by A. P. Moraez
The two older men were unconscious, heads hanging, chins almost touching their chests. Logan was thankfully unharmed; at least his face didn’t show signs of abuse. They were all gagged with disgusting-looking pieces of cloth. Logan was growling and struggling against the silver tape binding both his arms behind him and tying his legs to the chair, but only muffled sounds came out.
Leo threw his head back and laughed. “Sorry, can’t hear you.” He tapped Logan’s face twice, playful, as if the situation amused him. He’d lost a bit of his muscle mass from years ago, and it was only natural. He should be in his middle forties now. His hair, as in that picture in Billy’s phone, had been dyed a shade or two darker than the natural light-blond Ash remembered. He was wearing a moss button down, jeans, and winter boots, sleeves rolled up to show all of those tattoos. It was bizarre having that man in front of him after almost a decade of thinking he was dead. And now he was right here; laughing and breathing and about to take everything that mattered away from him.
He leaned back from Logan and settled both hands on his hips. Leo had positioned the three men with their backs to the kitchen island in such a way that their fronts were facing the doorway Ash was peeking through. For now, nobody had seen him, but if Leo for some reason spun around, he’d see Ash right there.
“I have to admit,” Leo said after a moment of studying Logan up and down, “I wasn’t counting on you when I started all this.” He coughed twice, that same cough from a few days ago that Ash had heard through their phone calls. “I thought I’d just come here, have a little fun with my buddy Ash, maybe kill a few of his friends to get back to him just a little, you know? And then I’d finally kill the fucker. Plain. Simple. Clean. But then you happened.”
Logan struggled against his restraints again, a deep rumble coming from his chest, but it was all muffled by the silver tape.
Ash had to do something. But what? Leo was too close to Logan. If he shot him, there was a chance the bullet could pierce right through Leo and hit Logan after. He tried to squeeze his eyes shut and focus on his markings, but nothing happened.
“You with your money and fucking security everywhere,” Leo sneered, leaning forward and grabbing Logan’s face with a grip so strong it dented Logan’s cheeks. Ash was gonna kill him. Slow and painful, he was gonna kill him. He just had to figure out how.
Logan’s eyes were narrowed, scowling at his attacker as his shoulders waved up and down, such was the state of his altered breathing.
The sound of glass shattering and a single gunshot came to somewhere in the house, upstairs. It was probably Diana and Henry. Ash could only hope they were okay.
“What the fuck is going on?” Leo barked, shooting back from Logan and thankfully taking his hands off of him. He shifted his gaze to the man at his side. “Go,” was all he said.
Ash’s heart sped up and he shot back into the shadows, afraid the man would turn and come barreling down the corridor he was in. But just before Ash lost all sight into the room, the man nodded and thundered from the kitchen through a side door Ash had missed before.
Leo stood there, looking at where the guy had disappeared, for a moment, then he let his gaze go back to his target.
“As I was saying, you made things extremely more annoying and complicated than they had to be.” Leo took a step forward and fisted Logan’s hair, banging his head violently against the kitchen counter. “Your money won’t protect you today.”
A tense moment passed in silence. The wind howled outside, blanketing everything with heavy snow, and he was sweating; cold sweat that matched well with his frantic heartbeat. Why couldn’t Leo just take one step to the side so Ash could bury a bullet in him? Why?
“I could kill you right now,” Leo mused in a low voice, “but what would be the fun in that?” He banged Logan’s head against the counter again. “No, no, no… I think I’m gonna call him, send him the address, and wait for him to come. I want to see his face when he gets here and realizes what’s going down.”
Leo chuckled and let go of Logan. More banging and sounds of things breaking upstairs. Leo threw a glance to the ceiling, where the sounds had come from, but then shifted his eyes back to Logan.
“You’re far too pretty, though,” he said as he pulled a serrated blade from his waist. “It won’t do for me and Ash to finally reunite after all these years only for him to have something prettier than me to focus on, uh?” He brought the blade close to Logan’s face, right under his right eye. “I say we make a few changes to that pretty-rich-boy face before I make the call.”
