Addiction

by Roberta Blablanski

  So close. He was so close to getting what he needed.

  But what would happen if he did walk away? Walking away wouldn’t change his circumstances any more than scoring more Oxy would. Walking away wouldn’t magically get him a job or find him a place to live or pay his bills or get Dex back.

  Owen’s shoulders dropped and he slumped, helplessness overwhelming him. He felt he had no choice but to accept Leroy’s offer.

  Owen swallowed down his apprehension. “Two phones by the end of the week? Umm, okay. What day is it?” Days of the week, time of the day...all of that was meaningless to Owen when he had no purpose, no reason to get up every day at a certain time or a certain schedule to adhere to. He was aimless.

  “It’s Wednesday, and I expect the goods by four o’clock Saturday afternoon. No exceptions, or you can say goodbye to your phone and adios to the Oxy.” Leroy shoved Owen’s phone into his pants pocket and withdrew his pinched off joint from the other pocket. “Now, get out of here.” Leroy waved the joint at Owen, dismissing him.

  Owen took his cue and headed back to his car, defeated and with one less possession. He shouldn’t have given in to Leroy. Did he need pills that bad? He probably should have kept his phone and argued for another way to score.

  You’re a sad, sad man. Look what you’ve gotten yourself into now.

  4

  DEX

  “I SAW OWEN YESTERDAY.” Patrick could have dropped a bomb in the middle of his living room and the impact wouldn’t have been as massive as those four little words.

  Dex sputtered, spraying sake across the coffee table where the brothers were sharing a meal of takeout sushi and watching the latest superhero movie on Netflix. “Give me a warning before you spring something like that on me!”

  He wiped his face with more force than necessary, not in an attempt to clean the sake, but to hide his expression for a few seconds. Patrick’s confession shook him to the core.

  He had so many questions. What did Owen look like? Was he okay? What did he say? Where was he living? Was he still on drugs? Had he finally gotten the help Dex couldn’t give him? Did he ask about Dex?

  Wiping his own face of the sake Dex showered over their meal, Patrick mused, “One day, hearing his name will provoke no reaction from you. You know that, right? One day, you’ll get to a point where it won’t hurt as much.”

  “For the little brother, you sure do take on the role of the big brother. The cosmos must have screwed up our birth order.” Deflect, deflect, deflect.

  “You want to know if I talked to him.” It wasn’t a question.

  Instead of responding, Dex shoved a large piece of California roll in his mouth. He chewed slowly and made a funny face at Patrick.

  Patrick made a fuss with his chopsticks, rearranging them from one side of his plate to the other. “I debated telling you. I didn’t want to upset you, but I thought you should know. This isn’t something I want to keep from you, and I don’t want you to think I would speak to him behind your back.”

  Dex blew out a breath, ruffling the too-long hair that had fallen over his forehead. “Thank you for telling me. And yes, I want to know everything, right down to the very last, minute detail.” He paused in contemplation. “But do I need to know? Probably not.”

  “For the record, he came to me. To the diner.” Patrick folded his hands on the coffee table in front of his plate. “He's not well, Dex. I don't know what he's doing with himself.”

  Patrick looked like he wanted to say more but kept quiet and left Dex to his thoughts.

  Dex could fool himself into thinking Owen was getting clean. He wanted to believe that with every fiber of his being, but he knew it was far from reality. How many times had he tried to steer Owen in the right direction? Their week-long stay last year at a bed and breakfast in the country was supposed to be a turning point. Removing Owen from the situation, however temporary, was something Dex had read about during his research on drug addiction. Nevertheless, his good intentions fell flat.

  “Wake up, baby,” Dex leaned over from the driver’s seat and softly whispered in Owen’s ear. Owen had fallen asleep the moment they hit the interstate, and his soft snores accompanied the audiobook Dex listened to during the drive.

  Owen made a sleepy little groan, the vibration of which had Dex’s insides tingling. Dex nibbled on Owen’s earlobe, knowing this was a sure-fire way to get his attention. When the groan turned into a throaty moan, Dex pulled away abruptly, leaving Owen blinking wide-eyed and confused.

