“I have to tell you something. When I told you there was no one in between Ethan and you, that was a lie. I did things I’m not proud of to feed myself while I was pregnant with Ciaran.”

Justin looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had been practicing for the past hour on his little speech.

Shaking his head, he tried again. “Brian, I prostituted myself when I was pregnant with Ciaran.”

“That seems like something you should say to my face, Sunshine.”

Gasping, Justin turned around, Brian was standing in front of his open bedroom door. The man had a strange smirk on his face.

“I didn’t know you were there.”

They had gotten back a couple days before. Joan was ecstatic when they told her about the wedding. Emmett was planning it. It was just going to be a quick, small affair. Which Brian pointed out would mean only a few hundred people. Joan seemed to be okay with the them getting married so quickly. Justin didn’t think she believed they were in love but maybe she thought they would get there soon enough. She was delusional if she thought that.

“Are you going to say anything about my past?”

“Nope, that’s all behind us now. From now one you’re husband of Brian Kinney. Now hurry up, we have an engagement party to attend.”

“Don’t you think this all is happening too fast?”

“Why wait? It’s not like we both don’t know what we’re getting into. The only thing that will happen if we wait is your pregnancy will be more noticeable.”

“Okay, I guess that makes since. By the way, I have my first doctor’s appointment next week. Do you want to come?” Justin asked hopefully.

“Why on Earth would I want to do that?”

Justin forced himself not to show that Brian upset him. He was not going to show him any weakness. He would use that weakness to his advantage. The only person Justin could trust was himself. If he was only going to be used as a trophy husband, he would make sure that he protected himself and his children.

“I want my own bank account. I also want you to put enough money in it that I’d be able to live happily with the kids, in case you toss us aside.” He was proud when his voice didn’t shake.

Brian looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Why do you need money?”

“I just told you, in case you toss us out. I need to think about the kids. You gave me your rules; now I’ll give you mine. I want a bank account and money that you can’t touch. I don’t want to see you flaunting your tricks in front of me. Lastly, your mother has to know the truth. I don’t want to have to pretend to be a happy family living here when my husband doesn’t.”

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to start making demands?”

“I think since I’m not going to be a traditional husband, I need not to act like one. You said it yourself, we both know what we’re getting into.”

A smile appeared on Brian’s face. This time though, it wasn’t cruel or hurtful, it was a genuine smile.

“Deal. We’ll go to the bank tomorrow. Then next week we’ll go to your appointment.”

Justin’s eyes widened. “I thought you weren’t going?”

“You were right too. We have to make it look real, especially when Connor and Ethan get to town. Which brings me to another matter. I’m going to have Ethan give up his rights on Ciaran and adopt him.”

“Do you think he will?”

“I’ll make him.”

At the engagement party Brian’s friends looked at him with pity. He had guessed Brian told them of the real nature of their relationship. Emmett and Ted talked to him for a while, Emmett was having a blast planning the upcoming wedding. Justin did like Michael’s boyfriend Ben, he was really funny and nice. When Brian and Michael disappeared to places unknown, he hung out with Ben. They talked about Carnegie Mellon, where Ben taught. Justin told him about wanting to go to art school when he was younger. That was when Ben mentioned Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Art.

“Only the best of the best get in,” Ben told him.

“To go to a real art school. That would be a dream come true.”

Ben’s eyebrows knitted together. “Why don’t you apply to some? Brian has more than enough money to pay tuition.”

“Maybe when this new baby is in preschool. I want my children to rely on me for their care, not someone else.”

Daphne had already gotten another job, so Justin had convinced Brian and Joan that he didn’t need a nanny. He’d already had Debbie and Lindsay offer to babysit anytime he needed.

“What are you two ladies gabbing about?” Brian asked as he appeared with Michael trailing behind him. Justin noticed it then that Michael’s shirt was inside out. It hadn’t been like that before left. Ben seemed to noticed too and glared at Brian and Michael.

The party ended pretty soon after that. Justin stayed away from the Carters, he didn’t want to risk them finding out Ciaran was their grandson. Joan went to bed as did Debbie and Vic. The caterers cleaned up and left soon after. Brian left with Michael and his other friends. They were going to Babylon to continue the celebration. That left Justin alone, Debbie took Ciaran up to bed with her. She wanted Justin to enjoy his night.

