MICHAEL

I couldn’t believe the way people treated him, as if they gave a shit he ever moved here. I stayed back, watching him walk around with that asshole Nick, like he had the right to be here, on my turf. At one time these people knew if they wanted Brian to grace their presence, they treated me and Ma right. Only, when I came around the last few days, spending money and attempting to show them I was better than him, they would just hand me my change and act like I needed to leave. 

Lindsay went into hiding, refusing to answer my calls. It doesn’t matter though, because I made sure Brian saw her with Kip. I couldn’t believe when Lindsay brought him into this, the guy is a total loser and only useful because he believes anything if he thinks it will get him what he wants.

It’s not like I didn’t know that nothing going on stays a secret on the Avenue, so I made sure nothing connected to me. Even the money I’d been spending couldn’t really be linked to anything, because I was spending a lot, even had receipts to show for most of it. Anything else, I could excuse like any other person. Who remembers every dime they spend on frivolous things? The money Brian gave me in the past wasn’t all wasted on parties. I saved some, because I knew eventually the fucker would convince Brian to come back to him, and he would tell Brian it was him or me. Brian would choose him because the asshole made Gus think he gave a shit about him. I should have tried harder with Gus, but it would have meant taking my time away from Brian.

When they went into the diner I wanted to march in there and demand he tell me who the fuck he thought he was, invading a place that belongs to me and Brian. It was where MY friends were allowed, not him. Only the new manager pissed me off, because I wasn’t allowed to tell people to get out of the booth that had been mine since the first time Ma took me there. I didn’t like the way Ryan got everyone on his side, no longer listening to Ma. Not that I wanted to bother with Ma, since she kept trying to side track me from what I wanted. I couldn’t believe she gave David the key to my place, and made him think I even thought about that boring chapter of my life. Although it felt good to know he still wanted me, and I’ll admit he was good in the sack, but I let him take me away from Brian. I thought it would have Brian coming after me, finally admitting what I already knew. Only Brian didn’t even call, and he barely took my calls. I almost thought I’d been wrong, but I realized that Brian knew David wouldn’t change us. Only, when I came back Brian acted as if he didn’t notice I was gone, and seemed more concerned about everyone else but us. 

It’s why I started seeing Ben, to get him to worry about losing me. Ben was all the things I would tell Brian I wanted, from Brian. When Ben wanted to get married I did it because Brian still wasn’t ready. Then HE came along, and everything changed. Brian was constantly trying to see him, no longer talking about his tricks, and acting pissed when I would bring them up. The shit didn’t see it annoyed Brian, but I did. I didn’t like the changes that Brian was making, not for me, but for him. I still knew how to get Brian to do what I wanted, and it worked, until the night he tore my heart out by saying he wanted to marry the asshole. I’d backed off when Ben issued his ultimatum, seeing that Brian was still denying what we were to himself. I tried to be happy with Ben, but I just didn’t have room for both him and Brian in my heart. At first I missed Ben when he died, he ran everything, while I could do what I wanted. It wasn’t what Ma wanted to believe, but I did miss him, for taking care of things that took my time from Brian. I could even thank Ben for doing what I asked and putting Brian in charge, because Brian was back in my life, focusing on me.

It was close enough to everything I wanted, Brian staying with me, occasionally working, doing his duty and showing up to make the shit happy. I thought I could deal with it, because I had time to show Brian what we could have, but HE kept trying to pull him back. The birthdays were the worst. I had to find a way to stop him, and that was where Ma came in. When he would leave, I’d call her, crying and saying I couldn’t deal with life anymore. Brian would turn around and forget everything but me. It was perfect, but made me hate the shit, because Brian started talking about me needing to spend time in a clinic. I wasn’t unstable, just trying to ensure Brian stopped letting them get in our way.

Strangely, I feel weird about Jenny, not really sure why. Maybe it’s because I might have given Mel and Lindsay shit when it came to Jenny, but in the end I only agreed to father a kid because it would link me to Brian. Our children were raised together, and to me that should have made him see our lives were merging towards each other. Jenny made Ben happy, so maybe that’s why it bothers me a little, I owe her for making sure Ben didn’t leave me. Yeah, that’s what it is.

