Trust And Obey

by Ts McKinney

  Landry was out of Colton’s lap in less than one heartbeat. His lips were trying for a frown but it looked more like a pout to the rest of the men in the room. “What-the-fuck-ever,” Landry snarled. “It’s over. I told him to leave and he’s gone. End of story. I never want to see him again.”

  “Liar,” Jagger mumbled weakly from his hospital bed.

  Colton jumped up and was at Jagger’s side in the blink of an eye. “Hey, baby! You’re awake. The doctor didn’t think you’d be awake for another hour or so. You’re awake.” A huge grin split his face. “I wanna kiss you until you can’t breathe,” he admitted. “But I think I’ll get into trouble for that sort of shit. They frown on that in hospitals.” He kissed him anyway. Hard and fast, and then slow and gentle. When he finished, he said, “I love you, Jagger Jameson. You are never ever leaving my sight again. I thought I’d lost you, babe. I wouldn’t survive it. Stop thinking only of you and doing dangerous shit,” he ordered. “Don’t make me put you in a bubble to protect you from all harm’s way!”

  “Nah, you’d never do anything like that,” Jagger teased. His voice was still weak and his eyes looked a bit loopy. With a silly smile on his face, he said, “I love you too, Colton. I was afraid I’d never see you again…never get the chance to prove how much I love you.” A serious expression crossed his face. “Will you promise me something, Colton? Something really important?”

  Colton felt his throat tighten with emotion. “Anything, Wildcat,” he answered. “I’ll fucking give you anything you ask.”

  Jagger’s serious expression transformed into something incredibly devious and his eyes suddenly didn’t look so loopy. A naughty smile spread across his face, but then he grimaced when it tugged on his split lip. “Shit! He hit like a girl, but it still hurts like hell.” He tried for another grin for Colton but made sure this one wasn’t as wide. “I want you and me to do a scene at Landry’s club…in front of everybody.”

  Colton literally gasped out loud. Everybody else in the room burst out laughing. Landry did a happy dance that ended with a dramatic shake of his ass. “You just got played by the player, Colton!” Landry exclaimed when he settled his dance down.

  Colton, when he could speak again, said, “Did you just manipulate me, Jagger Jameson?”

  Jagger rolled his eyes. “Yeah, this whole kidnapping thing was a ruse to bend you to my will—to trick you into fulfilling my darkest desires.”

  “Smartass,” Colton grumbled. “A scene in front of everybody, you say?”

  “That’s what I say,” Jagger answered confidently.

  Frowning, Colton said, “You know I’m not a Dom, right?”

  “I also know you probably aren’t going to spank my ass…ever. There are other things we can do.” His eyes turned to Landry and his partner-in-crime nodded his head. “Like fucking. We can fuck. Everybody likes that.”

  “True that.” Rory piped in, trying his best not to laugh at Colton and the dumbfounded expression on his face. He moved across the room and clapped Colton on the back. “You go and save somebody’s life but that’s not enough, now you’ve got to fuck him in front of a crowd! Life’s tough, Mr. Special Forces.”

  “Holy shit!” Riley roared, interrupting their fun. “Look at the television! Look!”

  They all turned to stare at the small television screen on the wall between Jagger and Sage’s hospital beds. There was a breaking news story flashing up regarding New York Philanthropist, Bronson Tildare, being critically injured in a car accident after leaving a charity gala in Miami earlier in the evening.

  At this time we cannot confirm or deny the reports that Mr. Tildare suffered a broken neck and died in the crash that occurred on one of Miami’s most dangerous turnpikes at approximately 11:30 this evening. Mr. Tildare was enjoying an evening out when he received an emergency phone call and left immediately. Two security men traveling with Mr. Tildare were injured, as well. Mrs. Tildare, according to reports, walked away with only a few scratches. Reports will continue as we receive updates.

  Riley looked at Rory and asked, “Where did you say Brookes was going?”

  “To take care of his boss,” Landry answered instead of Rory. “He…he told me that he had to see to his boss and then he’d join us at the hospital.” Landry’s voice dipped lower. “I told him not to bother coming here. We were finished.”

