Captivating

by Onley James

  Elijah grinned. “Well, it just so happens, I’m also in the market for a manager.”

  “You gonna let me run your whole life?”

  Elijah scoffed. “Just my career. We both know I call the shots at home. Especially in the bedroom,”

  “That suits me just fine.”

  After a few minutes, Elijah spoke again. “Sam?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What do you think happens now?”

  “I think you’ll find that maybe just this one time, the bad guys will get what’s coming to them.”

  Shepherd lay on the sofa with Elijah between his legs, his head on Shep’s chest, arms wrapped around each other as they watched the news unfold on CNN. Outside the gates of Elijah’s soon to be former home, throngs of reporters gathered, each wanting to be the first to capture Elijah’s thoughts on the breaking story. He had put his phone on silent after letting Charlie, Wyatt and Molly Shepherd know they could reach him on Shep’s phone if they needed him. The rest of the world could wait.

  “Turn it up,” Elijah murmured.

  Shep did as Elijah asked, then placed the remote on the table so he could wrap his arms around Elijah once more. The reporter, a woman with golden blonde hair and a serious expression stood outside the gates of a much larger estate holding a comically large microphone. “We’re here live outside the estate of Hollywood director, Leonard Medford. Behind me to my left you’ll see the coroner’s van leaving with what we’ve heard is the body of Medford himself, allegedly dead at seventy-five from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

  Elijah shivered, causing Shep to pull the blanket covering them higher over Elijah’s shoulders, even though he knew the boy wasn’t cold, but shaken. “You okay, rabbit?”

  Elijah rubbed his face against Shep’s bare chest. “I’m fine, Sam.”

  Shep didn’t know if Elijah meant it or not. Elijah might not even know himself. Would he blame himself for this? Was he relieved? “You can tell me the truth.”

  “Shh,” Elijah whispered, gaze locked on the television.

  “Medford, as many know, was recently in the center of a scandal straight out of a Hollywood movie. A story involving the coverup of several child assaults thought to be perpetrated by a man who we now know is convicted pedophile Cane Crawford, illegitimate son of Medford and a Las Vegas cocktail waitress. The story broke just six weeks ago on social media when Oscar-winning actor and Hollywood legacy Elijah Dunne shared the story of his own tragic abuse and the part Leonard played in keeping him silent all these years. Crawford had initially denied allegations of any wrongdoing and had even started a smear campaign against his accuser before vowing revenge. Now he’s on the run and police say the suspect is believed to be armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach, just call your local FBI office.”

  “Do you think he’s going to run again?” Elijah asked.

  “Crawford? Probably. Cowards like him always run.”

  “Yeah,” Elijah murmured.

  “Are you upset that Medford is dead?”

  Elijah turned on his stomach, folding his hands over Shep’s chest, resting his chin on top. “I’m sorry it didn’t hurt more.”

  Relief flooded Shep. Good. That’s the Elijah he knew and loved. “At least he can’t hurt you or anybody else anymore.”

  “No, but Cane is the real monster, and he’s out there somewhere.”

  “Does that scare you?”

  Elijah seemed to contemplate the question. “Not for myself. But for other kids. It’s like you said. Some people aren’t fit to walk around in society. Some people need to be put down.”

  Shep pushed his hands through Elijah’s hair. “Is that what you want? Somebody to put Cane down?”

  “Yeah. I want him to die a slow, agonizing death. I want him to lose a body part for every child he hurt. I don’t just want him dead, Sam. I want him to die screaming.”

  The venom in Elijah’s voice made Shep proud. “Me too, rabbit. Me too.”

  Elijah smiled. “You know, most people would tell me I need therapy. They’d be horrified.”

  “I’m not most people, and most people haven’t endured the trauma you have. You’re entitled to want vengeance. To want justice. Fuck anybody who tells you otherwise.”

  Elijah wiggled up Shep’s body to give him a kiss. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” As an afterthought, he said, “You know I’d never let anybody hurt you, right?”

  Elijah tsked. “I don’t know. You’re leaving me with Linc’s second string security detail while the six of you play commando and you don’t even work for him anymore.”

