by Lee Quail
And then it happened.
Raw buckled over and clutched his head, crying in pain. Edward clutched Raw’s shoulders and knelt before him. Raw screamed out loud and it echoed across the lake. “Fuck!”
“What’s going on, Raw?”
Raw shook his head and pushed Edward away, waited for the pain in his head to subside. “A migraine. Jesus, that was heavy.”
Edward took his hand and held it tight. “You’d better get that seen to. Have you been checked?”
“No.”
“Maybe you should.”
At home, Edward noticed Raw’s swollen left eye and prepared a hot-water bottle to place over it. While Raw showered, he prepared the bed in the main bedroom and tucked him in afterwards.
“Thanks, babe.” Raw smiled. “You climbing in?”
“Later. I’ve got a couple of things to sort out on the ‘puter. Tomorrow’s an important day. We need to get up early to train so I won’t be too late.”
“I want to make love to you.”
Edward kissed Raw lightly. “We have our whole lives for that.”
“Guess you’re right. Goodnight”
“Nite-nite, my love.”
Raw loved to hear those words. It made him feel as though he belonged, and it felt good to belong.
The alarm clock woke them up as it usually did, but Raw felt sluggish. As if he had no driving power. When he woke up, even though Edward had put on the bedside lamp, his vision blurred. He didn’t say anything because after a few moments it passed. He slumped out of bed and made for the bathroom. Edward occupied the shower.
“You joining me?” Edward asked, water pouring down his body.
“Need you ask?” Raw said, sliding open the shower door and stepping into the pouring water. Immediately he pulled Edward in for a kiss, and immediately they achieved instant hard-ons.
“A quickie?” Edward asked.
“Never thought you’d ask.”
“So we’ll be a few minutes late, won’t kill anyone.”
“Hmmhmm.”
Edward enveloped Raw’s cock with his mouth and gently sucked on it, while Raw groaned and thrust his groin forward so that it hit the back of Edward’s throat. Edward gagged and came up for air. Raw pulled Edward up and kissed him, hoping to find the taste of his cock in his mouth, but the water had rinsed it away.
Raw knelt on one knee and guided Edward’s cock into his mouth in return. He played with Edward’s balls, tightened by the expectation of sex and pulled, while Edward leaned back against the shower wall and told him to pull harder. As he tugged at Edward’s balls, Edward felt the first pangs of ejaculation and within seconds his cum filled Raw’s mouth. Raw played with his cum, spitting it out onto Edward’s hairy groin. Taking soap, he washed it away. Edward jerked Raw’s cock until he too, shouted in ecstasy and his cum spurted across the shower, landing on Edward’s tight abs.
Both showered quickly, with Edward thinking that he’d still not heard Raw say those three magical words. Words that would increase their affection for each other and secure the bond between them. Edward desperately needed that.
13
At the club, Edward made his first call of the day. He instructed his accountant to make a bank transfer of two million rand into the club’s account immediately. He placed the call on speaker mode so that Raw and Curisco could hear the accountant’s reaction.
His accountant sighed, frustrated. “Edward, that’s a lot of money to transfer all at once. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I’m positive.”
“Are you in some kind of trouble, because if you are there are ways and means to fight this?”
“No trouble. I want the money transferred as quickly as possible.”
“That leaves you with only five million in trust. Is that enough for you?”
“More than enough.”
The accountant sighed again. “Okay. I’ll make it happen but it’ll take a few days.”
“How long exactly?”
“Between five and seven days. Immediate payment will cost you.”
“Make it immediate.”
“Edward, that’s thousands of rands.”
“Just do it, okay.”
“Sure, I’ll do it immediately.”
Raw gripped Edward’s shoulder. He said nothing. His silence spoke a thousand words. Curisco sat at his desk with his head in his hands, not believing that people like Edward existed. He shook his head in wonder. If Angels did exist, then Edward must be close to being an archangel.
“Done,” Edward said, gazing up at Raw.
“I guess it’s my turn,” Raw said, punching the number of his bank into his cell phone. He asked to speak to the consultant who would be seeing him today.
“Conrad, it’s Rawson Curisco.”
Curisco had never heard Raw mention his own full name before. It sounded strange. He poked his tongue out at his dad, and smiled, pointing at the phone.
“Howzit, Rawson. Are we still on? I have a few people attending the meeting today.”
“That’s what I was calling you about. Something’s come up and I need to cancel.”
“Damn! I’m going to have to cancel several people who are excited about your proposal to start a new gym. Do you have another date? We can reschedule.”
“I’ve decided I’m not going to start a new gym. But, what I do want you to do for me is to transfer a portion of the money in my savings to my dad’s gym.”
“Sure thing. How much?”
“One and a half million.”
“Good as done. Seven days?”
“Make it immediate.”
“I’ll make it happen.”
“Conrad, thank you. I appreciate your help. Sorry, I won’t be taking out a loan but this is more important.”
“I completely understand, Rawson. Don’t worry about it.”
“Great. Hope to chat soon.”
He ended the call and breathed as though a new Raw had emerged.