I left the diner since Carl had it out for me. Realizing that Brian was for once alone.

GUS

Dad called Dr Turner and said that unless she agreed, it didn’t matter to him what I wanted. Which gave me a chance to tell her about what happened last night.

“Gus, you do understand that even if your mom isn’t as guilty, she’s still somewhat involved?” She tells me.

“I do. But I also know what Michael is like, and while my mother might be booksmart, she isn’t very people smart.” I tell her.

“What do you mean by that?” She asks.

“She doesn’t always see things that are pretty obvious. She still tries to impress her parents. But I knew just by talking to them the night she had dinner, all they care about is her sister. Nana said sometimes people do that, choose one kid to focus on while leaving the other one in the cold. Only Mom doesn’t see it. It’s like her letting Michael get away with hitting her. She didn’t figure out that my dad wouldn’t run to someone who let someone get away with that.” I tell her.

“Your dad says you really believe she’d tell you the truth, why do you think that?” She asks.

“Growing up, it’s what she did, she told me. It wasn’t like I judged her, or even told anyone the things she told me. I really didn’t get that the things she said were odd (making me smile just saying odd), since it seemed normal that she told me anything when she knew she was going to get in trouble with Dad or Mama. I know Jus and Dad don’t want me in the middle of this, but if she gave Michael a way to have Dad’s baby, I need to know, because that baby would be my brother or sister. I’ve already seen what Jenny’s life was like, and I won’t let a baby suffer when we can stop it. Mama agreed that if Mom and Michael did this, it was a form of kidnapping, but not illegal, and my dad wouldn’t have any responsibility to the baby even if it was his. Only that wouldn’t change that my dads wouldn’t let Michael near a baby. It does worry me what would happen if it’s not my dad’s baby, then where does it leave the baby?” I ask.

“Not something for you to worry about, remember? What do you hope to accomplish by talking to your mom?” She asks.

“I need closure, even knowing she’s capable of what they think, I need to for her to admit it. I need to know that I’m right, that she can only be a superficial part of my life. I’m always going to love her because in her own way she loves me, and by doing this she’s no longer going to think I’ll protect her from herself.” I tell her.

“Okay, but if at any point you can’t handle it, you leave.” She tells me.

“You’re going to tell my dad you agree?” I ask.

“I don’t really, but you’ve thought it through and would likely find a way to do it anyway. Anything else you want to talk about?” She asks.

“No, not today, but next time. I think he deserves a place of his own in my conversations with you.” I tell her smiling.

“Let me know, it sounds like something I’d like to talk about with you.” She tells me.

AL

I stood at the bar with Justin, who was bored but trying not to show it. Kip kept watching Justin all night, and didn’t like that guys were eyeing him. Justin as usual, paid attention, even if nobody else did. He saw the envy Kip eyes showed tonight, not just that Brian wanted Justin, but that men looked and would drop to their knees for Justin. It's something Justin really doesn’t see about himself, but Brian sure as hell does. Which was obvious when he pulled Nick and Mark aside and told them to keep assholes from touching him. Apparently I went up in his eyes, likely because I kept my zipper in place last night, which is the only reason I'm still dealing with a hard on.

I like dancing, and when Justin and I did, he showed me he could move, but I also like my partners interested. Emmett was fun, and a sandwich between him and Drew was fantasy worthy, just not likely or wanted, shit. There must be something about Kinney genes, because I thought more than I should have about what didn’t happen. I don’t even know him, but he left an impression no one else had. I stopped him, well he managed to stop me too. Damn it.

I walked into the backroom, never really a big turn on for me. I could deal with it, but tricking was only something I did when I couldn’t spare the time for more. Granted my relationships weren’t long, but they were relationships while they lasted. Time to get my head in the game, damn it. Thinking about Gus isn’t helping.

