Behind the Lens (Behind the Lives) (25 page)

“Yes
they are, and I bet you gave him them so you could fuck him!”

“I
did not; it was only to loosen him up for a modelling job.”

“Liar!
You’re naked.”

“So
what, it’s hot.” Ant sniggered. “He’s hot.”

“You
bastard!”

Ant
grabbed Tyler’s wrists again as he went to hit him.

Tyler
jerked them away. “I hate you!”

“No,
you don’t, baby.”

“You
used Corey.”

“I
already told you I didn’t fuck him.”

“Only
cos I showed up. What would have happened if I’d turned up ten minutes later?”

“I
would’ve been a lot happier and ten cc’s less.”

Tyler
slapped Ant’s face. “You’re a selfish bastard who only cares about his cock!”

Ant
rubbed his cheek, looking more amused than hurt. “That is so true.”

Tyler
rushed over to Corey. “Did he hurt you?”

Corey
stared at Tyler, his friend’s face changing shape, elongating like out of
Aliens
.

Tyler
grabbed Corey’s boxers off the floor and started pulling them on. “You’ve gotta
leave now, Corey.”

Corey
rubbed his eyes, trying to stop the warping, as Tyler dressed him. Tyler
finished pulling on Corey’s track-pants, then grabbed the T and yanked it over
Corey’s head, along with the hoodie.

Now
with pants on, Ant walked around the other side of the bed, ignoring Tyler’s
yell to back off. He slid his arms under Corey and lifted him up.

Tyler
ran over to him. “Put him down!”

Corey
wrapped his arms around Ant’s neck and buried his face into his chest, scared
by Tyler’s anger, his face still morphing into monstrous shapes.

“Back
off, Tyler,” Ant said, “You’ll make me drop him.”

“Where
are you taking him?”

“Home,
while you can fuck off.”

“No,
he’s going to his own home, so put him down.”

“Stop
shouting, you’re scaring him.”

“No!
Put him down or I’ll call the police.”

Ant
placed Corey back on the bed, then spun around and shoved Tyler onto the floor.

Tyler
scrambled to his feet and backed up, holding out his hands to keep Ant away,
his face back to normal. “Please,” he said, looking terrified. “I didn’t mean
anything by it, I wouldn’t have phoned them, I promise.”

“I
don’t believe you,” Ant snapped.

“I
just wanted you to put him down.” Tyler stumbled backwards as Ant shoved him
again. “Don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me.”

“You
deserve it.” Ant grabbed Tyler by the throat. “And I could have you killed for
attacking me.”

“No,
no, please no, I didn’t think, I didn’t, I love him and you were going to fuck
him, please...” Tyler started crying.

Ant
sniffed. “Stop blubbering, I won’t kill you, it’ll be a waste of a fine arse.”
His hand moved around to Tyler’s butt. “Yeah, I haven’t had any of this for a while
now, kind of miss a bit of blond.”

Tyler
shook his head. “No, you can’t, I needa take Corey home.”

“No,
baby, my chauffeur can take him, and not like I can do him now, he keeps
threatening to vomit, so how about we have a bit of fun instead.”

“No,
you hurt me.”

“Don’t
you want a job anymore?”

“Please,
don’t do this, Ant.”

“I
can do whatever the hell I like! So stop whining like a bitch and say yes.” Ant
let out a snort. “Or maybe I’ll decide to let your films slip into the
mainstream. What will child services do when they find out? Do you think
they’ll let you get custody of your young and impressionable cousin?”

“I’ll
do it! I’ll do it!”

“Good
boy.” Ant let go, and pointed at the BDSM set. “Now, get over there.”

Crying,
Tyler went over and slumped down on the floor, facing the chains hanging off
the wall.

Wanting
to comfort Tyler, Corey grabbed his crutches and pushed off the bed, quickly
falling back onto the mattress before he fell onto his face.

Ant
rushed over to him. “You alright?”

“Dizzy,
and everything looks weird, it’s making me feel sick.” He covered his mouth,
wondering whether he was going to chunder again.