Edward hugged him. Curisco couldn’t stand for the emotion and left the room to breathe in the fresh air with one thing foremost in his mind. He had two special angels in his life.
“There’s one thing I must do today and to me it’s important,” Raw said, melting in Edward’s gaze.
“Say the word and I’m with you.”
“Caine. I need to thank him. Face to face. If it weren’t for him, we’d never have known. You’ll come with?”
“Of course.”
14
Caine’s telephone rang for the umpteenth time that morning. He groaned and answered in a wry voice as though he were not looking forward to this conversation.
“Hope you’re the bearer of good news, Bradshaw.”
“Curisco’s been saved. My contact at the bank phoned me. A mysterious donor has put in something like three million.”
“That’s not what I wanted to hear this morning. Who the fuck is this donor? Is he some kind of retard? No one wants to deal with Curisco. He can’t get a bank loan, and not one individual I’ve spoken to wants to finance him.”
“You keep on at him. I want that gym, Donovan. My team needs to start working on that place. It’s a prime spot for a money making upmarket disco and we’re not going to wait forever. Get the damned job done.”
“It’s too late, Caine. The transfers have taken place.”
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! All this time I’ve been working on this asshole, Raw, and digging up dirt on his so-called boyfriend. When Raw finds that out, he’ll do an about face.”
“I haven’t met the investor. There are two of them according to my source.”
“Two? Jesus, this thing gets better, doesn’t it? You find out who the investors are and let me know immediately.”
“It’s not going to amount to much.”
“I don’t care. Do it!”
“I’ll try.”
Raw suddenly appeared from around the corner and entered Caine’s office. Edward followed close behind.
&
nbsp; “Raw!”
“You’re looking at those investors,” Raw said, his gaze fell upon a cardboard model of the gym standing on his desk. It had changed, depicting two more levels, and a bigger parking area. “You’re working on me? Working on me? And I’m an asshole! You have dirt on Edward like he killed Masinga of the DRC who died of a brain haemorrhage during the fight?”
Raw’s eyes blackened. His entire being trembled. He didn’t see Caine his life-long friend with benefits, the man who had feelings for him. He saw something akin to evil. “You’re the one who wants my father to sell. You’re the one who concocted this whole cock and bull story about his finances. You?”
“It’s not like that Raw. Listen to me.”
“No! You don’t get to say another word. I’ve heard enough. You’re a liar and a fraud. You come into my life and pretend to be my friend when all you want is a cheap fuck and my father’s gym!”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s my truth. Okay. My truth the way I see it.”
“Your father is in shit-street, Raw. You said you wanted out. If the bank repossesses, he’s going to have nothing and what do you have to give him?”
“That’s not going to happen and that so-called ‘boyfriend’ of mine came through and poured millions into the gym.”
Edward crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Caine with a smug expression in his eyes that said, eat shit, bro.
“My dad’s not going bankrupt,” Raw continued. “He’s not going anywhere. I may be cocksure of myself, I may be stubborn and relentless in many ways, but I sure as hell would never betray my own father. Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn’t.”
“You heard this conversation?”
“Enough to know that for the last three months you’ve done nothing but lie to me.”
“Fuck it. I knew that something had to be done to save your father’s gym and the only way I could help was buy it.”
“For what? So you can develop a fucking disco? A disco?”
Caine remained silent for the first time.
“No. I wanted to help your father. I’ve tried these last few months to make you realize that I want you, but you want him,” Caine pointed at Edward standing beside Raw. “You and I had good times. Does he know how many times we’ve been with each other, about the toys and games and the sadism? Does he know?”
Edward stepped forward and answered. “I know it all. I also know that if you come within an inch of that gym, you’ll regret you were born.”
“Is that a threat?”
“That’s a promise.”
“I see you now, Caine,” Raw said, “I see that you’re like the rest of them. You want, but not willing to give. You’re worse than a psycho. You watched me break slowly. Let me tell you something, you aren’t going to get my father’s gym. Not you, not anyone. We’ve already seen to that. I came here to thank you for giving me a heads up on my father’s situation thinking you’d be happy for me that we saved him.” Raw took out Caine’s apartment keys from his key chain and threw it to the floor. “Clearly I was mistaken. You’re not Caine. Not the Caine I know and respected as a friend.”
Raw stormed towards the door, dragging Edward with him. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Raw!”
“It’s too late, Caine. We can never be friends after this.”
Cain slammed his fist onto the desk. “Because of you! Because you came into my life and I fell for you. Can’t you see that?”
“It’s too late for tears, buddy. It’s too late.”
“I wanted to show you that – fuck it, I don’t know what I was thinking. I made a huge mistake in thinking that this would rescue your family. I had no intention of damaging our relationship. My name is like gold in boxing – I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“But you did know. You did. You had to get close to me to get insight into the gym. You pretended to be my friend all these years. Jesus, we were buddies at school, Caine. Best friends! But it’s still a betrayal. It’s still something people shouldn’t do to each other.”
