Thunderstorms on the Horizon

by Kendel Duncan

  “This is my, my, my Colby, my boyfriend, Colby,” he said, flustered and blushing.

  The tall man stuck out his hand, “Justice,” he said with a firm grip. He pointed with his thumb to the blonde man next to him, “My boyfriend, Garrett.”

  “Your, boyfriend? Justice, that’s, that’s….” Jaden mumbled.

  “Unbelievable? Yeah, I know,” Justice said with a smirk.

  The other man stuck his hand out to Colby, “I’m Kelly. The gorgeous nerd to my left is Cole.”

  “Hey,” Cole said.

  Kelly turned and grinned at him, “You know I love my sexy nerd,” he said then he blew him a kiss.

  The door near them was pushed open and a man in a khaki uniform stuck his head out, “Payne?”

  Jaden nodded at him.

  “We’re ready for you.”

  Jaden took a deep breath and then said, “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Forty-Nine

  King’s fingers gripped Row’s hand tight as they sat in the back seat. He frowned. He was so worried about Row. The man had been so quiet since he had woken up. King had tried to get him to talk but Row kept steering the conversation to safer topics. King had recognized Row’s avoidance but he didn’t want to push him too hard, not until the man felt better.

  As JD drove down the long driveway towards the house with Brent in the front seat, he surprised King when he turned right instead of heading towards the house.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Row’s got an appointment.”

  “I do?” Row said.

  King tightened his fingers just a bit when he felt the tremble in Row’s hand. “It’ll be okay, babe,” he whispered.

  Row’s head whipped around, “You knew about this?”

  “I didn’t know the appointment was today. I did know that Drake has a PTSD specialist on his team and that he thought it would be a good idea if we spoke to him.”

  “We?”

  “Yes, we, babe. I could use the help too.”

  Row’s eyes moved back to the window, “Yeah, but you’re not as fucked up as I am.”

  King reached over with his free hand to cup Row’s face and force him to look into King’s eyes, “Don’t, Row. Don’t you ever equate this or belittle it. The shit that we saw, that we did, I’d be more worried if it didn’t affect us. That shit was toxic and it’s eating both of us up inside. Let’s deal with it, get it out of us, so we can move on…together.”

  “Fuck,” Row whispered as he pressed his forehead to King’s, “I don’t deserve you.”

  “No, you don’t…...you deserve better. But you’re stuck with me because I’m not going anywhere.”

  They pulled up to one of the cabins and a man with black hair sprinkled with grey and with blue eyes the color of a smooth Caribbean Sea stood drinking a cup of coffee. The man was wearing hospital scrubs so King figured he was a doctor of some sort.

  “Hey, Wyatt,” JD said as he stepped out of the car. Brent rolled down his window and waved, “Hey man. I’ve been ordered by my keeper to stay put.”

  Wyatt smiled at JD, “Your keeper is correct, Brent.”

  “Wait here,” King said as he slid out his door then ran around the back of the car.

  He opened Row’s door and helped the man as he slowly pushed to his feet.

  “Lean on me,” he said as he wrapped his arm around Row’s waist.

  Together they gingerly made their way up the stairs.

  Wyatt held the screen door open, “Welcome, gentlemen. Come inside. Luke is in the living room waiting for you. He figured that couch is a lot more comfortable.”

  “Thanks,” Row mumbled.

  Once they were seated, JD said, “I’ll bring your car and leave it out front with the keys in it so you can get Row home comfortably.”

  “Thanks man, for everything,” King said as he watched JD walk back to the door.

  Row and King turned back to face the man quietly watching them.

  Without speaking the man leaned forward, pulled his pantleg up, disconnected his prosthetic leg and set it off to the side. King felt pride and kinship as he watched the action and he knew that’s why the man had done it.

  “IED?” Row whispered.

  “Yeah. Had a flashback when the guy who rescued me showed up unexpectedly at my door about six months ago.”

  “You had a flashback?”

