No Filter, page 23
He checked the slim golden watch he was wearing—a rare, expensive present from Duncan. It would fetch at least a grand in a pawn shop, which was the only reason Stephan liked it. It had been five minutes since the guys left. What the fuck was going on?
The door lock released and it opened. Stephan retreated back into the suite, his whole body tight with tension.
“Hello, Stephan.”
He recognized the man’s voice immediately, even before he walked into Stephan’s line of sight, and his body froze. Eric Fitzpatrick, Duncan’s cousin. Equally handsome, but an unimaginably sick fuck. He was way, way worse than Duncan. Got off on rape. Stephan had seen him brutally violate a guy who had stolen from him, right in front of everyone. Fuck, what the hell was happening?
Eric was dressed in an expensive suit, as always. Out of habit, Stephan checked the guy’s pupils. Would he be fucked up on something as well? Didn’t look like it.
“Duncan didn’t tell you, did he?”
Eric made a tut-tut-tut sound, while taking his jacket off, carefully hanging it on a chair.
“Tell me what?”
“He gave you to me. Well, for tonight at least. He owes me, you see, and this is his way of paying off that debt.”
Stephan froze. Duncan had handed him over to Eric? Holy motherfucking hell, he was in so much more shit than he’d ever imagined.
“No response?”
Stephan shrugged with feigned indifference. “Does it matter what I say?”
Eric’s laugh was chilling. “No, but I do hope you’ll resist, at least a little. Struggling turns me on, as you know… You remember Tony, do you?”
Images flooded Stephan’s mind. The guy who had stolen from Eric. Oh, he had struggled, all right. Eric could’ve had him hogtied and gagged, but he didn’t. Even then, Stephan had realized the sick fuck had wanted to hear the guy scream, had gotten off on it. And damn, he had screamed. The rape had been ruthless, ferocious. Eric had fucked his straight, virgin hole until Tony had passed out from the pain, his ass a bloody mess. Stephan had had nightmares about it for days.
“I do,” Stephan said, keeping his voice level. What were his options? Playing it cool and cooperating? Hope that Eric would get bored? Somehow, he doubted the bastard would allow that to happen. He’d make it interesting, somehow.
“Then you know what happens when you struggle.” Eric unbuttoned his shirt sleeves, rolled them up meticulously.
“But if I don’t struggle, how will you get off?” The words flew out of his mouth and he wanted to take them back immediately. Duncan would have backhanded him, but Eric laughed.
“You’re a feisty one! Duncan hasn’t fucked that out of you, huh? No wonder, with a dick that size.” Eric pulled a knife out of his pocket, whipped it open with a lazy gesture. “We’re going to have a wonderful time together, you and me.”
Indy didn’t look at Noah. He’d never be able to finish if he did. “He raped me,” he said, fighting to keep his voice level. “I couldn’t do a damn thing until he had to let go of the knife to tie the condom he’d used. I don’t think he even expected me to fight back at that point. Nobody ever won against the Fitzpatricks, you know. I grabbed the knife, jammed it straight into his thigh. I stood in that hotel suite, Noah, and I watched him bleed out. Waited till I knew for sure he was dead until I called the cops.”
“My God, Indy…”
Indy knew Noah wanted to comfort him, hold him, but he needed to finish the story before he lost the courage.
“I didn’t wanna get charged with murder, so I needed the cops to collect evidence, to prove that he’d raped me and wanted to do it again. Otherwise they’d have never believed me had they ever arrested me. They would’ve thought I was loyal to the Fitzpatricks, had done it to help Duncan. Even then, they weren’t fully convinced. But because I had solid inside intel about the Fitzpatricks’ organization, they agreed to safeguard me and drop the charges for murder in exchange for my testimony. One of the cops turned out to be on the Fitzpatricks’ payroll, however, and ratted my location out to Duncan. He brought three of his strong men and they held me down, tied me up, beat the living crap out of me.”
“Your back.” The words were forced out between Noah’s clenched teeth. His eyes spewed fury.
Even thinking about it made Indy nauseous. The pain had been so blinding, he had passed out. “They poured some sort of acid on me. It burned straight through my skin. The pain knocked me out cold.”
