“I need you close,” Red Jack whispered. If they were to only get forty-eight hours together, he’d make them the most intense two days of their lives.
Loki’s breath trembled when he arched his hips to meet Red Jack’s. Their bodies fit together so well, sliding close, with warm skin and firm muscle as padding. Loki’s hair was already tangled up under his head, his mouth open and inviting. With Loki, Red Jack felt completely accepted as he was.
“Me too. Will you fuck me?” uttered Loki.
“Yeah, nice and slow this time.” Red Jack leaned down for a kiss, trailing his tongue over Loki’s, penetrating that hot, eager mouth. His dick was already hard, but he wouldn’t need to leave the comfort of their cocoon, as he’d brought lube with him from the bathroom. All they needed. A bit of slide, and they could go at it. There were no games between them, no insecurities or stupid worries. Just kisses, fucking, and a closeness Red Jack had never experienced before.
Loki reached between their bodies and smeared the lube over Red Jack’s cock, gently pulling his fingers over the whole length. Their eyes were locked, even as no words passed between them anymore. There were none necessary. A hot spark tore through the length of Red Jack’s spine when Loki pulled Red Jack’s cock between his spread buttocks, to the center of heat that made Red Jack’s muscles turn soft.
Loki wanted this fuck as much as Red Jack did, and that alone had him hard as ever. He closed his eyes, enjoying the way their bodies melted together in sweat and lust.
Chapter 25
With the sofa being too narrow for both of them to sleep on, they eventually tumbled to the floor but wrapped in the blanket and lying on the padding of Jack’s hot, muscled flesh, Loki had nothing to complain about. He awoke very early in the morning, his mind still hazy with the intensity of their sex, with Jack’s scent clinging to his skin like a mark of ownership, very much like the tattoo that Loki now carried on his back.
He closed his eyes and listened to each steady breath that moved his head up and down on Jack’s chest. The heart hidden within the firm flesh was drumming steadily and lulled Loki back to sleep. When he awoke again, the sun was already high in the sky. He yawned, stretching over Jack, and let his nose explore the scent of yesterday’s sweat.
Jack mumbled something, but Loki was pretty sure he was still asleep. He slid off gently, not to wake Jack up and sat next to him, adoring every freckle on his body, memorizing every tattoo, so well visible in the bright light coming through the wooden blinds. He lay next to him, getting an eyeful of his gorgeous man simply breathing. Jack was strong, healthy, so very alive. He would live on after Loki died, and as happy as Loki was about someone caring for him, someone who would be with him till the very end, he couldn’t deny the sour aftertaste that came with the happy thoughts. He didn’t want Jack to suffer loss, especially not after what Jack had told him about Keith. It had been years, and Jack had never even spent the money Keith left behind. Would he be as inconsolable after Loki?
Loki pressed a featherlight kiss to Jack’s cheek and tiptoed to the kitchen. His cooking skills left a lot to be desired, but he turned on the kettle and put Pop-Tarts into the toaster before rushing off to take a quick shower. When he returned, he made coffee and put the Pop-Tarts on a plate. It somehow seemed wrong to leave it plain looking, so he created a whole arrangement with orange juice and a tiny cactus in the middle of a tray, and brought it over to Jack.
Just as he was about to wake him up, Loki’s phone buzzed, and it was Richard of all people. Loki needed to end his calls once and for all. And if he was to inform Richard of just how happy he was right now and what a badass boyfriend he had, then that was just a bonus.
He ran to the patio exit and walked outside, stepping on the warm wooden planks. Despite the early hour, it was hot enough for the air not to give him a chill, and so he closed his eyes, enjoying the sun on his bare skin.
“Why the fuck are you calling again?” was the first thing he said to Richard.
“I— Loki… oh, God, I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks now. Where are you?” Richard’s voice had that soft concern that Loki wanted to strangle out of him. He hadn’t cared enough to stay with Loki after he’d delivered the news of cancer, yet now he was all caring? Fuck that.
“You don’t have to know. I’m through with you and your shit,” growled Loki, pacing over the patio. “I could live with your small dick, but if you wanted to fucking show how worried you are, then you should have done it sooner. I have someone else now,” he said, not without satisfaction.
