Always and Forever: An Echo Rescue Series Novella

by Daniels, Hope

  “If they do?”

  “They don’t. Trust me.” Troy moved closer and adjusted the cross till it lay horizontally and attached the padded board for his head to rest upon before moving to stand at his waist. He smiled down at the feast laid out before him and asked the all-important question, “Are you ready to submit?”

  Troy saw the war waging in Rico’s eyes. He’d seen a bit of his old friend, but he needed to tread carefully. He bent to retrieve the riding crop he’d dropped and put his face level with Marshall’s cock. The heavy breath he let out fanned over his straining dick, making it jerk. Troy inwardly groaned. He wasn’t a masochist normally, but he was testing his limits today because bending over wasn’t exactly comfortable for him right now either.

  “You’re a bastard. You know that Tee,” he stated, ignoring his question.

  “You’re saying bad things about my mama,” he said, while watching Rico’s reaction to the crop he dragged along the inside of his leg. “I should tease you even longer than I had planned, but I can smell how fucking aroused you are.” Troy brought the tongue of the crop to the top of his shorts and used it to push them down. “You liked the crop last time. Maybe I’ll use it again against your dick.” He brushed the tongue up and down the thick shaft until Rico was lifting his hips in counter rhythm.

  “I should punish you for what you’re doing.”

  “Please punish me later, Tee. Just fuck me now,” he begged. “Please.”

  Troy stopped and stepped away. He wanted this too badly. He wanted Marshall, he’d deal with the part of him that was Rico, but did he want him for more than a hard fuck? This was about more than the two of them.

  “Goddammit Troy, quit messing around and fuck me. We both know you want me and I want you.” He tugged on his restraints again, locks of blonde curls fell into his eyes and Troy wanted to brush them aside.

  Resisting the impulse, Troy did take hold of Rico’s cock, squeezing as the other slipped beneath his neck to tug on those curls and force his head back.

  “I do want you, but I want you for more than one night. If you aren’t ready for that tell me now, Marsh, because I’m all in. I’ve done some shit I’m not proud of, just like you have. But after today, there is no going back for me. I love you. I always have. I was just too fucking stubborn to admit it and ran away like a pussy,” Troy opened up, as if he were at Confession and maybe for once he was. It was usually the other way around, but it was time for him to trust someone.

  “If you want sex, I’ll jerk you off, release you, and let you go. I’ll tell Tom I did the best I could, but he needs to find someone else to work with you. I ain’t gonna spill the beans about what I know. Don’t worry. As a matter of fact, I can help you expose anyone who is left. Just give me the deets.” Troy stared deep into the eyes of the man he loved and willed him to understand how hard it was to give him this choice. “But if you want today to be the start of something special…”

  MARSHALL a.k.a. RICO

  Decisions

  Rico was going to burst. First, he was going to shoot his load all over his damn self. Something he hadn’t done since he was fifteen, or was it thirteen? Whatever age it had been, the only thing keeping him from doing so now was Troy’s big hand. It felt amazing having the large-totally-in-charge Alpha male at his mercy. What was even better was when the man was touching him, kissing him —

  Second, he needed to get out of these straps holding him down so that he could show Troy he wasn’t running. If the big bastard could love him knowing he was capable of cold-blooded murder, no matter his reasons, then Marsh wasn’t leaving the only man who gave two fucks about him.

  “Untie me, please.”

  Fear, sadness, and resignation reflected in Troy’s eyes. The man shut down and released his dick before he could stop him.

  “No. Wait. Troy. Listen to me.” Troy quickly released the buckles on the soft leather bands holding down his left arm. He would have bruises where he fought the hold, but he didn’t give a shit. Stiff from laying in the same position, he rolled his shoulder, flexed his hand and made a grab for Troy’s arm catching his elbow.

