Justin glared as Brian slid into the seat next to him... to his dismay, the casino owner sliding far closer than what he deemed necessary. He edged as close to the door as possible, eyes barely discerning them pulling away from the casino, his focus entirely on the brunet staring hungrily at him - almost as if sizing him up as his next meal. "D-don't look at me like that."

"Like what, Justin?" Brian asked, sliding even closer, his hand reaching out to rest on Justin's knee... a laugh emitting as he felt the muscles jerking in response. "Something tells me that your body more than likes it."

Reaching down, Justin tightly grasped Brian's hand; ignoring the electric charge that singed from his hand up to his arm, he flung it back onto the arrogant man's lap. He didn't see the smirk from the driver that was driving far slower than the law dictated. "I'm not interested in your games, Mr. Kinney."

Brian's head arched back as laughter erupted, his head turning just in time to catch Justin's eyes lingering on the movement of his throat. He placed an arm along the back of Justin's portion of the seat, his fingers idly toying with delicate blond strands. His eyes homed in on Justin's slightly tremulous lips, tongue sliding out to wet his own as a result. Humor immediately faded from his expression, only to be replaced with an instant hunger. "I don't believe you, Justin. I think a part of you is very interested." Brian's eyes slid down Justin's body, the predator in him reminding him that the boy could go nowhere. His voice became guttural. "Oh yes, Justin. I think something is very interested. In fact, if I touched your cock right now, I do think I'd find you hard."

Justin moaned as Brian moved even closer, his hot breath fanning his neck as he felt the trap beginning to close tighter around him. The other hand returned to Justin's knee, slowly beginning its slide upwards, the other tugging at Justin's hair, pulling his head backwards. He gasped as he felt Brian's hand moving along to the inside of his thigh - firm, tight, and holding him in place. He could feel Brian's breath striking more relentlessly against his neck... his own body embroiled in a war with his mind, uncertain which would become the victor. Fuck. He should have expected him to make such a move in a confined space, but he hadn't. Now, how would he effectively combat it?

"Relax," Brian purred, his lips lightly brushing across Justin's tilted neck. "Nothing's going to happen in the car, Justin." Brian's palm slid further up the blond's leg, his fingers spreading out until one could reach across to find the bulge in Justin's jeans. "Mmmm. Just as I thought. Hard... and all for me."

A gasp escaped as Justin managed to dislodge the hand, his motion stilling when he heard the throaty growl passing from Brian's throat; his cock quickening in response as Brian's mouth began to suck languorously on his tender skin. "I-it means n-nothing.. just a natural bodily response," Justin protested in a broken gasp, unable to fathom how good Brian's mouth felt against his neck. He abhorred everything about this man; well, everything that didn't pertain to the physical. He felt so flawed and superficial as his body continued to win the war. Fuck. How would he handle being alone with this man - one on one - if he maneuvered it so? Justin wasn't naïve. He knew if the lusty and predatory casino owner desired that - that was exactly what would happen. As Brian's mouth virtually branded his neck as his, he knew he had to find a way to gain some separation.

"Your skin tastes so good," Brian rasped, easing off on the sucking motion to run his tongue up and down the side of his neck. It wasn't until Brian's next words fully penetrated his subconscious that he finally found the will to fight. "I'm going to mark every part of you as mine, boy. You won't know where I begin and you end... every piece of you will be my property... until I say otherwise. Stop fighting it. You know you can't win," Brian hissed into the shell of Justin's ear.

Justin growled in his own fury, moving his arm with force to elbow his ardent pursuer in the side, a sharp cry of surprise following. "You need to learn something about finesse, Mr. Kinney. I am not one of your casino chips to be won, used, or traded about. You disgust me! I don't care how fucking hot you are... I will never let you touch me. Not ever!"

"Disgust you?" Brian sneered. "I don't think so. You want me. In time you will let go of your childish ideas and act on that want. This is the real world, Justin. We don't have to like each other in order to fuck. Believe me, Justin - we will be fucking. And I think you realize that too."

"You don't know me at all, Mr. Kinney. It takes more than a hot body and a gorgeous face. If I didn't know as much about you as I do, we probably would fuck... even if it was a one-time deal. But I can't separate your surface looks from what I see beneath." Justin's eyes slid over him scathingly, before he looked out the window. Watching as they moved out of the city, Justin couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't heading into the downtown area or any shopping malls. Precisely where was he taking him shopping? "Where are you taking me?" Justin quickly demanded to know.

Brian smiled at Justin... much similar to that of the most dangerous jungle predator. "Shopping, of course."

Justin looked around sharply. "It's apparent we have left the city limits. I doubt you're taking me to California to shop. So, where are we going?"

Brian stroked his lip, giving Justin a thoughtful glance. "Now there's an idea, Mr. Taylor... taking you to California."