“W-what? Who? I mean… The illness… I need to talk to you, Loki. You’re just being cruel now, I get it, you’re upset.”
Heat exploded in Loki’s skull. “Don’t tell me that I’m upset! I’m not upset, I live in a villa with a freaking biker God. You ever heard of the Coffin Nails? If you try to contact me again, my man’s going to destroy you, get it?”
“Christ, Loki, did you get yourself in trouble?” Richard just didn’t listen. “Don’t you remember what happened last time you associated with this kind of people?”
Loki squeezed the phone just as tightly as the invisible fist clenched his stomach. For a few seconds, he couldn’t utter a sound. “Shut up. You’re a dense piece of shit. You know nothing about him, and you’ve already wasted too much of my life!”
Richard started talking, but Loki wouldn’t get to hear one more word, because Jack’s tattooed arm reached from behind and grabbed his phone. He pulled it out of Loki’s grasp and squeezed it so hard the plastic cracked.
“I told you to block his fucking number!” Jack disconnected the call and glared at Loki with those beautiful blue eyes of his.
Loki stared at him, his body frozen stiff as he took a deep, slow breath. Warm air trailed through the back of his throat and into his lungs as he fought against the frantic throbbing in his temples. “I didn’t hear you...” Was he really delusional when it came to Jack? Was the love just a dream, and Jack was about to unleash his fury on Loki?
“Oh, yeah? I’ll block the phone for you then.” Jack hissed and swung his arm, throwing the cell phone into the ocean.
Loki’s mouth dropped open as he watched the cell fly over the sand and finally plop into the shallow water at the shore. “Why did you do that? You heard what I said, right? I wasn’t flirting with him, or anything!” he protested, looking back at Jack.
Jack curled his fingers into fists, taking deep, hurried breaths. “You didn’t block him! You wanted him to call again and grovel. And then what? Meet up, tell him what a fine new boyfriend you have, rub it in his face, so he’s jealous and fights to get you back.”
Loki frowned, watching Jack’s face go from pale to red and back again. That was jealousy. Loki never had anyone really be jealous of him. Richard had wanted him around, but he was never afraid Loki would leave, or that Loki would fuck another guy. Deep down, he knew he shouldn’t be happy about a jealous fit, but he was. He wanted someone to be so desperate to be the only one for him, no matter how selfish that made him. “He wouldn’t do that. Don’t worry,” he said, picking up Jack’s hand.
Jack pulled it away and spread his arms to the sides in a promise of violence, but no hit nor slap came. His body was tense though, like a roaring bike ready to go on the road. “You’re so fucking stupid. Of course he’d do that. Just look at yourself. I bet that asshole’s been wetting himself in bed, thinking of you every night since you left him.”
Loki chuckled, despite his better judgment. He pulled his wet hair over one shoulder and put his hand on Jack’s chest, smiling at how pale it looked against all of Jack’s freckles. “Come on. It’s you who should look at yourself. Why would I be interested in a loser like him when I have you?”
Jack’s chest moved up and down rapidly, but he didn’t push Loki’s hand away. “I don’t know, ‘cause he’s got a real job and shit? ‘Cause you ended up wasting your time in jail because of me yesterday?”
Loki stepped closer and sensed Jack’s heart s
peed up beneath his palm. His own was slowly getting in sync with it, too. “I was there. I could have said, No, let’s wait till we’re home. And I don’t care about his job, or anything like that. Only you can give me the things I want.”
Jack swallowed, watching him with an intensity that burned Loki’s skin. “A good fuck?” He laughed, but there was a nervous undertone to it.
Loki smiled and pressed his cheek against Jack’s warm shoulder, slipping his arms around him. “That, too. I love that, too,” he whispered, closing his eyes.
The way Jack hugged him back was truly everything Loki ever needed. As if Jack’s strong arms could shield him from anything, maybe even death when it finally came for Loki. Jack would be there, holding him as tight as ever and he’d refuse to let go.
Loki kissed the dip over Jack’s collarbone and moved his nose all the way to Jack’s ear, kissing him gently. “You make me feel so happy.”
