Bobby stood in front of the mirror and straightened his tie. He was fuming. He couldn't believe they had just invited themselves out to his house. Bobby turned from the mirror, still fiddling with his tie and trying not to put his fist through the wall. He hadn't noticed Jack's small frame standing in the doorway until he'd nearly run him over. "What is it, Jack?" He forced himself to not let his anger seep into his voice. When they were new, they didn't realize that just because he was angry, didn't mean that he was angry with them. Jack's hands tentatively reached up and worked the tie. Bobby let his hands drop to his sides until Jack had tied and straightened the horrible piece of cloth. "Thank you." He could see Jack blushing and he smiled. "I want you to stay up here in the bedroom for tonight, until my guests leave, okay?"
Jack nodded his head. He didn't know what had possessed him to touch his master, but at least the move hadn't gotten him into trouble. It had been one of the many skills Victor had instilled in him. He tried to push away the memories that wanted to flood his mind.
"My guests are not nice people, Jack." Bobby looked out the doorway. He could see the first person stepping into the living room. He hated having the others downstairs, but he had to make it look like things were as they should be. "Lori, Addie and Theo will keep you company up here." Bobby motioned for the trio to come into the room. "You four keep it down up here." Bobby closed the door behind him and descended the stairs to greet his company. Dane was passing around drinks, and Collin was attending the door. Angel and Jerry were at opposite ends of the room and there were the two bodyguards that had come with Victor. Bobby almost wished that Victor had come alone.
"Bobby, it's good to see you." Victor Sweet's pompous voice seemed to fill every crevice of the room.
"It's good to see you to, Victor. What brings you out my way?" Bobby extended his hand politely and took a drink from Dane's tray. Dane kept his eyes on the floor as he made his way around the room and it bothered Bobby. They had worked so hard and they were all reverting back to the old ways as if they had only been here for a couple of weeks.
"How are you enjoying your new toy?" Victor's eyes surveyed the servants in the room, he noticed that his wasn't among them.
"He's upstairs. I'm saving him for a... special occasion." Bobby sipped at the brandy in his glass. "I'm not a man for much company, Victor. What brings you here?"
Victor pulled a manilla envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket. "I have a proposition for you." Victor held the envelope out for Bobby.
Bobby eyed the envelope before taking it, and opening it. "I'm listening." Inside were surveillance photos of several children, young children; too young to know anything other than kickball. Bobby kept his face rock still even though his insides were turning.
"Those pictures are of foster kids. Kids easily forgotten. They'd go for about at least twenty grand a piece depending on how well I can train them. And as I'm sure you've seen for yourself, I know how to train them."
"What does all this have to do with me?" Bobby put the photos back in the envelopes and handed it nonchalantly to Victor.
"I need funding. People have to be paid to pick them up. The cops have to paid to look the other way. Foster parents have to be paid for the papers. They're practically giving these kids away. All we have to do is take them."
"This isn't my thing Victor." Bobby took another sip at his brandy.
"I know. I just figured that a man who appreciates what I do, would want to be a part of that. I can cut you in for twenty percent of the profits and you can pick one to keep as your own. I'll even train it for you for free. Twenty percent more than doubles your investment." Victor stuffed the envelope back into his pocket and sipped at his own drink.
"I have a lot on my plate right now, Victor. I got a ring going bad up on the West Side. I don't know how much I can throw around; especially not after the money I dropped on my new toy." Bobby smiled the fake smile he was supposed to, and his stomach rolled again. Victor was unaware of Bobby's inner turmoil as he extended his hand.
Victor smiled robustly. "How true, but I guarantee you won't be disappointed. If you change your mind, call me. You're welcome in on this deal at any time Bobby." Victor set his drink on the table and made his way towards the door. He snapped his fingers and his bodyguards jumped to his side.
Bobby made his way quickly to the bathroom, and managed to hold it in long enough for the door to close. He vomited into the toilet until dry heaves wracked his chest. He stood, brushing his sweat slicked brow with his sleeve and grabbed his toothbrush. It seemed like nothing would take the taste out of his mouth. He could see Jerry standing in the doorway. Bobby spit the minty toothpaste into the sink and looked at Jerry's reflection in the mirror. "I want Marie, Dane, and Collin in the living room, waiting for me. Ask Addie, Lori, and Theo to go to bed. Have Jack wait in the bedroom. I need to talk to him." He watched Jerry nod his head and retreat out of the mirror's line before slathering more toothpaste onto the brush and going at his mouth once again. Bobby let the revulsion leave him and the anger take it's place. How dare he come into my house? How dare he think for one moment that I'd seriously back a deal like that? Bobby sighed and had to remind himself that everyone outside of the house thought he was one cold bastard. He'd bought a slave every year since he'd been invited to their little foray. A small knock at the door drew Bobby's attention away from his own bad reputation.
