Betrayed

BETRAYED …Damien’s erection felt like a pike strapped across his groin. His trousers dug into his dick with every step, the material strained to the breaking point. Damien wanted to release it, to have it free and ready for Vic when he walked through the door. He left it fettered, however, content to give Vic all the control. He put down the toilet seat and sat. In the bright florescent light, his left hand looked a little swollen from the injury. That was to be expected. Thankfully, no blood marred the white gauze. By the time he’d finally gotten to the hospital, the wounds had stopped bleeding only to begin again while the doctor and corpsman cleaned it up. They’d also given him every shot known to mankind to keep away infection. He winced as he peeled away the tape, earning Vic’s soft laughter from the door. “You’ll take a strapping that you’ll feel for days and love every minute of it, but you can’t pull off a bandage without sucking in your breath?” “It’s pulling the hair and that’s real torture.” Vic laughed, cupped the back of Damien’s neck, and kissed him, then squatted down. “I promise I’ll be careful. It can’t be as bad as having your balls waxed.” Damien snapped upright with surprise. “You’ve had your balls waxed?” “No way.” He grinned. “Although the idea of having them

nice and smooth for your mouth is intriguing. And vice versa.” “We’ll see how you feel when I come at you with shaving cream and a razor.” Vic shrugged and pressed Damien’s palm to his thigh. “I trust you…”

ALSO BY C ASSIE S TEVENS Addicted Behind Closed Doors Committed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Legacy Model Behavior Secret Lovers The Things We Do For Love

BETRAYED BY CASSIE STEVENS

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

BETRAYED AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2009 by Cassie Stevens ISBN 978-1-60272-508-9 Cover Art © 2009 Trace Edward Zaber

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 1 Vic Williams prided himself on his organizational skills and his ability to get the job done, no matter what the job or circumstances. He was the one to whom others came to make things right. He’d never felt more helpless than at this very moment. Nothing could prepare him for this, for any of it. Not the crushing grief from two little boys who’d lost their mother and the family mourning the death of a daughter, a sister. Not the helpless, stricken expression on Damien Walker’s face as he clutched his sobbing sons. And certainly not this. “Are you okay?” Strong, warm fingers closed over his shoulder. Three days ago, Vic had cursed Reid Hansen’s existence, 1

BETRAYED

seeing him as a threat to Vic’s relationship with Damien. Now the attorney was their salvation, efficiency in action, everything Vic normally was but couldn’t dredge to the surface for the moment. Reid was as good as his word. It was his legal expertise he’d offered to Damien, not a hookup. Vic felt guilty for thinking otherwise of the man. One call and Reid was on his way to San Diego—their first line of defense against a justice system that seemed bent on twisting facts to their own version of the truth. “I don’t know,” he finally replied. The smell was a thousand times worse than Vic had expected. Death—that noxious combination of blood, urine, feces…and decomposition. Gail and her boyfriend had been dead well over twenty-four hours before her father found their bodies. Blood had pooled on the cream-colored carpet three feet shy of the front door. Splatter painted the walls and ceiling, cast off from the baseball bat the killer had used to bash in Paul Ford’s head. Fingerprint dust blotched every surface. It was a vicious murder. Vic didn’t want to know what the bedroom looked like. Thankfully he wouldn’t have to go in there, wouldn’t have to see where Damien’s ex-wife had been killed, a murder just as hate-filled as this one. His primary purpose, his only purpose, here today was to retrieve the boys’ clothing and possessions, except for the aluminum bat used to kill their mother and her boyfriend. “Detectives have cleared the scene,” Reid said. One still hovered nearby to ensure he and Reid didn’t 2

BETRAYED

make off with potential evidence. They were to go in the boys’ rooms and nowhere else. “I can have a cleaning service here first thing in the morning. Sure you don’t want to wait until after they’ve finished?” Vic slowly shook his head. “I have to do something, Reid. I feel so damn helpless. Doug and Keith need the comfort of their things. Damien needs me to do this.” And he’d promised long ago to see that Damien always had everything he needed. “Damien’s depending on me.” “I know.” Reid gave his shoulder an extra squeeze. Vic thanked him silently for the comfort it gave. “I suppose you’re used to stuff like this.” “No, I’m not.” He pulled in a sigh and dropped his hand. “I’m not going to lie to you, Vic. I’ve never seen anything like this. The force and brutality here… This was personal, filled with hate and rage. I can see why the police considered Damien a suspect at first, especially since the boyfriend was killed, too. There was no break-in, so either Gail left her house unlocked…” Which simply didn’t happen in a big city…or even a little one anymore. “…or the killer was someone she knew.” And that was why Damien had been targeted as suspect number one. “Thank God we were in Vegas.” “He would have been with you anyway. Being at home just would have made the alibi…trickier.” Vic suspected Reid had known the truth about them from 3

BETRAYED

the start. This seemed further proof. But he’d spent too many years—a lifetime—protecting his secret. Vic wasn’t going to blow that now to satisfy his curiosity. “Let’s go in back and come in through the kitchen so we can avoid…” Stepping in it, near it, around it. From where Vic stood, there was no way to miss the blood. “Good idea.” Reid motioned to the police detective—Gage was his name—watching from the driveway, then wasted little time heading in that direction. The detective didn’t budge. So much for diligently observing their movements. Vic and Reid each carried small overnighters Doug and Keith Walker had used for their weekend at Disneyland with Gail’s parents. Vic hated to think what might have happened if the boys had been in the house. Maybe the killer wouldn’t have come by if the kids were home. That meant the person was attuned to Gail’s life and knew the boys were gone. Someone close. Too close. Vic shut off the images and speculations running through his head. It wasn’t his job to find out who murdered the couple. His job was to take care of Damien. The gate was locked on the redwood fence. Vic crawled over the top to open it and landed on the trashcans. The clatter roused the dog next door—a yappy little something clearly unafraid of anything and most likely had a lethal ankle bite to go with its threat. Its call to action alerted its neighbors. Before Vic could get the key in the lock, a chorus of barks surrounded them. No one could have snuck into this house undetected. 4

BETRAYED

The backyard was a haven for boyhood activity. Grass had worn down in patches around a fort. Sports equipment was scattered everywhere, which clearly had provided a weapon of opportunity for the killer. A basketball hoop hovered over a small apron of cement. A small grill sat tucked against the house near what looked like a new picnic table. Chaise lounges hugged the shade from the overhanging eaves. The front of the house was magazine perfect; the back belied that image, and so did the stench of empty beer bottles. “Looks like someone had a party.” Reid pointed to the overflowing recycling bin. “Or got seriously drunk.” He glanced over his shoulder. The detective now stood just inside the gate, monitoring them while he made notes on his PDA. Vic unlocked the kitchen door and swung it open. He peered inside first, then dared a step over the threshold. Reid didn’t push, just let him take the time he needed. Here, too, perfection reigned. Yet just around the corner real destruction ruled. “Gail’s mother said there were more suitcases in the garage.” “I’ll get those.” Reid set the bag he’d been carrying on the floor and opened the adjacent door. Vic’s heart thudded at the flash of red before he realized it was Gail’s burgundy van. He hauled in focus and turned toward the dining nook. Lemon yellow table and chairs painted a sunny scene for a bay window filled with hanging plants. One look in the other direction… 5

BETRAYED

Vic swallowed. The turmoil didn’t go down. I’m a Marine. I can do this. He locked onto his target—the hallway—and refused to let his gaze wander. Quick strides took him to his goal…and more devastation. Glass littered the carpet from where the assailant had shattered the photos on the wall. Not every photo—just those with images of Gail and Damien in them. The impact had destroyed the pictures and put holes in the drywall. “Holy shit,” Reid muttered from behind. Vic seconded. “They were divorced. Why would Gail continue to have pictures of her and Damien on the walls?” “For their sons?” Reid guessed. “Could’ve been meant to rub it in Damien’s face whenever he came to get the boys. Was this their house when they were married?” Vic shook his head. “No. They sold that one. They wanted a clean slate, more or less. This doesn’t make sense, considering how much grief she gave him.” “Maybe she regretted the divorce. Hard to say what gets in people’s heads, even stuff they don’t realize is in there. But this…” Reid’s face twisted as he puzzled this through. “This looks like jealousy.” Yes, it did. “I wonder if she did it. They fought over the kids on the phone prior to her…death. She threatened Damien and hung up. He didn’t call her back. It might have pissed her off that he didn’t react.” “Threatened to tell his commanding officer he’s gay?” Damien tried not to flinch. There was the answer he’d been 6

BETRAYED

looking for. “So, you do know.” “I do. And, no, you two don’t give off vibes or anything like that. Let’s just say I swing both ways and have learned to pick out like individuals. I recognized Damien was upset when we first met, had a feeling it was a domestic dispute, and offered to help. So, did she threaten to out him?” “We don’t know.” Vic glanced toward the bedrooms, doors wide open. Bloody footprints led from the master bedroom. “As far as Damien was aware, Gail didn’t know he was gay. There were other issues… Look, you’re Damien’s attorney. You’ll have to talk to him about it.” “No need.” Reid scanned the photos. “As I said, I’ve become very good at reading body language. I suspect we’re kindred spirits in more ways than one. The fact you called me even though you thought I was making a move on your man tells me you’re dedicated to taking care of him. That tells me all I need to know for now.” He edged past Damien and shut Gail’s bedroom door. “There are some things loved ones should never see. Now you don’t have to lie to him if he asks about it.” “Thank you.” His gaze settled on a family photo not destroyed in the rampage. The All-American Barbie and Ken couple—blonde and blue-eyed with two adorable boys who were the perfect genetic combination of their parents. The façade hid the truth and unhappiness of two people caught in a marriage that was a front from the start. The veil that covered the secrets Damien did his best to keep from his wife. Judging from the 7

BETRAYED

destruction around them, Vic wondered if Gail didn’t have a few secrets of her own. She definitely had issues. “I’ll protect Damien at any cost,” he told Reid. “Understood. Just make sure you don’t utter those words in front of the wrong people. You can’t help Damien from behind bars. The last thing either of you need right now is to have the alibi all screwed up. Once the shock wears off, neighbors and family are going to be out for blood. I’d prefer it wasn’t yours or Damien’s.” “Good. Then we’re all on the same page.” Vic brushed by to go to one of the boys’ bedrooms. Reid hooked his arm and pulled him to a stop. “Trust me.” Those startling dark blue eyes bored into Vic. “I know what’s at stake for the two of you.” Vic didn’t blink. “If I didn’t trust you, you wouldn’t be allowed near Damien.” A half smile lifted one corner of Reid’s mouth. One nod acknowledged Vic’s rights. Without another word, they stepped away from each other and on to the bedrooms to pack what they could of Doug and Keith’s possessions.

8

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 2 His sons wanted answers. Damien Walker had none. This was the worst nightmare of their young lives, far surpassing the divorce that had split apart their family. He was now their sole anchor in a nightmarish world where bad guys reigned. The minute they’d seen him arrive at their grandparents’ home in San Diego, the two hurled themselves into his arms. Damien could feel their hearts thudding from the anguish. They’d clutched his neck, hugging their bodies against his while they cried. Two days ago, their only worry was whether or not they’d be able to hit all the rides at Disneyland. Now they had to deal with the permanent loss of a parent. For all their differences, Damien and Gail had prepared 9

BETRAYED

themselves for the possibility of Damien being killed in action. Being a Marine in the current world situation made death too real a threat. But it was Gail who’d died—a stark reminder no one was immune to the inevitably of death, that it hit anyone and everyone regardless of age or profession. It’d been a little over a week since Damien had seen Doug and Keith. While the three of them clung to each other and the boys cried against his neck, he let himself marvel over how much they’d grown in that short period of time. He missed so much not being with them daily. Then guilt flooded his heart when Damien realized he’d no longer be restricted to a visitation schedule. Yes, he’d wanted more time with them, but not at the expense of their mother’s life. He hadn’t dared glance up at Vic then, knowing he’d probably fall apart. His sons needed him strong and confident. They needed to be able to lean on him. Damien would lean on Vic later. Gail’s parents and sister gave Damien and the boys the privacy they needed. Vic went to the house to retrieve the boys’ things. Reid had worked his lawyer magic in the short time since Vic had called him, removing roadblocks and clearing the way for Damien to take care of his boys. Damien still couldn’t believe he’d agreed so quickly to help. They barely knew each other, if you could call meeting in a casino and talking for less than thirty minutes knowing. Yet here he was, pro bono as promised. He’d been waiting outside the house when they arrived, then driven Vic over to Gail’s. That left Damien with the boys and the questions he 10

BETRAYED

expected—what’s going to happen to us, am I going to have to go to a new school, did you help the police find the man who hurt Mom?— while in the back of his mind Damien planned a funeral, reminded himself to file emergency leave papers, worried about moving and storage, school registration, and contacting his family. At some point, the boys had noticed the white gauze bandage wrapped around his left hand and asked about it. He’d cut it on glass while changing a flat tire. Did it hurt? they wanted to know. How could he begin to explain it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as being away from them when they needed him the most? Now he sat at the Lewises’ dining room table while the boys watched Iron Man for the seventy-fifth time and alternately stared at the growing to-do list and his cell phone, while Gail’s parents and sister fidgeted in the other chairs. Bud Lewis cleared his throat and locked his fingers on the table. “We’ve already contacted the mortuary and the funeral is scheduled for day after tomorrow. We won’t have her bod— Her…” He swallowed. “She can’t have an open casket anyway, so…” He pulled in a breath. “We felt we should be the ones to make the arrangements for our daughter, given the fact you were divorced.” No argument there. “She did have specific wishes,” he told them. They might have been divorced, and she was very often the wicked bitch of the west, but it was the least he could do for her. “I’m well aware of what my sister’s wishes were.” 11