“Oh, baby…” Noah said, his voice thick with emotion.
“I was found hours later by a passerby. They had broken both my arms, my jaw, a couple of ribs, and I had a skull fracture. And my back was nothing but seared flesh. The rape kit came back negative, though. My guess is they planned to but backed out after they’d poured the acid on me. It would’ve hurt them as well, so they left me there, assuming I’d die. I spent months in the hospital recovering, having skin graft after skin graft.”
“How did you know where to stab this guy?”
Indy flashed a wry smile. “I needed to hit a main artery so he’d bleed out fast. I went for the femoral artery. Something I picked up from Grey’s Anatomy. I watched every episode at least twice.”
Noah nodded with a hint of pride, but his face still showed the barely veiled fury. “Were they ever charged for their attack on you?”
“I was still willing to testify after that. They put me in protective custody, kept me under heavy guard all the time I was recovering. The DA was building his case with me as the star witness. After the attack on me everyone was finally convinced I was the real deal, that I wasn’t playing them. My mom died in prison while I was recovering. She was stabbed by another inmate, bled out before the guards could get to her. I’m pretty sure Duncan was behind it. He did warn me he’d go after her, after all. I felt kinda upset, but not all that much, since she’d sold me to him. It felt like she brought it on herself, you know? I didn’t have any other family, so no one Duncan could threaten me with. But two months before the trial was supposed to start, when I was finally recovered enough that I could start living again, I received an envelope. I was staying at a hotel on the other side of the country under surveillance, but still they managed to send me a message.”
“What did it say?”
He swallowed. “‘If you talk, we’ll finish the job.’ They had included a picture of me after they’d beaten me up, passed out on the floor, bloody and broken. I threw up when I saw it. The next day, I escaped my surveillance and took off.”
He grabbed his tea back from Noah and took a gulp to soothe his achy throat.
“I’ve been on the run ever since. He hasn’t stopped looking for me, and he never will. I had someone help me with a fake identity as a woman, and for the most part, I’ve lived as a woman for the past eighteen months. Until I met you and Josh…”
“Indy, what do I do? How do I help you through this?”
Noah’s voice was warm and calm, but the suppressed anger showed in his tense jaw, his clenched fists, his eyes that had not quite pushed back the violence brought by Indy’s story. He was angry on Indy’s behalf and fuck, that felt good.
“Be patient with me. Before yesterday, I thought anything between us was impossible. Maybe I would’ve let you fuck me at some point, because I wanted you too much to keep saying no, but I was determined not to let you in. You were so wicked strong, and what you had with Josh was so special. I felt too damaged for you, was certain you’d never want to be with me if you knew my past and how fucked up I am. But then yesterday evening…” His voice trailed off, searching for the right words.
“You saw I’m as fucked up as you are, only in a different way,” Noah finished the sentence.
Indy nodded, biting his lip.
Noah said, “Did it scare you? Did I scare you? As you put it, that was some serious fucking.”
“No. It helped me see that we’re all messed up, you, me, and Josh, but we cope in different ways. You reached your limits yesterday, and Josh helped you through that. It was beautiful.”
Noah’s brows raised, his head reeling back. “Beautiful? That’s not what I expected you to say.”
Indy smiled. “You should’ve seen Josh's face when he came. Pure bliss.”
“How was it, you and him?”
There was curiosity in Noah’s voice but also traces of hurt. He had to tell him everything. This was a conversation he needed to have up close and personal, however. Indy slid off his stool and stepped between Noah’s legs. “Put me on your lap.”
Noah’s eyes grew big, but he lifted him and set Indy on his legs, turning his stool so Indy’s back was supported by the counter. Indy was only wearing a shirt and boxer shorts, and the two layers of thin fabric did little to prevent him from feeling Noah’s crotch. He put his hands on Noah’s bare chest and let his fingers explore the skin, stroking his pecs, his nipples. The skin was deliciously rough under his fingers. He breathed in Noah’s smell, more sweaty than usual. God, even the tangy odor of the man’s sweat was intoxicating.
