Our Little Nest: Book 4 of The Two Timer Series
Page 17
“Are you sure?”
“I said I don’t know them. Now leave me alone before I call the police.” She picked up her dog and hurried off, leaving Adam dumbfounded.
He turned back to his jeep when something struck him, rendering him unconscious.
****
Adam awoke groggily, then the pain followed. His jaw hurt along with his head as he tried to lift it. A blinding light was in his line of vision, causing him to turn from it, only for another to shine on him. He closed his eyes, wanting to shield them with his hands, but unable to use them.
“Having trouble moving?” said a gruff male’s voice. “I had to tie you up, so you can listen. I figured you weren’t a patient person who would sit still.”
“Who are you?” Adam asked, in a hoarse voice.
“Not important, Mr. Potter. What is important, is why are you asking questions about Christopher Huge.”
“That’s none of your business,” Adam stated.
“Wrong answer.”
Adam watched a shadow step in front of the light, punching him in the face. The light returned, as the voice return.
“Answer the question, Mr. Potter; or should I call you Detective Potter?”
“I’m looking for him,” Adam said. The voice was silent for a moment. With his hands tied behind his back, Adam realized his coat and shirt were removed.
“How do you know him?” the voice asked.
Adam said nothing. The shadow returned. This time it pressed something against his chest. An electrical shock coursed through his body, causing his muscles to contract. Adam rocked against the piercing pain that held him until the shadow moved away. Adam gasped for air as he struggled not to pass out. His teeth chattered from the cold and shock.
“Detective Potter, my patience is wearing thin. How do you know him?”
“I—told you—I was looking for—him,” Adam said, biting back the pain.
“Why? Did someone hire you?”
“Yes—but—they were anonymous. They only paid me through a P. O. box.” Adam could feel the control of his muscles coming back.
More silence followed, and Adam hoped the shadow believed his lie and wouldn’t return. He had no clue how long he’d been unconscious. His confinement was a chair strapped to a pole or beam. They’d bound his wrists behind him, his ankles tied to the legs, and his chest strapped to the chair.
They must have my gun, wallet, and cell phone. They know my name and that I’m a detective. If they wanted to kill me, I’d be dead already. So, this is a scare tactic, Adam thought.
A phone rang out and Adam hoped Patrick wasn’t calling him. The ringing stopped, but he couldn’t hear the conversation. A cold breeze washed over him as he braced against its bite.
“All right, Detective Potter, I want you to leave this town and never return. You’re not wanted here. Go back to whoever hired you and tell them you found nothing about Christopher Huge. Or—we’ll visit Patrick. Am I making myself clear, Detective?”
Was Patrick the caller? Adam wondered. Do they now know where he is? A few chosen questions. Patrick could, unaware, give personal information about where he was. I can’t let them near him. “Yes,” Adam groaned at the shadow. A bag went over his head and something had struck him, sending him into another blackout.
****
He came to with a start, slouched over his steering wheel. His shirt and coat were back on, both unbuttoned. His cell, gun, and wallet sat on the opposite seat covered in glass from his broken passenger side window. Adam sat back, as fire rushed through his body and head. He reached for his cell phone and booted it up. The first thing he saw was a picture of Patrick, smiling. A photo he took on his family’s farm when he brought Patrick home to meet them.
“Or we can pay Patrick a visit,” The shadow threatened.
Adam had to protect Patrick. He switched back to his home page and saw messages for him. After reading them, relief washed through him.
“He’s at his parents,” Adam said. He checked for his keys and found them in the ignition. They really want me to leave town, he thought. He started the engine and did as suggested. He was on the road that led to Patrick.
****
Adam made it to the manor late and exhausted. The guards checked his ID and surveyed his injuries but didn’t question them, allowing him to pass. He drove to the back and parked in one of the open garages. He got out of his jeep and walked to a side door connected to the kitchen. He knocked twice. The lock released and the door opened. Patrick stood holding onto the door to steady his legs from too much drinking. The inside was dark and quiet. Patrick stepped aside and allowed Adam to come in.
“Sorry to call so late,” said Adam while Patrick bolted the door.
“At least you finally called,” Patrick snapped.
Adam waited for him to turn around before pulling him in for a kiss.
Patrick wasn’t expecting it and fell into the passion. But then he remembered Adam ignoring his calls and texts and didn’t want to comply with Adam’s wishes. Patrick pushed on Adam’s chest to break away.
The touch flared up Adam’s injury.
Adam released Patrick, cringing from the pain as he covered the area with his hand.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’ll be fine.”
Patrick searched for a light switch and turned it on, shocked to see the bruise on Adam’s cheek and cut lip. “Adam, what happened?”
“It’s nothing, Pat.”
