Erotic Spice - An Ongoing Story Blog

“No, no, and no!” Dave brandished the whisk like a baton. “I said I would do this, so scram!”

Three days into his stay at Kat’s and he was damn tired of bed. He’d offered to cook dinner and Liam reluctantly agreed, though now he hovered and made a nuisance of himself.

“But you almost passed out on the stairs last night –” Liam tried again.

“I went too fast. I’ve got a chair right here if I get tired and it’s not like I’m making a soufflé or something.” He growled and muttered a few impolite things, giving the stew a stir. “Now get! Buncha grannies, you and Xav and Richard! Let a man breathe!”

Liam hesitated a moment too long and Dave grabbed a wooden spoon from the counter, hauled back and smacked Liam hard on the ass. “Out, dammit!”

For a moment, Liam stood frozen. Their eyes met and Dave had to swallow hard when a white hot spark seemed to leap between them. He dropped the spoon from nerveless fingers, Liam bent to pick it up and the moment passed.

“I’ll — yell if I need help,” Dave murmured. Liam nodded and left the kitchen.

God, what was that? Dave leaned both hands on the counter, taking slow, deep breaths.

Five minutes later Xavier came in. He rummaged until he found an apple then hopped up on the counter to eat it and watch Dave muddle around.

“This’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes.” Dave informed him.

Xavier smiled around a mouthful of apple. “This is my pre-dinner snack.”

Dave just grunted. No shame and a bottomless pit. At least he wasn’t hovering, though being watched over was almost as bad.

“What did you say to Liam?” Xavier asked.

Dave looked up from where he stirred. “What do you mean?”

Xavier shrugged. “He looked a bit frustrated when I passed him in the hall.”

“I, um,” Dave cleared his throat and ran a hand back through his hair. “I don’t think it was what I said.”

Xavier waved a hand for him to go on.

“He was kinda smothering me and I told him to go away.” He chewed on his bottom lip and looked up at Xav. “But he kept, you know, hovering. I smacked his butt with a wooden spoon. I — it was like –” Dave shook his head. “I dunno. For a second I thought — and then he just walked out.”

Xavier nearly choked on the piece of apple he was chewing he laughed so hard. He had to stop when he saw Dave obviously didn’t think this was funny and was looking around, probably for something to throw at him. Getting hold of himself Xavier held up his hand to ward off anything that might be flung. “Sorry sorry, don’t mean to laugh, honest.” He hopped down from the counter. “Liam probably thinks you were coming on to him. You might as well have stuck your hands down his pants.”

The color drained from Dave’s face and he sat down hard in the chair he’d set beside the stove. “Oh, shit. I didn’t mean –” He buried his face in his hands, fighting the sudden and absurd desire to sob. “What the hell do I do now?”

Xavier waved a hand, “Relax, relax. Not a big deal. He’ll probably figure out you couldn’t know what that would do to him once he can think again.” He paused mid-way to taking another bite of his apple. “Unless you want it to mean something…?”

“Hell, Xav, I don’t know!” Dave rocked back and forth, then buried his face against his knees to muffle an agitated groan. “I don’t know anything anymore! My damn head hurts too much to think!” He wasn’t angry at Xavier but confusion aggravated him and if Xav didn’t hightail it out soon, he was going to start taking it out on him.

“Go away, pretty boy. You’re not helping.”

For once Xavier didn’t push, he left so quietly it took Dave a few moments to realize he’d gone. Good, at least he could breathe again.

Of course, Xavier only left because he had something to do now. He didn’t scheme, though he wanted to, instead he just told Katya about the conversation and let her draw her own conclusions. It was butting in, sort of, but Katya did need to know about stuff like this to keep things running smoothly. Liam wouldn’t have said anything and Dave was too messed up to think to. She went and talked to Liam, while Xavier wandered off to get ready for dinner.

Everyone complimented Dave on the stew and when dinner was done they carried the dishes in and wouldn’t let him help, since he’d cooked the meal. While the table was being cleared Katya laid her hand over Dave’s and kissed his cheek. “I told Liam that you should have a massage tonight. Help relax those abused muscles. Sound OK to you?”

“Um — OK,” Dave glanced at her sideways. “I mean, yes, it does. But I think he’s –” Dinner had been warm and comfortable and nothing had been said but he still had to wonder. “Is he ticked at me?”

Katya gave him a look that was hard to figure out, but there were hints of amusement in her eyes. “No, why would he be?”

Why did everyone here insist on making things difficult? She knew. Someone had told her. Or she wouldn’t be looking at him like that. So he related the whole scene in the kitchen to her and found himself trembling by the end for god only knew what reason.

“And Xav said he was frustrated and I didn’t mean to — I mean, I might have if I’d known — that is –” Dave put his forearms on the table and buried his head against them. “How deep is this rabbit hole, anyway?” he asked softly, trying his best not to fall to pieces.

She waited until he lifted his head and she caught his chin. “Sometimes I have to make sure things are what they seem. That’s why I wanted to hear what you had to say.” She kissed his lips softly. “You have my permission to relax and do what you like tonight.”

Liam came back out then and looked at Dave. “Ready?”

His eyes lingered on Katya. “Thank you, Mistress,” he whispered and then turned to Liam and managed something like his usual crooked grin. “I think so. Are you?”

Liam arched a brow slightly and led the way inside and to his room where he already had the table set up. He asked Dave to strip and lay down then covered his lower half with a blanket. The scent of something earthy lifted from the bottle of oil he uncapped, and then large warm hands caressed over his lower back in light, gentle strokes.

It was like Liam had ultrasound built into his hands. He knew exactly which spots would hurt if he pressed too hard, which ones were simply knotted and needed the pressure, which spots hadn’t had the luxury of relaxing in years and needed extra attention.

Dave let out a languid groan when Liam’s thumbs released the pressure between his shoulder blades. “Oh, man — you are so — damn — good.”

That got a chuckle and a hard press into muscle that made him groan again. “Aw, you’re just sayin that.”

“Right. Just what I say to all the boys,” He tried for a light tone, didn’t quite hit it, and ended up sounding bitter. He sighed and tried again. “I mean it — oh, god –” He cut off when Liam’s thumbs dug into knots on either side of his spine. “I’ve never — it’s —” He stopped trying when Liam put a hand on either side and made his spine crack in four places. “Magic hands. Must be.”

“Not magic, just learned well.” He said. His hands slid further down his back, thumbs rolling over the top most muscles of his gluts. He paused there, resting his hands lightly on Dave’s back. “Want me to stop here?”

“Hell, no,” Dave’s voice held the slightest husk. “Don’t stop. Please. It feels so good. Even in places I didn’t know hurt so bad.”

The blanket was pushed back and Liam continued the task of turning each muscle into so much mush. Back of thighs, calves, even ankles and feet got treated to the same slow and relaxing strokes. When he wasn’t sure if Dave would be capable of rolling over Liam gave him a hand and started on hands, arms, shoulders. When he slid his hand over his chest he went more gently, avoiding fading bruises again. He stroked over his hips and the tops of his thighs but left the most sensitive areas alone, only coming teasingly close.

Dave bit his lip on a moan. He already had a full-mast erection, caused as much by the easing of muscle tension as the gentle touches near his groin. His hips wanted to lift, to encourage Liam to move inward, but instead he reached up and caught both of Liam’s hands.

“Look –” he started, swallowed hard and stopped when those dark eyes met his. His thumbs caressed Liam’s knuckles before he went on. “In the kitchen — I didn’t mean to, you know…” He sighed, exasperated with himself and went on more firmly, “I’m not a cock-tease, Liam. I don’t play that way. I was just horsing around and I didn’t know.”

Liam said nothing, offered no expression. He simply seemed to be waiting patiently for the point. Maybe he wants you to lead, Dave realized.

“I know I’m not real pretty right now,” Dave went on and pressed one of Liam’s palms to his chest. “But I kinda haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I woke up in your arms. I mean, if you don’t want me, just say so, yeah? But I’m offering…”

“You’re offering… what?” Liam asked with a small smile, his hands caressing once more down his chest. “Do you know?”

Dave used one of Liam’s arms to pull himself into a sitting position. He gripped Liam’s shoulders and gave him a little shake. “No more games. Shit. Everybody thinks it’s funny to mess with my head here. Or maybe they think it’s good for me. Or something. But not now, OK? I know what it’s like to want the flat of someone’s hand and more. God, do I ever.”

He drew in a slow breath, willing the headache to stay away a little longer. “Katya’s slipped the leash tonight. She’s told me I can do as I please. Just tell me you want me and I’ll do my damndest to make it good for you. Or tell me you don’t and I’ll back off for good. How hard is that?”

Liam shook his head slightly, but the little smile was still there. “I wasn’t ‘messing’ with you Dave, just being cautious. It was an honest question. I don’t like to assume. I can see what you want plain enough.” And here Liam moved in a little, letting the warmth of his breath play over Dave’s throat, and his fingers trace lightly down his shaft. “But what you want, and what you would be willing to give might be different.” Liam continued in a soft husk. “I wouldn’t want to make a mistake with you.”

A shiver of pleasure ran up Dave’s spine. He closed his eyes and eased his grip, sliding his hands inward to caress the sides of Liam’s throat. “And I appreciate that, bud, I really do.” His expression softened when he opened his eyes again. “But what is it you think I might not be able to give you?”

Liam chuckled and let his lips travel along the side of Dave’s throat. “Maybe I just wanted to hear you say what you had in mind. I’m sorry Dave, I’m used to serving, not being asked what I want.”

“Just answer the question, dammit, that’s all I want.” Dave caught Liam’s face between his hands, thumbs stroking his cheekbones. “Do. You. Want. Me.”

“I was answering the question, you’re just not listening, let me make it more clear.” Liam slid his hands up Dave’s thighs and caressed his lips in a tantalizing kiss. “Yes, I want you.”

Dave’s initial answer was to seize Liam’s questing mouth in a kiss full of tender fire, his fingers tangling in Liam’s hair. “Thank god,” he whispered against Liam’s lips. “Someone who can give a straight answer.”

He slid off the table into Liam’s embrace, lips engaged in a continuous assault on jaw and throat while he yanked Liam’s t-shirt off over his head. His hands explored the planes of Liam’s back with eager hunger. Christ, where was this coming from? Not that it mattered and he wasn’t going to stop and analyze his sexual starvation now.

Step by slow step, he backed Liam up until his legs bumped up against his bed, then kept coming until Liam fell onto the mattress on his back. He kissed a heated line down Liam’s throat, across one hard pectoral and down to suck the hardened nub of nipple into his mouth. Liam rewarded him with a sweet moan and Dave wasted no time tugging the tie free on his sweats and shoving them down around his ankles.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, admiring the hard body next to him, amazed that he wanted it so bad. There was a time — ah, hell, who cared? Dave’s hand traced a feather light line down Liam’s sternum to the tip of his erection, then patted his lap.

“Come here,” he said, his voice gentle and husky. “Face down.”

Liam sat up slowly and moved to lay across Dave’s thighs. He felt a flush heat his face as he bent over, both embarrassment and desire pooling in his middle, one feeding the other and back again. He wanted to detour for a moment and taste Dave, but he did as he was told.

“Perfect,” Dave whispered with a grin. “You’ve done this before.” His fingertips brushed over the curves of Liam’s backside — not the high, rounded dancer’s ass Xavier had, less pronounced, but muscular. Nice and firm. “Now let’s see if I can’t finish what I started earlier…”

He caressed the skin, smooth and hairless. Waxed, he thought. When Liam relaxed against him a little, he raised his hand and struck hard enough for a resounding crack across both cheeks.

There was a light indrawn breath and Liam’s body flexed slightly but if anything he relaxed even more. The next hard slap brought another little flex and relax and this time there was a definite swelling that pressed against Dave’s thighs. Another few slaps and that swelling was like a warm hard stone.

A dizzy euphoria swept over Dave. The experience was probably a little different for Liam than it was for him but he recognized the sudden rush of a hard-on, that letting go of everything but sensation. Wanting the next one and the next. Wanting it harder. Faster. But accepting and welcoming whatever came next.

When Liam’s butt was a soft pink, he reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the brush — oval, tortoiseshell. Nice and wide. His own breathing was uneven and heavy as he lifted the brush and brought it down on rose-colored skin. Liam’s soft moan of delight sent a hard spike of pleasure through him. He couldn’t keep it up forever, he was already getting tired, black spots nagging at the corners of his vision, but he’d go as long as he could.

If Dave lacked a bit in finesse he certainly made up for it in intensity. He didn’t alternate between soft and hard or vary much in placement, but each smack was precise and delivered with force. Liam was achingly hard, each press of his member into Dave’s thighs was now as much a torment as a pleasure. The brush lent its own harshness to already powerful swats and he was soon panting, caught between need and the needle teeth of pain. He spread his legs a bit, both for balance and in unconscious invitation.

The shifts in the body draped over Dave’s lap didn’t go unnoticed. He put the brush down, gulping after air and trying hard to hide the fact. He ran a hand down the centerline of Liam’s butt and reached between his legs to squeeze his sac lightly and received a moan and a little jerk against his hand in response.

Now what? He didn’t think he had the energy left to lay Liam down and take him, much as he would have liked to. Collapsing on Liam halfway to finished would leave them both frustrated and unhappy. With gentle hands, he urged Liam up and when his lap was free, Dave pulled himself up on the bed to lie down on his back. He beckoned to Liam and with nudges and little shoves, got him on all fours, Liam’s knees straddling Dave’s head, his head hovering over Dave’s crotch.

He squeezed the reddened cheeks hard and lifted his head to run his tongue over the tip of Liam’s erection.

Liam was too hot to hold much back. His mouth closed over the jutting member in front of him and slid down to the base in a heated rush. He drew back hard and plunged down again, arms slipping around Dave’s hips so he could cup his cheeks in his hands and knead them.

What was supposed to have been an ‘oh my god’ came out as a garbled moan and Dave’s pelvis arched up into Liam’s mouth. He abandoned speech and answered in kind instead, wrapping his lips around Liam’s cock. His fingers teased at the cleft between Liam’s butt cheeks, his tongue played a frantic arpeggio as he sucked hard.

He retained enough presence of mind, just, to remove his mouth for a moment and pant, “Liam — whenever you’re ready. Come for me.” He ignored the growing pain in his head to set up a steady rhythm up and down Liam’s shaft and tried his best to ignore the one thing that made him anxious. He hadn’t climaxed since the attack and hell knew how bruised testicles would react the first time.

Liam’s hands had spread Dave’s cheeks apart enough so he could tease a finger tip against the puckered opening. His lips created a constant suction as they slid up and down at a steadily increasing pace. His hips lowered and pumped in short little thrusts into Dave’s mouth making it easy… all he had to do was open wide and… Liam’s deep throated moan reverberated around the hard cock in his mouth and his finger pressed inside Dave’s body as he felt the tightening. He brought his other hand back to wrap around Dave’s shaft and stroke him, his lips making shorter plunges over the sensitive head.

He meant to slow down. He meant to pull back. But that mouth felt so good and he kept envisioning the fall of his hand on his ass and… his hips thrust forward a bit harder than he intended as the ever tightening coil suddenly released.

Dave hummed around the erection lodged at the entrance to his throat, managing to move his head enough to swallow as Liam came in forceful spurts. He only had a moment to consider the taste, though. Liam’s frantic moans around him and the hard pulls of his mouth sent a sudden tightening rush up through his balls. And he received his answer to how it would feel.

When doctors described something as causing ’some discomfort’, Dave had learned this meant everything from an ache to excruciating pain. This was perhaps the most incredible pain he’d ever felt, tangled as it was with that moment of extreme pleasure. His hips pumped up to meet Liam, the pulses of pleasure began — and Dave flung his head back and howled as the pain assaulted him simultaneously. Red orgasm. Bright. Flaming. Oh god his heart was gonna stop it hurt so bad and felt so good…

Liam slowed, drawing each lovely spurt out until the taut body beneath him collapsed. He eased back and off of Dave, turning so he could lay on his side beside him, and stopped. “You OK?” he asked.

For a moment the only sounds Dave could force from his throat were soft whimpers. He curled up to cup his hands around his aching balls. “No. Yeah. That was incredible. Bed’s spinning.”

Liam curled his body along Dave’s back and propped his head on his arm. He stroked his hand down Dave’s arm and back in a light caress, not knowing what else to do. Nothing he could do really, for that kind of pain. He just had to ride it out and wait for it to pass.