BETRAYED

Damien glanced up at Marjorie. The glare in her blue-gray eyes was so like her older sister. It was the only similarity between the two other than the blonde hair. Gail was a beauty; Marjorie was nothing more than her pale shadow. “Gail and I talked about everything. We had no secrets between us,” she said. It almost sounded like a threat. Damien tamped down his anger. He refused to be baited. At the very worst, all Gail would have told Marjorie was that he’d professed a need for a submissive role in the bedroom. As far as he knew, Gail didn’t know he was gay on top of it. Besides Vic, only his family knew, and they liked to pretend it wasn’t so. Mentioning it to another soul would make it real, and they liked their heads buried in the sand, their so-called shame hidden from the world. He hated like hell to have to call them. But God forbid they hear about Gail’s death elsewhere. “Would you know if her boyfriend kept anything in her house?” he asked Marjorie. “I wouldn’t want the movers to inadvertently pack it up.” “You won’t be packing up anything,” she snapped. “Those are my sister’s things. You lost your right to any of it when you walked out on her.” Okay…now he was mad. “First of all, clearly you were misinformed. I didn’t walk out on Gail. She asked for the divorce. Secondly—” “I’m very aware she asked for divorce, and I know why. You disgusting—” “Enough.” Grace Lewis stabbed her index finger into the 12

BETRAYED

table. “Now is not the time to stir up garbage that doesn’t matter. Damien is here, honoring her as best he can. Let’s just get through this.” Marjorie turned her head and closed her eyes. Tears slipped from beneath the lids. “And secondly,” he continued, “by law everything in the house, everything Gail owned, now belongs to Doug and Keith, unless her will states otherwise. Family mementoes will be kept and shared. Everything else will be liquidated and put toward the boys’ college fund. That’s what she would have wanted. Now…did her boyfriend have his things there?” Grace let out a slow breath. “Until Bud opened the front door and found him, we didn’t know she had a boyfriend.” Talk about a what-the-fuck moment. A deep flush covered Marjorie’s face. Damien battled the urge to point out that she apparently didn’t know all about her sister. “She told me he was taking her and the boys to Hawaii for Christmas,” he said. Why lie about something like that? Grace shook her head. Bud shrugged. Marjorie’s flush deepened. She vaulted from her seat and dashed for the kitchen, returning seconds later with yet another beer—her third since he’d arrived. “She never said a word to me,” Grace said. “Bud and I had the boys since Friday after school. Not once did they mention a steady boyfriend, and you know how they love to talk.” They did like to talk. Now that he thought of it, they’d never mentioned a boyfriend to him either. “Then why did the police say it was a boyfriend?” 13

BETRAYED

“Who knows what those idiots are doing,” Bud spat out. “They questioned me for hours before they finally let me go, like I could’ve done such a…” His chin quivered with the tears. Damien felt for the man, walking into something like that, seeing his daughter… “Maybe the information came from her neighbors. The police won’t tell us anything.” Grace looped her fingers around Bud’s. “We know she dated a lot, but didn’t think there was anyone serious. She might have asked for the divorce, Damien, but she didn’t take it well at all. Whatever your problems, she loved you very much and regretted losing you.” He didn’t want to hear this, not now, not ever. Their marriage had been a mistake from the start—his attempt to lead a “normal” life. The only good thing that had come of it was Doug and Keith. No matter how miserable he and Gail had made each other, Damien would never regret that the misery gave him his sons. “Vic and Reid should be back shortly. Reid got us some rooms at a Holiday Inn Express so that’s where the boys and I will be.” “They’ll be happier here for now.” Bud’s voice shook with every word. “They can run off energy outside, watch TV, have someone with them… You’ll have a lot to do, and a motel… Please let them stay. We’ll see so little of them once you take them back with you.” He couldn’t refuse. They’d lost their daughter, were devoted to the boys, and it was in the boys’ best interests to 14

BETRAYED

stay in the comfort of a home rather than being cooped up in a motel room. “Thank you.” He lifted his cell. “I need to call my family. Her friends?” He lifted an eyebrow Marjorie’s way. “Her work knows. The school. Friends…” Another shrug. Whether she didn’t know or didn’t care or was telling him to fuck off, Damien couldn’t guess. Again, he let it go, but he stored her reaction for the future. Maybe thinking she knew everything about her sister was Marjorie’s way of dealing with her grief. “She probably has her friends’ numbers on her cell phone or address book. We can get those from the house. If the police already have them for evidence, I’ll ask Reid to get the information from them. Although, once the word gets out…” Others would find out, share the news…which was why he really needed to contact his parents. Not a conversation he looked forward to having, even on a good day. “We’ll give you some privacy,” Bud said. Their offer of staying over didn’t extend to Damien, which was just as well. He wouldn’t have accepted, and they wouldn’t have meant it. One by one, they pushed away from the table. The halfempty beer bottle dangled in Marjorie’s loose grip. She tossed the contents down as they went their separate ways—Grace to the living room with the boys, Bud outside to clear his head, and Marjorie to the kitchen for yet another beer. Damien stared at his cell phone, dreading the conversation. Finally, he called up their number and punched it through. His mother answered on the first ring. “Where are you? What happened? The police called here 15

BETRAYED

Sunday evening looking for you. What have you done now?” No hello. No pleasantries. No concern for his welfare. Damien came close to hanging up. “Gail was murdered over the weekend.” “Good God! Did you do it?” He wouldn’t dignify that with an answer. “The boys are fine. Thank you for asking. They’re with Gail’s parents and weren’t in the house when it happened.” “Was it a break in? Rape? Drugs? That neighborhood she chose—” “The police are investigating. She and her boyfriend were…” Bile rose to his throat. He couldn’t say the words, couldn’t get the details out. “They were both killed. Hit in the heads with a baseball bat.” And really that was all Damien knew. His mother didn’t need to know the police had originally thought he was a suspect. “This never would have happened if you’d stayed married.” She clucked her tongue. “Her loose ways, that alcoholic sister of hers…somehow I’m not surprised it led to this. Thank God the boys are all right. They’re better off without her. She simply wasn’t a good woman, not the right one for you. I do have someone I’d love you to meet. A lovely woman, goes to our—” “I’m not getting into this discussion with you now, Mom.” Or ever for that matter. “Of course, dear.” Verbal pat on the head. “Thoughtless of me. It’s natural you’d still have feelings for Gail despite the way she left you. Once it’s finally behind you, you’ll be able 16

BETRAYED

to move on. When are the services? Doug and Keith will remember this for the rest of their lives. We want them to know all of their family is there. It’s bad enough that woman never let us—” “Stop. Not another word. This is their mother.” “Far be it from me to speak ill of the dead, dear. I just felt you should know the truth about how things really were.” The truth? God help him, he tried not to laugh at the irony, tried not to scream at his mother that they’d never wanted or accepted anything close to the truth, not when a lie suited their purposes more easily. Vic stepped into his line of sight. A frown carved a deep furrow between his eyebrows. The man had more ways to say I love you than any other person in the world. His presence alone gave Damien the strength he needed to keep his calm. “I’ll let you know once the arrangements are made. I presume you’ll notify the rest of the family?” “Of course, dear. I’m shocked you would suggest otherwise. We all want to support you during this tragic time.” Yeah, because they’d always been so ready with their support in the past. “If you need to reach me, call my cell. I’ll be here at least through the rest of the week, then the boys and I are going back to Twentynine Palms.” “That godforsaken patch of dried up—” “Good-bye, Mom.” He ended the call without another word. “I see that went well.” Vic tucked his arms over his chest and rocked on his feet. 17

BETRAYED

“Just about how I expected.” He stood and stuffed his phone in his trouser pocket. “How’d things go for you?” Vic’s wince was so subtle Damien might have missed it if he’d blinked. “We put as much of the boys’ things in all the suitcases as we could.” “Was it…bad?” “Yeah…” His Adam’s apple bobbed with his swallow. “Real bad.” “I want to know…all of it.” Vic’s nod was hesitant. “Once the boys are asleep.” “They’re staying here. We all felt it was less disruption for them.” Another nod. “Reid went to the police station to see where they stand on the investigation. He’ll meet us for dinner later.” “Good. I learned a few things myself tonight he’s going to want to know.” “Anything that points to someone?” Damien shook his head. “It only deepens the mystery.” “I’m ready to leave when you are.” “Let me say good-bye to the boys.” He stopped next to Vic when he walked by, drawing in more of his strength. “We’ll get through this,” Vic said softly. Damien nodded. “I can face anything as long as we’re together,” he whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.” “I need you tonight.” “I know.” Vic’s deep-throated tone sank into Damien’s veins, promising anything and saying I love you all over again. 18

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 3 Vic didn’t spare Damien any of the details about the murder scene. The images would haunt them both for the rest of their lives and Damien hadn’t seen it firsthand. He didn’t have to. He trusted Vic’s impressions and observations. The horror of Gail’s last few minutes made Damien sick inside. Tension coiled in his muscles. The attack had been personal, but who among her acquaintances could have been this…brutal? “I feel…violated.” “I don’t blame you,” Vic replied quietly. “It might not have been your house or your wife, but it’s still an attack on yours nonetheless. I feel that way, too, in some respects 19

BETRAYED

because it happened to you and yours. The shock of it… The house… The pictures…” “I’m glad Reid kept you from seeing the bedroom.” Damien wished he hadn’t agreed to let Vic go over in the first place. They should have listened to Reid and waited until the cleaning crew finished. He could have bought the boys new clothes and stuff to keep them occupied. He still had the bulk of his Vegas winnings stashed in the bottom of Vic’s suitcase. But Vic had needed to do something. Energy had shimmered over him, interwoven with his need to help. “Gail was a beautiful woman,” Vic suddenly said. “Yes, she was.” Damien had told himself that from the moment he met her. A beautiful woman any man would want, a beautiful woman to help him be the man he thought he should be, a beautiful woman to prove he loved women and not men…one man. All the beauty in the world couldn’t change the facts. In the end, Damien finally admitted it to himself, finally accepted who he was. He’d hurt her and regretted that…and she’d been making him pay every second since. “All those pictures smashed like that. I hate to think what—” Vic cut the sentence off. Damien knew he’d been about to speculate on what had been done to Gail and her supposed boyfriend. “I wonder if that’s why the boyfriend was a secret.” Damien rubbed his chin while he stared out at the traffic around them. “Maybe he had a jealous ex.” “It sure sounds like it.” Vic eased around a big rig and into 20

BETRAYED

their exit lane. “Or maybe he wasn’t completely unattached. That would explain why she’d kept the relationship quiet.” From everyone except him. “Planning a trip to Hawaii isn’t exactly what I’d call quiet. Do you suppose she lied?” Damien had been wondering that himself, but he couldn’t figure why she’d do that. There’d be no point, except to torment him over the boys, and she certainly loved doing that. But then she could have simply said she was taking the boys to Hawaii over Christmas. “If she lied, then who’s the dead man in her house?” “At that time of night? I can’t begin to guess. Maybe Reid can get some answers for us.” The man was definitely a force to be reckoned with. “He knows about us.” Damien’s heart jolted with the shock. “You told him?” Vic darted a glance from the corner of his eye. “You know better than that. I told you from the start I thought he was hitting on you.” Damien remembered. He also remembered the possessive fucking Vic had given him as a result. The memory surged into his cock. The hard length stretched his khakis. He readjusted his erection to a more comfortable position, knowing by Vic’s smirk that he’d seen. It made Damien want to whip it out and stroke it, make Vic lust after it. He would have, too, if they hadn’t been at a stop light with cars all around. 21

BETRAYED

“He says he’s bi and has learned to recognize like individuals. I think he suspects about our other activities as well.” Now Damien’s balls hurt. He readjusted them as well. “Now you’re just showing off.” Vic nudged his arm. “Teasing me with what I can’t have at the moment?” “Never.” He managed a smile. “Not when I know the repercussions involved.” He lived for those repercussions—at Vic’s mercy, submitting to his every order, feeling the pleasure roll through him when Vic took the control Damien placed in his hands. The rush was like nothing else in the world. It usurped everything, banished tension, powered his energy to face the world. Filled his heart to bursting with love. Vic made a quick adjustment of his own the second the light turned green, earning him a toot from the car behind them. “Some people are just so impatient.” “I know I am.” He brushed his fingers up Vic’s thigh, smiling when the muscle clenched. “Just the thought of having your hot body wrapped around mine drives me to distraction. Every day I hold on to the promise night brings. Knowing I have you gets me through the day and chases all the bad away. You’re my addiction, better than all the liquor and drugs in the world. You make me feel alive. Every part of me aches when we’re apart. My heart, my body, my soul. Yes…I’m damned impatient.” Vic dropped his hand over Damien’s and squeezed. “Yeah. Me, too.” Another squeeze and Vic released him to drive. He pulled into a parking spot at the rear of the hotel. “I got 22

BETRAYED

the keys from Reid earlier. Two connecting rooms. I don’t know if he’s staying here or not. He put the rooms on his credit card to secure them, but indicated we could settle the account at registration when we check out.” “Good.” Reid was doing enough for them already. Paying for a hotel room on top of it was out of the question. They retrieved their clothes bag and two small suitcases from the backseat and walked to the glass door. Vic stabbed the key into the slot and swung open the door. Their rooms were right by the door, a corner room and the one next to it. Quiet, convenient, and relatively safe with the restricted access. The room itself was the standard—two queen beds, TV on a dresser console, desk, small bathroom. A door to the left led to the adjoining room. “It’s not a spa suite at the Galaxy, but it’ll do.” Vic set his suitcase next to the dresser. “At least we got to see how the other half lives for a few days.” And had enjoyed the hell out of Damien’s slot machine windfall. He hooked the clothes bag in the closet. “You suppose the money will be safe in your suitcase?” They hadn’t had time to deposit it in Damien’s bank account. “I hope so.” Vic shut the drapes. “We could look for a local branch of your bank and see if they’re still open to make a deposit.” “Not tonight.” With the days to come, Damien might need the ready cash and decided to take his chances. “How long before we’re supposed to meet Reid for dinner?” 23

