Earlier the Same Day – Pittsburgh – 2:00 p.m.
"Gentlemen, have a seat." Greg Matthews ushered the group into his inner office: Settlemeyer and Kingsley took a seat next to Horvath, and Carl's tech whiz, Benton, who had arrived approximately 30 minutes earlier to go over the camera footage and audio recordings of Kingsley's performance.
Greg immediately noticed Kingsley's nervous demeanor and sweaty skin, even several hours after his encounter with Prescott's twin brother, Aiden. Boy, was THAT a surprise – nowhere in Matthew's preliminary background check had it mentioned that Lane Prescott had a TWIN brother. He about lost his lunch literally when he saw the first images of the man's brother being broadcast courtesy of Kingsley's hidden camera. The two dressed and sounded so much alike that he would have sworn Prescott had somehow gotten out of jail had he not been certain that was not the case.
As Settlemeyer and Kingsley looked expectantly at the prosecutor, he confirmed what they were hoping to hear. He smiled as he verified, "The camera and audio recorder worked perfectly. We were able to clearly determine what both of you were saying." Turning to Settlemeyer, he added, "I have learned to normally not go out on a limb prematurely, but I think I can say with confidence that with this evidence, along with the video visitor's log from the prison and your client's testimony, I think we've got an open and shut case here against both brothers."
Kingsley sighed in relief and Settlemeyer nodded in satisfaction. "I do have one request, however," Settlemeyer pressed. At Matthews' suspicious look, he assured the other man, "My client is fully prepared to testify against both brothers and fulfill his part of the immunity agreement; but I think you can understand why he is requesting some sort of protection until this issue is able to go to trial. No doubt Prescott's reach is a lot farther than his prison walls. We've seen that with his brother being involved. I'm sure we have a mutual wish to make sure my client lives long enough to testify against them, and I don't feel he's safe roaming around on his own until then. Besides, you are already providing protection for Sinclair," the attorney pointed out.
"There's a little bit of a difference, there, Settlemeyer," Matthews pointed out. "Prescott has already made no bones about his wish to have both Sinclair and Brian Kinney killed."
"I understand, but obviously once word gets out that both Prescott brothers are being indicted and charged with attempted murder, they will know immediately what happened….and WHO was responsible for it." Kingsley fidgeted nervously in his nearby chair, wiping his forehead occasionally with a handkerchief.
Greg looked over to Carl for a response. "As much as it pains me to say it, I think he has a point," he admitted. There was no love lost between Carl and the attorney, or his detective client, both of whom were not exactly pillars of the community when it came to ethical behavior. "I think it would be wise. I actually agree – I think it would be too risky to have Kingsley exposed to possible repercussions until we know for sure that both Prescott brothers are locked up for good." After a few seconds of thought, he continued. "I think I can arrange for the Pittsburgh PD to hole him up at a secret location with at least a small, around-the-clock police unit until the two brothers are confined where they can't do any harm. If that means keeping Kingsley somewhere until the actual trial, I think the police commissioner will agree that the benefits will outweigh the cost involved."
Matthews sat back in his chair, pensive, fingers steepled at his mouth. "Okay," he said finally. "You have a deal. But we will have an addendum drawn up that stipulates he is to be provided around-the-clock protection ONLY in exchange for him continuing to cooperate fully with my office in every aspect of his agreement. Understood?"
Settlemeyer looked over at his client, who shakily nodded. "Understood," the attorney confirmed, standing up to shake hands with the prosecutor to consummate the deal. "Call me when the paperwork is done and I'll see that my client returns to sign it. I assume in the meantime, though, his protection will start immediately?" He peered at the policeman for verification.
Carl nodded. "I'll temporarily authorize the police unit for immediate use until I get the formal okay from the police commissioner. I'll personally see that Kingsley is escorted back to his apartment to gather up what he needs for his new home away from home until the trial begins. If you gentlemen will come with me?" he asked, standing up to follow them out.
