Mountainway Chant

by M J Calabrese

  Again, he thrust into Coulter’s body, turning his hips and diving deep. “Bet you could take someone twice my size. Bet I could fist you and your hungry ass would want more.”

  Adam slammed back against his lover’s groin ruining Eagle’s rhythm. “What I could do to you, Tonto, would make you weep, you stupid fuck. You lied to me too, Eagle. You and Kessler. The minute I was gone, you ended up in his bed, fucking him. You’re not free from guilt. Not by a long shot.”

  Again, Adam pushed back, taking control and clenching his ass tightly around Eagle’s cock. “If you had even once opened your eyes, you’d’ve known who and what I was, Eagle. Sexually, I know so much more than you. I could take you apart, Tonto! I know all your secrets. I could swallow you whole and you’d thank me for it.”

  They met in mid movement. Eagle’s fingers making deep imprints on his lover’s hips. Adam could feel how his lover was beginning to lose it and took full advantage. Suddenly, he pulled forward leaving Eagle’s cock waving in mid-air. Adam flipped over, legs spread and raised. “Come on, boy! Show me! Hurt me! Punish me for my sins!”

  Red faced with fury, Eagle roared. Leaning back, he realigned his engorged cock before shoving as hard as he could into Adam’s ass.

  “Come on!” Adam screamed. “Come on! You can do better than that! I had you at that club in San Francisco when you were on leave, Tonto and you didn’t even know it was me! You loved what I did to you. I beat you senseless that night because you couldn’t live with the ghosts of the men and women you killed on the battlefield. I ate your sins! You begged me for more that night and I gave you everything! Aaahhh, fuck!” Adam’s back arched off the bed, accepting the pain as his penance.

  Eagle grabbed Adam’s upper arms, fingers leaving punishing bruises. Digging his toes into the mattress, Eagle slammed into his tormentor. Sweat droplets scattered, propelled by each powerful thrust. Words turned into guttural, primal cries as suddenly Eagle shuddered and exploded into Adam’s ass.

  One explosive orgasm followed another. Eagle begged and pleaded to a God he didn’t believe in. He cried out Adam’s name over and over as his body jerked and released, all of it overwhelming his brain. No conscious thoughts could get through the incredible sensations he was experiencing. Exhausted, he fell weakly onto Adam’s chest. Gasping for air that didn’t seem to be there.

  “You bastard.” He muttered against wet skin. “You fucking bastard.” Eagle’s tears mixed with the sweat rolling off of Adam’s body. He lay there, emotionally ruined by the most incredible orgasm he’d ever had in his entire life. He sobbed against Adam’s shoulder. One of his lover’s hands came up to stroke his hair, calming him. They’d needed this. The pain, the anger, all emotions that had threatened to destroy them ended up twisting into one another, strangling the past before slowly dying away.

  Eagle pulled back gently. Now aware of the discomfort, his lover must be in after such punishing sex. Raising up a bit, he grabbed the top edge of the condom and pulled out.

  “Fuck! The condom ripped, but it looks like it’s all here. Sorry, Kemo.” Eagle rolled away, tossing the spent rubber into the bedside trash.

  Adam closed his thighs. As he rested his legs down, the extreme tenderness of his sphincter told him he hadn’t come away unscathed. Every fiber of his being hoped that Eagle had escaped, but it was too late now to worry about it. He knew he should tell his lover the reason Claire died. He should tell him the details of what he’d done to Eagle a long time ago in that BDSM club, but at the moment he didn’t have the strength to deal with the recriminations he knew Eagle would throw at him.

  Adam reached back, bending his arms and bracing his head on them. He sighed, resigning himself to his confession. Eagle needed to know, but then Eagle’s phone rang. Woodard scrambled to get his cellphone from his pocket. In his haste, he hit speaker mode as he answered.

  “Woodard.” He panted, still out of breath.

  “Eagle? What’s wrong? Why are you so short of breath?” Rick’s voice filled the room.

  Adam turned his head, calmly looking over at his panicked lover, but he remained quiet.

  “Um! I just got back from a run.”

  “No, you didn’t. You just fucked someone.”

  Eagle looked at his bed partner and Adam shrugged. “Okay, you’re right. You caught me. I just fucked Adam.”