The pain reached nearly bearable sooner with Liam holding him. Something about touch and serotonin and endorphins but Dave couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the science behind it at the moment. He nestled back against the warm body beside him and accepted the gift gratefully.

“Some discomfort,” he snorted softly when he could speak again without strain. “Any doctor uttering that phrase needs to be shot.” He rolled over to wrap his arms around Liam. “Thanks, though. I needed that like you wouldn’t believe.” Liam still regarded him with concern. What big, brown eyes you have, Dave thought and grinned. Couldn’t help himself; he felt a little loopy. He ran a finger down the length of Liam’s nose. “What brave new world that has such people in it…”

The nurse glanced between father and son. Though she hadn’t heard any angry words, Dave’s clenched fists atop the covers and Mr. Brooks’ glare said it all.

She cleared her throat. “Are you here to take him home, Mr. Brooks? Can I go over the instructions with you?”

Edward Brooks gave her a sharp look and then turned back on his son. “They’re discharging you today? When you can’t even sit up straight? I hope you don’t expect your mother or me to wait on you hand and foot.”

“No, Dad. God forbid I would ask one of my own parents to actually take care of me.” Dave stared at the ceiling.

“Don’t you take that tone with me –”

“What? Or you’ll send me to my room? Christ, old man, give it a rest.”

“I came down here to visit you, you ungrateful little snot! I didn’t have to –”

“The model of parental concern.” Dave snorted.

“I didn’t have to, especially since you’re only in here because of your appalling stupidity. Again. Nothing but drunken idiocy and fights and arrests since you came home. The only time you’ve ever excelled at anything was in the service! Why the hell didn’t you stay there?”

Dave turned his head to look at his father, the sneer vanishing. “I almost died, Dad. If I’d stayed in long enough, I would have.”

“Well, maybe you should have!” his father shouted. “Better a dead hero than a live screwed-up failure!”

The door to Dave’s room was open and Katya had heard most of the conversation as she approached. She did not pause at the door but breezed in not only as if the room were hers but as if the entire hospital existed solely at her whim. She was glad she hadn’t changed from the business meeting she’d attended that morning. The powder blue shirt with collar and black slacks were crisply professional, spoiled only slightly by the little stuffed bear she carried.

She smiled as she walked into the room, a cool clinical smile that would have sent shivers down Xavier’s back. “Mr. Brooks, how kind of you to visit. Unfortunately, disruptive behavior and shouting aren’t allowed in the hospital so you’re going to have to leave now.”

Dave’s father looked at her in open-mouthed confusion. As with most of the male species it took a bit for his brain to reconcile the vision of sultry beauty that just walked in with the utter cold bitchiness coming out of her perfect lips. He got it together pretty quickly though and his confusion turned to a snarl. “And you are…?”

“I’m the woman your son risked his life to defend against three thugs in a dark alley. Quite a heroic act, though where he gets it from I couldn’t guess.” She flicked her eyes up and down his frame like someone might at obviously inferior workmanship. “Your help won’t be required, you may leave.” She said as if she were firing the butler.

The man standing in front of her flushed almost scarlet. “I don’t know who you think you are but you can’t kick me out of –”

Kat cut him off, “You’re right, I can’t. I can only suggest. However, the hospital security staff that is on their way can and surely will insist you leave. I thought I’d save you the embarrassment. I heard the nurse at the desk calling them on my way in.” She gave him her sweetest ‘I win’ look.

Storming out would have been beneath him but it was a close thing. “You’ve got yourself quite a prize there, Missy. Enjoy the heartbreak.” Without even a nod of farewell, he turned on his heel and left.

Dave let out a slow breath. “That went well. One of our better conversations.” He forced a smile and focused on the angel near the doorway. “But things are looking up. Good morning, Ms. Kat. Is that for me?”

While it would have made him feel better to call her ‘Mistress’, he refrained for the nurse’s sake.

“It is indeed for you,” she said with a much warmer smile for him as she walked to his bedside. She set the little brown bear in the crook of his arm and kissed his cheek where it wasn’t bruised. “Going home today I hear.”

“Yes, ma’am. Insurance company says I’ve overstayed my welcome, so out I go.” His tone was light, though. Not a problem, not at all. A hospital was no place to be when you felt rotten.

She curled her fingers around his and brushed her thumb across the back of his knuckles. “Come stay at my place for a few days, until your feeling better,” she said.

“You mean it?” Of course she did but the question leaped out before he could shut his mouth. He pressed her hand to his cheek, giving himself a moment to swallow the lump in his throat. “Thank you, Mistress,” he whispered.

He blinked back the sting in his eyes before he tried to speak again. “Vic’s coming to pick me up in a bit. He was talking about sleeping on my sofa until I could get around on my own.” Dave laughed. “Dunno which would’ve given out first, my poor sagging sofa or Vic’s back.”

The nurse was more than happy to go over the discharge instructions with Katya — which meds had to be taken and which ones were as needed, no stairs on his own, no lifting or bending, no walking anywhere unaccompanied for the first few days, plenty of fluids and so on.

When Victor arrived an hour later, Kat was still there, perched on the edge of Dave’s bed talking to him softly. He had to smile. The look of pure, unguarded adoration transformed Dave’s face from its usual bitter irony to angelic beauty.

#

The streets closed in, the sky disappearing under stone and mortar. Endless twisting tunnels, dark, filled with dust and sudden noises. “Here, take one of these.” The figure beside him was Gerald, then Sebastian, then Katya. Smooth, unmarked, like no weapon he had ever handled, he still knew the disc for what it was. “You put it in your mouth. Pull the pin.” Katya stuffed the thing in her mouth, grinning unnaturally wide around it, and exploded in a fountain of blood and gore, tiny pieces of her raining down all around him…

“Oh, shit, oh, shit!” Dave lurched up in bed, clutching his ribs, his aching head, his stomach. He rolled out of bed and crawled to the door. Fuck, that was a bad one. Where the hell was he? This wasn’t his room — holy hell, he had to get out.

Halfway down the hall, he recalled where he had gone to sleep. Kat’s house. The guest room. Fine. Great. He still needed to get to the bathroom. Too dizzy and disoriented to stand, he made it on all fours and curled himself around the porcelain goddess before he started to heave.

Liam had been in bed but not sleeping exactly, dozing in and out, half there. The soft moan from the bathroom across the hall roused him. He got up and when he stepped out into the hall he saw the guestroom door was open. Hmm, now what to do. Sometimes people in the process of heaving their guts out wanted a soothing hand, others just wanted to be left the hell alone, and he didn’t know which type Dave was.

Deciding to wait Liam leaned against the wall and rubbed his eyes. When the miserable sounds of retching finally ceased and the toilet flushed he expected Dave to come out but after a few minutes passed and he didn’t, Liam thought it might be prudent to ask. He tapped on the door with one knuckle. “Dave, you OK?”

He didn’t get a reply exactly, just a soft moan. Liam turned the knob and opened the door to find Dave lying on the floor curled on his side, shivering in his boxers. He stepped in and crouched down, put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Let me help you get back to bed. Too cold in here.” He wasn’t sure if Dave could make it on his own steam, but he got up and Liam took most of his weight as they hobbled down the hall together.

Dave shook so hard, Liam had to help him swing his legs up under the covers. Such strong hands but so gentle. He wanted to say thank you and goodnight but his head hurt so bad and the shakes made it worse, all his muscles seizing.

“Shit,” he whispered, both hands fisted in his hair as he rocked back and forth. “Help me. Please. I’m — fuck –”

Liam’s hand stroked his back, his voice vibrated in the air but Dave couldn’t make out the words. The room blurred in and out as Liam left and returned. The pills for the most acute pain were placed in his hand, a glass held to his lips when he popped them in his mouth. The deep voice murmured a constant stream of reassurance. Heavenly warmth covered him, wrapped around him. By slow degrees, the tight agony in his core unwound, the shaking subsided.

When the world steadied again, Dave pulled in a shuddering breath to stop his whimpering. Embarrassing as all hell. Some of the warmth radiated from the electric blanket Liam had brought but the rest was body heat. Liam lay stretched out beside him, arms wrapped tight around him, Dave’s head cradled against his broad shoulder.

“Thanks, bro,” he whispered, suddenly all too aware of Liam’s hands on his back, his spicy musk permeating every breath. Half of him wanted to say I’m OK now, go back to bed, but his arm slid around Liam’s waist before he could stop it and instead of sending him off, Dave ended up clinging to him tight.

How interesting, Liam thought, that I keep being mistaken for a teddy bear. He didn’t think Dave would appreciate the humor though so he kept the thought to himself and closed his eyes. Ah well, there are certainly worse things to be mistaken for. A faint smile touched his lips as he drifted off.

Liam woke the next morning to the soft feel of a hand caressing his shoulder and the warmth of lips against the side of his throat. He opened bleary eyes to find they belonged to Katya. She had apparently come in to check on David. “Got lost?” she said with a soft chuckle.

He smiled sleepily. “Rough night,” he answered just as softly. He disentangled himself carefully, or tried to, but didn’t quite make it without waking Dave. He smiled apologetically.

Dave blinked, confusion creasing his forehead. “Um, hey.” He rolled to his back trying to recall the night before so he wouldn’t say anything incredibly stupid. Had he…? No, he didn’t think so. And neither one of them was naked. Not all the way. “Sorry.”

Katya was there as well, her expression a mix of amusement and concern. “Morning,” he rasped, trying for a smile. Probably pretty ghastly. God, he hoped she didn’t want to kiss him. He reeked and his breath was probably worse.

Katya straightened. “Liam’s going to go make breakfast. Xavier will help you out with a shower if you need his help. I’ll be back in a while.”

Liam rolled to his side so he could watch Katya walk out. He loved the way he could see just the edge of her cheeks beneath her tee shirt. He gave a huge stretch and yawn before getting up. “See you downstairs,” he said as he wandered out.

Dave sat up with a groan and rested his head on his knees. “What the hell just happened?” he muttered and swung his legs out of bed. Many of the worst pains had subsided to nagging aches. Uncomfortable, but not scream your head off unbearable.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror on the dresser. Man, he was a mess. How could anyone look at him? The swelling around his left eye had gone down enough that he could see out of it again but the bruises mottling his face were now a rainbow of hues — blues and greens and yellows. Pretty. Yeah, just gorgeous.

The ruin of his face aside, his biggest problems were the damage to his kidneys and his skull. The one kept him from standing up straight, the other sometimes made him keel over. He supposed he’d better wait for Xav rather than risk splitting his head open on the bathroom tiles.

“Morning Sunshine,” Xavier said as he came in a moment later.

He was dressed in skin and nothing but and Dave probably would have looked more surprised if it didn’t hurt to make his face into that expression. Xavier just shrugged. “What? I should get dressed to put you in the shower?” he chuckled.

“Good point. But you’ve still got no shame.” Dave said with a little laugh. He let Xavier slip an arm around him and guide him down the hall. All the menace and confusion of the night before had vanished, leaving him with a profound sense of relief. “You ever sleep with Liam?”

That question actually made Xavier blink twice and almost miss a step. Then he laughed. “Are you asking because you want to know, or you want to know if he’s any good?” He grinned wickedly.

Dave growled, “I’m asking because I woke up next to him and I don’t have a clue what the fuck happened last night.”

Xavier ignored the growl and shook his head with grin still in place. “Nothing happened.” He got him into the bathroom and turned on the shower to get the water warm, then when he saw Dave didn’t look exactly reassured, he chuckled. “I’m telling you, nothing happened, for several reasons. For one, Liam wouldn’t have put a move on you, it’s not his style. If you came on to him or if Katya was directing things it would be different. Two, if you were so out of it you can’t even remember last night that’s all the more reason Liam wouldn’t have touched you. Unlike some of us he actually has scruples.” Xavier chuckled again and adjusted the heat of the water. “And, most importantly, if anything had happened between you two he would be on his knees instead of downstairs stirring eggs.”

Xavier turned around and leaned again the wall casually. “And, yes, I have slept with him, and yes, he’s very good.”

“Oh.” Dave felt himself flush. Must have been an interesting sight, red added to the artist’s palette of shades on his face. “Scruples. Got it.” While he no longer had any doubts that Liam had done anything other than rescue and comfort him, now he was disturbed by thoughts of Xavier and Liam. Going at it. In various positions.

Maybe disturbed wasn’t the right word.

He let his boxers slide to the floor and pretended not to notice the morning wood. Xavier took a good long look, but he expected that by now, no big deal. Xav took him under the arms to help him step in under the hot water. While he knew they weren’t supposed to go too far, he liked having someone else in the shower with him. He turned so his back rested against Xavier’s chest, arms wrapping around Dave’s chest to hold him close.

Dave leaned back with a sigh, letting the water sluice over him. Not a bad way to start the day.

Xavier soaped his hands and let them slide over wet skin. His head bent to lick at the drops of water collecting on Dave’s neck. He sighed. “Even looking like you got hit by a truck you’re still pretty hot.” He had to say it. Had to keep things light and humorous because he could already feel how easy it would be to let things get out of hand.

“Um, thanks, I think,” Dave murmured and reached down to stop Xavier’s hands from sliding below his navel. “I’ll get down there, bud, thanks. Still kinda tender.” True. But despite the residual pain, there were plenty of other reasons to keep Xav’s gentle, talented hands away from his crotch.

He handed the shampoo bottle over his shoulder, letting Xavier concentrate on his hair, hissing and cussing softly now and then when his fingers hit a sore spot. They were rinsing off when the heat started to get to him.

“Xav, could you turn the water off? Getting so dizzy –”

Xavier switched the water off and helped him out of the shower, spread a towel over the toilet lid and made him sit down before giving him more towels to dry off. By the time he was mostly dry the wave of dizziness had passed and he managed to get his teeth brushed and hair combed before Xavier helped him back to bed. “Don’t think you’re gonna make it downstairs today. I’ll bring something up for you.”

He thought about asking Xav to at least hand him a pair of sweats but he didn’t have the energy. Propped up against the headboard on a nest of pillows, he pulled the covers up to his chest and closed his eyes, listening to the soft sounds of domestic bliss around him. So much better than the hospital.

“How’d you get so lucky all of a sudden, Brooks?” he whispered. People who cared for him. About him. Almost like — well, like family. Now there was a feeling he thought he’d forgotten.

Katya ground her teeth. She could cheerfully strangle the little nitwit. Good lord, she couldn’t believe the girl was that vicious and stupid. She was sobbing in the front seat while they drove to an industrial park, mostly dark and empty at this time of night. They pulled up to one of the buildings. Katya had paid close attention to which one, though she hadn’t been able to make out an actual address. One of the thugs got out and opened the lift door and the driver pulled the car inside the building.

They all got out and pulled Katya and Lilith out of the car with them. Apparently they didn’t have a contingency plan and needed time to think about what they were going to do with them. For now they pushed them both into a small windowless bathroom and locked them in.

The girl’s crying was getting on Katya’s nerves. She had to bite back harsh words. Calling her an idiot was not going to help. Instead she pulled out a wad from the toilet paper roll and handed it to her. “I need you to try and be quiet, ok? Crying won’t help and if you’re quiet we might be able to hear what they’re saying out there.”

Lilith bit hard on her bottom lip. The woman’s voice grated in her ears. She was right, though. Lilith hated her in that moment for being right. She buried her face in her hands to muffle the leftover sobs. “They weren’t supposed to hurt anyone,” she whispered miserably. “David’s going to die in that alley…”

Katya restrained the urge to slap her silly. Not hurt anyone? Not likely. Not hurt Dave maybe, but she doubted the little wretch gave a rat’s ass if her goons had hurt Katya. She turned her back on the girl before she did something stupid herself and put her ear to the door, straining to hear. There was a muffled murmuring but she couldn’t make out any words. Great. Fantastic. Tamping down on her anger and fear she looked around the small room. Nothing. Not even a plunger. Just the toilet, sink, mirror, and roll of toilet paper. She looked up. The ceiling did not go up to the rafters in here of course, it was one of those Styrofoam tiled things with a big florescent in the center.