"Thanks, Carl," Matthews called out as Carl nodded in reply.
Two more weeks, Matthews noted. That was how much longer Brian had told him he and Justin would be gone on their vacation. He had no doubt they would be in for the shock of their lives when they returned and found out what had happened. In the meantime, however, Greg was determined not to let this unsettling development spoil their much-needed time away together; there would be time for revelations later when they returned. In the meantime, the prosecutor silently hoped they were having a great time – after what they had gone through this past year, they certainly deserved it.
Mykonos – Next Morning
Justin was having the most delicious dream; he was imagining he was on an island, abundant with mangos and bananas, shipwrecked with just the necessities – his sketchpad and pencils, a little sun block with a high PF factor, some lube, and most importantly, a sexy brunet who just happened to be his husband. What more could a red-blooded, American male want? It seemed so real – he could even feel Brian's long, elegant hands roaming all over his body, which was definitely responding rapidly to his vivid imagination. Only, as he slowly came out of his sleepy state, he gradually realized his dream was still delicious, but it wasn't a dream. At least the part about the sexy brunet, who was currently doing a little skin diving on his chest and getting ready to submerge even further toward more abundant waters.
"Mmmm."
Brian smirked as he momentarily looked up at his partner uttering a totally nonsensical groan. "I see somebody's finally up," he drawled softly, as his hand reached out and wrapped itself around the blond's cock. "About fucking time. It's not nearly as satisfying when someone's sleeping through my overtures."
"Overtures? My, aren't we getting downright lingual now," Justin observed.
"I'll show you lingual," Brian growled; Justin literally arched off the king-size bed as a warm and very wet tongue licked the underside of his cock and traveled above sea level to thoroughly coat the top; his husband decided a little nip of the teeth was in order, also, as he lightly bit down on the tip before soothing it with another quick lick.
"Fuck, Brian!" Justin cried, as he heard a downright evil chuckle from the brunet. "You certainly know how to wake someone up," he added, as he continued to squirm under his husband's roving hands and busy tongue.
"So you like my bedside manner, Sunshine?" he asked, the hazel eyes twinkling as he looked up through the long lashes to gaze at the blond.
"Very professional, Mr. Kinney. If I didn't know better, I'd say you'd been in practice for a very long time."
Brian snorted. "You got that right, Sunshine. Only until I met my match, it was just a warm up rehearsal. You're the fucking opening night. And I'd say it's time to open up right now."
Justin giggled and then gasped as he felt Brian's warm hands grasping his thighs and gently pulling his legs apart. "Brian! You already had three around-the-world tours last night!" he managed to say, albeit his attempt at a feeble protest came out as more like a breathy moan as he felt first one, then two probing fingers. "You promised me a land tour, remember? Outside our bed – around the island? Does that ring any bells, Mr. Kinney?"
"Sure it does, Sunshine….after your encore." Justin laughed; never being able to say no to this voracious, sexy man, Justin's head fell back down on the pillow as he indulged himself in a little tousling of Brian's soft, auburn hair; he decided he could definitely be gracious about his situation and endure another round of sightseeing in their bed before getting a chance to see what other exciting vistas Mykonos had to offer.
Two hours later, after stopping to revisit all ports of call on the good ship Kinney, Justin's wish was granted as the two of them drove back down into the main area of the island.
"Anything in particular you want to do today, Sunshine?" Brian asked. "After all, I got MY wish granted – I guess it's only fair we do something you want to do now."
"That's very big of you, Mr. Kinney," Justin teased.
Brian reached over to place Justin's hand on his crotch. "VERY big," he agreed, eyebrows rising.
Justin rolled his eyes. "Well……I was thinking……Don't even say it, Kinney!" Brian curled his lips under to keep from laughing as he raptly watched Justin's eyes sparkle. You always DID have the most beautiful eyes, Sunshine. "I would like to just park the Jeep somewhere and walk around the town and play tourist for a while. You know, check out some of the shops and the restaurants, maybe walk down to the marina….."
