Taken by Two

by Sam J. D. Hunt

  He bit his lip and paled as he thought a moment before pointing toward a bench at the side of the lawn. “Let’s sit,” he said.

  My leg rubbed against his on the stone bench as I waited for him to speak. I sensed I’d touched on something deep, and the knot in my gut told me I was about to finally understand what drove Nate to self-destruct. His palm rested on the top of my thigh as he began. “When I was nine, my teenage cousin moved in with us. His mother, my mom’s sister Doreen, was going through an ugly divorce and couldn’t handle things, apparently. Kyle moved into my room and…”

  “Oh my God, did he…abuse you sexually? Is that why…”

  “What?” Nate looked at me in horror. “Fuck no, that doesn’t…” He took a deep breath as my eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, I’m just trying to understand,” I whispered.

  His hand caressed my leg. “It’s okay, I didn’t mean to snap. This isn’t easy for me to talk about.”

  “I love you,” I answered, squeezing his hand. “I’m here, you don’t have to tell me more than you’re comfortable with.”

  “It wasn’t sexual,” he clarified, his tone calmer this time. “My cousin Kyle was huge, and I wasn’t. I’ve always been thin, but back then I was tiny—spindly, weak. He was a bully—he terrorized me for a year. It got so bad I started to…pee the bed, shake, I developed an eye twitch, that sort of thing from the constant stress of the horror he inflicted on me.”

  He sat silently for a long minute, his fingers tapping on my leg. “He’d wake me in the night suffocating me with my pillow, he’d hurt a puppy I loved and make me watch, shit like that. One day I’d finally had enough—he…he... I can’t even say it, Penny, I’m sorry.” Nate’s words were barely above a hoarse whisper, the shame of his past still shrouding him. “He went too far—I decided to tell my parents or just kill myself.”

  Nate didn’t speak again, and eventually I asked, “What did you do?”

  “I told my parents about it. They hauled Kyle into the room, right in front of me, and asked him about it. Of course the perfect student, everyone’s favorite relative, lied to them. And fuck, Penny, they believed that evil sack of shit! Over me, their own kid!”

  “That I don’t get—”

  “Well, Kyle was cruel but he wasn’t stupid. He’d made a game out of terrorizing me, and he’d set it up perfectly. Weeks before I approached my parents, he went to them with stories of how I was disturbed, saying all kinds of shit in my sleep, and making up crazy stories to him about how they abused me. So, when I sat across from them that day, to them it looked like what he’d said made sense. I didn’t learn that part until years later when my mom told me. I was sent to a therapist, and Kyle continued to bully me for another month before he moved back in with his mother.”

  I shook my head, furious that the man I loved had to go through that.

  “What happened to him? Please tell me he died in some horrific—”

  “Nope. Reverend Kyle Curtis is married with four kids. He presides over the First Methodist Church in Wilson, North Carolina, our hometown.”

  “Holy shit. Did he change at least? Was what he did to you just the twisted, immature antics of a troubled teenager?”

  “No, he’s still a monster. His youngest daughter accused him of physical abuse four years ago—no one believed her. The good Reverend would never do such a thing. I actually went to the cops with her and her caseworker and told them my story—nothing ever happened. She eventually withdrew her claim—said she made it up.”

  “Did your parents ever believe you then?”

  “Well, yes, I think so. After the abuse accusation, I talked to my mom about it, and she was so sorry, Pen. She just sobbed and sobbed. But my dad…he didn’t want to hear about it—he said to leave the past in the past. It disgusts me.”

  I wrapped my arms around him—I wanted to shield him from pain.

  “So, I buried that, or tried to. I always did drugs a little to numb things—in high school we smoked weed, did uppers, that sort of thing. In college I did X like most of the people I knew, but I was never addicted. Then, sometime after I made my first million from the software company I started, a girlfriend introduced me to cocaine. Do you remember Brandy Roberts?”

  “Oh, shit yes, I hated that bitch. We were all so jealous that she snagged you!”

  “Well, she snagged me alright. The more coke I did, the more I wanted. I could work for days on the stuff… Anyway, later, while here at the compound I started learning MMA type fighting from Dean, one of the security guys here that works the gate for extra money at night. It filled some empty space inside of me—I still crave drugs when I let my demons roam, but through fighting I’ve found a better release. And, it soothes the wrongs of the past to know that I can kick anyone’s ass now, including guys twice my size like my fucked up Cousin Kyle.”

