Resisting Double Trouble (North Bay Pursuits Book 8)

by Kenzi Bond

  “That’s a good idea, but I want to speak to them. We need to be more direct with what we want from them; we should tell them we want to be theirs. If we show them how perfect we can be, surely they will want to collar us.”

  While Beau admitted that their childhood had been a nightmare, he had always secretly liked the idea of belonging to someone who cared for them. In his fantasy, a man would come along and rescue them from the constant demands of their father and the punishments he dealt out. He had found peace in the idea that one day a man would buy them both and care for and love them. Beau wondered if the men were brothers; they had similar features and appeared to have a close relationship. The idea that he and his brother could belong to both of the men would be a dream come true.

  While Jackson had purchased them and freed them from their father, he hadn’t wanted them like in his dreams. Beau loved that Jackson had become their father. He’d never imagined how wonderful a loving parent could be, but the desire to be owned was deeply ingrained.

  Dean was sitting on the bed with his back against the wall. Beau rolled over and put his head in Dean’s lap, seeking comfort. “We will speak with the security guards first and see what we can find out.”

  Beau relaxed as his brother’s fingers threaded through his hair, scratching his scalp.

  “Joel was pretty messed up. I don’t know how we can help him”,” Dean stated.

  Guilt hit Beau as he realized he hadn’t even thought about Joel. The whole reason they had gone to the club was to locate Joel. Joel had been rescued the same night as the twins, however, while the twins were happy, Joel was angry all the time. He had never lashed out at the brothers; instead, his anger seemed to be directed at himself.

  A knock at the door had Beau sitting up. “Yes?”

  Jackson opened the bedroom door. “Joel is on his way up in the elevator.”

  “Thanks, Papa. We were just talking about him.” He climbed off the bed and raced to the door with Dean. They reached the elevator just as the doors opened to reveal Joel. He looked dreadful was Beau’s first thought as Joel’s pale face looked up, and his red-rimmed eyes locked on the twins.

  “We need to talk,” he said as he pushed past the twins, stinking of stale alcohol and body odor.

  Dean reached for Beau’s hand as they followed Lucas back to their bedroom. Closing the door behind them, they watched as Lucas paced the room.

  “Of all the idiotic things you guys have done!” he fumed. “Do you know how much trouble you could have got yourselves in? What on earth possessed you to go to that shithole of place?”

  Beau knew Joel was only mad because he worried about them, but they worried about Joel, too. “You called us!”

  Joel stopped walking. “I what?”

  Dean stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Joel’s waist. “You called us from that place. We could tell you were drunk because you made no sense. You kept saying your life was over, and you didn’t see the point of trying to get better. You’re our best friend; we love you so much. We had to get you.”

  Joel wrapped a lank of his long hair in a fist and yanked. “God, it was all my fault. If it weren’t for me, you would never have put yourselves at risk. I’m so sorry.”

  Beau rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Joel also. “It was okay; we were grateful you called. We would do it all over again if it means being there for you.”

  They stood like that, wrapped in each other’s arms for a while, until Joel got himself under control.

  “That doesn’t mean that what you did was right. Do you have any idea the dangerous types of men who hang out at that place?” He raised his finger and pointed at them. “Seriously, you will stay about from Beat Boys. That dump is no place for you.”

  “But it’s okay for you to go there?” Beau challenged.

  “What I do is none of your business. Not that it matters—I’m never going back there, either. And don’t think for a minute that I didn’t see the way you both reacted to those men. I might have been drunk, but I know trouble when I see it. For fuck’s sake, you both dropped to your knees like good little slaves.”

  Beau was furious. How dare he judge them. If anyone should have understood, it should have been Joel. “Don’t you dare!” He reached for Dean’s hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

  “I can’t believe you said that!” Dean said.

  ’Joel’s face immediately dropped. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. That doesn’t mean I’m not right. I know you two. You looked at those men with stars in your eyes. Fuck it; they’re old, even older than me.”

