Fire Inside Me

by J. Hali Steele

  “Sage…”

  “Listen, because I don’t know if I’ll ever say this again.” A thumb caressed his lips. “I’ve dreamed of nothing but having you. Not like you think. Yes, Emory, I enjoyed tasting you, I’ve envisioned your mouth on my cock but that’s not important. I feel you inside me; I crave having you there.”

  “Wait, I…”

  “Stop.” Sage, face twisted, glowered. “And now you’ll know something no one else in this world knows. I buy satisfaction, Emory.” Crossing the hall, he fished out keys before snarling, “I pay men to fill my ass with their cocks until I come.” He slammed the door sending a painting crashing to the floor.

  Emory’s knees buckled and he slid to his ass. Jeff’s dad wants him dead because of a fucking election! No. Jesus. Sage knew. How? What the hell was going on and why was he sheltering Em?

  Sadness filled Emory on so many levels. Poor Jeff. Didn’t want to fuck him anymore but, damn, his father is a brute. Jeff wasn’t like gay men Em fought off. Gentle, softhearted, innocent; a big guy searching for someone to understand his desire. Afraid of his father, Jeff had very few encounters and going by his descriptions, most were unsatisfactory. He was embarrassed to tell Em until he wheedled it from him. Jeff relished bottoming. Worried men he liked wouldn’t understand because of his size.

  Yeah, Emory knew that feeling. He experienced it for the exact opposite reason and it toughened him. Fought back when one man had him face down on the bed ready to rape Em because he wouldn’t concede letting the man fuck him. Still, Em refused to give up looking for what made him happy yet that night and other close calls haunted him, hardened him.

  Sage.

  He pushed Sage to bare a part of his soul. Oh, God, yes; Emory understood all about how people pigeon-holed someone, how they could make another human being’s life miserable.

  Sage paid for sex. He paid to have what he desired.

  Wait, wait, oh Jesus—they’ll die!

  Sage is going to kill them.

  Chapter Seven

  S

  tood, back against the door, huffing because Sage felt as if he couldn’t breathe. “What the fuck did I do?”

  His cell vibrated. Checked the address. Ten minutes before he was to meet Wiley. Knowing the area of the address texted, would take Sage twenty to get there. Quickly changed and left his room. Spying the print on the floor, he mumbled, “Shit.” It was a favorite.

  “I’ll clean it up.” Emory remained sitting against the wall with tear stained cheeks. “Do you have to go out?”

  Hell, throw caution out the window because Sage couldn’t do this. “Yes.” He gazed at Emory, wished things could be different. “Swore to take care of you and I keep my promises. I’m going to kill those fuckers.”

  “You can’t do that.”

  “Yes, Emory, I can. I’m not a struggling private eye. You’re in my home, it’s my car you rode in. There’s a bigger house in California, a sports car most dream of seeing let alone owning. I expected you to spend a lot more then thirteen-hundred-dollars—that was a drop in the goddamn bucket.” He kicked glass aside. “I’m a hit man. I kill for a living. Business is very good.” Emory’s mouth was agape when Sage twisted and walked out. Slamming the door of his car, he hit the steering wheel until his hand hurt. “It’s done.” He’d have to get to California and deal with Syl. Likely he knew what was going down.

  Arriving at his destination, Sage whistled. Farrington had deeper pockets than originally suspected or place belonged to a cohort. Wiley would know. Sage stayed close to the iron fence keeping a sharp eye out for cameras. Noted two disabled. Wiley. Eased around the corner on the south end of the property and spied a gate sitting open.

  Smoke smelling of cherries wafted toward him. “Here.”

  “Wiley, what the hell. Smells like a bird shit a fucking cherry pie.”

  “There’s that humor I spoke of. Don’t worry, nobody out here will notice.” He nodded. Two guards, eyes and mouths taped, struggled against restraints. “They had nothing to do with this. The two we want are inside. Farrington and his kid are sleeping. What took you so long?”

  “Heeded your advice. Emory knows.”

  “Good, you can move forward.”

  “Whatever. Let’s get this over with.” Sage stepped through the gate and was stopped.

