Stealing Rain

by A. J. Llewellyn

  “We have to make sure you don’t have any concealed weapons.”

  “Deep cavity search as well?” Drew smirked. “Do you handle that personally, Trace?”

  Trace looked above, Drew following his gaze. “Oh shit,” he mouthed.

  “I’m told it’s relatively painless.”

  “Relatively?”

  “The pants?”

  “Patience lover,” he grinned. “I’m getting around to it. You know I’m a man who doesn’t like to rush these things.”

  “I have no time for this,” Trace snapped.

  Drew glanced at him. “You used to. You’ve changed.”

  “So have you. You used to have some respect.” You could make love for hours and still beg me to fuck you again.

  “Yeah, only thing was, I had to choose sides, and sometimes they weren’t the right sides.” Drew unzipped his pants. “You blew up my equipment, Trace. Do you know what that stuff was worth?”

  “You should have known that one day it was going to happen. I’ve heard about some of your ah…adventures.”

  Drew stepped out of the pants and tossed them aside. He looked up.

  “It’s waiting for the underwear.”

  “Right. And you? Are you waiting, too?” Trace was growing impatient. He felt Drew watching him. He knew, thanks to his collision with fate that Drew was thinking: Your mouth always tightens like that when you’re pissed off.

  Trace was furious now that in spite of everything, no rain, no contact…the invisible thread connecting them was still there. It would have thrilled him under other circumstances. Now he yearned to punish the man who’d left him.

  “Maybe I should give you to Yarbo, or the men to play with.”

  “So you can watch?”

  “I could have you executed.”

  “You’re going to execute me for touching a nerve?” He laughed slightly, slipping his fingers into the waistband of his white briefs. “If it wasn’t for that mechanical thing, I might have a hard on. You know, I used to really get off stripping for you.”

  “You don’t seem to realise the seriousness of this, Drew,” Trace snapped. “You are trespassing on…” He stopped.

  “Damn you, Drew,” his voice was shaky. Once, they’d swum in the last natural lake. Its water was like deepest, darkest India ink. He’d forgotten about that lake. He remembered holding Drew in his arms and the long, drowsy kisses they’d shared. Trace reared his brain from the memory, his mouth falling open, drowning in the past…

  “You set yourself up for this,” Drew shook his head. He was staring at Trace and all the pretence…all the bravado fell away. Trace knew and Drew knew it, that Drew didn’t want to have to use his body against Trace, but he would if that’s all he had. He was a gambler, after all. “You still want me? It can be arranged. Actually, I prefer you to…does it have a name?” He looked above.

  There was silence. Trace turned his back. “You will stay there until someone comes for you.” His voice was icy cold.

  Trace started to walk away and heard the sound of that metal contraption descending over Drew. He heard Drew sigh. “Oh well, guess it’s just you and me, honey. And to think, I don’t even know your name.”

  Trace turned the corner of the corridor and pressed his back against the wall, his eyes closed. He reached down and pressed a hand discreetly against his erection. He had failed his own damn test. He’d told himself that watching Drew strip down wouldn’t affect him in the same way as it used to. Ha! Who in hell was he trying to fool? He certainly didn’t fool Drew. And what in the world had gotten into Tor? Sure, they’d fucked a few times but it was never serious. He liked Tor, but he really didn’t feel much more than a deep fondness for him.

  He sighed, trying to get himself together, stir the trembling deep inside. Then he smiled a little. He heard a loud yelp. The machine was doing its job. “Revenge is sweet,” he said softly, laughing a little. It wouldn’t do any permanent damage but Drew might have some difficulty sitting down for a few days.

  When he arrived back at the command station, he had a message from the commission. He sat down at his desk and listened to it a second time. “Commander, we need to talk,” the voice said. “This latest invasion is serious. Lacour must be interrogated. How many others know about the frozen lake? There might be more on the way here now as we speak. This is the biggest security breach we’ve ever faced. Report?”

