by Ellis, Kay
“I will.”
Stef rested his forehead against my chest. I held him there, my hand on the back on his head. I wished I could believe that the nightmare was over, but I couldn’t. Not yet. I wouldn’t relax until Stef’s old man was caught and locked up and out of our lives for good.
16
As expected, Killigan was on the case as soon as he heard what Stef had to say. Because we lived in Weymouth, we were out of his jurisdiction or whatever it was they called it when a crime happened on another patch. Once Stef finished his story, Killigan got straight on the phone to his Dorset counterpart. He took the phone into another room to talk privately.
Marcie made hot chocolate, while Rufus, who’d only gotten home just a short while before we did, sulked in his bedroom. At least we didn’t have to put up with his miserable face.
We stayed the night in my old room, Stef curled against my side the way he always had. Sex wasn’t on either of our minds. It was enough just to lie there and hold each other.
In the morning, we said our goodbyes to Killigan before Marcie drove us to the station. Killigan had set us up with an early afternoon appointment at the police station back home so we could talk to someone in a position to do something about the situation we were in. Apparently though, they were already looking for Stef’s dad. I hoped they found him before I did, because despite my promise to Stef, I didn’t trust myself not to do the guy some serious damage if I got to him first.
We decided to drop our bags off at home before we went to the station. Stef actually seemed relieved to be home, although he was tense as we turned into our street. Once he saw there was no old Ford Escort parked outside the house, he relaxed his tight grip on my hand and bounded up the stairs to our tiny apartment over the garage. By the time I got to the top of the steps, Stef had dumped his bag in the middle of the floor and stripped off most of his clothes.
“Um…” I said blankly, standing in the doorway and staring. All of a sudden, I was thinking with a part of my anatomy that was great for somethings and not so much when it came to stringing a sentence together. “I… er…”
“Back off, pervert,” Stef said, giggling at my reaction. “I need a shower, that’s all.”
“Okay.” I hid my disappointment well I thought. It was early days yet. Stef wouldn’t be back to normal until his old man was caught and locked up. I wouldn’t expect him to be. Didn’t stop me from wanting to do all sorts of naughty things to him though. “Well, while you do that, I’ll run down to the garage and let Tony know we’re back.”
“No, don’t!” Panic flared in his eyes. “What if he comes and you’re not here?”
“Stef, he won’t be back. He won’t risk it once he knows the cops are looking for him.”
“What if he doesn’t know yet?”
“Fine. I’ll stay.” I waved him away, grinning. “Go on. Go have your shower. I can smell you from here.”
Stef poked his tongue out, relaxed again now that he knew I would be there while he showered. He skipped away to the bathroom and I wondered if he even knew the level to which he was contradicting himself. He claimed everything he’d done was to keep me away from his old man; for his dad’s sake or mine, it didn’t matter. Now he was asking me to stand between them if his dad showed up? How was I supposed to know what he really wanted from me? Beat his dad up? Don’t beat him up?
I dropped my bag on the floor next to Stef’s and went into our makeshift bedroom. I sat on the end of the bed with my head in my hands. Trying to figure it all out was giving me such a fucking headache.
“Alex?”
I lifted my head, surprised to see Stef standing in front of me, a towel wrapped around his waist. Water dripped from his wet hair and ran in rivulets down his bare chest. Either he had just taken the quickest shower on record or I’d zoned out for a lot longer than I realised.
“Hey babe.”
He took a step forward, his expression serious. He linked his hands at the back of my neck and I brought my hands up to his waist, tugging him in closer. My fingers slipped beneath the towel, knuckles brushing against his wet skin teasingly.
“So fucking beautiful,” I breathed, pulling the towel free.
My gaze raked over his smooth, creamy skin hungrily, before my eyes jumped to his face, suddenly realising what I’d said. I didn’t want the whole looking-like-a-woman thing to kick off again just because I’d called him beautiful. The way Stef was looking at me though, he either hadn’t noticed or he plain didn’t care.