Looking around the room again she judged that if she stood on the sink and jumped she might possibly be able to touch the ceiling, but certainly not high enough to push a tile back or get a grip on anything. She looked at Lilith. They were about the same size, either of them could stand on the toilet while the other stood on their shoulders. They could reach it that way. She took a breath. Would have to be the kid that went. Katya couldn’t leave her here to wait and see what those men figured out to do with them.

“I’ve got an idea,” she said quietly. “I’m going to stand on the toilet and let you get up on my shoulders. You should be able to reach the ceiling then. You can push one of those tiles in and get into the crawl space up there. It’s gotta lead somewhere, to an office or something, and a way out. Don’t stop for a phone here if you see one, OK? Get out as fast as you can and get down the street to that gas station we passed, you remember, on the corner?” Lilith nodded and Katya continued. “Call 911 from there, tell them to send an ambulance to where Dave is first, then tell them where I am. I counted six buildings in, on the right, and the name of the street is Industrial Drive.” She snorted. “Very original. Think you can do it?”

Lilith gaped at her for a moment, her mind moving sluggishly from the shock. Why was this woman helping her? Sending her out for help? “I could just leave you here. You know that, right?”

Katya bit back what she was about to say. Scaring the hell out of her by telling her she’d be accessory to murder if either she or Dave died because of her stupid jealous prank was not a good way to get cooperation. She gave her a long look and nodded.

“All right,” Lilith pulled in a deep breath. “I can do it. And I won’t. Leave you here. Those fuckers deserve to be put away.” She wriggled out of her long, black coat — too tight and clumsy for what she had to do. The only way out of this was to help each other. She climbed up onto the sink preparing to clamber onto Katya when she was in place.

Her dark eyes were huge when she turned her head to Katya. “They weren’t supposed to, you know, hurt you. Just scare you. Fuckers.”

“Hire better help next time, kid.” Kat muttered as she balanced on the toilet seat. She got a glare in return and Katya sighed. “I was kidding. Stress brings out inappropriate humor sometimes.” She paused, and although she felt every second keenly ticking by she took a moment more. “I know you didn’t mean for this to happen. Just do the right thing now and we can worry about mistakes later, OK?”

That got her an odd look, but Lilith nodded and climbed up on her shoulders. The ceiling tile was carefully shoved out of the way and Lilith pulled herself up. She looked down at Katya, gave an OK sign with circle and thumb and then was gone.

#

Pitch black closed in once Lilith crawled away from the small square of comforting light. She had to feel her way forward, trying not to let the rivets on her pants clank against the metal duct. No way to know which way to go or what might be under her hands with the next reach forward. Rats. Spiders. Something worse.

“I am not afraid of the dark,” she told herself angrily. “I am not –” A patch of chill water under her fingers made her catch her breath on a shriek. Stupid. Stupid. Condensation. She sat still, panting, before she could force herself onward. David was lying in that dirty alley bleeding. Every time she stopped, more of his blood was fed to the dirt.

She gritted her teeth and went on. At one turning, she heard Hector’s voice. She couldn’t make out all the words but ‘dump the bodies’ reached her clearly and she hurried on in the opposite direction. Finally she saw a faint green light in front of her. Her hands met with a grate. The light came from a copier. An office. She strained, listening for voices, but only silence greeted her.

One swift kick with both feet and the grate flipped loose. Doc Martin’s were the best boots ever. Lilith slipped from the duct and fell in a heap to the floor. Bruised but telling herself fiercely that she was fine, she stumbled to her feet and ran, out the office door, toward the nearest Exit sign and into the night.

Gas station. Phone booth. She managed, somehow, to keep herself together long enough to tell the 911 operator everything. Ambulance for David. Police for Katya. Stupid cops better hurry.

#

Richard found David in the alley, and then the little niggle of fear turned into icy teeth of terror. Dave had been worked over pretty good, and worse there was no sign of Katya anywhere. Dave’s panicked, garbled voice rang in his ears. They took her…

Richard quickly checked Dave over, heartbeat and breathing normal but out cold. He resisted the urge to grab him and shake him awake so he could find out what had happened to Katya and what direction they were going. Instead he reached into his pocket and took out his phone to call 911. He couldn’t follow anyone if he didn’t know where they were and Dave needed help now. The sick icy ball in his stomach was going to have to be ignored for now.

Before he got his phone out he was distracted by the sound of running feet coming his way and looked up to see a girl tearing down the alley. She saw the cell phone in his hand and said, “I just called 911.” Out of breath, she knelt beside Dave. “Oh, Dave, I’m so sorry!” She reached for him but Richard stopped her gently.

“Better not to move him. You know him? You saw what happened?” He asked quickly, but calmly. Richard was good with kids; he dealt with teens all the time. Snap questions at them and they clammed up.

“Yes, I-I saw what happened,” she answered.

“Did you see the woman with him? Did you see what direction she went?” He asked in that same calm tone, although his heart was racing again.

Lilith took a good look at him finally. He was — what? Not a cop. There were — other men in Katya’s life. She knew that in a vague sort of way. This must be one of them. And he was big. “She helped me get away,” Lilith answered, chewing on her bottom lip so she wouldn’t start crying again. “The industrial park off King. That’s where they went. Sixth building on the right. The — the cops should be there soon. I hope.”

Helped her get away? Had she been with Katya and Dave then? That didn’t make any sense. The one thing that was obvious was that Katya was still being held by whoever had taken her. Richard looked down at Dave, looked back at the girl. He still wanted to know what exactly had happened but didn’t want to waste time asking more questions. He just needed one answered. “How many are there?”

Lilith blinked. “Four.”

“OK, stay here with Dave until the ambulance gets here,” he said, rather unnecessarily. She didn’t look like she was going anywhere.

Richard jogged back to his car. He felt a little guilty leaving the girl by herself in a dark alley, but she wasn’t in immediate danger and Katya might be.

Lilith let the tears flow again when the large, soft-spoken man had gone. She’d blown it. Messed up everything. Dave would hate her now.

“Hey, kiddo.” The voice was the barest, hoarse whisper. “What the hell –?” Dave’s question cut off in a fit of weak coughing, his body curling into an agonized ball.

Her hands flew up and hovered over him. She hadn’t any idea what to do for him. “It’s all my fault, Dave. Katya — and you — Oh, it’s all my fault…” She felt so helpless and stupid, she burst into tears again.

“Sh, hey, hey.” Dave’s hand groped for hers. “Whatever you did, kiddo, we’ll fix it. Sh, don’t cry.”

Which, of course, made her cry harder.

Richard pulled into the parking lot and switched off the engine. On the short drive he’d had time to think and he had a plan of sorts. All he really needed to do was get close without being shot and everything would be fine, so busting in and raging about Katya wasn’t on the agenda.

He walked up to the side door and pulled, surprised that it actually came open. This made things considerably easier. He opened the door and walked in. Three men were sitting huddled together and having a heated discussion. All three heads came up in various stages of surprise and anger. Three, not four. That wasn’t good but, oh, well. “Hey, man, my car broke down. Can I use your phone?” Richard asked as he strode across the floor.

He reached them as one was standing and saying “No, get the hell outta…”

One quick jab to the midsection and another to his face knocked the wind out of him and broke the man’s nose. Now the other two were up. Richard grabbed one by the back of the neck while he was half way out of his chair and introduced his face to the edge of the desk with shattering force. The third he grabbed by the neck and hauled him up a foot off the floor and held him there. “Where the fuck is she?” He snarled in the man’s face.

Number four chose that moment to come through the swing door, eating a candy bar and holding a soda in his other hand. He looked at Richard in shock and the next second doubled over in agony as Richard’s foot connected solidly with his stomach. He crumpled to the floor with a strike he hadn’t even seen coming. Richard smiled, good, there was number four. He looked back at the man he still held by the throat. “You gonna make me ask again?” He squeezed and the man choked, and pointed to a door.

Taking the man he still held with him he moved to the door, tried it. Locked. “Katya move back.” He said, giving just a moment for her to do so. He could ask for the key but didn’t want to waste the time when he could just… One powerful kick and the door was open with the squeal and pinging of a broken lock and there she was, whole and in one piece.

He didn’t let relief flood him just yet, and he controlled the rage that sprang up when he saw the bruise on her cheek. Breathe. Get Katya out first. He bounced the man’s head off the water fountain outside the bathroom door and let him drop choking and gasping, clutching his throat. That made him feel slightly better. Katya was already moving and he put himself between her and the men in various stages of trying to recover from what had just happened to them.

They both got out as quickly as possible. Once outside Katya ran for the car and Richard was right behind her, throwing the car in reverse before he even got the door closed. Only when they were down the street did he start to relax just a bit. He had her, she was safe, no one was dead. This was a good thing.

They spared a moment for hurried words of relief before Katya started telling him Dave needed help and Richard explained he already knew and then they were on their way back to the alley. The red flashing lights of an ambulance and police car blocked their way and they could see a stretcher and Lilith standing on the sidewalk with her arms crossed.

They parked beyond the emergency vehicles and Kat opened her door in time to hear Dave’s protests, thin and weak but insistent. “You don’t understand!” He seemed to be making every attempt to get up while the EMT’s were trying to strap him down. “I have to find her!”

A cop stopped her as she approached. “He’s looking for me,” she said, trying not to sound annoyed. “If you’ll just let me through for a second to see him, he’ll calm down and the EMT’s can get him moved quicker.”

For once she got a bright cop who saw the situation for what it was and actually had a lick of common sense. He let her through. Richard didn’t even try, he stayed back and made his way over to Lilith.

Katya came to Dave’s side before she could get stopped again. “Dave it’s alright, I’m here.”

He collapsed back on the stretcher, chest heaving. His gaze searched everywhere as if he couldn’t find the source of the voice. “Katya,” he whispered and reached a hand out. “Are you all right?”

The EMT’s realized she was the one he’d been going on about and let her get closer. She took his hand and leaned close to his ear. “I’m OK, no worries. Richard’s here with me. Relax now, let the men do their job and take you to the hospital. Be good and do what they say. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Questions need to be answered and all that. May take a bit, but I’ll be there. OK?” She kissed his temple and smoothed back his hair. God, he looked a mess. She wanted to cry just looking at him.

“OK.” He squeezed her fingers, his one open eye still searching for her. “See, this is what happens when you settle for the mid-size model. You really should splurge on the full-size hero every time, Ms. Kat.”

She closed her eyes a second, made her voice come out even. “None of that. I do what I like, remember?” She kissed him once more where his forehead didn’t look too bruised. “I’ll see you soon, David.” She stepped back reluctantly to let the EMT’s take him, found Richard in the small crowd with Lilith, and made her way over to them. She needed to talk to them both before the cops did.

Her expensive Euro-trash clothes stained and slime spattered, her ghostly, elfin face darkened with dirt smudges and tears, Lilith had still managed to recover some of her princess air for the police and medics. She stood hipshot, arms crossed tight, the model of adolescent bravado. “What are you going to tell them?”

She wasn’t afraid her father would punish her exactly. If it got in the papers, a public embarrassment, having her allowance taken away or being grounded or told to wash the dishes would have been a relief. No, he would take her on an endless round of appointments with doctors and shrinks and ‘behavioral specialists’ who would have to be sweet-talked and told what they wanted to hear. There would be medications, maybe even a chaperone. And, she shuddered, he might start to investigate where she went at night.

Katya saw right through her like she could read her mind. So used to money getting her out of or into any situation. She was worried about her social situation and parents’ reaction, not necessarily in that order. She didn’t even realize how much trouble she could really be in. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t lifted a finger against Katya and Dave herself, it didn’t matter that both still happened to be alive, and it certainly didn’t matter what she had ‘intended’ for her thugs to do. If they were caught they’d be up against a slew of charges, assault, attempted murder and kidnapping just off the top, and she’d have all those tacked onto her conspiracy charges. Even as a minor, and even with her daddy’s money she could be locked up.

Katya didn’t want that for the girl, but she did want her to understand it. Not yet though, there would be time later if things went well. “Don’t worry about what I’m going to say.” Katya told her in a low voice. “This is what you’re going to say, and only if your asked, if we move fast enough you might not have to say anything.” Katya said, and as she did she started to lead the way to her car. “You were on a walk, thinking about going to catch a movie, took a shortcut and you saw a man laying in the alley and went to investigate. You heard the siren and stayed until the ambulance got here. That’s it.”

“But what about the phone call?”

“No one needs to know you made it.” Katya said. They reached the car and Kat opened the back door. “Get in and sit tight for a bit, we’ll take you home.”

Once Kat got her in the car she asked Richard to stay with her and walked back into the confusion of flashing lights, by-standers, paramedics and police. The cops seemed to be focused on the alley, and the EMT’s on Dave so no one was really paying much attention to them. She talked to the first cop she could grab, told him her version of what had happened. Said the bike was borrowed and she’d call her friend to come and get it, and that she would come in and give a more detailed statement when they wanted.

Then she had to call Vic and explain, sort of, what happened. She got in the car while they waited. “Richard, when Vic get’s here I’d like you to take Lilith home please. I’m going to go with Vic so I can give him a better idea what’s going on. You can come pick me up at the hospital later.” She turned half in her seat so she could talk to Lilith.

“You’ve got one chance to not have your life ruined by this little escapade. Do not tell anyone at all what happened. You better hope the cops don’t actually get lucky and find any of those bastards, because you better believe if they go down their going to take you with them.”

Katya looked back at her so she could catch her eyes, finally letting a little of the controlled fury out. “You fucked up. You didn’t just almost get me and Dave killed but yourself as well. You get busted for this and it isn’t going to be just a slap on the wrist. Your money will actually work against you, spoiled little rich girl involved in a conspiracy to commit murder. The press will crucify you, a jury will hang you, and the judge will make an example of you with a nice long sentence.”

“I happen to think one stupid mistake is not worth ruining your life over. This is your one and only chance. Do not fuck up again or I will nail you to the wall so fast you won’t know what happened. No more bullshit. You will stay the fuck away from Dave. If I find out you went to see him, if I find out you called him, if I find out you even sent a get well email, I will call the police and tell them where they might want to start digging for information on this case, you got that, sister?”

“But — Victor and — and…” The utter desolation in Lilith’s eyes spoke for her. Cut off from Dave, she was also cut off from her only friends, to a large extent, and cut off from the only meaningful thing she had ever done. She hated herself for it but she couldn’t help it. Her hands came up to cover her face and she burst into tears again, no longer the schemer, the rich brat, the goth-siren but a lost little girl no one really cared much about. And Victor would be so angry with her. If she ever actually saw him again. Nothing would ever, ever be right again. Life was horrible and pointless and she just wanted to die.

Vic eased into the garage, the swollen ankle making it hard to shift. Attila’s pride had been hurt that evening more than his body, in a misstep and a tumble down a short flight of stairs. The culprit got away.

He switched off the engine and hissed a breath when he put his feet down. “Base, changed my mind,” he growled into the helmet. “Help would be greatly appreciated about now.”

“On the way already,” Vincent said in his ear. “Should be there just about –”

The metal door at the top of the steps slammed open and three sets of feet pummeled down the stairs. Dave leaped the rail at the last turn and reached him well ahead of Nightshade and Sebastian.

“Dammit, Vic,” Dave snapped. “Can’t you watch yourself better? Where’s it hurt?”

“Right ankle — can’t put my weight on it. Sprained, I think,” Vic answered, ignoring the snarling. It only meant Dave was worried.

“I’ll make that call,” Dave muttered darkly. “Lean on me, bro, let’s get you upstairs.”

Between the three of them, they got him moving to the elevator and into the apartment where Dave’s mood didn’t improve one bit. His hands were gentle as he tugged the laces out of Vic’s boot and eased it off but he kept up a constant stream of angry invective.

“Can’t even watch where the hell you’re going. Man, it’s like you want to give us heart attacks. I swear, you do that again and I’ll knock your head off myself…” And so on.

When he stomped off to the kitchen for ice, Victor spread his hands and asked the room in general. “What in the world’s gotten into him?”

Vincent pulled his way over to a nearby chair. “He quit smoking yesterday. So he’s been a little — irritable.”

Dave returned with ice in hand and a lollipop stuck in his cheek.

“Good look for you, Kojak,” Vic grinned.

“Shut the hell up,” Dave growled and flushed pink.

“Sorry. It’s a hard road, giving up the smokes. Was it by request?” Vic asked.