  “Did you forget something?”

  “For crying out loud.” He kicked shoes off leaving them by the fence. “My footprints lead up to the gate.”

  “Which you’ll take care of on your way back.”

  Right as always. “True.” Forensics was a bitch nowadays. A respectable CSI investigator could discover type, brand and cost of shoes from a print. He eyed Wiley. “I’m good with this on my own.”

  “I’m here for you. Let’s do it.”

  Only mistake hired guns made was trusting estate guards who had no idea true evil existed. Otherwise, they were quick. Culprit dealing cards, rolled from his chair at the sound of a floor board squeaking. Gun in hand, he got off two shots before Wiley winged him. Sage delivered a bullet to the heart which killed him. Second guy crawled into the hallway.

  “You go, I’ll muddle things.” Wiley meant to make it look like a robbery.

  Sage, back to the wall, inched along stopping every step or two, listening. Sound of bare feet slapping wood steps concerned him. Which Farrington would show and would the villain shoot him in error? Not what Sage planned. This was a warning shot across the bow so to speak, for Farrington senior to back off.

  “Hey, what…”

  After a short scuffle, Sage heard, “Come out or I’ll kill the boy.”

  Farrington’s kid. Damn it to hell. How good a shot was this man? Entering the library, Sage witnessed scared eyes dart left and right before landing on him. “Help.”

  “Shut the fuck up.” Vermin hit Jeff in the head then concentrated on Sage. “What’s it going to be?”

  “You don’t want to do that. Who’ll pay your fee?” Make him think, slow him down.

  “Dex is dead and, shit, we got half up front. I’m squared. Walk to the door and open it; I’ll leave quietly and let him go at the end of the drive.”

  “No.”

  “Are you crazy? I will kill this kid.”

  “Then make a run for my client and your remaining fee? You’re not leaving.”

  “One more chance before I…”

  Bang! Always the marksman, the criminal didn’t know he bargained with the devil. Sage hit him square between the eyes. He dropped taking Jeff with him. Scrambling away, the kid backed against a chair and opened his mouth to scream.

  “Do that, I’ll smack you so fucking hard you’ll have something to cry about.” He strolled over and perched on the end of the coffee table. “Daddy is not going to be happy his boys were cut down while you watched.” Fear gathered in the boy’s eyes at the mention of his father. It sickened Sage. “I suggest you take your ass back to bed and forget any of this happened. Tomorrow, be surprised. Got it?”

  “Yes…yes…I swear.” He stood and bolted. Sage followed and watched him take steps not two, but three at a time.

  “Was that wise?” Wiley leaned against the banister. “He saw your face.”

  Stomach knotted wondering how a man could instill such terror in another. His own son! “He’s more afraid of his father than anything we might do.”

  “Alrighty then. This was a robbery interrupted by two employees who died. Shit, it’ll be interesting to see what Farrington cooks up to explain these guys once the guards come to and report it.”

  “Fuck, I detest rooting for valuables.”

  “No need.” Wiley pulled out a handful of jewelry. Rings, bracelets, an emerald necklace and stacks of cash. “Too damn easy. Owner, whoever he is, has his safe in the pantry. What the hell happened to the good old days when it was hidden behind Granddad’s portrait in the library?”

  “You’re sick.”

  “Insurance
will cover it. If it were me, I’d make Farrington cough it up. He should have been more alert.”

  “Right?” Sage damn near laughed. “Let’s get out of here.” Wiley would fence jewelry through a trustworthy dealer and donate proceeds to charity. Didn’t make Sage feel any better.

  He had to go home and face Emory.

  “Oh shit.” Three in the morning. Emory had fallen asleep with Vegas curled beside him but she was missing. He searched her pen, checked beneath the bed and looked in the bathroom. Nowhere to be found in the kitchen or living room. Doors were closed so she couldn’t have gotten outside. Heading back down the hall, thinking to put something on besides underwear, he noticed Sage’s door ajar. “Damn.”