BETRAYED

“Two hours. There’s a steak place down the street.” Vic’s warmth radiated against Damien’s back. He leaned into the heat and strong arms embraced him. Damien draped his arms over Vic’s. It felt good just standing here like this, Vic’s breath steady and strong next to his ear. “How’s your hand feeling?” Vic turned up Damien’s bandaged palm. “More annoying than anything else, but I don’t think I’d want to be without the bandage.” The cuts, though bad, hadn’t required stitches. Vic traced his fingers over the veins in Damien’s wrist. Tiny shivers sank into his bloodstream. Vic pressed his thumb over the pulse. The rise of his cock against Damien’s ass thrummed in time with his pulse beat. Damien turned his face to Vic’s, nudging until Vic shifted his lips nearer. Vic caught Damien’s lower lip between his and rolled it beneath his tongue. Then he did the same with the top lip. But when Damien tried to seal their mouths in a kiss, Vic eased away. “I’d feel better if we could take a look at it now,” he said. “Maybe change the dressing.” Damien drew breath to protest, then conceded the request with a nod. They were behind closed doors, slipping into their roles as Dom/sub. The caregiving was a prelude to that. “Go into the bathroom and wait for me,” Vic said. “I’ll get everything and be right there.” His erection felt like a pike strapped across his groin. His trousers dug into his dick with every step, the material strained 24

BETRAYED

to the breaking point. Damien wanted to release it, to have it free and ready for Vic when he walked through the door. He left it fettered, however, content to give Vic all the control. He put down the toilet seat and sat. In the bright florescent light, his left hand looked a little swollen from the injury. That was to be expected. Thankfully, no blood marred the white gauze. By the time he’d finally gotten to the hospital, the wounds had stopped bleeding only to begin again while the doctor and corpsman cleaned it up. They’d also given him every shot known to mankind to keep away infection. He winced as he peeled away the tape, earning Vic’s soft laughter from the door. “You’ll take a strapping that you’ll feel for days and love every minute of it, but you can’t pull off a bandage without sucking in your breath?” “It’s pulling the hair and that’s real torture.” Vic laughed, cupped the back of Damien’s neck, and kissed him, then squatted down. “Here, let me. One yank—” Damien jerked away his hand. Chuckling, Vic pulled him back and cradled his hand. “I promise I’ll be careful. It can’t be as bad as having your balls waxed.” Damien snapped upright with surprise. “You’ve had your balls waxed?” “No way.” He grinned. “Although the idea of having them nice and smooth for your mouth is intriguing. And vice versa.” “We’ll see how you feel when I come at you with shaving cream and a razor.” 25

BETRAYED

Vic shrugged. “I trust you.” He pressed Damien’s palm to his thigh. “Seriously, I don’t like hair pulling either. Here’s my trick…” He tugged the skin taut and yanked off the tape. Damien barely felt it. “Wow…thanks. The boys are going to love you.” “I hope so,” he replied softly. “Let’s see.” Vic pointed to his hand. Damien eased aside the gauze. It stuck in a few spots, but came away without reopening the wounds. Ten cuts stared up at him, the deepest on the heel of his hand. If he’d slipped in the rain, he could have sliced his wrist. “Not too bad.” He glanced up, expecting Vic’s nod. But Vic just stared. “You okay?” Damien ducked down to catch his gaze. Vic blinked and pulled back his shoulders. “Sure. Just thinking of you out there in the pouring rain, changing that flat.” “It was a stupid mistake. I should’ve been more careful.” Vic cupped his hand again and, for a moment, Damien thought he might kiss the cuts. Instead, he ran his thumb over the wrist, then pulled in a breath and handed the antibiotic cream to Damien. “I’ll get the gauze and tape ready.” Damien lifted Vic’s chin with his injured hand until Vic’s gaze met his. “Hey…what’s going on?” Vic offered a half-smile. “I just love you is all. Wish things were different, that we didn’t have to sneak around and cover 26

BETRAYED

all our bases so no one gets suspicious.” “One day we will.” But that wouldn’t come while they were both in the Marine Corps. “I want you in my life, Vic. I’ll take you any way I can have you. If that means we have to live this way, then so be it. It’s definitely preferable than not having you at all.” Vic turned his face into Damien’s palm. He inhaled, then circled his tongue in the center. Pleasure rippled up Damien’s arm and shivered over his shoulders and down his chest. Vic licked the webbing between his thumb and forefinger and then sucked Damien’s thumb into his mouth. His cock swelled all the more, threatening to snap the threads in his trouser seams. Vic released him on a deep groan. His brown eyes glazed with lust so raw Damien swore he could see cum backed up in them. “We’re wasting time.” His husky voice speared Damien’s gut. He yanked his attention to redressing the wound. “I’ll bet this tape would tie you to the bed feet very nicely,” Vic said as he tore small strips to hold the gauze in place. “Facedown, spread wide, pillows lifting your ass.” A surge dampened Damien’s trousers. There wasn’t enough tape to wrap his wrists together securely, much less bind him to the bed, but it was a hell of an image. “You’re going to make me come,” he said on a rush of breath. “No doubt about that.” He dropped his hand to Damien’s crotch, tracing the outline of his erection between his fingers. “As many times as I possibly can. But not until my dick is buried so deep in your ass you feel the tip poking out your 27

BETRAYED

belly button.” He feathered his fingers up Damien’s torso as he stood, pausing only once to pinch Damien’s nipple lightly. Damien clenched his jaw against the rush. “That’s right,” Vic’s voice fucked him. “You don’t come until I’m ready for you to do so.” He leaned close to his ear. “And I’m damn ready.” He nipped Damien’s earlobe, rolling the flesh slowly between his teeth. Damien pressed his lips against whimpered moans and fought the urge to squirm on the seat and let his trousers stroke his erection. Vic circled his tongue over the shell of his ear, flicked the lobe once more, then eased away. “If I didn’t want to be in your ass so bad, I’d whip my dick out right here and now and shove it in your hot mouth. Because if there’s anything sweeter than your ass, it would be your mouth.” Vic took his hand and urged Damien to his feet. Hugging him from behind, Vic turned them to face the mirror. Damn, they looked good together—Damien’s blond head next to Vic’s brown. Both of them equal in height and stature, muscles honed from years in the Marine Corps. Vic loosened Damien’s belt buckle, eased his zipper down, then slowly pushed his trousers and boxers down until Damien’s erection bobbed free. He sighed with relief and sagged into Vic. Vic rubbed around the base, tugging slightly at the bush of blond hair, but never once touching the erection that craved him. Damien clutched Vic’s forearms, watching the color in his cock 28

BETRAYED

deepen to a dark red, the head swell to a shiny purple, and the tip cry cum-tears of want. “It’d be a shame to cover up such a beauty,” Vic said. “I’m going to love the feel of your hot cum spurting on my stomach while I’m fucking you.” He caught a drop of pre-cum on the tip of his finger and brought it to his lips. Damien’s balls tightened when Vic sucked his finger. Vic nudged his erection against Damien’s ass. “I don’t think I have the patience for much foreplay right now.” Damien selfishly admitted to disappointment. He needed the euphoria of discipline to release the strain from the last twenty-four hours. But he’d promised control to Vic, trusted Vic to see to his needs in that regard. Obviously, Vic felt he didn’t need it now. The sex would still be supreme. “Take this off.” Vic plucked at his dark green pullover. Damien grabbed the hem and hoisted it over his head. Vic’s hands spanned his pecs, fingers scissoring over his nipples. Tiny shocks zinged down his torso. “I love when we’re all oiled up and gliding together.” Damien did, too. The heat generated could power half the United States, although the first time they’d tried it they’d had a hell of a time holding on to each other. Damien smiled at the memory. “Yeah.” Vic laughed lightly. “We’ve learned a lot since then, haven’t we?” Things that would fill a book. Damien caught Vic’s reflection in the mirror and grinned. “One day we might even 29

BETRAYED

master satin sheets.” “One day.” He fisted Damien’s cock and squeezed. Damien tossed his head back on a groan and thrust forward. Vic loosened his hold and stepped away. He knelt behind Damien, hot fingers roaming his thighs up and down, cupping his testicles only to drift away too quickly for Damien’s liking. Then he slid Damien’s clothing down to his ankles until it wadded on top of his sneakers. One by one, Vic unlaced the shoes and tugged his feet clear. Vic licked and sucked his way back up Damien’s body. He pressed forward and nudged Damien’s legs apart. Damien braced his hands on the sink and spread for him. Vic parted Damien’s butt cheeks and trailed his tongue up and down the crack. Damien edged backward, lifting and spreading his ass for more. Vic rasped his teeth over his butt, nipping at the skin every so often. Then he dove lower and twirled his tongue over Damien’s anus. Eyes closed, Damien rocked into it, gripping the edge of the sink to keep his hands off his dick. He nearly wept when Vic stopped and pulled away. Then he heard the whisper of Vic’s clothes coming off. The rattle of his belt buckle let Damien know what was coming next. He braced himself for the first stroke, body quivering with anticipation. Leather brushed up his spine, scattering goose bumps in its wake. Vic tickled it down between Damien’s cheeks and over his thighs. It kissed his hips and stomach, then stroked over his erection. Vic looped the belt around Damien’s cock and drew it tight. The weight did little to pull his erection down. The tip 30

BETRAYED

dangling against his balls added to the heft. Vic grabbed the edge and pulled. “Come with me. There’s a soft bed calling our names.” Using the belt as a leash, Vic led Damien into the other room. Vic yanked the bedcovering down to the sheet and pushed Damien to the bed. “Face me. Knees up and wide.” He cupped Damien’s sac. “I want to see every glorious thing about you.” Damien didn’t hesitate. Vic groaned his appreciation. He tightened the belt and draped the length over Damien’s sac. Vic stroked his cock and raked a hot gaze down him from head to toe. “I’m taking you bare again,” he said. “Know why?” “Because I’m your man,” Damien gasped out. Vic’s “mmmm” rumbled through him. He measured each step Vic took to the suitcase, counted the seconds it took him to find the lube, licked his lips as he watched Vic smear the substance over his oh-so-perfect erection. Damien reached for him when Vic neared. Vic leaned into his touch, pressing Damien’s hand over his pec. The nipple beaded against his palm. Slowly Vic unclasped the belt and released Damien’s dick. He tickled the ends over his stomach and nipples, then tossed it to the floor. Damien gasped at the first touch of those lubeslickened fingers against his anus. They both moaned as Vic glided in deep. There he paused, letting Damien soak in the feeling, giving them both time to gain some measure of control. But then Vic kneaded his thumb against Damien’s 31

BETRAYED

balls. Damien snapped his hand around his cock to choke off his climax. Vic thrust deep—“Did I tell you to touch your cock?”— and hit his prostate. Damien whipped his head from side to side. “Did I?” Vic pushed again, rolling his fingers hard. “No,” he cried out, and dropped his hand back to the bed. Vic looped thumb and forefinger around the base of Damien’s cock and squeezed hard. Finger fucked him relentlessly, pushing him to the edge. Each time he reached it, Vic choked the climax off until Damien whimpered from the combination of bliss and frustration. Vic eased away long enough to settle between Damien’s thighs. Damien rocked his knees up as high as he could, spreading wide, body begging for Vic to fuck him. Vic leaned over him, the head of his cock perched at the aperture of Damien’s body. One stab sealed them. Damien snapped his arms around Vic, holding him tight. Neither of them moved. Neither of them breathed. By unspoken command, they finally shifted. Vic swallowed Damien’s groan in a kiss as pleasure rolled over them. Vic pivoted into his body, pressing his pubic bone into Damien’s balls with every stroke. His cock was wedged against Vic’s six-pack, getting a sweet ride all its own. Vic jabbed one hand beneath Damien’s hips, lifting them higher. Damien locked his knees against Vic’s ribs and nailed his heels into his ass. With each thrust, Damien pushed, urging 32

BETRAYED

him deeper, harder, faster. Vic jerked his head back, breaking the kiss. Jaw clenched from the strain of holding on. Damien knew the image matched his own. Muscles contracted around Vic’s cock, pumping more blood to a region already filled to bursting. The core of his orgasm knotted deep in Damien’s groin. He felt the tension grow, knew he was beyond the point of no return and could feel the echoing pulse in Vic’s erection. Gasps now interspersed with moans. They clutched each other like their lives depended on it. God knew Damien’s heart did. Vic’s arms shook from the force it took to hang on. Damien wanted to tell him to just give it, just fuck me. But the words were lodged in his throat, stuck somewhere amidst the pain-pleasure of orgasm. Vic pushed deep and held. Damien dug his nails into his shoulder, then jerked his head away and clutched the sheet. Vic slapped his hands over his, lacing their fingers. He pulled back all the way to the head and plunged in again. Fire licked at Damien’s ass, spread over his cheeks, kissed his balls, and singed his erection. He squeezed against the climax, desperate to wait for Vic. Vic groaned and rolled into the feeling. Damien squeezed again and earned himself a hand smack against his hip that shot more fire to his groin. He cried out, and Vic’s back bowed, cock pushed as deep as it could go. Damien felt the spasms a breath before he let go. Cum poured into his ass, drenched his and Vic’s stomachs. Vic rolled, spreading it more, sealing them together. And yet again 33

BETRAYED

another spurt jetted from them. They collapsed in the aftermath, gasping for breath. Vic lifted his head and brought his lips to Damien’s. It was love and great and satisfying. The euphoric rush Damien craved could wait for another time. As long as he had Vic by his side, it was enough.