  “Brookes didn’t do this, guys. He and his team were insistent on ensuring that nobody was injured too badly when we went in to rescue Jagger and Landry. They were damned efficient and made it look fucking easy—took Tildare’s security team out like they were a bunch of kindergarten kids. And when I say took them out, I mean knocked them unconscious and tied them up. Nothing more. I know we haven’t trusted him and I know he sure the fuck hasn’t given us reason to trust him, but Brookes isn’t a killer.” When Landry opened his mouth to argue, Colton cut him off and reemphasized, “Brookes didn’t do this!”

  “Brookes didn’t do what?” A husky voice asked from the door of their hospital room. Brookes looked around the room until his eyes fell on Landry. When they did, he crossed the room and pulled the struggling man into his arms for a bear hug. Landry fought against him the entire time, but Brookes kept his arms locked around his smaller lover. After a few minutes, he moved his hands enough to force Landry to look at him. “I love you, Landry Evans. I’ve lied to you and I’m sorry for that. I was in so fucking deep and I didn’t know how to get out of it. I…I thought the minute you knew I wasn’t the real Jericho Brookes, you’d kick me to the curb. Hell, I was afraid you’d kick me off the island!”

  Landry sniffled and then snorted…but he’d stopped struggling. He probably wasn’t aware of it, but his body was leaning toward Brookes. “You don’t love me, Mr. Whatever Your Name Is,” Landry snapped. “When a person loves somebody, they don’t lie to them. Constantly lie to them,” he stressed. “Has anything you’ve said been true? Anything?”

  Brookes looked around the room and shook his head. “I would rather have had this conversation in private, but I haven’t earned that right. I’m aware of that.” He smiled down at Landry and said, “You have good friends, Landry. No, you have good family.”

  “Yes, I do,” Landry confirmed. “But I don’t have room for anymore family so you’d best run along. You’ve had your fun, now you need to leave.”

  “Easy now,” Colton whispered softly. “Don’t say something you might regret, Landry.”

  Landry huffed. “When did you become Brookes’ best friend?” he asked Colton and then turned to Brookes, stamped his foot and yelled, “Hell! I don’t even know what to call you!”

  From his perch on the side of Jagger’s bed, Colton answered, “He became my family the minute he helped save my best friend and the man I love. Listen to your heart, Landry.”

  “My name is Landon Jericho Brookes but you can call me whatever the hell you want to, and I’ll always answer.” He turned to the door and yelled, “London! Get in here!”

  A man that closely resembled Brookes in looks and size stepped into the small hospital room. He sported a cocky grin that told everybody in there that he found his brother’s predicament to be humorous. “You rang, brother dearest?”

  “Don’t be an ass,” Brookes hissed. Turning back to Landry, he said, “This is my twin brother London Jericho Brookes—the Jericho Brookes I pretended to be. The famous or infamous, if you ask me, Dom. It was his brilliant idea for me to take on his identity when I came to the island. I, uh, know enough about BDSM to be dangerous, I guess.”

  Landry frowned like that was the most ridiculous statement he’d ever heard in his life since Brookes, aka Landon, was the first and only man to ever help him reach subspace. His anger of Brookes’ betrayal took over any softness he might have been starting to feel for the liar, though. “So, let me see if I’ve got this straight. Your twin brother, London, suggested you use his Dom lifestyle when you came to Key West…treasure hunting? Does that about sum it up? Treasure hunting, Brookes? That was
the best you could come up with? Hell, nothing involving Bronson Tildare could be said in the same breath as treasure hunting! The man is…was…whichever it is…a vile, evil man. How could you be involved with someone like that? He was after two teenage boys, for fuck’s sake! Forget that maybe you did the right thing at the end. The bottom line is you worked for him at some point…and that’s unforgivable!”