  Trace picked up the communicator and dialled the security code for the Commissions Office. “The prisoner is undergoing a body search as we speak. I will interrogate him later today.”

  A voice replied. “We understand you know the Captain.”

  “Ah, we were at military school together.”

  “We hope this will not bias your judgement.”

  “Of course not.”

  “We will be waiting for your call.”

  Trace put down the device.

  A few minutes later, Tor came in. He shut and locked the door. “Trace?”

  He only called him Trace when they were in bed. Trace’s cock twitched automatically. An image of Drew naked flashed in his brain.

  Tor moved around behind him and began to rub his shoulders. “I know this is stressful for you, seeing Drew again after all these years. You need to relax.”

  “Um,” he replied. He licked his lips, rubbed his palms down his thighs. “Yes. Go on, it feels good.”

  “You told me you were in love with him once, remember?”

  Tor’s hands moved down his shoulders to his chest. He began to undo his shirt.

  “It was a long time ago.”

  “But you’re hard, Trace.” Tor’s lips brushed his ear then swirled his chair around. “He makes you hard, the thought of him.”

  Trace sucked in some breath as Tor reached for the zipper on his pants. Tor got on his knees in front of him, pulling down the zipper. “I want to watch you together.”

  Trace shuddered when Tor began to stroke his cock. He leant forward and swiped his tongue across the head. “You need to prove to me it’s only lust.”

  He tried to grasp what Tor was saying, but he was close to the edge, Drew’s naked body still taunting his thoughts. “What are you…ah…God,” he grunted. A couple more firm strokes from Tor’s hand, and he came with a satisfied grunt. Tor began licking the cum from the head of his cock.

  Trace tried to bring his breathing back to normal. When he’d recovered, he gently pushed Tor’s head back. “Stop,” he said. “Tell me what you just said?”

  Tor smiled at him, running his hands over Trace’s thighs. “I want to see you with Drew Lacour, fucking.”

  “That’s out of the question,” Trace snapped. “Lacour is a prisoner, and…”

  Tor stood up. “The commission doesn’t know you and Lacour had a thing. They only know you were at military school together. If they find out, you won’t have control over the situation anymore. Lacour will be executed.”

  Trace stood up, hastily doing up his pants. “What in fuck are you saying, Tor?”

  He backed away, put up his hand. “You need to understand, Trace. I won’t compete with Drew Lacour. I may have your body, but I need to be sure that Drew no longer has your heart. I know that he can make you hard. Remember all those nights we talked about him? Do you think it was because I really wanted to go down memory lane with you? Hell, Trace, I wanted to fuck you. You were so hot and horny after talking about that prick. He’s your aphrodisiac. Without him, you’d be no good to me. I’ll make sure Lacour makes it out of here alive, on two conditions, he’s going to have to do what we say with your cooperation, and I will have to be convinced that all you feel for Drew is lust.”

  “I can’t believe this. All of this is totally against regulations, Tor. We can’t rape the prisoner.”

  “There will be no rape involved, Trace, and we both know that. From what you told me about Drew, he won’t fight too much.” Tor gave him a meaningful look. “He’s there now, naked, helpless. And you still want him. You can
insist on an isolated ten day interrogation. The Commission will sanction it, and you know it. You can request my assistance at any time, day or night.”

  “It’s over between Drew and me, Tor. Why can’t you just accept that?”

  “Because I see the way you look at him. If it’s only lust, I can deal with that. But I’m not convinced.”

  “Even if I wanted to, I…” Trace threw up his hands.

  “There’s no harm in it, Trace. He wants you as much as you want him.”

  “He doesn’t like to be ordered about.”

  “Haven’t you ever wanted to have your way with him, dominate him sexually?”

  “I…” Trace swallowed. They’d played at that, some very light restraints, but it was voluntary. Drew wasn’t his prisoner. “I could report you for this. How dare you blackmail me, Tor?”

  “All’s fair in love and war. And I dare because I can. Think about it. You have twenty-four hours before I go to the commission and tell them how well you really do know Drew Lacour.”