“Okay,
then go home and sleep it off. I’ll get my chauffeur to take you.” Ant pulled
Corey up and thrust the crutches into Corey’s chest. “Come on, I’ll walk you to
the door.”

Corey
looked over at Tyler, who was still crying on the floor. He went to move
towards him.

Ant
blocked him. “Don’t worry about the cry baby, he’ll be fine.”

“But
he’s upset.”

“I’ll
take care of him.”

“I
wanna help too.”

Ant
leaned his face close. “Little boy, since you’re working for me now, you need
to learn not to answer back.”

Corey
moved his head away. “But I didn’t.”

“You
just did it again,” Ant snapped, reminding Corey of how his father looked when
he was telling him off.

“I-I-I’m
sorry.”

Ant’s
angry expression disintegrated like it had never been there, just a figment of
Corey’s imagination. “You’re a good boy,” Ant said, “
unlike
Tyler, who’s
always throwing tantrums.” He touched Corey’s cheek. “I think you’re someone
who’s a good worker, someone who will do as they’re told. Am I right?”

Corey
nodded without thinking.

“I
think we’ll get on real good,” Ant said, letting him go. “I’ll just go get your
money.” He headed around the wall, returning with something that he stuffed
into Corey’s pocket. “Here’s your payment for today.”

Corey
leaned on his crutch, feeling like he was going to fall over, the floor moving
up and down. Once he felt stable enough, he pulled out what Ant had put in his
pocket, his eyes going wide at the hundred dollar bills. “Whoa!”

“And
you’ll be paid even more at the convention.”

Corey
looked up. “What convention?”

“The
one you agreed to come to. Now, when the Rs wear off, you may remember some
things and forget others, so I’ll make things easy for you. The same driver who
is taking you home today will pick you up tomorrow. I’ll get your number off
Tyler, and will remind you, because I’m sure you won’t want to miss out on this
great opportunity.”

Corey
nodded, although he couldn’t remember Ant telling him about a convention—or
agreeing to going, but he wanted to get more money. He looked over at Tyler,
who was still hunched over. He went to go to him, but got his face yanked
around by Ant.

“Forget
about Tyler,” Ant said, “I told you I’ll look after him.”

Ant
let go of Corey’s chin then directed him over to the door. Feeling dizzy again,
Corey stopped to get his bearings, then jolted as an arm clamped around his
chest. Ant whispered into his ear. “And, sweetheart, don’t tell Sledge about
today, because he’s embarrassed he fucked you, so if you still want him, keep
quiet about everything, including the convention, or hetro-boy will dump you
faster than you can say ‘free pussy’.”

Corey
turned to Ant, ready to defend Sledge, but the words stuck in his throat.

Ant
continued, “But if I were you I’d drop him. You should love someone who
appreciates you more, because you are so fine,” Ant said, staring at Corey’s
lips. Before Corey knew what was happening, Ant clamped a hand at the back of
Corey’s head and thrust his tongue into his mouth, the taste familiar, though
he didn’t know why and he wanted it to stop, but he remained frozen, his mind
trying to tell him this was all a figment of his imagination, because no one
would do this to him.

Ant
pulled away and smiled. “You are so fuckable looking. Maybe when hetro-boy
leaves, you’ll give me some sugar instead of cum.” He pushed a thumb into
Corey’s mouth making Corey’s eyes bug out. “Yeah, you’ll give me some alright,
just a matter of when, so save me some, because once you’re all better we’re
going to have a lot of fun.” Smiling, Ant removed his thumb. “Now, go get your
ride home before I change my mind and fuck you until you puke.”

Corey
turned and hobbled outside as quickly as he could, not believing what had
happened, but then again, he wasn’t sure if he could believe anything that was
happening, because things were still warping. Not all of the time, but if he
looked at something for too long things moved and changed, plus the colours
were freaky, every hue intense and bright, like the sky, which he thought had
never looked that shade of blue before, while the concrete was silver, like
fish were swimming beneath his feet, their fins shinning in the sun.

