by Nora Phoenix
He placed his hands on the roof of the car, made himself breathe in deeply. Steady, now. He had to keep it together. Otherwise he’d fuck up.
A plan. You need a plan.
New York City was good. Anonymous. He’d take an airport motel. Newark, easiest to get to from where he was. Once he was there, he’d contact Houdini. He needed a new identity, in case this one was compromised and would lead back to Noah and Josh. Noah was basically helpless in the hospital, so Indy would need to stay away and leave no trace behind. That also meant selling his car and buying a new one as soon as he had his new identity.
Someplace neutral, this time. Far away from Boston. Unremarkable. The Midwest, maybe? Ohio. Ohio sounds good.
Okay, that was better. Having a plan eased his stress. Next up was getting something in his stomach. He got in his car, grabbed a health bar, and started eating while he merged back on the New York Thruway.
A little over two hours later, he checked into some crappy motel in Jersey. It smelled musty, with a faint trace of tobacco smoke lingering. He bolted the door, closed the burgundy curtains that were faded from the sun. His car was parked at the main entrance, not near his door. He never parked in front of his room. It would be too easy to find him if they’d ever made his car.
The room was outfitted with a tiny microwave and fridge. Perfect for his needs. He heated up a cup of water to make tea. That would help him calm down as well. As soon as it was ready, he settled on the creaky queen-size bed. The burgundy-and-pink flowery bedspread had some stains he did not want to know the origins of, and it, too, smelled dusty. Whatever. He’d only be here a day or two, tops.
He opened his laptop, hoping the motel’s promise of free Wi-Fi would check out. He could make his phone into a hot spot, but it would cost him valuable data. Luckily, the Wi-Fi worked. Not only that, it was faster than he’d expected. Probably not a lot of people here at 10:30 AM. He’d been lucky the motel even allowed early check-in. He’d given the front desk receptionist some story about his flight being canceled, but the man had barely listened.
He shot off an email to Houdini.
Need new ID. Female. White, common name. Same pic. Ohio. Different DOB. 21. Including SSN, HS diploma. Pick up NYC.
Now, all he had to do was wait. Houdini would reply in exactly one hour. That man truly was a godsend. He wouldn’t have survived without him.
What felt like ages ago, but in reality was maybe three years before, he’d met an associate of Duncan’s. Associate being a loose term here as the man was being blackmailed into doing work for the Fitzpatricks. He was a con artist specialized in fake documents that could pass any test. Drivers’ licenses, passports, birth or death certificates, this man could produce anything you wanted for a price. Houdini was his moniker, as he could make people disappear with what he did.
He’d possessed more morals than the Fitzpatricks had counted on, though, and when Duncan had asked him for fake IDs for a bunch of underage girls he aimed to pimp out, Houdini had refused. Being a Fitzpatrick, Duncan didn’t take kindly to the word ‘no’, and he’d kidnapped Houdini’s ten-year-old daughter to get what he wanted and to show him who was boss.
Stephan had overheard what Duncan had done and had been repulsed. Who the fuck would kidnap a ten-year-old to get to her dad? Pretty sick if you asked him. But when Duncan and one of his lieutenants joked about raping her, he knew he couldn’t idly sit by. It might’ve been brash talk, but who the fuck knew what they would do. Everyone knew Duncan liked them young. Stephan had done some highly discreet digging, discovered where they kept her and had sent an anonymous text to Houdini with the location. Within an hour, a group of armed men had freed the girl from the house where she was being held.
A few weeks later, a simple piece of paper had been dropped in Stephan’s pocket with an email address. He’d emailed it, curious as he was and had found out it was Houdini, promising him to deliver anything he wanted if he ever needed it. Somehow, Houdini had found out it had been Stephan who’d helped him even though Duncan had never discovered it. Thank fuck for that. Houdini had given him specific instructions on how to contact him. When Stephan had gone on the run and had become Indy, he’d contacted Houdini, and the man had delivered an ID in his new name within 48 hours. With his help, Stephan Moreau had become Indiana Baldwin. Without him, Indy wouldn’t have stood a chance.