"Can you be serious for one minute?" Justin snapped, having instantly tired of Brian's evasions.

He leveled a blank, yet deep look on the aggravated blond beauty. "Regardless of how I may appear at the time, I am always serious."

"Which still doesn't answer my initial question..."

"I have my tailor meeting us at my home." Brian was silent waiting for the explosion, surprised when there was nothing but stunned silence. Interesting. Perhaps the boy was more resigned to his fate - and more importantly - to his desires, than he let on. Meeting Justin's cold-eyed stare, blue eyes shooting daggers into his own, Brian thought he'd never seen anything hotter or more beautiful in his life. He couldn't look away. Fuck. He didn't like how he felt himself losing a part of his control when he was with this blond. Any other man he would have already lured into his bed. But Justin... he just became primitive and came at him too ferociously, having the exact opposite effect. Brian knew his predatory pursuit, not to mention the reason for his stay here, kept Justin at a distance. Yet, he couldn't seem to stop.

Justin rolled his eyes in disbelief, refusing to show his unease about going to Brian's home. "We couldn't go to your tailor's shop? This is really pathetic, Mr. Kinney - even for you."

Brian leveled a cold glance at his passenger, barely noting that they had pulled into the gates of his home. "I don't need to drag you out of Vegas and into the privacy of my home merely to get you in bed. I could have done that back at the casino. You know that, too... whether you admit it or not. I am a very private man, and well known in the city. I don't go into stores if I can avoid it. What I want comes to me."

"God. You really need a reality check." Justin looked out the window, unwilling to admit to himself his curiosity about Brian's home. As he viewed the elegance of the landscaping, he was a bit surprised. It was hard to imagine this man being the owner of such a home. He could see him in more of an elaborate fuck pad - but not this. "You think the world is all about you. It isn't, Mr. Kinney. Not by a long shot."

"You might be surprised." Brian gave Justin a sidelong glance. "I think we are acquainted well enough for you to call me Brian."

Justin remained still until the car completely stopped. Staring straight ahead as the driver got out of the car to approach Brian's side, Justin told him, "I see no reason to address you that casually. After all, you are now my employer." Justin didn't add - And I don't need to encourage you further.

Brian rolled his eyes. This boy was a challenge. He was finding that to be an added enticement to his already raging need for him. Any further inducements and he doubted he would be able to refrain from grabbing him in a lustful frenzy... coming at him with everything in him until Justin surrendered to his own desires. As he waited for Ethan to move around to open his door, his eyes hungrily ran over the blond. "Keeping that formality in place won't change anything, Justin. I. Will. Get. You."

Flushing as the driver opened the door at that precise moment, Justin gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to respond. Fuck. He hated this arrogant asshole. He knew he did... the only problem was in convincing his twitching dick. He could resist the casino owner's obvious allure. There was a goal to meet here. He would be the dedicated employee until he devised a way to end this favorably. Justin watched him surreptitiously as he spoke to the driver, a thought coming to his mind. Perhaps he was going about this the wrong way. His goal was to assure his mother was protected from his father's act of betrayal. If Brian canceled the debt and promised to keep the secret, this could be over. A cunning look curved his lips, unbeknownst to him a look that was being fully assessed by a pair of hazel eyes that more than knew the score... and undoubtedly knew when a plot was being concocted.

A laugh followed as Justin jumped in his seat when Brian's voice reached out to the distracted blond. "Go ahead, Justin. Play me. See exactly how far you get. I dare you, little boy. Oh yes, I most certainly dare you..."

Justin groaned as he slid out of the car, wondering if this man would ever be taken off guard. At this point, it appeared less than likely. For now, he would play the game and see what happened. The ruthless casino owner didn't know him at all, nor did he know what he had endured in his young life. Before this was finished, Brian would know that he'd more than met his match. Justin decided he would take the greatest of enjoyment out of that moment.

"What do you mean you need more money?" Craig Taylor hissed into his cell phone, barely managing to maintain a straight line as he maneuvered through heavy traffic. "I just paid you twenty thousand dollars!"

"You heard me." Silence followed. "It isn't enough... and I know you can get it."

"That job was finished years ago... and still you're blackmailing me? I won't have it any longer!" Craig barked into the phone, feeling the blood rising into his face.

Expletives followed. "You won't have it? I risked my freedom for that job. My family ended up disowning me for my part in it. Yet, you've had enough!"

"That's exactly what I said! Think about it, Hobbs. If I'm a man to pay to have that done to my own son... you can just about imagine what else I'm capable of doing." Craig's eyes glittered in evil menace. "Keep that in mind before you think of threatening me again. Whereas you are a weak-minded fool... I won't hesitate in following through on my threats!"

Craig tossed the phone onto his seat, confident that the matter was resolved. He never once considered that his treachery could someday come back to haunt him from an unexpected source... and from one that he feared more than any other.

TBC