  Not wanting Joel to know their plans to speak with the security guards, Beau didn’t respond.

  “Promise me you won’t go back there…”

  Beau and Dean remained silent.

  Joel started to pace as he talked to himself. “Of cause they plan to go back. Even I can admit the guys were attractive and had something about them. If only I hadn’t told the boys were I was. What to do?” He stopped and stared at them. “There’s nothing I can say that will stop you from going to Beat Boys, is there?” As the twins continued to be quiet, he let out a frustrated growl. “Fine, but you promise you will take me with you.”

  Beau and Dean looked at each other. “Okay, we promise to let you know when we go back,” Beau agreed.

  Looking uncomfortable, like he had something else on his mind, Joel pulled at the lank of his hair. “Look, you know you don’t have to kneel for anyone, don’t you? It kills me what your father did to you both.” He reached for the twins. “I know it’s hard, but try to remember that the life you were told you should have wasn’t real.”

  Feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden, Beau stared down at his feet. “You make it sound as if what we want doesn’t matter.”

  “That’s the point. What you want matters, but it has to be what you want, not what you’ve been taught to expect. Look deep inside yourself and see if that is the type of relationship you want. Fuck knows you were told for so long that you were going to be the ‘perfect slaves.’ I’m not surprised you feel that is all you have to offer.”

  Dean gave Beau a look of sadness. The problem was, everyone kept telling them to think about what they wanted, but if what they wanted was to be owned, they got frustrated with the answer. He didn’t want to think about it anymore. The more people pushed, the more Beau wished to give himself to someone and stop thinking. He would go back to the club and find those men. He would make them give him and his brother the feeling of belonging they both yearned.

  Seeing he had upset the twins, Joel opened his arms. “Don’t be upset; give me a hug.”

  The boys rushed forward. They loved being held, and it was rare that Joel initiated contact with anyone. Taking a deep breath, Beau pretended to gag. “Damn, Joel, you really stink. Don’t you think it’s time to have a shower?”

  “Yeah, fuck,” Joel said, sniffing under his arms. “When I woke up and remembered last night, I came right over.” He released the twins. “I’ll head off for now. Don’t forget to contact me before going back to Beat Boys. Do not go without me.”

  Beau and Dean walked Joel to the elevator. “Love you, Joel,” they both said.

  Joel let his guard down. “Yeah, I love you both, too. Be safe.”

  3

  Drake

  D

  rake looked around the VIP section of Beat Boys, taking in the empty seats. It seemed the VIPs had moved on to a better establishment, and he couldn’t blame them. He took a sip of whiskey, enjoying the warmth as it slid down his throat. He usually preferred beer but had asked for the whiskey at the last minute. “So, we agree,” he said to his brother. “We gut the place and start from scratch?”

  Drake waited as Malcolm stared into his glass of rum, swirling the amber liquid around. Drake wondered how they’d ended up which such different tastes. While he preferred beer, Malcolm’s poison of choice was Sailor Jerry. He had once picked up the wrong glass and choked on the unexpected flavor of
vanilla and cinnamon. Just one of the many ways that they were different, but they worked well together.

  “Yeah, I’m wondering if we should try something different. I don’t know what, but I don’t think I want to start a new club. Any ideas?”

  Always on alert, Drake pointed out two people who seemed to be searching around the dance floor before looking up and spotting where Drake and Malcolm were standing.

  Crossing their arms, they watched and waited as the couple headed right for them. Drake didn’t recognize the woman, but the young man looked familiar.

  “This area is private. Get out before we have you thrown out,” Malcolm said when they reached the top of the stairs. Most people found the deep, rough voice intimidating, but it didn’t bother the two intruders.

  “Look, I don’t give a flying fuck what you want. What I want is the boys safe from the likes of you. Where the fuck are they? So help me, if they’re hurt, I’ll have the police here so fast your head will spin.” He visibly shook with rage.

  At first, Drake didn’t understand, but with growing alarm, he recognized the man standing in front of them. It was Joel, the drunk friend of the twins. “Are you talking about Beau and Dean? We haven’t laid a finger on them.”