  Rick snorted. “Yeah, right. He’d rather kill you than fuck you.”

  Looking at Adam, he whispered with a smile. “He damn near did.” More loudly he went on. “So why did you call?”

  “Oh, yeah…, I went through Harold Willowman’s emails and texts. Quite a number to Adam, but it looks like he was communicating with someone in Richard Coulter’s office over the past week. We know that Nelson Greybill is up to his neck in the Casino deal and possibly the murder of Alejandro Martinez. Coulter Sr. may be as well. At least, we’ve got enough of a link to start asking some uncomfortable questions of the big man himself.”

  “Sounds good.” Again, Eagle looked over at his lover on the bed. “How about, I find Adam and bring him along on this? Nothing like poking the bear with a stick to get him mad and you have to admit that Adam can wield a pretty sharp stick when it comes to his father.”

  Adam looked at Eagle and shook his head, mouthing a silent no. Otherwise he stayed quiet.

  “That sounds great.” The glee in Rick’s voice was unmistakable.

  Eagle smiled at how Adam rolled his eyes and shook his head again.

  “But, you might have to convince him to go along.” The FBI agent continued.

  “Oh, I will. Even if I have to fuck him silly again.” Woodard laughed. “Give me, oh, say an hour and we’ll pay a little unscheduled visit to Richard Coulter. Trust me. I can convince Adam to come.”

  Adam looked away at the intended double entendre.

  “If you fuck, Adam. I want a video.”

  “Kinky, Kessler.”

  Eagle thumbed off his phone, then surprising Adam, he stretched out beside him on the bed. One hand reached over stroking the thick hair on his chest. “I like this, Kemo. So soft, sexy. Why the change?”

  “I used to have it waxed, but with the scars, it makes that tender skin bleed.”

  Eagle frowned as his finger felt one of the raised lines of tissue. “So, they can’t…?”

  “Get rid of the marks…, the words?” Adam shook his head. “Not completely. I saw some really good plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills before my money ran out. Take credit, Tonto. I have you to thank for this.” He saw the sadness in his lover’s eyes.

  Eagle looked down at Adam’s arm, not denying his culpability in the assault.

  “I’m tired of saying I’m sorry, Kemo. I have to live with this guilt and you have to live with your scars. Harsh reality, but that’s the way it is.”

  “I know.” He looked at Eagle and sighed. “I need to forgive you so I can move on with my life, Tonto. What happened…, well…, you know.” He didn’t finish as he noticed a frown cross Eagle’s face. His lover moved his hand to Adam’s left tricep.

  “Huh! I guess I bruised you worse than I thought when we fucked. That one is already turning a really deep purple. Sorry.”

  Adam lifted his arm and stared at the compact purple mark on his skin.

  Eagle got up, not looking back at his lover. “I’m going to wash up. Want to join me?” He moved toward the shower, not waiting for Adam’s answer.

  Adam dropped his head back, looking up at the ceiling. He lay there, expressionless as a single tear spilled from the corner of his right eye.

  “That’s not a bruise.” He whispered to the now empty room.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Come on, Adam.” Eagle tossed his lover his clothes as he stepped out of the bathroom. He watched as Adam caught them, but before he could put them on, Eagle was in front of him. He tilted Adam’s chin with two fingers and leaned in for a kiss. Eagle ran his free hand down Adam’s side to his prominent hip bone and as he pulled back from the kiss,
he frowned. “Tell me what’s wrong, Kemo.”

  Adam shook his head and pushed past the other man. “Nothing you can help me with. I have a doctor’s appointment next week, but I know what he’s going to say.”

  “Let me go with you.”

  “Why? Are we getting back together? Are you wanting to be my husband again, Tonto? You think living with a clean and sober Adam will be easier?” Adam shook out his shirt and dragged it over his head. “Trust me, Eagle. It’s not.”

  Eagle zipped his pants, then grabbed his belt holster and put it on. “You are not making this easy, Kemo.”

  Adam stopped, one leg in his jeans and one out. “Then just say it, Eagle. Are you here because you love me or are you here because you feel guilty or pity towards me? I’m sorry I'm not in the mood to tippy-toe around your precious feelings. I just want a straight answer.” Adam shoved his other foot into what used to be skin tight jeans. He looked down, fighting back the tears that threatened to overflow. He didn’t want to confront the man he now knew was his brother. He didn’t have the energy. Couldn’t Eagle see how exhausted he was?

