Craig swallowed tremulously as his most feared nemesis stared at him with a narrow-eyed gaze, most reminiscent of an attacking barracuda. He was fucked and he knew it. His worthless son had been of no help. Once more Justin had proven how unworthy he was to be called his son. Weak, and lacking in any family loyalty... that was except to his undeserving mother. Right now he wished he'd never met that woman. Despite the money attached to her name, all she'd done was humiliate him. If not for her, this faggot of a son wouldn't be his. No, not his. He had disowned the freak long ago. Now, he had to disguise his true feelings for Justin and his disgusting lifestyle with Brian Kinney from this menacing predator. Kinney may know how he felt about their relationship... but flaunting his revulsion of it and them would be the final nail in his coffin.

"Nervous, Craig?" Brian's voice was nothing short of cruel... a snarl curling his lips.

Tilting his head up at an angle that displayed far more bravado than he could possibly possess, Craig returned in an even tone, "I know you'll do the right thing. Killing me will cost you dearly."

Brian stepped closer, his nostrils flaring as this man's audacity caused the rage to grow within him. It had stopped being about his theft long ago. Now it was all about Justin. He could kill this man with his bare hands. As he viewed the confident stance that didn't quite meet the odious man's eyes, Brian wasn't certain he wouldn't do precisely that.
His lips twisting savagely, Brian bit out, "You wouldn't be threatening me... would you, Craig?"

"Of course not. I'm not a fool." Craig's eyes widened under Brian's unflinching stare.

"That's debatable."

"I know you wish to see me dead... however, there's something else you want more." Craig knew if he were mistaken, his brazen manner was now signing his own death certificate.

Brian's eyes fixed on a point at the far side of the room, his body becoming motionless as he waited for Craig to finish his little speech. He was well skilled in the art of remaining detached from everything and everyone. Succeeding in that here had never been more important. Craig could not be allowed to believe he held any position of power. Craig needed to fear him, or he would be left with only one alternative. As much as he would love to be the man to dispense the harshest form of justice on Craig Taylor, Brian knew that could cost him Justin in the long run. Despite it being something he neither understood nor held any previous experience of, Brian accepted how important Justin was to him. This reptilian man would not be allowed to come between them. Brian kept his tone cold and flat, knowing his gaze reflected the same. "What exactly do you believe I want more?"

"My son..." Craig uttered in disgust. Despite how much he hated his offspring... Justin was the tool that would save him here today. He couldn't forget that fact... nor could he fail to use the knowledge to its utmost advantage. "Killing me might rid you of one problem... but down the road, it will open up many more."

"I believe you just heard Justin tell me to do whatever I wanted with you. That changes things completely." Brian realized they both knew what Justin had been saying, yet playing mind games with this repellent man pleased him immensely."

Craig's cheeks colored a bright red. "No. You misunderstood him then. H-he said he trusted you to do the right thing. If you kill me, Justin won't be able to live with the guilt... nor will he be able to look his mother in the eye again." His lips twisted into a sneer. "He's pathetically weak. He'll never be man enough to do what needs to be done. That's what you've saddled yourself with in this unholy alliance."

In what was less than a moment, Brian's arm shot out, his hand reaching out to close around Craig's neck. His breath coming in and out erratically, his rage taking him to another place, Brian savagely slammed Craig into the wall, his hand tightening around the man's straining neck... his own eyes bulging in primal fury. Brian spat in Craig's face, laughing coldly as his victim recoiled in both fear and revulsion. His hand loosened only slightly around Craig's neck, before taunting, "What's the matter, Craig? Afraid you'll catch something from my saliva?"

Craig began to gasp, despite Brian loosening his grip around his throat, breathing still difficult to manage. "N-no. I c-can't breathe..."