  “Yeah, I did. The brain is an extremely protective organ. And perceptive too. Sometimes it just instinctively knows when something is too much so it changes our reality.”

  Row looked down at his hands, “Like seeing flowers instead of kids?”

  “Yeah, like seeing flowers. Flowers don’t bleed, flowers don’t cry, flowers don’t….”

  “Die,” Row finished for him.

  Luke was quiet for a few seconds as he watched Row.

  “I, I couldn’t handle seeing another Sammy,” he whispered.

  “What?” King said as he stared at Row.

  Tears swam in Row’s eyes and his chin quivered as he looked at Row but he seemed unable to speak.

  “Sammy, well, Samer, was a young kid we’d befriended at the base. He was so sweet, loved to play soccer with us, came and told us about the movies he watched and the books that he read,” King said and then he frowned, “He disappeared towards the end of our stay there, though. I never knew what happened to him.”

  “He,” Row whispered and then he swallowed past the lump in his throat, “he was the child in that suicide bomber’s car.”

  “What?” King whispered.

  Row nodded as the tears fell freely down his cheeks.

  “Babe, why, why didn’t you say something? I was there, how did I not know? Are you sure it was him?”

  Row nodded again, “You, you remember that bracelet you gave him? That cheesy Top Gun one?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It was on the ground, next to where his hand used to be.”

  “Oh my god,” King whispered as he pulled Row into his body.

  “I couldn’t tell you, King. What we saw was bad enough, I didn’t want you to have to deal with that too.”

  “You shouldn’t have to deal with it alone, babe. We were a team, we are a team.”

  Row nodded, “I know and I planned on telling you eventually but then the video happened and then it was too late.”

  “God, Row,” King whispered as he hugged Row tight. Together they both cried, for the little boy lost, for their innocence lost, for their lost time together. Everything flowed out in that moment, all the pain, all the hurt, all the anger, all of the poison that had kept them apart.

  Two hours later, King stood. He leaned down, slid his arm behind Row and helped him to his feet, “Let’s get you home.”

  Row stared into King’s eyes until King frowned, “What?” he said.

  Row reached up to cup King’s cheek, “You said home, King. We have a home. Together. We’ve never had that before. We’ve had barracks and we’ve had temporary motel rooms on vacation but we’ve never had a home together. We do now.”

  King grinned, leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Row’s lips, “We have a place together now, Row. But a home? Naw, that’s not new.”

  Row frowned, “It’s not?”

  “Nope. Home is where you feel loved, accepted, cared for. You are my home, Row. You’ve always been my home.”

  Row opened his mouth to argue but King silenced him with a nip to his lips, “Even when you thought you hated me, I knew that I was still safe in your heart, Row.”

  Row pressed his forehead to King’s, “I love you King.”

  “Love you too, babe. Let’s go home, yeah?”

  Row nodded, “Yeah, let’s go home.”

  Fifty

  “You okay with being knocked down a rank?” Colby said as they walked towards the exit.

  “If that’s my only punishment for leaving early, then yeah. I still have the honorable discharge, that’s what matters.”

  As they pu
shed open the doors and were greeted with the bright sunshine, Justice said, “I say this calls for a celebration. Dinner?”

  “Hell, yeah,” Kelly said, “You guys in?”

  Jaden looked at Colby and then he grinned and nodded, “Yeah, we’re in. Case will you join us?”

  Case’s eyes went wide, “Me?”

  Jaden stepped up to him and grinned, “Yes, you. Let us treat you to dinner. To thank you for the wonderful job you did.”

  “Oh, that’s not necess…..” he paused when he saw the glare that Jaden was giving him, “Yeah, okay, sure. Dinner would be nice.”

  Colby smirked, “I know just the place, too. Let me make a call.”

  “Um, where are we going?” Case said when they’d reached his Audi.

  “Morgan’s first so we can change.”

  “Did you give Justice the address?” Jaden said.

  “Yeah. They’re following us. He said they had clothes in the car so they’ll change when they get there too.”