Joan had given him a car for an engagement gift. The gift had almost made him pass out in shock when she gave him the keys. He couldn’t get over what rich people thought was normal gifts. So now he had a brand new car in the garage.

He left a note on the counter before grabbing the keys to the car. The huge mansion felt suffocating at the moment. He needed to get out of there, quickly. Not really knowing where to go he drove towards Pittsburgh, Joan’s house being about twenty minutes outside of it. Once inside the city limits he drove towards Liberty Avenue. He remembered the way from when Brian took him. He passed by Babylon, then stopped and parked near a place called BoyToy, he knew he wouldn’t be carded in a place like that. At twenty, he looked sixteen…on a good day. It was what his previous clients paid well for. It wasn’t until he was inside the sleazy bar, that he realized what he was doing. He was going back to something that was known to him. Something he was in control…something that wasn’t decided by Brian Fucking Kinney.

He sat down at the on a bar stool. It wasn’t long before he had someone on the hook.

“How much?” an older man said without hesitation.

Justin looked over at the man, he was median height with a receding hairline.

“Depends on what you want?” Justin said, giving his best enticing look.

“Want to get out of here, then we’ll talk about prices?”

When Justin was this person, he felt like he was completely different. He was a different person. He was strong, sure and in control. This was how it was supposed to be. He hated the act that he would have to put on, but he loved the control it gave him over the men.

“How about we talk about it here?”

The man smiled and sat down beside him. It wouldn’t take long before he had the man eating out of his hand.

“I’m Kenneth,” the man introduced himself.

“Taylor,” he said, giving the name usually gave johns.

Brian couldn’t get over the bad feeling he was getting. He knew he had been hard on Justin explaining how their marriage had to be. But he knew better than to give Justin false hope. He didn’t want to turn out like his dad. Making Justin believe they were happy but running around on him behind his back. This was the best for both of them. There was no way he could commit to a relationship. But Justin was pregnant with his child. It changed things around, that was for sure.

“Brian, tell Ben what we did earlier,” Michael said with annoyance in his voice.

“What the hell are you on about?” Brian said, glaring at Michael.

“Just tell him,” Michael demanded.

“What we did earlier, when?”

“When I took off my shirt.”

“Oh, I was putting ointment on that place on your back.”

“What place?” Ben asked.

Brian closed his mouth, it wasn’t his secret to tell. It really wasn’t a secret, Michael just wanted to surprise Ben with it. A tattoo of their initials interlocked. Brian thought it was a mistake but he wasn’t his to make. It didn’t make sense to him that Michael was ruining his body like that. Especially, since they hadn’t been together for very long. Just the thought of doing that to his body made him shiver.

“You’re on your own,” he told Michael. He clamped Michael on the back before grabbing a trick and heading to the backroom. He wished he could shake the feeling that something was very wrong though.

The house was dark when he arrived, he had thought about spending the night at his loft. But there was something that he needed to make sure of. He was worried that he had upset Justin too much. He kind of liked the kid. Not that he would tell him that, or that he was beautiful. Usually, that wasn’t something that attracted him. He liked big, hot studs. Justin wasn’t his type…at all.

He quietly knocked on Justin’s door. There was no answer. Finally, he decided Justin must be asleep. Opening the door, he peeked in, Justin was sitting on the bed with just a towel around his waist. Brian couldn’t really see much of him; the room was dark.

“Justin?” he said, walking into the room.

Justin didn’t even flinch when Brian grabbed his chin and pulling his face up. Bruises covered the pale skin, his eye swollen shut. Brian let go of his chin and went to the wall, turning on the light. As soon as the light was on the picture got worse. Bruises on his back, arms and around his neck. Most were still darkening, meaning they hadn’t happened very long ago.

“Jesus, Sunshine, what happened?”

“Client got a little excited.”

“Client?” A knot formed in his stomach.

Justin looked up at him, his one good eye locking with Brian’s. “Yes, client.”

“I see.” Brian clenched his fists. It was then Brian noticed Justin’s stomach was untouched.

“I told him to not hit my stomach. He made sure to overcompensate with the other places.”

Brian knelt down in front of Justin and grabbed his left hand. “Is this how you really want to live?”

“No, but I can control it.”

“Really? It doesn’t look that in control.”

“I made the choice to go home with him. I’m the one who calls the shots there.” Brian kept his mouth shut, it was obvious that things had gone off track for Justin tonight.

