by Brina Brady
“I hope you’re right,” Andrew said.
“Remember, don’t call any of them or visit them. We’re on it,” Niko said.
“Thanks. And thank everyone for helping to find Jesse.”
“We all were so happy you found someone. We’ll bring Jesse to you. Stay home. I’ll keep you posted.” After saying good-bye to Jake and Charlie, he left.
“I believe Niko,” Jake said.
“He’s an excellent agent.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Jesse
Jesse sat on the bare mattress in the dark. The temperature of the room was hot and stuffy without air conditioning. That was the least of his worries. He had to figure out how he could break away. In the short time the lights had been on, Jesse hadn’t seen anything that could help him remove the chains. He was stuck here, and he’d never be able to leave.
Just last month, Sam had trained him how to deal with kidnappers. At the time, he hadn’t thought it was odd, but in retrospect, Sam must have suspected there could be a future kidnapping. Sam had told him to fight with everything he had by shouting and kicking to get away. The training sessions had gone well, but it hadn’t done him any good when it counted. When he had seen the gun, Jesse had frozen. Paralyzed with fear, Jesse couldn’t fight. Then they had drugged and bound him. He felt like such a loser.
In class, Master Andrew had discussed that in kidnap situations, it was important that the victim needed to follow the captors’ instructions. If at any point it became clear the captors had gained the upper hand, the victim needed to stop resisting right away. No matter the situation, if they had control, it was important to comply with them, as it might make them less likely to hurt or kill.
The door opened again, lights were turned on again, and the man walked in, holding a plate with a sandwich and a bottle of water. He stopped beside Jesse and set the plate and bottle on the floor.
“I’m going to remove the chains from your wrists so you can eat. But I warn you, don’t try anything.”
“No, Sir. I won’t.”
“Eat.”
“How long will I be here?” Jesse asked as he rubbed his sore wrists.
“Don’t know. There’s a small problem.”
“What problem?” Jesse had no idea if that was a good or bad thing.
“Don’t worry about it. Just eat.”
Jesse picked up the unappetizing-looking sandwich, just a piece of bologna between two slices of cheap white bread, but he took a bite anyway. He hadn’t eaten in hours and was hungry. The man leaned on the wall, watching him as if he were an animal. While he ate and drank he looked around for anything he could use to escape. A long brown drape half covered the one window in the room, but he couldn’t see if it was locked. A loud bang from the front door startled him. The man took out his gun and left the room. Familiar voices were nearing his room. Then Master Ben and Master Carmen entered.
“Why isn’t he chained?” Master Carmen asked the man. Standing over six feet tall, the olive-skinned man had an angry feel about him. He had a small cut on his cheek which gave him a menacing look.
“He had to eat.”
“Chain him to the damn bed. I don’t want him going anywhere.” Master Carmen pushed his dark hair out of his hazel eyes.
“Why are you doing this?” Jesse asked.
Master Carmen slapped Jesse across the face. “Shut your damn mouth, boy.”
Jesse covered his face with his hand to ward off the sting. His stomach turned over a few times. He never liked Master Carmen or Master Ben. As far as Jesse was concerned, they both were stupid assholes. He had never wanted to be in their presence, but since they had been friends with Sam, he’d been stuck hanging out with them. Both of them had made fun of Jesse when Sam wasn’t close enough to hear them.
“Let’s fuck him,” Master Carmen said.
Jesse cringed at the word fuck. There was no way in hell he would consent to that, but the tone in his voice indicated he didn’t give a damn about Jesse’s consent. He wasn’t here as a Dom but as an abusive kidnapper.
“No. No one touches him. You know how Sam is about touching Jesse,” Master Ben said.
“Fuck that shit. Sam left him to us. He said as much.” The man said, “Did you call Sam about the money?”
“We did. He’s flying here to pay us in cash,” Master Ben said.
“When will he be in California?” the man asked.
“Tomorrow at noon,” Master Ben said. “We’re going to meet him at the Walmart parking lot on Adams.”
