"Why?" Tom whimpered as Eckert secured the cord around his other wrist, his hopes of escape dwindling quickly.

"Because," said Eckert as he double checked the bindings on Tom's wrists. He sat back and admired his work, smiling at the sight of the young man with his arms stretched tight above his head. He leaned over and whispered against Tom's ear. "You pissed me off."

"I'm sorry," said Tom. God, please don't gag me too.

"Too late. Lesson learned, eh, Tommy?" Eckert patted Tom on the cheek and then got off of him and picked up his discarded overshirt. He put it on the dresser next to the gun. "Might need that for something later."

"Like the sheet?"

Eckert looked up quickly upon hearing the words and then laughed. He walked over to the bed and looked down at Tom. The sight of the young man now bound…helpless…with his arms stretched tightly above his head…was too much for him. He licked his lips and took a few shaky breaths as he felt his cock come alive again.

The look in Eckert's eyes…the hungry lust…scared Tom terribly. He had to keep distracting him somehow, but without angering him again. "I just…I wondered…you know…how you did that. It was…" He swallowed hard. "Smart."

Eckert's eyes lit up and he grinned. "It was, wasn't it? Dumb ass cops and CSIs couldn't figure it out."

"How'd you do it?"

Eckert shook his head as he looked down. "You're doing it again, Tommy…trying to stall. But hey…you know what? I kind of like taking this slow. And we got time. Ain't nobody gonna miss you 'til oh…what? Eight or so?"

Tom shuddered as the man got back onto the bed and climbed over him. What time is it now?

Eckert settled himself at Tom's side, stretched out with his head propped up on one elbow. They were not touching, but he was close enough that Tom could feel his hot breath against his face when he spoke. "Lemme tell you a something then. See…I plan things out pretty good before I do them…so I don't make mistakes. I'd been thinking about you for a lonnnng time, Tommy…figuring things out. But you helped, you know?" He laughed. "Coming to see me in prison. That was brilliant!"

It was stupid. Tom's face reddened as he remembered.

"Made it real easy for everyone to believe me and you had a thing going. Especially when they found that sheet at my place. Hell, I just brought it with me that night…cleaned up a little with it." He moved his face a little closer to Tom. "It had a lot of you on it." Eckert laid his head on Tom's shoulder, his eyes roaming the length of his body. "Awww…looks like you ain't likin' this as much as you were awhile ago. We need to fix that." He pulled Tom's t-shirt up, exposing the bare skin underneath, and ran the tip of his index finger lightly over the lower part of Tom's stomach.

Tom shivered slightly and moaned involuntarily as he felt his body stir. Shit.

"Oh, there you go…that's what I'm talking about." Eckert's finger lightly grazed the fabric of Tom's shorts and he was rewarded even more. "Oh, that's hot…look at that…that's so fuckin' hot." He still had his head on Tom's shoulder, and now he put his arm across Tom's body and pulled him close, sighing. "You know, I never really did get to see it the last time."

Tom felt like he was going to get sick again. The bastard was holding him…snuggling up to him…like a lover. But he didn't dare move. This was better than the alternative, and the longer all Eckert did was "snuggle" the better. Maybe he'll fall asleep. He lay quietly, listening to the man's rhythmic breathing. But it wasn't long before Eckert was moving again.

Eckert breathed deeply, bringing in the deliciously mixed scent of fabric softener from Tom's shirt and the scent of soap from his skin. "Mmm…you got all cleaned up for me, didn't you?" He turned slightly and hooked one of his legs around one of Tom's, grinding against him and moaning as he sat up a little and roamed Tom's chest and stomach with his face, smelling as he went and then dragging his tongue and lips along the smooth skin.

This was too much for Tom. Eckert had pulled his pants back up, but they were still unzipped, and Tom felt the man's hard bulge pressing against his leg as Eckert humped him like a dog. Tom thought he even felt wetness there. God, please…don't let it be. His body was recoiling from Eckert's touches. His leg jerked as Eckert's hand moved to his inner thigh, but the man didn't seem to notice. He slid his hand upward and into the leg opening of Tom's boxer shorts. Tom could stand it no longer and he let out a pitiful groan and said, "No…"

"Shut up," Eckert mumbled against his skin as his mouth continued to explore Tom's exposed body.

Make him talk. "Are you going to kill me this time?"

"I'll kill you right now if you don't behave." Eckert's voice was low and husky and his hand was now between his own legs.

Tom had to keep trying. "But…why did you leave me alive…before? So I could tell them what you did…testify. You could have gone back to prison for it."