  Brookes’ face scrunched into a frown as he looked at Landry and then around the room. “Why would you think I was working for Bronson?” He started shaking his head in disbelief. “I never worked for Bronson Tildare. Never, Landry,” he assured him. “I’m not involved with that sort of trash.” He took a deep breath and explained, “I was contacted by a friend of my brother’s who wanted to hire me to locate Landry Evans. He gave me as much information as he could, which wasn’t a hell of a lot, and begged me to take the job. I would have happily told him to drop dead, but he’s my brother’s best friend, so I couldn’t really say what I thought.” He glanced back at his twin and gave him a sarcastic frown. “I took the job as a favor for my brother. After months of digging around, I’d managed to find that you lived in Key West. I came here to take a few pics and make sure you were having a great life—that’s what my boss asked of me. When I got here, though, everything changed. When…when I saw you, Landry, I knew that I had to get to know you better.” A blush stained his cheeks. “I stared and stared at those pictures I’d taken of you. I stared until I felt like a fucking stalker,” he admitted. “Then, I concocted this huge lie that I thought you might be in some trouble and that I needed to stay on the island and somehow infiltrate your group of friends so I could keep you safe. I thought I was lying. I didn’t have any idea you were really in any kind of danger.”

  “Uh oh, I’m pretty sure he isn’t going to want to pay you for the last four weeks, bro,” Brookes’ twin said in a stage whisper.

  “Shut up, London,” Brookes hissed.

  All Landry could do was stand there and think treasure hunting—that’s what Brookes told him he was doing in Key West. Treasure hunting. Did Brookes think he was a treasure? Him? He hadn’t been anyone’s treasure in…

  Hell, he’d never been anybody’s treasure. It was a sad statement to make, but an accurate one. It was tough to realize and accept that the closest he’d ever come to being a special someone to another person had been when he was a teenager and trapped in the antigay camp. That time with Alexander, although ages ago, still held a special place in his heart, but had someone finally managed to take his place?

  “Treasure hunting?” He whispered as he looked at Brookes…no, Landon. He liked the name. Fuck, but he liked everything about the man standing in front of him.

  “It was the best way I could describe what I was doing,” Landon answered. “One look at you and I knew you were a treasure…my treasure. Just give me a chance, Landry. Please give me a chance to make you forget all the lies I’ve told.”

  Another question troubled Landry. “If not Bronson, who were you working for?” he asked. “Who would be trying to find me?” Not his parents, Landry was certain. They’d never cared and he didn’t care about them—not any longer, at least.

  Brookes turned around and nodded at his twin. “Why don’t you grab the boss man so he can finally meet Landry…again.”

  The room was quiet as they waited for Landon’s brother to return with the mystery man responsible for bringing Brookes and Landry together. They could hear London talking quietly to the man outside the door and it was apparent that the stranger was concerned about intruding on ‘family time’. Feeling sorry for whomever it was, Landry took a step toward the door, meaning to invite them in, but his feet froze against the hospital tiles. He listened to the voice. It couldn’t be. Not after all these years…

  He turned back to Landon and asked, “Alexander?”

  “He said you used to be friends years ago but lost touch with one another.” Landon’s eyebrows crinkled into a frown as he asked, “Do I need to be jealous of Alexander?” It was as if the thought had never occurred to him.

  Landry turned back toward Landon and stood on his tip toes to place a soft kiss on his lover’s lips. “I’m still mad at you and it’s going to take a lot of groveling and giving me everything I want before I totally forgive you,” he whispered. “But I’m so in love with you, Landon Jericho Brookes. I never expected love was for me…that I was good enough for such a beautiful gift. Even when I begged my heart to stay sealed up nice and tight, I was falling for you.” He looked at Jagger and winked. “The heart doesn’t always listen…but it always knows best.”

  Brookes yanked him in for a not so soft kiss. His kiss was more like an attack and conquer assault. Even when the room exploded with catcalls and whistles, Landon didn’t stop. His tongue swept inside Landry’s mouth and laid claim to what belonged to him. “Thank you, babe,” he whispered. “Thank you for giving me another chance. No more lies, I promise.”

  “To answer your question, Alexander Fulton was the only bright spot in my life before I met all these guys. The love we once shared was the only thing that kept me alive when I lived on the streets. We were children, though. The love I felt for him…still feel for him is nothing like what you make me feel. Your love touches every part of my body.” Gripping Landon’s hand tightly, he turned back to face the door. “Alexander?” He called out.