  Morgan had the gates open, “Jamie’s expecting us. He’s got the VIP room reserved,” he said as they walked inside.

  Case frowned, “VIP room where?”

  Morgan’s eyes flicked to Colby’s and he knew they were on the same page with not telling Case where they were going.

  “Relax, Case. The food there is superb. Jamie’s pulled his best waiters aside and I promise they’ll take perfect care of us. You’ve earned this man. You stepped in when I needed you. Let us do this.”

  Case grimaced like he was in pain, “Yeah, okay.”

  Justice, Kelly and Jaden disappeared down the hall to change out of their uniforms and into street clothes while everyone else waited in the living room.

  ********

  Riott lowered down on the platform, “What?”

  “I need you to shower and change. You’re serving for a VIP party,” Jamie yelled at him so he could be heard over the thumping music.

  Riott frowned, “Do I get double pay?” he said because, really, when he was dancing he made a hell of a lot more money than he did when he was waiting tables. Besides, he fucking lived to dance. He lived for the freedom that he felt when he was just wearing his tiny jock and nothing else. He loved the high he got knowing all those eyes were on him, that everyone who was looking wanted him, wanted to touch him, wanted to own him. But he held all the power because Riott Flame belonged only to himself and that’s the way he liked it, thank you very much.

  “Fine,” Jamie growled out.

  Riott grinned as he opened the door to his cage. “Catch me beautiful,” he sing-songed as he jumped down into Jamie’s arms.

  “Ugh, you’re all sweaty.”

  “Just the way you like me, precious,” Riott grinned as he cupped Jamie’s face and planted a sloppy wet kiss on his lips.

  Jamie pushed him back, “Dude. Knock that shit off. Go get changed. You’ve got fifteen minutes.”

  Riott waved an arm in the air, spun a perfect pirouette and swished his firm ass side to side as he walked through the crowd that parted for him like he was fucking Moses or some shit. “Sorry boys and girls. I’m needed elsewhere tonight. But I’m sure you’ve feasted your eyes enough to fill your spank-bank, yeah? Ta-ta kids.”

  Jamie’s arms were crossed as he glared at Riott’s retreating back. That boy needed a Daddy, like yesterday. One who would love him the way that Riott deserved to be loved, the way he wanted to be loved. See, Jamie could see through all of Riott’s makeup, both the store-bought kind that he wore to change his appearance and the invisible kind that he wore to hide his pain. Riott was a man desperate to be loved. He was someone who had been knocked down by life and kicked in the gut so many times that he barely felt it anymore. He expected the worst because he always got the worst so he hid behind this veneer of indifference, this persona of someone who was confident and secure when inside he was actually lonely and scared.

  Jamie had tried to set him up with a few Doms but none of them ever clicked with Riott, none of them could see past the mask he always wore.

  Jamie finally turned to make his way to the kitchen to make sure the chef was aware of the private party.

  “Why can’t I drive my own car?” Case said when they stepped out the front door. Two black SUVs were idling in the huge circular driveway.

  “Case, buddy. Tonight, we celebrate, tonight we let loose. Have a beer. Live a little,” Morgan said as he put an arm around Case’s shoulders.

  “Shouldn’t you be looking for Bas?”

  Morgan stiffened next to Case and for a moment he felt bad for what he said.

  “I am looking for him, Case. I have people on the case, good people. There’s nothing I can do tonight but maybe I should stay here.”

  “No, don’t. I, I’m sorry. I’m just uncomfortable with this and I lashed out. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  Morgan grinned, “How many times did you have to say that in your head before you got it out?”

  A small smile lifted the corner of Case’s mouth, “Three, maybe four.”

  Morgan threw his head back and laughed and then they all piled into the two SUVs. Case tried to look at the navigation units for where they were going but apparently the drivers had been told so nothing was programmed in.

  But as they drove through the streets, taking turns that Case was extremely familiar with, his heart started beating faster and faster and his stomach felt like it was in his throat.