“Why did you flinch?” Patrick moved to him and grabbed his hand, moving it from the spot. He opened Adam’s coat and shirt and saw a burn mark in the middle of his chest. “Nothing Then what’s that?” Patrick demanded.
“I ran into a bit of trouble while investigating something.”
“Someone attacked you?”
Adam brushed his fingers across Patrick’s cheek. “I’ll be okay.”
“Does this have anything to do with Yuri Jin?”
“I had to follow a lead, Pat.”
“So now what? You come to me to patch you up just to leave again?”
“No. I’m here for you, Pat and your parents’ party.”
“You are?”
“I swear, all I want to do is enjoy being with you.” Patrick’s doubts vanished as his concerns for Adam took priority.
“Sit at the table so I can patch you up.”
“Can we go upstairs so I can take a shower first. And I promise you can play doctor with me.” Patrick took Adam’s arm and draped it over his shoulder.
“Walk with me. We can take the servants’ elevator.”
“The servants have an elevator?”
“Of course, we’re not tyrants.”
Once in Patrick’s bedroom, Adam let Patrick undress him. He showered under a waterfall, with massage settings that relieved a lot of Adam’s fatigue. Patrick dried him off and helped him to his king-size bed, laying him on his back.
“That shower was amazing,” Adam said. Patrick gathered the first aid kit and set it beside Adam on the bed, then he straddled him.
“Relax while I work on you.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
Patrick grabbed a tube of burn cream and took gentle care to spread it on Adam’s wound, covering it with gauze and tape. Then he used peroxides on Adam’s cut lip and an ice pack on his eye. “Would you like some painkillers?” Patrick asked.
“No.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Yes, but I don’t want you to leave me.”
“There have to be leftovers from dinner. Do you want to go with me to check?”
“In a minute. Lay with me.”
Patrick climbed off Adam and closed the first aid kit, moving it off the bed. He returned, stripping off his robe and climbing on the bed, laying his head on Adam’s shoulder.
“I need to talk to you,” said Adam.
“What about?”
“A decision we need to make together,” Adam said, giving a deep yawn. Then he closed his e
yes.
“I’m listening,” Patrick said. A lengthy silence came as Patrick blinked at his lover, wondering when he was going to finish. “Adam.” Patrick lifted his head and found Adam had fallen asleep. With care, he rose and gathered the sheets and blanket, covering their bodies, resting his head back on Adam’s shoulder.
Adam shifted and wrapped his arm around Patrick's waist before settling back to sleep.
Patrick nuzzled his face against his detective's strong shoulder before he followed Adam’s example, drifting off.
CHAPTER 25
brOther
Nineteen-year-old Cole dangled a few inches off the ground stripped naked, his wrists tied above his head, connected to a meat hook. To keep himself from spinning, he had to stretch his toes to touch the hay-covered ground. He shivered and sweated as dirt mixed with blood smudged his skin. Whip marks crisscrossed his body. Some welts had broken open, bleeding out. At his feet was a slip of paper with an address on it; the same paper he had passed to Adam.
Three older men stood around him. Two were twins, both clean-shaven, with black hair. They wore faded jeans and button-up tops. One twin chewed on a toothpick while holding a bucket of ice water. He looked to the third man, who stood further away from the brothers, watching.
Another man in his fifties watched a few feet away. His short black hair was peppered with gray. His trimmed beard complemented his solid physique. He was taller than the twins. He nodded his silent order toward the one with the bucket.
With a grin on his face, the toothpick tossed the freezing water at the helpless teen.
Cole let out a muffled cry through his gag as the frigid water embraced his skin, causing him to raise his feet and spin. The two brothers laughed at his discomfort, but the older man didn’t react. He seemed worried as he approached Cole, who was shivering from the water and frosty air that circled him. He reached out, grabbing the captive man’s arm to steady the whirling. Cole was the same age as his son, Christopher, and was his best friend.
Cole looked at the man all the boys called Father, tears streaming from his eyes. The man removed his gag, but held his finger to his lips, telling him to still be quiet. Cole nodded to his instructions.
“I’ve known you since you were a little pup.” His raspy voice burrowed into his ears as Cole’s lower lip quivered and tears swept down his face. Father reached up and brushed his streaks away with his thumb, smudging his dirty cheeks. “I treated you fairly, like the others. I showed no preference, except for Christopher. I’ve given you all the comforts that would make you happy. All I asked is that you conform. Has something changed since then?” Father’s silence and soft nod permitted Cole to speak.
“My brother,” Cole said, in a shaky voice.
“Noah? He’s thirteen. He’s not ready to join you.”
“I don’t want him to.”
“Why not? What we have here is higher than all of us. A blessing, a gift. You were overjoyed when I picked you.”
“Because I didn’t know.”
