Me, Love, & Secrets

I Wanna Be Your Hero

Lucas was waiting for Hugo as he exited the pub with one woman on each arm. Anyone could see both women were wasted, but Hugo was as sober as the night was dark. He hadn't spotted Lucas watching them from across the street. His only thoughts were to get the women in a cab. He knew the taxis ran late, but this side of the city was rarely in need of public transportation.

He thought he was lucky tonight, because five minutes later, a taxi cruised down the street. He helped the women get into the cab and told the driver their addresses. Who knew how he found out where they lived. Lucas watched it all, sneering as he heard Hugo reciting their addresses like he was at a recital.

"Bonne nuit, beau," one woman slurred.

"Same to you, beautiful." Hugo slammed the door and watched the taxi disappear into the night.

He took a deep breath and finally noticed Lucas leaning against a lamppost. His initial thought was to ignore him, because he hadn't seen his face yet. Then, he felt the sudden urge to see what it was all about. Lucas smiled as he stood up straight and met Hugo in the middle of the street.

"What are you doing out here this late?" Hugo asked. "Shouldn't you be with Ruby?"

"Ah, it's nice of you to think of her." Lucas's smile dropped. "I don't know what made you think it was going to be fine to trick Ruby for a last time."

"What are you talking about?"

"Hugo, as bad as I wanted to talk it out with you, I can't let you get away with it."

"You're gonna have to be a little more specific, bruv."

"Is this a little more specific for you?"

Lucas whipped out his phone and showed Hugo a series of photos from that fateful night. Lucas had not been sleeping that night. He had been worried about Ruby and what Hugo could do to her. He hadn't thought she would get herself drunk and sleep with him. That's why he always warned her to be careful when alcohol was involved.

"Hugo, I didn't make a bet with you to see if she would sleep with you," Lucas started. "I wanted to see if she would turn you down after remembering how bad you used to treat her. It worked."

"How?" Hugo smirked.

"You knew how submissive she could be once you got her drunk and whispered a few loving words in her ear. You also wanted to know where she was keeping her son."

"I have a right to see him just as much as you do."

"No, Hugo. I have more rights than you as her boyfriend. I'm also mentally stable. I'm not some psychotic ex-boyfriend, who wants what's best for himself. I don't need to manipulate Ruby to get her to do what I want her to do. You, on the other hand, can't fathom the thought of having to wait patiently for something. You can't take no for an answer, can you?"

Hugo's hands twitched as he tried to pretend he wasn't angry at all. To anyone else, he looked a bit too calm in this situation. Lucas could see right through him, though. As a man, he knew that being called out for something you thought no one else knew about was a blow to their ego.

"Look, I don't want to fight you, but if you'd rather settle it man to man, then I'm up for it." Lucas shrugged nonchalantly.

"Settle it man to...man?" Hugo didn't waste any time delivering a solid blow to Lucas's gut. As Lucas doubled over in shock, he took his shoulders and slammed his face into his knee. Hugo then threw Lucas to the side like a sack of rocks.

"How's that for man to man?"

"You-you're a cheater."

"I'm sorry, what was that? I don't speak weak."