The blade was just a hair’s breadth from connecting to Logan’s skin when Ash couldn’t take it anymore.
“GET AWAY FROM HIM!” he shouted as he sprung out of his hiding spot.
It happened fast. Ash had barely lifted his gun to aim at Leo’s chest and the man had already pulled his own gun from his waist and trained it on Logan’s head with a victorious smile. He didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. Guess years and years as a criminal gave you quick reactions and a steel spine.
Leo only laughed and looked at Ash with a mad glint in his eye.
It was over. There was no way he could shoot Leo without risking Logan’s life.
Leo was laughing hysterically, coughing, a smug look on his face. “Oh, Ash. It’s so nice to see you.” He jutted his chin out, indicating Ash’s gun. “Better drop that before I paint the walls with your boyfriend’s brains.”
Ash lifted his left hand and slowly lowered to the pristine kitchen floor, where he let go of the weapon.
“Kick it to me,” Leo said, and that’s what Ash did, wanting to kick himself for it.
Leo stopped the gun with the tip of his booted right foot and, never letting his eyes stray from Ash, gun firmly planted to Logan’s head, lowered himself and collected it, then put it away under his shirt, secured under his belt. Then that smug smile was back there, and Ash wanted to wipe it off his face, teeth and all.
“You have me now. It’s over. Let them go.” The firmness in Ash’s voice surprised himself. If there was one thing he wasn’t feeling in that moment was secure and in control. But you didn’t show fear in the presence of Leonardo Lazarus. It’d be like bleeding in a shark tank. “You wanted me, you have me. You can do whatever to me and I won’t resist, but let them go.”
At that, Logan practically jumped in his chair, trying like never before to get free, roaring against the silver tape.
Leo lowered his gun and deliberately shot him in the leg, right above the knee. Logan’s cry ripped off a piece of Ash and he bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn’t show any reaction that would only serve to excite Leo even more.
“There,” Leo said, “that should shut him up for a while.”
Logan’s jeans had already formed a red circle and a few drops were already staining the white tiles down on the floor. Ash clenched his fists and brought his eyes back up to meet Leo’s icy stare.
“And, no,” Leo said, taking a step forward, gun pointing at Ash’s heart. “I won’t let them go.” He chuckled. “None of you are leaving this house alive tonight, Ash. You should start getting used to that concept.” Leo finished that with a new bout of laughter that ended in yet another coughing fit. This one lasted longer, and for the hundredth time Ash caught himself wondering what the hell was wrong with him.
Leo pulled an inhaler out of his back pocket and brought it to his mouth, then inhaled sharply. He shook it and threw Ash a knowing grin before pocketing it again.
“Will happen to you after almost dying from smoke inhalation,” he explained. The smile vanished from his lips and he took a step back, admiring Ash from a safe distance. “You remember that night, Ash? All those years ago?”
Ash nodded. Something was lodged in his throat, making breathing and talking difficult, and it only got worse with every new drop of Logan’s blood that hit the floor. Still, he forced through his teeth, “I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat, trying to get his voice to sound clearer. “I’m sor
ry for that night.”
“Oh, are you?” Leo’s eyes widened in mockery.
Ash nodded. “I’m sorry I aimed for your legs, not your head.”
Leo seemed to find that funny. He barked out a laugh and, just for a moment, Ash saw the Leo from the past in front of him. That man he’d initially thought was good and caring. The businessman who’d made his life’s mission to rescue and protect kids from the streets. How could he have been such a fool? Had he seen behind the mask sooner, he’d have grabbed his guitar and ran. And then maybe they wouldn’t be here right now. Maybe… maybe Eric would still be alive.
“You know,” Leo said as he leaned against the kitchen counter, a few feet away from Duke’s still unconscious body, “I’ve dreamed of this day. Countless times, through the years, I’ve dreamed it.” He let the gun drop a few inches. It was aiming at Ash’s stomach now. “I dreamed of all I’d do to you. What’d be the best punishment for what you did.” He gave out a low laugh. “Thing is, now that you’re in front of me, I can’t decide. Nothing seems… appropriate. For instance, I can’t decide if I should end you in front of him first,” he said, jutting his chin out to Logan, who was sweating in pain, silent, “or the other way around.” He chuckled. “We could just watch him bleed to death together, too. Could be fun. Shouldn’t be more than an hour, I think.”