  Shep shook his head. “Just because they are a different team doesn’t mean they are second string. And I told you, Linc asked for my help with one final job before we leave for Prague. Besides, do you really want me here while you and Charlie and Wyatt are having your birthday slumber party? I’m too old for Truth or Dare.”

  Elijah sat up so he straddled Shep’s hips, rubbing his ass against Shep’s semi-hard cock. “You will be home for my actual birthday though, right?”

  “Yes, rabbit. I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Good, cause I have big plans for us,” Elijah said, rubbing his hands along Shep’s chest.

  Shep gripped Elijah’s hips thrusting up as he pulled him down, watching as Elijah’s eyelids fluttered from the friction. “I can think of something big I’d like to give you,” Shep promised.

  Elijah laughed, delighted. “Only somebody as hot as you could ever pull off such a cheeseball line, Sam.”

  Shep started to push Elijah off him. “Oh, well, if you’re not interested.”

  Elijah shrieked with laughter. “Wait, wait, wait. I’m interested. Give it to me.”

  “Give you what, rabbit?” Shep asked in that low rumble that sent shivers over Elijah’s whole body.

  Elijah gripped Shep’s cock through the thin fabric of his boxer briefs. “This big cock, Daddy. I want it. Right now.”

  “I don’t know,” Shep said. “You called me a cheeseball and I do have to pack for the airport soon.”

  Elijah grabbed both of Shep’s wrists and pinned them over his head. “You’re wasting time. You know I always get what I want. Get naked right now and I’ll let you fuck me in the walk-in closet with the wrap around mirrors.”

  Shep grinned. “Done.”

  “You’re late,” Jackson barked as soon as Shepherd hit the tarmac.

  “Five minutes. I wasn’t expecting Medford to decide tonight was the night to eat a fucking bullet.”

  A small Cessna sat on the runway of the private airport in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. It looked deserted. He couldn’t believe a place like this existed so close to the city, but there wasn’t really much time for Shep to ponder it.

  “How’s he taking the news?” Linc asked, taking Shep’s bag and shoving it inside.

  “Better than expected. Said he wished it had hurt more.”

  Linc and Jackson both gave Shep a startled look. Shep frowned. “What? Do you blame him?”

  “Does he know where you’re going?” Jackson asked.

  “No. He doesn’t need to know that.”

  Linc smirked. “I thought you didn’t lie to each other?”

  They climbed into the plane. Connolly and Webster were already on board with Calder. “It’s not a lie. Two words: Plausible deniability. I’ll tell him everything. Just not until it’s done. Did you tell Wyatt where you were going?”

  Linc barked out a laugh. “Wyatt? No. That boy would text Charlie and Elijah before I even finished my sentence, and this is need-to-know. Wyatt and Charlie don’t need to know. What you tell Elijah is between the two of you. You know your boy better than I do.”

  Shep did know Elijah. He would keep Shep’s secret if he asked him to. They were kindred spirits. Both damaged. Both a little too hard to handle for much different reasons. But Shep had made a promise to himself months ago, and it was all finally coming to fruition. In just a few days, this ordea
l would be over, and he and Elijah would be on their way to Prague to get married.

  Elijah paced in front of the television, glancing at his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes. Shep was supposed to come home over an hour ago. Linc was already home according to Wyatt, so it made little sense to Elijah why Shep was still not there. What if something had happened to him on the way home from the airport? What if he’d changed his mind and was running away because he decided he wasn’t the marrying type? Elijah marched to the front door, whipping it open to glare at the driveway, earning a curious stare from second string security guy. Jeff or James or something boring like that. He slammed the door, stomping his way back to the living room to flounce down on the sofa.

  He’d had the whole night planned out. He’d had dinner catered for just the two of them and had planned on making himself the dessert. But those plans faded, replaced by elaborate scenarios of all the catastrophes that could have befallen Shep, each more far-fetched than the last. What if he’d run into Cane on the way there? What if he really had decided he didn’t want to marry Elijah in Prague or anywhere… ever? He jumped from the sofa to pace, ignoring the way his heart pounded out of his chest. He was just overreacting. Shep was likely just stuck in stupid LA traffic. Linc lived in the city, Elijah lived in the hills. It made sense that Linc made it home first.