“Love me, Alex,” he said softly, the evidence of his arousal growing right before my eyes.
I pulled him down for a kiss. “Always have,” I murmured against his lips. “Always will.”
He sighed happily, combing his fingers through my hair. “I love it when you go all soppy on me.”
“Yeah? How about I throw you down on this bed and fuck you senseless? That soppy enough for you?”
Stef giggled. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, big guy.”
With lightning fast reflexes, I grabbed him round the waist and dragged him onto the bed. He squealed with laughter as I rolled on top of him.
“Come on, baby. You know I like it rough.” He spread his legs so that I slipped into the space between them. Then he tilted his head back to look at me. “Why are you still wearing clothes?”
“Good point. Don’t move.”
I pushed myself off of the bed and began to strip hurriedly.
“Don’t move?” Stef gave me an innocent look. “Not even to do this?”
He palmed his dick and began to stroke it slowly. My eyes were glued to his hand as it rose and fell. This was my Stef. The Stef I knew and loved. He was back, but for how long? Twenty minutes ago, or however long he’d been in the shower while I daydreamed, he was begging me not to leave in case his old man showed up. Nobody could switch their emotions that quickly could they? On the other hand, right in that moment – did I care? He looked so damn delicious splayed out on the bed like that. I didn’t have the strength to resist.
I crawled back onto the bed, covering his body with mine. Lowering my mouth to his, I kissed him long and hard. Stef made a happy little sound in the back of his throat and wound his arms around my neck. Without breaking the kiss, I reached beneath the pillow for the lube.
“You kept it there?” Stef asked with a smile.
“Of course. I knew you’d come back.”
He swatted my shoulder and giggled. Then he stopped laughing a minute or so later when I pushed inside him. We moved together effortlessly, our bodies in perfect sync, working together like a well-oiled machine, with a familiarity that came from love and need. I pressed my forehead to his and kissed him deeply.
“I love you, Princess,” I whispered, my voice hoarse with emotion. “Don’t fucking leave me ever again.”
“I won’t,” he promised, a single tear escaping his eye, rolling down the side of his face and into his hair. “I’m here, Alex. You and me against the world.”
17
“Babe, I’m going to the garage to see Tony. Do you want to come?”
The only response I got was a muffled grunt as Stef pulled the duvet over his head. I’d take that as a no then. He didn’t raise any objection to me leaving though, so I assumed he was okay with being alone after all. It wasn’t like I was going to be out for long anyway. All I wanted to do was stick my head around the door to let Tony know I was back and that everything was okay with Stef. So long as Stef stayed asleep for the next half an hour, he wouldn’t even miss me. Even so, I jogged down the street to the hill to the garage, not wanting to leave him alone for any longer than was absolutely necessary.
A couple of the guys in the workshop looked up when I arrived. I nodded to them, but didn’t stop as I crossed the forecourt. Tony was on the phone when I bowled into his office without knocking. He rolled his eyes and shook his head in mock annoyance before pointing to the chair opposite his desk. I dropped into it, drumming my fingers on the arm impatie
ntly while I waited for him to finish his call.
It felt like an eternity before he finally said goodbye and hung up. He propped his elbows on the desk and stared at me over steepled fingers.
“So?”
“So, we’re back,” I said. “Both of us.”
“And Stefan’s okay with that?”
“Yeah. We talked. I know it sounds stupid, but he was trying to protect me. He says everything he did was to keep me out of trouble.”
“I suppose that makes sense to him. I talked to Marcie last night. She told me it’s Stefan’s dad who’s been causing all the problems.”
“Yeah, that’s what Stef says anyway. As soon as I get back, we’re going to the police station. Killigan’s arranged for us to talk to someone.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Tony asked, obviously picking up on the reluctance in my voice.
“For Stef maybe, but for me? Talking to the cops willingly? Kind of goes against the grain, you know?”