  Trace sunk down into his chair. He would have never believed that Tor could do such a thing. If the Commission found out that he and Drew had had an intimate relationship, they would take Drew completely out of his hands, perhaps put Tor in control. Tor wouldn’t hesitate to have Drew executed. He couldn’t allow that.

  He stood up and walked down the corridor, back to the interrogation cell. A bunk had been placed in the cell, along with a portable waste unit. Drew lay on the bunk, his hands tucked under his head, gloriously naked.

  “So, are you going to stand there gawking at me all day, or did you come to say something?”

  Trace shifted his gaze away from his gorgeous cock to his chest. Not better. He bit his lip when he looked at his face. How was he going to do this? Drew would fight him all the way. “I want you to listen to me. I’m trying to save your life.”

  Drew sat up. “Now you care?”

  “What? What does that mean?”

  “I thought you gave up on me years ago.”

  “I…you left me, remember?” The words sounded bitter suddenly.

  “I asked you to come with me. You refused. You loved the military more than me.” There was no humour in Drew’s voice. That was rare.

  “It’s in the past.”

  “Not for me.”

  Trace was taken aback. He’d always felt like the rejected one, the one left behind. But Drew spoke as if it was him. “You decided to leave, damn you. Don’t you blame me!”

  “You choose your family. You couldn’t stand up to them. Even after they were willing to just let you to die.” Drew stood up.

  Trace didn’t reply. He couldn’t argue that. He cleared his throat. “Stop talking. That was then. This is now. You are in deep shit, Drew Lacour. Your life is entirely in my hands right now.” He didn’t mention Tor. “There are those who think you should be executed.”

  “I want to plead for the lives of my crew members,” he said. “They were only following orders, my orders. I take complete responsibility for my actions.”

  That was his Drew, his hero. He hadn’t changed. No worry for his own life, only those he loved. “I will see what I can do.”

  “It’s me they want.”

  “Yes. And I need to know what you know.”

  “About what?”

  “How many other people know about the frozen lake?”

  “Hell, I don’t know. And I don’t give a shit.”

  “We need to know whether others will follow.”

  “I work alone. You know that. I’m not about to share the wealth with anyone. If others follow me here, they didn’t hear it from me.”

  “How did you know about this place?”

  “I won it in a poker game.”

  “Seriously,” Trace persisted, his gaze gravitating back to him. God, he was so beautiful. Tor’s idea was beginning to have real appeal.

  “I won it in a poker game. The guy couldn’t pay in money, so he paid in information.”

  “Who was it?”

  “Who was who?”

  “You know who, Drew. Don’t fuck around. Who was the poker player?”

  “I don’t know. We weren’t on first name basis.”

  “Where was he from?”

  “I don’t remember.”

  “You’re lying.”

  Drew shrugged, turning and walking back to the bunk, giving Trace a good look at that luscious ass of his. Trace’s mouth began to water. Mercy, Lord. He turned his back. “I’m recommending a total, intensive, interrogation.”

  “I think I had one of those already,” he sat down on the bunk again and actually gave him one of those crooked grins of his. “I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, me or it.”

  “This is different. We’ll be alone. And you’ll be under my control, totally. And if you want to live, Drew,” Trace met his gaze, “you’ll cooperate.”

  Drew narrowed his eyes. “Meaning?”

  “You’ll do everything I tell you to do. And you’ll answer my questions or face the consequences.”

  “God, you’re so sexy when you’re domineering, Trace.” He laughed, but Trace saw the flash of concern in his eyes.

  “Someone will be coming for you,” Trace said, prepared to walk away.

  “Trace,” Drew said suddenly.

  Trace paused but he didn’t turn around.

  “Do you remember those imitation ice cubes?”

  Trace squared his jaw. “Yeah.”

  “You used to enjoy it when I’d…”

  “Yeah, your point?”

  “Be careful you haven’t turned into one.”

  “Fuck you, Drew.”