  Except why hadn’t he called? Why was his phone off? The cops speculated Cane had left the country, but what if it wasn’t true? He’d vowed revenge against Elijah after his story went viral. Cane blamed Elijah for ruining his life and now Medford was dead too. What if he’d killed Shep in retaliation? Part of him knew it was crazy. Shep was a monster compared to Cane, but nobody was bigger than a bullet… or a knife… or car. Fuck. What if he’d just run Shep over with a car?

  Elijah tried Shep’s phone once more, making a distressed sound when it went straight to voicemail once more. He flung the phone onto the couch, convinced more than ever Shep was dead in a ditch somewhere gasping his last breath. So many victims had come forward, but Elijah was still the catalyst. If Cane wanted revenge, he’d come for those Elijah loved, and he loved Shep, loved him in a way he had never thought possible. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he stomped to the door and flung it open once more, shocked to see Jeff/James no longer there but Calder instead.

  “What are you doing here?” he snapped.

  “Shep’s running late so he asked me to come monitor you and relieve William.”

  William. Yeah, that was his name. “A little late? He was due back an hour ago. Where did you guys go? Why are you and Linc back already but Shep’s not? Is he okay? Was he hurt? Did you guys ditch him at a hospital or something?”

  He gave Elijah a lopsided grin. “You actor types sure do have wild imaginations. Shep didn’t take the same flight back we did. It’s a long story, but he had to pick up something along the way.”

  Elijah folded his arms across his chest, the chill in the air making him hyper-aware of the fact that he wore only a pair of tiny red silk shorts under his black silk robe. “What’s more important than my birthday?”

  “Your present. Now, why don’t you get back inside before you catch a cold and Shep cuts my balls off?” Calder asked.

  Elijah resisted the urge to stick out his tongue. His phone began to ring from inside the house. He slammed the door in Calder’s face, running to answer it before the caller gave up. “Hello?”

  “Happy birthday, sweetheart.”

  His heart sank, which only made him feel like a terrible person. “Thanks, Molly. Sorry. I mean, mom.”

  It was still strange calling Dr. Molly Shepherd mom, but she insisted and, it made Elijah feel like part of the family. “You don’t sound thrilled to hear from me.”

  Elijah smiled. “You know, sometimes it sucks having a future mother-in-law who’s a shrink.”

  She laughed, delighted. “Well, get used to it. What has my son done to irritate you now?”

  Elijah gave a huge sigh and sank onto the sofa. “Nothing. That’s the problem. He’s still not back yet. He’s been gone for days. I thought the cloak and dagger stuff would end when he put in his resignation.”

  She gave a sigh of her own. “I don’t know if he’ll ever give that up. I’m sure he’ll tell you everything as soon as he’s back. Try not to worry.”

  The door opened and closed. Elijah’s heart skipped, and he flushed. “I think that’s him. I got to go. I love you.”

  “Love you too. Happy birthday again.”

  Shep came around the corner wearing jeans, a black t-shirt and a ragged olive colored coat that had seen better days. In his hand, he held a small red cooler and a smaller jeweler’s bag.

  Elijah planted his hands on his hips, his expression pissy. “I hope you have a great explanation for being an hour late and keeping your phone off.”

  Shep laughed, slipping his arms through Elijah’s bent arms and bending to kiss Elijah’s pouting mouth. “I was picking up your birthday present, and it was a bitch to get through customs, so cut me some slack.” He pointed to the couch. “Sit.”

  Elijah harrumphed, but he did as Shep asked, brows knitting together as he perched on the driftwood coffee table instead of sitting beside Elijah.

  Shep gave him a somber look. “This is part of your present, but unfortunately, you can’t keep it.”

  Elijah sniffed, not ready to forgive Shep’s lateness. “No offense, Sam, but that sounds like a really shitty gift.”

