Chapter 3 Betrayal

Erik alone without his brother seeks out comfort and companionship in the arms of another.

But he feels like he's betraying someone...

Will Lyle's ppeal to reunite be accepted?

They dropped hands and tried not to look shifty as Travis led the way to the disused store cupboard.

As he shut the door behind them and stuck a broken chair under the door bar, Erik grabbed him and

shoved him against the wall. Travis, for his part, flung his arms around him and they kissed like they'd

just been waiting for this moment their entire lives.

Erik laughed and started to pull the other man's shirt off him eagerly.

Travis chuckled and kissed his bare stomach in return, making Erik squirm then he started tugging off

the teen's gym pants.

After a few more minutes of kissing and heavy petting, Travis put a hand on the other's shoulder.

'How we gonna do this?'

Erik looked down then up with a demure expression on his face and nibbled his lower lip. He knew

what Travis was asking of course and Erik had always been the receiver. With his father of course as

well as with his big brother and also with Craig. Craig hadn't known what he wanted be, being a

virgin and Erik decided on what he was used to.

'I…usually…um…I'm bottom.'

'I can do either way but if that's what you want?'

'It is.' A shadow passed unseen by the other across his features.

'Lookee, what I got.' The young, black man beamed and reached down to take something out of his gym pants pocket where they were lying on the floor.

Erik almost visibly flinched. 'Vaseline?' He asked tremulously.

'Well, what else can we get in here? Hey, you OK?'

Erik had turned away and was making retching noises and vomited in the old cupboard sitting against

the opposite wall with broken doors. He hadn't thought this far ahead. He'd assumed they'd just use

spit like him and his brother but they'd kept their hands off each other with great difficulty in the first

few days, not sure if they could get enough privacy until they learnt the layout of the place and its

hidden nooks and crannies.

Travis was immediately by his side, rubbing his arm. 'Did I do something wrong? I thought it would

make things easier.'

Erik shrugged him off and wiped his mouth, making a sound of disgust. 'I want to but now I need

mouthwash…It wasn't you. Just…Just…'

'I don't care about that. You'd taste delicious whatever.' He tried to laugh it off and kiss him to make

his point.

'Sorry.' Erik dodged the kiss.

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing. Just…Just give me a minute.' He noticed that Erik had tears standing out in his eyes.

'Maybe I rushed you. Forcing you to decide like that…'

'You didn't. It's something else…It's my brother.'

'You miss him?'

Erik's tears fell at that. 'It was so much more than just the Vaseline which Jose used on them than he

could ever tell Travis. He felt like he was betraying Lyle, not just cheating on him but seeking out

pleasure when they were separated and his brother was going through God knows what. Alone. Erik

had no right being happy while Lyle was alone.

'Of course, you do. That was a stupid thing for me to say. I'm sorry.'

'It's fine.' He sniffed and raised his head.

'What can I do?'

'Hold me.'

Travis eagerly obliged. After being hugged for a while, Erik seemed to recover and slipped out of his

arms to get up.

'Well, should we go back now?' Travis asked cautiously.

'No. I want it if you do.'

'Great.' Travis picked up the Vaseline but Erik kicked it away.

'What are you doing..?'

'Leave it.' Erik told him, looking at the small tub in distaste.

'But…'

He shook his head. 'Just use spit, I don't care.'

Travis looked back at him in surprise. 'Are you sure? Won't that hurt more?'

'It's fine.' Then Erik mumbled under his breath, 'I've had a lot worse.'

But Travis heard him. He gave him a sharp look but decided not to comment as the cogs were whirring in his head.

Erik held his breath nervously as the other man prepared him.

Travis sensed this and pulled his spit-covered fingers out of him. 'Are you sure you want this?'

Erik turned round and kissed him. 'Yes', he breathed. 'Please, just fuck me.'

Because if he'd been wavering before, what his lover just said decided it for him.

He reminded him so much of his brother, always wanting to make him feel safe and check everything

they did was his choice too.

And Erik, more than anyone, always needed to feel safe.

'That was nice.' Erik looked up at him with gleaming eyes as Travis held him like Lyle always did

afterwards. How did he know how to do that? Being with his jail boyfriend felt like it did with Craig 2

years ago, Travis' gentleness and caring had gone a long way to making Erik realise that not all sex

with men involved pain, fear, force and humiliation. For a while, it had even made the sex with his father more bearable. Although of course, he and his first boyfriend had been teenage peers and there was no unequal power dynamic. However, usually, Erik liked it fast and rough but this time, the first time after Lyle, he'd appreciated Travis going into him slowly and drawing things out.

Like 'nice sex' with Dad, his mind whispered.

'No! Please don't, Dad!' Luckily, he had only spoken in his mind.

It must have shown on his face though because Travis frowned and stroked his hair. 'Everything OK?'

Erik masked his distress at the flashback and grinned up at him and leant in for a long kiss. Even though part of him was regretting it, thinking of Lyle.

It was the teenager who pulled away first. In a lot of ways, Travis reminded him of Craig although

they were worlds apart one came from comparable wealth to his family and lived in Beverely Hills

and the other grew up on the mean streets of Washington, fighting other gangs and being forced to

run drugs when he was only 9 otherwise the gangsters would kill him or his little brothers and

sisters. Yes, they'd talked and learned more about each other.