  The man that walked through the doors looked like a dwarf compared to the giant man standing next to him, arm wrapped protectively around his shoulders. He had blond hair and bright blue eyes. At the moment, they were swimming with unshed tears. Landry watched as his old friend took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and stuck his hand out toward Landry.

  “Hey, Landry. Long time, no see, eh?”

  His grin, shy and sweet, was the same as Landry remembered. His voice just as soft and friendly. Memories came flooding back, causing Landry to gasp with emotion. Alexander. His Alexander. The only goodness in his life for so many years was standing right in front of him. Landry shoved his extended hand out of the way and jerked his old friend against him, squeezing a squeak out of both of them.

  “Alexander? I can’t believe you were looking for me,” Landry said quietly. “Why would you be looking for me?” Landry didn’t know the right words—didn’t know how to let the man in his arms know how touched his heart was. Once he’d settled in Key West, got his legs under him and stepped out of the darkness that overshadowed his life for so many years, he’d looked Alexander Fulton up. His friend, the young boy that had stolen his heart at the antigay camp, lived a very prosperous life. Apparently, the camp had worked for him because at the young age of twenty-one, he’d married a beautiful girl from a prominent family. He worked at his father’s financial firm, and seemed to have the world in the palm of his hand. Why now? Why come looking for him after all these years?

  “I…I had to make certain you were all right, that you were happy.” He laughed softly, but the laughter didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What may have seemed like a brilliant plan at our young ages way back when was really a dumbass plan that could have very well gotten you killed. I had to know it hadn’t ended…badly for you.”

  “You were really worried about me?” Landry asked in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine that there had been a person out there that cared if he lived or died, not before Rory and Colton had come into his life. He’d thought nobody cared…but somebody had. Alexander had cared. “I’m sorry you worried. Life’s been,” he looked around the room and finished with, “good. Life’s been very good to me.”

  “I’m glad,” Alexander answered softly. “I’m also sorry for all the trouble my snooping caused you and your friends. Landon convinced me that you needed his…guidance.” He laughed again and, this time, it did reach his eyes. “I believe my friend’s brother is quite smitten with you.”

  Landry started to argue, because that’s what he always did when somebody acted like he was worth loving, but then he stopped. “Yes, I think he may
be. He’s quite an ass, though. I’m going to make him grovel.”

  Landon laughed and pulled Landry against his side. “Let the groveling commence. I’m comfortable enough in my manhood to do whatever groveling you deem necessary. Sir,” he added with a sly smile.

  “Shit, Landon! I’ve told you not to joke about that stuff. Us BDSM people take that shit serious,” London reprimanded.

  The giant man that seemed as easy going and fun-loving as Landon had made his way across the room and positioned himself next to Sage’s bed. Landry narrowed his eyes at the oddity of his own thoughts. Wouldn’t that just be something?

  London may have been teasing, but Landon’s eyes were serious when he looked down at Landry. “That’s not me, babe. I’m not that man. Sure, I love a little BDSM, but I’m no Dom extraordinaire like my brother. Is that…is that going to be something you can live with?”

  “Hell, yeah, I can live with it,” Landry answered without hesitation. “You’ve given me a whole new prospective on the BDSM world.” He stood on his tip toes and kissed Landon’s lips. “I think I like how me and you do it just fine.” His hand dropped to grip Landon’s ass, “Just fine, indeed.”

  The sound of Alexander clearing his throat jerked Landry back to reality.

  “I guess I’d better go,” Alexander said. “I just needed to see for myself that you were doing well.” He looked around the room and added, “I needed to make sure you had people loving you.”

  “Hold on one minute!” Landry screeched. “You aren’t leaving now, are you? You just got here.” He remembered Alexander’s wife and wondered if there were any little ones in the family. He’d stopped cyber stalking Alexander when he saw the other man’s life was grand. “Surely you’ll stay for a few days, for old time’s sake. I know you have a business to run, but just a few days, please!”