Chapter: First Challenge

Carter was walking with a spring in his step, and why shouldn't he? Brian had stayed at the mansion, only occasionally driving back to his to collect clothes. Life was good, his love life was surprisingly solid and business was thriving. And on top of that, the authorities were currently ignoring him, which was always an added bonus.

So he was pissed to be caught unawares as he exited his club. He had left mid-evening, not really interested in the club scene when he had Brian waiting at home. Roberto and Enrique had a shared a look but wisely said nothing. It was for the best as they were paid to be seen not heard. A little harsh maybe but it was also true that they were there for their quantity of muscles not for the number of brain cells.

He saw the car pull around from the parking lot and then it went black. He was on the floor and watched almost disconnected from the action as Roberto was repeated kicked. The fuckers would pay for this - he was not sure as he was struggling to hold onto his consciousness, but they would. He was most pissed that they had interrupted his evening with Brian.

Brian was sitting on the private beach at the back of the mansion. Carter had teased him that he only liked him for his beach. Brian had shaken his head saying that he was a surfer so a beach was a quick way to his heart. At the time he'd said it flippantly but in his heart he knew that he'd meant it on a more serious level.

He checked his cell again, he was not a chick but he was getting worried. Carter had text him saying he was leaving the Pearl and that he'd be back soon - only soon had come and gone and he was still not there. He was debating what to do - should he go and find Carter. A part of him thought it might look needy but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. And as the minutes went on, the nagging feeling got worse and worse, so much so that Brian got into the Porsche.

He got more worried the closer he got to the Pearl, mainly as he had not seen the car he knew that Carter was driving. The navigator was a solid car, not built for speed but reassurance of mind. Well, the bullet proof glass let Brian feel safer that was for sure.

However when he pulled up outside the club to see Carter's bodyguards on the ground injured and no Carter - his blood ran cold. He was gonna be pissed when he caught up with whoever was dumb enough to have taken Carter. The person had made a mistake - Brian was not arm candy, he was also no longer a cop so he wasn't bound by those rules. He helped Enrique up who was clutching his head, "Who did it?"

Enrique knew that Brian would get the boss back, and he was satisfied with the pure ice in his eyes. "Phillips took him."

Brian stood tall and called for Tanya, the waitress he'd helped out a few weeks ago. Once he was sure that they were safe he shifted his focus to finding and then quite probably killing Phillips. Phillips just better hope that Carter was alive because Brian was not sure what he would do if Carter was dead. And thought didn't scare him.

Brian was glad that he knew Detective Whitworth's number; Carter had shared the number of his pet detective in case Brian needed him, and this was just one such case. Thankfully Whitworth answered on the first ring, which was a good thing as he was low on patience. "I need the location of Phillips haunt."

Whitworth was slow on the uptake, "Why isn't Carter asking himself?"

Brian took a deep breath it wasn't the detective's fault that he was asking stupid questions. He knew this instinctively, but at the moment he was a barrier between him and his boyfriend. His voice was deadly and let the detective understand just how serious he was, "He has my boyfriend and I want him back."

The detective sucked in a breath, "Remember you're a cop."

Brian didn't point out the irony of the corrupt cop pointing this out; he laughed hollowly, "I wasn't a good cop. I let the criminals go, but I will fight for Carter. Now where will I find him?"

Whitworth wasn't stupid, Carters death would create a power vacuum and the crime rate would increase as they tried jockeying for position. He didn't like the image that presented in his head. "He will be at dock 19 by the pier. It is his factory."

Brian sucked in a breath - it would be a perfect fit. You could torture the guy - no one would hear the screams and then you could take a short boat ride to dump the body. His car was in gear and swinging round, the tyres burning as he accelerated hard. He was glad that he'd borrowed Carter's car as this was the specific car that had a do not touch on it by the police. He was testing the rev counter as he sped towards the destination. He pulled up a pier away from the one he was interested in. Popping the hood, he grinned seeing the multitude of weapons on offer. Carter could be a real boy scout in all the best ways; he secreted the guns in his waistband, and secreted several knives on him where they couldn't be seen.

In the warehouse, Carlos Phillips was working over his competitor, but was getting frustrated. The guy was being beat upon but refused to break no matter how many injuries were beaten into him.

Phillips catalogued the injuries he'd inflicted: there was the broken nose; there were a few suspect ribs, and mottled bruises from all the kicks and punches. In truth he was unsettled, Verone was a thorn in his side and Phillips should have enjoyed bringing him down a peg or two. He was uneasy as Verone's sharp eyes never wavered - they may have clouded momentarily but his hatred burned nice and bright. This never changed and he refused to hand over or tell him any information that he needed about the drug distribution networks into the Keys.

Then all of a sudden he smiled, and Phillips took a step back. No one that damaged should be happy, and he was not stupid enough to think that he'd broken Verone. The man was as sharp as tack, and had spent most of the evening bound and looking like he was planning their evisceration - not like he was at their mercy.

Brian entered through a small crack in the fence - shoddy really but he was not complaining. He had taken the dart gun and a Glock from the back of the boot as well as the weapons he already had taken. He was armed to the hilt but it was better to be over prepared than underprepared in these situations. He looked around the room and took stock of the situation - he had two goons and one clichéd crime lord.

Brian sprang into action, moving with grace and speed. He opened both arms and pointed the tranquiliser guns – and fired in the way he was trained - the goons dropped with a thud.

Phillips turned around to see the arm candy standing there. He was confused, "You're just his fuck toy."

Brian laughed, amused that the idiot would go for such an obvious ploy. It smacked of desperation, "Oh I am so much more."

As if to prove his point, Brian pointed the Glock calmly at Phillips heart, no doubt or shaking evident.

Phillips tried to bluff his way out of here, "You have never killed a man. I bet I can get you first."

He could see that the arm candy wasn't rattled; in fact he was as calm as the eye of a storm. This was not what he expected, and it was clear that the gossip that he was just the latest exotic flavour of the month was far from the truth. No this one may just stay by Carter's side and they would be all the more dangerous for it.

Brian smirked although it had no teasing glint or warmth like it had with Carter. "You haven't done your homework."

"Why would I put money into the person who warms his bed?" He had no card to play but to try and rattle him.

Brian shook his head in despair; really this guy was too thick to be a major crime lord. If this was Carter's competition there really was no doubt about why he was top dog. He heard Carter splutter making him angrier. It suggested broken ribs, "Fucking shoot him."

"He hasn't got the stones." Phillips goaded.

Brian was pissed enough that he took both knee caps out. The man would live, but couldn't report it as he would have too many questions to answer himself. He might have killed him but he was too concerned with getting Carter home and to some medical treatment.

Brian didn't care that he was on the slippery slope. He would stand by Carter; he knew that now and would do all that entailed. People should stay the fuck away from his man.