"Perhaps that's the idea," Brian snarled. Brian tightened his grasp again, squeezing until he watched Craig's eyes beginning to dangerously bulge, before he threw him violently onto the floor. His nostrils flared as he stared down at the recoiling man, his leg striking out to kick the winded man in one more vicious attack. He forced himself to back away, reminding himself of all the reasons why he couldn't take the easy way out. Justin, Justin, Justin. He continuously repeated his name to himself. It took several minutes for him to feel back in control. He wanted nothing more than to rip him apart - piece by piece. Justin deserved so much more than the father that fate had given him. He would delay his judgment of Justin's mother. At this point, all he could go on was what Justin had told him. He had to believe she was a good mother... one that was deserving of Justin's constant sacrifices at this odious man's hands. Justin had escaped that life. Jennifer had only begun. He couldn't imagine the horrors she had endured at the hands of this man.

Pacing back and forth, Brian watched as Craig slowly regained a more steady breathing rhythm... the longer he was in his presence - the more difficult it became to allow him to live. "You don't serve yourself well to constantly provoke my temper. I hope you've learned that lesson." Brian watched as Craig gave a frightened nod, before he continued on, "Never try to psychoanalyze me, Taylor. You will get fucked every time! It doesn't matter how I feel about your son... nor is it any of your fucking business - when it comes time for me to make a decision, I will do what is best regardless of personal attachments." Brian quickly noted Craig's continued silence. "Do you understand me?" Brian's voice was low and controlled, his eyes maliciously beating into the other man's skull.

Bobbing his head up and down, slowly beginning to sit up, Craig answered, "Y-yes, Mr. Kinney. I'm sorry. I'll do a-anything you say. A-anything."

Brian's smile was cunning and chilling, a smile that most men recognized as foreboding. Craig Taylor was no different. "Go and sit at the table. I've decided to go with Plan B."

"Plan B?" Craig asked nervously. Suddenly, he remembered Justin was still outside. "Sir, we've been in here a long time. Uhhhh, Justin said you didn't have to decide today. Maybe you should check on him..."

"Quiet!" Brian hissed. "Haven't I warned you repeatedly about not trying to tell me what to do? Justin is already on his way to my home."

Craig frowned, uncertain of when Brian had arranged that, but he figured it was for the best. Justin's presence only aggravated him to the point of saying things he shouldn't to his fierce protector. He swore to himself - if he got out of this mess, he would keep clear of both of them for good. Nothing positive had come from his vendetta against Justin. He could see that now. With this man in Justin's life, he was powerless. Brian Kinney's protectiveness of his son was extraordinary. It didn't fit in with Kinney's lifestyle or reputation. In essence, everything had become more than simplified. Brian Kinney loved Justin. Hurting him or his mother was now impossible. It was clear to him that Kinney would come after any man who attempted. Craig now realized that sending Justin to Vegas was possibly the worst decision he had ever made. His head hanging low, Craig spoke, "I apologize. I wasn't thinking..."

Brian snorted. "It's apparent you haven't been thinking from the very beginning! I am going to handle that for you now, though."

"What are you going to do?" Craig asked fearfully.

"Relax. I'm not going to kill you... that is unless you force me to do so." Brian's eyes moved away from him in disgust, his hand reaching out to pull a thick envelope from his pocket. He opened it and placed the documents on the table in front of the cowering man. "Sign them all and live. Your choice entirely, Taylor."

Craig released a deep breath, his eyes beginning to scroll through the various documents. His jaw dropped as he viewed the outrageous demands his captor was making. "Y-you can't be serious! Surely you don't expect me to do this. None of this is fair to me!"

Brian leaned his palms on the table, his body hovering closer to Craig's. He smiled in satisfaction when he viewed all color draining from his face, and a grudging acceptance appearing in his eyes. "Do I appear to waste my time with jokes? I have wasted far too much time with you already! Now, it's very simple. Sign the papers and we can end this all now. Either way, signed or not, we will end this today." He moved in closer, his eyes boring into the ones of his victim. "It's up to you whether you walk out of here or are carried out."