  Eagle came over and wrapped his husband in his arms, drawing him close. At first, Adam stood rigid, but then he seemed to give up the fight and melted into Eagle’s arms.

  “I still love you, Kemo. Don’t ever doubt that, but do I think we can make this…, whatever this is, work?” His eyes closed as he rested his cheek against his lover’s, “I don’t know.” He felt Adam nod.

  “Then when we’re done with Richard, I’ll call George Lintner and tell him to proceed with the divorce.” Adam pulled back just far enough to be able to look into Eagle’s eyes. “I don’t want to do this, Tonto. I love you more than anything, but we can’t keep hurting each other. The pain is just wearing the both of us down. I’m too sick and too tired and I, for one, can’t go on.”

  Eagle pressed Adam’s head to his shoulder. He could feel Adam’s tears soaking the cotton fabric of his shirt. They stood together, holding on for dear life until Adam began to cough. He pushed back from Eagle, gasping, unable to stop the cough. Eagle reached out to try to help, but Adam threw his hand out, warding him off.

  “I’m….” Adam choked again, “I’m okay. Just….” He noisily drew in a deep breath. “Hard to swallow. It’s getting worse.”

  “Is that why you can’t eat?”

  “Yes, some of it anyway. Just don’t worry about me. I have a good support system now. I have friends who care.”

  Eagle’s face hardened, “Glenn?”

  “Among others.” Adam drew in another deep breath and straightened up.

  Just then there was a knock at the door. Eagle turned to open it and when he did Rick rushed in. His face was flushed with excitement.

  “You will not believe this! Richard Coulter has been the focus of a Federal Corruption Task Force for over a year. His dealings with Nelson Greybill have put him in their crosshairs. An agent I used to sleep with called me. Thought I should be aware that they might try to shut down this investigation if it looks like we’re going to screw up their plans, but I pointed it out to him. If we got Coulter on accessory to murder charges, he might flip on Greybill.”

  Adam stared hard at Kessler, “Why in the hell would Richard Coulter be involved with Alejandro Martinez’s death?”

  Kessler turned and grinned at his old nemesis. “Because, dear Adam, we aren’t getting him on Martinez’s death. We’re getting him on Hal Willowman.”

  “What?”

  “Yes! DEA did a raid on a strip club called Bliss last night.”

  “Yeah, I know the place.” Adam took a step toward Kessler.

  Eagle rolled his eyes, “Of course, you do.”

  “When they raided the place they arrested a wanted felon, Mickey Deevers.”

  This got Eagle’s attention. “Deevers? We’ve been looking for him for over six months.”

  Kessler laughed, “Well, he’s been a bartender at Bliss for months. When DEA hauled him in, he knew he was looking at a lot of time. He decided to cooperate.” The young agent’s glee was evident on his face. “Apparently, Adam, your old man gave Mickey a duffel bag of money to give to a courier who was to give it to Hal Willowman. That’s the body you found this morning, right Adam?”

  “Yeah, but I don’t see how any of this has anything to do with Nelson Greybill.”

  Rick walked up to Adam, grabbing him around the waist, pulling his captive close. He grinned. “Hal Willowman is Nelson Greybill’s cousin.” Then Kessler kissed him and let Adam go.

  Adam stepped back a few paces. It was easy to see he was trying to make all the connections that Kessler so obviously knew. It was amazing to see the dawning of understanding as it crossed Adam’s face. He looked up at the FBI agent and started to smile.

  “Oh my God! As soon as Nelson Greybill finds out his cousin is dead, everyone, including Richard Coulter is a dead man and if my…,” Adam hesitated. “Dad is smart, he’ll turn state’s evidence and ask for witness protection.”

  Rick did an endzone victory dance. Slamming the manila envelope, he’d been holding, on the floor. “Yes!!!”

  “Let me call for backup. If Greybill is sending his men to kill Coulter….” Eagle started to take out his phone.

  “No! I’ve suspected for a while that either Coulter or Greybill or possibly both have spies in the APD keeping them apprised of what we’re doing. If you call now, Richard Coulter will be long gone.”