“It was healing,” he said. Noah’s muscles tightened where Indy touched him, and he reveled in Noah’s sheer power. “It was what I needed to help me get ready for you. Josh may look like an angel, but his kisses alone are wicked and enough to make me hard as steel.” Indy put a finger on Noah’s lips. “He does this thing with his tongue, where—well, you’ve kissed him, so you know.”
Noah cleared his throat, his breaths quickening. “We haven’t kissed all that much, so feel free to tell me more, and don’t be skimpy on the details.”
“He let me top him,” Indy said, grinding his crotch against Noah’s hardening shaft.
“Did he now?” Noah managed, putting his hands on Indy’s hips and pressing him down, increasing the contact between them.
Indy smiled.
“He sure did. He helped me prepare him and everything.”
Indy rocked his hips back and forth, causing a delightful friction between their bodies. “And then he let me fuck him. It was so much better than I had imagined. My cock all snug and slick in his ass. He’s so tight, so fucking hot. It was wicked fucking pissa.”
“You know you’re killing me here, right?” Noah grunted, pushing his groin upward.
The outline of Noah’s thick erection pressed against Indy’s ass. Indy threw his head back, laughed as delightful tingles teased his body. It was good to see Noah relax again, let go of the anger Indy’s story had caused. “He had trouble…letting go. So I stole your trick.”
Noah met his eyes, laughed. “You called him Joshua.”
“Yup. I barked ‘Dammit Joshua, let go,’ and he blew his wad.”
The deep laugh rumbled through Noah’s chest.
Indy sobered. “I needed that experience with him. To see sex differently, to feel what it can be like. He was so sweet to me, so perfect.”
“I’m glad,” Noah said.
Indy cocked his head and studied him. “Do you mean it? Aren’t you jealous of Josh…or me?”
Noah kissed him, a feather-light touch on his lips. “Yeah, I mean it. And no, I’m not jealous, not anymore. I was yesterday, when I discovered the two of you naked, but that was because I was fucking exhausted and in too much pain. It does things to me, when I’m like that.”
“I didn’t mean to make you jealous.”
Noah smiled. “I know. And just so you know: I was jealous of Josh, not you. I don’t mind sharing him, but the thought that he’d had you first, that was a tough one.”
“He didn’t fuck me,” Indy whispered, strangely warmed by Noah’s admission. “And you know that I don’t want to fuck things up between you two. But I’m ready.”
Noah’s face softened, and he blinked. “For me.” He breathed in deeply, a look of reverence on his face. “I’m yours now, too,” he said. He understood. “I’ll take good care of you, Indy,” he whispered.
“I know you will. I trust you.”
“You’re mine now.”
Indy felt the words in his soul. “I am. And I know I’m sharing you with Josh, and I’m fine with that. He still needs you, and you may need him, because I can’t take your anger. Not yet anyways, and maybe never. But sleeping between the two of you last night, it was special. It felt like home.”
Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Josh walked up into the kitchen from the cellar, wearing running shorts. He gulped down half a bottle of water, then noticed them sitting together. A broad smile lit up his face.
“I see you two have found each other,” he said with a happy smile.
“He’s mine now,” Noah said in an over-the-top stern tone, “So hands off.”
“Oh,” Indy said, pouting his lips, knowing Noah was joking. “Can I at least still kiss him? He’s such a great kisser, and he can make me all hard and ready for you…”
“I can do that my damn self,” Noah grumbled, before yanking Indy’s mouth close and fusing their lips together. Indy’s eyes crossed, and he vaguely heard Josh laughing. Noah’s hot mouth attacked his with so much fervor, Indy wanted to crawl into him. His arms came around Noah’s neck, and he wrapped his legs around Noah’s waist. The deeper contact with his cock sent a shiver through his body. He was gasping for air when Noah let him go.
“You still wanna kiss Josh?” Noah teased, putting his hand between their bodies and squeezing Indy’s shaft. “Seems to me you’re plenty hard.”
Indy moaned. “Who’s Josh?” he said, grinding into Noah’s hand.
“Exactly.” Noah pulled back his hand, much to Indy’s disappointment. He was even more surprised when Noah lifted him off his lap. “As much as I like this, we’re not going to have sex right now.”