  “Thanks for sharing all of that with me.” I kissed him on the cheek.

  He leaned over and wiped the tears from my face. “I love you so much, Penny. You have no idea how much you’ve changed our lives. But, we have work to do. King Rex wants to see results when he gets back, and…he promised a reward if he likes what he sees.” With a wink, he stood up and pulled me from the bench.

  I followed him back to the center of the lawn, the mood lighter as he began to explain the Six Pillars of Krav Maga. Nate went easy on me, but I did fairly well that afternoon as he taught me how to defend myself. “We’ll get you to the gym in the village to practice some as soon as you can be out in public again,” he said as he handed me a towel.

  Rex was back from his outing and watching from the bench; we’d staged an intense demonstration of what I’d learned for him. “No way! Not that shitty, stinky gym full of freaky folks,” I said in response to his suggestion of fighting in town. Nate walked over and collapsed next to Rex as I dried off. “No, not there. There’s a workout gym that does Krav Maga courses and training match-ups. It’s run by Dean and his wife—safe and clean, I promise.”

  “You taught her well,” Rex said to Nate, his hand floating down to rest on Nate’s knee.

  “Can I get a shower?” I was hot and sweaty from the afternoon’s lesson.

  Rex smiled at me as he stood from the bench.

  “Yeah, and we’d love to join you, Princess,” he winked, “but can you wait a few minutes? I promised a reward. To the kitchen,” he said, gesturing for us to follow as he walked across the lawn toward the main house.

  “Shit, it’s melted.” Rex was standing at the marble island in his kitchen, staring into a plain paper sack.

  “You brought back ice cream?” I teased.

  “Chocolate—the good stuff, too. Nate’s favorite.”

  “Damn!” Nate walked up next to him and peered into the bag. “We can still make hot chocolate with it.”

  “In this heat?” I was a Vegas girl—we didn’t do much hot chocolate where I was from.

  “Colombian hot chocolate—chocolate caliente in Spanish—is the best in the world. We drink it year ‘round,” Nate explained, reaching into the bag and pulling out a bar of the mushy chocolate. “Add some cream and pure cane sugar to this, and it’ll be killer,” Nate said. “Did these bars come from the plantation?”

  Rex nodded. “I brought it for you.” Rex was crestfallen, his hand on Nate’s back as Nate poked his index finger into the melted chocolate. “It’s delicious anyway. I’m going to eat it like this.” Rex poked his finger into the chocolate as Nate held it out to him, dipping in and sucking his long finger. “He makes the best chocolate—he sent beans too.”

  I cleared my throat—they’d forgotten about me.

  “Princess feels ignored,” Rex nudged Nate as they both looked at me. Rex walked over and took me in his arms. “I brought you something too—a bag of makeup, the good stuff. I forget what brand, but the local store ordered it from the States for me, it took a while but it’s in your bathroom. Forgiven?” His nose nudged against my pouty face.

  “Yes, but I didn’t
get any chocolate.” I pressed against Rex, shooting Nate a flirty wink as he walked toward us, the chocolate in his hand.

  “Well,” Rex said, dipping his finger into the chocolate Nate held out, “I’ve heard that Nathaniel here doesn’t mind sharing.”

  “Only with you two,” Nate scolded, scooping up more of the softened chocolate and spreading it playfully across Rex’s face.

  I leaned in and licked the chocolate from Rex’s cheek, his growing erection grinding against me as Nate pulled in closer. “Here’s more,” Nate teased, coating Rex’s other cheek in chocolate. I moved in to lick Rex’s other cheek, but paused at the last second. “Well, it’s your chocolate…I think you should try it this way, it’s delicious.” Nate’s eyes danced at the new game, looking to Rex for permission. “It’s only fair,” Rex said, moving his right cheek toward Nate.

  Nate’s eyes brimmed with lust as his tongue darted out, gingerly swiping across Rex’s chocolate-streaked skin. “Mm,” he moaned as his tongue stroked the cheek of the man he loved.

  I reached up and unbuttoned Rex’s shirt, pulling it open to reveal his hard, muscled chest. Rex’s finger was still coated with the sticky chocolate, and with my hand around his, I slid the sweet candy across his left nipple. Without missing a beat, Nate lowered his worshipping tongue to lap at the chocolate on Rex’s nipple.