34

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 4 Damien stirred awake when Vic slipped from the bed. “Is it time to leave yet?” “We have a bit.” Vic kissed his forehead. “Sleep. I’m going to jump in the shower.” Damien snuggled Vic’s pillow. “Great, I could use a few more minutes. I’ll clean up after you’re done.” “Sounds like a plan.” Vic patted his backside and walked on to the bathroom. Their clothes were still piled where they’d stripped. He scooped everything into his arms and tossed it on the vacant bed, then ducked back into the privacy the bathroom offered. Eyes closed, he leaned against the door. The murder scene 35

BETRAYED

flashed through his mind, more vivid than ever. He opened his eyes and avoided his reflection in the mirror. The last thing he needed to see was the failure written on his face, the guilt. He’d let Damien down, pure and simple. Violated his trust by not adequately taking care of him as they’d agreed. Some Dom he was. A piss-poor one at best. Vic turned on the shower full-force and sank into the tub, letting the spray sting his body. Hugging his knees to his chest, he looked for a solution to his dilemma. All he could see was that pool of blood inside Gail’s door, the splatter in the violence of the attack. He couldn’t get the images out of his head. The stench was also permanently etched on his brain. He buried his face in his arms, begging for the tears that would cleanse his soul. They wouldn’t come. It seemed a higher power decreed that if Damien couldn’t have the release he needed, then neither could Vic. He lifted his face into the spray. They should talk it out. That’s another thing they had agreed on—to talk always. Neither of them wanted to repeat their past mistakes. Their goal was to be together, because being apart had been a hell of their own making. No more. This was it. Together forever whatever may come. But how did Vic begin to talk about this? Yes, he’d told Damien what they’d found at the house, conveniently avoiding the gorier details. Those were images he didn’t want Damien to deal with. Thinking about it churned Vic’s stomach. Damien had felt violated with the semi-sanitized version, so what would he 36

BETRAYED

feel with a full account covering all the senses and feelings? Vic knew Damien’s thoughts would dart to the boys, the fear of what might have happened if they’d been in the house. Then his imagination would play the scenes, just as Vic’s did now, haunting him with how things went, the fear, the rage, the knowledge death was imminent. No, Damien had enough to deal with. He didn’t need this, too. And yet, not sharing the full depth of his emotions and the cause thereof, betrayed the fundamental promise they’d made to each other to communicate and not let misunderstandings pull them apart. How long before Damien realized something was wrong? Maybe he already suspected. Maybe he blamed himself, worried he’d done something to upset Vic. Just the thought of laying a strap over Damien’s ass, of putting him through the sweet torment he loved so much, frightened Vic beyond words. Each time he thought of raising his arm to carry through, Vic thought of a bat-wielding murderer. The rage in that attack cancelled out everything else. That pool of blood and the stench that went with it kept it all at bay. He started when he heard the bathroom door open and scrambled to his feet a second before Damien pulled the shower curtain back. “Mind if I join you?” he asked with a grin. “Not at all.” Vic reached for the tiny bar of soap. “I thought you were sleeping.” “Reid called. Wanted to know if we were ready for an earlier dinner. I told him I’d really prefer to stay in and suggested we just grab a pizza and a couple of beers. He said 37

BETRAYED

it sounded great to him and that it would allow us to talk without anyone overhearing our conversation. I called in a couple of pizzas and he’s grabbing a six-pack. We’ve got about thirty minutes.” Vic didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved. Sex in the shower was one of their favorite things—soaping each other to orgasm or trading blow jobs. He owed Damien something for his disappointing performance earlier. He growled low in his throat, feigning a passion he didn’t exactly feel. Still Damien grinned at him. “Thirty minutes,” he said, and pushed the soap toward Vic. Vic shoved it on the dish and Damien against the wall. Damien’s cock lifted to greet his mouth. He sucked it deep and sank his fingers into Damien’s still-lubed ass. Damien clutched Vic’s head and thrust wildly into Vic’s mouth. Vic sucked harder, tongue massaging the underside while one hand milked Damien’s sac and the other fucked his ass. He came quickly, shooting thick ropes of semen down Vic’s throat. He gulped it all until Damien’s penis softened. Damien started to kneel to return the favor. Vic wedged him in place. “Uh-uh.” He slapped his hand against the wall and nailed Damien in place with his lips. He jerked his dick hard and fast, grunting with pleasure when Damien cupped his balls and squeezed. He, too, came fast, smearing semen over Damien’s torso with his dick. Finally, he ended the kiss. “I do love you so much, Damien.” The words threatened to un-dam those tears he’d wanted to shed earlier. 38

BETRAYED

“I love you, too.” Damien pressed his palms on his face. “Babe, what’s wrong?” Words choked him. He shook his head. With Reid on the way, there was no time…even if he did have the words. “We should hurry. We’ll need to bandage your hand again.” He added a kiss to offset the abruptness, then washed off and stepped from the shower. Damien was only a few seconds behind. They managed to straighten the room and rewrapped Damien’s hand with little time to spare. Reid knocked on the door as Vic smoothed the bedspread into place. Damien let him inside and paid the pizza delivery girl who was right behind him. For once Reid had the decency to look tired. It was comforting to see the man had his limits. “Great idea, guys.” He pulled a can of beer off the plastic loops for each of them. “I think my day is catching up with me.” “I hear you on that one.” Damien set the pizzas on the desk and flipped open the lids. “We have meatlovers and vegetarian so pick your poison.” He balanced a slice of meatlovers on a napkin and propped himself up on one of the beds. “Before you get started, I found out today from Gail’s family that no one knew she had a boyfriend.” Reid frowned and sank into the chair with his food. That left Vic with the desk chair or the bed. He opted for the chair. “How graphic do you want me to get with the information I gathered?” Reid asked. “I want to know everything,” Damien replied. 39

BETRAYED

More guilt. He’d asked the same thing of Vic, and Vic had held back. “How were you able to get this information?” he asked around a bite of pizza. Reid took the time to swallow, most likely considering his reply. He was an attorney, after all. “I’m representing you.” He pointed to Damien. “Your interests. You’ve been cleared as a suspect or a person of interest. It wasn’t easy getting info. Those two detectives didn’t want to give up anything.” Vic wasn’t surprised. In the brief time he’d met Mike Collins and Ron Gage he’d pretty much determined they were incompetent assholes. “Their captain and the assistant district attorney cleared it, hoping I’d be able to help them shed some light on the investigation.” “Why?” Vic asked. “You have super powers or something?” Being a smart ass worked so much better when he was feeling guilty—his defense mechanism coping with what Vic perceived as his inadequacies. “We’ve worked together before and I have…connections.” Damien glanced up under his eyebrows. “Legal connections?” Reid smiled. “Yes. And before you ask…Marines aren’t the only ones who take care of their own. There’s another community that does so as well. I saw in the two of you likeminded people…” “Gay,” Vic spit out. Reid shrugged. “BDSM.” Damien’s face flamed. “How the hell can you know that 40

BETRAYED

from a brief meeting?” “Because I’ve been trained to notice things. It makes me very good at what I do—in work and in play,” he replied calmly. “Don’t worry. You two aren’t going to be whisked off to any dungeon as playthings. I meant what I said in Vegas. I have a soft spot for Marines. I lost a very close friend in Iraq, very close. With everything the three of us have in common, it felt like we’d been put together for a reason.” “And here we are,” Vic said. “Yes…here we are. And I will do everything in my power, use the resources at my disposal, to see this is resolved and you two protected in the process.” “Because of your soft spot for Marines.” Vic knew he sneered. He couldn’t help it. Just like in Vegas, he felt threatened by Reid. Reid’s lips tightened. “Because I loved Stan. Because, despite my lifestyle and my resources, he and I had a backdoor relationship to protect his career. Because I had to stand on the sidelines and not be there to see him off. Because I had to be nearly the last one called when he died rather than the first. Because I never had a say in how he was laid to rest or the disposition of his possessions. Because all I’ve got is the memories and the heartache and one old T-shirt that lost his scent too long ago.” Reid pinched his eyes closed. Moisture slipped from beneath his lids. He rubbed it away. Moisture still glistened in his eyes when he looked at them. “Because I swore I would never allow other Marines in that situation to suffer such a 41

BETRAYED

fate. As long as I have breath in my body, I’m going to make sure their loved ones are at the front of the line, not the back of the bus.” Vic stared at his pizza through watery eyes. Tears plopped onto the surface. He blinked his vision clear, only to discover Damien stared at the far corner of the room battling his emotions. Someone should say something. Since he’s the one who’d been an ass… “Thank you, Reid. I guess someone really was watching out for us. There aren’t enough words to thank you.” He reached over and cupped Reid’s knee quickly, then settled back. Reid nodded, recovered his emotions, then started again. “I’m sure the pieces of the puzzle will come together with more evidence. The man at Gail’s house was Paul Ford. A condom at the scene contained his semen and Gail’s vaginal cells. Semen was on her pubic hair, the bedsheets, the toilet rim. They definitely had sex. Fingerprints also place him in the house. “According to his neighbors, Paul Ford was seeing a woman, but none of the neighbors recognized Gail from her picture. They indicated his girlfriend was blonde, average, plain, unremarkable. Detectives are waiting for the judge to sign a search warrant so they can search Ford’s apartment for information. On the surface it sounds like the girlfriend may have killed them.” “To that extent? Their heads were bashed in until they were unrecognizable.” The words were out before Vic could 42

BETRAYED

stop them. “There is a lot of rage involved, but it’s the best lead they’ve got for now. What it doesn’t explain is the man seen leaving the home early the morning after the attack, which would’ve been Saturday morning.” The man in the Raiders T-shirt and ball cap. “Whoever this man is,” Reid went on, “he was also seen at the house Friday evening.” “After I spoke with her?” Damien asked. “Yes. He stayed maybe an hour, then sped out of there. No one got a license number. Her sister called shortly thereafter and went over. Stayed about two hours and left. That jives with her sister’s statement. No other vehicles were seen at the house until her parents showed up on Sunday to drop the kids off.” He pulled in a deep breath. “Now…let’s not jump to conclusions…” “This doesn’t sound good.” Damien washed down the pizza with beer and set both down. “Remember, evidence in the proper context,” Reid cautioned. He waited until they nodded, then continued. “Gail and her sister were drinking that night. Gail’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. Since no one can verify Marjorie’s state, one can only surmise from the fresh beer bottles and preliminary DNA swab on some of them that she was pretty drunk, too. Techs took Marjorie’s fingerprints to exclude her as a suspect since she was in the home that night. The fingerprints found on the bat were Gail’s and Marjorie’s. Neighbors say the women were out back hitting balls against 43

BETRAYED

the fence.” Vic snorted. “I bet the neighborhood dogs loved that.” “Quite a disturbance,” Reid concurred. “But they stopped when someone threatened to call the police, and it was quiet from that point on. There were another set of fingerprints in the house that don’t match up to anyone at this time.” “The killer. Raider T-shirt guy.” Damien returned to his food. Reid shrugged. “Those two detectives got called on the carpet for jumping the gun trying to lock you up for this, so they aren’t making any suppositions right now. And that’s all I’ve got for the moment.” He helped himself to another slice. “Police should have the warrant for Ford’s apartment by tomorrow and start processing that scene. I wanted to have the cleaner at the house tomorrow so you can arrange the move, but the police aren’t willing to release the scene to that extent yet.” “The rest of the boys’ things…” Damien shook his head. “Never mind. I have bedrooms all set up for them at my house.” Vic rolled the chair next to the bed. “I think Reid and I got the bulk of the clothes and toys today.” Damien nodded. “The funeral is day after tomorrow. That means tomorrow will be filled with condolence calls. I’ll need to be there. I think my brain just shut down trying to process everything I need to do this week. I think it would be best to get Vic a power of attorney from me to help handle some of the things that might come up. I can’t be a thousand places at 44

BETRAYED

once and my priority is the boys.” “I’ll take care of it first thing in the morning. I’ll also make sure he has power of attorney to care for the boys in your absence. Will he also be the one to have the boys in the event you’re deployed?” Silence was an awful thing when shit snuck up on a person from behind. Who would take care of the boys if Damien had to go overseas? And what if Vic had to go, too? Then what? “Just when I was certain I’d thought of everything.” Damien added a sad chuckle. “Let’s continue to make our respective lists and compare notes in the morning.” “Great…then I’ll leave the two of you to get some rest. I’m right across the hall. I’ll leave the beer with you, take another couple slices with me, and see you in the morning.” They didn’t bother to see him out. The closing door echoed what had just happened here—a wall coming down between Vic and Damien. It hurt more that Vic could bear and gave him a damn fine view of how Damien must have felt earlier. He still didn’t have a clue how to fix it. Talk, yeah, but what did he say? “You know I’ll watch the boys in a heartbeat if you deploy.” He meant every damn word, too. Who was the more logical choice? “And if you deploy with me?” And there it was. No answers. Damien’s parents weren’t fit to raise the children they had, much less grandchildren. And what did they really know about the boys? They rarely saw them. That left Gail’s parents or sister. From what Vic knew, 45

BETRAYED

the relationship between Damien and them was…terse, despite the fact they all seemed to pull together during this crisis. But to leave the boys with them for six months, a year…longer? Damien’s agony burned Vic’s gut. Damien swung his feet to the floor. “I…I need to clear my head. Go for a walk or something.” “Want the keys to my car?” He’d had a half a beer; driving wouldn’t be a problem. Damien shook his head. “No, too distracted. I’ve got my cell on. Don’t…don’t worry.” Vic caught his arm when Damien started to pass. He wanted to pull him down for a kiss. His eyes clearly said no. Instead, Vic brushed his thumb over him. “Be careful. I’ll come get you if you walk too far.” I’m always there for you. Those words died in Vic’s throat and called him a liar. Vic watched him walk out, then hurried to the door to look out the peephole. He waited until Damien ducked out the side door before he walked across the hall to Reid’s room. Reid swung the door open so quickly Vic wondered if he’d been peeking from the other side. Dark blue eyes accessed him, and Vic knew the man truly did see everything. “I need some advice,” he managed to say. “You sure do,” Reid replied. “And here it is—you play at being the Dom, but I don’t think you have a clue what your responsibilities are here. Either help your man or cut him loose to find someone who can help him.” “Someone like you?” Jealousy bubbled beneath his skin. 46

BETRAYED

Reid didn’t break his gaze. “I wouldn’t hesitate.” Vic curled his fingers into fists. “Over my dead body.” Reid grinned. “Good…now we can talk. Come in.” He swept the door open all the way and motioned Vic inside the king suite. A laptop and small printer occupied the desk along with a notepad. A briefcase was open on the bed next to the daily paper, files inside. Two chairs flanked the small round table by the window where Reid had placed his dinner next to a bottle of water. “Water?” Reid asked. Vic declined and sat in one of the chairs as Reid did. “Talk to me.” The combative tone was gone. Reid’s voice calmed him, invited confidences. Words spilled from Vic’s lips. He told him how a miscommunication years before had torn him and Damien apart. How they’d vowed always to be open from now on and yet words had failed him tonight. Now Damien had shut down and left. Then Vic told him how the murder scene really affected him—the disgust, the horror, the fear. Reid didn’t interrupt once. When the last word died, he leaned forward and clasped his hand over Vic’s shaking fingers. “Communication is a difficult thing. Some things are better left unsaid. This isn’t one of those things. From all you’ve told me, it looks like you two are on the cusp of repeating the same mistake you made long ago. You’re presuming one thing. He’s presuming another. This time he’s the one who has the family tragedy to deal with. Karmic, don’t you think?” He gave a 47