  “Listen. For once in your life, listen to me. You want me to submit yet you don’t see the needs of your sub.” Marsh knew he’d struck a nerve when Troy’s dark gaze pierced his own. He knew firsthand how a lesser man could weaken under his stare, but he, for one, was not a lesser man and if he wanted this with Troy, he would not allow a lover to bully him ever. “We both know how this works, Tee. I didn’t say I didn’t want this, or you. Shit man, you’ve caught me with my pants down,” he snorted. “Literally, actually. I’m not complaining. Yeah, I am. You can’t tease the shit out of me, tell me you know all my fucking secrets and walk away like nothing ever happened. Shit doesn’t work that way. I don’t work that way.”

  Troy moved to his side and unhooked his other arm before moving down to his right leg and doing the same. “Are you finished?”

  “No, I’m not. I want to know how you found out about what I did.” He sat up as quickly as he could. The need to pace urgent. Nausea building inside of him if he didn’t move soon. Rico was sure Troy wouldn’t like cleaning puke off his pretty leather, then again, maybe he was used to doing so.

  “First, I know how to treat my subs. Second, you aren’t just any sub are you? Third, there are things you don’t know about me; about the guys like me that would make it so you never slept at night. These are things you don’t ever want to know. It is why I can afford this place. It is why I do what I do here. To give back.” Troy helped him to stand and as much as he wanted to wrap his arms around the big man, Rico wouldn’t allow that part of himself to have the pleasure. Not yet.

  “Just know I’m a smart man and I can get ahold of reports most people don’t see.” He allowed Tory to lead him over to a soft worn bench. Rico wiped the wetness which still lingered on one cheek away. Fucking pussy. Crying like…don’t you dare say a little girl. It was all those little girls could do until they had no tears left. “As a matter of fact, these reports rarely cross the same desk.” Troy’s answered didn’t surprise him.

  Rico knew Tee was trying to keep his own anxiety at bay. After he had been discharged and made the rounds at the VA, he’d refused the meds the VA docs wanted to put him on. All of them would have made him ineligible to get a license to carry and that fucking wasn’t going to happen. As long as women and kids were treated with respect there wasn’t a problem. He didn’t have the fireworks issues like some of his buddies, but fuck it. Raised voices and crying kids. Yeah…that did it for him. Besides, he wasn’t the type to spill his guts, or his secrets to a total stranger who he didn’t trust to have his six.

  Troy rose from the bench to stand behind Rico taking deep, cleansing breaths. As much as he wanted to have sex with Marshall, he needed to remember why the man was in his home in the first place. They needed to talk before he continued what he’d like to do next. Maybe a butt plug and few hard spankings would get Rico to spill more than just his secrets. That kinda thinking isn’t calming my dick down.

  No, it wasn’t. Now that he had a half-naked man sitting on his bench, the taste of his kiss on his lips, it was all he wanted to think about. It didn’t matter to him what Marsh had done in the service. Hell, they called him Tee now, but when he was fully active duty, they called him Reaper. The name fit. The mission was everything. He knew more about everyone than seemed humanly possible. Hacked into files he had no business seeing and got away with it. His SEAL team went out fully prepared for all contingencies. If extra people died, well, only a select few had seen his back tattoo which reflected his kills. Why he was stupid enough to commemorate death was anyone’s guess. Young and dumb.

  “Do you need to move?” he asked Marshall, for he saw the man he’d fallen in love just moments ago, not the hardened soldier, Rico.

  “Nah,” Marsh stated. “I’m good. As long as I can bounce my leg.” The warmth of his chuckle sent an invitation of decadent delights straight to Tee’
s groin. He groaned having just got himself under control.

  “You’re a menace on my libido, dude.”

  “That’s real funny coming from you, brah,” Marshall laughed. “You’ve always been my trigger.”

  Tee pulled a folding chair from the closet and sat across from Marsh. With his elbows resting on his knees, he inhaled deeply the smells of the gym. Plastic, rubber, synthetic materials, cleaning solution, leather from his closet, even the smell of sex from someone, but he’d deal with that later. Right now, he zeroed in on the scent of Marshall. He smelled like the wind after it rained. Fresh possibilities, yet with a hint that turbulence may yet linger beneath the surface. There was a touch of sweat and a hint of that delicious smell of sex. It pulled Tee in, wrapped around him like a warm blanket soothing his soul and making him believe that just maybe he was getting through the armor to his old friend.

