by Kenzi Bond
Ally nodded in understanding. “Nobody can understand your unique set of circumstances. Personally, I feel we should spend more time hugging the ones we love. When news of your rescue and your father’s trial broke, it was implied by certain news outlets that you had been trained to be sex slaves. I can’t imagine the life you had.”
Beau shook his head. “The stories weren’t quite true. The facts is we were trained to be sold as untouched, perfect, and above all else, obedient. Our training consisted of cultural and social behaviors like music lessons, public speaking, dance lessons, world issues, everything you can think of to be the perfect companion. These lessons did not include sex education. That was to be left up to our future owner. We were punished if we didn’t meet expectations or if we rebelled or showed any sort of independence. We were completely innocent of the world and only knew total obedience.”
“That must have been hard,” Ally said.
“Not at all. We didn’t know anything different,” Dean said.
“Sure, we had to train seven days a week and perform to a high standard, but we had each other. Our fathers were the ones to show us what we were missing out on,” Beau stated.
“Thank you for sharing that with us. Going back to that night. How well did you know the Coleman brothers?”
Images from the party appeared on the viewing screen behind them. Dean’s face showed a flash of distress before he got himself under control. It was so fast, Malcolm wasn’t sure if he had seen it.
On the screen, there was a close-up of Dean’s face. Black eyeliner mixed with tears that ran down his face. Beside him, Malcolm could feel Drake’s anger building to match his own.
Malcolm put his hand on Drake’s. “Let it go. The boys don’t need our anger; they need our love.”
He shifted his focus back to the television as Dean spoke in a clear voice. It was hard to tell he was upset to begin with.
“That was the first night we met. We danced and we kissed—it wasn’t even a good kiss.” He gave a carefree laugh. “Believing the hype about us, the Colemans tried to force us to kiss each other. We said no, tried to pull away, but things turned nasty. In the end, the host threw them out. It is as simple as that.”
“Do you get that often? People expecting you to behave a certain way?”
Beau laughed. “You have no idea. There are very few people in this world who truly know us. We are lucky to have a fantastic set of friends. We have people who love us.”
Ally leaned forward, as if she was sharing a secret. “Speaking of love, would you share with us if there is anyone special in your lives?”
Beau grinned. “Yes, there are two special people who we care about. It’s too early to tell for sure, but we hope that we can be together someday. They’re watching tonight.” He turned toward the cameras. “Hi, guys, see you soon,” he said with a wink.
Just like that, Malcolm felt his heart slam into his chest. He felt Beau’s intense stare right down to his bones.
Dean gave a delighted laugh. “Well, they said they’d be watching.”
The camera moved in on their beautiful faces. They looked sexy as hell in Malcolm’s opinion. He wanted to see what Beau would look like after a night in his bed. Arousal pulsed under his skin.
Ally made a few unsuccessful attempts to uncover the names of their special men, but the boys were tight-lipped. The show wrapped up with a final question. “Is there anything you want people to know?”
Dean looked directly at the camera. “I would encourage viewers to not put their own standards on someone else. Keep their judgments to themselves. Don’t assume to know what someone is thinking or feeling. The only person you should be concerned about is yourself and your own actions.”
“We know we can’t change the way people feel about us, and we don’t plan to change to fit into what society thinks is acceptable,” Beau added.
The show was ending, so Ally spoke with the boys about their charity again as the link scrolled across the bottom of the screen. Malcolm was so damn proud of them. He understood now how they were so comfortable in front of the cameras at such a young age. Some people had found it unnerving how grown-up the boys sounded when they spoke. Malcolm could imagine that they didn’t know any other way to be. Had they even experienced joy or laughter before they were saved?
Malcolm was picking up his phone before the show’s credits started.
Drake and I are proud of you both. And you both looked sexy AF
Beside him, Drake stood up.
“Where you goin’?”
Drake grinned. “Don’t ask if you don’t want an answer.”
Seeing that Drake was sporting an erection, Malcolm decided he didn’t want to know. “Don’t aim that thing at me. Go before you embarrass yourself.”
As Drake hurried from the room, Malcolm’s thoughts turned to Beau and that wink he gave the camera. Knowing Drake was occupied elsewhere, he undid the belt on his slacks and pushed a hand down to his waiting erection. A groan broke free from his lips as his thumb ran over the wet tip. This was what Beau did to him. With a firmer grip, he worked his length between his closed fingers. As the sensations built, he imagined Beau kneeling on the floor, his large beautiful eyes watching hungrily. The image was so vivid in his mind, he came in a rush of heat. Running his fingers through the fluid, he enjoyed the aftershocks and thought of the future.
21
Twenty-one at last!
Dean
T
onight was the main event. The boys had decided to make the most of their birthday celebrations and hold a charity ball, with the funds going toward the Foundation for Stolen Children. Even though they knew it was early, neither Beau nor Dean could take their eyes off the main entrance while they waited for Drake and Malcolm to arrive.
“What if they changed their mind?” Dean asked. “It’s a lot to ask for a first date. There are cameras everywhere. People will start talking the minute they see us together.” He had literally waited years for this moment. He was afraid to hope.
