Page 17 of Dark Passion

Chapter 11

Daniel

When Mason and I steppedinto the elevator for breakfast, the door opened on the upper floor, and in stepped Charlie looking great. A black and white tee with a large design on the front, rolled sleeves, where you could see his beautiful tan and muscular arms. He wore a pair of distressed black jeans hugging his slim hips. It appeared he’d gotten a little rest, and there were no rope burns that I could see.

“Daniel, what are you still doing here?” I glanced down at my watch and phone. He was an hour late and so was I. “And who is that handsome guy with you? Does Cole know you’re cheating on him?” he said, glancing at Mason, his eyes never leaving him. His eyes sparkled and I could tell from his shallow breathing and biting his lips, Charlie had finally fallen in love at first sight.

“I’m not cheating on him. I’m not a cheater,” I said in my defense. “I’ve been waiting for you, and giving you a chance to wake up and get your mind together. This is my friend who drove me here to look for you.” Charlie flashed his million-dollar smile at Mason, and I’d swear I saw Mason’s legs weaken, and at one point I expected him to faint, and his hands shook when he locked eyes with Charlie.

“I was just going down to get some breakfast and get a cab back to Manhattan.”

“What about the guy you came with?”

“Oh, him. He lost all his money and borrowed some from me, and lost that and started drinking. He wasn’t any fun. And he won’t miss me. When I got in from that private club, he had another dude in bed with him, and that wasn’t my scene, so I slept on the sofa, showered, and dressed in the clothes I purchased, and I’m out of here. Can I ride with you?” Charlie said as he had his eyes covering Mason. I didn’t want to tell him that his life was just getting ready to change, for the better or worse.

When the door opened, we headed to the dining room, and after we’d eaten, Mason and Charlie were good friends, if not promising lovers. They were glaring, biting their lips, touching each other, and practically eye fucking on the way to the parking garage where we’d parked the cab. Mason even opened the car door for Charlie, who appreciated the gesture.

Mason and I were the same age, and Charlie appeared to be just right for Mason. My brother, Sidney, would probably be disappointed to discover that Charlie had moved on, but Sidney was used to men moving on from him.

He couldn’t be depended on, and he had no stable income, that was why he latched on to Charlie in the first place, and forgot all about Cole’s roomie. But such was life. You’d win some and lose some, and Sidney had just lost a troubled rich guy, and Mason was just the right person to help Charlie find himself, and they seemed to have the same sexual appetites for bondage. I hoped the two would work out for my sake, Mason’s and Charlie’s.

As Mason drove, and Charlie sat close to him, arm on his shoulder, and a hand palming Mason’s cock, I imagined, because of the smile on Mason’s lips, and every so often he’d jump and then smile again, and kiss Charlie’s attentive forehead. They were behaving as if they were teenagers out for a spin in one of their fathers’ cars.

I settled back, and fell asleep, hoping Max had called Cole and smoothed over everything before I arrived home. At least I could tell him we’d found Charlie, which I didn’t think Cole gave a damn if I had or not. He was done.

When I woke, we were in the tunnel headed for Manhattan, and soon I’d be in my bed and sleeping next to my partner and in his arms. I must say I needed the rest. I sat up and took a deep breath, because it was refreshing to smell the air of a city. I was a city guy, and I couldn’t take the ocean air, or the inside of a casino for long.

Give me city noises, fire trucks, horns blaring, people coming and going everywhere any time of the day or night to stimulate my senses.

When I glanced at the two lovers, Mason was looking at me in the rear mirror, and I couldn’t see Charlie’s head, because he was slumped over on Mason’s lap. “Are you good, Mason?”

“I am now. Where do you want me to drop you, because I’m going to place the car in the garage and take some time off. We’re going to go back to Charlie’s apartment to chill out for a month or so.”

“Do you think you can handle someone like him?”

“That was me at his age, remember. I know just what to do this time, and I’m not letting him out of my sight. I think I’m in love.Reallyin love,” Mason said, the sincerity in his voice dripping from every word mentioned about love. Perhaps he’d discovered what I had after being away from Julian and away from his influence. I wanted this to work out for Mason, because he needed a break. And so did I.

When Mason stopped at the red light, my phone rang, and I didn’t take the time to look at who was calling. I’d hoped Max had spoken to Cole, and it was him calling, but this was a two-hour ride, I realized too late when I answered it before I could think.

“Daniel here.” I tried to sound upbeat, but when I grasped who it was, it was far too late to do anything but click the red button, but my mindset clicked in when I heard Julian’s voice, and I listened to him because I fell into the Master-slave mentality.

“I’m glad you answered, because I wanted to give you the heads up on what you had in store once you reached home, and before you fell into Cole’s arms. You know me. I wanted to hurt you, but not to the point where you would turn away from me. Like I said, it’s you I’ve wanted, and it’s you I want in my bed and no one else.”

“Why are you calling, Julian?” I tried to assume a mature stance, and somehow let him know I was not that nineteen-year-old boy he’d trained.

“I’m calling you because while you were sleeping, I took pictures of you—”

“I’m going to confess to Cole. He’ll understand.”

“Don’t be so sure,” he said with a chuckle.

“Do you think after you do this there is any chance I’ll go to you willingly?”

“I don’t care if you’re willing or not. I will have you, and you or Cole won’t prevent what is getting ready to happen. I just thought I’d warn you. That’s the least I can do.”

“You’ve wasted your time, because I will hate you for doing this.”

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