BETRAYED

little smile and leaned away. “Now you each get to experience how the other one felt. Open communication is vital in any relationship and absolutely essential if you two are going to continue playing at a BDSM lifestyle.” Vic opened his mouth to tell him it wasn’t play. Reid lifted his hand, cutting him off. “Yes, you two are playing at it. I don’t think you have a full grasp of the responsibility involved. I don’t think either of you could immerse yourselves into the lifestyle. This is something you do for each other, something that works for you as a couple, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Except for the fact you need to really need to communicate.” “I let him down tonight. He told me he needed me, and I let him down.” Guilt opened a fresh wound. “Tell him why. Tell him how that scene made you feel. Yes, it was shocking, but Damien is a big boy and needs to know, especially when it affects your emotions and actions. On the other hand”—Reid reached for the water bottle—“he should’ve asked you what was wrong.” “He did.” The admission hurt. “I didn’t answer.” Shit. He rubbed at his forehead to hide the rush of tears. “Then it’s on you,” Reid replied softly. They were both sitting on the edge of their chairs now, forearms resting on knees. Vic stared at the carpet pattern. He knew Reid stared at him, reading him, measuring his response, and he realized that’s what he wanted for himself one day…to be able to instinctively know and understand another person and use the knowledge wisely. 48

BETRAYED

“You and Damien have a situation that isn’t unique,” Reid told him. “At work, he’s the dominate male and your boss; in your personal lives, those roles are reversed. Granted you have the extra pressure of having to hide your relationship from the military, but the roles you’ve assumed and the parameters of that relationship are similar to others I’ve seen. Those roles only continue to work if you continue to talk.” “I should probably go after him.” “He might perceive that as hunting him down. It’s best to give him some space for the moment. Right this moment, it’s not about you.” Vic shifted his gaze up. “It’s never been about—” Damned if Reid wasn’t right. He claimed it was all for Damien, but tonight Vic had made it all about himself without a clue to Damien how he was feeling. He’d shut Damien out first…again. “I’ll never learn.” He shook his head slowly, staring at the floor once more. “Sure you will.” Reid nudged his knee. “Isn’t that why you’re here?” Vic allowed himself a weak smile. “Yeah, I suppose it is. Thanks.” He pushed to his feet, ready to leave. Reid stood with him. “Not a problem. Anytime…and I mean that.” “Helping one of your own?” Reid shrugged. “Everyone needs a mentor on this path.” Vic was really starting to like this guy. “Even you?” “Even me.” Reid’s grin widened. 49

BETRAYED

“I’d like to meet him one day.” The man who helped shape Reid? Hell, yeah. Reid laughed. “Trust me, you and Damien are not ready to play in that yard. When you are, I’ll be the first to let you know.” “I look forward to that.” “Be careful what you wish for.” Reid opened the door and gave him a wink. That small acknowledgement bolstered Vic’s morale in ways he’d never anticipated. He stood in the hallway once Reid’s door closed. Looking for Damien probably wasn’t a good idea, but Vic wasn’t going to sit in the room waiting for him either. Maybe sitting outside on the steps wasn’t the brightest idea, but Vic was determined to wait, to be the beacon of love Damien needed to find his way through the darkness of his soul.

50

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 5 Damien nursed a Heineken at a bar two blocks from the motel. For a Monday night it was fairly crowded, but he’d found a table in the dark corner where no one bothered him, except a bleach blonde hooker trolling for business. The owner kicked her out shortly thereafter. The place was a mix of white- and blue-collar workers and military personnel hanging out, shooting pool, watching football, and generally winding down from their day. Damien barely saw them through the churn of his thoughts. His choice was clear once the shock subsided. His sons had just lost their mother. How in the hell could he risk uprooting their lives if he were deployed? Not to mention 51

BETRAYED

there was no one, save Vic, he’d want raising his kids. His parents were cold, manipulative, their version of love granted at too high a cost. Marjorie was an alcoholic who’d apparently been leading Gail down that path, too high maintenance to hold onto a relationship for long. The Lewises, though cordial when circumstances required, had never thought he was good enough for their daughter—which was more truth than they realized—and had wasted little time letting Gail know that even after they’d divorced. Given time, they’d turn the boys against him. Above all was the emotional turmoil the boys would go through. They needed stability, consistency, not to live in fear their father would leave them, too. In order to give them that, Damien would need to resign his Marine Corps commission. The change in circumstances would warrant that. He doubted he’d have any problems getting it approved. God, how was he going to support them? He had enough to get by for a while— six months at least—but in this economy it could take longer to find a job. He needed to live in an area where the opportunities were greater. Here, maybe, where the boys were established in school. That would mean leaving Vic behind. It killed Damien to think of that. But it wasn’t like he and the boys could move in with him, not in an area as small as where they were currently stationed. Damien might be out of the military, but Vic couldn’t leave. He’d be skylined for sure if they all started living together, especially if Vic got orders elsewhere. Damien tagging along to Vic’s next duty station would send up huge 52

BETRAYED

smoke alarms. Now he really knew how Vic had felt all those years ago when he’d made the decision to marry his dead brother’s girlfriend to protect the child she carried. An act of selfsacrifice that set off a chain-reaction of events that had caused ten years of hurt and misunderstanding…and also gave Damien the sons he loved more than life itself. Yes, the choice was simple, but he wouldn’t make it without letting Vic know upfront exactly where his heart was. If Vic wanted to end things at that point… Damien chugged down his beer to get the lump out of his throat, then set the empty bottle on the table and left. He stuffed his fingertips in his trouser pockets and huddled against the cool night air. Time living in the desert had acclimatized him to warmer temperatures. Sixty-eight degrees and he felt like he was freezing. Damien kept his head down and his strides long during the two-block walk. He was so focused on staying warm he didn’t see Vic sitting on the steps outside the exit door until he was almost there. His step faltered. The warmth he’d needed pooled out from his stomach. “You must be freezing.” Vic held out a light jacket for him. “I know I am.” Damien slipped his arms into the sleeves. “You didn’t need to wait…” No, he did need to wait for him out here. Damien needed him to do it. “Thanks for being here for me. Better than a candle in the window.” “I thought about trying to find you, but I didn’t want to be 53

BETRAYED

up your ass. Well…I do…but not in a stalker-like way.” Damien’s body tightened anyway. “Sorry I ran off like that.” “You needed some space. I respect that. What I regret is anything I might have done to make you feel you couldn’t talk to me. Seems I’m all about sharing, except when something’s hard for me to say.” Damien gave him a one-armed hug. “I hear you on that. Let’s get in before we freeze our balls off…wusses that we’ve become.” Vic chuckled and opened the door. In the privacy of their room, Damien wasted no time. “I’m going to call Lieutenant Colonel Jackson in the morning and tell him I need to resign my commission. I’m no longer deployable.” Vic sat at the desk and pulled a hotel notepad his way. “All right, let’s make a list of points to cover in your resignation request. We don’t want Headquarters, Marine Corps to give you any reason to refuse.” Damien bristled at the official tone. “Spoken like a true admin chief.” Brown eyes looked up from under dark brows. “Spoken like a man who loves you and knows this is not only the best choice, it’s the right one.” “Damn it, Vic. Don’t make me cry.” He sank to the bed and covered his eyes. “I’ve been barely hanging on all day.” The mattress sagged with Vic’s weight. Then a strong arm wrapped around Damien’s shoulders. “That makes two of us. 54

BETRAYED

I’m in this, babe. We’re together, and I plan to do my best to see we stay together. That doesn’t mean I won’t make mistakes. I made a big one tonight by not being one hundred percent truthful with you.” He rested his cheek on Damien’s shoulder. “When I saw Gail’s house…” Damien felt Vic’s Adam’s apple move with his gulp. He clutched Vic’s hand against his thigh. “The violence…freaked me out. Tonight when we were…” The splash of tears soothed the rasp of whiskers against Damien’s skin. “I kept flashing to the house, imagining the rage. I just couldn’t do it. I’m supposed to take care of you in bed that way and just…couldn’t.” “No, but you took care of me plenty fine anyway, love.” Damien bent to kiss him, then wiped Vic’s tears away with his thumbs. “Don’t ever be afraid to tell me anything. I love you. No matter what. Together…remember?” “Together.” Vic nodded. “Let’s work on this list you mentioned. I know you won’t let me miss one point.” Damien kissed him again. “We’ll eat the cold pizza, polish off the beers, and spoon up so tight under the covers nothing can squeeze in between us.” “I can’t think of anything more I’d rather do. We’ll find a way to work this all out.” “With you on my side, I have no doubt.” One more kiss sealed the vow. *

*

*

His commanding officer had taken the news of Damien’s 55

BETRAYED

resignation request with no surprise. Jackson had been expecting it, he’d said. If anything, the man wanted to expedite the request. Using Reid’s laptop and portable printer, Damien and Vic hammered out a letter that Vic then hand-carried back to the base for processing, along with leave papers for Damien in the interim. By noon, the CO had signed off on it and taken it to the Commanding General himself. An hour later, it was on its way via overnight mail with a follow-up copy faxed. Still, Damien couldn’t make any firm plans until the request was approved. Coupled with a never-ending stream of condolence calls at the Lewis house, being in wait-mode frustrated him. He would have preferred to make the six-hour round trip back to base and walk the request through himself rather than deal with all those people, make his boys have to go through this ordeal. Appearances forced his hand and the best he could do was act as buffer between Doug and Keith and all those who felt the need to smother them with hugs, tears, and you poor little thing. If he could have gotten away with taking them to Sea World for the day, Damien would have done it. The funeral tomorrow was going to be worse. His parents would be there. Doug and Keith also weren’t happy staying with the Lewises. That decided one thing for Damien—once the funeral was over, the boys were coming with him. On Thursday, they’d head up the hill to his house until school on Monday. By then he should be allowed back in Gail’s house and could go on from there. It was the best he could do under 56

BETRAYED

the circumstances—take things a step at a time. Saying goodbye to them tonight was beyond hard. If it hadn’t been for Grace Lewis’s puppy-dog eyes, he would have said screw it and taken the boys with him. In the interest of harmony, however, he’d acquiesced. “We can go back and get them.” Vic stirred lemon into his iced tea. They sat in Denny’s waiting for dinner and Reid. “The last thing I want is to put them in a tug-of-war, emotionally or physically.” Though he wondered if he wasn’t doing just that. He spied Reid walking in and lifted his hand. Reid waved back and hurried over. He wore a blue-gray suit today, dressed to kill, the epitome of successful lawyer. Damien would have hated being on the wrong side of the courtroom from him. “Successful day?” Reid asked as he slipped into the vacant chair. While he studied the menu, Damien and Vic briefed him. “Excellent. Iced tea, grilled chicken salad, ranch on the side,” he told the waitress. She flashed him a mega-watt smile and dashed off to obey his every whim. Then he laced his fingers on the table and leaned in, voice low. “The house has been cleared. The cleaning service will be there first thing in the morning to put things to rights. I know your options are limited, but you living in that house even temporarily could be difficult for the boys. Then again, they need some closure, too, so being there could benefit them. Be prepared for questions about where their mother was found and the condition of her body.” 57

BETRAYED

Damien was glad he had no direct knowledge of the scene. At least he’d be able to answer the boys truthfully about it. “If you’re looking for work, I have acquaintances starting their own businesses. The businesses are separate ventures and all owners are related…sisters-in-law, one of whom is my sister Brooke. I believe you have accounting background?” “I’d hoped one day to get my CPA. Now might be as good a time as any to pursue that.” How did Reid find out so much about people so quickly? The guy had to have some serious connections. “If you want to prepare a resume, I’ll see it gets into the right hands. I can’t guarantee anything, of course.” Vic snorted. “You really are too good to be true.” Reid smirked. “Job there for you, too. They’ll need good managers. I hear you’re very organized.” Vic shook his head. “Unfortunately, I’m obligated to the Marine Corps for at least two more years. I don’t have the leeway Damien does.” “Understood.” He glanced down as if considering his next words, then looked up. “I’m debating on whether or not to tell you this. I did, however, give my word to keep you informed so…” He lifted a shrug. “Forensics has been over Paul Ford’s apartment. An hour ago, fingerprints at the apartment were preliminarily matched to fingerprints at Gail’s house. Also, another fingerprint hit on a DUI arrest that occurred over the weekend. Detectives are questioning that person as we speak. They’re holding their cards very close to the chest on this one.” 58

BETRAYED

“Because they moved prematurely against me,” Damien surmised. “And were really raked over the coals for it.” He grinned. “Which should make you happy.” “It thrills me,” he replied sarcastically. He didn’t know how the idiots got to be homicide detectives in the first place. “I need to warn you that detectives will probably be at the funeral tomorrow monitoring who attends. Don’t get pissed when you see them. Don’t acknowledge them, confront them or…anything. If someone else”—he jerked his finger at Vic— “not you…wants to get in their face, I don’t care. Just don’t let it be either of you.” “Got it.” Vic rattled the ice in his glass and took a drink. “I’ve got my feelers out for confirmation on more solid evidence. When I have it, you’ll have it. I’m trusting the two of you not to go shit-crazy with that information.” “No vendettas,” Vic promised. “Thank you. I know it’s been a frustrating and stressful day for all of us.” He grinned again. “I have a little something for you that might help take the edge off and get you through tomorrow with less tension.” “I’m almost afraid to ask.” Though Damien was intrigued. Reid laughed. “Be afraid, be very afraid.” He leaned in closer. “I think you’ll love every minute of it.” “You’re not taking us to your dungeon, are you?” Vic whispered. “No-no-no.” Reid wagged his finger. “Definitely not ready for that. Think of this as one step closer to meeting the big 59

BETRAYED

guy.” Damien lifted his palms. “I do not know what the two of you are talking about and I think I really am afraid to ask.” “But curious…yes?” Vic asked. Damien smiled. “Very.”