  Pushing it open a little further, he could see nothing until he tiptoed further inside. A beam of light from the window lanced across the bed. Vegas stretched on her back, one paw clenching the pillow right beside Sage’s head. How to get her out?

  “She’s okay. I’ll bring her in when she wakes.”

  “Are you sure? I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “Yes, and you didn’t.”

  “Sage, can we talk?”

  “Not tonight. I’m exhausted.”

  “I need to say something.”

  “For God’s sake. Fine. Sit. Talk.” Hand hit the bed.

  “If that’s a ploy…”

  “I won’t touch you, Emory. I’m too damn tired and you’re involved.”

  Involved? Em perched on the bed simply because he had to get off his chest what he’d practiced the whole time Sage was away. Feeling warm breath on his thigh, wanting to slide in beside him but was afraid of what he’d learned. Christ, it was all a mess. Sighing, he could no longer remember words he’d rehearsed. Poor Vegas. He’d carried his kitten from room to room talking, crying, talking more. No wonder kitty was drained. How did she find her way into Sage’s room and… “How’d she get on the bed?” Kittens were excellent at scaling but she was abnormally tiny.

  “I carried her.”

  “You were in my room, well your room since the house is yours. That explains Yuengling. Thought your man…Vick… Oh hell, Why did you tell me it was Vick’s?”

  “Yuengling, what does that have to do with anything? God, don’t answer that. Look, I never said it wasn’t my home. You assumed. My crime is not clarifying.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Emory, I looked in to make sure you were okay. Truly, I expected to find you packed and gone in which case I would have tracked you down.”

  “Because of what you told me? I’m not a prisoner.”

  “Yes, and you are until circumstances are completely dissolved.”

  “You don’t own me.”

  “Emory, do not try to leave.”

  “It, you scare me.”

  “Why are you in my room?”

  Emory knew beyond a shadow of a doubt Sage wouldn’t harm him yet something niggled... “Why were you in Pennsylvania? You said for the record you didn’t want to be my brother.”

  “Fuck’s sake, I wanted something a brother can’t offer.”

  “That’s not all is it, Sage?”

  “No.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Farrington took out a contract on you.” Air buffeting his hip grew faster. “I didn’t know it involved Rusty’s brother. I won’t let anyone hurt you, Em.”

  “First time you’ve called me Em.”

  “Rescinding the contract is impossible. I won’t leave your side and if I’m not there, Wiley will be.”

  “How does he fit in this?”

  “He’s my benefactor. Everything I know he taught me.”

  “Lord, there are more of you?”

  “It’s a lucrative business.”

  Should be quaking in… I’m not wearing shoes. Why isn’t he running and why is he trusting a man he thought hours ago wanted to violate him? But Sage didn’t take him. It’s not what he desired. “You won’t hurt me.” Lord, hoped he was right. “Who controls it and what happens if you don’t go through with a contract?” Don’t ask questions dummy!

  “Knowing who isn’t important. Understanding they’ll send someone else is. Until we’re both dead or Farrington tires of the game, they’ll come.”

  “Game? This is my goddamn life, Sage.” Silence. “You were going to fucking kill me.” Emory blasted off the bed and paced to a window. “Jesus!”

  “I was going to kill a nameless, faceless mark. Not you. The minute it became clear who my target was, which wasn’t until after we met, I knew that would never occur.”

  “Did you follow me?”

  “Yes. That’s how I saw you with Jeff, your boyfriend.”

  “I’m not involved. Jeff isn’t my boyfriend. He wants to be but that’s because I’m the first guy who understood him and his father is a ruthless, mean, jackass. Oh my God, Sage, he’s going to kill me.”

  “Not if I can help it and I can.”

  “How? By killing everyone he sends?”

  “If I have to.”

  “You really killed those men tonight?”

  “Emory, our talk is over. Take Vegas or I’ll bring her to your room later.”

  Holding the door, Em stopped. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

  “You stay under my protection but there is no this. Goodnight, Emory.”

  Reaching his room, he sat on the edge of the bed. Em realized Sage was the only man who could take care of him until this ended. God, forgive me… The only man he wanted to take even considering all he’d learned. His brother’s friend, a man who had practically been raised by his parents who would die if they discovered the truth.