“And now that you do, you want out; or at least your brother?”
“Just my brother. I’ll do whatever you want.”
“But you broke my confidence by giving information to that detective.”
“Please, let my brother leave here,” Cole pleaded.
The blow to Cole’s back caused him to suck in his breath before crying out a groan.
“He didn’t ask you a question,” snapped the long-haired twin with the whip. He was about to strike again when Father held up his hand. He directed his attention back to Cole.
“You see Cole, rules need to be—followed. When they’re broken, punishment needs to be swift or all hell will break loose.”
“You let Christopher leave,” Cole reminded him.
Another strike from the whip tattooed the back of Cole’s thighs. But this time Father didn’t stop the mayhem as he listened to the cries from the swaying body. On the fifth strike, Father raised his hand, stopping the punishment.
He stepped away and whistled. A female walked into the room holding a young tween’s hand. She walked him to Father. Noah looked from Father to Cole, then back.
Cole watched in horror as Noah smiled and wrapped his arms around Father’s waist, hugging him. Father returned the hug, patting his back.
“You see, Cole? Noah is happy here. He doesn’t want to leave.”
Cole held his tongue, knowing if he spoke, the man would beat him again.
“Noah,” asked Father, parting from him, then stooping down so they’d be at eye level. “Where do you want to be?”
“Here, with you, Father.” Noah grinned, looking at his brother, and instead of being horrified, he turned back to Father.
“Why is Cole here?” asked Noah.
Father glanced over at Cole. “Cole broke the rules,” Father responded.
Noah sighed, then shook his head, still not fazed by his brother’s situation. “Then he should be punished. We need to be a collective,” Noah said.
Father smiled, patting Noah’s head, and looked at Cole.
“You see, Cole? There’s no need to worry. Noah’s perfectly fine.” Father rose and returned Noah to the female. She took his hand and led him away. Once gone Father returned his attention to Cole. “Now, since this is your first offense, I will go easy on you. I believe conditioning will do.”
“Normal time?” asked the one twin holding the bucket.
“No, Cole will need double.”
Cole sobbed as they shoved his gag back into his mouth. He watched as Father walked away in the same direction as his brother.
CHAPTER 26
StAy
“Taste him,” said the voice of the shadow figure.
Adam sat bound to the sturdy chair. His skin tingled from the cool breeze around him, but his bones burned with intense heat. Sweat crawled from his pores as his teeth chattered.
The figure was behind Adam, leaning close to his ear. His breath smelled of burnt tobacco. “Do you hear me, Adam?” the shadow said again.
Adam didn’t reply, resulting in a punch in the gut. He wanted to double over, but his bindings held him to the chair in an upright position. A throaty grunt and choke crawled out of Adam in a fury.
As the pain subsided but lingered, the shadow spoke in his ear again. “Do you hear me, Adam!”
“Y-es,” Adam heaved out.
“Don’t hold back. Pour your desires onto him. That is what he’s there for. He wants you to enjoy yourself. Understand?”
“Yes,” Adam said, more absorbed, like diving underwater.
“Then wake up!” A hand smacked his face, forcing Adam’s eyes open and finding himself staring at a ceiling he didn’t recognize.
Adam sat up and remembered he was in Patrick’s bedroom. It was the middle of the night, and he had a hard-on. He glanced to his side and saw Patrick sleeping soundly on his stomach, his face turned away. Adam reached for his shaft and stroked it, staring at his sleeping lover. But his hand couldn’t do his cock justice. He craved the warmth inside the body next to him.
Adam flipped off the sheets from both their bodies; Patrick didn’t stir. Adam went to the beauty and parted his resting legs. Adam’s mouth watered as he grasped the firm cheeks, spreading them further apart. He dropped and feasted on the velvet entrance, lapping at it until his tongue coated it with his spit. Patrick groaned in his deep slumber, unaware of what was stimulating him.
Adam moved up Patrick’s body and positioned his cock right at his favorite spot. At first, he eased his cock’s tip past the contracted rim. Once the helmet rested inside, Adam could not stop his desire to move. He pushed the length of his cock into Patrick, waking him.
Patrick raised his head, dazed, and gasping at the sudden invasion to his body. Adam pressed down on top of him, his lips close to his ear.
“I needed to be inside you.”
“God, Adam, next time wake me up,” Patrick moaned.
“I thought I did,” Adam snickered. His h
ips moved as Patrick was overwhelmed by the penetrating stimulant. The mattress shook as Patrick scratched at the fitted sheet. His body boiled from the inviting friction.
Adam pulled Patrick to his knees and continued to pleasure him, holding his hips. Adam’s head fell back as he fought against his orgasm coming too soon. He pulled out and turned Patrick around, bringing his cock to his lips.