Deliver Us (36 page)

Gabriel is busy manning the grill, adding lighter fluid to get the coals nice and hot. Seeing the black and red ‘kiss the cook’ apron tied around his waist, Ben barks with laughter and goes to give Gabriel a hug, puckering up his lips expectantly.

“Don’t even think about it, you horny bastard” Gabriel warns. Nodding to Darrek out in the middle of the lawn with Sierra, “It was all his idea, not mine.”

“It’s good to see you,” Ben tells him earnestly, looping an arm around Gabriel’s neck and patting his back. “You look... happy.”

“That’s because I
am
happy. You’re surprised?”

“A little. I’ve never really seen you
this
happy before. You’re not
on
something are you?” Ben asks, sitting down on one of the lawn chairs arranged nearby.

“No, moron. When we were at the store, Darrek accused me of glowing like I was pregnant. I was probably not as offended by that as I should have been, now that I think about it.”

When Kyle moves automatically to sit cross-legged at Ben’s feet, Ben stops him with a hand on his arm and says quietly to him, but loud enough to carry, “Hey, I’d like you to shake Gabriel’s hand.”

Kyle nods, still smiling with amusement as he watches Darrek in the yard, and extends a hand to Gabriel, who takes it and smiles back at him.

“Wanna show Darrek what you’ve got?”

“Seriously?” Kyle asks, glancing down at Ben.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah. Okay,” Kyle agrees, shrugging.

Ben and Gabriel share a look as Gabriel hands Kyle a mouthguard, which Kyle pops in, fitting it between his teeth. Taking the proffered headgear in Gabriel’s other hand, Ben gets it snugly in place on Kyle’s head. It is designed to wrap around most of the wearer’s head, with padded cheeks, forehead, ears, and back. Next they strap onto him a pair of enormous, inflatable novelty boxing gloves that perfectly match the pair Darrek is already wearing. Darrek is also already wearing his own helmet-like headgear and, Kyle assumes, a mouthguard as well.

Kyle starts to giggle again, but when Ben asks him if he is ready, all he can give in return is an unintelligible mumble. Realizing he can’t speak around the mouthguard, and can’t even give a thumbs-up, he just nods with exaggeration from inside the padded headgear.

Sierra comes bounding over to Kyle, sniffing at him and barking excitedly when she recognizes his scent, if not his appearance.

Looking back at Ben, his eyes in shadow, Kyle gives his master an unmistakable look that Ben knows is a silent thank you before turning and jogging over to Darrek. Unable to worry about apologizing or speaking to each other with both of them adorned with the boxing gear, it takes any pressure off and allows them to laugh and begin to get past their issues. Apologies and formalities will come later, but first comes the ridiculousness of trying to whack each other around with giant-sized balloons on their hands.

Watching Kyle go, seeing Darrek try to dance around Sierra, who keeps snapping at his gloves, Ben hands over the package of steaks to Gabriel, saying, “People really do this for couples therapy?”

“So I heard. Looks like it’s working so far. Is Kyle okay? He didn’t seem too freaked out.”

“Yeah, he was having a minor fit in the truck a minute ago, but...
OOH
!” Ben exclaims, seeing Kyle whack the side of Darrek’s head with a left hook that Darrek simply returns in kind and Kyle goes tumbling backward over Sierra.

They can hear Darrek’s belly laughs, even from almost thirty yards away, as Kyle struggles to his feet and goes charging at Darrek who flees in a panic.

“This is our most awesome idea ever,” Gabriel gushes, watching Darrek and Kyle chase each other around the property, Sierra hot on their heels. “You seem more... sated... since the last time I saw you. Domestic bliss looks good on you, man.”

“You have no idea.”

“Aw, is Knox in
love
?” Gabriel teases, passing him a cold opened beer and tossing the steaks onto the grill.

“Best sub I’ve ever had, best
fuck
I’ve ever had, and the little bastard just
does
stuff to me.”

“Oh, go on and say it. I promise not to revoke your man card.”

“Fine. I love ’im. Satisfied?”