“We’re not?” Indy made no effort to hide his disappointment. What the fuck? He was finally ready to let the man claim him and now Noah didn’t want him?
“No. I’m off today, and you and I are going on a date.” He got up from the stool and kissed Indy on his mouth. “As much as I want you, we’re gonna do this right. Get dressed warmly and we’ll find a nice, secluded spot for a picnic, since the weather is brisk, but beautiful.”
Indy stared at him, his mouth slightly open. “You want to take me on a picnic,” he repeated.
Noah lifted his eyebrows. “Problem?”
Indy closed his mouth, considering it. “I guess not. I’ll go get dressed.”
Josh grinned. “I’ll pack you guys some sandwiches.”
17
Noah took Indy to a spot he’d heard about from Owens, who was an avid outdoors fan: a secluded lake in the Adirondacks. The lake was a short hike from a dirt road, a distance he could just about manage considering the pain in his leg. He’d taken the prosthesis off as soon as they’d gotten to the lake, content to let Indy see the real him. He loved that they could share their scars.
It was a bright and clear day, the stark blue sky contrasting with the autumn-colored trees. The crystal clear water of the lake reflected the surrounding mountains, creating a picture many painters would be drooling over. The air hummed with birds, and the water rippled every now and then. Could be beavers, Noah thought, his eyes spotting a beaver dam on the other side of the lake. It was October at its finest; the temperature hovering in the fifties.
“It’s beautiful here,” Indy said, stretching out on the thick fleece blanket they had brought. The tight jeans stretched around his perfect legs and round ass, and it hit Noah how much better he looked compared to four weeks ago. His cheeks had filled in, a rosy color enhancing his soft, pure skin, and his body showed four weeks of healthy eating.
“This time of year it is. Between June and the end of August, the bugs will eat you alive.”
“Did you grow up in this area?”
“No, I’ve lived everywhere. Army brat, remember? I even spent two years in Germany as a kid. Hated it. Met Josh when my dad got transferred to DC and we moved to a suburb in Maryland. Josh and I only moved here ‘cause I got that job at Albany General.”
“Germany? Wow. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like.”
“It was okay. It’s an American base there, so I had little contact with German kids. I learned some German, but it’s all gone. If you learn a language as a kid but stop speaking it before you’re ten or so, you forget it again.”
Indy’s eyes widened. “Really? I never knew.”
Noah nodded. “The brain is weird that way. I became a Patriots fan in Germany, by the way.”
Indy’s brows shot up. “I never even wondered about that. Growing up in Boston, I never had a choice. It’s Pats Nation, you know. Never even realized what an odd choice it is for you and Josh. How come?”
Noah smiled at the fun memories bubbling up in his brain. “My dad wasn’t into football. On the base in Germany, I became friends with this kid from Western Massachusetts, Robby. His dad was the biggest football fan ever, and of course he supported the Patriots. Hanging out with Robby, I sorta got into it and cheered for their team. The Pats have had my loyalty ever since. And since they were from Boston, I became a Red Sox fan, too. When Josh and I started hanging out, he got into it as well. More to please me at first, but now he’s as much of a fan as I am.”
“Well, I’m glad Robby was a Pats fan. Had he been from Texas, you and I would have had a wicked serious problem.”
Indy rolled on his stomach, his face morphing to serious, and studied Noah for a few seconds. “Why did you enlist?” he asked. “You said it was never your dream.”
Noah sighed. Even thinking about his mom made him sad all over again. “My mom died two months before my graduation. She had breast cancer. When she died, I kind of lost my way. Got blind drunk for a while, woke up not remembering where I was or how I’d gotten there. My mom, she had tried to support me best as she could in what I wanted, but my dad didn’t give a shit. He wanted me to become a career soldier, like himself. I didn’t know how to stand up to him, so I signed up to become an army medic. Did my basic training, then did medical training in Texas. In the field, I took more courses and gained a ton of experience. Graves, my CO, liked me, liked my work, so he recommended me for the physician assistant program, which I had just completed when I got blown up. He helped me transfer to a civilian hospital as a PA.”