“Trying to buy out your dad is not a betrayal. I told Angie about my plans to buy him out and she agreed it was a good idea. Everyone agrees, except you.”
“Angie? She would never agree to a disco. That place is a legacy, a landmark, it speaks of boxing.”
“A disco is productive. At the moment your dad’s gym isn’t profitable. I don’t want you to leave like this. We can work through this.”
“I don’t trust you. I’m being honest. There’s nothing in my heart or soul for you. I’m an asshole, remember. You feel nothing for me. I think you have great potential to make someone happy, Caine. But that someone isn’t this asshole.”
“You belong to me, Raw.”
“I loved you more than you know as a friend, someone I could turn to when I needed affection in my life. Selfish, yes. But necessary. You understood me. But this, this is too big. It’s over. Our friendship is done.”
“I won’t let that happen.”
“Stop!” Edward exclaimed. “You have already screwed it up. You’ll find someone who can love you more. I’m sick of hearing how much you want his friendship when he’s clearly told you a dozen times that it’s over. Let’s go, Raw.”
“It was a mistake. I made a stupid stupid mistake. It will never happen again.”
“Calling him an asshole, digging up dirt on me, having such disdain for a sport you are supposed to love. Those are not mistakes. They’re planned. You have to grow up and trust yourself. Until then, your friendship isn’t going to work. So learn from this.”
Raw turned and headed for the door.
“Raw, please.”
“No more, Caine. No more.”
He left the door open and walked out of the house.
They drove directly to the gym and Raw immediately set to his favourite punching bag. Edward watched him from Curisco’s office. Raw’s anger fuelled the punches, which came faster and faster and ever faster until his knuckles tore open and bled and he began screaming and screaming so that his voice could be heard in the parking lot of the gym.
Suddenly, his head exploded and he screamed out in agony. Clutching his head to stop the pain, he wobbled and gripped the punch bag with both arms to prevent himself from falling.
Edward reached him as he dropped to the mat. Lifted him and carried him to Curisco’s office. He gently placed Raw on the couch, held him close to his chest and rocked him to and fro as though comforting a crying baby. In a few minutes, Raw’s attack settled down and eventually his breathing returned to normal.
“I’m taking you to the hospital,” Edward punched in the emergency number, but Raw gripped his hand and leaned towards him on one elbow.
“It’s okay. I’m okay. The headache is gone.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Curisco returned from coaching a sparring session in another section of the gym. He noticed Raw’s bloody hands. “Now tell me what has happened to make you hurt yourself like this.”
“Caine. He’s the one who wanted to buy the club. Wanted to change it into a disco,” Edward said.
For a moment Curisco couldn’t believe his ears.
“Caine Smit? Your best friend, that Caine? Boxing League’s administration assistant?”
Raw nodded. “He was the one who told me about your financial situation. So we, Edward and me, went to pay him our respects for the heads up. I have a key to his house and a remote for the gate. We overheard his conversation to his broker. They would have been cutting the deal with the bank today.”
“The broker, his name is Donovan Bradshaw?”
“Yes. I heard him say the name.”
“He’s my broker. He’s been pestering me to sell. Said he had a buyer. But it’s okay now. In fact, there’s too much money thanks to Edward and you.”
“No one will ever turn this place into a disco,” Raw said.
“With the fights and the fundraiser
coming up, we’ll be fine,” Edward said. “Change the gym into a state of the art boxing club, new equipment and a fun place to meet. Open the place up to gay members and boxers. We’ll attract new members and be solvent in no time. None of us have to lose anything. We’re in this together, right? Will you trust me enough to look at the books?”
“Sure. Knock yourself out,” Curisco said.
“Knock yourself out?” Edward laughed.
“That’s what they say, right?”
“Coming from you it sounds funny, Dad” Raw laughed.
“At least we can laugh,” Curisco withdrew his hand from Edward’s grip. “Now tell me what happened with you and Caine. Don’t leave anything out.”
Raw explained the entire sequence of events that took place between them. “It’s over now, Dad.”
“It might have been a good thing, Rawson.”
“Dad! Dad! Please don’t call me that. Please.”
“But it’s your name. The name your mama and I chose for you. You don’t like it?”
“I like Raw. Raw. Rawson? Who the hell calls their kids Rawson?”
“Okay, you win. I won’t call you that. So, what is going to happen now with you and Caine?”
“I don’t want to see him again.”
“But he’s your best friend, and he has an important position in the Boxing League.”
“That’s not the point. How many other people has he betrayed?”
Suddenly, Caine entered. “Sorry, the door was open.” He stood at the door with hands in his jeans pockets. “Who else have I betrayed? To be honest, many people. All hurt by me and my selfish business goals. It’s made me a remarkably wealthy man.”
“What the fuck do you want here?” Raw asked.
Curisco placed a hand on Raw’s shoulder to calm him.
“Let him finish. Let him have his say.”
“Mr. Curisco, I came to apologize. I’ve been many things in my life, but one thing I don’t want to be is a Judas. This gym is your life. It’s Raw’s life too. Raw doesn’t want to have anything to do with me and frankly I don’t blame him.”