60

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 6 “Who is the big guy?” Damien had waited until Vic pulled out of the restaurant parking lot for the short drive back to the hotel. “Reid’s mentor in the BDSM community.” A person who intrigued Vic the more he thought about it. Reid’s demeanor screamed dominance. Even Vic had eventually backed down and let the man take the alpha role, and he considered himself fairly dominant. Whoever trained Reid had to be strong as hell. “And you want to meet him?” Damien asked. “Yeah…yeah, I think I do. I’m curious.” Damien stared out the window. “I don’t want to be a part 61

BETRAYED

of any community or group activity. All I want is you.” Vic reached over the console and gave his arm a quick squeeze. “I feel the same way. Sex is a private issue. But I would like the chance to learn how to make it as pleasurable for us as possible. I’d like to learn how to read people as well as Reid does.” Damien looked his way. “I think you do a damn fine job of that already.” “Perhaps.” Vic wrapped his fingers around the steering wheel. “But I think it’s also a matter of learning what to do with that information when I have it. How to respond, if to respond. You saw how that waitress was with him. I want that.” “You want women falling all over themselves to get to you?” Vic fought laughter that tried to burst up from the nearscreech in Damien’s voice. “No, I want that level of selfconfidence.” “Oh, hon.” Damien’s hand dropped to his thigh. “You already have it. Why else do you think everyone, including the CO, flocks to you at work? You just need to open your eyes and see it.” He slipped his hand farther and brushed his fingers over Vic’s penis. It filled instantly. Vic grabbed Damien’s hand and pushed it harder against his erection. At that moment, he didn’t care who saw. If they were that damn nosey they deserved to get a show. Damien traced the outline of Vic’s cock, then slid his hand 62

BETRAYED

away. Vic caught his smirk from the corner of his eye. It warmed him inside and out and he craved the public freedom to grab Damien’s neck and yank him close for a tonguelashing kiss. Not in our lifetimes. Even after they left the Marine Corps. Reid pulled into the hotel parking lot right behind them. As they left their cars, Reid placed a long, white gift box in Vic’s arms. “It’s not roses, by the way,” he said with a smile. “Although I’ve known a few people who got off on the thorns, that’s really not my thing. This is a great tool for those looking to expand their experience. You don’t want to use a heavy hand.” He took a step away. “Enjoy. I’ll see you both in the morning.” “Is he mentoring you now?” Damien asked once Reid was inside. “Apparently so.” Vic weighed the box, wondering at the contents. “Interesting. I look forward to having my horizons expanded.” Vic tossed back a laugh and clapped him on the back. “Mine’s already painfully expanded. Let’s go see what he gave us to play with.” Whatever was in the box had clearly done its work, since they were both cocked and locked. Somehow they managed to maintain decorum and not rush inside like a kids at Christmas. Once they crossed the threshold and secured the door behind them, Vic slipped the lid off. His breath caught. Damien 63

BETRAYED

sucked in a sharp breath of his own, a sound Vic felt all the way to his balls. “I just came a little in my trousers,” Damien muttered. Vic understood the feeling well. He was hard as the proverbial rock. One stroke and he’d be coming, too. He wrapped his fingers around the handle of the deerskin flogger and let the box fall to the floor. Damien caressed the buttersoft lashes, eyes wide, pupils dilated. Vic fanned the flogger gently, watching the swish. The grip couldn’t have been better if it was custom-made. The balance was perfect. He didn’t want to think about how much it cost. He pictured Damien standing bound before him, the gasp when the lash hit, the pre-cum dripping from his cock, the flex of muscle as he begged for more. He shifted his gaze to that of his lover. “Undress…now.” The command was firm, leaving no doubt the game was in play and Vic wouldn’t put up with insubordination. The power intoxicated him, though he wouldn’t abuse it. Slow steps took him to the chair, where he’d hold dominion over Damien while he undressed. He draped the flogger over his thigh when he sat, and let his gaze devour each piece of flesh Damien uncovered. Vic didn’t miss the hunger in Damien’s eyes. He fed it, idly stroking his own erection through his trousers. Damien pressed his lips together, then licked them. He was fully nude now, awaiting further instruction. “Hands and knees on the bed, facing me,” he ordered. Damien complied, his beautiful cock jutting out at the 64

BETRAYED

perfect angle for fucking. His gaze tracked Vic’s walk to the bed, or rather watched Vic’s erection. Vic stopped at the foot of the bed, his groin more or less eye-level to Damien. “You want to suck it, don’t you?” “Yes,” he gasped out. “You want it fucking you.” “God, yes!” “Mmm…soon…” He stepped to the side and tickled the lashes down Damien’s spine. Goose bumps covered his skin. He brushed a gentle slap over Damien’s buttocks and thighs, then lined the handle with his backbone and let the strands drift down his crack and over his balls. “I could stand here all night and watch you like this.” He cupped Damien’s chin and lifted slightly, then bent down and kissed him. *

*

*

Vic’s tongue slid deep enough to lick Damien’s balls. He took his time ravishing Damien’s mouth, slow glides and a gentle yet persistent knead of his lips. The soft lashes felt like fingers of fire against his sac. He could barely wait to feel the stroke kiss his skin. Each beat of his heart pushed more precum from his erection. Damien knew it dripped to the sheets and was glad he’d had the forethought to pull the bedspread down. The kiss ended on a mutual sigh. Vic licked a path around his lips and eased away, giving Damien the perfect shot of the 65

BETRAYED

erection throbbing in his jeans. He longed to grab the zipper tab between his teeth and work the fly open. Once Vic’s penis sprung free, Damien would catch it on his tongue and draw it deep into his mouth. Wiggle his nose into the crinkly dark pubic hair and breathe in Vic’s musky scent. Vic peeled his shirt up his ripped torso. Damien remapped the playground he knew so well—muscles carved by a dedication only the best of the best knew. When meshed together, he and Vic fit like two pieces of an age-old puzzle, their washboard abs locking with precision, pecs cushioning each other’s, their cocks… He smothered a whimpered groan. His body quaked with a virgin’s anticipation. The dark shadow of Vic’s navel called to Damien. His erection twitched when Vic flicked the fly button free. He didn’t know if he had the patience to wait for Vic to fuck him. But he kept still and silent because the rules of their game had changed minutes before. They’d ascended to a higher level in their relationship, a position of trust no words could match. This act tonight would bind them together for the rest of their lives. Vic stood before him, gloriously naked, his cock a breath from Damien’s lips. Vic wrapped his long fingers around it and wiped the moist tip over Damien’s mouth. Damien licked the salty pre-cum, then looped his tongue around the glans. Vic groaned and braced his knees against the mattress. One hand leaned on Damien’s back for balance…or so he thought. Damien groaned as the flogger snaked up his back. Vic 66

BETRAYED

released his hold on his cock and cupped Damien’s head closer. Damien buried his face into his groin, rocking from side to side as Vic gently slapped the lashes over his buttocks. He’d died and gone to heaven. Damien spread his thighs a little farther apart, silently begging to feel the kiss of deerskin against his sac. Vic obliged with the barest of touches…and Damien nearly came. It was Vic who pulled away. “Those sweets sounds make your mouth feel like a vibrator around my dick.” A harder slap struck Damien’s ass. He groaned and lifted for more. “Turn around and lay facedown on the bed, arms and legs spread,” Vic ordered. Damien didn’t hesitate. His erection appreciated the cradle of mattress. “No fucking the bed.” A stroke stung his ass. Sweet fire rippled over his body. And then it began. Bliss. Nirvana. Vic worked him from shoulder to the tips of his toes. Slow, consistent strokes that licked heat over Damien. Never once did they do more than sting. He felt the thud inside when the lashes connected, wondered how long he could hover here on the edge of wonderland. Wondered if it was possible to live on the cusp of orgasm forever this way. He’d taken hard strappings before, self-administered and 67

BETRAYED

by Vic’s hand. None had the impact this flogging did. This touched a part of him Damien didn’t know existed. That pinnacle he’d read others mention and considered fiction. If he lived a million years, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to describe the sensation. His drug, his addiction…his man. Vic brushed the strands up and down Damien’s body, urging his legs farther and farther apart until Damien was on his shoulders, his ass high, his thighs apart. Vic swung the flogger lightly, kissing his thighs—God!—his balls. The barest of touches that shut down what remained of Damien’s thought processes. At some point, he realized lips replaced lash. Sweet kisses and gentle caresses brought him back to a place where mortals lived. Euphoria mated with his lust. He ground his hips against Vic’s mouth, knowing his groans filled the room and beyond and not giving a damn who heard him. Vic rolled his testicles with a firm hand, promising a fist around Damien’s cock…after he’d thoroughly rimmed him. Damien’s ass clenched with each lick and twirl. Vic gathered the ends of the flogger in his hand and flicked them over Damien’s nipples, stomach, and cock. Up and down, over and over. Fingers demanded his testicles give up the prize. Damien panted from the effort to hold on. When he was certain he couldn’t hold on one more second, when he felt the twitch at the base of his cock that signaled the point of no return, Vic moved away. Damien yanked up his hand on a frustrated growl, beating his fist into the pillow. There wasn’t a part of him that didn’t 68

BETRAYED

burn. The sound of Vic moving around the room filtered through the haze. Then the mattress sagged as Vic returned, kneeling between Damien’s thighs. He held his breath for the first touch of lube against his ass, the moan when he heard the belt buckle tinkle. He honestly didn’t know if he could bear up under a strapping after all this. He felt something soft nestled against his cock—a T-shirt. Vic held it in place, then fastened the belt around it. Damien barely had time to process what that meant before nimble fingers slick with lube breached his sphincter. Vic corkscrewed his fingers for a thrust not delivered, then seated his cock deep and hard. They froze. Damien felt himself starting to come. Vic tugged on the belt, choking off the orgasm. “Yes!” Damien cried out. “I know,” Vic growled in response. He ground his hips into Damien, punctuating each roll with a stab of cock. One hand gripped Damien’s hip. The other rubbed over his back and shoulders, pulling the belt taut each time Damien neared climax. And still he fucked him. Deep. Slow. Hard. “If I could reach your balls, I’d squeeze the life out of them,” Damien said. “You mean like this?” Vic leaned forward and grasped Damien’s sac, then pounded into his ass. He couldn’t hold on. Too much! Too hot! Too…everything! A roar built in his throat. He clenched his jaw to keep it in. All of it in. Then he knew Vic was coming, 69

BETRAYED

felt the heat roll over his groin…and there was no holding back. They slammed into one another…and let go. It felt like he was freefalling with comets. Vic’s weight bore him down. Damien eased into the bed, but didn’t have the energy to move any farther. Vic’s gasps for breath slowed with his own, then those gentle kisses and caresses of afterlove bathed Damien and eased his return to the real world and the safety and love of Vic’s arms.

70

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 7 Damien and Vic arrived bright and early at the Lewis home as promised. Bud and Grace had the services set for nine at the cemetery chapel. Damien wasn’t particularly enamored of the time, but he did appreciate there wouldn’t be a funeral procession from church to cemetery. The boys had enough to deal with. He wanted to keep it as stress free for them as possible. The boys were dressed and ready when he and Vic arrived and perched on the edge of the couch with their duffel bags and suitcases at their feet. Clearly, they were ready to leave their grandparents’ home. Damien echoed that feeling. They sat there picture perfect with their navy slacks and 71

BETRAYED

white button-down shirts. Damien had opted not to make them wear suits, knowing they’d never wear them again since they were growing so quickly. Even now the hint of the young men they’d be too soon hovered off-stage. He squatted down to their level, which put them now higher than him. “You two look very handsome today.” Doug fidgeted. “I don’t want to go. I’m scared.” Damien cupped his cheek. “I know, son. Me, too. But we need to do this for your mom. We can get through this together.” “And then we can go home with you, right?” Keith looked on the verge of tears. “Absolutely. We can put your suitcases in the car right now.” He stood and wrapped his hand around one handle. “Where are your grandparents?” Doug jumped up and grabbed his duffel. “Still getting ready. They’re all upset and crying ’cause we’re leaving.” Keith hugged Damien. “We are leaving, right, Dad? ’Cause I don’t want to stay here. I don’t like it. I want to be with you.” “Yes, you’re leaving with me. We’re going to my house for a few days and then be back here on Monday for school.” Blue eyes swimming in tears looked up at him. “Promise?” He smiled and bent down to kiss his forehead. “I promise.” “Come on, guys, let’s start packing my car.” Vic grabbed a suitcase and dropped a comforting arm around Doug’s shoulders. Doug stepped in closer and looked up. “You’re like Dad’s 72

BETRAYED

best friend, right?” “I am.” His smile broadened. That knowledge seemed to relax the boys. Damien knew that feeling well, too. Vic’s presence always made everything right. “Now let’s take care of those suitcases,” Vic said. “It’ll be a tight fit, but I think among the four of us we’ll get it figured out.” The boys were the first ones out of the house. Vic popped the trunk open from his key fob. Doug and Keith tossed their duffels in and raced back to the house for more. “I’d say they’re anxious.” So was he—to get this day over with, to move forward, to make firm plans rather than having to take things a minute at a time. Vic’s warm hand against his back urged him forward. Damien pulled in the strength from the touch and walked to the car. They’d just finished arranging the suitcases so the trunk could close when he heard a vehicle pull to a stop on the street. Thinking it was Marjorie arriving to escort her parents, Damien didn’t bother to turn around. “Good God! What the hell is he doing here?” his mother screeched. Dread crawled down Damien’s spine. He never imagined his parents would show up here; he’d been expecting them at the funeral only. Vic tensed beside him. Together they faced her, gearing for battle. The last time Vic had seen Damien’s parents was when Damien came out. It didn’t go well then. 73