“We’ve talked about this. They know what our lives are like. If they say they’re going to be here, they will.”
Dean felt a smile break across his face when he caught sight of their friends Shane Lombardi and his husband, Brandon Jager. The two men approached with their arms wide for a hug. If it weren’t for Shane and Brandon, they would never have been adopted by Jackson all those years ago. The ex-FBI special agents, with Jackson, had gone undercover, looking for their friend who had disappeared. The three of them had saved so many children. Their friendship had grown strong over the years.
Beau laughed as Brandon did a model pose and turn, hands on hips, showing off his tuxedo for the night. He was wearing a shiny dark gray suit with notched lapel. The vest was embroidered by a darker gray thread which matched well with his shirt. The overall effect was quite stunning and looked fantastic on Brandon’s broad frame. While he usually wore tight-fitting shirts that stretched to cover his muscular chest and arms, this suit fit him perfectly. Surprisingly, the relaxed fit only enhanced Brandon’s solid mass. Beside him, wearing a white tuxedo, Shane looked like a sexy James Bond. His eyes twinkled with love as he stared at Brandon’s impromptu catwalk. The two standing side by side were a sight to behold, with their love for each other so apparent and heartwarming.
Brandon picked up Dean in a bear hug and swung him around. “Look at you, all grown up.” He put Dean down and reached for Beau.
Shane gave an indulgent chuckle. “Happy Birthday. Brandon’s right—you grew up so fast. I’ll never forget how sweet and tiny you two were when I first saw you. Hey, babe, stop picking them up like that. They’re too old for that now,” Shane said, reaching to shake their hands.
“Nah, they love it. Or maybe not,” he said, looking at them in question.
The truth was, they did love Brandon’s hugs. He was such a demonstrative guy. He always had hugs for them and had been kind to them from the start.
“Well, I don’t pa
rticularly like seeing someone with his hands all over my man,” a deep voice said from behind him. “What about you, Drake? Do you want this guy putting his hands on your man?”
Dean’s heart raced. They were here! He spun around and gaped at his first sight of the brothers. They were dressed in identical black tuxedos, similar to the ones worn by other men in the room. The only difference was the men wearing the suits. The thud of Dean’s heart grew louder in his chest.
“Hi,” he said, lost for words. All he wanted to do was throw himself into Drake’s arms. Should he do that? Would Drake accept him?
Beau didn’t hesitate. He rushed to Malcolm and threw his arms around his waist, resting his head on Malcolm’s chest. “You really came.”
Malcolm placed a finger under Beau’s chin, raising his face to give him a small, quick kiss. “Did you really think we wouldn’t? After months of talking about the charity, you really thought we wouldn’t turn up?”
Beau didn’t answer. Instead, he sighed loudly and turned his head up for another kiss.
Drake reached for Dean. This was it. Drake was going to kiss him. He had dreamed of this for years. The kiss was little more than a brush of Drake’s lips against his, gone before it began. It wasn’t enough; it wasn’t nearly enough.
Drake leaned forward, bringing with him the woodsy smell of his cologne as he whispered in Dean’s ear. “Later. If I kissed you how I want, your friends would knock my lights out. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’d stand a chance against them.”
Dean glanced over his shoulder at Brandon and Shane, whose expressions showed their shock and alarm. Even though they had talked about introducing Drake and Malcolm to their friends, they hadn’t really appreciated how it must look.
Beau looped his arm through Malcolm’s. “Guys, this is Malcolm and his brother, Drake.” He smiled confidently. “And these are our oldest friends, Brandon and his husband, Shane.” He waited expectantly.
When nothing happened and they continued to stare at each other, Beau tried again. “Malcolm and Drake are important to us. Either say hello or go away.”
Brandon was the first to step forward. “Um, sorry, we didn’t know the boys were dating anyone. You’re, um, older than I would have expected, not that that’s a bad thing. It’s just a shock.” He held his hand out, shaking hands first with Malcolm and then Drake.
“How long have you been dating?” Shane asked as he, too, shook their hands. His voice held no warmth for the Tallon brothers.
Drake laughed as he looked at his watch. “About a minute,” he said with a grin.
Taken aback, Shane stared at the twins. “Boys, can I have a quick word with you both. Privately?”
It was now or never. Dean knew people would find the relationship strange, but he wasn’t going to let anyone interfere. If he didn’t take a stand now, then no one would realize how serious they were about Drake and Mal.
“Actually, there’s no need to talk. Trust me when I say you don’t need to worry about Drake or Mal. They care about us. I know people are going to have trouble with the age difference, but if you know us at all, you really shouldn’t be surprised. And before you go looking to tattle to Dad and Papa, they’re both aware of our relationship.”
Shane went to speak, but Beau spoke first. “We all agreed to wait for our twenty-first birthday before we started dating. Hence the one-minute timeline. Are you going be okay with that?” he asked.
Shane looked between them all, his face still drawn into a frown. Just when Dean couldn’t take the silence anymore, the glare dropped into a tentative smile.
“Do you realize how much trouble these boys can be?” he asked, directing the question at Malcolm and Drake.