My target was on his knees, offering his mouth to anyone, which I gotta say wasn’t really helping me pretend I wanted him. Nick told me no one expected me to take one for the team, so it was more just get him to follow me. Thank God. He spotted me and zeroed in when I showed interest, too bad not the kind he thinks. Looking at him, I had to wonder if it was just availability for Brian, since he wasn’t even on the scale of half the men here.

“He's a waste of time, for any man.” He tells me, pretty much admitting he'd been watching Justin.

“He's only interested in what he has, which works since that's all his partner wants.” I tell him, because I liked seeing him flinch. “If you want to waste time talking about him, I'll look for someone who knows how I'd rather use their mouth.”

“I was wasting time anyway, none of these guys are worth my time. Lead on.” He tells me, hooking his arm to me, which just made an acid bath sound like a great idea. 

The whole ride to the hotel that we’d arranged to interrogate him at, I let my mind wander to Gus, since nothing else was keeping things from deflating. This was the one thing Nick tried to argue with Brian about, him being there. Brian was proving to be just as stubborn as his husband and wanted to see how we would get Kippy to tell us what we wanted to know.

We’d been monitoring Michael the whole day and knew he’d been following Justin all day, but when he disappeared we moved Brian and the family to the hotel. Justin’s house was secure, but why make it easy for the jackass. Rick was stationed at the house, acting like a gardner, and told us Michael drove by a dozen times, but didn’t stop. Although I wouldn’t either if I saw a guy who was built like tank, mowing the lawn.

Kip was really starting to get on my nerves, running his hands over me. But I figured I’d get my turn at fun, watching him wet his pants at what was waiting behind the door. Nick fools people because he seems so laid back, but that’s until you meet the SEAL. Something he leaves behind when he’s not working. At first Kip looked confused at three guys sitting around the suite, but smiled like the more the merrier, especially when he spotted Brian dressed to kill.

“I guess he was right, you aren’t really turning over a new leaf.” Kip tells him, walking over to Brian as if Brian was waiting for him.

When he tried to touch Brian, Nick and Mark got up, grabbed him and put him in the chair across from us.

“What’s going on?” He asks. Which made me realize the guy wasn’t the brightest tool in the box.

“What’s going on, good question. Something I’ve been asking myself since I saw you. Why not be a good boy and tell me?” Brian asks, tilting his head, eyeing Kip up and down. “See, the minute you walked into the picture I couldn’t figure it out. Involving you really didn’t make sense, since you weren’t even worth the bother I took to fuck you. Is that it you think, because you easily bent over twice, that it meant more to me than an easy fuck between the five others I had that day?” Brian asks, looking disinterested. 

“You never fucked anyone more than once, so I was more than that.” He tells Brian.

“I’m sure that’s what Michael told you.” Brian tells him.

“It’s what everyone knew, I was special. If you’d just admitted it, I wouldn’t have tried to do what I did. Not that Michael didn’t stop me, but you could have if you would have just let me stay with you.” Kip tells him.

“What did Michael do?” He asks.

“He had a recording of what we said in the backroom, which would have proved you didn’t do anything. He could have saved you, but I guess he never told you that. I wouldn’t have let it get that far if you hadn’t rejected me in front of every guy in Babylon.” Kip tells him, as if it changed anything.

“Kippy, Kippy, Kippy, you just didn’t learn from the last time. Too bad. But hey, I’m sure federal prison will help you see the error in your ways.” Nick said, when Brian got up and left the room.

“I didn’t do anything.” Kip tells Nick, not sure what to make of him.

“See, that’s where you and I disagree. I don’t think trying to hire someone to do harm isn’t anything, and see, the problem is you did it yourself, regardless of who told you to do it. See, you really don’t do your intel. Mikey, well he isn’t going to help you when we get the seven kids who can point to you and say you’re the guy offering to finance a bashing. Right now we have you for intent, and really, since Justin’s a celebrity, and rich enough to make people want to do anything to keep him happy, your pretty ass will be Bubba’s to share with his friends. So in the interest of protecting your ass, help me out and I’ll try to keep you from finding out what gang rape is like.” Nick tells him. 