“No. I just decided it was time.” Dave took Vic’s foot on his lap, pulled the sock off and held the ice to the swollen joint. “Definitely sprained, bro. You need to take some time off.” He glanced at Vic sideways. “But, yeah, I thought she’d be happier if I did. She doesn’t come out and say things like that. You kinda know, though. And I want –” He broke off and shook his head.

“Regardless of the reason, I’m proud of you,” Vic said. “Let me know if I can help. I’ll keep you in candy if you want.” He laughed when Dave smacked his arm.

Dave’s features softened as he gazed into the far distance. “I wanna be through the worst of it when we go out Friday.”

“Just you and Katya? That’s as good a reason as any.” Vic patted his shoulder. “Has she said where?”

“Thai Palace and then wherever she wants after that,” Dave finally smiled. “Can I borrow the Honda? Reservations are for seven. I’ll be extra careful with it.”

“You’d better,” Vic growled but his eyes sparkled with mirth. “Of course you can. I’ll bring it by Friday after work. And now I better call Cody before he starts to worry.”

Lilith listened in the back hallway where she had stopped short returning from the bathroom. Time, place, even vehicle. It was just too perfect. The perfect set up.

After she said goodnight to everyone and left for the evening, she pulled out her phone while she waited for her cab. “Hector? It’s Lilith. Did you get the money? Mm-hmm. Good. Here’s the deal –” She went on to describe exactly where Katya would be and when. “I just want her scared the hell away from him, all right? Don’t, like, really hurt her bad or anything. And don’t you touch him — What? Well, all right, if he starts swinging, there’s not much you can do. But just be careful with him.”

She listened for a moment. “We’ll talk about a little extra after it’s done. And, yes, I want to be there.” Her voice took on an ugly tone. “I want to watch this.”

#

Dave roared up the drive on the Honda, so pleased and excited he was singing. He had agonized over Katya’s exact meaning when she had said to dress ‘casual’ but he thought he’d gotten it. Tight black jeans, good boots, a soft chamois shirt under the leather jacket. His heart pounded against his ribs when he rang the bell. Their first night out. He had to get hold of himself; his palms were sweating.

Katya greeted him with a soft kiss and comforting smile meant to put him at ease. She chatted amiably about her day and asked him about his, drawing him into casual conversation that further relaxed him.

Dinner was excellent, and entertaining since Katya told him funny stories about a few of Xavier’s foibles. It was late when they finished. She was deciding if she wanted to take him to one of her favorite clubs or just take him home with her as they walked back to the bike.

The side street where Dave had parked was little more than a narrow blind alley. He stopped Katya with a gentle hand and peered into the dark first before taking her further. A shiver had run up his spine for no good reason and while he knew it was just a leftover reaction, it didn’t hurt to be careful.

“Clear?” Katya said with a soft smile.

“Yes, ma’am, all clear,” Dave clipped out automatically and then chuckled. “No fair.”

A black Lincoln pulled up and blocked the entrance but he didn’t think anything of it. Someone being dropped off.

Katya didn’t think anything of it either, until three doors opened at the same time to let three men out. The precision of it raised a flag, people getting dropped off didn’t usually get out like that. Nor did they head down a dark alley instead of heading down the sidewalk to the front of the restaurant. Shit. She hadn’t even brought her purse with her, just a few twenties stuffed into her front pocket.

She felt Dave’s tension suddenly rise as he realized things weren’t quite right either. The men coming down the alley toward them didn’t walk in an amiable huddle, they walked side by side in a line. Quite an impressive line they made, Kat thought with dismay. Why were thugs never small and puny? As they drew closer each pulled out something from pockets or inside coats and then all doubt was removed as they yanked masks over their heads.

Dave was trying to put himself between her and the three men as they closed around them menacingly. “What’s a fine piece like you doing slumming on this side of town, darlin’?” one of the men asked.

Katya didn’t respond to the question. Dave was getting ready to spring, she could feel it. She reached into her pants pocket and pulled out the bills in a wad and threw them roughly in the direction of the thugs’ feet. “Just take it and go,” she said coldly.

One of the men laughed, not a good sign.

“Stay behind me, Katya,” Dave murmured as he turned them to get their backs to the wall. “When you get an opening, run like hell. Call help from the restaurant.”

He had no idea whether it would work or even if she would listen. The men surrounded them and closed in. When the left-hand one reached for Katya, Dave’s fist shot out and struck a solid blow to his eye. For half a moment it looked as if he would hold his own but the blows rained from three directions, impossible to dodge them all. The big one in the middle grabbed him and slammed his head against the wall. Dave’s eyes rolled and he slumped to the ground.

The second their attention was focused on Dave, Katya tried to run past but the one closest to her had been expecting that. His arm shot out, grabbed her, then slapped a hand over her mouth to cut off her yell. “Where ya going, sweetie? We haven’t had a chance to talk yet.” Whatever Katya would have said was muffled behind his hand. “I’ve got a little message for you. You’re gonna stop seeing the shmuck here, got it?”

What the fuck was going on here? This was something about Dave? Katya just nodded. Whatever they wanted to hear.

The man holding her chuckled. “Can’t just take your word, sweetie. Have to make sure you get it.” The hand around her waist slid up under her shirt. When the kid had said some bitch needed to be worked over he hadn’t realized the bitch would be so hot. Perk of the job. His hand closed over the soft breast and squeezed until she started thrashing around in his arms again. Women were a little harder to take care of, he needed them to at least be struggling a bit to get him going.

This one obliged him just fine, he spun her around and backhanded her a good one. Now things were gettin fun.

A hoarse bellow behind him snapped his head around in time to have Dave’s fist smash into his jaw. All eyes had been on Katya while Dave staggered back up. A dim mist hung over the world, like a badly focused movie watched through a dirty lens but his dogged determination to protect her kept him on his feet.

He charged, slamming the nearest one against the wall, wailing away with both fists.

“Fuck! Get him offa me!”

Dave’s arms were wrenched behind his back as he was yanked away. The man he’d attacked backhanded him across the face. At least they’d stopped molesting Kat.

“Hold him still.”

A blow to his midsection stole Dave’s breath. Another and he felt something crack. He pulled himself together long enough to use the man behind him as leverage and swing his legs up to kick his assailant in the face.

“I said hold him still!” the thug yelled, holding his bleeding nose.

From a pocket inside his coat, he pulled a nightstick and slammed the end into Dave’s groin. Every nerve exploded in blinding sparks, his body paralyzed with the shock. After a few more carefully placed potshots, they let him go, expecting him to fall. Dave managed one last blind swipe, his fingers catching in the wool of one of the ski masks. The mask slid off and joined him as he crumpled to the ground, his last conscious thought that he had failed Katya.

The present ceased to exist as Kat’s mind saw not David lying on the dirty street being kicked, but Michael. She saw herself get up and run over in a sort of superimposed daze. She got to him, trying to fend off more blows. In another second one of them would pull the gun and the smell of blood would mix with the street tar and garbage of the alley. She would feel the blood spray her…

It didn’t happen that way. The man whose ski mask had been ripped off was cursing and trying to get it back on, “Did she see me? Did she see me? Fuck!”

There was a single moment where everything seemed to slow and grind to a stop. And then the one that had hit her grabbed her, wrapped his hand in her hair and forced her down the street. They shoved her into the car. The first thing that greeted her was the hysterical wail of the girl in the front seat. “You weren’t supposed to hurt him!!” she shrieked. The girl was Lilith and Katya suddenly realized what had happened, not that it did any good.

“David!” Lilith was trying to get out of the car. “Oh my god, you’ve killed him!” The driver locked the doors and did his best to ignore her. “You have to call an ambulance! You can’t just leave him there!” She pulled out her cell. The thug behind her grabbed it and threw it out the window.

“Shut up, little girl. No calls. And if you can’t keep your trap shut, I’ll do it for you.”

#

When Dave woke, he floated in a strange haze of agony and memory. Must have been an IED. Or a grenade. He tried to lever himself up but his head weighed more than a jeep. Searing flame lances shot through the center of his body every time he moved.

He rolled far enough to see the nearby wall. Red brick. Big Custom 2000 parked there. Vic’s bike. What was Vic doing in Baghdad?

Didn’t matter. There had been a confrontation of some sort. Katya –

His hand brushed against his pocket. Cell. Not that he could see properly. One eye had swollen shut and the display might as well have been hieroglyphics. Speed dial. Two. A deep voice answered and Dave’s fuzzy grasp on the when of things slid further.

“Need reinforcements, ASAP, Sarge,” he forced out, his voice echoing and distant in his head. “Twelfth Street, Locust side of the Palace. They took her. Black Lincoln. Victor Juliet Foxtrot-235. I’m down. Unable to pursue.” So damn dizzy. Stomach churning. Didn’t help the street refused to sit still. The asphalt beneath him tilted and he was sliding. The phone hit the ground with a soft click. A familiar voice spoke from far away as the darkness swallowed him whole again.

“David?” Richard said. Nothing. “David…?” The phone clicked and the call disconnected. What the hell was that? He pushed the call button to redial. It rang until voice mail picked up. “Shit.” Grabbing his coat and keys he walked outside. Twelfth Street wasn’t that far thankfully, he’d go find out what was going on and try to ignore the little niggle of panic settling in.

Winter arrived in fits and starts that year, like a reluctant party guest who keeps going out to smoke and returns inside only to voice obnoxious opinions. Victor had gone to work in the morning in his shirtsleeves and returned in the evening chilled and dripping from a frigid mist that had rolled in off the bay. At least Mr. DeAngelo had his damn gazebo finished for Christmas.

Vic’s sneeze volleyed off the foyer walls. He had to lean against the closet door to get his boots off, he shook so hard. Coffee, a warm blanket, a sandwich on the sofa — that’s what he wanted. He hoped Cody hadn’t been cooking.

“Aw, man! That’s not gonna cut it.”

His head shot up at the unexpected voice. “Xav?”

Xavier offered no explanations. Shaking his head the whole way he leaped down the stairs with towels, a robe, and a box of tissues and began to strip Vic out of his wet clothes.

“Hold on, bucko.” Vic grabbed his wrist and pulled Xavier around where he could see him. “You look a little guilty. Where’s Cody? What’s going on here?”

“I can’t tell you.” Xavier offered his best thousand-watt smile and then when Vic growled, he pulled back and went on in desperate haste, “I can’t! I promised! It’s a surprise!”

So much for a simple, quiet evening getting warm. He relented and let Xavier undo his pants. The wet material clung to him and Xavier had to drop to his knees to wrestle it down. Still on the floor, Xavier grabbed a towel to dry him working up from his feet, his hands slowing to sensual circles as they rose up Vic’s thighs.

“Cody’s upstairs,” he offered, his head tilted up to look at Victor while his hands moved to towel under his sac. “You want me to warm you up before you go up there?”

Despite the chill that had settled into what felt like a cellular level, Vic felt a stirring down below. He stroked Xavier’s hair and smiled. “I think, pup, that I’ll manage without. But thank you for the offer.”

When Vic was no longer dripping and wrapped in his robe, Xavier gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and snatched his jacket out of the closet. “I gotta go, Vic. If I stay any longer…”

“I don’t want to get you in trouble,” Vic pulled him close for a bear hug and let him loose with a soft laugh when Xavier started to squirm. “Upstairs, you said? That’s where my surprise is?”

“Yep. Hope you like it.” Xavier grinned and blew him a kiss on his way out the door.

A hot shower — he so wanted a hot shower. With a soft sigh of resignation, Vic trudged up the stairs. The last thing he wanted to do was disappoint Cody. The surprise was bound to be something elaborate since he’d apparently needed help setting it up. In his wildest dreams, Vic couldn’t have envisioned what waited for him in the bedroom.

He stopped in the doorway, an astonished bark of laughter leaping from him. The bed, and whatever was on it, was covered in wrapping paper, metallic silver and green, the whole thing topped off by one of those enormous bows used for car-sized presents. The whole artful arrangement tented over a large lump in the center of the bed.

“Ah, Santa came early this year. I must have been a very good boy.”

He paced around to investigate the items lying on his nightstand. A wicker basket contained a knotted silk flogger, some edible lube, (french vanilla) and a can of whipped cream. The note on top, in Cody’s handwriting, said, “To use as you like with your present.” A plate with a sandwich and a mug with steam curling over the edges had a note as well — “To keep up your strength.” He sipped at the mug’s contents and hummed in appreciation. Irish coffee.

“Such a beautiful present. Shame to unwrap it really.”

A soft sound came from beneath the paper. Vic had received presents before which had clanked, rattled, chimed and rustled but never one which whimpered. He picked up the sandwich and devoured half of it on his way to retrieve scissors from the bureau. No sense wasting all that perfectly good paper. With deliberate care, he undid the tape holding the wrapping to the bed frame and then began to slice through the tape holding the pieces together.

The present would be rolling his eyes in impatience. Though Cody had made valiant attempts over the years to open packages carefully so the paper could be reused, he still preferred the manic rip and shred method, especially when excited.

Vic rolled the top half of the paper aside and let out a soft whistle. There was that gorgeous backside he knew so well but this first hint of the display waiting for him was breathtaking.

Cody’s hips were supported on the wide end of a wedge-shaped cushion, pushing his butt nicely up in the air and spreading his thighs wide. Steel rings attached to either side of the wedge provided attachment points for Cody’s ankles and knees, tucked up close to his body and tied to the rings with green velvet ribbon. Staring straight at Vic was the anchor end of a butt plug, inserted all the way — shining candy-apple red.

A heady rush swept over Victor; he stopped to draw in a steadying breath before he continued. While he wasn’t one of those who believed a man couldn’t think when his erection engaged, it certainly was difficult during that sudden redistribution of blood flow.

Removing the rest of the paper completed the tableau. Draped over the wedge, Cody’s head and shoulders rested on the comforter, his hands tied behind his back with the same velvet ribbon, another length serving as a blindfold. The wedge was fastened down with thick straps running underneath the mattress.

“Sweetheart, this is — incredible.”

“Hey, baby.” Cody smiled softly and then gasped when Vic laid a hand on his back. “Cripes, you’re freezing! You wanna get a hot shower first?”

Vic chuckled. “Now that would mean either undoing all this lovely work or leaving you alone like this. I’m not about to do either. I don’t think I’ll be cold long.”

Unable to decide where to begin, Vic sat on the edge of the bed, sipped his coffee and admired the view. “My present hoping for anything special?”

“Whatever you’ve got the energy for,” Cody answered, wriggling against his wedge.

“Hmm — a few minutes ago, I would have said I was too exhausted to stand. I seem to be getting a second wind, though.” Vic polished off his sandwich and picked up the can of whip cream. “Think I need dessert first.”

Cody snickered and squirmed when lines of whip cream tickled along his thighs and butt. His laugh turned into a soft moan when Vic began to lick it off, starting behind his right knee. Sweet cream and Cody — such a heavenly combination. He licked between Cody’s legs, humming in delight at the convergence of tastes with the scent of Cody’s arousal, the heady musk sending a jolt of pleasure up from Vic’s toes to his balls.

He took his time cleaning every last dollop from Cody’s backside, more aroused with every gasp and whimper. Next he picked up the flogger, running the strands through his fingers. The knots might sting a little if he hit hard enough but the instrument was designed more for stimulation than pain. Cody knew him so well. If he ever begged for a real beating, Vic would fall apart.

Visible goosebumps rose along Cody’s skin when Vic drew the silk along his shoulders and back. When he raised his arm and struck across both Cody’s cheeks, the flogger landed with a soft susurration rather than a slap. Cody groaned and struggled to push his butt up farther, a futile effort since he was fastened down so well. Interesting reaction. Vic struck again and settled into a steady rhythm, watching with hungry eyes as Cody writhed and panted in helpless delight.

“Vic, baby — please –” he panted after five minutes.

“Hmm? What can I do for you, little man?” Vic murmured, though he had his suspicions.

“Please — I’m gonna come like this — any second.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Yes — no! I mean — oh, damn — you want me to?”

Vic chuckled and put the flogger down. “Yes. But not quite yet.”

He stripped out of his robe and sipped his coffee to give Cody some time to cool down. His hands and feet still felt like ice but the rest of him had warmed to a comfortable glow. He returned to the bed and knelt by Cody’s head with the lube in hand. The scent of vanilla eased into the air when he uncapped the bottle and a heavenly warmth spread out where he applied it, like a little sun lamp just for his erection.

“Would you like a taste, sweetheart?”

“Heck, yeah.” Cody lifted his head, questing after the offered treat.