He
headed down the side of the warehouse, glancing back as Ant followed him. The
guy’s muscular chest flexed at Corey’s gaze, making him stare for a moment, then
his eyes lowered to the bulge in Ant’s pants.

“You
better stop looking at it like that,” Ant said, “because I’m seriously
considering sticking it into you whether you’re up to it or not.”

Corey’s
face flushed. He turned back around and headed for the black Maserati parked by
the kerb, the only car in the area, the street dead quiet except for the
tapping of his crutches. He kept his eyes straight ahead, afraid to look back,
his mind going to the Sodom and Gomorrah story, wondering whether he would turn
into salt if he glanced back at Ant. Also, he didn’t want to look at Ant like
that, because it felt like cheating. Nah, that was just stupid. He could look,
but not touch, and it was Ant who’d kissed him, but then again, maybe all of
this wasn’t real, just a dream, because it felt like one.

Unable
to help himself, he glanced back to see if Ant had disappeared in a puff of
smoke, but the guy stood watching him, his body as glorious as Sledge’s, dark
and muscular, just with more bulk. Ant blew him a kiss, then turned and headed
back to the warehouse.

“Do
ya need help to get in?” a voice asked behind him, making him jolt.

Corey
turned around. A chauffeur stood in front of him. The guy was dressed in a
black and white suit with a driver’s cap over dark hair. Corey stared up in
surprise, the man looking like… “Don’t hit me!” he yelled, lifting up a crutch,
even though Nike had every right to after what Tama had done to the guy’s wife
and sister.

Nike
stared at him in shock. “You’re one of Ant’s boys?”

“Just
keep away from me, I’ve been bashed enough.”

“What
the fuck? I ain’t gonna bash ya.”

Corey
lowered his crutch slightly. “Then stop lookin’ at me like you wanna.”

“I
am not, and if I did hurt ya, I’d get my arse handed to me on a plate by your
boyfriend.”

Corey
lifted up his chin. “
Yeah
, Sledge would beat you up.”

Nike
snorted out a laugh. “I knew he wuz a cock-sucker, but I wuzn’t talking ’bout
him, I meant Ant.”

“Ant’s
not my boyfriend.”

“Whatever,
I don’t give a shit, just get in the car.”

“No,
and Sledge ain’t a cock-sucker. I only suck him.”

Nike
screwed up his nose. “Not really an image I want, I’m already scarred for
life.”

A
little of Corey’s anger melted away as he focused on the thin scar running down
Nike’s cheek. “Is that what Tama did to you?” he asked, thinking it made Nike
look cool.

“Yeah,
but I’ll make him pay for it.”

“Good,
cos that shithead deserves everything coming to him.”

Nike’s
brows pulled together. “I thought you were his mate.”

“Fuck
off, I hate the cunt. He ruins everything he touches.”

“Well,
at least we agree on one thing, so how ’bout we agree on another: that you get
in the car before I get fired, and I mean literally, cos my job’s for life.”

“I
ain’t gettin’ in a car with you.”

“Look,
I’m just the hired help, so stop giving me trouble.”

“Still
not doin’ it.”

“Then
go back to Ant and tell him why, cos I’m not gettin’ into shit cos you’re being
a pansy.”

“I
ain’t a pansy!”

“Then
prove me wrong.”

Corey
glanced at the car, then back at Nike, trying to work out if the guy was being
honest.

“Take
a picture, it’ll last longer,” Nike said.

“Don’t
be a smart cunt.”

“Emphasis
on the smart, now get in,” Nike said, opening the door.

Corey
hobbled over to it reluctantly. Making sure he didn’t turn his back on Nike, he
ducked his head and angled his butt to sit on the back seat. Nike grabbed his
legs and placed them inside, the guy being gentle, but still giving Corey one
hell of a fright. Letting go, Nike straightened and looked down at Corey, a
frown playing across his handsome face, like he wanted to tell Corey something,
but couldn’t. Corey stared back, feeling an unwanted rush of heat go through
him, everything setting him off today, but then again, Nike had been his first
crush, someone he used to fantasise about when he was in primary school, and
for the guy to touch him, that was just so freaky.