“Sam won’t give a fuck if we want to play with Jesse. He threw the kid away. It’s not like Jesse’s his sub now. I’m surprised he’s showing up with the cash for this brat,” Master Carmen said.
“He’s Andrew’s sub, and I don’t want to fuck with him. Do you?” Master Ben asked.
Jesse listened to them talking with amazement. He couldn’t believe Sam would pay these three any money for him.
“I’d like to get some payback for Andrew kicking me out of the club,” Master Carmen said.
“No. Don’t touch him. I’m telling you if you do, you’ll have to deal with Andrew and his FBI friends,” Master Ben said.
“I’m on the first shift,” Master Carmen said.
“Remember, don’t touch Jesse,” Master Ben warned.
“I won’t.”
After Master Ben and the man left the room, Jesse heard the front door slammed shut. He was alone with Master Carmen staring at him.
“You’re all mine tonight, boy.”
Jesse trembled at the threatening words and the look in his cruel eyes, the angry Dom with no mercy. The crazy way he glared at Jesse frightened him. He pushed Jesse against the wall and unshackled his legs. Then he picked Jesse up, slung him over his shoulder, and carried him out of the room, the strong odor of cigars surrounding him. Jesse tried to kick him, but Master Carmen held his legs tightly against him. All he could do was pummel his back with his fists.
“Stop that. Don’t make me angry,” Master Carmen said.
Master Carmen stepped into some sort of garage where he rested him on the cement floor. The cold, musty place held the mingled scent of cigars, oil, and gasoline fumes.
“You’re not worthy of sleeping on a mattress, boy,” Master Carmen said. He tied Jesse’s hands behind his back, then his feet together. Lastly, he wrapped a not-too-clean bandana around his head, covering his eyes.
He left him lying on his side, unable to move. Jesse tried to sleep, but his mind did cartwheels, outlining various scenarios for his impending death. Eventually, he cried himself to sleep on the hard concrete. Through the night, he woke up many times, then fell asleep again.
The door banged open against the wall, startling him awake. Jesse’s blindfold was removed, and he blinked against the lights.
“Time to play, boy,” Master Carmen said, tapping a black belt in his hand.
Jesse knew Master Andrew had banned him from Leather Paddles because he had abused a sub. Sam used to call Master Carmen muscle man because he had powerful arms from lifting weights. He stood a little taller than average, solidly built, and slightly overweight.
The belt in his hand caught Jesse’s immediate attention. Master Carmen frowned at Jesse as if he had done something wrong. Surely, Master Carmen must have known Sam wouldn’t want him to touch him. Master Ben had mentioned that. Those two always were in some competitive scene, trying to outdo each other. Their power clashed in the worst way, sometimes ending in a physical fight. The three men knew each other from kindergarten, and Sam had said they had always been like that. He grabbed Jesse by his arms and forced him to stand. He threw him facedown over the car in the garage.
“Don’t touch me,” Jesse shouted.
Master Carmen smacked him with the belt. “Shut your damn mouth.”
Jesse’s body throbbed from Master Carmen throwing him on the car and the belt. He wanted out of here. Now. Where did Master Ben and the man go? They shouldn’t have trusted Master Car
men. He’s going to kill me.
“Help! Help!” Jesse shouted. Hopefully, someone outside would hear him.
Master Carman yanked at his hair, which only made Jesse scream louder. “Be quiet. I also have a gun, and it would be so easy to blow your brains out.”
Jesse nodded.
The belt swung through the air and landed on the top of the car right next to Jesse’s face. This wasn’t going to be like a Dom whipping for pleasure. He wouldn’t be able to use a safeword. Master Carmen wouldn’t be interested in a safeword, only in hurting him.
Master Carmen slammed the belt across the middle of Jesse’s ass, making him jerk from the unexpected blow landing hard. The belt packed a fucking bite as it slapped on his unprotected skin. The pain shot right through him like lightning. Jesse bit his lip to keep from screaming. Please stop.
