Cage Match (26 page)

work‟s only beginning.”

“At least your father‟s backing you. The old man may be a son of a bitch, but he

knows how to get things done.”

“You sound like you‟re growing fond of him.”

“No, but I understand him. He doesn‟t let anything get in his way.”

“He certainly doesn‟t.”

“You care. He gets shit done. The two of you together are unbeatable.” Jabez

closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. “Can we stop talking? I‟m beat.”

“Yeah, we can.”

With the weight of Andreas‟s head on his shoulder, Jabez tightened his arm

around the other man‟s body, relieved to have him safe in his embrace once more. How

quickly he‟d become used to the feeling. More than used to it, he was addicted to

Andreas like he‟d been hooked on drugs back when he was a kid.

“One more thing.” His drowsy voice drifted to Jabez‟s ears as if from far away.

“Mm?”

“I think I forgot to say thank you for coming to get me, so thank you.”

“Now we‟re even. You saved me. I saved you,” Jabez mumbled.

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Warm fingers caressed his forearm and wrist, found his fingers, and laced with

them. “You never owed me anything. People shouldn‟t measure the things they do for

each other, especially when they‟re in love.”

Jabez‟s stomach tightened, and he was suddenly wide awake. He stared at their

linked hands before turning his face so his lips brushed against Andreas‟s soft curls. He

breathed in the musky odor of his body, the sweat and oils from his days of captivity

and hand-to-hand combat. Nothing had ever smelled sweeter to him. He pressed a kiss

to the top of his head.

“Sleep now. Talk later.”

“Okay.” Andreas‟s voice was barely a murmur.

Jabez continued to stroke his fingers while Andreas‟s breathing slowed and

deepened. He was happier than he‟d ever been, but afraid of the weight of the word

“love.” Could he be everything Andreas needed him to be?

He‟d spent his life reacting to whatever shit was thrown at him and surviving

situations not of his choosing. Now it was time for him to make his own decisions, to

become better than he‟d imagined he could be and fulfill a potential he‟d never realized

he had until Andreas showed it to him.

But letting go of who he used to be, no matter if he‟d outgrown that role, was

going to take some adjustment. His life was truly about to change.

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Bonnie Dee

Chapter Fifteen

Applause broke out and music blared over the speakers as Andreas cut the ribbon,

opening the new Civic Center in Brick Town. He turned and smiled at the assembled

crowd, well-dressed people from uptown mingled with the up-and-coming merchants

of B-town. Policemen patrolled the perimeter of the gathering. Loitering at the fringe

and watching from across the street and from tenement windows were the very types of

people the Center was meant to help. Hollow-eyed, stoned, violent, hopeless—the dregs

of the city appeared to be beyond saving, but Andreas was determined to try to

integrate the two halves of the once-whole city.

His next step was to lobby to take down the wall. No doubt there‟d be an outcry at

the idea. It was one thing to act as benefactors to the needy, quite another to have them

uncontained in the city. Crime rates would go up. Security would be beefed up. The city

would be a mess, and people would lay the blame at his door.

Andreas was ready for whatever happened.

He located Jabez and winked at him. His lover didn‟t return the smile. He was in

focused bodyguard mode today, gaze sweeping the surrounding area and fingers

clenching lightly by his side as if eager to reach for his gun. A tingle of warmth at the

protective stance lanced through Andreas. As he turned and descended the steps at the

edge of the platform, he felt safe, sheltered…and damn horny. But there was at least a

half hour of handshaking, smiling, and promoting his agenda followed by a luncheon

before he‟d find time to be alone with Jabez.

“It‟s good work you‟re doing here, Mr. Fortias.” A kind-faced woman in a chic

Moripa gown far too dressy for the occasion smiled at him. He couldn‟t remember her

name, but the electronic secretary he wore in his ear offered it to him in a cool,

computerized voice.

“Thank you, Mrs. Sanjasi, but it‟s good work
all
of us are doing together. The

Center couldn‟t have been built without community support, and I hope the Fortias

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Foundation can continue to count on the generosity of people like you to make the

dream come true.”

He cringed inside at the politician-speak coming out of his mouth. But the

difference was that he held no office and he meant his words sincerely.

Inside the building in the large main hall, folding tables had been set up and a

buffet of soups and breads was available. It was simpler fare in sparser surroundings

than most of the assembled society types had probably ever experienced, but if they

were dismayed, they hid it well and continued to chatter while they queued for food.

Andreas met and greeted everyone, including the new managing council of B-

town and some of the manufacturers and merchants who‟d taken advantage of the

initiative program to set up shop in the ghetto. Notably absent was the mayor of New

Englandia, who appeared ready to fight the integration of the city tooth and nail.

The luncheon dragged to a close, and then there was more networking to do.

Andreas shot another yearning glance at Jabez, this time catching his eye. The

smoldering look the other man gave him must have been visible to anyone watching—

or maybe Andreas only imagined Jabez‟s gaze was almost physically palpable. His cock

was hard, and the event didn‟t seem to be drawing to a close.

Andreas excused himself from a conversation with a man opening a glider body

shop in B-town. He started toward the restroom, aware of his bodyguard following.

They were barely down the side corridor when he grabbed Jabez‟s hand and dragged

him into the first empty room he came to, a small office space not yet equipped or

occupied.

They came together in a fierce clash as if they were battling in the ring. Even

though they‟d woken in bed together that morning, it felt to Andreas as if he hadn‟t

been alone with Jabez in far too long. He pressed his body up against the wall, crushed

his mouth in a hungry kiss, and pushed his fingers through the other man‟s soft hair. It

was quite long now, shaggy and sexy and a medium nut brown. He held Jabez‟s head

between his hands while their lips mashed together and their tongues curled around

each other.