Drake smiled. “We’re counting on it. We’re actually quite familiar with the boys’ antics, and my brother and I are more than up to the task.”
They shared pleasantries for a while. Dean snuggled under Drake’s arm, preferring to watch and listen. He loved the fact that he was so much smaller than Drake. Being able to tuck under his arm made him feel protected. Leaning into Drake’s warm chest, he inhaled deeply. His body was fighting an internal battle between utter contentment and arousal.
“What about you, Dean?” Brandon asked.
Blushing, Dean realized he had been daydreaming and lost the gist of the conversation. “Sorry, what was that?”
“I asked if you knew whether Joel and Kasey would be coming tonight?”
Dean didn’t know how to answer. They really hadn’t hung out together like they once did. Kasey and Joel were shift workers, and it was difficult for them to get a night off at the same time. If they did, they spent the time together. Joel was also spending more time with his niece and nephew. Dean felt a pang of loss at the distance that had grown between them.
“They’re both coming. They arranged to take the night off so they could be here,” Malcolm said.
Dean looked at Malcolm. “But how do you know?”
Drake placed a gentle kiss on Dean’s head. “We could tell you were worried they wouldn’t be here. Mal and I called them to let them know how important it was for you both. Joel assured us they would be here.”
He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world for them to do, but Dean was overwhelmed with love. Not having Joel and Kasey there would have crushed him.
“Don’t look now, but a guy wearing a pale pink shirt has arrived, and if I’m not mistaken, a very handsome Joel is standing by his side,” Malcolm said, nodding toward the foyer.
Dean felt a smile stretch across his face. Trust Kasey to wear his favorite color. Beside him, dressed all in black, Joel looked around the room until he spotted them. He walked toward them, everyone around him giving him space. It wasn’t that Joel looked dangerous; he just had an air of importance and purpose about him now. Dean wondered if it was something he had picked up as a police officer.
Dean hadn’t even realized he was crying until Joel gently wiped the tears away. “You made it!”
“Of course I did. You’re my brothers. You saved my life so many times just by being you. Come here and give me a hug,” he said, pulling them into a three-way group hug. Kasey’s arms stretched around them, too. “I will always be here for you.”
When the hug finally broke, Joel was brushing tears from his own face. “Hey, Drake, Mal. Good to see you again,” Joel acknowledged. “Sure you want to take on these troublemakers?”
Drake reached for Dean and pulled him snug against his body again, an arm going around his back. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
A photographer approached, indicating with the camera that she wanted to take a photo.
They all lined up. Dean couldn’t stop smiling. He would make sure he got a copy of this photo. It would go up on his wall at home so he would always remember this magical night.
22
Drake
D
rake stayed by Dean’s side throughout the night. He didn’t miss the looks people were giving them or some of the barbed comments made within earshot. Drake had expected as much. But his need to be with Dean far outweighed the speculation and gossip aimed their way. What they hadn’t accounted for was the expertise with which the twins commanded the room. The curious looks didn’t bother them. Anyone brave enough to be insulting was quickly reminded of the purpose of the charity event, which the boys brought up in the conversation every chance they could.
It wasn’t all negative. Friends made a point of approaching them and introducing themselves. Drake especially enjoyed meeting Beth and her husband, Steven. He knew they were special to the twins because of the way the boys spoke about them in their emails. Beth shared funny stories that had Beau and Dean blushing and the rest of them laughing. Unfortunately, the couple couldn’t stay for long as they had four young children to get home to, with Beth expecting their fifth. They agreed to catch up another time before Beth and Steven departed.
Drake loved how natural it felt to have Dean by his side
. Dean was constantly touching him and including him in the conversations. He particularly liked the way Dean made small sounds of happiness or the way he gazed at Drake as if he were the most important man in the world.
“Are you enjoying your birthday?” Drake asked.
Dean let out a small sigh of contentment. “I couldn’t have asked for a better night. People have been giving us looks, but I don’t care. I hope they aren’t scaring you off…”
Drake pulled Dean against his chest, holding him tight. “No way. You have nothing to worry about. Malcolm and I aren’t going to let a few idiots spoil things for us. We thought long and hard on our age difference and came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter. I want to see where this thing between us goes.”
“So do I. I feel like I’ve spent my life waiting for you.” He took a deep breath. “There’s something I meant to ask earlier. We’re going to be speaking with the reporters soon. We would like to introduce you and Malcolm so we can contain the narrative of our relationship. Is that something you would be comfortable with?”
Drake wasn’t sure. He agreed it would be better to have their relationship out in the open, but he didn’t know what would be expected of him. Drake searched Dean’s face, noticing his hopeful expression. “I’d like that. Just don’t let me make a fool of myself.”
Dean put his hand behind Drake’s head and pulled him down for a chaste kiss. Drake wished they were alone so he could kiss Dean the way he wanted.
Dean smiled. “I would love you to be there. We only let a select number of reporters in—only the ones who have proven in the past to be honest and fair. They’ve always given us space when we asked and treated us with respect. If I had to introduce you to any of them, this group would be ideal.” A concerned look spread across his face, his brows drawn into a frown. “I’ve been calling you my boyfriend all night. Is that okay?”