"Jesus! For the love of…all right!" Eckert moved away from Tom's body and sat up next to him in the bed. "You know how to ruin a mood, don't you? Look…I told you then…I wanted this…you…living with it…in fear…all the time knowing I could come back." Then he smiled. "And I did, didn't I?"

"You weren't afraid of going back to prison?"

"Hell no! For one thing, I covered my tracks real good. You're lucky I didn't file some kind of assault or false arrest charge on you!" The man laughed. "Anyway, it was worth it. I had nothing to lose. I'd go back for something eventually…might as well make it worth it."

I knew it. "And now?"

"Now? Oh, after the trial, all of this is just a bonus. But this'll be our last time, Tommy." He saw his captive begin to pull at his restraints and felt his cock coming alive again. The power was intoxicating…being in control…watching the fear he was causing. "One last time…let's make it good."

Eckert straddled Tom's chest again with his knees, sitting back on his stomach. His pants were still unzipped, and the bulge under the white briefs inside was prominent. He leaned over and grabbed Tom's bound wrists, then dragged his hands down the length of the young man's outstretched arms, feeling the taut muscles there. Eckert put a finger to Tom's lips and whispered, "Shhhh…", then rose up on his knees and pushed his pants down past his hips. He scooted farther up Tom's chest and put a hand inside his briefs, moaning as he fondled himself. "You never got to see this either, did you, Tommy? You're gonna get a good look now. You're gonna get a good taste."

Tom couldn't help himself as fear and panic took over. There was no way he would let Eckert do this. Not again. He pulled at his restraints, knowing he couldn't tear the cord but hoping he could break the thin wooden slats that secured him to the headboard. His efforts were rewarded with a loud cracking sound, but he could not break free completely.

Eckert saw what Tom was trying to do and looked down at him in amusement. "You know, that just turns me on more. I like a fighter, Tommy, you know that." He sat back and watched Tom struggle for a moment longer, all the while still fondling his hard cock which was still contained inside his briefs. He felt himself getting closer…closer…and stopped before it was too late. "That's enough." He took his hand out of his pants and slapped Tom across the face, but the young man continued to try to get free. "I said that's enough!" This time he used his fist against Tom's mouth, opening up the bite from earlier, the blood splaying to Tom's right in various sized droplets, staining the sheet and pillow.

Besides the fear and panic, now there was more pain, and Tom cried out, "Stop!" as desperate tears began to fall.

"Shut up!" Eckert tried to keep his voice low. He brought his fist down again, this time landing hard in Tom's stomach. As the officer moaned and gasped for breath, Eckert landed another punch in the same spot. "I said shut up!"

Tom was kicking his legs now, trying to get out from under the larger man on top of him. He cried out again, "No! Stop! Please….somebody….help!"

Eckert bore down on him, clamping his large hand over Tom's throat and leaning hard on it. "Shut up!" Tom was incapable of speaking now, but even if he'd wanted to Eckert's next words would have silenced him. "1124 Bayridge, right? Nice little rose garden in the back. She ought to be out there watering 'em around 9:30…maybe 10 if she sleeps in…noon if she has to go to the store. Miller's Market…three blocks up, right?" He let go of Tom's throat and smacked his face again. "Right?"

"Please…" Tom whimpered. "Don't…please…"

"Should we call her up and make sure she'll be home? 555-2438, right? Huh?!"

"No…please…okay? I'll do anything you want…everything. Please just leave her alone…okay? Okay? Please?" Tom finished his soft plea with a quiet sob. "Please."

Eckert nodded. "Okay…okay. For now. Because you're gonna play nice, right?"

Tom nodded in despair. What time is it? What time is it?

"And you're gonna do anything I want….everything. You said so yourself." Eckert caressed Tom's hair and lay down over his body and began to nuzzle his neck, biting it as he did so.

Tom lay wide-eyed. "Wait…can…" He struggled to get the words out as Eckert's weight lay heavy on him.

"What?" Eckert pushed himself up on his hands and looked down at Tom. "What now?"

Swallowing hard, Tom asked, "Can…I need to…before you…we…"

"What?!"

"I need to go to the bathroom." Tom looked past Eckert at the ceiling…embarrassed. He really did have to go, although he also thought it would buy him some time too. There was no response from Eckert. He simply got up off of Tom and left the room. Tom was so surprised by the action that he barely had time to realize the man was gone before he was back…brandishing a knife from the kitchen. Tom shrank back in fear as Eckert approached him, holding the knife out. "Wait…wait!" he cried out, but the knife came down anyway and then back up as it cleanly cut the cord binding Tom's left wrist.