  Joel glared at them. “Fuck you. It’s your fault we’re here. The twins came back to speak to one of your bouncers. They got it into their head they wanted the security tape of the night they came here. The boys are obsessed with you two ugly fuckers, and the security guard offered them the recording. Where are they?”

  Drake stepped forward, grabbing Joel’s arm tightly. “You mean to tell us Beau and Dean are here somewhere?” He shared a look with Malcolm, who took a walkie-talkie from his belt.

  “Malcolm here. Has anyone seen the Xavier twins, Beau and Dean?” He listened for a moment before disconnecting and looking up in alarm. “They were seen heading with Tony toward the back alley.”

  Drake’s alarm kicked up another level. “And no one thought to do anything? Which Tony? Not that piece of shit I fired last week.”

  At Malcolm’s nod, he released Joel’s arm. “Jesus, let’s go,” Drake muttered. They had to hurry. He didn’t trust Tony, and it tore him up inside to think of what the man planned to do to the boys.

  They rushed down the stairs and out the side exit that led to the alley behind Beat Boys. There was no one in sight.

  “Where the fuck are they?” Joel asked, looking frantically up and down the alley.

  “Anyone ever tell you you had a foul mouth on you?” Malcolm asked Joel. Not waiting for a response, he turned to Drake. “He could have taken them to the storage rooms,” Malcolm said.

  He considered the idea. “I don’t know. Maybe we should call the cops. For all we know, they could have left with Tony.” He looked around, his heart racing. “Let’s check it out. If they’re not there…” He mentally crossed his fingers that they would find the boys in time.

  Going through another door, they paused as they heard a cry of pain and the sound of something substantial hitting the floor. Drake didn’t have his brother’s temper, but at the shout, he clenched his fists to hold back his fury. He entered the loading dock, everything in him pushing for him to protect their boys. No, not their boys. They didn’t belong to Drake or Malcolm. As his eyes adjusted to the overhead lighting, he took everything in and tried to tell himself the boys were safe. But it was hard to process what he was seeing. A large man who looked like he had used way too many steroid injections was lying on the floor, cradling his balls as blood pumped out of his bulbous nose in a gush. He was gasping in pain as tears, snot, and blood mixed together and ran down his face. Tony was on his knees, held by one of the twins in a chokehold. How the small boy had managed to secure the much larger man was a mystery. As they watched, the other boy gave an evil smile and kicked the man in the balls, then followed through with a strike to the nose. The sound of bone breaking was loud in the empty room. Looking down at the chaos they had caused, the boys wore identical expressions of satisfaction until they spotted the others in the room. Then they smiled a sweet, beautiful smile. Leaving the men withering on the floor, they walked over to kneel gracefully in front of Drake and Malcolm.

  In fury, Joel shoved Drake back and rushed at the boys. “What the fuck! Get off your fucking knees. You don’t kneel for anyone. Especially these two jackasses!”

  Beau smiled at Joel. “You don’t tell us what to do. If we choose to submit, it’s our choice, not yours.”

  Ignoring Joel, Drake approached the twin he thought was Dean. “What are you doing here?” Drake demanded, unable to stop his eyes running over the slim body, searching for signs of harm. He didn’t know why, but he was drawn to the quieter boy. Not surprisingly, it was Beau who answered his question.

  “The bouncer said he had a surveillance disc from the night we met. Joel told us we were too young for you and to stay away, but we thought it would be nice to have the recording,” Beau said.

  “What I said was you were acting like stalkers and needed to stop,” said Joel.

  Beau shrugged. “So we are a tad infatuated. Have you seen yourselves in the mirror?” Beau asked Drake. Beau looked over toward Tony, who was curled up on the floor.

  “He seemed so nice, but I guess we should have known better. Like all the rest, he just wanted to know what it was like to be with ‘Beau-Dean.’” He said the word with disgust, the word curling his upper lip in a snarl.

