," Lucas agreed, to which Axel turned on him like he had grown two heads.

"Wait, no argument? Slowing sales is fine by you?" Axel gasped.

"Given the current circumstances-"