Brian tried to hold it together, but even I wouldn’t have been able to stop from wanting to beat the shit out of someone who went after the person I loved. I caught him, and even though I had bulk on my side, adrenaline can turn anyone into superman. 

“He’s not worth this.” I said, holding on to him.

Brian stilled for a minute, and if Justin hadn’t walked in, I doubt he would have listened to me. 

“Hi Kip, having fun with my boys?” Justin asks, not going to Brian. This was Justin on a job, and distractions weren’t allowed.

Kip looked at the scary men surrounding him, and the one I was still holding, and broke.

“He told me I could have Brian, all it would take was getting rid of the reason you have a hold on Brian. We were going to give Brian everything he wanted until you came into his life.” Kip said, glaring at Justin.

“What gave you the idea that my looks were the problem?” Justin asks, casually going to Brian and letting Brian wrap his arms around him. Brian ran his lips and tongue around Justin’s neck and ear. “See, I think it’s more that I gave him what no one else ever did. Sex doesn’t just do it for Brian, but sex that leaves him limp and wanting more, even when he can no longer get it up. Although he eventually does, since I know exactly what to do to get him there. Of course none of you would, since there’s only one person who gets this from him.” Justin said running his finger over the seam of Brian’s ass, and damn it, yeah it was hot.

“He’d never let anyone.” Kip said, in disbelief.

“Oh he would, trust me. Since I know exactly how he likes to ride my cock. Is that what Michael told you, that my looks made me the trick who wouldn’t leave, and Brian couldn’t resist?” Justin says, locking lips with Brian.

I looked at Nick and Mark, who were trying not to laugh, and Kip getting off on what he was seeing.

“What was Lindsay’s part in this, Kip?” Justin asks, walking over towards him, while Kip stared at the bulge that didn’t hide what Justin was sporting. Apparently Brian wasn’t the only one who turned Kip on.

Like he was drugged looking at both of them, he talked and talked.

“She contacted me, telling me to get Brian in bed. She planned to get you there in time to see us. She only wanted you to get back to your career, only she couldn’t afford to support me. I went to Michael, thinking I could use his blackmail on him. The case was dropped, but I doubted Brian would be too happy to hear that Michael had the evidence that would have dropped it faster. Instead, he agreed to put me up in style, if I helped him out. He knew if he was out trying to hire someone, people would recognize him. He tried to use his kid, and then we talked about taking the boy, but Lindsay caught us and told us the kids were off limits, or she would tell you guys what we’d been up to. Not that she knew what we were really planning to do with Justin.” He tells us.

“What did she think? And tell me about the baby.” Justin leaned over running his nose along the side of Kip’s cheek. Fuck me, Nick had nothing on Justin.

“That we’d get Brian to take off again, leaving you to her for help. The baby… was Michael wanting what you gave Brian, only it would be his, not yours. Lindsay helped get him a sample, that was all. Michael did the rest.” Kip says, breathless and trying to turn his head to get to Justin’s lips.

“Is it Brian’s?” Justin asked, backing up so he couldn’t lick his lips.

“I don’t know, but she said it was. But maybe it’s the guy’s she was with lately, some artist.” Kip says, trying to get closer.

“Thanks. Ready.” Justin says, walking off to Brian.

“Sure, now do you get what really kept all my attention on this?” Brian asks him, running his hands all over Justin.

Carl came in and took Kip, telling him to get a good lawyer. Mark sat next to me, while I had to think of anything but what I just saw. Thoughts of Gus wasn’t doing it either.

“You know, I’ve pretty much been straight as an arrow all my life but…” Mark says, looking at Nick.

“I don’t complain, because I’ve spent many a night with my girl raring to go after those two got her hot and bothered. Look at it this way, your wife will thank Justin if you apply what he just taught us to foreplay.” Nick smiles.

“What now?” I ask, since Kip wasn’t the big fish.

“Now you go and make sure Gus has a FRIEND when he needs one.” Nick tell me, making sure I get what he means.