“Yes. Yes I am,” Gabriel grins, a drink of his own in hand, as both of them settle into seats. The scent of grilling meat fills the air, making Sierra even crazier as she catches a whiff. He watches Darrek try to block a series of blows with his huge gloves, grumbling nonsense at Kyle all the while.

“Can I tell you something, without you giving me hell for it?” Gabriel asks quietly, not looking at Ben, knowing Ben is probably staring at him because of the seriousness of his tone.

“Oh, fuck you, Hunter. Come on, what is it?” Ben frowns, nudging Gabriel’s shoulder.

Gabriel’s response is to pull the chain around his neck, exposing the platinum key to Ben.

“No shit!?” Ben gasps.

“No shit. Did it today.”

“Damn. That’s a major thing, man. Didn’t think you’d ever do that.”

“Me neither. There’s something else, though,” he admits, still purposefully not meeting Ben’s eyes, preferring instead to watch Darrek growl like a grizzly bear and storm after a fleeing Kyle.

“Why do I have a feeling that I’m not gonna like this news as much?” Ben asks.

“It’s not something bad. I swear. And honestly, it’s really none of your fucking business, but I need to tell someone, and I’ve always been able to talk to you about this stuff before, so....”

“Don’t tell me you finally gave it up?” Ben squints, smile gone.

“Yeah. I did. But I wouldn’t say it that way. More like I let Darrek have it,” Gabriel confesses, drinking his beer. “No more virgin-Dom Gabey, though.”

Finally daring to glance over at his friend, Gabriel practically sees the steam coming out of Ben’s ears, sees the attack-mode switch in his brain get flipped on.

“Hey, he didn’t do anything I didn’t
tell him
to do. I needed him to do it. And you can’t touch him or say
anything
to him about it. You know that,” Gabriel scowls.

“I’ll fuckin’ kill him for touching you. Snap his goddamned neck,” Ben spits, sitting forward now, eyes burning as he glares at Darrek on the other side of the property.

“Hey! Wha’d I just say?” Gabriel reprimands. “I love him! I need to get past this shit! You know how I get when shit starts to happen. It’s not right. I’m over
thirty-fucking-years-old
, man! I want to be able to have sex without panicking! And I trust Dare more than anyone. So what if he helped me get through it?”

“That’s fuckin’ hilarious, Gabriel. I love how you say that, ‘helped me get through it.’ What’d he do? Hold you down? Chain you to the bed while you screamed for help? Yeah, he must love you a
lot
.”

“Fuck you, Knox. It wasn’t like that. The reason why I
trust
Dare is because he’s
not
a Dom. He’s not a tough guy like that or out to
prove
shit. He just wants to make me happy, and be a good person. My issues are
my
issues. And I feel... I don’t know. Lighter? You said yourself that I looked happy. I am happy. Do you think I’d look
happy
if Darrek raped me?”

Gabriel sees the retort on the tip of Ben’s tongue, sees the inner battle as he fights not to say it.

“Don’t,” Gabriel warns. “I’ll kick your ass all the way back to your goddamned truck if you do.”

Fists clenched, Ben stands and starts to pace, chugging his beer and then tossing the empty bottle into the bin by the house’s rear door.

“I’m
sorry
, okay? I’m sorry for even thinking it,” he growls out, long minutes after the impulse has passed.

Gabriel stands as well and lets Ben hug him.

“Please just be happy for me,” Gabriel asks him.

“I’m trying to be. Oh hell. Fuck it. Okay. I am. I’m happy for you. See this?” he asks, pointing to his forced smile, “This is me happy for you.”

“Yeah, and I’m the motherfuckin’ tooth fairy.”

“I’m always going to be on your side, Gabe. Just like Kyle’s always going to be on Darrek’s side. It’s just the way it is.”

“I know. I get it. Help me with the food, okay? Go wash some potatoes and wrap ’em in foil so we can throw ’em on here too.”

“Sure thing,” Ben nods, heading inside the house’s rear door. Pausing once to glance over his shoulder at Darrek’s giant, imposing figure in the distance as he goes, he forces away the unwelcome images that threaten to come.