  “He was so eager to experience what we’ve been taught that we decided to show him. I don’t think he likes the lesson,” Dean said without remorse.

  Tony managed to pull himself up to his knees. “Asshole, you broke my nose. I was just giving you what you wanted. You came on to me. Who do you think people are going to believe? Two highly sexualized boys trained as sex slaves staking out a notorious gay club, or me? I’m going to sue you for assault,” Tony spat out.

  Drake saw red, but before he could act, Joel marched across the room, his face pulled into a twisted sneer. Drake grabbed Joel’s arm in a firm grip to stop him from getting any closer. “My brother and I will take care of this scum.”

  Malcolm spoke to Ronny through the walkie talkie, “Ronny, get some men out to the loading bay. I need some help removing some unwanted trash.”

  Ronny arrived with three extra men and led the two men out of the room, when Malcolm spoke again. “We’ll be along shortly. Don’t call the cops; we want to speak to them first.”

  “Yes, boss,” Ronny said as they led the two men out of the room. “I’m sorry they were so quick. I saw them but lost them when I went to get additional security.”

  “We’ll talk about it later, Ronny. Just get them out of here.”

  Up until now, Malcolm had remained silent. Drake knew he was just trying to hold on to his temper. His brother was the type of person who got quieter the madder he was. Finally, unable to remain silent, Malcolm spoke between clenched teeth. “What the hell are you doing here? You could have been killed. Do you have no sense of self-preservation?”

  Unable to stand still, Drake started to pace like a caged animal. He couldn’t believe how reckless the boys had behaved. Malcolm locked eyes with him.

  “We’ve got to do something. You know what could have happened,” Malcolm stated.

  “Don’t you think I know that?” Drake replied, feeling helpless.

  Malcolm spun around to the boys again. “You will never come back here again. Do I make myself clear?” he demanded coldly, the sound echoing in the empty room. Most men would shake in fear at the tone, but not the twins.

  “Yes, Master,” the boys responded.

  The softly spoken words crashed into his mind, stunning him. He didn’t want to be their master, but the way the boys looked at him and Drake made him want to protect and care for them.

  Malcolm stepped toward the twins. “We are not your masters. We haven’t been masters for a long time. We don’t even want to be masters. Don’t you get it? You’re free. You don’t have to
be slaves or subs; just be free and live your lives. Learn how to talk and act your age.”

  Malcolm and Drake had experienced Dominant and submissive relationships in the past, but they realized that although they enjoyed the power exchange, it wasn’t a true lifestyle for them. They hadn’t entered into a contract for a long time.

  Dean shrugged. “You tell us to be free and to live a life of our choosing, but then you say we can’t have what we want because what we want is to have you both as our masters. I’m Dean, and this is Beau in case you were wondering,” Dean said with a wide smile, looking up at him. Dean’s big brown eyes were deep pools of longing as he stared at Drake, while Beau had his focus on Malcolm.

  Drake was surprised that he had correctly guessed which twin was Dean. He didn’t know how he knew; he just did. “No, we don’t want subs, and if we did, we especially wouldn’t want you two. As far as we’re concerned, you’re children. For the last time, stay away from our clubs, or we will take out a restraining order,” Drake told them, hoping they wouldn’t call him on the lie.

  “We are subs. Denying the obvious won’t change that fact. We know we don’t have to submit to anyone, but we want to be owned. We want to be mastered. We are subs without a master, and that is like a drop of blood in a shark tank. We will never be safe until we are collared,” Beau said boldly.

  Drake stepped forward. “You don’t know what you want. You only know what you’ve been taught. If you’re that desperate to be claimed, why didn’t you let those men have you?”

  Another damn shrug. “They were not masters. They were just men and not worthy. We don’t want any men. We want you,” Dean said simply.

  Drake ran his fingers through his hair in annoyance. He ignored the way his body reacted to the words and reminded himself that when he’d looked into it, he discovered they were only sixteen. They were too young to even understand what they were asking.