“You’ll do just fine,” Tony said with a chuckle. “Honestly, Alex, when you first started here you were a monosyllabic thug who couldn’t hold a conversation if you tried. Now look at you, sat here chatting away and looking at me like you don’t actually want to kill me for once.”
I smiled at that. A little. “I wasn’t that bad, was I?”
“No, you were worse.” Tony leaned back in his chair and studied me, so intently and for so long it I started to feel uncomfortable. “You’ve changed, Alex. That’s why I want to offer you a job.”
I stared at him, puzzled. “I’ve got a job.”
“A different job,” Tony said. “I’m expanding the car sales side of the business. I’ve already brought the empty lot next door and applied for planning permission to build a showroom. I’ll need a couple of sales guys and I want you to be one of them. So, what do you say?”
“I... I don’t know.” I was in shock, stunned that he would even think I was capable of doing a job like that.
“Come on, Alex. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life washing cars, do you?”
“No, but…” I shook my head, trying to wrap my brain around the incredible opportunity Tony was offering me. “I’m not clever enough, Tony. What if I can’t do it?”
“I believe you can,” Tony answered. “Think about it, Alex. You’d have a company car and enough money for you and Stefan to get a decent place to live. You could finally get married. Give Stefan that big white wedding he’s always dreamed of.”
“Okay,” I said hesitantly, because shit like this didn’t happen to me. Any second now Tony was going to tell me it was all one big joke and he couldn’t believe I’d fallen for it. I mean, come on – me, a car salesman? Who was I trying to kid? Even if Tony really did have faith in me, I sure as fuck didn’t. “If you’re sure…”
“Of course, I’m sure. Obviously, it won’t happen just yet because the showroom isn’t built, but I’d like you to start spending one day a week at Phil Tearney’s place. He can start showing you the ropes.”
I nodded. Phil was an old friend of Tony’s and quite often called into the garage. He had his own business a few miles away, and he and Tony often helped each other out. I didn’t really know the guy, but he seemed okay from what I’d seen of him.
“There’s one thing,” I said. “It’s a lot to ask after everything you’ve already done for me, but I was hoping to take a couple more days off. I want to go with Stef to see if we can get his college place and work placement back.”
“Two more days,” Tony agreed. “Then I want you back here and ready to work. Prove to me that I’m right to give you this promotion.”
“I will,” I promised. I glanced at the clock on the office wall. “I should go. I want to get back before Stef wakes up.”
Tony looked at the clock too, surprised. “He’s in bed? At this time?”
“Yeah, well… we had some making up to do.”
I left Tony chuckling to himself at admission and hurried back up the hill to home. I’d been gone longer than I intended, but then I’d never expected Tony to offer me a new job. Wait until I told Stef. He’d be so excited.
“Hey, time to rise and shine, Princess,” I called out as I entered our small apartment. “I need to take a leak and then we’ll have to leave for the police station.”
I went into the bathroom to empty my bladder. When I came out a few minutes later there was still no sign of Stef having stirred himself.
“Hey, Princess, did you hear me?”
I peered round the end of the partition, frowning when I saw the empty bed. Where the fuck was he? His bag was still in the middle of the floor where he’d dropped it when we got back, so he couldn’t have gone far. I doubted that he would go out anyway without telling me.
Going outside to stand at the top of the metal staircase, I stared across to Tony’s house. Sometimes when we had visitors, Tony let us use his kitchen and living room for entertaining. We always asked first though. I’d only just left Tony and he hadn’t said anything. Even so, I walked across the gravel and tried the front door. It was locked, so I walked around the back of the house and tried the back door – locked too.
I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. He knew we had a meeting to get to at the police station. Why would he disappear like this? Unless he didn’t want to go to the station and rat on his old man. After everything he’d said, the promises he made, he was still protecting that motherfucker. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I angrily swiped through my contacts until I found Stef’s number. The call went straight to voicemail, confirming he really was avoiding me.
“Stef, wherever the fuck you are, get home now. Actually, meet me at the station. We’re doing this. You promised.”