  Chapter Three

  A few hours later, four soldiers came for him. They dragged him along a long, dark corridor and down a flight of stairs. He was hauled past several locked doors and then pushed into a room which looked more like a sexual torture chamber than an interrogation room. It was cold in there. He could hear the water trickling through the walls. “Get on the bed,” one of the soldiers directed.

  “Are my crew down here?” he asked, as another soldier pushed him onto the bed.

  “Never mind. Put your hands over your head and spread your legs.”

  He didn’t really have much of a chance to comply. One soldier chained his right wrist to the headboard and the other repeated the same with his left. At the same time, his ankles were being attached. Then they left him, locking the door behind them. He looked up to see a camera peering down at him, no mechanical arm this time, which was a relief.

  He closed his eyes. He felt as if he was in some kind of a nightmare. He had no idea what had happened to Pagnotella or Will. He’d been stripped naked since the moment he’d arrived and kept in a glass case like an animal, and now, he felt as if he were the star in some kinky porn film. Not to mention Trace.

  God, it had been tough to see him again. He’d been so much in love with Trace at one time. And he thought Trace loved him just as much. But, when push came to shove, Trace chose his career over him, and left him high and dry. Drew had vowed never to fall in love like that again. And he never had.

  And Trace had changed. He seemed hard, bitter even. It was true, they were in opposite camps right now, but treating him like this seemed a little extreme. These people were making far too much of this. Okay, so he came to take water, water they didn’t want taken but they’d destroyed his livelihood. What more did they want? Execution seemed a little far-fetched. And now, this, handcuffed to the bed.

  When the door opened a little while later, Drew opened his eyes, realising that he must have dozed off. He grunted, trying to stretch. The muscles of his inner thighs felt sore and his wrists hurt. He blinked when a strong white light came on overhead. Trace and that crazy sergeant stood there. The Tor guy had his hand on Trace’s shoulder. He propelled him forward. This was weird. “Have you been demoted?” He asked Trace, trying to sound serious but it came out sarcastic.

  “No,” Trace said. His gaze moved over
him. “God, you’re beautiful.”

  “Is this a new interrogation technique? If it is, it’s interesting.”

  “Shut up,” Tor said.

  He went to strike Drew, but Trace put up a hand and blocked him. “No.”

  “Now, that’s more like it,” Drew muttered.

  Tor glared at him. “You are our prisoner. Remember that. You will do as we say.”

  Drew looked at Trace. His expression was unreadable. His gaze returned to Tor, who was removing his shirt. “What the fuck?”

  “I’m trying to save your life,” Trace said. “So for once, just do as you’re told, okay?”

  Drew’s eyes returned to Tor, who was taking off his pants. “You’re not touching me, cretin,” Drew growled. He shifted his gaze to Trace. “You, neither.”

  “Don’t worry,” Tor said. “For now, I’m only here to observe. And you, Drew, you’re a big boy, not a silly little virgin. Take it like a man, and enjoy. It’s better than the alternative. Trace,” he licked his lips, “get your clothes off, and get started. I can’t stay here with you all night.”

  Trace could no longer hear anything Tor said. He didn’t even care that he was in the room. He ripped off his shirt without unbuttoning and yanked at the zipper on his pants.

  Drew had been sputtering off a string of curses a few minutes before but now he was quiet, those beautiful dark eyes looking at him. Trace left his clothes behind on the floor and moved to the bed. He sat down beside Drew, laid a hand on his calf, swallowed, told himself not to fall apart. Play the part. Don’t show any emotion. He lowered his lips to Drew’s thigh and moved his hand up his other leg.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Drew struggled. “Trace.”

  Trace raised his head. “Listen,” he said, meeting his gaze, already drunk on his nearness. “You are here. You’re my prisoner to do with what I choose. You want to live, you’ll be a good boy, and do what I want you to. You used to like me to touch you.”

  “Yes,” he said, nodding. “But you were a different man then.”

  “A coward, apparently, who couldn’t act on what he wanted,” Trace said, moving closer and leaning forward to kiss his lips.