"Take your sketchbook out and draw the whole fucking island, maybe?" Brian finished.
Justin smiled. "Yeah, maybe," he admitted. "Would you mind?"
Brian looked over at him. "No, I wouldn't mind," he assured him, returning the blond's smile. "Whatever you want to do today, Sunshine. Just remember, tonight that body is mine."
"I think that can be arranged, Mr. Kinney," Justin replied, reaching over to squeeze the other man's thigh briefly. As Brian tried to reciprocate by reaching his hand over toward a more central target, Justin playfully slapped his hand away. "Later. You said tonight," he reminded the other man.
"Oh, I'm sure somewhere in the world it's already night time."
"Nice try, Kinney……"
"Fuck."
They found a centrally-located parking spot in the heart of town; Brian watched amused as Justin literally bounded out of the Jeep and impatiently ran around to the driver's side to pull the brunet out. "Out!" he simply demanded. Looking around to try and get his bearings, he added, "I'm sure there's a breakfast place here somewhere."
"Of course. Some things never change," Brian smirked.
"Well, don't just stand there looking pretty!" Justin demanded, taking Brian's hand and tugging him toward an interesting group of sandstone buildings. "My stomach's growling! Fuck! I wonder what they even eat for breakfast around here! I've heard of Greek yogurt – I imagine they have some type of tropical fruit – do you think that's all? At least you'll be happy! Surely they eat some type of meat for breakfast, don't you think?"
"I think I'm getting dizzy," Brian retorted, as Justin gave him another slap, this time on his Prada-covered butt. "Hey – watch it, twat! This outfit cost me a fucking mint!"
Justin rolled his eyes. "Well, get your expensive little ass in gear, then!" Spying a combination indoor/outdoor cafe directly ahead, he sped up his pace with Brian holding on for dear life. "Ooh! THAT'S the one! Let's go!"
A light sea breeze had picked up in the last hour, making the mid-morning temperature very pleasant and adding to the tropical ambiance. Tall, thick royal palm trees ringed the outdoor tables and chairs, which were currently occupied by several apparently gay and straight couples enjoying their morning repast.
"Well, at least they have coffee," Brian observed, as they walked up to the reservation station located directly beside the front entrance; as he indicated a table for two, the dark-haired host nodded and led them to a small, circular table situated in a corner and located within a few feet of the quaint, cobble-stoned walkway. The tables were each set with a bright, white cotton tablecloth, a bud vase with a single, red rose, and tall, crystal water goblets. There were several lush hanging plants strung from the wooden trellis being used for a roof, with dense, flowering bougainvillea serving as more than adequate shade for the restaurant patrons. Even though it was presently full of casually-dressed locals and tourists, the café was dressed in an upscale décor.
As they sat down at the table, and Justin, aka the blond dynamo, was finally occupied with looking over the menu, Brian had a chance to notice some of the other scenery. The island's abundance of large rocks had been put to good use; all the narrow pathways were ringed with the same cobblestones that were embedded in the walkway directly in front of their table. The numerous buildings housing restaurants, shops, and apartments were of various shapes and sizes but all constructed of either sandstone, rock or a combination of both. White was the predominant color, no doubt used to great advantage during the more humid, higher-temperature months to maximize comfort.
Brian looked with amusement at his husband, who was practically engrossed now in the menu choices. "Well, Sunshine, see anything you like? I know how much you like meat."
"Ha, ha, that's rich. Well, Mr. King of the Low Carb Dynasty, you'll be glad to know we can BOTH be satisfied at this restaurant."
"Satisfaction is my middle name, Sunshine," the brunet assured him, getting a snort in return. "So what's it going to be, Mr. Taylor?" he asked as he finally took a glance at his own menu. He was impressed to find there were actually several healthy food choices listed, along with several other more cholesterol-clogging options for a certain blond's preferences.
"I think I'll be adventurous and try the tyropita – that's cheese pie to you more uncultured yokels," he joked.