  Dex laughed at Owen’s owl imitation. “We’re here!” They had just pulled into the driveway of the B&B Dex booked for a week of relaxation. No distractions by their daily lives, just secluded, one-on-one time with each other.

  The gravel driveway was lined with large oak trees and extended far enough from the main road to give the illusion of isolation. The house at the end of the drive was large, white, and plantation-style, with a huge porch and balcony. Stately Greek columns punctuated the front of the house, making it appear taller than its two stories.

  Dex led a still dazed Owen out of the car, up the porch steps, and into the reception area. The polished dark wood floor shone in the fading evening light, and Dex had the urge to take off and slide down the hallway in his socks. He laughed to himself. That was more like something Owen would do.

  Following their host up the curved staircase, Dex took in the rich tapestries adorning the floor to ceiling windows and the serene landscape paintings hung on the walls. A sense of calm washed over him. He had a good feeling about this place.

  A king-sized four-poster bed dominated the room that was to be their home for the next five days. The muted light green walls created a cozy ambience, and Dex was so looking forward to spending some quality time with Owen within their confines.

  On the bed was a tray with a bowl of fresh sliced strawberries and a bottle of sparkling water. A perfect snack before falling into the comfy-looking bed linens.

  “What do you think, baby?” Dex pulled Owen into his arms and smoothed back his hair. Owen had the sexiest bedroom eyes, all dark and stormy and heavy-lidded. If it weren’t for the treats on the bed, Dex would throw him on the mattress and ravish him.

  Owen gave a sleepy yawn and laid his head on Dex’s shoulder. “It’s nice.” He slipped his hands into the back pockets of Dex’s jeans and squeezed, eliciting a low, deep moan from Dex.

  A sharp knock at the door put an end to their wanton embrace. Dex reluctantly let Owen go and answered the door. A member of the staff stood on the other side with their bags in hand. With a thank you and generous tip, Dex deposited the bags just inside the room and stalked back to Owen who had stretched out on the bed.

  Owen wiggled his bare toes at Dex. “Come here, lover.”

  Owen had moved the tray to the bedside table, making room for Dex to hop on the bed beside him. He pulled Owen to his side and stroked up and down his back under his t-shirt. He loved cuddling with Owen, the feel of Owen’s lean muscles and compact frame. He also loved cataloguing all the designs and colors of his sleeve tattoo. When they first started dating, Dex was captivated by the artwork and spent hours tracing the lines of the constellations and caressing his skin.

  At the touch of Owen’s lips to his, Dex felt the lightheadedness that had overwhelmed him the first time they kissed. The feeling never faded, solidifying for Dex that they were right where they belonged.

  Owen tasted of the strawberries the bed and breakfast had provided, giving Dex a wicked idea. He broke the kiss and straddled Owens hips. He pulled Owen’s shirt over his head and unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants, leaving his jeans on for the time being. He then reached over, grabbing the bowl of strawberries.

  Owen looked at Dex curiously but remained silent. Dex lined the middle of Owen’s torso with slices of strawberries, starting at the hollow of his neck and ending at the waistband of his open jeans. Owen shivered under the touch of the chilled berries, causing his cock to rub against Dex’s thickening leng
th. The friction was delightful.

  Placing the bowl back on the tray, Dex nibbled on the strawberry in the center of Owen’s torso. The contrast between the cool berry and Owen’s warm skin nearly tempted Dex enough to end the teasing.

  “You’re getting me all sticky,” Owen keened as Dex’s lips touched skin.

  “I’ll lick you clean.”

  Dex moved up Owen’s body, fruit between his teeth. He fed the strawberry to Owen, sliding his tongue into Owen’s mouth. The sweetness of the berry ignited the kiss, and Dex sat up to tear off his own shirt.

  “You had better eat the rest of those strawberries so I can eat you.” Owen was staring ravenously at Dex’s bared chest and reached for his waistband.

  Dex swatted Owen’s hands away to laboriously lick and suck at the remaining strawberries, occasionally sharing a berry with Owen. Owen moaned and writhed on the bed under Dex’s mouth. He left the fruit at Owen’s navel for last, licking all around and not quite touching the fruit.