“This is for your Dom banning me,” Master Carmen shouted.
Master Carmen snapped the belt against his back, ass, and legs without stopping between blows. Jesse imagined the belt painting wide red stripes across his backside. Each blow tore into him and stung him but without any pleasure. He lost count of how many times the big thick belt fell on his sore bottom. Jesse was weak and dizzy from the pain, tears streaking his face.
The wallops stopped. Master Carmen opened his jeans, the zipper loud in the sudden silence. Thick, sticky splatters splashed across Jesse’s back. When he was spent, he grabbed some tissues from a bench and wiped him.
“This is all your good for. Okay, back to the room. And don’t say a word about this.”
Jesse didn’t answer. Master Carmen picked up Jesse and carried him back to the room, where he put him down on the mattress. Then he cut his collar off. “This should piss off Andrew.”
Master Carmen shackled his hands and feet again. Jesse lay quietly, sobbing softly. He hurt so goddamn much. He felt completely disconnected from what was going on around him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and recited Master Andrew’s expectations to himself. It took him outside of his body for a while and gave him a release from his reality.
The front door crashed against the wall like someone kicked it open. Heavy footsteps neared the room. Jesse prayed for help. He didn’t care who it was as long as he’d have help.
“Who’s here?” Master Carmen yelled and took his gun from behind his back.
Jesse twisted his head toward the doorway. Master Ben and the man from the beach entered the room.
“What the fuck did you do to him?” Master Ben shouted.
“Just played with him. He likes pain.”
The man held a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “I got you something to wear, boy.” He placed them beside the mattress as if Jesse could dress himself with his hands and feet bound.
Jesse was too frightened to say anything. Master Carmen still held his gun, his attention on the man.
With a quick move, Master Ben grabbed the gun out of Master Carmen’s hand, then slammed his arm against his throat and shoved him against the wall.
“Get the fuck off me.” Master Carmen managed to hit Master Ben, but it glanced off his chin.
Master Ben punched him in the gut, and Master Carmen doubled over, choking on air.
“I told you not to touch the kid. I don’t want to deal with Sam. Goddammit, Jesse has marks all over,” Master Ben said.
“It won’t happen again,” Master Carmen croaked.
Master Ben backed away from Master Carmen, but he kept his eye on him, probably not sure whether he was faking it or if the blow had really knocked the wind out of him. The man from the beach stood beside him with his hand resting on the gun in his pocket.
“Let’s talk,” Master Ben said.
The three men walked out of the room, but none of them had untied him. They had him where they wanted. Jesse was still aching from the belt.
Then sounds penetrated the wall like more than one person running. Did they leave him here alone? How long did he have to endure? The front door opened.
“Put your hands up,” a stern voice shouted.
“Where is he?” another voice asked.
“He’s in the room down the hallway.”
“Walk in front of me.”
The three of them walked into the room with their hands on their heads. Behind them stood Sam and three other men; all had assault rifles.
“Who did this to him?” Sam asked as he walked over to Jesse. “Are you okay, Jesse?”
“No. I’m numb. Everything hurts,” Jesse said with tears rolling down his face.
“Who stripped and beat you?”
“That man stripped me, and Carmen beat me. Ben told him not to do it, but he didn’t listen.”
“Get rid of all of them,” Sam shouted to the men who had come with him.
He carefully unlocked the chains from Jesse’s hands and feet, then wiped at his tears. “That fucking bastard.”
“I want to go to Master Andrew.”
“I know you do, and I’ll bring you to him. Do you want to take a shower first?”
“No. Please let me get dressed.”
Sam rubbed his legs and then his hands. “I’m sorry they did this to you. They tried to get money from me. That’s why they took you.”
“Why did you come?” Jesse asked.
“Because I didn’t want them to hurt you. I know I’m a bastard, but I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you because of me. Listen, I didn’t know how to leave you or talk about it. That’s why I left you the way I did. I knew Jake would take you in, and you’d be better off.”