  Shep laughed. “We’ll see if you still think that after you see it,” he said, sliding the lid to the cooler back. Elijah froze. He was almost certain his heart stopped beating. A puff of cool air and mist escaped, and Elijah blinked as his brain attempted to process that he stared at a human heart. There was a human heart in a cooler. In his living room. “Fuck, babe. Please tell me that’s not my mother’s.”

  Shep shook his head. “Your mother is alive and well, still shacked up with that real estate agent in Boca.”

  His relief was short-lived. There was still an actual human heart in his house. “Whose heart is it?”

  Shep cocked his head. “I think you know.”

  David Cane. Elijah swallowed hard. “He’s…”

  “Never going to hurt you or anybody else again,” Shep finished.

  “You’re going to get caught. Somebody will find out,” Elijah said, the words rushing from his lips as panic set in.

  Shep scoffed. “I promise you. We won’t get caught. Everybody thinks he’s fled the country.”

  Thinks he’s fled the country. Did that mean he hadn’t fled the country, or he had fled the country and Shep went and found him? His brain formed questions faster than he could think to ask them. “You traveled here with a human heart in a cooler?”

  “Well I couldn’t exactly mail it back here.”

  Something occurred to Elijah then. “Is… that’s where all of you went? Do they know you merc’d him?”

  Shep chuckled at Elijah’s turn of phrase. “They know. These kinds of jobs are easier with a team. If Jackson and the others had refused to help, I still would have gotten the job done, but having them tag along made for a much tighter plan and some built in alibis.”

  “Alibis?” Elijah parroted.

  “Yeah… my bachelor party.”

  “Your bachelor party…” Elijah repeated. “What bachelor party?”

  “The one that has lots of pictures of us getting drunk in Tijuana. Pictures that are hitting social media any minute now.”

  “You spent four days getting drunk in Tijuana?” Elijah asked between gritted teeth.

  “No, we spent three days assassinating a child predator and one day making it look like we spent four days getting drunk in Tijuana. Keep up, rabbit. Webster’s got this. Nobody is going to find his body. Ever. But on the off chance they did, our timeline is tight as a drum. Cane is dead. We have neutralized the target. He’ll never hurt another child ever again.”

  Elijah relaxed, staring down at the heart of the man w
ho’d abused him. Shep had done that. He’d hunted down Elijah’s monster and slayed him like his very own fairy-tale prince. Shep had killed for him, had risked prison for him. “I wish I could keep it.”

  Shep started to slide the cooler shut but Elijah shook his head. “No, leave it open. Come here.”

  Shep’s brows shot up at Elijah’s request, but he didn’t protest, didn’t question Elijah’s him. He just set the cooler and the small bag on the coffee table, sitting beside Elijah on the sofa. Elijah stood, sliding the robe to the floor and hooking his thumbs into his shorts before sliding them off. Once he was naked, he climbed back on into Shep’s lap, this time facing away from him. He slipped his hands between the cushions and found the lube he’d stashed there earlier. This wasn’t at all how he saw the night going. It was so much better. David Cane was dead. Shep had brought him his tormentor's heart. Sure, it came in an igloo cooler and not on a silver platter, but there was that saying about beggars and choosers.

  “What’s on your mind, rabbit?” Shep asked, running his tongue along Elijah’s spine, his beard scratching as he moved.

  Elijah coated his fingers, rising onto his knees, looking back over his shoulder at Shep. “I’m going to finger myself open and then you’re going to fuck me.”

  Shep growled, sliding his jeans and underwear out of the way, and lubing up his cock. Elijah hissed as he pressed two fingers inside, working them in and out slowly. Shep spread him open so he could watch Elijah’s fingers disappear. “Yeah, fuck yourself for me, rabbit. Does it feel good?”

  Elijah curled his fingers just right, moaning. “Yeah, so good. Not as good as you though.”

  “I’m right here. Whenever you’re ready.”

  Elijah slipped his fingers free, settling himself over Shep, the blunt head of his thick cock already wet as he sank down onto it. “Oh, fuck. God, you’re always so fucking big.”

  Shep gripped Elijah’s hips pulling him down as he rocked upwards until he was buried inside. “You’re always so tight.”