Eckert grabbed the longer end of the cord that was now dangling from Tom's right wrist and yanked it up, pulling Tom up off the bed. He moved Tom in front of him and then violently pushed him forward. Then again. He laid the knife on the dresser next to the gun and kept pushing Tom until they were in the living room. Eckert gestured toward the open bathroom door. "Go on! Get in there. And make sure you finish because that's it. No more. After you're done we're gonna get this going and get it over with. And leave the fuckin' door open!"

Tom went into the bathroom and turned to look in the mirror. There was blood on his chin and shirt from his cut lip and bruises around his mouth and on his throat. It could be worse though. He looked out the door and saw Eckert sitting on the end of the sofa looking at him. He turned his back to him as he stood by the toilet and began to urinate.

"Shy much?!" Eckert called out with a hearty laugh.

Tom ignored the taunt and finished his business, more quickly than he would have liked. He washed his hands and looked at his face again in the mirror. How the hell can this be happening again?

"Hey…hurry up, princess! Quit lookin' in that mirror and get your sweet ass out here!"

Drying his hands on the towel, Tom thought briefly about shutting the door, but there was no lock on it. He glanced out and saw that Eckert had gotten up from the couch. He couldn't see him, but he could hear him moving about the apartment. Tom had resigned himself to going out of the room and facing whatever was to come, when he heard it. A car horn honking. He stopped and stood frozen in his tracks. Another honk. He cursed himself for not telling Doug to just come up. How long would he wait before he did? Come on, Doug…just come up here. Another honk.

"Who the fuck is that making all that noise at this time of night?" Eckert looked at Tom as he exited the bathroom. "Is that for you? Is somebody down there waiting for you?"

Tom shook his head. Better that Doug just come up and take Eckert by surprise than for the ex-con to know he was out there.

"Well, they ain't going away," said Eckert as the horn continued to blow. He moved over to the window and cautiously peered out. "Heyyy…hey!" He looked up at Tom as he moved away from the window. "That's your partner down there. Isn't it? What the fuck is he doing down there now?!"

"I…I forgot. We have to go in early today." As Tom finished speaking, his cell phone rang from where it lay on the kitchen bar.

Eckert advanced on him quickly and grabbed him by the shirt. He pulled him over to the bar. "Answer it," he hissed. "Tell him you aren't coming in. Tell him you're sick. And you'd better hope to God he believes it and leaves."

Tom picked up the phone with a shaky hand. "Hey."

"Hey nothin', man! Get down here!" Doug's voice commanded.

Tom looked up at Eckert. "I…um…I can't come in today."

"Oh no you don't! Look man, just 'cause you're off desk duty now doesn't mean you can cut out on the audits."

"I know…I just…" Tom took a deep breath. "I don't feel good."

"What the hell? Tommy, you gotta come in. I know I told you last night Fuller wasn't mad. But…yeah, I think he's kind of mad…at us. This ain't a good day to call in."

Eckert was giving Tom a look that said he had better hurry up. Tom's voice cracked as he said, "Doug…really…I can't come in."

"Look…you're making me late too, now just…"

"I said I can't!" Tom interrupted, barely keeping his composure. "Just go. I'll talk to you later."

Doug was stunned by the sudden outburst. "Are you okay?" he asked, but Tom hung up before the words were out of his mouth.

Eckert went back to the window and looked out. He waited until he saw Doug's car pull away, then turned back around. "That was good, Tommy, real…" He stopped short as he saw Tom backing away from the bar and into the living room, the sofa now between the two men. "Hey…hey, what do you think you're doing?"

Tom didn't answer as he edged closer to the end table, keeping his eyes focused on Eckert.

"Don't do anything stupid there, buddy." Eckert slowly circled around the other end of the couch.

"Shut up," Tom warned in a low, even voice as he made it to the table and reached for the drawer.

Eckert smiled. "Okay." He stood with his arms crossed, waiting. "What you got going on there, buddy?"

"This is over." Tom pulled the drawer open slowly and reached inside. When his hand did not find what it was looking for, Tom shifted his gaze from Eckert to the drawer. It was empty.

"Is this what you're looking for?" Eckert laughed hysterically as he reached into his pocket and pulled out Tom's gun.

Look at me go! Another chapter already? That's crazy talk! LOL! I guess now that it's coming to an end it's moving more quickly. The final chapter should be up soon as well. But don't let the fast past bother you. Go ahead and leave a review. :-) I like knowing someone's waiting to see how this turns out.