He played games on his phone to pass the time. At exactly 11:31 an email came in.
no prob. 34. tracks. rose & jack.
Indy exhaled in relief. Houdini would come through. The delivery instructions were coded, but Indy understood without a problem. The handover was always in a Starbucks where he’d order a tall latte macchiato if everything was okay, and a grande espresso macchiato if he knew he was being tailed. Houdini delivered exactly 48 hours from sending his reply unless he indicated otherwise in his email. The 34 meant the Starbucks was somewhere on 34th Street, but the tracks narrowed it down to Penn Station, which was on 34th Street. Rose would be his codename, and he’d be meeting ‘Jack’. Houdini had a fondness for movies, always picked duos from movies, he’d told Indy.
Indy closed his laptop. Two days from now, he’d have a new name, a new identity. A new future.
Would Noah and Josh be in it? He honestly didn’t know.
When Connor and Josh got back to the hospital, Noah had been wheeled out of his surgery. A nurse told them they could see him as soon as he woke up, which should be in about an hour. They settled in the waiting room again, which was now considerably fuller. They encountered some raised eyebrows when people spotted their entwined hands, but nobody said anything.
Josh had been quiet since he’d woken up after a two-hour nap. At first, Connor had thought he’d needed time to wake up, or maybe process, but when Josh still hadn’t said anything an hour later, Connor started to worry. Had it been too much, too soon? Had he gone too far? He’d been winging it, after all, going by sheer instinct and a deep desire to give Josh what he needed. What if he’d fucked up? Josh had said he loved him, but maybe that had been the endorphins talking?
“How did you know?” Josh finally said.
“How did I know what?”
“That I needed for you to…” Josh looked around quickly, lowered his voice. “…to take over, fuck me senseless. Literally.”
The old adage of a weight being taken off your chest got a whole new meaning for Connor. It was like he’d been carrying a ton of bricks that disappeared, filling him with sweet relief.
“Instinct,” he said, not quite capable of keeping the joy and satisfaction out of his voice.
“I’ve never felt like that,” Josh said, a sense of awe in his voice.
“How did it feel?”
“Tranquil. Serene. My mind came to a complete sense of peace, of fulfillment, somehow. It felt so right, perfect even.”
Connor smiled, squeezed Josh's hand a little tighter. Thank fuck he’d gotten it right.
“How did it feel for you?” Josh asked.
Connor grinned. “You really are a girl, the way you talk about your feelings.”
“Baby, I think I proved to you today I am anything but a girl,” Josh whispered and oh, so innocently, brushed his other hand against Connor’s cock. It hardened instantly. How the hell was that possible? He’d never had this kind of sexual appetite, but with Josh he was aroused all the time.
He grabbed Josh's hand, shot him a dark look. “You’re playing with fire.”
Josh smiled innocently. “Yes, Connor.”
The words alone were enough to bring back the sweet memories of earlier that day. The incredible surge of power and control Connor had felt every time Josh had submitted. His hand on Josh's ass as he spanked him, which had turned him on as much as it had Josh. Pounding Josh so hard he’d almost fallen off the bed. Josh weak and trembling in his arms after being fucked senseless, as he put it. He’d never even imagined it could be like that, that he would love so wholly and completely.
“I love you.” Th
e words rolled out of his mouth.
Josh's eyes searched his. “I wasn’t sure if you meant it, or if you said it because I did.”
“I meant it. You’re mine, Josh, and I love you more than I’d thought possible. I know it’s ridiculously fast and messy and complicated, but it’s real.”
“I love you, too. I want to be with you, Connor, more than anything.”
Connor couldn’t resist, leaned over to kiss Josh quickly. It was Josh who held his head when he wanted to pull back, deepened the kiss.
“Stop that, right now!”
Connor didn’t realize the cold, hard voice was aimed at them until he felt Josh freeze.