“I don’t want to lose you,” Jack uttered, and Loki wasn’t sure if this was just about Richard anymore. Over Jack’s shoulder, he looked at the open patio door and inside the house he now felt so welcome in, and he closed his eyes when his vision started getting cloudy.
“I know, baby. I’m sorry,” he whispered with his heart suddenly weighing a ton and pushing him farther into Jack’s arms.
Jack took a deep breath and rubbed his cheek against Loki’s head. “There’s this guy I’ve heard of, and he does a kind of… experimental treatment. I thought we could go and check it out?”
Loki exhaled. He didn’t believe in alternative medicine in any other case than minor ailments. “What kind of treatments?” he asked nevertheless, not to discourage Jack.
“It’s got origins in Brazil or something.” Jack stroked Loki’s hair. “I’ve heard good things about the guy from one of the hangarounds. He’s touring the world with that method, but now he’s staying close to LA. Apparently, he has this way of teasing the tumor out of someone’s body…”
Loki closed his fingers on the flesh of Jack’s back and took a deep breath. He’d heard about things like that, and they were a scam. Just a way to get money out of desperate people. And now Jack was desperate, too. Loki swallowed the tightness in his throat and pressed his forehead against Jack’s thick beard. Images of Jack holding his cooling hand flooded his mind like eels, swift and biting at the edges of his brain. He couldn’t turn back time and disappear. If they went to the “doctor”, Jack might briefly believe it was over if Loki pretended to feel better, but there was no way to will death away. Jack would end up hurt no matter what happened. Then again, wouldn’t it be cruel not to let him hope for a few more weeks?
“Does it hurt?” whispered Loki, even though he already knew that he would go through with it, no matter what the answer would be.
“No, not much. They only need to make a small incision or something. And it’s… you know, they keep the details secret.” Jack kissed Loki’s temple and stroked his back.
Loki exhaled and bit his lip, cuddling up against Jack’s beard. “Okay.”
“I promise I’ll take care of you if something goes wrong, so don’t worry.” But it seemed it was Jack who was more nervous.
Loki exhaled. It wasn’t like he had much to lose, though if something “went wrong”, the quality of his remaining life could drastically decline. His stomach clenched so hard he lost all appetite for the breakfast waiting for them in the house. “And you’ll keep me if it goes well, right?”
“Yeah, we’d work something out. You can be a pain in the ass, but I can deal with that.” Jack laughed and hugged him even tighter, molding his powerful, warm body to
Loki’s. That alone was such a wonderful, calming sensation.
”Yeah, I’m a good-looking pain in the ass.” Loki smiled and found Jack’s lips buried in the thick red fur on his face. Jack deepened the kiss and stroked Loki’s back as they enjoyed each other in the sunshine. It couldn’t have been more perfect. Just the two of them, naked by the ocean. Jack was such a good kisser, too. His tongue made those languid moves, exploring the inside of Loki’s cheek, his palate, he even slipped the tip between Loki’s top lip and his gums, sending a shiver all the way down to Loki’s cock.
The sound of Jack’s phone ringing was an instant mood killer, and the shrill scream of guitar pulled them apart. Loki caught Jack’s gaze and smiled, letting him go.
“Back in a sec.” Jack gave Loki one more kiss before rushing inside. Loki didn’t mind the view one bit. Jack had that perfect shape, with his shoulders much wider than his ass. His back was muscular, and so were his strong, thick thighs. Loki trailed behind him, slightly more at ease now that he’d decided to go with Jack’s plan.
“Okay, I’ll call you back about it.” Jack looked over his shoulder, but he wasn’t smiling anymore.
Loki rushed inside and squeezed Jack’s hand as soon as he reached him. “What is it?” he mouthed.
Jack turned off the phone and looked into Loki’s eyes. “Monster’s tracked down Rodney.”
Loki drew in a sharp breath, and his hand clenched around Jack’s. This was their dead man walking number three. Loki’s gums itched. “Okay.”
“Would you prefer that to the doctor visit?” Jack looked strangely pale, as if he were about to pass out. “There’s only so much time, so it’s up to you. I know these guys are on your bucket list… even if you didn’t write them down.”
