Hubie looks thoughtful for a moment, his eyes, sadness evident within them, losing focus, but, then, he shakes his head. He declares, though a little uncertainly, "Even if he does work for the mob, that doesn't mean anything. The man had to hit him and make a frightening threat before he begrudgingly agreed to do what the man asked, right?"
Justin nods. He asserts, "If you'd seen the look on his face or (Justin's voice drops low) the tears, I don't think you'd be at all suspicious. Even if he knew who you were when you met, it's obvious that you matter to him."
Hubie looks down and rubs his eyes. Then, he offers quietly, "You must think I'm a shit for even wondering. For being uncertain. (Hubie sighs despondently) Billy deserves better."
Justin shakes his head and laughs. He interrupts Hubie's spiral into self-loathing, "Most would have left the bus station after seeing what you saw all those months ago, or they would at least have quarreled with him. So there is a limit to your understanding…big deal."
Suddenly, Hubie's eyes widen. He exclaims, "How the hell am I going to protect Billy from them? (He sighs in resignation) Maybe I should just give them what they want. At least, I'd have some bargaining power then. Maybe I could get Billy away from them completely."
Justin purses his lips. He responds, "Would Billy want to be responsible for that? Sounds to me like he's been trying to protect you from that part of his life."
I state, "We came here not only to warn you but also to find out how to locate Billy, so we can help him, maybe find him somewhere to hide."
Shocked, Hubie exclaims, "You'd do that? But you don't even know us…"
I smile and squeeze Justin's hand, which is lying on the table. I reply, "We're just suckers for romance, I guess, though I'm a new recruit."
Justin flashes me a million-watt smile and kisses my cheek. I can't help but smile back.
Hubie gives us all the information we need and his number, and we promise to call as soon as Billy's safe. Hubie nods, but, then, at the last minute, he comes running up. He explains, "This may not be the smartest idea, but I…I can't stay by the phone waiting. I need to come with you. I might be able to help.
I shrug, and Justin smiles. We all exit the restaurant and head for the rental car.
*******
Brian, Hubie, and I spent hours searching for Billy. Hubie directed Brian to all of Billy's haunts: the bus station and several alleys (where he waited for johns, both prospects and regulars), the abandoned building he called home (apparently, Billy had refused all offers of help Hubie had made, even the offer to move in with Hubie), the food cart Billy frequented at mealtimes, the shelter he stayed in during inclement weather, and, strangely, the Learning Annex (where, we learned, Billy was taking a GED course and attending a creative writing workshop). Brian had to bite back a laugh when Hubie first mentioned Billy's educational pursuits. Thank goodness Hubie didn't notice. He took all things related to Billy very seriously. Unfortunately, we had no luck. No one had even seen him today.
Now we are trying Hubie's apartment. Hubie doesn't believe Billy will be here, but thinks he might call. Brian and I follow Hubie inside. Lo and behold, Billy's lying on the couch napping, in all his glory (and glory it is, for he has a cock the size of Brian's and a nicely rounded ass, though not as nice as mine). I know this because Billy is lying on his side. He must have taken a shower because he looks cleaner than he did when I saw him this morning. I suppress the urge to exclaim, "Awww" when I see that he is snuggling Hubie's pillow.
Billy wakes up at the sound of our entrance, sitting up and stretching languidly, like a cat that had been napping in the sun. When Billy looks at us (probably wondering who the hell we are), Brian just nods his way and says, "Nice cock."
I smile brightly (that's Brian for you), but Brian's comment doesn't faze Billy in the slightest. He smirks and replies, "Thanks."
When Hubie catches sight of Billy, he rushes to his side and embraces him. For all his toughness, Billy holds Hubie just as tightly and nuzzles his neck. Hubie exclaims, "Baby, I was so worried about you! We've been everywhere trying to find you!"
Billy pulls back and looks at Hubie in surprise.
Hubie nods. "I heard about what happened at the hotel this morning."
Billy's eyes widen. Incredulously, he asks, "How?"
Hubie gestures to us. "Justin, the blond, and his boyfriend, Brian, are staying there. Justin happened to see you with that thug. He heard everything. Actually, they came to warn me that you and I are both in danger."
Billy swallows hard. Then, he inquires cautiously, "They told you everything?"
Hubie nods.
Billy jumps up and turns away from Hubie, clenching his fists and shutting his eyes tightly. A moment later, more composed, he spins around, an impassive expression on his face. He's good.
Billy asks simply, his voice even, "Where do we stand?"
Hubie tilts his head and gives Billy a confused look. "What do you mean?"