One hand cradling Cody’s head, Vic scooted closer to caress that soft mouth with his tip. Cody’s lips parted on a moan and he pressed forward eagerly to take in as much of Vic as he could reach, pulling him in with greedy suction. Vic hissed through his teeth, hips arching forward to assist. He pushed in while Cody’s delighted hums vibrated around his shaft, pulled out and thrust in again, his thumb stroking the back of Cody’s head.

“Love, you have the sweetest mouth,” he groaned, his balls feeling suddenly like twelve pound shot.

Cody made a soft sound of protest when he withdrew, so Vic bent to kiss his lips and share in the mingling of vanilla, Cody and his own taste. With a tender caress down the length of Cody’s body, Vic slid around to kneel behind him. He took the plug between thumb and forefinger, first twisting it around, then pulling it out by slow degrees. Every few centimeters he shoved it back in a bit to watch Cody heave and moan, teasing both of them until their panting matched each other’s in desperation.

More lube, since Cody had licked him clean, and he rose up on his knees. He pulled the plug out in one swift motion and immediately replaced it with his iron-hard erection, thrusting into Cody before he had a chance to think about it.

“Oh, baby, ohmigod,” Cody whimpered, straining against his bonds. “Take me hard — oh, please…”

“Anything for my sweetheart,” Vic panted and drove in to the hilt, setting up a fierce rhythm that shook the bed.

His fingers dug in at Cody’s hips, his head flung back as the pressure behind his groin wall rose precipitously. Cody was close, he could tell by the increasingly desperate sounds. For once, he thought it best not to wait for Cody to beg.

“Come for me, love. Let me hear it,” he growled through clenched teeth. The tight embrace of Cody’s body after the chill had his head spinning. A few more thrusts and holding back would be impossible.

Well-prepared, responsive as ever, Cody reacted before the last word. Gasping cries leaped from him and his hips bucked hard against the wedge restraining him. “Ohvicyoufeelsodamngood — ohgodohgod –” The smooth muscle of Cody’s back channel gripped hard around Victor, hurling him over that last fingernail’s width. He slammed hard into Cody, his bellow echoing through the house. Every heavy pulse felt like a geyser forced through too small a rock cleft.

When he finally stilled, he found himself sprawled over Cody’s back, breathing hard. He trembled with aftershocks and exhaustion but he managed to withdraw carefully and untie the ribbons binding Cody.

“Baby, you all right? You’re shivering…” Cody’s voice slid from sleepy contentment to concern. He un-strapped the wedge, shoved it off the bed and pushed Victor back onto the pillows. Sheet, blanket, the down comforter Vic usually found too hot to sleep under — he tucked them all around his beloved and nestled close to cradle Vic’s head against his chest. “I’m sorry, baby. You were too tired for all that –”

“Hush, little man,” Vic murmured with a yawn. “I’m all right. Don’t fuss. It was a beautiful present and I wouldn’t have missed it even if I’d been half dead. Thank you, sweetheart.” He turned his head to kiss the hard pectoral under his cheek. “It was the best way I can think of to forget a cold, miserable day.”

Cody hugged him tight. “Merry Christmas, love.”

Victor mumbled something in return but he was so far gone towards sleep, Cody didn’t have the heart to ask him to repeat it.

After their talk Richard and Dave joined Katya, Xavier and Liam in the living room where the mood was celebratory and relaxed. One bottle of wine had already been opened and everyone sat together chatting. Dave was made to feel not just welcome, but genuinely a part of their household.

Xavier seemed particularly determined to please Katya. He waited on her hand and foot and was a model of good behavior. Finally Katya had to laugh, “Alright Xavier, yes, you have been very good, your punishment can end tonight.”

Xavier nearly skipped out of the room with elation and Liam and Richard sat back with a varying degrees of amusement. Since the fight with Dave, Xavier had been on ‘lock down’, and now he returned to the living room faster then they would have thought possible. Katya had to chuckle as he brought her a small key.

The mood of the room shifted slightly as Katya sat up straighter and told Xavier to strip. This too he did quickly, but gracefully. When he stood in nothing but the leather chastity belt Katya happened to look at Dave and caught his expression. Her lips curling into a smile she held up the key and extended it toward Dave. “It would be fitting I think if you released him.”

Would it? Dave thought with a silent chuckle. “Yes, ma’am,” he murmured, bending over her fingers to kiss them with a little smile. He sank to one knee in front of Xavier to examine the device he wore. He’d heard of such things but had never seen one in use. Didn’t look altogether comfortable but Xav didn’t seem to be in any pain.

He wiped his palms on his trousers, the dampness caused more by the way Xavier looked at him than anxiety, undid the lock and removed the device carefully. A little shiver ran through him when Xav dropped his head back and moaned sweetly, as if he’d touched him instead of the leather. He turned to hand key and belt back to Katya but he didn’t get up. More instructions to follow, he was almost certain.

Katya leaned forward, crossing her arms over her knee casually. “Xavier…”

“Yes Mistress.”

“What did David do wrong?”

Xavier tried not to smile too much, “He said ‘ma’am’.”

Ah, so that’s the game, David thought and did his best to keep a straight face.

Katya didn’t bother to try and hide her smile. “Indeed. Bring me the paddle from the top drawer please, Xavier. I think my David needs something to help him remember who his Mistress is.”

While Xavier went to bring the paddle Katya had Dave stand and strip. When Xavier handed her the paddle Katya stood and moved behind Dave, running her fingers lightly down his back. “Give your hands to Xavier.”

“Yes, Mistress,” he answered dutifully, planted his feet and set his hands in Xavier’s. Already on the verge of arousal, the rest of the blood rushed from his brain at her touch. He gave Xavier a quick wink, all the thanks he would risk at the moment for being his anchor.

“Count them for me, David.” Katya said. The handled paddle was a flat lightweight board which made a sharp slapping sound as it connected with Dave’s butt.

“One, Mistress,” he said, his voice clear and steady. She knew perfectly well this was hardly punishment for him, but he figured that was the point. Sort of a breaking in ceremony. He nearly chuckled at the thought and then moaned when she hit harder. “Two, Mistress.”

When she reached twenty, he was in a state of excited bliss, his breaths coming shorter, his voice husky as he kept faithful count. At thirty, his legs were quivering, his hands white-knuckled in Xavier’s. “Thirty-two, Mistress. Please, Mistress, I’m so close…”

Katya paused, laying her hand lightly on the reddened curve of his backside. She looked over his shoulder at Xavier. He had that half dreamy half hungry look on his face that made women and men both drool all over themselves for him. “Want a taste…?” She asked and he answered by taking a step and slanting his lips across Dave’s in a kiss that was soft but filled with heat and longing.

Dave’s eyes shot open wide, a sharp breath pulled in through his nose. There was that confusion again, the heavy ache in his balls, the odd feeling that something had turned sideways. Xavier’s lips were firm, not as full as a woman’s might be, but they felt — good. Damn good.

His mouth softened and returned the kiss with tender passion, not pushing, not demanding, the fire kept just below the surface. His grip on Xavier’s hands relaxed, thumbs stroking over his knuckles. He had no idea what came next but he was more than willing to find out.

The feeling was something like touching your lips to a stiff board and then having it turn soft and warm and yielding. It was an irresistible pull and Xavier happily let himself be sucked into the undertow. His hands slid up Dave’s arms, his lips nudged gently and he let the tip of his tongue slip beyond Dave’s when he opened slightly. He moved closer, pressing the front of his body to Dave’s.

He didn’t know Katya had moved until he felt her fingers sliding into his hair and pulling his head back. “tch tch, I let you have a taste and you have to try and swallow him whole.” She chuckled softly. “I know you know what to do with him, Xavier. I want to see if he knows what to do with you. Don’t lead.”

Katya’s eyes met Dave’s, “You may do what you like with him, David.”

“Yes, Mistress,” he murmured, stunned. “Thank you.”

And what did he want to do? While he’d never made love to a male of the species before, he did know what he liked and hoped it would translate. Cocky and sexy and somehow vulnerable all at once, Xavier was hard to resist. Delicious. It was a little weird to have Richard and Liam watching but Katya was watching, which made everything else dim to insignificance.

He slid a hand to Xavier’s hip and pulled him close again. His breath caught when hard cocks rubbed together, a feeling so new and yet so exciting. He tangled his free hand in Xavier’s hair, pulling back with gentle pressure to expose his throat. Not that Xavier put up more than a token moment of resistance. Soft kisses along Xavier’s jaw led to firmer ones along his pulse line and a surge of desire rushed through Dave when Xavier moaned and squirmed against him.

With trembling hands, he traced the muscles of Xavier’s back and butt, then took him in a tight embrace and took him down to the carpet.

For a moment Xavier had thought Dave was going to back off. His hesitation only made him all the more desirable, and then he seemed to figure out whatever was holding him back and move around it. Xavier was careful to do as Katya wished and be more pliant than demanding, but it was a hard thing to do with this delicious man exploring him. He lay back and let his arms come around Dave. Resting his hands on the swells of recently tender backside, he squeezed lightly.

Dave moaned into Xavier’s skin, tempted to tell him to squeeze harder. But since that would probably end things too soon, he lowered his head and took one of Xavier’s nipples in his mouth, sucking hard on the little bud. His thumbs pressed circles into Xavier’s axillaries at the same time and the wriggle of delight that caused made him smile. Knowing the locations of all the most sensitive nerve bundles was a good thing.

He didn’t have to ask whether Xav wanted him. The heat in those blue eyes said it all. Intoxicating, having someone under him, complying so sweetly with whatever he wanted, who could almost take him in a fight. His kisses becoming ever more heated, he trailed his lips down Xavier’s chest over his perfectly defined stomach to run his tongue around the navel. Then he lifted his eyes to watch Xav’s face while he ran the tip up the underside of his erection.

The result was spectacular. Xavier lifted into his touch and groaned hard, the incredible grace of his body showing in the arch of back and butt. Dave no longer had enough blood left in his brain for hesitance and with gentle hands, he flipped Xavier over to caress his high, rounded backside.

Katya had watched the scene playing out before her with intensity and growing arousal. She had wondered if Dave would stick to what he’d already experienced, or if given leave he would explore further. She felt a flush of warm desire watching them together and directed Liam to help ease things along by handing Dave a little jar of lube so he didn’t have to get up.

Now this, at least, he had done before. Dave thanked Liam softly and bent to kiss both Xavier’s cheeks. The back door was still the back door, regardless of gender. He spread Xavier’s thighs to kneel between them, letting his hand slide forward to stroke the taut sac peeking out. In no rush, he flipped off the cap and took some of the lube on his fingers, taking a deep breath to pull in the scent of cinnamon. Like a pastry, the stray thought came to him and he smiled at the picture it prompted of Xavier covered in sugar glaze.

He spread Xavier’s cheeks and teased at the puckered entrance, going slowly for both of them. Dave needed a moment to cool down and Xavier — well, he’d promised not to hurt him. One lubed finger slid inside to the first knuckle then withdrew only to be reinserted to the second. Dave’s thumb then replaced his finger, sliding in and out with slow, sure strokes.

Xavier moaned and called his name and he knew it was time. He lifted Xav’s hips a few inches, spread his cheeks wide and with careful but steady pressure, guided himself inside that incredibly tight sheath.

Xavier groaned, his hips pushing back as he was stretched open. Heat flared in more ways than one. The cinnamon added a heat of its own that heightened sensations and made him dizzy with want. His body moved slowly, a languid roll of hips that matched Dave’s slow thrust. His head was turned to the side and he looked up at Katya, raw lust touched the edges of her features and he moaned at the answering throb in his groin. Dave thrust again in that instant and Xavier felt the ache grow tighter. His finger dug into the carpet as he pushed back for more.

The constriction had Dave panting but he forged on, burying himself nearly to the hilt. Supported on his arms, he leaned over Xavier to nip his shoulder and nuzzle the back of his neck. The sounds Xav made were incredibly hot, the way his body moved making Dave crazy. He lowered himself, letting Xavier take most of his weight, slid a hand under his hip to grab his erection, and started a steady, tender assault, long, firm strokes inside and out.

Xavier made a sound that was half moan, half whimper. Dave’s hand was still slippery from the cinnamon oil and when he curled his hips forward the smooth head of his cock slid easily through his grip. Fire leapt into his middle as he edged closer to what promised to be a mind numbing orgasm. His mind scrambling he knew he had to ask now while he was still capable of it. “Mistress…” He panted. “mm… god… I’m close.”

Katya smiled at him. “You will hold on until David is ready for you, Xavier.”

Ready for him? I’ve been ready since he kissed me, Dave thought in somewhat agonized amusement. He eased his grip but not his thrusts. While he loved, more than anything, rolling over for Katya, giving up all control, this bit of control she allowed him sent a spike of pleasure through his core. He wanted to make Xavier come, hear him plead and moan.

Dave raised his head and caught Katya’s heated gaze. Oh, damn, that look alone nearly sent him over the edge. “Mistress?” he asked, his voice thick and husky. “Please — may I come inside him? May I tell him when?” He knew he might be pushing it but the asking of simple questions never seemed to upset her.

“You may do whatever you’d like to do with him David, not all the time, but for now while you are entertaining me…” Her eyes flicked over him with that heated gaze. “…you have my permission.”

Dave’s eyes slid shut on a tortured moan. “Thank you, Mistress.” So close but he’d discovered he had a talent for self-denial. Katya made him crazy and the pressure rose to the point of pain, but he reveled in it.

He lowered his head to speak directly into Xavier’s ear, knowing the vibrations at this point would be torment. “So how do you like it, Xav, being fucked by a virgin?”

Xavier’s mind went skittering in a dozen different directions before, “All virgins should be so good.” popped out of his mouth on the heels of a hard pant. The hand that stroked him squeezed around his head and made his limbs go watery, drawing another sweet moan from him. He drew air into his lungs. “Please… I can’t hold back if you do that,” he got out in a husky whisper.

“Really?” Dave couldn’t help the crooked grin. “How about if I do this?” His hand closed over the top and twisted as if he were opening a jar. Maybe it was just short of mean but the groan he got in return was so achingly sweet.

He kissed along Xavier’s shoulder while his thrusts increased in force and speed. “Ask me for it, Xav. Beg me. Lemme hear how much you want it.”

Each hard thrust sent an aching jolt of pleasure into Xavier’s core. Hard did not begin to cover it, he felt like his cock was going to burst with each throb of his pulse. He made an inarticulate cry, his head dropping to hang between his shoulders. “Oh yesss… that feels ssso good.” His tongue felt thick in his mouth, drunk with passion and need. “Please let me come please, uhn… oh, I’m…gonna” He squeezed his eyes shut, he was right there, on a pin point. If he didn’t get permission it was just going to be too late, he couldn’t stop now.

Abruptly, Dave stopped, muscles standing out in hard relief as he held himself completely still. His breath drifted warm across Xavier’s back as he whispered, “You are so damn hot.” Just half a moment more to savor the delicious torture before he said, “Now, Xav. Go for it.”

On the last word, he thrust in again, knowing the second he felt Xavier clench around him, he was going over too.

The sudden relief was almost as intense as the shuddering pulse of orgasm that ripped through his body. A warm flood of gratitude filled him even as his balls finally released their load. His hips bucked in short hard spasms of delight without the humiliation of shaming himself by releasing without permission. –thankyouthanktyouthanktyou– punctuated his thoughts with each grind of his hips and cry of ecstatic pleasure.

“Holy mother of –” Dave got out in wonder before his climax roared over him, so intense he forgot to breathe. Xavier bucked and heaved beneath him, clenching him so tight he thought he might die of pleasure. He grunted with each thrust, no longer in control of his hips, the heavy pulses lasting long after the jets of semen had finished.

When Xavier quieted, Dave lay sprawled insensible atop him, a soft, contented smile in his face.

“Xavier.” Katya’s voice was a husky purr.

“Yes, Mistress,” he answered, a bit breathless and groggy.

“Next time you may have him however you’d like,” she promised. A reward for being so good tonight.

Cody, Dave and Xavier were upstairs cleaning up brushes, trays and cans of paint. Katya invited Vic to sit with her out on the patio. She talked about the plans for the weekend, asked him about his day and then got around to what she really wanted to talk about. “Vic, you see what’s going on with Dave, don’t you?”