  Adam pulled out one of his kitchen table chairs as he thought of another problem. “My father won’t go easily. He’s smart. He will have to be pushed into a corner that he can’t get out of and I’m sorry, but he’ll have the two of you for lunch.”

  “That’s why you’re coming. You’re our secret weapon. You know all the buttons to push to make him reveal something about the Willowman case that will hang him.

  Adam shook his head, “If you believe that, then you obviously don’t know Richard Coulter, but….” He let his thoughts hang in the air for a moment. “There might be something.”

  “Whatever it is, you need to pull out the big guns, Adam. I need this win.” Kessler stopped. “I mean, we do, APD, the FBI.”

  Adam shook his head as a tight grin spread across his face. “You never change, do you, Rick. Still hoping to climb that ladder. Still hoping to prove you’re better than they think and you don’t care who you have to hurt to get where you want to be.”

  Kessler stood tall, “I’m not going to deny it. I’m ambitious and I want what I want. Getting stuck in this fucking town was not part of my plan, but if we can tie your father to Hal Willowman’s death and get Nelson Greybill in the process, then this is my ticket out of here.” Kessler laughed. “Look at it this way, Adam. You want me out of here. Nothing would make you happier than to never see my face again. If this goes off the way I think it will, then Adam, I am sooo out of here. Goodbye and good riddance to all of you.”

  Adam contemplated a future without Rick Kessler in it and the decision wasn’t a hard one to make. He stood and went over to the refrigerator, taking the white envelope off the top. For an instant he frowned as he noted that the flap wasn’t the way he’d left it. He cut his eyes toward Eagle, who refused to meet his gaze. You, sonnovabitch, you read this, didn’t you? Fuck!” His jaw tightened, as he shoved the envelope into his back pocket. You want to know everything, Tonto? Then hold on. The minute I get you alone, you, sir, are in for a bumpy ride.

  He turned and stalked toward the door. “Come on.” He growled, “Let’s get this damn thing over with.”

  The ride to Richard Coulter’s was silent. Each man sat quietly with their own thoughts. Adam hated using his information on something like this, but putting his brother, Richard Coulter into a witness protection program and Rick Kessler out of Albuquerque, then it was a win-win as far as he could see. He wanted the name of the man who had killed Hal and he wanted to make certain he got it.

  Eagle kept his eyes on the road in front of them. He’d opened the
refrigerator’s door looking for a bottle of cold water while Adam was in the shower. The envelope which was already balanced precariously on the top fell to the ground. He’d picked it up, intending to replace it on the top of the fridge, but the words on the front of the envelope made him freeze. In the event of my death. He thought it had been written by Adam and concern for his lover made him dig deeper. The letter was from his Grandmother to Adam and that should have stopped him from reading it, but he didn’t. Curiosity spurred him on, but he got far more than he’d bargained on. When he heard the water in the shower stop, he frantically folded the pages back then stuffed them back in the envelope. He grimaced when he saw Adam grab the envelope and he could see that as soon as Adam looked down at what he had in his hands, he knew Eagle had read it. He didn’t say anything, but years of friendship told him Adam was very upset.

  Rick Kessler drove fast, but carefully. He didn’t want anything to ruin his chances of getting to Richard Coulter before anyone else did. In his mind, he was formulating his plan of attack. Deciding on who he could trust and who he couldn’t when he got the man to cooperate. Getting a high profile individual like Richard Coulter out of the city and safe would not be easy. Getting him a new identity would be even harder.

  He glanced over at Eagle in the passenger’s seat. Their relationship had ended two months after Adam left. He knew Eagle blamed him in part for what happened. When Adam disappeared and Eagle found out where he’d gone, they’d gotten drunk together and ended up in bed. The next morning they argued, deciding it was best they not see each other again. Despite his embarrassment and hurt, Eagle still loved Adam. He tried to cover it, but even the most casual observer could see how he still felt about the man. He’d made up his mind a long time ago, he wouldn’t be anyone’s second choice. It was better to leave. Better to move on than to hope that one day Eagle would wake up and see him as a person who loved him. In his heart, he knew that wasn’t going to happen. There was only one place in Eagle Woodard’s heart for the man he loved and that space was already occupied by Adam Coulter.