Billy holds Hubie's gaze, and his posture suggests confidence, but his eyes tell a different story. They contain fear and sadness. Apparently, Billy is resigned to the fact that Hubie thinks the worst of him after hearing about the altercation this morning. He expects Hubie to accuse him, to tell him to fuck off.
Billy replies slowly, "I know what you must think of me…finding out that I work for the mob and that I agreed to lure you to the hotel, giving them something to hold over your head."
I smile. Billy's in for a pleasant surprise. And he is surprised, floored really, when Hubie takes him into his arms. Fearing some deception, he just stands there woodenly, his eyes wide but glazed over, as he tries to understand Hubie's reaction.
Hubie, realizing that Billy isn't responding to his touch, pulls away, thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking at the floor. I'm about to say something, to try to help Billy understand, when Brian, oddly enough, speaks.
He deadpans, "Don't be a twat. You're seeing a problem where there is none."
Billy pivots, so he can see all three of us, squares his shoulders, and arches an eyebrow, eying Brian suspiciously.
Brian looks at Billy through expressionless eyes and continues, "Did Hubie find it suspicious that you just happen to work for the people who have been relentlessly trying to put him in their pocket, be it through attempted bribery or blackmail? Initially, yes. He's no fool. But after Justin provided more details about your encounter, Hubie realized that you were being coerced."
Billy continues to eye Brian suspiciously, though less so, but when Brian smiles a fake smile and asks in a mock sensitive tone, "There. All better now?" as he pats Billy on the back, Billy laughs. Loudly.
He asks, "You know you're an asshole, right?"
Brian smirks. "Are you kidding? That's my specialty."
Then Billy turns to Hubie and smiles.
*************
As Hubie, Billy, Brian, and I pile into the rental car, I laugh and ask, "Now aren't you glad you didn't get a corvette?"
Brian grumbles, "I suppose…"
In a voice tinged with longing, he adds, "Still…I would have liked to fuck you on the Z06's sleek, still warm hood after the adrenaline rush of charging down the highway at 175 miles per hour…shit, it purrs so softly that we could have left it running, felt the hum of the engine's 385 hp V8 engine spinning at 6000 revolutions per minute as I rammed my cock into your tight little ass."
Brian sighs.
I wonder if his cock is as hard as he made mine with that sad, yet strangely arousing reflection. I look over at Brian, our eyes meeting for a moment before I let my gaze fall. I slide my hand up his thigh and smile as I lightly trace his very obvious erection with a finger.
Brian quickly snatches my hand away, holding it firmly, and, in a low growl, warns, "Don't start what you can't finish, Sunshine." Then he smiles, but there's an intoxicating ferocity in it.
I press my lips together and then bite my lip. I tease, "You started this game, Brian. I'm just finishing it."
Brian's eyes widen, and he nods his head slowly. Suddenly, he grabs me by the back of the neck and pulls me into an almost violent kiss, biting, not nibbling, my lips, driving his tongue into my mouth, probing every inch with a near frightening urgency, not simply taking my breath away, but knocking the wind out of me. Deliciously lightheaded, I melt into him.
Brian seizes the opportunity, wrapping his strong arms around my back and waist and placing me in his lap. He moves me so that I am straddling him and then slides one hand up to the back of my neck and the other down to my ass, deepening our kiss to an extent I didn't think possible, pulling my head and my ass closer while also grinding his hard cock against mine.
When he circles my waist with both arms and sends his hands up my back, drawing me impossibly nearer, I moan low in my throat. I am so close to the edge. I am struck by the very real possibility that I might cum right here in Brian's lap, fully clothed. But I don't care. I wouldn't care if my mother, my father, Deb, and every student who ever attended St. James Academy were here. I want so badly to extend and intensify this feeling, this feeling of being completely immersed in warmth, Brian's warmth, Brian, wave upon wave of heat and pulse upon pulse of electricity washing over me and surging through me, emanating, radiating from every cell in my body, culminating in a climax of unfathomable proportions…
(Sound of a turntable's tonearm being ruthlessly dragged across a record and then nothing. Silence.)
Hubie clears his throat loudly. Brian and I both look up in surprise.
Hubie grins. "Sorry to interrupt, but the light's green."
We look behind us, Brian with the rearview mirror, me through the rear windshield, our eyes widening when we see the long line of traffic and hear, for the first time, the cacophony of angry shouts and frantic honking. I climb back into the passenger seat, and Brian presses on the accelerator.
A couple minutes later, Brian clears his throat and says coolly, "I guess that wasn't the gear shifter."
After a moment of dead silence, I blushing bright red and Brian smirking, Billy and Hubie burst out laughing.