“It’s disgusting! Making a display like that, and going behind my son’s back. You should be ashamed of yourself!”
Connor broke off the kiss, looked past Josh to find a general in full uniform shooting him a look that was meant to kill. General Flint. Wasn’t that nice of him to drop by? He squeezed Josh's hand, then let go as he slowly rose.
“Keep your voice low, General. There are children present,” he said through clenched teeth, rising to his full height.
“Who the fuck are you?”
The general took a step closer, undoubtedly an effective intimidation technique with others. Connor wasn’t impressed. He didn’t give a shit who the man was, other than he was being an ass. Besides, he had a trump card that would make Flint do exactly what he wanted, and he wasn’t above playing dirty. The guy fucking owed him.
“O’Connor. I’m a police officer with the Albany PD. Again, I will ask you kindly to mind your language.”
“I will do whatever the fuck I want, especially when it comes to my son. I will not allow him to be treated with such disrespect by this…this morally subversive excuse-for-a-man who corrupted him.”
An ice-cold temper crept through Connor’s veins. Nobody insulted Josh and got away with it. This time, he took a step forward, bringing him pretty much nose to nose with the general. The man’s eyes narrowed in anger and surprise at Connor’s brazenness.
“That’s my boyfriend you are insulting, Sir, and I will not stand for it, nor for your combative behavior in a hospital. You will back off now, or I will have you arrested.”
Flint smirked, a look that left no doubt whom Noah had inherited it from. “You and what army?”
Connor’s voice was so low, no one else but him and the general would hear it. “That would be the United States Marine Corps, Sir, where I was a sergeant until you fucked up an operation that left me and a fellow Marine in enemy hands, which ultimately led to his death. Do the names O’Connor and Martins ring a bell? Operation Clear Blue Sky? I know you managed to bury it deep, but I haven’t forgotten. Sir.”
Connor had the distinct satisfaction of watching the general pale visibly. “Now, get the fuck out of my face before I decide to start singing like a fucking mockingbird and blow your pristine reputation to smithereens.”
One. Two. Three seconds. That was how long Flint tried to keep his composure before he stepped back and walked out without another word.
“Sorry about that, folks,” Connor said, looking around the waiting room and sending everyone his standard “don’t worry I’m a cop, so everything is under control” look. Satisfied that no one was going to cause any more issues, he sat back down.
“Holy crap, now I want to let you fuck me all over again,” Josh whispered, looking at Connor with unbridled lust.
And, Connor was hard again. He sighed, fought back a smile. “Your ass is way too tender, baby, but if you’re good, I’ll let you suck me later.”
“Yes, Connor.”
Josh could not take his eyes off Connor. Something had happened between them that he had no words for. He loved him and felt Connor’s love for him, but it was more than that. It was like they had clicked as puzzle pieces. They had found the roles, the positions they were supposed to have. Dom and sub, commanding and obeying, deciding and following. It felt so right, more right than Josh could’ve ever imagined. It brought peace. Freedom.
The way Connor had defended him toward Noah’s father, it had been unbelievable. Josh didn’t know what he’d said to the man, but it had been damn effective in getting him to scram. Aside from Noah, Josh had never met anyone who dared to disobey or even displease General Flint. It made Connor even hotter in Josh's eyes.
Violet, a nurse Josh knew, walked into the waiting room and sought them out. “Noah is asking for you,” she said. “For the both of you.”
Noah was awake? Oh, thank God.
Violet’s tone alerted Josh the gossip machine in the ER was in full swing, with people speculating who Connor was and what they both were to Noah. Josh didn’t give a shit. As long as Noah was okay, he couldn’t care less about anything else.
They followed Violet into the post-op area where she brought them to Noah. He was hooked up to all kinds of monitors, but he was breathing on his own so that had to be a good sign. God, Noah was deadly pale, but he was sending them a weak smile, blinking his eyes slowly as if he was groggy. Well, he probably was, having just woken up from a serious surgery.
