So Ulric being uneasy like that... It sent red flags up in Gage’s mind. “Did you have bad neighbors?”
Had someone hurt Ulric in the past?
A low snarl of anger rose through Gage’s chest. Before Ulric could answer, though, they arrived at the tall iron fence, Ulric pressing the doorbell at the gate. Then he straightened his shoulders, putting on a bigger smile.
Gage was forced to let the matter slide. He wanted to get to the bottom of this, though. He wanted to see what Ulric could be like when he wasn’t afraid like he was right now.
He touched the small of Ulric’s back. When Ulric turned, Gage kissed his cheek. “You’ll be fine,” Gage whispered. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Ulric’s smile faded a little—he almost looked sad again. Gage wrapped his arm more tightly around Ulric. Screw what everyone else thought. There were married alphas around. The neighbors could assume that Gage and Ulric were dating, or something. Gage didn’t mind.
“You shouldn’t do that.” Ulric nudged Gage’s arm off. “It’s not appropriate.”
“They can think what they want.” Gage held him. “Unless you violently disapprove.”
Ulric looked torn. So Gage kissed his jaw.
“Hey there,” someone said. “You guys are earlier than we expected.”
Ulric jerked away from Gage like he’d been burnt. Gage breathed out his disappointment.
When he turned, he found a too-familiar figure striding toward them. Gage blinked. He’d seen that face on TV, and sometimes on the news. Isn’t that...?
Phil O’Riley. Retired basketball star. He’d played for the New York Rockets—and he was pretty damn good at what he did. Gage had spent weeks of his childhood watching Phil’s basketball games on TV. Was this his house? Why had Ulric not told him?
“King,” Ulric said, recognition lighting his face. He looked relieved. Not surprised. Did he already know, and he’d meant to surprise Gage?
But Ulric didn’t look at Gage with any sort of glee. He looked at Gage like he needed support, and then he showed King the casserole dish, all covered up with plastic wrap.
“I made some ribs,” Ulric said nervously. “As thanks for inviting us.”
King unlocked the gate, waving them in. “That looks delicious. C’mon in!”
As he stepped in, Gage held his hand out. He hope he wasn’t overdoing this. “Great to meet you, Mr. O’Riley.”
King shook his hand and winked. “My friends call me King. You must be Gage.”
It was pretty damn surreal, a basketball star knowing your name. Gage wanted to text his siblings, maybe show them a picture of Phil O’Riley. It’d be rude to do it right now, though.
Ulric looked oddly at Gage. “You know King?”
Gage frowned. “Don’t you?”
King laughed and beckoned them toward the house. “I’m just your friendly neighborhood dog-walker,” he said, snapping his fingers at a mutt scampering across the lawn. “Don’t mind me.”
As King headed for the front door, Gage grabbed Ulric by the arm, leaning so close that his lips brushed Ulric’s ear. Ulric flushed. “He’s Phil O’Riley,” Gage whispered. “You’ve never heard of him?”
Ulric looked bewildered. “Maybe?”
He was clueless and more than just a bit adorable, and Gage couldn’t help chuckling. “It’s fine. Let’s head in.”
Gage rubbed Ulric’s back, following him into the house. Before he could, the dog hurried over, sniffing at him and Ulric. It wagged its tail excitedly.
Inside, the place was vast—the foyer led to the sitting area, and the dining room had a chandelier in it, complete with floor-to-ceiling French windows and a fancy-looking patio in the back.
Gage had grown up in a small apartment on the other side of town. He hadn’t really thought about the houses here—mansions with beautiful marble floors and wide doorways and... the dining table could seat twelve. He felt like a pauper with his eyeballs falling out, but he couldn’t help it.
Ulric didn’t even bat an eyelid.
“You had to invite them?” another voice drawled when they moved into the sitting room.
The speaker was a thin man—older, omega, but also familiar. This time, Ulric tensed.
When Ulric had told Gage about their visit to “Phinny’s place”, Gage had thought it an odd name for someone they’d both never met. Now, Gage realized that “Phinny” was King’s nickname for the Phoenix Blues, a singer who had dropped out of the public’s eye a few years back.
Gage hadn’t even realized that Phoenix was their neighbor. How was that possible?
Ulric sent Gage a helpless look. Gage felt the exact same way.
“Yup, I invited them,” King said, grabbing a cocktail as he sat down. The mutt trotted over and lay contentedly at his feet. “They passed Crumbs’ test. Anyway, we need some fresh blood in this group, or it’ll just be Nate and I watching football when you go off on one of your jaunts.”
“This is my property, you realize.” Phoenix rolled his eyes, but he waved toward the mini bar in the corner of the room. “Drinks are there. Help yourselves.”
Ulric straightened. Then he smiled like he was a whole other person, and lifted the wrapping off his casserole dish. “I baked some ribs for today, ah, thinking they were for more ordinary folks. It’s probably not what you’re used to, though.”
King perked up. “Ribs are my favorite. What did you season them with?”
“These are spiced with steak seasoning and BBQ sauce—not elegant, but they’re fall-off-the-bone tender. Would you like some?” Ulric looked hopeful, but he was so damn polite that Gage’s chest swelled with pride. That? That was a sweet recovery. Better than Gage would’ve done.
“Yes, please,” King said. “I’ll get the plates.”
Phoenix glanced warily at the ribs. “I’ll see if King likes his.”
“No worries,” Ulric answered. Then he turned to the other person in the room—an alpha in his forties that Gage didn’t recognize. He assumed that was Nate.
“I’ll have some,” Nate said, looking interested.
“You don’t happen to be anyone famous, do you?” Gage blurted. “I feel as though we’ve just crashed a really high-profile party.”
Nate laughed. “Nah. I’m just a regular firefighter. That’s all.”
“Pfft.” Phoenix rolled his eyes like there was something important Nate wasn’t telling