“How about this, you get a job. A real job. Then you will have control over what happens.”

“I can’t, Ciaran and the baby.”

“Lindsay’s looking for an assistant at her gallery. Maybe you should apply. You’d be able to work out a schedule and get a nanny, this one just for times you’re working. When the baby comes you can take leave then go back.”

“Lindsay has a gallery?”

“Yes, The Peterson/Bloom Gallery.”

“I don’t know; I don’t really have any experience.”

“Good thing you have an in with the boss then huh?” Brian smiled at him, wagging his eyebrows. “You’re an artist. This will be a way to rub elbows with other artists.”

Justin laughed. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun. Think of all the stuck-up artists that you get to schmooze.”

“Yeah, I’ll think about it. But, what am I going to tell people. I look like a disaster. What will your mother think?” Justin started to hyperventilate.

“Calm down. This is what’s going to happen. I’m going to ask Deb to take care of Ciaran. Maybe even hire a temporary nanny, Mother will be here to supervise.”

“What about me.”

“You are going on a vacation celebrating your upcoming marriage with your handsome fiancé.”

“Where will I hide out.”

“The Bahamas.”

“What?” Surely, Justin hadn’t heard him right.

“You heard me.”

It sounded like a dream, but there was no way he could leave Ciaran for a week. “I can’t, Ciaran needs me.”

“He’ll be fine. He’ll have two doting grandmothers over him and a grandfather.”

Justin smiled, the little he knew of Brian he knew how much he loved Debbie and Vic. His dad wasn’t ever around, so Vic took the fatherly role. Debbie was like a second mother to him, sometimes more because she was Michael’s mom too.

“Maybe I shouldn’t,” he said, but he already knew Brian won; they both did.

“Come on, change. I’ll call my pilot.”

“I get to use my passport.” The police gave his passport and license to his dad after the accident when they thought he had died.

“You have a passport?” Brian looked surprised, not that he couldn’t blame him. He didn’t have any stamps on it.

“Yeah, I was supposed to go to France the summer after my senior year.”

“What happened?”

“My dad found the money I saved. He spent it on booze and god knows what else.”

“Can speak French?”

“Oui.” Justin just hoped he didn’t asked for a bigger demonstration. Mostly, he knew how to ask where a restroom and hostel were.

“That’ll get fun when the kids are older. We’ll stay at a chateau in southern France, Paris is for tourists, trust me you don’t want to go there.”

Justin laughed, although it hurt. “You are such a snob.”

“I can’t help it; I’m used to the finer things.”

Justin rolled his eyes. There was a little part of him that was excited about the things Brian was talking about. But he didn’t want Brian to bring guys back to the hotel if they did go.

“I don’t want you to trick while we’re there.”

Brian bit his tongue to keep him from telling Justin to shove it. He knew why Justin acted the way he did tonight. Brian wanted to exert his dominance in the marriage, by doing that he took all choices away from Justin. Brian had been mad at him for lying and took it out on him. He didn’t want to have this kind of animosity with the father of his child. Just because he didn’t think he could ever have the kind of marriage that others wanted, didn’t mean he had to make Justin miserable.

“No tricks, just us.”

“I can’t believe we’re going to do this. I can’t believe you have your own plane. I can’t believe any of this.”

“I can’t believe you won’t shut up. Just go get dressed, don’t worry about luggage, we’ll get what we need there.”

“What about your job?”

“I’m the boss. Hurry up.”

While Justin dressed Brian went to talk to Debbie. He lightly knocked on her door. She answered wearing her nightgown.

“Brian? What are you doing knocking on my door this time at night?”

“I need you to take care of Ciaran for a week. I’ll pay if you need to hire a babysitter. Justin is having a hard time with everything, I’m taking him on vacation for a week.” She didn’t need to know about his past, or what he had done tonight. No one did.

“Sure, honey. I missed Ciaran like crazy when he was gone, so did Joan. We’ll take care of him. You just worry about Justin.” She kissed him on the cheek and went back into her room.

Going back into Justin’s room he waited for him to come out of his en suite. “Finally, I thought you changed your mind. Ready to go?”

“Yep, this is so cool. I just wished I didn’t look like Frankenstein.”

“Frankenstein’s monster, Frankenstein was the doctor.”

“I knew that.”

“Of course you did. Now let’s get out of here.”