I hung up, more pissed off than worried. He’d been just fine when we got home earlier. He’d been the one to initiate the sex, letting me think everything was good between us. Now, he was playing games again?
I took the bus into town, not having the luxury of a company car just yet, and made my way to the station. Stef didn’t show up, but then I never really expected him to. It was all the worse for the fact he knew how I felt about the police, yet he left me to face them on my own about his problem.
“Stefan Gold?” A woman appeared, dressed in a sharp grey suit, blonde hair piled high on top of her head. Funny, but I never thought about Killigan’s counterpart being female. “I’m DS. Pope.”
“I’m the boyfriend,” I said. “Alex Gill.”
“Yes, that makes more sense,” she said, looking me up and down. She didn’t explain what she meant by that, but I could imagine. I didn’t know how much Killigan had told her about us, but all it took was a glance to see I wasn’t some little blond twink with daddy issues. “So, where is Mr. Gold?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. He was supposed to meet me here, but –”
“Please don’t waste my time, Mr. Gill. I agreed to meet with Mr. Gold as a professional courtesy to Detective Killigan. If Mr. Gold can’t be bothered to turn up, I can only assume the situation is not as serious as I was given to believe.”
“No, it is,” I said quickly as she turned to leave. “Look, Stef’s head is all over the place right now. He’s not thinking straight, but this thing with his old man is real.”
She looked back at me over her shoulder and sighed. “You have ten minutes, Mr. Gill.”
I followed her inside, amused to think it was probably the first time ever that I’d entered a police station through the front doors, and without being in cuffs. She showed me into an interview room, but she didn’t sit and neither did I. Guess she really meant it when she said ten minutes was all I was getting.
“So,” Pope said, “tell me why I should waste my valuable resources searching for a man who may or may not be harassing your boyfriend.”
It still felt strange to actually volunteer information, but this was for Stef’s sake, not mine. That was what I had to remember. I talked. Pope listened. At least, she p
retended to. She didn’t write down or record a single word I said, so fuck knows if she was taking me seriously.
“What you’re telling me is,” she said when I finally ran out of things to say, “that Mr. Gold told people you were being violent towards him. He left you and went home to London. You went after him, dragged him back here, and the first chance he got he left you again. Is that about right?”
“What? No. That isn’t what I said.”
Well, it kind of was, but when Pope put it the way she did it did sound bad. I hadn’t forced Stef to come back though.
“Am I right in thinking you were arrested recently, Mr. Gill, for throwing a brick through the window of the salon where Mr. Gold was working?”
“Arrested, yeah, but I wasn’t charged.”
I didn’t get what the woman’s problem was. Whether it was me personally she had something against, or me and Stef both for being in a same sex relationship. Maybe she was a homophobic bitch who had no intention of helping out a couple of gay-boys.
“And now you say Mr. Gold is missing? Should we be looking for him rather than his father? Have you done something to him, Mr. Gill? Did you decide to punish him for leaving you, perhaps?”
“You know what? I think we’re done here.” I moved towards the door, but she stepped in front of it. Great. First she didn’t want to talk to me. Now she wouldn’t let me leave. I had a sudden, sick sense of fore-boding that I’d made a mistake in coming here. They were going to arrest me on some trumped up charge just because of who I was. Who I used to be. “I haven’t done anything. You can’t keep me here.”
“Maybe not,” Pope said, “but I’ve been a police officer a long time, Mr. Gill. I’ve seen my fair share of domestic violence cases and I know a bully when I see one. If I find out that something has happened to Stefan Gold, you’ll be top of my list of suspects. Do you understand me? If he’s left you, then let him go. He’s made it very clear he doesn’t want to be with you.”
She stepped aside and opened the door, jerking her head to indicate I could go. She was wrong about me. Wrong about Stefan too, but I wasn’t going to hang around and argue with her. Bitch might change her mind about letting me leave. I should have known better than to think the police would be of any help. They had never been before.