Ash opened his mouth to reply when the sound of footsteps and groans came from his left. It was like the room fell out from under his feet when Diana and Henry were dragged in, gagged and restrained by four different guys, all massive, including the one that’d been in the kitchen before. Diana was bleeding from her right arm. She’d been shot and the darker blood was clear against the tore sleeve of her red trench-coat. Henry wasn’t much better, bottom lip split and right eye swollen shut. They were doomed. They’d been his last hope. That they’d somehow get the upper hand against Leo’s minions and come to the rescue. Now… now it was over. When the other teams finally got here a few minutes from now it’d probably be already too late.
“Well…” Leo said, giving them a brief glance. “Who do we have here?” Ice blue eyes went back to Ash. “Friends of yours, I suppose?” To Ash’s silence, Leo smirked. “Welcome, welcome, guys. Welcome to our special night. The more, the merrier.”
Diana and Henry both struggled against their capturers, but it was no use.
“Well, where were we?” Leo said. “Oh, right. I was trying to decide where we could start.”
Leo pocketed his gun and just studied Ash for a moment before stalking up to him on leisurely steps. In a normal situation, now was the time when Ash’d take advantage and attack. Surrounded by people with the power to hurt and possibly kill his friends in just a moment? He was completely at Leonardo Lazarus’ mercy, and the man knew it.
“You know what,” Leo said in a low voice when he got face-to-face with Ash, “since we got so many wonderful people here tonight…” He threw a mocking look at Diana, Henry, and Logan. Then twisted his head to the other side to regard Duke and Ian. Ash hadn’t even realized the two men had come to. They had their eyes bugged out and were somewhat struggling against the silver tape that bound them to the chairs. “Maybe we should give them a little show, uh? For old times’ sake.”
Ash’s breath was coming fast and shallow, and just that particular smell of Leo’s cologne, which apparently he hadn’t given up on in all these years, had his stomach rolling, nauseated.
“I hear you’ve become sort of a celebrity nowadays, Ash. I think we should make sure you stay humble in your last few moments in this Earth, uh? What do you say?” Leo’s gaze was locked on his, and in that moment, when he finally saw all the hurt and blind hate lurking behind those icy irises, he shivered. They were not leaving this place alive tonight. And as that message finally sunk in, a stray tear rolled down his left cheek.
“Oh, don’t cry,” Leo mocked, bringing a thumb up to swipe the tear away. The mere contact felt like acid on Ash’s skin. “I promise you’re gonna like it. Now, on your knees,” Leo snarled.
Ash glanced just a second in Logan’s direction as he fell to his knees. He was sweating and a small pool of blood had formed under his chair. His eyes were widened and he shook his head when he saw what Ash was about to do; when he realized what was going to happen in the next few moments. Ash made his best to send an apology to him with his eyes. He was doing this to protect him. To buy him — all of them — a few moments more.
“C’mon,” Leo urged, “you know what to do.”
The floor was cold against his knees, protected only by the thin jeans, but it wasn’t cold that had his hands trembling as Ash lifted them to the zipper of Leo’s pants. He was hard and going commando, so when Ash finished zipping his pants open, his semi erect dick popped out and hit Ash’s wrist.
He looked up at Leo, trying to convey with his eyes how the whole experience disgusted him. How he was doing it totally against his will.
Leo smirked, eyes crazed, but lustful. The psycho was actually enjoying all of it.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he teased. “I know you like it. Actually, I remember the time you used to live for my cock. Remember?”
When Ash didn’t answer, Leo grabbed his rapidly engorging shaft and slapped Ash’s cheek with it. Logan roared against his gag at their side, which pulled a low laugh out of Leo. “You remember, don’t you?” Leo insisted, eyes back down to scowl at him. “You remember how nice it felt when we fucked you. The good times.” The backhanded slap had Ash closing his eyes against the sting. It caught him by surprise. The room was filled by Logan’s muffled roars. The whole thing was exerting him and probably making him lose more blood than he should be losing. “The good times before you killed my daughter and betrayed me, remember that, Ash?” Leo slapped Ash’s face again and he saw stars. Leo had lost a bit of his muscle mass through the years, but he was still strong enough to knock him out with a single punch, if he chose to do so.