Loki exhaled, unable to uncurl his hand from around Jack’s. “He’s the one who did the cuts on my face. He won the game.”
“You wanna play some tic-tac-toe?” Jack whispered and squeezed Loki’s fingers.
“No. This is more important,” said Loki, looking at his feet. He’d give Jack all the time he had in the world. “I want to go to the doctor, and... try. You’ll kill them for me, if I don’t make it, right?”
Jack’s blue eyes darkened, and he made a jerky, somewhat awkward movement, grabbing Loki’s shoulder. “I promise they won’t have an easy death.”
Loki didn’t doubt for a second that Jack would keep his word, and he pulled up his meaty hand, kissing each rough knuckle He would sacrifice his vengeance for Jack. It wasn’t nearly enough to make up for the havoc he’d brought into Jack’s life, but it would have to do. “I know.”
Chapter 26
Red Jack’s hands were slippery with sweat, and he probably stank like a pig from all the nerves evaporating off his body. He couldn’t care less though, if the surgery was to work. He had no idea what kind of future he would have with Loki, but he couldn’t imagine one without him. They fit together like a bullet and a gun. Loki took his fits with understanding yet could also speak his mind and give Red Jack hell. As awful as it was at the time, Red Jack loved the thrill of being with someone who spoke their mind like that and wasn’t afraid. Who, even with a serious illness, decided to go all out to get what they wanted from life instead of wasting away while clinging to useless treatments.
But right now, it was Red Jack who wanted Loki to do any and all treatments the world had to offer. It would be the worst type of karma if Red Jack was to go soft for someone only to lose them. It was by sheer luck that Red Jack had found out about Doctor Arvelo.
Red Jack was sceptical about the amount of money he had to pay for the procedure. Arvelo claimed that the bulk of his earnings was donated to local charities, but even if he drove a Porsche at home and lived in a mansion, Red Jack didn’t care as long as the surgery improved Loki’s health. Who knew, maybe this would end up as one of the miracles when yet another PET scan revealed a brain free of cancer, surprising all the licensed doctors? Those things happened sometimes.
Red Jack discretely looked around the full waiting room. There was no A/C in the small alternative medicine centre, and so the air was a mixture of sweat, sharp-smelling ointments, and infected flesh. The waiting list held over fifty names, but the moment Red Jack opened his wallet and pulled out a wad of cash, Loki only had to wait for thirty minutes or so before walking off to the pre-treatment
room. It had been two hours since then, and Red Jack’s nerves were slowly exploding with tension. He’d been told Loki would have to go through a special bath, inhale a concoction that would make his body more ripe for the surgery, whatever that meant, and cleanse on top of that. The whole thing was bound to last long. Red Jack would stay the night if necessary.
The hangaround who’d mentioned Arvelo to Jack claimed he permanently cured her of migraines just by holding his hands on her head. Headaches were one thing, but what got Red Jack truly intrigued was the person who referred the girl to Arvelo, her uncle whom Arvelo had cured of cancer. Maybe there was a chance the doctor’s abilities could help Loki as well?.
Sweat dripped down Red Jack’s neck, but he’d let it be blood if that was to help Loki in any way. Christian sacrifice or some shit. Whatever it took. And didn’t Loki deserve to be healed? He’d survived an ordeal that was yet to be fully avenged. How much was one guy supposed to take in his life when other fuckers were born into BMWs and mansions? Red Jack knew very well that life wasn’t fair. He’d had to climb up the financial ladder himself, learn to fake confidence in the spotty skin God gave him, work his ginger mane to his advantage. But there was no way Loki could ‘work’ with brain cancer. How fucked-up was that? Red Jack couldn’t even pinpoint when he’d started caring so much. Was it when Loki shot him? Maybe he’d made some permanent indent in Red Jack’s soul?
A loud sob wouldn’t be enough to take Red Jack out of his own thoughts in a room where pretty much everyone was either in pain or scared, but the way the constant noise of whispering voices died down made him look up. A short woman dressed in a long black skirt and matching T-shirt was covering her wrinkled face with one hand. Some of her faded hair slipped out of a loose ponytail at the back of her head, adding to the image of utter misery.
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