BETRAYED

This looked on the cusp of being just as bad. His father sat in a champagne-colored Lexus, hands gripping the steering wheel, while his faced turned puce with rage. His mother clutched her black patent leather purse like she intended to use it as a weapon. High heels put her near their height. Botox had wiped her expressions away, but fury blazed in her ice blue eyes. “How dare you show your face around here!” she screamed. “Now I know what caused the divorce. You!” She stabbed her purse toward Vic. Damien put himself between Vic and his mother. “Stop it,” he ordered more calmly than he felt. He refused to battle with her or explain that he and Vic reconnected long after the divorce. Words were always wasted on people who didn’t want to hear. “Now I understand why your sister didn’t want to come. She’s probably known about this from the start.” Never mind that Gail had hated Rosemary and vice versa. “I wouldn’t put it past you to have killed her yourself just to get to him,” she spit out. “You ruined his life once. I will not stand by idly and watch you do it again, much less let you get near my impressionable grandsons.” Damien caught movement out of the corner of his eye— the boys coming back outside. “You need to leave now,” he told his mother. Her nostrils flared, her body shook. “You’ve been warned.” She glared at Vic. “If you dare to show up—” “You’re the one who’s no longer welcome, Mom.” 74

BETRAYED

She cut a glare his way, then turned on the spike of her heel and started to walk away. That’s when she saw Doug and Keith. A laser stare zeroed back on Damien. “You didn’t even have the decency to put them in suits.” She tsked and stormed to her car on stilted legs. The boys finished their run to him, each taking a hand when they reached Damien’s side. Then Keith slipped his fingers into Vic’s hand, linking them all as one solid unit. His father screamed what clearly were obscenities, then burned rubber speeding away. The sound brought the Lewises to the front door. Damien waved off their concerns. “Just my parents.” Having had the displeasure of meeting them once, the Lewises needed no further explanation. He gently pushed the boys toward them. “Go give them a hug good-bye and tell them we’re going on to the cemetery.” Keith hugged his arm. “And we’re staying with you, right?” He never should have left them with the Lewises in the first place. “Right, buddy.” The boys hurried to the house for quick hugs. At least Bud and Grace had the sense not to clutch them. Grace still sobbed. Damien urged himself to be patient. After all, they were laying their daughter to rest today. “An auspicious start to what’s going to be a very long day,” he said under his breath. “Funerals and weddings… They can either bring out the very best in people or the very worst,” Vic replied. “Want me 75

BETRAYED

to call Reid? We’ll let him decide if the police should be aware a blow-up could happen.” He shook his head. “Let it go. I don’t want to borrow trouble. Besides, they’ll only embarrass themselves by making a scene.” “And make you miserable in the process.” Damien’s laugh held no humor. “I’m used to it. Never should have called them in the first place. I can take it. But if either of them comes near the boys or you…” Vic leaned as close as appearances allowed. “Yeah, I noticed how protective you got. Got me all shivery.” Damien grinned. “Now you know how I feel.” *

*

*

Vic sat in the front pew of the small chapel. He hated having his back to the crowd. The boys sat on either side of their father, with Keith next to Vic. Every so often, the little boy glanced up and flashed him a smile, then grabbed his hand. He hadn’t known them long, but already Vic loved the little Damien-replicas. He’d fight tooth and nail to protect them. Gail’s parents sat next to him. Marjorie sat beside them. Nine in the morning and she was already drunk, or still working a buzz from the night before. A cloud of alcohol fumes drifted wherever she went. So far, Damien’s parents hadn’t bothered to show up. That was fine with him. Good riddance. He still kept looking over his shoulder just in case and was surprised when Lieutenant 76

BETRAYED

Colonel Jackson, uniform looking sharp as always, slipped into the last pew seconds before the service started. He acknowledged Vic with a nod, then a second one to Damien when Vic told him their CO had arrived. Reid sat in the back monitoring Detectives Collins and Gage, who studied everyone looking for the individual who stood out in the packed gathering. They could start by locking up Marjorie for DUI. Clearly, she wasn’t fit to drive. As long as he had breath in his body, Vic didn’t intend to let her leave the cemetery in this condition. He’d get the keys from her if he had to tackle her…or just tell the police she was drunk. Other than a spray of flowers from her parents and the boys, there were no other arrangements as per Gail’s wishes that the money go to the Heart Association. Enya music played in the background—much better than having the standard organ hymns. But the eight-by-ten photo of her next to the empty urn—the cremation would come at a later time— hurt more than it helped. Grace sobbed constantly, Marjorie glowered at it in her drunken stupor, Bud stared straight ahead, the boys glanced at it from time to time, then huddled closer to Damien. And Vic kept thinking of how beautiful she was and envied that she’d had something with Damien he could never have—an open relationship. He couldn’t even grab Damien’s hand to offer comfort. Damn, he felt selfish. At five minutes after nine, a minister from the Lewises’ church stepped behind a lectern. Then came the flowing phrases one always lauds on the deceased. Effusive comments guaranteed to get the blackest sinner through the pearly gates. 77

BETRAYED

Grace’s sobs reached a crescendo sure to be heard in the heavens above. More guilt tapped Vic on the shoulder. The accolades were for the boys. They needed to hear good things about their mother. And Vic decided then and there they would never hear him speak ill of her. Once the minister finished, he invited others up to speak of Gail. One by one friends trickled to the front. By the time the sixth person walked up there, Marjorie shot to her feet and staggered out. Vic glanced over his shoulder and caught Reid’s eye. He jerked his head toward the woman. Reid nodded. Before he could move, the detectives stood and followed her. She wasn’t driving anywhere. Vic’s relief was profound. With the last word from the last person, the minister ended the service. Row by row people passed by the family pew to give their last respects. “Damian Walker?” A man smiled down. The hairs on the back of Vic’s neck stood on end. “Yes.” Damian offered a tentative smile back. “You’ve been served.” He shoved a thick sheaf of papers into Damian’s hand. “Vic Williams, you’ve been served.” Another shoved at Vic. Ditto with the Lewises. Reid pushed to the front. Mourners scattered, but still stayed within eavesdropping range. Vic unfolded his document, then pressed his lips tight to 78

BETRAYED

keep from cursing. Temporary restraining order from Damien’s parents, demanding he be ordered to stay away from the children. The emergency hearing was set for four that afternoon. He glanced over at Damien, at the rage that boiled behind Damien’s eyes. Damien thrust the papers at Reid, and Vic saw the heading—the Walkers were demanding immediate custody and guardianship. Reid held out his hand for Vic’s papers, scanned, then pulled in a breath that told Vic the man had scented blood and was out for the kill. He was glad Reid Hansen was on their side. “Hearing’s at four. We have a lot of work to do until then, papers to file.” Bud waved his papers. “What about us?” Reid lifted his palms. “Sorry, sir, these are my clients.” “Fucking shit is this!” he yelled, then grabbed his wife’s arm in a hold sure to leave bruises and hauled her from the chapel. Beside him, Keith quivered. Vic wrapped his arm around the boy. Assurances everything would be fine died in his throat. Lieutenant Colonel Jackson fell in step next to them as they walked down the aisle. “What’s going on? What’s happened?” “Grandparents want the kids,” Reid replied quickly. The boys, so remarkably contained during the funeral, lost it. They clutched their father, panicked and tearful, a near match to what Vic saw in Damien’s face at that moment. 79

BETRAYED

Vic leaned down, wishing he could hug them all in one fell swoop. “No one’s taking you away from your dad.” He clicked his gaze to Reid. “Right?” Reid hesitated, then replied, “Right. An emergency hearing’s set for this afternoon. No judge is going to see this for anything other than what it is.” A vendetta? Because that’s what it felt like. This was hate, spite, and prejudice all rolled into one. A power play meant to destroy them both because Damien didn’t fit into the mold his parents wanted, and they blamed it all on Vic. “You can count on me to be there as a character witness,” Jackson said. “This is absurd. If this is an issue of him being a Marine and facing deployment, we can nip that in the bud right now.” If only it were that simple. “I made a few calls yesterday, Captain. Speeded things up. Your resignation will be approved without a hitch, effective on the day your thirty days of leave is up. They received the faxed letter and are preparing their response now. A faxed copy of that should be in my office by close of business.” “Thank you, sir.” Damien’s voice quivered. Vic looked away to hide tears, fear and relief intermingled. One problem solved; another begun. “Sir, there’s really no need to be there this afternoon,” Damien managed to say. “You’ve done so much—” “Nonsense. You’re still a Marine. Still under my command for at least thirty more days. I fight for my men.” Not after this hearing. Not when he learned the truth 80

BETRAYED

they’d worked so hard to hide. Damien wasn’t safe until the effective date of his resignation, and if Jackson showed up at court, they were both screwed. Best case scenario would be Damien’s resignation would still go through and Vic would get an honorable discharge. Worst case, they’d both face court-martial for fraternization. “Time’s wasting.” Reid clapped a hand on both their shoulders. “I’ve got this.” For the first time since he’d met the man, Vic saw doubt in his eyes. Reid ushered them outside. Collins and Gage now had Marjorie in the backseat of their unmarked vehicle. Collins headed their way. Reid met him halfway, while Vic and Damien went on to the car. Whatever conversation they were having, it was intense. The furrow between Reid’s eyebrows seemed proof of that. Then the men shook hands, turned away, and strode off—Collins to his sedan and Reid to them. Reid wiggled his fingers, motioning Vic and Damien his way. They met him at the front of the car. “Collins just told me they’ve made an arrest in Gail’s murder. He’ll have more details later.” Damien’s gaze tracked the departing detectives. “Marjorie?” “Yes,” Reid replied quietly. “Another witness came forward with information that, when combined with evidence, suggested she was the one. When confronted, she confessed.” “This is going to kill her parents.” He slowly shook his head. 81

BETRAYED

“I don’t think they know yet. It’s best we let the police handle this. Detective Collins has promised to keep me in the loop.” “I’d prefer the boys not hear this. This is shit they don’t need to know.” “Agreed. They won’t be at the hearing either. I’m taking you to a friend’s place. They’ll be safe there and distracted with other kids.” “Good. Thanks.” Damien drew a deep breath. “Please tell me this is fixable.” “I’m going to do everything in my power.” Damien nodded and walked around to the passenger door. He slipped into the seat, then turned to comfort his sons. Vic stepped into Reid’s personal space and kept his voice low. “You do whatever you have to do to protect them. Whatever it takes. Damien and those kids are all that matter now.” “Even if it means you lose everything?” Vic swallowed the lump in his throat. “Even if it means I have to lose him.” They stood there, gazes locked. Finally, Reid gave one short nod. Vic knew it cost him to back down. He’d never forget it.

82

BETRAYED

CHAPTER 8 Betrayed by his own parents. Damien should have known it would eventually come to this. It made him sick inside. Each time he knew he’d lose his mind over this, he turned his thoughts to the state of euphoria Vic had taken him to the night before. The experience centered him, drew him to a place of calm he otherwise wouldn’t have. He’d need that and more if this all went to hell. And right now it looked like it would do just that. He and Vic sat in the courtroom with Reid as their gatekeeper on one side and Lieutenant Colonel Jackson on the other side. They’d yet to have their case called before the judge, whose Buddha-like visage looked like he’d had just 83

BETRAYED

about enough of hearing the divorcing couple before him bicker over…everything. Been there, done that. Damien’s parents sat across the aisle with their attorney, eyes locked forward, faces masks of propriety and dignity. The façade of class. He prayed they lost their demeanor and showed their true colors today. Gail’s parents sat two rows behind them with an attorney as well. They’d countered the Walkers’ petition for guardianship with one of their own. Both looked liked they’d been pulled through a keyhole—eyes puffy and red-rimmed, exhausted and gray. By now, they probably knew Marjorie was the primary suspect in Gail’s murder. He’d still not heard any details on the how and why of that and didn’t much care. His focus was on his sons…and keeping Vic from being a victim in this domestic fallout. Judge Fields sent the Bickersons on their way. The couple stormed from the courtroom, their beleaguered attorneys trailing behind. The judge closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple. Panic welled up inside Damien’s throat. Vic pressed his thigh against Damien’s—I love you. Damien pressed back and let the warmth of Vic’s body calm him. The court clerk picked up the next file. “Walker v. Walker, running concurrent with Lewis v. Walker and Walker v. Williams.” They all stood as one and took their places at their respective tables before the judge. Thank God, the boys were safe. Not oblivious to what was going on, but still passing the 84

BETRAYED

time playing with other kids in a heated swimming pool that looked like a jungle grotto. Fields stared through the glasses perched at the end of his nose. “Looks like quite a mess here. Let me see if I’ve got this straight… Both sets of grandparents want to take these little boys from their father? Who’s Vic Williams and how is he part of all this?” “He’s been a friend of Damien Walker’s for many years, Your Honor,” Reid said before anyone else could speak. “Also, Your Honor, respondent Walker requests at this time that these proceedings be handled in chambers. Due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation into the murder of Gail Walker, the children’s mother, evidence and testimony we have to present for my clients could very well compromise said investigation in open court.” Fields passed an over-the-glasses look at them all. “All these people in my chambers? I don’t think so. But I will clear the courtroom of all nonessential persons. Witnesses will wait in the hallway until the bailiff calls.” Damien wanted to hug Reid. The chances of Lieutenant Colonel Jackson hearing they were gay had plummeted. Fields removed his glasses and folded his hands on top of the case file. “Okay…now that we’re clear…” He zeroed in on the petitioners’ table. “What reason do you have to want to take this man’s children from him?” “Because he’s a damn queer,” his father blurted out before his attorney could take a breath to reply. The Lewises gasped. Apparently news to them. Damien 85

BETRAYED

thanked all the higher powers that his CO was in the hall. “So?” the judge shot back. “And I presume Mr. Williams is somehow involved in this supposedly heinous activity?” “Led him into sin.” “Uh-huh. Mr. Williams, have you been fornicating with Mr. Walker in front of the children?” “No, Your Honor,” Vic calmly replied. “I have not been fornicating with Mr. Walker in front of anyone. Nor have I ever done such a thing with another party.” Fields nodded once. “Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, judging from the fact you both sucked all the air out of the courtroom, I presume you have another reason to want the children?” Their attorney stood. At least Bud and Grace had the good sense to let the man do his job. “Your Honor, the Lewises would like to withdraw their petition at this time. Their purpose was to protect their own interests with the children and their concern Mr. Walker’s military career would jeopardize the children’s stability. We’ve since learned Mr. Walker has been granted resignation from the Marine Corps and will be able to provide a stable home environment. The Lewises have no wish to pursue guardianship.” “Looks like case closed to me.” Fields lifted his gavel. Damien couldn’t believe they’d won so easily. Reid stood. “Actually, Your Honor, the respondent would like to present irrefutable evidence that proves the Walkers have no business raising any children…in the event they should decided to appeal any decision against them. Testimony that will prove their actions indirectly led to the 86