“But you cheated on me with those subs at the club. They told me you did.” Jesse fought his tears away. He’d never forgive him for stepping out on him while he had been home waiting for him.
“I’m sorry, but my head was messed up. I should’ve talked to you about leaving. I’m not able to be with one person. Andrew is the perfect Dom, and I know he’ll treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Get dressed.”
The man he had loved admitted that he was not enough for him. He knew that, but seeing and hearing Sam say it caused him a stab of pain. But he would get over it. He had Master Andrew now. “I can dress myself,” Jesse said. He pushed Sam away and pulled on the T-shirt and jeans.
He sat beside Jesse on the mattress. “I’m sorry, Jesse. I know I hurt you. This isn’t about you. It’s more about me and my problems.”
“You didn’t need to lie to me all those years. You should have told me and let me go so I could have found someone else.”
“It wasn’t all those years. Only the last year, Jesse. I couldn’t let you go and fought with myself over it. You were an orphan, and I knew how important it was for you to have some stability, and I wanted to give that to you, but I couldn’t.”
“So, I was a pity fuck to you?”
“No. I cared about you as much as I could. I’m sorry I didn’t treat you right the last year.”
“Take me to Master Andrew,” Jesse demanded.
“I will, but I don’t want us to separate like this.”
“Like what? You abandoned me and didn’t think twice about it.”
“I’m here now.”
“Thanks for coming to save me from your friends. As much as I hate you, and I do hate you for breaking my heart, I appreciate you showing up here for me. How did you know where I was?”
“When Carmen called me and asked for ransom. He told me they’d kill you and make you suffer if I didn’t give them money. They thought I owed them money, which I didn’t. I had some people to look for you. I left New York as soon as I could get a flight. Your Master Andrew called me too.”
“Master Andrew called you?”
“Yes, he thought I kidnapped you. I jumped on a plane to Los Angeles to see what was going on. Then Carmen called me and demanded the money.”
“What’s going to happen to them?” Jesse worried Sam’s men would torture and kill them. The thought made him sick despite the fact that they had kidnapped him and Master Carmen ha
d hit him.
“My men will teach them a lesson. Then they will remove them out of California away from you. So that means you’ll be free of them.”
“Thanks. Why did your men have those weapons?” Jesse wasn’t sure he believed Sam. They looked like assassins. Had he brought them from New York or were they from here? Either way, he never wanted to see them again.
“For protection and intimidation.”
They walked outside, Jesse still a little wobbly from being tied up so long, to a black car. Sam pushed the key fob, and they got in. Before he drove away, Sam pulled out his phone and sent a text.
“Jesse, if you want to move to New York with me, I can set you up. We could see each other when I can get away from my wife. Maybe get a new start.”
For a minute, he felt as if his dream had come true, but then he thought about Sam and the pain he had brought to him. All the times he’d put him down for being who he was. Yes, he had rescued him, and for that he’d always be grateful. But this was the same con he always played on Jesse. He’d hurt him, then lure him back with something nice, which never lasted very long. Jesse was on to his game now. He wanted to be with Master Andrew. With him, he had love, respect, and pleasure. He understood him and didn’t try to change him. Jesse knew what he wanted to answer, but he struggled to find the right words.
“I want to thank you again, for saving me. I also want to thank you for taking care of me for four years. Not all of our time was bad, but I want to be with Master Andrew. When I’m with him, I feel positive about myself. He makes me feel like he wants me around. He spends time with me. So, no, thank you.”
“I missed you, Jesse. But I know Master Andrew is a better Dom. He’s honest and caring. I just want you to know you can call me if you need anything. I hurt you by abandoning you, and I’m sorry.” He parked the car in front of Master Andrew’s house and leaned over to kiss him on the top of his head.
“Thanks, Sam.” Jesse opened the car door and never looked back.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Jesse
Master Andrew, Master Jake, and Charlie ran from the front porch as Jesse walked toward them. For no reason at all, tears poured like a rainstorm, and he didn’t care because he was home, safe.