  Maybe he wasn’t working tonight. Please let him not be working tonight, Case thought as they pulled into the parking lot with the oh so familiar red W in neon on the front of the building.

  Club Wicked.

  A place that he had been to a dozen times but had yet to see the inside.

  He was very familiar with the parking lot though.

  And also with a certain black and red-haired lithe beauty with haunting green eyes named Riott Flame. A man with full red lips that he longed to taste, with a firm round ass that he longed to touch and feel, with a smile that could light up your heart and a man with a loneliness inside that Case ached to erase.

  Riott had found him in the parking lot that first time just sitting in his car, trying to work up the nerve to go inside. Riott had scared the shit out of Case when he’d knocked on his window.

  “Hey sugar, you having a good night?” he’d said.

  “Not really,” Case had mumbled.

  Riott had squatted down, his hand resting on the open window, “Beautiful things can happen if you go inside,” he whispered.

  “Perhaps. Bad things can happen too.”

  “What’s your name, beautiful?”

  Case turned and Riott’s face was so close all he’d have to do was lean forward an inch, maybe two, and he’d have those lips.

  “Case,” he whispered.

  “Well, Case. I’m Riott. I hope I see you inside.”

  Riott pushed to his feet but just before his hand slid away, Case reached up and touched his fingers. He heard Riott’s slight gasp when they touched and his own heart flip-flopped in his chest, “I like this,” Case whispered as he stroked his thumb over Riott’s black and purple glitter nail polish.

  “Then it’s my new favorite. See you soon, Case,” he said and then he walked towards the club. Case snorted a laugh because walk was totally the wrong word for what Riott did – he swayed, he floated, his body claimed the air all around him as he moved. It really was the most beautiful thing Case had ever seen.

  And he couldn’t have it.

  He sighed as he started his car and drove out of the parking lot.

  He’d done the same thing a half-dozen more times, the last two with Riott actually climbing into his passenger seat to talk to him for fifteen or twenty minutes before his shift started. Every time Case wished he had the guts to kiss Riott.

  And every time he left that parking lot without knowing Riott’s taste.

  “Fuck,” he whispered quietly as the driver shut off the car.

  “Morgan, I’m not…
”

  Morgan put a calming hand on Case’s shoulder, “We’ll be in the VIP room in the restaurant, Case. You don’t have to see any other part of the club if you don’t want to.”

  Case took a deep breath and nodded. He could do this. At least he hoped he could.

  Case was relieved to find that, once inside, the bar and restaurant sat to the right while there was a second set of doors that led to the thumping music of the club and, thankfully, they were closed.

  The VIP room was tastefully decorated with deep brown walnut panels and a table big enough to seat about twenty people. But it was the artwork in the room that held Case’s attention. In one corner was a two-foot-tall statue of a naked man and he appeared to be lost to the music in his head. His arms were wrapped around his torso, his feet were apart and Case would swear they were moving. His thighs were corded with thick muscles, his torso was rippling, his ass was round with two dimples at the top of each cheek and Case had a strange desire to stick his tongue in them. The man’s head was down, his hair hanging in a frame around his face. And his eyes were closed as he danced to whatever music only he could hear.

  Case was struck with the strongest sense that this was something that this man did all the time. And he swore to never be the one to make a noise and break this beautiful dancer out of his spell. If he were ever lucky enough to witness something like this, he would stand silently and watch, waiting for the moment that the man opened his eyes and noticed him.

  He took a few steps closer. He wanted to find something that indicated who the artist was but he was also afraid to touch the piece for fear that his shaking hands might knock it over.

  He glanced to his right and saw the man, Jamie, who’d led them into the room. He caught his eye and motioned to the statue, “Do you, um, can you tell me who the artist is?”

  A fondness filled Jamie’s eyes that told Case that not only did the man know who the artist was but that he adored the person too.

  “He, uh, he usually likes to remain anonymous but let me talk to him to see if he’s okay with me telling you, okay?”