  “I can’t help you without taking you through my process. It includes some therapy with me and some BDSM processes. I’ve found it is helpful to keep you focused on the good, not on the bad things in your life.” Tee explained. “If you are not willing to submit to this process, to me, then I will recommend a couple of people I trust for you to talk with to appease Tom.”

  Troy reached out in spontaneity and touched Marshall’s leg, squeezing slightly, just willing for him to understand how important this was for him. “I don’t want you to go, but understand one hundred and fifty percent that this isn’t about me. It is about you and your mental health. You need to understand this process isn’t all about tying you up, spanking your ass, and fucking you hard, although it sounds pretty great at the moment seeing you like this,” he motioned to Marshall’s shirtless appearance and the fact his pants were hanging low on his hips. “You’re definitely testing my self-control.”

  “Good, someone needs to test the Dom’s limits every once in a while,” Marshall sassed back.

  “And as my sub, you’d earn fifteen lashes while wearing a butt plug and you’d better not lose a single drop of cum. Because every drop of it belongs to me,” he retorted back.

  Marsh just stared at him for a moment or two. It killed Troy thinking he’d overstepped his bounds. Hell, watching the man process what he just said destroyed him. Tee looked for every clue possible. Watched as Marshall swallowed and was mesmerized by the slow bob of his Adam’s apple; the quick, breathy expansion of his chest with each inhalation. Troy searched Marsh’s eyes for a clue to what he was thinking to no avail. Your game face is as good as mine, Rico. What about your bedroom eyes?

  “I cannot promise you how this is going to go,” Marshall broke eye contact with him to look at their bare feet. “I honestly can’t promise shit, Tee, but more than anything I want to touch you, kiss you, taste you, and feel that big dick of yours fucking me hard.” Troy had gone soft, but Marsh’s admission hardened him once more. It was enough of an invitation for Troy.

  “I sure as fuck hope you’re finished for now,” Troy growled, smashing their mouths together.

  Dueling tongues heated his blood, but it was rubbing his bare cock against Marshall’s shorts that made him groan. He loved the feel of two hot dicks rubbing together. Marsh touched down Troy’s back, up his sides and between them to play with his nipples.

  God, he loved nipple play. Male or female, he loved biting and sucking on them. It was the only thing he loved on a woman — their tits. Not the fake jobs either. Before he could break the kiss and bend his head, Troy’s hands were on his ass, lifting him up and carrying him across the room to the weight bench. Troy sat down and yanked his pants the rest of the way off.

  “I’ve been dying to taste you since I saw you on the other side of that fucking two-way mirror.”

  “Tee, as much as I want your mouth on me,” he cupped Troy’s face, “I want us to be safe. I’ve never been with anyone but you without a rubber. Not even for a blowjob.” He softly kissed the corner of Troy’s mouth. “If you want me to wear one now, we’ll have to go upstairs to my room because I don’t have one on me.”

  He was silenced when Troy fell to his knees and took him into the warm, wetness of his mouth. Nirvana, stars, rainbows, fireworks, all the fucking romantic shit he could think of burst behind his eyelids he’d slammed shut as Troy hummed an approving noise.

  “Fuck yes. Do that again and again. Sweet Jesus, Tee, you’re amazing.” Marshall sang his lover’s praises. In his mind’s eye, the boy he knew and the man who knelt before him became one. If his heart could thunder out of his chest and into Troy’s it so fucking would. He knew it would be safe there. But suddenly, Tee’s mouth was gone.

  “Stay with me, Marsh, or I’ll fucking blindfold you and deprive you of your senses, all but the smell and taste of me.”

  “I’m feelin’ ya, babe. Every lick,” he hissed when Troy sucked his left nut into his mouth, momentarily stealing his speech. “Every suck, every bite and every touch.” His legs quivered; his ass clenched when Tee flicked his tongue over the slit of his dick like he was licking the stick of a Popsicle. “You do that again and I’m gonna blow.”

  “Then blow. I’ll catch every drop,” Troy declared.