BETRAYED

death of Gail Walker.” “Mr. Hansen, you never fail to entertain. If it helps keep future dockets unclogged…proceed.” Damien held his breath, wondering what the hell Reid was doing. The only witness he knew of was Lieutenant Colonel Jackson and he knew nothing about Damien’s family. They’d won. What was the point? “Respondent calls Anthony Walker to the stand.” His brother? What the— “Do something,” his mother hissed to their lawyer. The man shot to his feet. “Your Honor, petitioner sees no need to continue this course of action. Petition for guardianship and the temporary restraining order against Mr. Williams is hereby withdrawn.” The judge chewed on that for a bit. “Very well. I’ve had enough mud-slinging today. I don’t want to hear any more, even if it might be deserved. But lest there be any doubt…” He lifted his gavel. “All petitions denied.” He smacked the hammer down. “Court adjourned.” They stood as he did and waited until he’d ducked into his chambers. Damien didn’t bother to spare his parents a look. He kept his eyes forward until he knew they and the Lewises had left the courtroom. “Detective Gage has your brother in a private room down the hall. Anthony wants to talk to you,” Reid said. “It’ll help the questions I know you have. As your lawyer, I must advise you to not speak with him alone.” Damien nodded. Then he and Vic followed Reid from the 87

BETRAYED

courtroom. In the hall, their CO beamed from the news they’d won. If Damien’s parents that mentioned anything to the man about him and Vic being gay, Jackson never let on. That sweet policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” really worked in their favor. Or at least in Vic’s favor since Damien’s days as a Marine Corps officer were coming to a close. Once they said their thank-yous and good-byes, Reid led the way to where Anthony waited. Damien’s nerves stood at high alert. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his younger brother. A year? Two? He supposed the age gap had a lot to do with the distance between them. But it seemed like his parents had made a concerted effort to keep the two of them apart once Damien came out to his family. That hurt more than his parents’ rejection since he and his brother had once been so close. Knowing what they’d just put him through, Damien suspected that had been their intent—to hurt. Anthony’s head jerked up when the door opened. His blue eyes looked haunted and frightened. He’d gotten thinner, his blond hair longer. Exhaustion weighed down his features. He clutched a can of Coke between shaking hands. Damien hesitated, then stepped around the table and hugged him. Anthony tensed, then sagged into his arms on a sob. “I’m gay,” he cried. “I’m gay.” Damien snapped his head up to the others. “Leave us.” “But—” Vic cupped Reid’s arm and pulled him out the door. “It’ll be okay. You, too, detective.” Gage passed a gaze over the brothers and left. 88

BETRAYED

Anthony lifted his head when the door clicked shut. “I tried so hard not to be. I couldn’t stand the way Mom and Dad treated you. In college, it just…happened. It felt so right…and so wrong. Dad found me in my dorm room with my boyfriend. It was…bad.” Damien imagined it was. He’d been down that road before. “You could’ve come to me. Talked to me.” Anthony shook his head. “No. I didn’t want to. Didn’t want to admit the truth. And I thought you being married to Gail meant you’d…changed. You had two kids. That had to mean you weren’t gay. And if you could cure yourself, I knew I could, too.” “Cure myself?” Damien cupped his shoulder and tried to get Anthony to look at him. It was no use. “I’m not sick. There’s nothing wrong with me. It’s part of who I am, just like having blond hair and blue eyes.” God, how many years had it taken him to admit that? He truly did know what his brother was going through. “I…I went to Gail.” His voice shook with every word. “I figured if she was woman enough to help you, then maybe she could help me, too. She was sweet…at first. Flattered I wanted to sleep with her… Until I told her why.” Tears dropped to his jeans. “I didn’t know you hadn’t told her. She went crazy when I told her you were gay. She grabbed a baseball bat from the corner of the room. I thought she was going to kill me. Then she went into the hall and smashed all the pictures. I got the hell out of there.” He braced his elbows on the table and buried his head in 89

BETRAYED

his hands. “I got to thinking. Then I got to worrying. I didn’t want her hurting you, ruining your career. I thought I could calm her down, tell her I was joking because I wanted to fu— sleep with her. I went back to the house. The door opened when I knocked. I went inside and found them. I ran. Next thing I know I’m behind bars for DUI. I swear I don’t remember much after seeing…” Damien draped his arm over Anthony’s shoulders and let him cry it out. “Is it so bad being gay?” he asked. “It has its challenges,” Damien admitted. “But those are so much easier to face when you have the right partner by your side.” Anthony glanced up, long blond lashes spiked with tears. “Do you? Have the right partner?” “I sure do.” And he’d do whatever it took to see they stayed partners. “What do you think’s gonna happen to me?” he asked. “They say I could be charged as an accessory after the fact.” Damien wondered why he hadn’t asked for a lawyer from the start, but didn’t think Anthony could stand being berated by him now. Not when he’d opened his heart. “Don’t worry about it. I think I know an attorney who might be able to help.” Anthony nodded. “I’ve missed you.” He hugged him once more. “I’ve missed you, too.” *

* 90

*

BETRAYED

Vic took advantage of the backseat privacy in Reid’s car and held Damien’s hand. They rubbed their thumbs against each other, trying to chase the remnants of tension and emotional turmoil away. “Anthony will be fine,” Reid assured him. “He was frightened and ran. There won’t be charges against him. Marjorie confessed and she’ll plead guilty.” “Do you have the details yet?” Damien asked. “Yes. She called Gail and found her hysterical over the news you were gay. Apparently, she regretted the divorce and had been trying to find a way to manipulate you back into marriage. Marjorie went over there and they had a few drinks. Gail was already plastered. Kept going on and on about how she was less than a woman because only gay guys wanted her. Marjorie got her tucked in, then called her boyfriend—” “Paul Ford,” Vic mumbled. “Yep…to come get her because she’d been drinking. On the way back to his place, Marjorie told him everything Gail had said. He said something about showing Gail a good time because she was a hot piece of ass. Naturally, Marjorie didn’t take kindly to that and demanded he take her home, which he did.” “And then went back to Gail’s.” Damien’s hand tightened around Vic’s. “Marjorie got worried and went over to Paul’s. When she didn’t find him there, she returned to Gail’s, parked down the block to see if she could catch them in the act. Unfortunately, she did just that. She grabbed the baseball bat and knocked 91

BETRAYED

Paul out, then killed her sister. Then made sure Paul was dead.” “Her parents know?” “I believe they were told prior to the hearing this afternoon. Apparently, Marjorie goes through a lot of boyfriends and they weren’t aware of the latest one. They didn’t want to know.” Vic’s heart went out to them. “God, I need a drink.” Damien leaned into Vic. “That makes two of us.” Vic nudged his foot. “Make that three,” Reid said. “We’ve got dinner and booze at the house waiting. And two very happy little boys from what I’ve heard.” Damien laughed. “Heard the squeal when I told them?” “Even the deaf would’ve heard that,” he said with a laugh. “And I understand they’re bouncing all over the place. Given any thought to what you’ll do next now that the way is clear?” Vic and Damien had discussed different plans all afternoon while they waited for the hearing, trying to cover every eventuality. “I’m going to remain in San Diego for the time being, put my current house on the market, and I’ll have my resume ready by Monday morning,” Damien said. “I don’t much like the idea of living in Gail’s house, but for the time being it’s the only option I’ve got. I don’t want to uproot the boys twice. We’ll settle somewhere once I have a job.” “Which I don’t think will be a problem.” Reid caught Vic’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “And you?” 92

BETRAYED

“I’m staying in the Marine Corps. I’d like to make my retirement, even though it’s still ten years away. I’ll be commuting on weekends to Damien’s house. I figure the worse that could happen is they discover I’m gay and give me an honorable discharge. We know it won’t be easy, but we figure as long as we’re together we can make it work.” Reid grinned. “Sounds like a good plan. We’ll have a lot to celebrate tonight.” “We couldn’t have done it without you.” Vic meant every word. “I don’t know how we could every repay you for everything.” Too late he caught a glimmer of mischief in Reid’s eyes. “I think I might know where there’s a playroom for three.” Vic laughed. “Uhm…okay…that’s never gonna happen.” “Never say never.” Reid laughed. “And you didn’t even blush that time. I swear there’s hope for you yet.” “I apparently have a good mentor,” Vic shot back. “By the way, the rooms you have in the house are soundproof and adjoining. Just in case.” “Good to know.” Vic winked at Damien. Just lying beside this man in the same bed at night was pleasure; everything else was gravy. “I love you.” Damien’s words washed over Vic in a heated rush. The light in Damien’s blue eyes nestled in his heart. “I love you, too.” Forever and ever. Then he dared what he never had in public. He kissed him.

93

BETRAYED

EPILOGUE Ten years later “He looks good, distinguished. I feel so damn proud,” Doug whispered to his father. Damien couldn’t agree more. Vic was the dignified sergeant major in all his Marine Corps glory. Gray peppered his brown hair now; laugh lines carved deep lines around Vic’s eyes and mouth. Lines Damien loved to trace with his tongue. Damien’s knees were weak just looking, his emotions all choked up. They’d made it. Vic’s retirement ceremony from the Marine Corps. Damien marveled at how fast time went. It 94

BETRAYED

seemed only yesterday they’d made the commitment to each other. Everyone was here for the celebration—everyone important, that is. As always, Damien sat with Doug and Keith on each side of him. Vic’s nephew Tim—the child he’d called son all those years ago to protect—sat next to them with his mother, Lucy, and her husband. Tim was the image of Vic’s brother, well beyond the age his father had been when he’d died. Vic’s parents had the honored seats on the dais with Vic. They’d supported him through thick and thin and deserved the treasured spot. Pride beamed from their faces, misting Damien’s eyes. He blinked his vision clear. Reid sat on the second row right behind Damien. They’d become close friends over the years, their lives meshed and enriched by their association that had little to do with Reid’s mentoring and everything to do with the fact the three of them simply liked each other. They’d also met Reid’s mentor— impossible not to considering their friendship with Reid—but their association never stepped into Reid’s other community. And it never would. Vic and Damien preferred their privacy. Reid’s guidance was very much appreciated, though. “There’s no way he’s going to keep from crying,” Keith whispered in his other ear. “Don’t they all cry at their retirement ceremony?” “They all do,” Damien admitted. He leaned over to talk to his brother. “They were like babies at your graduation last week.” Not to be outdone, Doug leaned closer. “We’ll be crying at 95

BETRAYED

your high school graduation, too, because it’ll be such a miracle if you get that far.” Keith grinned and shoved his brother’s shoulder. “Shut up, hotshot.” “Boys…” His voice quietly warned them to tone it down. The two were fairly competitive, but damn the soul who tried to come between them. It wasn’t going to be easy on Keith when Doug went off to college in the fall. Doug wanted to wait until next year so Keith could go with him. The discussion was still open, with Vic firmly taking the boys’ side. Those two had him so wrapped around their fingers it was ridiculous. Damien loved every minute of it. The boys knew he and Damien were lovers. They could care less. This was their family. They’d been lucky most of the time, with Vic getting stationed on the West Coast and able to commute home on weekends, sometimes daily depending on the location. However, the years hadn’t all been a smooth ride, especially when Vic deployed overseas. By then they’d established themselves as a family unit. Vic’s absence hit them all hard. The boys worried constantly something would happen to “D2”, their other dad, a fear Damien had felt to the core of his bones. When Vic returned safe and sound, Damien cursed the society that refused to allow him to give his Marine a proper public welcome home. Doug and Keith knew no such restrictions. The two had hurled themselves into Vic’s arms. He’d hid his tears at the time, saved them for the privacy of their home and the haven of Vic’s arms. 96

BETRAYED

The crowd stood with the first notes of “The Marine Corps Hymn.” Vic looked ahead, taut with the effort to not cry as thousands of Marines before him had done at their retirement ceremonies. Pride filled Damien’s heart, right next to the love that had always been there. Then Vic’s gaze locked on his. The boys nudged Damien at the same time. Tears filled Vic’s eyes. Damien let his fall. They’d done it. Beat the odds. And they’d done it together.

97

CASSIE S TEVENS Cassie Stevens gets to the heart of the matter in her gay erotic romances. Readers will find deep emotions and sizzling sensuality seamlessly woven into stories that always promise a happy-ever-after. You can visit Cassie’s website at: http://cassiestevens.com *

*

*

Don’t miss Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, by Cassie Stevens available at AmberAllure.com!

They loved each other more than life…twelve years ago. If only they’d been more worldly, more sure of themselves, and less inclined to bow to parental dictates and society… But they’d followed the paths laid out for them—Elliott Baldwin as a Marine Corps officer, Neal Cassidy toward a career in politics and eventually a shot at Congress. Never did they realize, however, that their college love affair would ever be exposed on nationwide television during a nasty political campaign…or that it would thrust them back into each other’s arms.

Now they are no longer boys, but men who know what and who they want, know the risks involved, and know society hasn’t matured with them. And they also know choices have to be made even as they realize some secrets are best left hidden…

AMBER QUILL PRESS, LLC THE GOLD STANDARD IN PUBLISHING QUALITY BOOKS IN BOTH PRINT AND ELECTRONIC FORMATS

ACTION/ADVENTURE

SUSPENSE/THRILLER

SCIENCE FICTION MAINSTREAM

DARK FANTASY ROMANCE

HORROR

EROTICA

FANTASY

GLBT

WESTERN

MYSTERY

PARANORMAL

HISTORICAL

B UY D IRECT AND S AVE www.AmberQuill.com www.AmberHeat.com www.AmberAllure.com