Ash had barely recovered from the burning pain radiating across his face when the distinct smell of musk invaded his nostrils and Leo shoved his dick against Ash’s lips.
“Suck,” he commanded. “And don’t try anything funny. You know what happens if you do.”
Ash wanted to. He wanted to bite down on Leo’s cock and rip it out and let it drop at his feet. He wanted to feel his blood filling his mouth; hear his screams. But he couldn’t, ‘cus that’d mean a bullet going into each one of his friends’ heads.
So Ash, retching in disgust, opened his mouth and closed his eyes, and swallowed Leo’s cock.
Leo let out a resonating moan. “Fuck. You may be a back-stabbing asshole, but you sure know how to suck cock.”
Ash bobbed his head and wanted to vomit when Leo’s tip hit the back of his throat.
He was back there. Back when he’d been a depressed young man, thinking himself alone in the world, throwing himself into the arms of the angel of death. Being used every night, drugged, fucked, lied to.
“Leon? You home? The appointment didn’t take as long as I was thinking. I’m just going to grab a sandwich before rushing to w—”
Ash let go of Leo’s dick, slobber rolling down the rock-hard shaft and all, and lifted his head, horrified to see Billy standing there, seemingly shell-shocked.
“You weren’t supposed to come home until eleven tonight,” Leo rumbled at the young guy. The traitor.
Why was Billy looking shocked, though? Wasn’t he in to all of this? Hadn’t he helped to plan this? Or was it just shock because he hadn’t imagined his boyfriend having his cock sucked by another guy in the middle of their kitchen was part of the evening’s plan?
“Leon? What…” Billy trailed off, swallowing dry, chin trembling. “What the fuck is going on?”
“Oh, Billy,” Leo exhaled, annoyed as he shoved his still hard cock back into his pants and zipped up. “This really was the wrong night for you to decide to change your schedule, hun.”
Billy took in the whole room then, and his eyes w
idened even more when he saw Logan, Ian, and Duke, and all the blood. “Leon, what—”
A hand clasped the collar of Ash’s coat firmly and lifted him up. Leo then shoved him to the side and said, “Go stand by your boyfriend.”
While Ash rushed to Logan’s side and wrapped him in his arms, Leo pulled the gun he’d hidden under his sweater and pointed it at them. Then he walked to Billy, still planted by the doorway where that man had disappeared upstairs before. Leo positioned himself in a way that he could talk to Billy but keep his gun pointed at Ash and Logan all at the same time.
Billy’s eyes were brimming with tears as he studied his boyfriend like he was seeing a stranger, and in that moment Ash understood. He’d been played too. Of course he had. That was what Leonardo Lazarus did. He lied, used, corrupted, discarded. Rinse and repeat. Billy had probably been just one more piece on his cruel game.
“It’s you, isn’t it? The guy? Ash’s guy. It’s you!” Billy disregarded the fact that Leo was armed and shoved him in the chest. Leo didn’t fight back. Billy was a strong boy, but he barely managed to make the taller, stronger man move a couple inches.
Billy was crying, sobbing. “How could you? Why? Why did you do this to me?”
“Go to our room and wait there. We’ll talk later, okay?”
“No!”
Leo’s faced transformed from neutrality to anger and he struck Billy with a powerful backhanded slap, similar to what he’d just done to Ash, but much stronger, by the sound of it.
Billy tumbled to the side, propping himself against the wall, such was the force of the impact, then he fell to his knees, clearly disoriented.
Ian and Duke were trying their best to get free, veiny biceps strained against the silver tape, but it was all in vein. Even Diana was sobbing and struggling against the shaved-headed guy with the bulging arms keeping her in place.
“Grab the boy,” Leo ordered one of the two man that’d been standing to the side, watching.