Josh walked over, put his hand on Noah’s head. He kissed him softly on the mouth. “How are you feeling?”
“Like crap, but I’m alive. I’ll take it.”
Josh's stomach cramped. Did Noah realize yet what had been done to him? Would he blame Josh? “I’m sorry, Noah.”
“You made the right call.” Noah gestured at his leg, or what was left of it. “I fucked up, Josh.”
Josh bit his lip. “Was it the right decision to amputate?”
Noah let out a shaky breath. “Yes. I’m not saying it doesn’t suck because it does, but you did right by me. I was contemplating getting another surgery already because the stump kept bothering me. I wouldn’t have quite gone this far, but I fucked up by ignoring that infection.”
“Yeah, you did. You should’ve told me, told us. God, I was worried about you. I wasn’t sure you’d make it…” Josh's voice broke, and Connor put a hand on his shoulder. He reached for it, held on to his rock.
Noah’s eyes flashed with guilt. “I know. I’m so sorry. It was…inexcusably stupid.” His eyes found Connor. “Thank you,” he said.
Josh looked over his shoulder to Connor, who simply nodded at Noah.
Noah swallowed. “Where’s Indy? Was he afraid to come here?”
Josh closed his eyes for a second. He couldn’t lie to Noah, but how did he tell him? Connor said, “Indy took off, probably scared of what was going on with you, but he’ll come back.” The quiet reassurance in his voice encouraged Josh, but would it be enough for Noah?
Noah closed his eyes, sank back against the pillow. “Yeah, I fucked that up, too.”
Josh didn’t say anything. What could he say? Meaningless clichés wouldn’t help.
When Noah’s eyes opened again, they focused on Josh. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m good.”
Noah’s eyes narrowed. “You look remarkably relaxed.”
Color crept up in Josh's cheeks. He shot a help-me look sideways to Connor, who still had his strong arm around his shoulder.
“I provided Josh with what he needed. He’s mine now.”
Connor’s calm words were a balm to Josh's torn soul. He exhaled. The truth was simple, really. For a second, he feared another pissing match between the two men, but Noah smiled. “You worked him over good.”
“I did.” Connor’s face lit up with a slow, sensual, and fucking proud smile. “Didn’t I, Josh?”
He never even hesitated. “Yes, Connor.”
“That’s good. That’s really good.” Noah’s eyes saddened. “Look, you don’t owe me anything, but—”
“We’ll do whatever we can to find Indy while at the same time protecting his identity,” Connor said. “He loves you, Flint. He’ll come back.”
Noah did a weak-ass attempt at looking assured. “His self-preservation instinct may trump whatever feelings he has for me.”
“I have more bad news,” he finally said.
“Spit it out,” Noah said curtly.
“I called your dad to let him know. He stopped by but was upset when he caught me and Connor kissing.”
A flash of disgust clouded Noah’s face. “I’m assuming upset is too mild a word here?”
“He wasn’t happy. Connor had to step in.”
Noah’s eyebrows rose. “How did you get him to back off?”
Huh. What had Connor said to the general to make him leave? It had been quite effective, but what had been the trick? He turned to watch Connor, whose face closed off completely. What the hell?
“Let’s say I can be persuasive when I want to be,” Connor said, his voice as dismissive as could be. Wow, this was not a topic he was willing to discuss further. That, of course, made Josh even more curious what had happened—and he didn’t need to see Noah’s face to know his friend shared that feeling.
“You shouldn’t have called him,” Noah said to Josh, his voice friendly, though decisive.
“He’s still your dad, Noah. He had a right to know.”
“On that, we disagree. He lost all rights after the way he treated you.”
Josh knew arguing was senseless. This was something he and Noah had never seen eye to eye on. As much as he feared the general, Josh felt he was still Noah’s father and deserved to be treated with respect, but Noah disagreed. As far as he was concerned, his father could go to hell and stay there, roasting for all eternity.