  “Dex, please. You’re killing me.”

  Dex chuckled at Owen’s plea but didn’t give in; he was enjoying himself too much, having Owen helpless beneath him and at his mercy.

  He pulled Owen’s jeans and underwear down and off, leaving Owen splayed out and naked, save for the lone strawberry trembling on Owen’s belly from his ragged breaths. Dex stroked Owen’s sides, tickling his hip bones with his thumbs. Owen lifted his hips up, whimpering.

  Feeding Owen the last strawberry, Dex wrapped a hand around Owen’s length, feeling the warm, silky hardness. Owen moaned into his mouth at the touch, and Dex tightened his grip, stroking leisurely.

  “Get these jeans OFF!” Owen growled in between kisses.

  Dex’s hands struggled through hazy lust to yank his pants off. Owen’s hands joined in to help but only got in the way. Dex jumped off the bed, shucked his pants, and returned to Owen.

  Owen poked his bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “You left your underwear on.” He snapped the band of Dex’s gray boxer briefs and slid them down, exposing Dex’s ass cheeks. Dex sucked in a breath at the sensation of cool air on his backside.

  Dex’s world tilted when Owen flipped him onto his back and leaned over him to take his lips in another kiss. Owen’s hair fell in a curtain around their faces, intensifying the lavender scent of his shampoo. Dex inhaled deeply through his nose and lost himself to the softness and heat of Owen’s lips nibbling at his neck.

  When Owen reached Dex’s briefs and put his mouth over Dex’s cloth-covered crotch, Dex almost came. All the teasing he did to Owen had his own body on the edge of losing control. And then Owen was gone.

  Dex sat up to find Owen carrying his luggage over to the bed. He enjoyed the view of Owen’s lithe body on full display, but he wanted to get back to what they started. “What are you doing?”

  “Supplies, my dear Dex.” Owen dug through his bag then held up a condom and a bottle of lube. “Ta-da!”

  Owen hopped back onto the bed, setting the supplies near, and removed Dex’s briefs. He reached over for the bottle of sparkling water and popped the top.

  “Thirsty?” Dex asked Owen in a rough voice.

  Instead of answering, Owen took a small swig of the water, placed the bottle back on the bedside table, and took Dex’s cock into his mouth. The chilled, bubbly liquid on his hot, aching cock sent sparks of electric pleasure through his body. “Oh gods,” he gasped.

  Owen’s lips tightened around Dex’s cock as he bobbed his head. The sparkling water dripped down his balls making them tighten. He jerked his hips in rhythm with Owen’s movements, and Owen hummed. The combination of the vibration and the carbonation of the sparkling water was almost too much for Dex to take.

  “I’m so close, Owen. So close.”

  Owen raised his head, releasing Dex’s cock. He swallowed the liquid that remained in his mouth, lifted and spread Dex’s legs, and buried his head in Dex’s crease. Dex’s cock tingled from the bubbly blowjob, and he lost himself in Owen’s talented tongue on his most sensitive skin.

  Dex didn’t dare touch himself for fear of coming too soon. The tip of Owen’s tongue was prodding his hole, and Dex relaxed as best as he could for him. He was wound up tight from the teasing and the pleasure.

  Owen gave one long, last lick from Dex’s crease to the base of his cock, and then Dex watched Owen coat his fingers with the lube. He couldn’t wait for what was to come. He craved Owen inside him.

  Owen knew just how to touch Dex, how to work him up into a lustful, incoherent mess. His fingers were like magic, working Dex’s body to open him up.

  “No more,” Dex whined. “I’m ready for you.”

  Owen removed his fingers and slid a condom onto his cock. Dex concentrated on Owen’s face as he positioned himself between Dex’s legs. Pleasure and steady concentration transformed Owen into the most overwhelmingly gorgeous man Dex had ever seen. Tears burned in Dex’s eyes, his love for Owen turning him into an emotional mess.

  The burn of Owen’s cock sliding ever so slowly inside him was heaven. Only when their thighs met, and Owen was fully seated, did Dex release the breath he was holding. They started out at a slow pace, their soft moans increasing in volume with the increase in speed of Owen’s thrusts.