  Marshall took hold of his own dick and the back of Troy’s head and jerked his hips hard. Tee had released something inside of him and the race was on. Just watching his cock shuttle in and out of those sexy lips made his pace quicken.

  He caressed the scar running down Troy’s cheek, knowing that when it was humanly possible, he was going to kiss the dark memories away. Yeah, he’d do it for Tee, whatever it took to make him feel as good as he did right now. His thighs were burning and sweat was dripping down the crack of his ass, but he didn’t care. Marsh tightened his hold on Tee’s head as Tee breached his ass with his finger. The familiar tightening of his balls, and the zing of electricity down his spine drove him to dig his fingers into Troy’s cropped hair and drove his hips upward. The chains of pain around his heart releasing, a fraction, at the same time he blew the load out his dick and into the mouth of the only man he’d ever loved.

  Overwhelmed that this big man on his knees, not only knew his secrets, but loved him anyway, humbled the Marine inside of Marshall. The persona known as Rico was silent. No smart mouthed comebacks, no need to get up and leave, to run. He was here to stay. Did he think Rico would show again? Absolutely. Marshall didn’t think one blow job cured his issues. Fuck that. They ran too deeply. But if Troy were willing to help him, he was willing to try. Yeah, he would submit, but only to the man between his knees right now.

  “Fuck, Tee, I don’t think I can walk after that,” he rushed out. “Come here so I can hold you.”

  “How about we just hold each other?” Troy went up on his knees kissing the center of Marshall’s chest. He held Tee there but a moment but for a moment before meeting his mouth with his own. They tasted amazing.

  Troy

  Making Memories

  Chest heaving, he didn’t want to face what he’d just done. Marshall had just had a breakthrough and he’d taken advantage of him. He must think he was the biggest asshole. Not as bad as the fucker he’d killed, but right up there with those dates that said they’d text or call after a hook up and never did. Hell, he was an asshole.

  Rather than face the man he loved, he kept it buried against Marshall’s groin, inhaling the sweet smell of sex and thinking strongly of making sure he went to hell by bending him over the bench and fucking him six ways to Sunday. Then his Dominant side came to the forefront as Marshall wobbled on his feet. Troy stood in one fluid movement, muscles bulging, and scooped his lover into his arms.

  “Isn’t this where you’re supposed to kiss me and tell me how fucking great, I am?” He gave, what he hoped, was a devastatingly sexy grin. It must have worked because in the next instant he found Marshall’s tongue vying with his for supremacy. Damn but he can kiss.

  “You are fucking amazing Tee but save your Superman tactics. I can walk.” Marshall tried to hide his yawn and failed. “Besides, I need to take care of y
ou.”

  “Really?” He raised an eyebrow and continued walking toward the stairs. “It is my job to take care of you. My needs will be taken care of in due time.”

  Troy concentrated on climbing the stairs or tried anyway. It was hard as hell with Marsh’s hot mouth against his neck. Two flights of stairs and a long hallway later, he’d finally reached his destination. The Master Bedroom. He paused a moment. This was everything to him. The keys to his kingdom. His sanctuary. Everything he was, where his demons ran free, all of it lived behind this door. He was nervous as hell to open it and let Marshall see what he’d become.

  “It’s okay Troy, I’ll go to my room.” Marsh kissed him softly on his scarred cheek.

  “No…no. I am just…you’re the first person ever to enter —.”

  Troy didn’t get the chance to finish before Marshall stepped in front of him, slipped his arm around his waist and pulled close with one hand while opening the door with the other.

  “Good, that means when we fuck each other senseless, I’ll be the first.”

  “You’ll be the one and only,” Troy whispered, shutting the door behind them.

  Troy watched Marshall like a hawk. Nothing seemed to phase his friend. Not the big canopied bed, the dark sheets, heavy curtains on the windows, or the bank of computers he always had running some operations on the far wall. What should have been a sitting area had three separate gun safes in it instead. Not to mention the one he couldn’t see beneath the bed. Somehow, he just knew there would be one there. If he had this type of set up, he’d have weapons all over the damn place. There was a door leading to the dressing room and bath, but Marsh ignored it.