  “The only man I can never claim even if I could.”

  Sage Crawford didn’t scare him. The fact he showed no remorse over being a cold-blooded murderer frightened hell out of Emory.

  Chapter Eight

  W

  iley’s jet was slightly larger than Syl’s and Vegas’ portable pen fit perfectly between two swivel seats. Emory sat across the aisle from her kitty not saying a word to Sage. Couldn’t say he blamed him. Christ, in less than twelve hours he discovered his brother’s friend was a hit man who assassinated people for cash. How well would he have taken the same information when he was Emory’s age? Shit, come to think of it he did just that when Wiley confided what he did and offered to tutor Sage.

  What if he’d said no; where would he be now? Laboring in the gun shop or some garage building motors. Not the life he had imagined for himself. Nor did he dream of being what he was but he didn’t regret the turn his life took. Sage had everything he wanted.

  Except a very special person to share it with; a man who could accept all of Sage.

  Calls were forwarded so Vick could spend time with Wiley. Eyeing them, heads close and whispering, loneliness took a swipe at Sage. He swiveled to face the opposite side of the plane but couldn’t help sneaking a look at Emory. He wasn’t in his seat.

  Sage bolted up. Christ, calm down. Wasn’t as if he’d be harmed in mid-air. Searched the small galley. Nothing. Opened the bedroom door. Empty. That left the bathroom. He tapped the door.

  “Give me a sec.” A minute later the door slid open and he glared. “Are you going to turn up every time I take a piss?”

  “That’s my plan.

  “Nothing’s going to occur in mid-air as I doubt this plane took off without both you and Wiley searching it stem to stern.

  “Correct but I didn’t see you and, shit, got worried.”

  “You really aren’t going to let anyone hurt me, are you?”

  “Also part of my plan.”

  He reached for Sage’s jacket and pulled him into the tiny bathroom. “You’re so hot and, God knows, I shouldn’t want you but I do.” Lock snicked.

  “You make this decision at forty-three thousand feet?” Sage couldn’t let him do something he’d be sorry for. “I’m the same man I was last night.”

&nbs
p; “I’m trying to come to terms with that. I’m not afraid of you, Sage, I’m afraid of what you callously do.”

  “Doesn’t change anything, Emory.”

  “Jeez, we’re that high?” Air wheezed from his mouth. “That’s a long ass way to fall. I know it’s more dangerous driving on a highway, still it’s a thought.”

  “You change subjects as rapidly as a hummingbird flutters from flower to flower.” Probably better that Emory skittered from one idea to another right now though it made conversing with him trying. “Flying higher keeps us out the fray of commercial traffic.” His hand rubbed the front of Sage’s pants. “Em, don’t play.”

  “Huh, a hummingbird. Quick, tiny, flighty.”

  “Yes.”

  “And they’re pretty little things.”

  “As are you.”

  “I’m not playing, Sage.” He slid the zipper down. “I want to taste you.”

  “Do you know what you’re doing?” When he released Sage’s dick, words hitched. “I…should…can’t stop you.”

  Nudging pants down, he maneuvered his small frame until he had Sage’s cock inches from his mouth. “This is only my second time on an airplane.”

  “Is this so you can brag you joined the mile-high club?”

  “Evidently a misnomer. We’re closer to eight and this is about me making you come in my mouth.” He licked the slit, then blew air across Sage’s crown. Before taking it in his mouth, Emory whispered, “I promise not to be quick.”

  “Aww fuck.” Hips jutted sending inches down Emory’s throat. Up, down, he lapped the tip each time he drew upward, he sucked hard taking all of Sage in his mouth, and when he strangled, damn it felt awesome. “Christ, you’re sucking my dick good.” Sage ran a hand through dark waves, pressed his head until his cock touched the back of Emory’s throat. He never stopped sucking and licking and sucking and... “Goddamn you for being wonderful at this.” He continued forcing himself through lips painted the color of a riotous sunset. “Will you fuck me, Em? Will you slide your fat cock in my ass, pound me hard, make me come?”