His hand shook as he reached for the gold pen that Brian extended, his eyes lowering from the triumph blazing in the other man's hazel eyes. "Fine," he snapped. He scrawled his signature on all the forms, careful that he didn't miss any. One thing was for certain - he didn't ever want to be in this man's presence again. He watched as Brian took the papers from him, his teeth gnashing together in the realization that he was now not only destitute... but with no place to go. "So, what happens now? You've stripped me of everything!"

A hollow laugh resounded as Brian slid the papers back into his pocket. "You've got a hell of a nerve, Taylor. You were going to strip both Justin and his mother of their lives. Now, I've only got one other score to settle..."

Craig couldn't care less about the fate of Chris Hobbs... his own survival was all that mattered. "Where am I going to go now? I have nothing! You've taken my marriage and my livelihood away."

"Marriage?" Brian sneered. "You put out a contract on her life, and yet you call it a marriage!? The proceeds of the sale of your company now will rightfully go to her. It's really only precipitating what would have happened in court. By the time you paid your settlement, you would have been forced to sell. I just assisted you in the process."

Shaking his head in angry remorse, knowing he had more than done this to himself, Craig mumbled, "Assisted me in the process..."

Brian reached into another pocket, extending a smaller envelope and handing it to the broken man. He didn't often feel as good about breaking a man as he did this one... but without a doubt, this felt immensely satisfying. "This is where you will be heading. I would leave you penniless... but I know Justin would probably want you to have a place to sleep and food to eat. How long it lasts depends on your own resourcefulness."

Craig looked at the contents, surprised when he found one-thousand dollars in small bills. It was nothing... but it was more than he had expected. Next was a plane ticket... coach, of course... and a passport, along with other legal documents he would need. Son-of-a-bitch if this man didn't think of everything. He scowled when he viewed his destination. Mexico. Fuck. He didn't want to relocate there. "Mexico. This is a fucking nightmare."

He walked toward the door, knowing his business here was nearly done... and his mind now diverting to a more pleasurable business he was more than anxious to conduct. He turned to look back at Craig, his lip curling in disgust. "A nightmare of your own making. Kip will drive you to the airport. I don't expect to EVER see you again, Taylor." Brian's eyes were fierce when they drilled into Justin's repugnant father. "If you ever come near Justin, or anyone he holds dear, I will hunt you down and kill you. It won't be an easy death, Craig." He tilted his head to the side as he surveyed the fear returning to Craig's eyes. "I promise you that, Craig. It won't be pleasant or quick."

Swallowing with difficulty, Craig moved to assure him, "I have no intention of contacting either Justin or Jennifer again. My life means more than that..."

"Good," Brian purred with menace. "You're finally displaying a brain. One more thing, Craig. If you contact Hobbs and tell him I'm coming for him, you'll be very sorry." Brian's eyes lowered to the floor before they lifted again, pure murderous rage in his eyes. "I can't tell you how much."

Craig's eyes widened, his instant fear for young Chris Hobbs was more than he had for himself. Chris was doomed and there wasn't a damned thing anyone could do to stop it. This man lived by his own set of rules. It was more than apparent that Chris was about to pay the ultimate price for this hardened casino owner falling so hard for his son. He didn't want to be involved in it any further. "He won't hear anything from me. As far as I'm concerned, these people don't exist for me anymore."

Brian nodded, stepping through the door, more than anything glad this business was now done. He quickly communicated his orders to Kip before sliding into his car, knowing everything was now resolved here. "Take me home," Brian clipped out to his driver, relaxing back against his seat as he thought of Justin waiting for him at home. A rare tender smile crossed his lips as he thought of how much he could grow accustomed to that with this particular blond beauty. His thoughts briefly drifted from Justin to ponder his yet unfinished business. Chris Hobbs. Justin's bat-wielding assailant would soon learn the feeling of pain. A lesson he was anxious to administer - himself.

He didn't stop to think of all the time and effort he was expending on fixing Justin's life... nor of the reason why. If he did, he might figure out he could be merely rescuing the man he loved from his formerly dangerous world only to enmesh him within his own. One thing was for certain... he would protect Justin not only today, but also in all the days to come.

TBC