He frowned. “I see that he sells himself short constantly. But somehow I don’t think that’s what you mean.” He turned towards her and asked softly, “What about David, my dear?”

She tapped her fingers along the edge of the table. “I don’t think he even realizes it yet, but this hero worship thing is starting to slide toward a crush.”

“Ah.” Vic’s brow furrowed. “What makes you –” He stopped, replaying the little scene in the library, Dave’s reactions, the way his muscles shook under Vic’s hands. “Oh. Just wonderful.”

He rubbed a hand over his face, sliding down in the chair. “And short of telling him off, what in the world do I do about this?”

Katya looked at him with a half smile and shrugged. “Nothing. If you try and talk to him about it you’ll only get denial, or embarrassed confusion. If you brush him off you’ll only hurt him. So, there’s nothing you can really do, except be aware so you don’t crush any feelings with those big feet of yours.” She tried not to laugh at his look. “I think it’ll be alright, Vic.” She shifted a little. “I asked him if I could put my mark on him, and he accepted.”

“Did he? Well, good. He’s so lost, Katya. I do hope it helps him find a bit of direction.” He leaned his head against his hand. “Mind you, probably best if I’m not involved in any, er, playtime that he is. At least for now. The last thing I want to do is hurt him. He’s a good soul and he’s truly been a good friend.”

She agreed with that, and two days later she invited Dave over to make the collaring official.

Richard greeted Dave at the door and it felt reminiscent of the first time he had come over, although Richard at least was more comfortable putting Dave at ease. He led Dave at a leisurely pace to Katya’s office. “I wanted you to know that all of us are happy Katya decided to put her collar on you.”

Dave was about to make light of the remark but he looked up at Richard and something inside lurched. “Really? Do you — do you know what she’s invited into her home?”

“Actually, yes,” Richard told him with a smile. “Everything’s been done to her usual thorough, exacting standards.”

Yes, he knew some of that. There had been, with his full consent, a background check and a thorough physical. “Yeah, but do you know?” he persisted.

Richard patted his shoulder, “One arrest for assault and battery. Bar fight, I believe. One for drunk and disorderly. Outside a club. One for possession. Dismissed by the court for illegal search and seizure. Your blood pressure’s a little high but the doctor thought it could be white-coat syndrome, and there’s a small piece of shrapnel lodged in your hip.” He stopped and leaned against the wall to look at Dave. “Decorated war veteran — two purple hearts, meritorious service and several commendations.”

“Yes, we know. And we’re happy to have you.”

“Oh.” Dave looked down in confusion. The good and the bad. “Thanks, man.”

Richard grinned and clapped his shoulder, giving him a little nudge toward the door. In a lower voice he said, “Lose the words ‘man’ and ‘dude’ from your vocabulary around Kat or she will shred you.” With that comforting bit of advice he opened the door, let Dave go through and closed it behind them.

Katya looked up from the box she had been fiddling with and smiled at David and Richard. She called Dave over and stood, while Richard moved to stand behind her. She took Dave’s hand in one of hers and picked up the thick black leather collar from the box. “When I put this collar on you, you become mine, your body and submission belong to me. No one else is to touch you without my permission, and you’ll live with my rules. Do you want this, David?”

A flush of heat rose up from his chest though he shook as if seized with cold. “Yes, ma’am,” he murmured. He wasn’t entirely certain what was expected of him, but he raised his eyes from the collar to look into hers. “I trust you. With all my heart.”

Katya thought her heart would break he was so sweet. She slipped the collar around his neck and fastened it, the little gleam of silver with her name on it centered at his throat. She touched his chin with her fingertips and brushed his lips with her own.

The leather felt so solid around his throat. Strangely comforting. And there it was. He belonged somewhere. To someone. To Her. “Thank you,” he whispered and had to use his sleeve to wipe his eyes. Dammit. She was going to think he was such a wuss, always dissolving into tears around her.

Katya didn’t say anything about it though, and Richard gave him a moment before clearing his throat to get his attention. “I have something for you, too,” he said, and handed Dave a cell phone. “Just in case you’re needed on short notice.”

Dave nodded. They had all agreed he would keep his apartment for several reasons, not the least of which was to be there for Sebastian. At least until ‘Bastian finished school. A direct line to the house, a number no one else would be calling, he truly appreciated.

Katya’s rules were simple, as Richard explained them. There were not a whole lot of hard and fast do this and don’t do that kind of things. Most of the rules were things like knowing that when he was in public, even if Katya was nowhere to be found, he was still hers and therefore a reflection on her. He was to behave in a manner she would be proud of — no getting falling down drunk or bar brawling.

Also she expected complete honesty at all times. Nothing would piss Kat off more than hiding his feelings or outright deception. Just to drive the point home he told Dave about Xavier’s little stay with Vic and Cody and how that had come about, and that led to some other discussion… about what had happened with Damien. Richard didn’t dwell there though, and he warned Dave that although not exactly taboo, Kat probably wouldn’t be happy if he brought it up.

The more specific rules were regarding her ownership of his body, specifically his sexuality. He could flirt, kiss and fondle but anything more serious required Katya’s permission. This applied to his masturbation habits as well. She wouldn’t tell him not to, but no orgasms without her permission. Here Richard smiled and added, “Believe me, she will know if you disobey this one.”

Katya had left them her office for this little conversation and though the rules weren’t too many and pretty damn clear, Dave felt overwhelmed. He sat down, not in Katya’s chair, to catch his breath and looked up at Richard. “And the collar?” He knew, in a vague sort of way, that some Mistresses insisted on being the only ones to remove or attach the collars. “Does it stay on?”

“You can take it off. Katya uses it more as tool to put you in a certain frame of mind. If she tells you to go ‘prepare yourself’ get your clothes off and put the collar on, she’ll also tell you if she wants you to wear it for certain social functions. Other than that, it’s your choice if you want it on or not.”

Dave nodded, grateful that he wouldn’t have to answer questions at work. “Nice to have something of hers to sleep with, though,” he said absently and then gave Richard a crooked grin. “And I guess the Cody rules apply to me now, too.”

Richard gave him an inscrutable look. “That you would have to talk to Vic about, those are his rules.” Richard paused and folded his arms. “Something that we should talk about too is that Kat will never force you to do something that you absolutely can’t do. Don’t be afraid to tell her if you can’t do something, and if you ever need whatever is happening to stop, say Red.”

“Why Red?”

“Because that’s what we all use, and it’s easiest for her to remember… and, incidentally that safe word doesn’t just apply to Katya, you can use that for any of us.”

Dave opened his mouth to say something, snapped it shut and looked away. He wasn’t sure at this point what he could or couldn’t do. Last week he could have said but after being in the basement with Xavier…

Another thought hit him. Flashbacks. He shivered hard. “Richard — what happens if I can’t say it? I mean, physically can’t. Sometimes I — kinda zone out. Go someplace else. Not like daydreaming. But I’m not — there.”

Richard looked at him not unkindly, “She’s not cruel, Dave, and she would notice if something’s not right. If you couldn’t talk she’d find out why before continuing.” He sighed, as if getting ready for something he really didn’t want to do. “And, now we need to talk about Xavier.”

“Um, all right.” Dave’s brow furrowed. He hoped this wasn’t a lecture about getting along. They’d worked things out. He really did like Xavier.

Richard saw through the sudden tension for what it was. “Relax, I’m not gonna get on your case. I’m actually not even sure what I want to say here exactly.” He paused. “Katya and I have been together five years, we already had a relationship for two years when Xavier moved in. It was pretty easy for us to figure out how things were going to be, it just came natural. Then Katya brought home Liam…”

“In Xavier’s eyes Liam was ‘low man on the totem pole’ so to speak. It could have been a problem but Liam is more submissive than Xavier in his own way, so it never was. Now there’s you, and you might be submissive to Katya, but you’ve already shown you’re not to Xavier.” Richard sighed. “I don’t want to make something out of nothing and I know you guys worked things out but I want you to understand. Xavier doesn’t have the same kind of confidence as Liam or I. He gets jealous easier and hurt easier. I just want you to know in case he goes too far or takes things out on you.”

Dave spread his hands in front of him. “It’s not that I’m one of those guys that needs to be top dog. But there’s a temper thing. I know it’s a problem. Working on it. But it’s more that I’m, you know, protective. Guess that comes from being a big brother. And now that I understand him better, I’d probably go after anybody that messed with him, too.”

“I’ll tell you straight, Richard, no pun intended.” He shot Richard a crooked grin. “I dunno how I feel about Liam yet. And I’m a little, um, nervous about what might someday happen with you. But Xav — I’d do him in a heartbeat. Which confuses the hell out of me but there it is. I thought I was straighter than a Quantico flagpole.” The smile dropped from his face and he regarded Richard earnestly. “I’ll do my best. The last thing I want is to hurt him.”

Richard looked surprised and then gave a short bark of laughter, “Or for god’s sake please don’t tell him that; he’s an insufferable peacock as it is.”

Up in the library, Dave slumped in one of the softer chairs, head in his hands. His ass hurt like hell. He didn’t care. Those three little words - I’m deeply disappointed — had cut so much deeper than anything Katya could have pulled out of her cabinet. And then to be sent off like that, before he could even try to apologize — it was always easier not caring what people thought. You started caring and they sliced into your heart.

The soft click of heels on the wood floor warned him of Katya’s approach. She took a seat on the couch facing opposite him. “Come here, David.” She patted the spot next to her and when he came over she guided him to lie down so he could put his head on her lap. She absently smoothed her fingers through his hair as she looked down at him. She knew he was devastated but she really couldn’t fix things for him until he got a chance to talk to Vic. Her hands began to wander, caressing his shoulders and back.

He closed his eyes to rest, grateful for her touch. All too soon, Vic’s footsteps sounded on the stairs and down the hall.

“Cody’s gone upstairs to find Xav a pair of sweats,” Victor told Katya on a soft laugh. “He claimed putting his jeans back on was just too much agony.” He waved a hand toward the sofa. “I need to talk to David, my dear.” They both knew that, but that he didn’t ask her to leave them was telling.

Stiff and sore, Dave rose to face him.

Victor strode across the room and took Dave’s chin in his hand, turning his head to see the bruise on his jaw. “You all right?”

“Yeah. It’ll be kinda sore tomorrow. But I’m OK,” Dave answered, his throat tightening.

“You want to tell me what you were thinking?”

“I –” Dave’s thoughts skittered and jumped when both Vic’s hands rested on his shoulders. “I thought I saw someone moving in on what’s yours, man. I wanted to, you know, protect your interests.”

“And I appreciate that.” Vic nodded. “But here, in Katya’s house, she decides what’s right. If you have questions or if someone hurts you, you come to her.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And if Katya’s not available, who should you go to?”

That was an easy one. Dave had been a Marine long enough to know a field officer when he saw one. “Richard?”

“Good man,” Vic patted his shoulder gently.

Dave stared at his sneakers, waiting for the dressing down he deserved. “Vic, I’m sorry –”

Vic cut him off. “Sh, none of that. You paid for your mistake and Cody’s not angry with you. I’m sorry, David. I haven’t been a very good friend, have I?”

Dave’s head shot up. His mouth hung open but no words made it out.

“I come over to your place twice a week,” Vic went on softly. “I use your apartment, take for granted that you’ll do the rescue and retrieval if I run into trouble, and then I ignore you the rest of the time. I’ve never had you over to the house, never even invited you to go for a drink. Never explained one blessed thing. Pretty shabby, I know.”

“Vic, man, I never expected –” Dave shook his head when his words caught hard in his throat.

“But you should have, dammit. I’m supposed to be your friend. And I’m so sorry.” Victor pulled him into a hard embrace. “Come to dinner with us Friday. You, me and Cody. Would you like that?”

Dave nodded against Vic’s shoulder. If he spoke, he would cry and he couldn’t bear the thought. Victor pushed him back, gave him a smile and a heavy clout to the shoulder and strode out again. Stunned, Dave stood with his feet frozen in the middle of the library, blinking back the sting of tears.

Katya watched the whole thing without comment but stored her observations for later. There was one hell of a disaster brewing here and it might take some doing to head it off at the pass. She needed to talk to Vic as soon as possible, but she thought that conversation best done in private so she let him go for now. As for David… she looked at him and sighed. What a lovely, messed-up bundle of nerves and confusion he was.

She stood. “There’s been something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, David,” she said when he turned toward her.

Oh, he didn’t like thoughts that started like that. They often ended with things like ‘we’re letting you go’ or ‘I don’t think we should see each other anymore’ or ‘your father and I are getting divorced’. He heaved a breath, had to take it in two parts and managed to say, “Yes, ma’am?”

“I know you’re new to certain things, but I’m sure you have an idea what those collars Xavier, and Richard, and Liam wear mean. They follow my rules, they belong to me…” She caught his eyes and held them. “I want you to belong to me, too.”

He blinked as if the light were too bright. “Me? But–” Maybe Xavier had hit him harder than he thought. “You want me — a PTSD wreck with a rap sheet and no future to speak of. Are you sure, Ms. Katya?” He spoke gently, as if he needed to give her the chance to take it back.

Katya crossed her arms and stared hard at him, but her lips were twitching. “Well, true, you need a lot of work but…” She shrugged but couldn’t quite manage to keep a straight face. “Of course, if you’d rather not accept my offer…”

“No, ma’am, I haven’t said that,” he said with a sad smile. “Just wanted to be sure you’d read the warning label.” He came to her and knelt at her feet. “Nothing could make me happier than to belong to you. I haven’t — haven’t felt good since I came home. Until I met you. It feels like sunrise when you smile. Like there’s a reason to try again when you touch me.”

Katya moved closer to him, combing her fingers into his hair and pushing his head back. She bent slightly and ran the tip of her tongue along his bottom lip then kissed him gently. “Why don’t you show me how happy you are.”

He rose on his knees to meet her lips, soft caresses that soon sparked to passion. His hands settled on her hips and then crept under her shirt to lift the hem above her navel. When he broke off the kiss it was to transfer his lips to the soft skin of her abdomen where he licked and suckled as if she were the most delectable treat in the world.

Don’t push her, he’d been told. So he proceeded slowly, ready for any signal to stop. His hands went to her waistband, undid the zipper, slid her pants down bit by bit over her hipbones, to the top edge of white lace underneath. Here he stopped to kiss the exposed skin with reverence, a moan escaping as her enchanting scent filled his nostrils.

Katya shifted, letting the pants slide further down. “The first time you came over and you wanted to give me pleasure too, and all the times I denied you the use of your hands, not letting you touch me… all a slow building to the moment when I felt like having your hands on me, a moment like now. Don’t waste it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he breathed, a dizzy rush sweeping over him. Don’t pass out. Please don’t pass out. He tugged her pants down to her ankles, hooked his thumbs under the white lace straps of her underwear and slid those down slowly. She used his shoulders to steady herself as she stepped out and he sank nearly to the floor to kiss her toes, her instep, her ankle, while his hands caressed her calves. Mouth and hands rose in tandem by slow degrees up her legs to her knees, to her thighs.

He nosed at the silken skin, urging her legs apart, his hands sliding up to cup her perfect, glorious butt. He kneaded the cheeks, pressing and separating, while he nuzzled at the golden curls, moving ever inward. The whimper that escaped him when he reached his goal was pure delight, his tongue lapping at her slick well, tasting what he had, until now, only imagined.

Katya’s fingers sank into his hair, she closed her eyes and a hard shiver ran through her. His mouth closed over her, lips pulling gently and she had to lock her knees. The picture of him on his knees taking Xavier into his mouth rose in her mind and a rush of heat flooded her. A soft moan escaped her and her grip tightened, keeping him right where she wanted him.

Normally he would have simply melted into the demands of her grip, letting her guide him and lead him. But he had the feeling she wanted more from him than pliant surrender and the anxiety over whether he would do the wrong thing excited him even more.

He lapped and suckled at her swollen button until she ground her pelvis against his mouth and then he moved back. His lips never left her, kissing along her wrists to encourage her to loosen her grip, along the bend of her thigh and stomach. When he could do so without forcing the issue, he started to rise, hands caressing her soft skin, mouth traveling up her body.

At her breasts, he nuzzled and licked at the bottom curves while he stood. One hand cupped the left breast, lifting it so he could lick a slow line around her nipple, while his other hand tugged and tore at his clothes. His jeans dropped to the floor with a clank under the weight of keys and change in his pockets, his boxers followed suit. His t-shirt he left on, unwilling to stop kissing her for even an instant.