Too many layers of clothes kept their bodies apart. Andreas wanted to tear open

Jabez‟s shirt to stroke his hands over that sleek, hard chest. He thrust his hips, rubbing

his erection against the bulge in the other man‟s trousers. Pulling away from the kiss

with a groan, he gazed into Jabez‟s face.

“How long do you think we could be gone before somebody‟d notice?”

Jabez‟s eyes were trained on Andreas‟s mouth, and his hands slipped beneath his

jacket to wrap around Andreas‟s waist. “Not enough time.”

Andreas sighed. “You‟re right. We‟ll be out of here soon enough; then we‟ll have

the rest of the day together.” He thrust again and grunted at the sensation in his

throbbing cock. “There‟s just something about grabbing stolen minutes that‟s even

hotter than sex at home.”

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Bonnie Dee

Jabez chuckled. The warm sound poured over him like black coffee, rich and

potent. Even now after several months together, Andreas treasured every small smile,

every rare laugh the other man gave him.

“All right. Soon.” He gave Jabez one more peck on the lips and reluctantly let go.

Stepping back with a sigh, he straightened his clothes and made sure the bulge in his

pants was hidden.

As he turned to walk from the room, Jabez‟s voice stopped him. “Andreas.”

“Yeah?” He glanced over his shoulder.

“You did good. This place. The new jobs. You‟re making it happen.”

Succinct as always, Jabez‟s compliment meant more to him than the effusive

praise of the media or politicians eager to ride the “New Fortias” bandwagon of social

reform.

“Thank you.”

* * * * *

the waiting glider on the street when a voice called out, “Hey, Prince, it‟s the King.”

Andreas recognized the voice and turned to search for King Leonidas in the

crowd, but the security guards blocked his view.

“It‟s all right. Let the man through,” he ordered. Bodies moved aside, and he

caught a glimpse of Leonidas being frisked by one of the guards.

“Hands off, fool. I got no weapons.”

The man left his entourage of three behind and approached Andreas. He was

ringed by a protective bubble of security guards. Excited media people pressed close to

document the unexpected development.

Leonidas nodded at Jabez before focusing his brown eyes on Andreas. “What‟s up

you don‟t invite me to your party? Supposed to be for the important folks in B-town,

right? That‟s me.”

“Sorry. I guess I didn‟t think you‟d come.” Andreas‟s smile felt stiff on his lips. He

knew Leonidas was fucking with him and hadn‟t expected an invitation, but he had to

play it carefully. “Welcome. What brings you here?”

The dark eyes scanned the new building behind him. “Lot of changes happening

here. A new day dawning and all that shit. B-town needs a new day.”

“Yes, it does.”

He looked at Andreas again. “‟Course I heard about the lab getting shut down.

People freed and sent to halfway houses to recover. I want some of that „restitution for

the victims‟ action.” He nodded his head slowly. “You done good taking ‟em down.”

More brief but heartfelt praise. Andreas accepted it with a genuine smile this time.

“Thanks.”

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“I respect you, man, but like I told you before, change ain‟t good for my business,

so I hope you and me aren‟t gonna have a tussle.”

“Me neither, King. I don‟t want trouble. I hope we can work out solutions that

help everyone get ahead.”

Leonidas threw back his head and laughed. “You already starting to talk like a

politician. Don‟t let ‟em change you.”

“No, sir, I won‟t.”

The man turned to Jabez. “Keep an eye on your boy here. Keep him real and keep

him out of my shit.”

Jabez grunted.

The rest of the security team was growing restless and visibly uncomfortable

about the implied threat in Leo‟s words. But before they could hustle him away, he

made his own exit, giving an extravagant bow to Andreas. “Royalty to royalty.”

Andreas returned the bow.

The crowd parted as King Leo and his mates strode away. Andreas turned to

Jabez and whispered, “That was unexpected.”

“That‟s Lightning. He likes you, but he could be trouble.”

Since Andreas was swamped with trouble and people with conflicting desires

making demands on him these days, it was just more to add to his plate.

“Couldn‟t be worse than my own friends were,” he remarked, thinking the blunt

gangster seemed more real than Timon or Rabi ever had. “I really picked some

winners.”

“Simeon isn‟t so bad,” Jabez offered.

Andreas wondered how the other two were doing in prison. Knowing Timon‟s

mouth, he was either ruling the cell block or being beaten up on a daily basis. As for

Rabi, he‟d probably get shanked the first time he leered at one of the other inmates.

Their lawyer had tried to convince the judge to send them to a white-collar, country-

club detention center. Andreas‟s father had used his connections to make certain they

went to hard-core prison. Andreas tried to feel bad or guilty about that but couldn‟t

manage it.

Andreas and Jabez continued toward the glider, and soon the driver had whisked

them away from the streets of Brick Town back into New Englandia. Leaning over the

seat, Andreas handed him a note. “Stop at this address before home, please.”

He sat back and made a bet with himself on whether Jabez would be curious

enough to ask where they were going or if he‟d remain silent and go along for the ride.

The odds were running sixty forty in favor of silence before Jabez finally asked the

question.

“Where are we stopping?”

Andreas grinned. “You‟ll see. It‟s a surprise.”

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Bonnie Dee

He‟d been planning it for a while, but things had been so hectic the time wasn‟t

right. Today, he‟d realized life would always be busy and the time to get Jabez this

special gift was now.

When they stopped in front of the building, Jabez stared at the window for a