  Rex took the chocolate bar, still melted in the wrapper, from Nate’s dangling left hand. Nate’s now free hand wrapped around Rex’s back, pulling their bodies close. As Nate licked his chest, Rex dipped his finger in the wrapper, and painted my lips with chocolate with the tip of his finger. Rex’s lips fell on mine, our kiss deepening as our three bodies merged into a tangle of sweet, indulgent sensuality.

  Later, naked and coated in chocolate, we made our way into the shower in Nate’s bathroom. Both men lathered me up, their lips caressing me as four strong hands skated across my soapy skin. Once we were all chocolate-free, and horny as hell, Nate plunged into me from behind as Rex knelt down in front of me, his tireless tongue driving me to orgasm as Nate fucked me. When I couldn’t take anymore, Rex leaned back against the marble shower wall, watching as Nate exploded into me.

  Without thinking, Nate reached over to Rex’s soapy cock and stroked it with his right hand. On my tiptoes, I reached up to kiss Rex as Nate’s skilled fingers brought him to climax.

  Chapter Ten

  It was hot the next afternoon, and even though Rex’s office was kept so cold I had to wear a sweatshirt, the thick air from outside seemed to permeate the stucco walls. I was clicking away on the travel software, preparing his next group of students for arrival, and Rex was at his large desk tapping away on his keyboard—with only his two index fingers. “How can you not type?” I said, the slow cadence of his hunting and pecking driving me insane. “I can type,” he answered, never looking up from his keyboard, his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. “With two fingers!” I shook my head and turned back to my own screen. “That’s why I have you, Princess,” he muttered as he finished what he was doing.

  “Nate doesn’t need my help with his stuff,” I pouted, wishing I could be a part of both men’s work lives.

  “CEO Nathaniel Slater has an entire company of people to help him back in the States. My business is you and me, sweetheart.”

  “Well, boss, what are we doing this afternoon?”

  “Hm,” he mumbled, pulling off the glasses and tossing them on his desk, “I think I’m going to get some sun.”

  “Now you’re talking,” I said, already standing up from my desk chair. “I could use some color.”

  “No you don’t. You can swim, but I want your perfect skin wearing sunblock.”

  “I live in Las Vegas, I can handle sun, it’s…” I looked over to find him glaring at me. When he got like that, there was no arguing with him. King Rex had spoken.

  “Yes, sir,” I begrudgingly answered. “I’ll swim, but can we get outside?”

  “That we can,” he said, standing up. “Let’s go suit up.”

  “It’s walled, let’s skinny dip,” I offered.

  “I’d love to—but Maria is wandering around cleaning. She’s a bit traditional.”

  I slipped into one of the slinky swimsuits in the drawer, picked out and stocked by Nate, and wandered out to meet Rex by the pool. Back home, I was self-conscious of my less than skinny body, but here I felt adored, beautiful. Nate was already out by the pool, parked in a chaise lounge, with a cold drink in his hand. “Hey, babe, that suit is rockin’,” he gushed as he stood up and walked toward me. “Help me with this sunscreen? King Rex insisted,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I happen to agree with him. I love your porcelain skin, and I love rubbing cream all over it,” he winked. With a big glug of the lotion, he started rubbing it into my back in smooth, sexy circles.

  I was nearly coated when Rex walked up and tossed a towel over his chair. “Do my backside?” Nate said over his shoulder to Rex, his lusty voice leaving no question that the innuendo was intentional. “Penny is right there, what the fuck?” Rex didn’t seem to catch his obvious flirtation. Nate held up a bottle of oil toward Rex, “You’re denying me an oiling up? Penny is slathered in sun block, this is tanning oil.” Rex sighed and walked over toward Nate, his left hand reaching for the oil. “Turn around,” he said gruffly. Nate grinned at me and winked. Before he could process what was happening, however, Rex had given him a hard push directly into the pool.

  “So uncoordinated,” Rex joked to me, rubbing the oil into his own chest. When Nate broke the surface of the water, he shook like a wet dog and glared at Rex. “That was rude, bro,” Nate snapped, his middle finger in the air. “What ya gonna do about it, pretty boy?” Rex taunted. I walked over to my own chair, not thrilled that the sexy lotioning up had suddenly turned aggressive. “I think you might need to get wet,” Nate smirked.