Now both hands cupped her breasts, rolling and kneading while he sucked greedily on one nipple and then the other. He was nearly frantic at this point, wanting her so badly his legs shook. He moaned as she pressed closer, her stomach brushing the head of his aching erection. Up her shoulders, along her collar bone, to the lovely curves of her throat, his lips set ever more passionate, desperate kisses. She didn’t stop him; her nails dug into his back. When he reached her lips, her mouth answering his with searing heat, he reached down and grasped the backs of her thighs. He lifted her without effort, wrapped her legs around his waist and backed up to the nearest chair.

Her mouth muffled the cry of pain when he sat down but the pain only served to stoke the furnace. Mouths still locked in sensual sparring, he slid his hands to her waist and lifted her slowly, maneuvering her until his tip rested at the incredible heat of her entrance. He held still, gathering himself. If she wanted to take the reins back, so be it, but if he rushed now he would lose it within a couple of strokes.

Breaking the kiss Katya licked a line with the tip of her tongue up the side of his throat. She rotated her hips so the tip of him slid inside her. “If you stop now I will make the beating you already got look like child’s play,” she purred in his ear.

He swallowed hard, his head thumping back against the chair. He gave her a crooked smile and whispered, “You’ll just confuse me with promises like that, Ms. Kat.” On the last consonant of her name, he pushed upwards, smooth and steady rather than a hard thrust. Muscles clenched to the point of pain, his abused backside singing with fire, he wrapped his arms around her, lowered his head back to her breast and began a slow, sensual grinding, leaving it to her how hard she wished to ride him.

Katya melted against him, liquid heat and sensual desire pooling in her lower regions. Her head dropped back as she arched a bit, rolling with him. His hands supported her just above her waist and his lips pulled a taut nipple into his mouth in a hard suck that pulled a deep groan from her, his hips never stopping the slow motion roll. Ahh but the boy had hidden talents, Katya thought with a slow smile and an anticipatory throb. She lifted and lowered her hips a bit faster and his hands tightened around her but he kept to her pace, moaning sweetly into her flesh.

Putting her hands on the back of the chair behind his head she increased her pace, each slow roll and thrust grinding her mound into his pelvis and sending shivers of throbbing sensation through her until she was at the moment of release much sooner than she thought she would be. She caught his lips in a fiery hot kiss as her body shuddered on a hard pulse and another and another.

The hard groan torn from Dave’s chest vibrated against her lips. No condom, no medical tests to show her, no discussion beforehand, he didn’t think she would want him to come inside her. Such exquisite torture, hanging on by the skin of his teeth, the pressure so incredible it felt like a thousand tons of water behind a cracking dam. He clung to her, pulled his mouth away to bury his face against her shoulder and panted through gritted teeth.

“Such a good boy,” Her voice was a whispered purr in his ear. “Let me hear you beg for what you want.”

Beg for –? Oh. He simply needed permission. That he could do. His voice a hoarse whisper, he gasped out, “Please, ma’am — please — tell me I can — let me climax deep inside you — your beautiful, perfect body — oh, please — I can’t make it much longer — please…”

Her lips brushed the outer curves of his ear and her arms twined around him, she soaked in his pleading with a pleased “mmm… yes, my sweet David, come for me.”

Being told to release sent a jolt of pleasure so hard through the center of his body, his hips lifted her, his head slamming back against the chair. The air caught in his lungs as he thrust once and was hurled over, the forceful jets of his climax rocketing through him. On the second pulse, his chest released and his ecstatic cry echoed off the library shelves.

She gathered him close when he began to settle, holding him tenderly, stroking his skin. He nuzzled at her neck with a contented sigh. This was where he felt whole again, here in her arms. If only he could just stay there and never have to face the world again.

Xavier led the way down the stairs to the basement. Awkward was a fairly good description of the feeling in the air, yep, awkward pretty much summed it up. Funny, people didn’t usually get under his skin like that. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Dave. He had warmed up to him alright that first night he’d come over and they’d talked conversationally since then. Maybe it was the tension in Dave whenever he was around. Like Dave thought he was suddenly going to grab him and molest him or something. Not a bad thought… Xavier suppressed a grin.

He cleared his throat as he led Dave over to a large cabinet by the wall. “We have to pick out an assortment for her.” He said and opened the cabinet to reveal what looked like a cross between an adult toy chest and a tack store. “There’s a few items you should leave alone. That single tail and that cane.” He pointed them out.

“Why?” Dave asked.

Xavier blinked in surprise. He thought he would have been filled in on some things by now but then who was going to? Kat wouldn’t talk about certain things and Vic wouldn’t think it appropriate to talk about Kat’s private life with him. Xavier wasn’t even sure he should, but… he looked away, pulling a few items from the shelves. “Katya had someone attack her with the whip, and the cane was a gift from the same person. She won’t let us get rid of them, but don’t ever pull those out for her.”

Xavier gave Dave a couple of suggestions, some items that were Katya’s favorites. Once the table was set up he started to undress, putting his things on the bench next to the cabinet. He noticed Dave studiously not watching and shook his head. “Although I wouldn’t mind seeing Katya take the brunt of her anger out on you first, knowing my luck she’d blame me for not making sure you were prepared. I’m not just getting undressed for my health here.”

While Dave got undressed Xavier took out the black leather collar that was his and put it on. He saw the questioning look Dave gave him. “This you have to earn first,” he said with a chuckle.

Dave dropped his eyes again and nodded miserably. He understood enough to know the collar meant Xavier was hers. The lump in his throat wouldn’t go away and being reminded, again, that he was the outsider here hurt far more than it should have.

He folded his paint-spattered jeans and slid out of his boxers, a flush of heat rising from his chest. Still angry with Xavier and ashamed of being angry, he couldn’t look anywhere but at the floor. Didn’t help that Xavier insisted on looking him over. Dammit. It was like he got a kick out of making things harder.

“We supposed to be on the floor?” he asked in a hoarse murmur.

Xavier sighed. “Guess you’re not one of those people that can just put it behind them without getting it all out of their system. You don’t like me, I can live with that, but Katya won’t… and she likes you. So, you want to yell at me go ahead, want to talk about it we can do that too, but we better figure out something before she gets down here because this isn’t going to work.”

“It’s not –,” Dave tried to explain, shook his head and wrapped his arms tight around his ribs. “Look, man, I never said I didn’t like you, OK? I’m sorry I went after you upstairs without giving you a chance and I’m sorry I’m not one of those people who can just put things right down again. But you don’t understand –”

He sank down on the bench to rest his head on his knees. “It’s not you. Best I can do right now is not fall apart. My heart thinks it’s in a drag race and I wanna hurl. It’ll settle soon.” I hope, he thought. “I don’t wanna yell at you but, hell, Xav, why couldn’t you just tell me? You gotta know how bad it looked to someone who didn’t know shit. I don’t know the rules here. I’m guessing every move I make. And no one seems real keen on telling me.”

Xavier sat down next to him, but not too close. He had a feeling dropping a friendly arm around Dave’s shoulders wouldn’t be understood at the moment. “Sorry I didn’t tell you what was up, it was an easy mistake to make. I shoulda said something but I just got pissed out of reflex I guess. Too many people think they know me because of what I do or how I live or where I came from. Stupid to let it get to me but it does sometimes. Shouldn’t have taken it out on you though, you didn’t know.” He glanced sidelong at Dave. “I’ll buy ya a cherry slurpie or something and make it up to ya.”

Dave pulled in a shaky breath, put a hand on Xavier’s arm and gave him a little shove. “Make it a root beer one and I’m there.” He sat up to lean against the wall, muttering, “Maybe I should start taking those damn pills again.” At least breakfast was staying down. “What is it you do, anyway? I mean, for work.”

“I dance, at a club called Switchbacks,” Xavier answered.

“Figures,” Dave murmured and when he saw Xavier bristle, he waved a hand in a negating gesture. “No, man, I don’t mean — christ, just look at you. You’re perfect.” He flushed when he said it but forged on. “You could be like a model or something, yeah? But it’s the way you move, mostly. Makes me feel like I’ve got hippo feet.” He turned his head to look at Xavier. “We cool now?”

Xavier laughed. “We’re cool, hippo-foot.” Any more was going to have to wait as they heard the door at the top of the stairs open. Xavier grabbed Dave’s arm, moved to the bottom of the stairs and knelt quickly before Katya made it down.

Katya paused in front of them, cupping Xavier’s cheek for a moment and combing her fingers through Dave’s hair. She moved on to inspect the items laid out on the table. “Hm, I don’t think these will do. Too much time and trouble to beat you both separately.” Going to the cabinet, she pulled out one of the bamboo canes. “This will work.” Turning around she smiled. “Over here on the rail boys.” She directed them to a padded bar and had them bend over it, thigh to thigh.

The first swish was light, experimental, just enough to sting, but laid perfectly across all four cheeks.

Though self-conscious about being so close to Xavier, any thoughts of awkward physical proximity flew from Dave’s head when the cane connected. He let out a short, forceful exhalation and closed his eyes. He wanted to beg her to hit harder but didn’t think that was fair to Xavier. Not everyone craved pain. Didn’t matter anyway. Katya was going to do as she pleased with them now, no matter what he pleaded for.

A calm settled over him and the shaking abruptly ceased.

An hour later he was no longer thinking of begging for her to hit harder. She had used the cane until Xavier could no longer stand still, then switched to a braided flogger with knots and gone back and forth between them for a while.

Katya stopped short of drawing blood but at this point it didn’t matter. They were going to have a hard time moving, much less sitting for quite some time. When she stopped, her cool fingers over their blood red skin was a torment. Xavier had begged for a break but his pleas for her to stop were ignored. Now her fingers caressed them both, her hands running over their backsides and down their thighs. She brought her hands back up, caressing the inside of each of their thighs, and then sliding further forward to cupped a sac in each hand.

Dave’s hips bucked against the bar. While he’d managed to keep still and mostly quiet, each strike had sent confusions of sensation through him and he was aroused to the point of barely hanging on. He groaned hard when she gently squeezed his balls.

How interesting, one went from calm and slightly aroused to a shaking wreck, and the other went from a shaking wreck to calm and… very aroused. Never one to miss an opportunity, Katya let them go and took a step back. “Turn around,” she said.

They did, Xavier putting his hands on the bar behind him, as if he needed the support. Or maybe just to be sure he didn’t rest his backside up against it accidentally. “What’s the matter, Xavier?” Katya asked. “You don’t look very — appreciative of my efforts.”

Xavier swallowed. “I’m sorry, Mistress…” he said in a pain-filled voice. “You know I don’t do well with this kind of punishment.”

Katya chuckled. “Yes, I know. But, that doesn’t matter. I want you up and panting when Vic gets here.”

Xavier bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes. “I don’t know if I can, Mistress,” he whispered.

Kat’s eyes slid over to Dave. “Why don’t you give him a hand with that, David.”

“Ma’am?” Dave blinked, feeling suddenly stupid. “What do you…?” But he trailed off in mortification and cleared his throat. At the moment, he was having trouble keeping his legs under him and the realization of what she wanted nearly took him out at the knees. “I’m not — I never –”

The look on her face clearly said she didn’t care what he had never done before. Her beautiful lips curled in that sultry smile and she said, “Or better yet, no hands. Put them behind your back.”

He gulped a breath and did as he was told, no longer in any doubt about what she wanted. He had wondered more than once if her boys were into each other, or if she liked to watch them with each other. No more need to wonder.

How the hell was he going to do this? Nothing made him happier than to please her, but he was straight, dammit. Not a bi bone in his body. Wasn’t he? He dropped to his knees, hissing in pain at the pull on his beaten skin, and looked up at Xavier, who seemed so miserable.

Xavier caught his eyes with a steady gaze. He wasn’t supposed to speak out of turn right now, but something Dave said earlier about not knowing the rules struck a chord. “You can say no, that won’t ever be held against you here.”

Cody had sauntered down the stairs as soon as the sharp smacks of the beating ended. He didn’t want to watch either of them writhing in pain, but now he had to know what would happen. It took all his willpower to stop himself from raising a hand and volunteering to take Dave’s place. This was the crucial moment, the crux of it all; he sat on the bottom step and held his breath.

“You want me to?” Dave asked in a hoarse whisper and when Xavier nodded, he took a minute to think it through. A blowjob wasn’t really sex. Right? No, that was stupid. Of course it was. But it didn’t mean — did it? And did it matter? She was watching and the thought of her eyes on him while he pleasured someone else sent a jackhammer jolt through him.

His erection sure as hell hadn’t suffered from the thought. He leaned forward and rested his cheek against Xavier’s thigh, feeling the muscle quivering. A lot of Xavier’s pain was his fault. It wouldn’t kill him to ease it some. He nuzzled at the crook of his thigh, then took the plunge and wrapped his lips around the head of Xavier’s soft cock.

Xavier didn’t know if it was the feel of his mouth or just the thought that he’d had to work himself up to something he’d never done before but it didn’t take his body long to respond. His fingers curled into the padding of the rail behind him so he would keep them there and he tried not to move at all. When Dave didn’t back right off though it took every bit of his willpower to stay that way. He couldn’t keep back the soft moan though or the way his thighs tightened in anticipation of the feel of his mouth sliding down his length.

Salty, musky — it wasn’t an unpleasant scent. Or taste. Dave was reminded of the way Katya’s gag filled his mouth. He slid his lips down for more and found he rather liked the sensation. Especially when Xavier grew hard against his lips and tongue. He knew what he liked and tried to emulate those things — steady, firm suction, tongue running over the veins along the underside on the slide up.

Kind of a kick, really, to make someone hard like that, to get him to twitch and moan. Now he knew why the girls who enjoyed giving head liked it. A rush of warmth coursed through him when Xavier’s pelvis jerked a little. God. He was going to come this way, just doing this. Amazing how worked up Katya could get him.

Katya’s fingers twined in Dave’s hair, and she leaned down to nip his ear lobe. “Such a good boy.” She ran the tip of her tongue up the outer curve of his ear. Watching his hesitation overcome was just about the hottest thing she’d seen in a long time. She guided his head when he slid down again and Xavier’s whole body quivered. “I’ll make sure Vic knows you’re a fast study,” she purred.

Xavier couldn’t keep his hips entirely still any more and he didn’t think it mattered. Dave didn’t seem to be ready to freak out any more. But now he had an entirely different problem. He pulled his hips back a little, fighting his own urge to keep going.

But Katya was relentless and pushed Dave’s head forward to follow. A soft, tortured moan rose from deep in Dave’s chest and he sat back on his heels hoping the pain would take the edge off his arousal. It didn’t. He rose on his knees again, Katya’s fingers tangled in his hair bringing him ever closer. The pearl drops that slid over his tip only made things worse.

Without his brain being involved, Cody’s feet migrated him from the steps, across the floor. He slid in behind the bar and slipped a hand gently into Xavier’s hair, urging his head back to rest against him. The sizzling heat produced by this little tableau had him rock hard and he stroked Xavier’s throat, nibbling along his jaw. It wasn’t that he wanted to be entirely evil; he wanted to give Xav something else to think about.

“Why don’t you tell David The Rules, Xav?” Cody’s voice husked in Xavier’s ear. “Victor’s rules…”

Xavier did his best, moaning and gasping through them. No tongue. No teeth. No groping below the belt. He got as far as the permissible actions when a heavy tread sounded in the hall upstairs.

“Katya? Hello? I brought in the mail.” Further steps of booted feet. “Anyone home?”

Cody was halfway to the stairs before he turned around. “Ms. Katya, you want me to handle him or would you rather?”

Katya pulled Dave back, ignoring Xavier’s soft groan and Dave’s little gasp. She pointed to a chair, “Sit, stay.” She gave Cody a wink then called up the stairs. “We’re down here Vic, join us for a minute if you would.” While Vic navigated the stairs Katya quickly got Dave and Xavier arranged how she wanted them. On their knees, face down on the floor, her handiwork a glowing red beacon on their hides.

Whistling a bit of Brahms, Victor took the stairs at a leisurely pace. “Are we straightening up down here or having some fun?” he said before he had anyone in sight. The little scene waiting for him stopped him cold, though, and the smile faded. “What in –?”