Jerry was once again watching Bobby battle with himself. It sometimes pained him too when he thought about the Bobby everyone else knew and the Bobby they didn't know. "They're all waiting for you."
"Thanks, Jerry." Bobby set the towel down on the sink and made his way back to the living room. Marie sat on the couch, flanked on either side by Collin and Dane. Angel stood near the door. He'd be leaving any minute. Bobby knew that Victor enraged Angel almost as much as himself. "Please tell me this doesn't change anything." His heart felt like it was being squeezed through a tube as he waited for each of them to raise their eyes to meet his. He couldn't contain the smile that spread across his face at this victory. "Thank you for what you did tonight and for not letting it set us back." Collin and Dane smiled at him before standing and excusing themselves to bed. Marie, however remained on the couch. Bobby motioned for Angel and Jerry to leave and sat down on the couch next to Marie. "What is it, Marie?"
Marie looked at her hands as if studying them. "Those kids, Mr. Bobby.... their parents don't want them. I know that they took a lot of us when we were young. I remember seeing kids, young kids when I was being trained..." Marie's hands felt like lead as she raised them to her neck and unfastened the collar she had worn for six years now. She placed it in Bobby's open hand. She could see the tears in his eyes, that were threatening to spill down his cheeks. "We appreciate what you do for us, Mr. Bobby. And we will gladly act our part if it means you can continue to save other children like us."
Bobby's eyes were riveted on the plain black band in his hands. "Thank you, Marie." Bobby didn't trust himself to say any more as Marie stood and walked up the stairs. The silence of the house seemed to have a life of its own as he sat there. He wanted to throw the small leather band away, but he knew that they would need it again. As long as they were all doing this, they would have to pretend in the presence of company. He slipped the collar into his pants pocket as he stood. He made his way up to the bedroom where Jack was waiting for him. Bobby stood in the doorway for a moment watching Jack run his fingers along the neck of the guitar that had sat unused in the corner for years. "Do you play?"
Jack snatched his hand back as if the guitar had bitten him. "I'm sorry, Master. I forgot my place." He held his hands out to his master for the punishing blows he deserved. Instead of hitting him, though Bobby grabbed Jack's hands in his own and pulled him to the bed. Jack felt himself shiver as his mind tried to remember everything Master Victor had taught him.
"Please don't call me Master." Bobby sat down on the bed and Jack sat down next to him. "Victor is one mean sonofabitch and I am nothing like him. You'll see that in time. Addie tells me that you can't read." He watched Jack shake his head, his eyes trained on the floor. "Would you like to learn how?"
"Yes, sir." Jack took a chance to look up at Bobby, who was smiling at him. He was feeling something weird in his stomach and he wasn't sure what it was.
He could see a slight blush of color come over Jack's cheeks. "What are you thinking about, Jack?" The color grew deeper before Jack finally spoke.
"Can I stay in here with you?"
Bobby swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke with a confidence that was a complete lie. "Sure, if that's what you want." Bobby stood up and pulled two pairs of shorts out of the drawer. He tossed one pair to Jack and turned around to give Jack some privacy as he dressed.
Jack was trying to extend the same privacy to Bobby, but his eyes kept wandering over to the toned body of his master. He slipped on the shorts and sat back down on the bed. He watched Bobby grab two glasses off a shelf along with a bottle. He poured two shots and handed one to Jack.
Bobby sat down on his side of the bed. "You ever had whiskey before?" He watched Jack shake his head and sniff at the glass. "It's got a bite to it. Helps me sleep." Bobby downed the glass and watched bemusedly as Jack sipped his and proceeded to cough from the taste in his mouth and burn in his throat. "I told you it had a bite." Jack handed his glass to Bobby and Bobby downed the remaining liquor. "You're welcome to share the bed, but I'm not giving it up. That couch kills my back."
Bobby awoke in the middle of the night to a warm body pressed against him. Without thinking, or even fully waking up, he drew closer to the warmth and buried his face into the scent of clean hair. He kissed the neck so near his face and a small moan met his ministrations. His hands roamed lower until they felt the small hip pressed to his erection. The flesh beneath his hand shivered and that seemed to snap Bobby back to reality. He pulled his hands back to himself and propped himself up on an elbow. He watched Jack roll over. Jack's hazel eyes stared up at him.
"I'm not scared." Rejected, Jack shied his eyes away from Bobby's.
"I know you're not scared Jack." Bobby tried to keep his hands to himself, but his hand seemed to move of its own accord to Jack's cheek. "But you're not ready for this."
Jack looked up as Bobby stroked his cheek. "What if... What if I want it?"