  Rex sized him up before answering, “If you’re man enough, get it done.”

  “Okay, enough, we’re here to have fun,” I said, eager to turn the afternoon back to friendly.

  They ignored me. Nate pulled himself up from the pool, his rippled abs dripping water as his feet hit the pool deck. Rex didn’t move, his powerful legs planted in a wide stance, the snug black swim trunks leaving little to my lusty imagination. Nate moved toward him, pissed off and determined to put Rex in the water. Nate came within feet of Rex, his navy blue trunks hanging from the V of his abs as he formulated his plan.

  In a sudden rush, he caught Rex around the waist with both hands, his head butting directly into Rex’s stomach, and both men toppled backward into the deep end. I stood up and ran to the side of the pool. I could see them underwater, Nate still had his arms around Rex, and they were twisting as Rex struggled to dislodge him. “Okay, this isn’t funny anymore! Knock it off!” I yelled, as if they’d hear me that far underwater. They were twisting so much through the water I had no idea who was even on top.

  I paced the side of the pool. I was an only child—I’d never seen two people I loved physically fighting. Sure, my parents yelled and screamed growing up, on the rare occasion when they were in the same room, but neither of them ever head-butted the other into a pool. A head finally broke the surface of the water—it was Rex’s soaked down caramel blonde hair, which he shook from side to side. His large fist was wrapped in Nate’s copper brown hair, holding him just below the surface of the water. I screamed and howled but Rex ignored me. With a slow underwater kick from Nate’s foot to Rex’s unprotected groin, Rex lost his grip on Nate as his body balled up in pain. “Fuck!” he screamed, his face twisted in an anguished growl as Nate emerged from the water.

  “Stop it now!” I commanded again, my arms folded in front of my chest. Once again, they ignored me as if I didn’t exist. Nate ducked under the water, this time of his own volition, and glided underwater to the far edge of the pool. Rex’s head whipped toward him, and with a determined breaststroke he swam after Nate. In seconds, Nate was out of the pool and running with Rex close behin
d. “Don’t run on the pool deck!” I yelled as if I were their nanny.

  Nate made it to the grassy area to the left of the pool and turned around, his fingers curled, beckoning Rex to come closer. “Come get me, big boy, if you’re man enough,” Nate taunted. I grabbed my towel, slipped my feet in flip-flops, and scurried to the side of the grass. “Knock this off now,” I sniffed, close to tears. “Oh, fight’s on!” Rex roared, charging at Nate like a bull. Nate spun around, his foot catching Rex squarely in the face as Rex fell to the ground. Rex, his nose bleeding a dark maroon stream, caught Nate by the legs and yanked him down to the lawn before rolling on top of him.

  Within a few seconds I was next to Rex, pulling him off the smaller Nate. “Stop it, you’ll kill him!” Nate slithered from underneath Rex, and with a hard knock to Rex’s ribs, pushed the bigger man to the grass. In seconds, Nate had Rex’s large head locked down with his elbow around Rex’s neck. Rex’s fingers coiled around Nate’s forearm, his strong arms pulling Nate’s limbs from around his neck. In another flash, Nate was on top of Rex, his knees on Rex’s chest, his hands fighting for position around Rex’s neck. Rex’s powerful legs rose up in an effort to kick the slender Nate back to the grass.

  “Stop it, Rex, you’ll hurt him!” I pleaded.

  “Who the actual fuck do you think is winning here, Penny? Tell this asswipe!” Rex looked toward me, his expression instantly softer, the glimmer of play dancing in the corners of his midnight blue eyes. “What?” I couldn’t manage to say much more, the men were frozen in front of me, as if I’d suddenly pressed the pause button. “Yeah, thanks for assuming he’s going to win, Pen, appreciate it,” Nate snapped, his lips in a hard line as he stared at me. “Oh, um…I just…Rex is bigger, like twice your weight…” I felt awkward being the center of their attention, despite the fact that I’d been screaming for the last ten minutes at them. “I’m not fucking twice as heavy as this dumbass, and I’m the one bleeding here, baby.” Nate rolled off Rex, collapsing into the spongy lawn. “I won?” Nate looked quizzically toward Rex, who nodded. “You won, you wiry fuck. It’s like wrestling a damn greased piglet—you’re quick.”