With all of the food finally on the grill—five steaks (four for the men and one for Sierra, too) and ears of corn—and Darrek and Kyle collapsed in exhaustion on the grass, a decision is made for them to switch places with Gabriel and Ben. Gear is handed over as Gabriel begins to look way too excited at the prospect of beating the piss out of his best friend.

Ben grumbles warnings at Gabriel around the mouthguard as Gabriel taps his gloves together and waves him on. Laughing, Darrek and Kyle go to sit and keep an eye on the grill.

“So, can we not?” Darrek asks once they’re relaxed and the silence has stretched out between them too long. “Can we just say sorry and not get into it?”

“Yeah,” Kyle nods. But when he glances over, Darrek can see the emotion in Kyle’s eyes as he says urgently and thickly, “I’m
so fuckin’ sorry
, Darrek.”

“Shit, don’t make me cry!” Darrek complains with a pained laugh, blinking rapidly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his arm, and nudging Kyle’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, too. For all of it.”

“I’d do
anything
to not lose your friendship,” Kyle tells him. “It means too damn much to me.”

He looks levelly at Darrek, saying with his eyes what he can’t speak aloud. Darrek sees that the love is still there, that it always will be, no matter what.

“I feel the same way,” Darrek assures him.

“I’m glad. Thanks.”

They both start to laugh as they see Gabriel and Ben wailing on each other, faces turned away and sending punch after clumsy, air-filled punch at each other, neither backing down.

“They’re so fucking stubborn!” Kyle says in amazement. “Food smells awesome though. I didn’t really get to have lunch, so I’m pretty much literally starving right now.”

“I’m not even gonna ask why you didn’t have lunch. I can tell it’s probably something I’m better off not knowing. When’d you get your collar, by the way?”

“I was chained up and tortured in the garage for a few hours until I came so hard I think I went blind for a couple of minutes before I passed out in exhaustion on the couch,” Kyle tells him, answering the unasked question with a grin anyway, before saying, “Got the collar the day after Ben saved my life. I’m the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet. Best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I know what you mean. And seriously? You over-share. Often.”

“Yeah. Well, now that the big, gay, submissive cat is out of the bag, I figure why the hell not? Oh! You ever try temporary piercing?
Really
fucking awesome. Such a rush. I recommend it highly. I see you have a collar, too, by the way.”

“Yep. As of today. But it’s not... well, it means something else. It’s not as... literal. Just means he loves me.”

“Of course he
loves
you. How could he not?” Kyle says, only half-teasing, knowing Darrek knows it.

“Well, I
am
pretty incredible,” Darrek admits as Kyle rolls his eyes. “I’m glad you have Ben to keep you out of trouble. Seems like you need it. Troublemaker.”

“Oh, so
I’m
the troublemaker, but you just get to be irresistible?” Kyle frowns, punching Darrek’s shoulder.

“Ouch!” he says with exaggeration. “No punching without the nice squishy gloves, you bully! I don’t think I’m
completely
irresistible. Ben is resisting my charms just fine. Looked like he wanted to head butt me or rip my nuts off a minute ago. And
not
in a sexy way.”

“The hell did you do?”

Darrek shrugs, “Maybe he still hates me for what happened between us.”

“Could be. Dude is protective as fuck.”

“Seriously, did you ever think we’d be here, both of us full-time slaves for two
men
?”

“Whatever would Sara say?” Kyle grins wickedly at him, like he is already mentally planning the phone call to her, sharing the good news.

“Forget that, what would our
moms
say?”

“Jesus, I hope Mom never finds out. That’s a scary thought.”

“I think it’d be kind of funny, actually.”

Kyle shudders and goes for a beer as Darrek laughs at him.

“Beer me!” Darrek calls, catching the bottle Kyle tosses over.

Gabriel waves to Darrek from across the yard, checking on how he’s doing. Ben tries to use the distraction to his advantage and sneak up on him. Sierra gets in his way though, and barks wildly, chasing Ben back and away.

“Good girl!” Darrek calls. “See Gabe? She loves you too! Good girl, Sierra!”

Laughing, Gabriel watches Sierra go after Ben, who is still retreating, trying to hide behind a tree. Making his way slowly back to the house, Gabriel removes the gloves and then the other gear.