Except for why Erik and his brother had killed their own parents. Or the Menendez family in general. That topic was always skirted around.

'We better get back.' Erik said but stretched out his hand to help him up.

Travis took the chance to grab him again and crush his lips to his. They giggled like 2 teenagers. He

was pleased to see how his boyfriend's eyes shone, how much more relaxed and happy he now was.

Erik carried on his love affair and they tried to meet in the same place to be alone.

It was 'Thanksgiving' and the screws had turned a blind eye to the inmates on their attempts at

brewing their own hooch, as long as they got their considerable free 'samples'.

They partied for a couple of hours with the other men on their block after their jail turkey meal, not bad by all accounts.

…

They were drunk on the hooch and Travis grabbed Erik's hand to lead him away.

They chuckled as they fell on a full clean laundry sack.

Hands holding then entwining limbs.

Erik kissed him and laughed.

They never used the Vaseline but still, Travis had to shove Erik's face into the hemp sack with the

clean clothes so his moans and cries of pleasure couldn't be heard from outside the door.

It was the last time Erik was happy with his jail boyfriend.

The next day, the Governor called him into his office.

Erik's intuition was telling him it was for no good reason and he went nervously, feeling like he'd been

called into the School Principle's Office to be reprimanded for some offence he couldn't even

remember and that he would get punished for at home later. He dragged his feet along in dread like

he used to whenever his dad wanted to see him in his office at home – far worse because at least the

Principle wouldn't beat him with his belt or force himself on him or make him do 'Knees.'

Erik shuddered and wiped his eyes at the memories but composed his expression and as he walked

in, feet not dragging, back straight and putting on air of confidence much less than he actually felt.

He was a Menendez and that was what he was trained to do.

Be impeccable in public.

There was some perfunctory small talk –'How are you doing?' when he was thinking sarcastically,

'You've separated us. How do you think I'm feeling?' after he was invited to sit down. The Governor

was a large, big-boned man but not fat and Erik felt quite intimidated.

Governor Randall Smith folded his hands tidily on his desk before he imparted his news.

'We've decided not to grant your brother's appeal for reunion.'

Lyle! Erik flushed guiltily. Lyle had submitted an appeal to reunite them? His love affair with Travis meant he hadn't been thinking or missing his brother like he should.

And now they were saying he might never see him again?

You can't do this! We're brothers - family! And jail rules don't let you separate family!'

'Usually, we uphold your Human Rights. But your brother lost his when he wrote that escape plan.'

'What about my Human Rights? I'm suffering here without him!'

'You read his note.'

'But I didn't know what was in it and we weren't going to really do it! It was just a stupid joke!'

'Do we look like we're laughing? Appeal to reunite is denied indeterminately.' With that, Randall

stamped a large red mark over the piece of paper on his desk.

Erik ran out before they could witness him break down.

His guard ran to catch up with him. 'Slow down, son!' and grabbed his arm.

Erik struggled in his grip tearfully. 'Let me go!'

'Calm down and I will.'

'OK!'

He released his arm.

'I'm sorry they won't let you be with your brother.' The guard was same age as his father and was

called Peter. 'You're already being punished for what you two did, it's unfair.'

'Thanks.' He replied, genuinely touched.

Eric wondered why some virtual strangers in this place of all places showed him more heart and care

than their own parents ever had.

'In you go, son.' Peter unlocked his cell and motioned him forward. 'I'll leave it open though, it's still

Social Hour so you can go out and be with your buddies if you want.'

'Thanks.' Erik repeated listlessly. He was barely keeping his emotions unchecked.

Jose always berated him for crying too much, for being weak. He could hear his father doing it in his

head now like he was right there with him.

Who could blame me for crying after the things you did to me!

As soon as he got to his cell, he sank down the wall and broke down in the corner.

Down the corridor, out of earshot, some of the guards who were responsible specifically for the

Menendez brothers on their different blocks were gossiping with others who were not.

Peter began. 'You know he just denied the appeal for them to reunite?'

'No. Did he?'

'Yeah. I was there. Seems a bit harsh to me when they're being punished in jail already.'

'Did you forget what they did? Greedy little fuckers shot their parents for money.'

'We don't know the full story. There must be more to it.'

'If you say so. That little pussy baby Menendez gonna cry even more now. You reckon he is getting

too close with Travis…?'

'Those two little lovebirds are practically screwing each other in plain view of the other inmates.'

'Not setting a good example. What about the older one, Lyle?'

'Still a model inmate. Yeah, he gets into fights sometimes but it doesn't look like he starts them. Just

your usual alpha-males sorting out the pecking order bull shit but he always beats them down.'

'He's sure not anything like his pussy little brother. He's real tough.'

We should make the recommendation to ship Travis out to the Governor if he asks us. See how little

Cry Baby Menendez can cope without him or his brother.'

'That's really rough… he's fragile, he hurts himself when he gets upset…He might attempt suicide

again and do it right this time.' Peter tried to intervene on Erik's behalf.

'We'll deal with that if and when it happens.' Was the cold reply.

'Yeah, but what about the press? They're not your usual murdering scumbags off the street – they're

celebrities and this is a high-profile case. If Erik dies, we will be held responsible. The Family will

crucify the jail and they have millions at their disposal. Very bad PR.'

'Well, then. This dump needs to show a united front and what inmates get even if they only joke

about escaping.'