Then he caught sight of Cody. Thunderclouds gathered in his eyes as he growled, “Katya, what soon to be dead bastard hurt my Cody?”

Katya cleared her throat so she wouldn’t chuckle, that wouldn’t be a good thing. She was going to have to get that scowl off his face, though. That or hand him a mop to clean up the puddles on the floor. “It was an accident Victor.” That seemed the most prudent thing to say. “Seems Cody has never mastered the art of ‘ducking’.” She looked from Vic to the two tense bodies on the floor. “And they are both very sorry their stupidity managed to hurt Cody.” Her tone changed to ice needles, “Aren’t you?”

Two shaky affirmatives rose from the floor.

Victor took a slow walk around the bodies displayed for him, boots echoing with each deliberate step, noting the welts, the crimson backsides. But he left them to think and went to Cody instead. He smoothed the hair back from Cody’s forehead. For his beloved, his voice was gentle, infinitely tender. “Quite a shiner, love. Hurt much?”

“It’s not so bad, baby. Please don’t go all postal.” Cody leaned his head against Victor’s palm. “They didn’t mean to and if I’d stayed out of it, it wouldn’t have happened at all.”

“You’re far too kind sometimes, sweetheart,” Vic bent to kiss his forehead. “Don’t try to shift the blame.” He returned to the naked penitents, in the back of his mind somewhat amazed that David had allowed this. But Katya — ah, well, Katya got them all to try things they would never have thought possible.

“I see that their backsides certainly are sorry,” Victor’s growl had returned but the look he shot Katya reassured her he wasn’t intending violence. “But I wonder about the rest of them. Xavier! Look at me! Just how sorry are you, pup?”

Xavier sat up, a bit slower than he usually would have in deference to his abused backside. He looked up at Vic. “I never meant for Cody to get hurt, Sir. I’m more than sorry it happened.” And that he truly meant.

“I know you didn’t mean it, pup. If I thought you did it on purpose, your arms would already be detached and stuffed down your throat.” Vic shook his head in disgust. “But you lash out far too quickly. We know that.” He turned to Dave and toed a knee with his boot. “And you. I count on you to keep a cool head. I’m deeply disappointed.”

Dave nodded without raising his head, too ashamed to look Vic in the eye. In fits and starts, Cody explained what had happened and though Victor still glowered, the hint of a twitch touched his lips. He snorted at the end of the recitation. “Amazing. You’d think they were a couple of drunken frat boys.”

Hands clasped behind him, he made another circuit, admiring Kat’s work. “Well, I suppose Katya would be annoyed with me if I took you apart. Especially after she went to such lengths to make you presentable. What would you suggest I do with this little display, my dear?”

As Victor neared Katya slipped her arm around his waist and came up on tip toe to kiss his cheek. “I just baked the cake, it’s up to you how you’d like to eat it,” she said with a wink.

He bent into her kiss and wrapped an arm around her. “And an excellent pastry chef you are at that.” His deep voice was softly commanding when he spoke again. “David, get your clothes. Go wait for me in the library.”

He waited until Dave had limped up the stairs, shoulders slumped, head bowed. Then Vic turned his head to the other culprit. “Xavier, I do believe you owe Cody an apology. No. Don’t speak. Crawl over to him and apologize. Make it sincere enough and I may forgive you.”

Xavier belly crawled over to Cody and kissed the top of his shoe, and then his shin, making his way up to his knee but keeping his hands safely behind his back. He stopped there and lips still on Cody’s knee he lifted his eyes and waggled his eyebrows at Vic.

“Sweetheart,” Vic said softly. “Do you want to accept Xav’s apology?”

“Oh, hell, yes,” Cody breathed.

“Then show him what you’ll accept,” Victor couldn’t help the smile now, the look of arousal on Cody’s face was too perfect. “He may do whatever you wish him to.”

Cody grinned up at Vic, undid his fly and lifted his hips to shove his jeans down to his knees. Then he took Xavier’s face between his hands, kissed him soundly and guided his head up to the apex of his thighs.

Katya gave Vic’s arm a little squeeze and a pat, then made her way upstairs, leaving the boys to do as they pleased for a while. She wanted to make sure Dave was alright and not a total ball of nerves while he waited for Vic.

Xavier didn’t need any more encouragement. He kissed the underside of Cody’s shaft from base to tip, his lips closing over the head in a heated grip.

A sweet moan came from Cody and he slid down in the chair so his head rested against the back. One hand in Xavier’s hair, the other caressing his shoulder, he gave himself to the pleasure without hesitation, arching and grinding into Xavier’s attentions.

“Attaboy,” Vic murmured with a smile. “Come when you’re ready.”

When Katya decided the guest bedroom needed a new look, the first person she thought of was Cody. An empty room was basically a huge canvas and although he usually worked with other mediums he knew her taste and she knew he would like the challenge. She wanted to room to feel masculine (since most of the guests that used that room happened to be male) and also to have a forest-y feel to it. Those were her only requests; other than that he was free to do whatever he wished.

Both Richard and Liam were busy with work, and neither were actually the best of painters, so for help she promised Xavier and when she asked Dave if he was free, he was happy to offer to help as well.

The room had already been cleared of furniture when Cody arrived. He stood in the middle of the floor and stared intently at the walls. When Xavier poked him and asked if he was trying out his heat vision, Cody smacked his arm and shushed him.

He decided to take Katya literally and paint a forest, early evening. Dark conifers and shadows would give the room the feeling of a private, secret space. But first, he needed a base coat, since the walls were burgundy to start.

“Flat white everywhere,” he told his helpers. “Walls, trim, ceiling, OK?”

Two coats of white on the back wall later, Cody could begin. Thank goodness for quick-drying latex paint. The trees he painted in broad strokes, background and foreground, in deep shades of green and brown, more the impression of trees than a photo-realistic effort. As a private joke, he planned to paint a few, select animals. He had the feeling Katya would see it if no one else did.

On a flat rock in the center, Cody outlined the first: one forepaw up, head raised to scent the wind, a wolverine stood on alert. He stopped, squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. Damn paint fumes.

“Guys, can we get the rest of the windows open, please?”

Dave was closer to the two windows; he flung them wide open. Xavier stopped and put down the brush he’d been using on the trim to go to Cody’s side. He put a hand lightly on his back in concern. “You want to stop for a while and get some fresh air, Cody?”

Cody straightened and leaned against Xavier when the blood rushed in his ears and the room grew gray around the edges. “No, I think I’m all right now,” he said with his forehead resting in the crook of Xav’s neck.

Xavier slipped his arms around Cody’s waist and grinned, “Oh, well if you’re all right then maybe I could interest you in taking a break.” He slid his hands down to cup Cody’s ass hoping to get him to laugh.

“That is definitely below the belt,” Cody reminded him softly, moving those lovely hands back to his waist. He tilted his head up to give Xavier a smile and got a soft kiss in answer.

The warm, tender moment only lasted an instant.

“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing, man?” Dave snarled as he grabbed Xavier’s arm and yanked him away. “I thought Vic was your friend!”

It took Xavier a second or two to figure out what the hell Dave was talking about. Once he did there were any number of explanations he could have given but he was pissed that Dave automatically assumed he was a creep. He pulled his arm out of Dave’s grasp and shoved him back, bristling with anger. “No one asked you to interfere, asshole.”

“No one needs to ask me to, you little shit!” Dave shoved back with both arms, eyes blazing. “That’s Vic’s boy and you know it, so keep your motherfucking hands off!”

Xavier almost laughed, he couldn’t help it, but he was still too pissed to let Dave in on a few things. “If Vic wanted me to keep my hands to myself he wouldn’t be shoving them down his pants all the time, and he sure as hell wouldn’t need the likes of you to protect his interests.”

To Dave, it sounded like he was implying that Victor whored around. Whether it was that or the smartass attitude the kid was dishing out, or both, no longer mattered. Dave bellowed, “You take that back, jackass!” before he charged Xavier, head down, slamming him into the nearest unpainted wall.

“Dave, no!” Cody yelled. “Let me explain! Xav, stop needling him! He doesn’t know!” Too agitated to think straight himself, Cody rushed in to try to separate the combatants.

Each had blocked the other’s attempt to swing, Dave had Xavier’s right wrist in a white-knuckled grip and Xavier had Dave’s. Neither one had any attention to spare for Cody, no matter what he shouted at them. Finally, Xavier shoved hard, sending Dave back half a step. Arms free again, Xavier got in a good shot to Dave’s jaw, Dave’s fist connected with the side of Xavier’s head, and in the flurry of punches one missed the mark.

Bright sparks shot through Cody’s head when hard knuckles connected with his left eye. He had an excellent view of the pristine white ceiling before the darkness closed in.

Katya’s voice came from somewhere above him, sharp as a lash and probably as effective. From what she was saying, he gathered she already knew exactly what had happened and was now tearing Xavier apart for not telling Dave he had permission to take certain liberties with Cody, and Dave for losing control of his temper, and both of them together for letting Cody get hurt during their stupidity.

“Xavier, go get some ice. David, help Cody sit up.”

When Cody was gently lifted to sitting, he opened his eyes and Katya put her hand to his cheek with a tch of her tongue. “Cody, sweetie, don’t you know better than to stick your face in front of a fist?” she teased him gently.

He tried to answer, a soft moan coming out instead of words. At least strong arms held him and he had a good solid chest to lean against. He tried again. “Sorry, Ms. Kat. That whole ducking thing — never got it down right.”

She chuckled, glad to see he still had his sense of humor about him. When Xavier brought the ice she fussed a bit more over him, brushing his hair back from his face and making sure he held the ice to his eye. It was a stark contrast to the way she snapped at Dave and Xavier who were both a bit bruised around the edges as well. “Let’s get you downstairs,” she said.

Xavier went to help and Dave deliberately got Cody up on his own, not letting Xavier touch him. “You two will knock your shit off this instant,” Katya snarled. “David, Xavier is not ‘hitting’ on Cody, they have their rules but a little snuggle is nothing to get so fucking bent about. And Xavier stop trying to push his buttons! You want your ass beat, I’ll be happy to help you out with that. Now, everyone downstairs.”

Halfway down the stairs, Dave on one side, Xavier on the other, Cody realized Dave was shaking hard enough to rattle his teeth. “You OK?” Cody whispered.

Dave nodded, though he looked glassy-eyed. It couldn’t be that he was scared, Cody had seen the fight in him firsthand. And he couldn’t imagine that Katya yelling at him had upset him so much. No, this looked sort of…familiar.

He thought he’d take a shot in the dark. “Stop letting your brain jump around,” Cody suggested. “Focus on one, single thing. Everything else’ll start to slow down if you can do it.” That Dave focused on the back view of Katya walking in front of them wasn’t surprising. But Cody still found it amusing.

Once she had everyone sitting in the kitchen she got Cody to tell her (a bit reluctantly) what happened. She listened carefully and then didn’t know who to be more angry with. Dave basically accused Xavier of being a backstabbing whore, in not so many words, and although he was usually easygoing, that was one of the things that really got to Xavier. She could understand why he got pissed, but he knew Dave was only working with half the picture at best, he should have just explained. Even so, Dave shouldn’t have let himself be goaded into an actual fight, and Cody getting hurt on top of it, they were going to be lucky if Vic didn’t kill them both.

She sighed in exasperation. “Xavier, why didn’t you just tell Dave that Vic has rules for you about Cody?”

“I didn’t like what he was implying,“ he said, and when she glared at him he gave a sullen shrug. “I would have eventually.”

She turned her attention on Dave. “Jumping to conclusions and losing your temper’s a real good way to deal with something, huh? Never crossed your mind that Cody wasn’t pulling away? Didn’t tell Xavier to back off himself?”

Dave still hadn’t been able to bring himself back down. He sat hunched with his hands locked together on the table in front of him, jaw clenched against the shakes, and so his answer came out as a tight growl. “It wasn’t Cody that had his hands all over the place. I thought the paint fumes had gotten to him and maybe he needed help. And I wouldn’t have lost my temper if that one,” he pointed a shaking finger at Xavier, “hadn’t called Vic a slut.”

Katya arched a brow at that, for more reasons than one. “Xavier, did you call Victor a slut?” She tried hard to keep any amusement from her voice and pretty much succeeded.

“No, Mistress.”

“Did you imply it?” she rephrased.

“No… not intentionally.”

“But you did take advantage of the fact that Dave didn’t know about you and Cody and Vic’s relationship to goad him, didn’t you?”

Silence for a few heartbeats, then, “Yes Mistress.” A pause. “I’m sorry I got angry.”

Katya snorted, “Not yet you’re not, but you will be.”

“What about you?” Katya asked Dave, “Are you starting to see you might have made a few mistakes here?”

Now Dave was clearly confused and his shaking only grew worse. “I don’t understand — are you saying that Victor — and Xavier? And it’s — but I thought –” He shook his head, eyes glued to the table. “They seemed like the perfect, devoted couple. I can’t believe — christ, I should have known. Too good to be true, just like everything.”

Katya had to tamp down on the sudden surge of anger because she knew he didn’t realize he’d insulted her and just about everyone she loved. “Well dear boy, they may not be ‘perfect’ in your eyes but your idea of what perfect is leaves a lot to be desired.” She tried to say it evenly but the ice crept into her tone. “And if this idyllic fantasy you’ve built around Vic is tarnished now, too damn bad.”

She slapped her hand down on the table in front of him, making him and everyone else jump, but it got him to look up at her. “No one is lying here, no one’s being hurt, and everyone is happy. If that’s not perfect enough for your silly standards perhaps you should learn to keep your opinions to yourself.”

Her eyes pinned him to the spot and she knew very well that he might just get up and walk out now. Surprisingly she realized that would hurt, but she also knew that if he couldn’t get around his implanted concepts of what relationships were supposed to be, then he would never fit into her life.

Cody put a hand on his arm. There was far too much anger in here and far too many misunderstandings. He didn’t think this was about relationships in general, it was about Victor and about deeply ingrained hero-worship.

“It’s not as if either one of us goes out trolling for men,” Cody explained softly. “Vic is devoted to me. He loves me so much he’s nearly died twice from it. I’d die for him, too. In a heartbeat. But here, in Ms. Katya’s house — this is a safe place, like family. And he’s never touched anyone else without me knowing about it. Most times, I’m right there. You understand?”

Dave nodded, eyes squeezed shut. He fought tears again and he wished, again, that they didn’t come at the drop of a hat these days. “I’m sorry –” he whispered to the room in general. “How was I supposed to know? I just — wanted to, you know, be there for him.”

Xavier sighed and went to leave the room but Katya stopped him with a “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I said sorry, he said sorry, I was going to go back to work…” Xavier said.

Katya smiled slowly. “I don’t think so. There are any number of things you could have done differently and Dave would not be sitting there an emotional wreck and Cody wouldn’t have that black eye. You’re going to pay for that, and you had better hope that what I take out of you will satisfy Vic when he comes to pick Cody up later.”

Though he wanted to go dunk his head to get rid of the sick roiling in his stomach, Dave slid from his chair to his knees and closed the distance to Katya. He looked up at her, his eyes glistening. “Please, ma’am, I think I’m the one who hit Cody. And I should’ve let Cody explain instead of losing my head. Please, I –” He wasn’t entirely sure how to phrase the request but he tried. “It wasn’t just Xavier…”

Katya smoothed back his hair, then looked over at Xavier. They shared a look, silent communication just between them. “Alright. Xavier, take Dave with you to the basement, I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Dave gazed up at her in adoration, his look pleading with her ‘command me, demand of me, strike hard and heal me’ but he simply nodded and wiped his eyes on his sleeve as he rose. He followed Xavier without hesitation.

She waited until they were both out of sight before she sat down with Cody and took his hand. “You can come downstairs if you want to Cody, or not, I’ll leave that up to you. But, if you do want to come with us I want you to know a secret. This isn’t really about punishment, even though they both deserve it.” She added that last in a disgusted mutter. “But they need to figure out if they’re going to get along or not somehow. Much as I like David, if they can’t find a way I’m going to have to stop seeing him.”

“Oh, I see,” Cody mused. “Would be a shame if you did have to. He’s awful cute.” He grinned at the look she gave him. “I see what you’re saying, I do. Has to play well with the other boys. I think I’ll come with you, Ms. Kat. Either that or die of curiosity up here.”

“Alright then, Cody,” she said with a smile and checked her watch. “We’ll give them a few minutes.”