  Dex reached between their bodies to stroke himself. He couldn’t wait any longer, the buildup leaving him ready to explode. He let out a loud moan and gave into the orgasm he had been staving off.

  Owen’s thrusts became erratic, and his moan joined Dex’s as they came almost simultaneously. Dex pulled Owen to him, wrapping their arms around each other. They stayed entangled for a few minutes, catching their breath.

  “We’re going to get permanently stuck together if we don’t get cleaned up soon,” Owen mumbled.

  Dex stroked his sweaty hair back from his face and kissed Owen lazily on the lips. “Shower and then dinner?”

  Owen nodded. Dex carried Owen to the en suite bathroom where they shared a luxurious shower. Dex had a feeling they’d both fall asleep quickly tonight.

  * * * * *

  "Did you bring floss? I forgot to pack mine." Dex checked his bag for the third time and came up empty.

  They had just come back from a romantic dinner at a restaurant on the water and were getting ready for bed.

  "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I did. Check my toiletry bag."

  Opening a side zipper compartment of Owen’s Dopp kit, Dex noticed a balled-up tissue. Gross. Why would Owen keep a used tissue in his bag?

  Dex pinched a corner between his thumb and index finger to remove the tissue and toss it into the trash can. As he pulled it out, several small, white pills tumbled from the folds of the tissue and down into the bag.

  Dex froze. That couldn't be what he thought it was. Owen wasn't hiding pills from him. There had to be a better, more reasonable explanation for Owen to have random pills stuffed in a side compartment and wrapped in a tissue.

  "Found the floss, babe?" Owen asked from the doorway of the bathroom.

  Their eyes met, and in that moment Dex saw the realization in Owen's face that he was caught.

  "It's not what you think--"

  "Stop. Don't give me some lame excuse or lie about what these are." Dex dumped the kit over, its contents falling out and scattering all over the floor.

  Owen dropped to the tile floor, frantically grabbing at his things. "What the fuck, Dex?" Owen yelled at him.

  Dex made no move, watching Owen scramble to find the pills.

  "We talked about this, Owen. I thought we agreed you would stop." Dex’s heart was racing from his discovery and Owen’s reaction. This wasn’t supposed to happen on their trip.

  Owen paused and looked up at Dex. His face was red, his breaths coming fast. Dex had never been afraid of Owen; right now, though, the tendrils of doubt and fear began uncoiling.

  "I take them only when I need them. You know how my ankle gets.” More excuses.

  “Then go see a doctor!” Dex shouted back. “Get a legitimate p
rescription instead of taking some random pills. Who knows what’s really in these? You can’t be getting them from a reliable source.”

  “This is your fault,” Owen seethed. “You brought me to this little town where walking is required to get everywhere. What did you expect would happen?”

  That was a slap to the face. “I wanted us to have a nice vacation. I wanted to spend quality time with you away from work and the temptation.”

  “Yeah, well. You failed.”

  Failure. Dex was terrified of failure. He worked hard at everything his entire life to come out ahead. Somehow, that drive didn’t translate to his relationship with Owen. Many nights he lied awake going over every little detail he could think of to come up with the one thing he missed. One thing he cast aside when he should have made it a priority.

  He filled his glass with more sake. “Let’s not talk about this tonight. I’m all about explosions and super powers right now.” He aimed the remote at the television and hit Play.

  5

  OWEN

  OWEN HAD BEEN SCOPING OUT the kiosk on the boardwalk for two days, making internal notes of the staff and how the product was secured. The cell phones stayed locked in a safe in a cabinet underneath the register. The employee working kept the key attached to a spiral keychain around their wrist. He was running out of time and no closer to figuring out how he was going to pull this off.

  The safe was never left open and unattended, and the key was always on the employee. So how the hell was Owen supposed to get his hands on two cell phones for Leroy?

  The surfer-looking dude working that afternoon stayed busy. Owen called the dude Chet in his head, a name he thought fitting for a beefy, blond-haired muscled guy.

  A bevy of teenagers from the high school were checking out the latest cell phone accessories. That was good; a distracted person was easy to swindle. But still...everything valuable was locked up tight.