"Thanks for the translation, twat," Brian retorted, quickly flicking a middle finger at his husband, who chuckled back at him. "It sure was Greek to me."
Justin guffawed as the waiter approached for their order, sparing him from trying to come up with a suitable rejoinder. As they placed their order, he was grateful for the relatively small, intimate size of their table because it gave him a golden opportunity to reach over and grab his husband's hand and caress it softly. He heart beat faster as he received a tender smile in return.
He couldn't help commenting sincerely, "Brian, this is so great. After everything we've been through this year, to be able to leave all those worries behind and explore some place we've never been to together– it's wonderful. And the villa you found for us – it's so incredible. Thank you, Mr. Kinney-Taylor."
Brian was almost lulled into a blissful state until that last part jolted him out of his musing. "Excuse me? My ears must be playing tricks on me. I could have sworn you just called me Mr. Kinney-TAYLOR." I don't believe that was part of our marriage arrangement."
Justin smiled, as a little flash of pink tongue darted out to lick the full lower lip in mischief. "Don't worry – I was just checking to make sure you were listening to me. You know how it is – once you're past the newlywed stage, the couple just becomes so stale."
Brian huffed. "I don't think stale will ever describe OUR relationship, Sunshine."
Justin grinned, agreeing. "No, I don't think so, either. In fact, I'm counting on it," he added, as he loosened his grip on the brunet's hand to grip something else under the table, producing a quiet groan from its owner before he brought his hand back up to the table surface, just in time to reach for the freshly-squeezed orange juice placed in front of him.
Brian smirked as he sniffed the strongly-brewed Greek coffee in the heavy beige mug sitting next to his water goblet. "Ah," he said in appreciation, as he took a small sip. "Now that's a cup of coffee. None of that fucking week-old shit they try to serve at the diner."
Soon after their drinks were served, the waiter returned with their meals: Greek yogurt with honey and two pieces of toasted whole wheat bread for Brian, and a large, stuffed piece of tyropita for Justin, along with two hard-boiled eggs and crusty, thick-sliced homemade bread with butter and jam.
"No meat, Sunshine?" Brian inquired, as he noticed the blond practically inhaling the tyropita.
"I didn't see any on the menu," Justin answered truthfully. "Besides, I figured I'd get plenty of meat later tonight," he teased.
"Smart boy," Brian drawled, lips curling under adoringly. "Better to save your energy for later. We haven't visited all seven continents yet."
"Oh, I knew there was a reason I was conserving my strength."
Brian grinned as he took a bigger sip of his coffee. He decided to pick up some of the same blend at whatever the fuck equated to a grocery store on the island so he could enjoy some first thing in the morning before his regular high protein snack, that is. Justin typically slept in later than Brian, which was fine with him. After all, it allowed Brian to engage in one of his favorite pastimes like he did this morning – skin diving. Speaking of which…..
"Sunshine? After breakfast, how would you like to walk down to the beach and do some snorkeling?"
Justin's eyes shone with excitement. "Shit, yeah!" he cried, the radiant trademark smile beaming on his face like someone about to ride a rollercoaster for the first time.
His smile was contagious as Brian grinned. "Well, hurry up and gulp down the rest of your food then, Sunshine, because we're about to go swimming with the fishes."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Justin decided. "That's probably what they said to Jimmy Hoffa, too, just before he became a permanent goalpost at Giants Stadium. Are you sure you're not just after my money after all?"
Brian snorted. "Not too fucking likely. More like your tight little ass."
"Oh, I feel better then."
As the waiter returned a few minutes later with Brian's credit card and their receipt, they both rose to leave for the next part of their adventure. Brian took advantage of their closeness to reach his hand over and cup Justin's cheek gently. Justin smiled at him tenderly as Brian planted a soft kiss on his husband's lips. Holding hands as they walked out of the café, Brian leaned over and whispered, "By the way, Mr. Taylor-Kinney, I love you, you know."
Justin beamed as he replied, "You keep saying that, and you can call me anything you want."